Hello everyone, sorry it's been awhile. I hope to try and update a bit more here and there. Thanks for reading!

Molly listened patiently as Sherlock told her of his plans to buy into Sir Charles' clubs. He explained to her how necessary it was, in spite of the danger. He was convinced that this entire affair would be over very soon. His words and confidence did not soothe her anxiety or the fear she felt for him and though he said that tonight would be the last time that he would ever step his foot in one of Charles' clubs, she was still afraid for him.

She stared at him relaxing in his recliner, sipping his scotch. His calmness only aggravated her more. "What will you do now?" She blurted out. "I know you, Sherlock. You say that after tonight you won't put yourself back in danger, but you will…I know you will, if you feel there is a need."

"We will have him in a few days Molly," Sherlock said. "After tonight, we will have everything. There will be no need for me to see Sir Charles again. Please, don't worry." He finished his drink and stood, moving towards her and taking her hand in his.

She looked down at their joined hands. "I wish this was already over," she said shuddering. " A man as evil as Sir Charles, I don't even want to contemplate what he would do were you to bring him to ruin and the police let him slip away."

"Why should he get away?"

"A man who has built his disgusting empire up as high to include high ranking officials and police bought and paid for, thus ensuring silence at the highest level of government is no fool. I venture he has pondered what he would do were he to lose it all."

"His arrogance would prevent such a thing," Sherlock assured her. "He would never have enough humility to think someone would betray him or dare to attempt to bring him down."

"Do you and my brother have to do this? Does Henry? Do you have to personally deliver the funds to that wretched man? Can't you just have your solicitor do it?"

"He would expect us to come and see the plans for his new clubs. He plans to take them global, Molly. This would be a huge expense and risk. It would not sit well with Sir Charles if we showed no more interest in it than sending our solicitors with a check."

"But what if something happens again," she said. "What if the next time instead of Sir Charles expecting Henry to beat a woman, he expects him to kill her? What if something happens and he wants you to kill? Or rape? Or something even worse?"

"There is that risk Molly, but all Lestrade needs is the ledger with the names of the men who support Sir Charles. He can secure a warrant and search any business of Sir Charles' that he chooses."

"And why would Sir Charles allow you to see his business ledger, Sherlock? This is not…"

"If it comes to it, I will steal it. Though I doubt that will be necessary," he said simply. "Once I give him a check, there will be no more doubt on my loyalty to him, if there ever was one. Jim, Henry, and I will all be considered equal partners in his business. Why should we not then be invited to discuss the meat of his business? If I am going to pay for women, I want to be able to see the merchandise beforehand."

"That's disgusting," she said softly.

"I know it is," he said, slowly wrapping his arms around her to see if she would allow it. She did and rested her head against his shoulder. "I'm sorry that I said it to you, but you need to understand."

"Do you have any idea who the politicians are that support Sir Charles?"

"Oh yes," Sherlock said smiling against her hair. "I have seen them myself in his club and Irene has…"

"Irene?" Molly all but shrieked, pulling back in his arms. "Why should Irene know who these men are?"

Sherlock cursed himself inwardly at the slip of his tongue. "Calm yourself Molly," he said, pulling her against his chest again. "She is well protected."

"Oh my God…is she…has she gone into one of his clubs?"

Sherlock nodded. "Yes, she went in without my knowledge or James'. We were shocked to discover that she had offered her services to Sir Charles as a dancer. With her independent income and what she claimed to do for a living, she had no trouble in convincing him that she was not opposed to his brand of entertainment, as long as she was allowed a few liberties."

"What liberties?"

"She convinced him she was a professional madam and dominatrix," he said, rubbing her back as he tried to comfort her.

"But…how can that possibly keep her safe when Sir Charles loathes women as he does?"

"Because he loves money as much as he loathes women," he said. "Irene has much of her own and also makes him quite a bit. She dances, but none of the customers are allowed to touch her unless she wants too. There are also men who frequent his clubs who love to be dominated by women. Sir Charles finds them even more disgusting than he does the girls he keeps working in his clubs and he enjoys watching Irene humiliate them."

"So she pretends to be a female version of Sir Charles?"

"For the most part," he said. "Without the cruelty to other women and for added protection, James bought her."

"What?" she shouted and did jerk away from him this time.

Sherlock held up his hands and repeatedly himself, this time making quotation marks in the air as he said "bought her." Sherlock sat down on the accent chair and looked at her. "It was a condition of your brother's to allow her to stay there to spy for us. Sir Charles agreed, as I said he does love money, and Irene still works there as a dancer to make him money. She works as a dominatrix for his amusement and the amusement of other customers, but submits herself to James. Sir Charles asks no questions."

Talking about it made him feel exhausted. He sat back in the chair and ran his hands over his face and through his hair. When he looked back at Molly, he was surprised to see tears in her eyes.

"It's so dangerous," she said in a voice barely above a whisper. "You're all in such danger."

Sherlock reached out and grasped her hand giving it a gentle squeeze.

Sherlock, Henry, and James returned from the club at around midnight. All three men looked haggard, but yet their eyes held the glimmer of hope. Soon, they believed. Very soon this would all be a distant nightmare. Molly came into the study just as Mrs. Hudson left from bringing the men tea. "Sherlock," Molly said softly. He turned to look at her and saw her grave expression. "What is it?" He asked, moving across the floor to grasp her arms. "What has happened?"

"Irene is here," she said. "She has brought some things for Lestrade and Mycroft. She and I looked through them…it's horrible, but it's what you need to destroy Sir Charles."

"What did she bring?" James asked gently.

"Letters…horrible letters, receipt of sales, and other things."

"Molly, why would you look at those things?" James asked, pulling her away from Sherlock to hold her.

"It's not the letters, Jim," she said. "I knew they would be terrible. It's Irene, she was hurt."

James pulled back and held her at arm's length in front of him. "How was she hurt?"

"Molly is worrying over nothing," Irene drawled as she entered the study with her arms full. "As you can see, I am quite well."

Sherlock and Molly stared at her in silence while Henry and James gasped audibly. Irene had a rather severe looking cut over her left eye. There was a dark, angry bruise covering most of her right cheek and her dress was torn. There were finger marks marring her beautiful skin. She moved gracefully across the floor and handed the bundle to Sherlock. "I think your brother will be pleased, Sherlock," she said.

"What in the devil happened?" James shouted. "Who hurt you?"

Irene sighed and placed her hand on his arm. "James, I am fine," she said. "Nothing more than a few bruises that will heal and trust me when I say that Sir Hawkins is in a much worse state. He learned the hard way one should never attack a woman when she is holding her favorite crop."

James seemed to calm slightly and a small smile formed over his lips. "But that cut above your eye will need medical attention."

"Yes," Sherlock agreed. "I will have Leonard call John." He left the room and returned within minutes with some bandages. "Hold this over the cut, Irene. It will help the wound clot."

She took the bandages and did as instructed. James led her to the sofa and sat her down beside Molly. Sherlock, Henry, and James went through the papers, their eyes looking over the names ravenously. Henry looked at Irene and gave her a smile of true appreciation. "Irene, you are amazing. How in heaven's name did you get this? It will ruin them all."

Irene smiled. "I was called to Sir Phillip Hawkins home for an appointment. The other men," she said gesturing towards the papers they held, "were there also. It was easy to get men such as them into a drunken stupor. I already knew where Phillip kept his personal papers," she said before adding dryly, "I simply relieved him of the burden of keeping such things in his own home."

"And Hawkins attacked you," James said, looking at her with a hard expression.

She shrugged and said "I was interrupted when taking the papers," she said. "There was a small struggle from which I came out the victor, obviously or I would be dead instead of sitting here in front of you. There is no reason to concern yourselves with what is over now. I have brought more of the ammunition that you need to help destroy Sir Charles, which is all that matters."

James started to disagree, but Sherlock flashed him a look that silenced him. She was right. She had brought them more than enough evidence which they could use and she was safe. James could be the angry suitor all that he wanted to be, but in private, not now.

"Sherlock, this is wonderful," Henry said excitedly, paying no attention at all to what had just transpired in front of him. "There is not a man on this list that will dare to risk scandal and ruin such as this for Sir Charles."

Sherlock nodded his agreement. "We will pay a call to Inspector Lestrade before going to see my brother."

Henry stood and followed Sherlock out of the room with the papers in hand. James started to speak to Irene when she stood and placed her finger over his lips. "You're welcome, James."

A slow smile crept over his face and he caught her hand, placing a kiss on her knuckles before leaning down to kiss her lips. "My brave girl," he said.

She returned his smile and kissed him before stepping away. "You had better go with Sherlock and Henry."

He nodded and turned, leaving her and Molly alone in the room.

Mycroft and Lestrade sat outside of Sir Michael Hillstrand's office waiting to be seen the Magistrate. After a brief wait, the men were ushered inside by a harried looking younger man, who mumbled something un intelligible before leaving the two alone with Sir Michael.

"Ah Mycroft," Sir Michael said with a veiled attempt at hiding his contempt for the younger man. "Do what do I owe the pleasure of your company and this…policeman," he finished with a look of distaste on his face.

Mycroft wasted no time in getting to the point. He handed the envelope over the desk to Sir Michael and sat back in the chair. Sir Michael sighed in annoyance and opened the envelope, pulling the papers out. "What the devil is this all about Holmes," he snapped. "I have no times for games." He looked at Mycroft for a response and not getting one; he sat down behind his desk and began to read the documents.

His color immediately drained from him face as a wave of nausea hit him with the force of a bomb. He leaned his head over and vomited in his waste basket. Mycroft and Lestrade watched silently. Sir Michael heaved once more before taking out his handkerchief and wiping his mouth. He took a steadying breath before turning frightened eyes on Mycroft. "What is the meaning of this?" he whispered.

Mycroft smiled a small smile, one that didn't reach his eyes. "I should've thought that would be obvious, Sir Michael," Mycroft said. "This is only the beginning. I have letters and other documents such as bills of sales, witness testimonies, and much more. Your name is only one of many."

"You mean to destroy me then? Everything that I have worked for…my family…my daughter…"

"You deserve nothing less," Mycroft spat. "You sir are a disgusting and disgraceful excuse for a human being. Your family, your wife and daughter deserve much better than you. However, you and others like you are only small rats in a vat of a much larger viper. It is the viper that we want Hillstrand."

"You mean to blackmail me?"

"If you chose to see it that way, it is no concern of mine. You have two choices before Sir Michael. You can help us bring down that vile, worthless man or you can come to ruin. The choice is yours," Mycroft said. "Take a few moments to think it over."

Sir Michael's eyes narrowed. "Your dare threaten me when your own brother…"

"My brother played you all for a fool," Mycroft said interrupting. "He has been working with the police to bring you all down."

Sir Michael started to speak, but thought better of it. He chewed his lips nervously as he wrung his hands. "If I help you, what will happen to me?"

"Less than you deserve, "Lestrade spat with disgust. "You will keep your position within parliament and your family need not know what kind of man you truly are, although I'd be willing to wager that they are well acquainted with what a pathetic man you are. But make no mistake; I will retain copies of everything that I have gathered against you and your confederates. Should you so much as walk on the wrong side of the rode, I will have you buried underneath Scotland Yard, do you understand?"

After Mycroft and Lestrade had gained Sir Michael's compliance, they made several other visits and were just as successful in gaining success. The following day, Scotland Yard raided four of Sir Charles' clubs, finding narcotics, illegally purchased alcohol, and women who had been kidnapped and forced into prostitution. Prominent business men, members of the police force, and members of parliament and other government offices were arrested and taken to Scotland Yard. Many were already demanding audiences with Lestrade in order to turn over as much evidence as they could to secure their own freedom and avoid scandal. Some of the men Lestrade agreed to speak with, others he would make examples of.

But the real prize had yet to be brought in. Lestrade paced back and forth as he watched his men bring in patron after patron of Sir Charles's. He had just sat down and began to look back through one of the mountains of evidence piled upon his desk when the office door opened and in walked a very grave looking Mycroft Holmes.

"Sir Charles has fled, Lestrade," he said. "Two of your officers were found dead, shot through the head and two others knocked unconscious. Apparently someone had tipped him off and he was waiting for us."

"Damn," Lestrade shouted, slamming his fists into his desk. "I should've seen to that wretch myself. I shall put what available men I have…"

"That is not necessary Lestrade, I have seen to this myself. I already have men looking for him and he will be apprehended soon."

Lestrade nodded and started to sit back down, when his eyes snapped open wide and he shot straight up. "Your brother, Sir Henry, and James Hooper could be in danger."

"I can assure you that all precautions have been taken care of," Mycroft said. "Believe me when I say that my brother can take care of himself."

Sir Charles Magnusson stood in the shadows across the street staring up at the home of Sherlock Holmes. "You will pay for this, Sherlock," Charles hissed. "You think you can destroy me? What a fool you are! What fools you all are. I will have my revenge upon you. I will destroy you, take everything from you. I will make you suffer…I will make her suffer…and you will watch as I degrade her and destroy her. Then I will kill you, Sherlock…I will kill you."

It's been awhile, I know, but thanks for reading :)