SING SING PRISON- 6 HOURS AGO

Irene sat in her cell, the cuffs around her wrists feeling heavier with each passing minute.

"Warden?" Irene snapped, the impatience clear in her tone.

The warden stepped into her line of vision, his hand firmly grasping the gun in his holster. "Yes, Miss Adler?"

Irene looked at his nervousness, not amused. She rolled her eyes, "I need you to vacate the area."

He looked bemused. "I can't…I don't think I can do that, ma'am." He stumbled.

"This isn't a matter worth negotiating. I need to use the facilities and I prefer not to have an audience." She glared, trying to threaten him with her gaze.

He looked as though he were having a fight with his decisions. "I'm not supposed to –I can't leave you alone…" He tried to explain, his nervousness leveling.

Irene stood, approaching the metal cell bars. "If you know what's smart, I'd leave…right now."

"W-what…?" The terror returned to his voice, causing it to tremble.

A figure stepped out from the shadows behind the warden, a gun raised, ready to shoot him point-blank. "Open the cell."

The warden turned, his hand fumbling to release his gun from the belt around his waist.

Sebastian Moran (number two) pulled the trigger and watched the man slam back into the cell door, dead before he hit the ground.

A blood pool began to form around his torso, his white uniform blossoming red from the wound.

Irene stepped back, the less-than careful gunshot catching her by surprise. "What the hell, Seb? You could've shot me!"

"Do you want out or not?" Seb retrieved the keys and dangled them in front of her face.

"Out."

Seb unlocked the cell, worked her wrists free from the handcuffs, and led her out of the prison into an unmarked getaway car.

"I'm surprised we didn't get caught…" Sebastian put his gun back on safety and slipped it into his belt.

"I'm not. Americans are idiots. Their security is weak."

"Then how come you couldn't escape without help?"

Irene shot him a glare. "I could've gotten out on my own, but the reason I didn't was because I didn't need to at the time. Now that I've got a new goal, I needed to get out."

"You ready for this war?" Sebastian disregarded her statement.

Irene smiled mischievously, the evil spark returning to her vibrant green eyes. "I've been ready."

…

"Two?" Joan gulped. "You mean…?"

Captain Gregson cocked an eyebrow. "Well, metaphorically speaking, it seems as though there are two, but in reality, there can't be. Irene has united with a just as cynical and sinister counterpart. We have no information regarding said counterpart, but we have men ready to infiltrate their hideout to learn more about him…on my command, of course."

Joan nodded weakly, the worst possibilities of Irene and Jim Moriarty joining together playing out in her thoughts, haunting them with realizations that together, they could be the most unstoppable pair of criminals in history. Two consulting criminal masterminds from two 'universes' coming together to form a partnership so great, it could take down anyone or anything in its way…this, this was bad. Joan knew that even with Gregson's team ready to kill in an instant, they wouldn't stand a chance. She knew Irene, and if Jim was anything like her, they'd be, not one or two, but three steps ahead of their enemies –meaning, three steps ahead of John, Joan, Sherlock, and the whole NYPD field team combined.

"Knowing Irene and how dangerous she can be, we are going to take extreme caution dealing with the situation…" Gregson reassured her.

"I want to take them down…I want to help." John piped up, his war-side peeking through in confidence.

Captain Gregson stared at John, confused. "Not to be rude, but this situation has to be dealt with such precision that we cannot allow amateurs to assist."

"Who says I'm an amateur? I've been in the Afghanistan war, I know the battlefield like the back of my hand." John smirked, his eyes gleaming with joy. He couldn't wait to experience danger, being the adrenaline junkie he was.

Captain Gregson smiled. "Afghanistan?"

"Yes, sir. Captain John Watson, ex-army doctor to the British Army, at your service." He saluted the Captain, receiving a firm salute in response.

"Well then, soldier. You are welcome to assist in the arrest of Irene Adler and her partner in crime." They ended the salute and shook hands.

"I look forward to taking them down and bringing their sorry arses to justice!" John grinned, longing for the weighted feel of a British Army Browning L9A1 in his calloused hands.

Captain Gregson nodded curtly, turning his attention to Sherlock. "I know she's a touchy subject, Holmes, but if you're up to it, we'd love to have your help. We already know she still loves you, so maybe we could use that against her somehow…"

"Of course, Captain. Happy to help." Sherlock pressed his lips into a fine line.

Joan eyed him suspiciously. "Are you sure you want to do this, Sherlock? We all know –well, almost all of us know what happened the last time we dealt with her…"

"I'd like to remind you that my overdose was part of the plan to trap her. It worked, I'm fine, and I remain drug and alcohol free, so no, this event to bring her to justice for the second time in a year will not cause me to relapse, Watson." He huffed.

Joan sighed. "Okay, if you say so." She turned toward Captain Gregson. "I guess that means I'm in, too."

Captain Gregson's smile faltered. "I don't know, Joan…This operation is very dangerous, I'd hate for anyone to get hurt…"

"I go where he goes, remember?" Joan reminded Gregson of Joan's pre-partner job of a sober companion, requiring her to stay by Sherlock's side. Sure, she hadn't been his sober companion for some time, but that didn't stop her from feeling the need to be by his side almost 24/7.

Captain Gregson glanced over at Sherlock.

"Hey, I can't tell her what to do, nobody can." Sherlock smirked. "If she wants to go, let her go. She's grasped the basics regarding self-defense and hand-to-hand combat if such actions are needed," Sherlock explained, "and might I remind you, she was the one who incapacitated Xande Diaz when he held her and Rhys hostage…at gunpoint."

John shot her a surprised glance.

"Angus helped…" She laughed softly.

"You…you took down an armed criminal...?" John was extremely caught off guard. Joan may seem like a woman that usually would want to wait on the side-lines, but apparently she was a fiery heroine with a sense for danger.

"After she and Rhys escaped their bonds…" Sherlock added.

John grinned. "Wow, amazing…just…wow." He was having trouble grasping for words to describe how impressed he was, "I would've never…I mean, look at you…Heels…Were you wearing heels at the time?"

"They are my signature…" Joan felt her cheeks go red.

Captain Gregson cleared his throat to redirect their attention back to the matter on hand. "As impressive as Miss Watson's stunt was," He shot her a smile, "we still have to discuss how to invade, undetected, into their fortress."

"Co-op tactics, my favorite." John began to mentally map out different routines and routes, readying them so he could apply them to the floor plans of the fortress.

Joan gulped. This was happening…this was really happening. She never signed up for any of this –sure, she had agreed to it not more than two minutes ago, but she had never known her life as a sober companion would lead to consulting with the world's greatest (apparently there had actually been another 'greatest') detective, and now this. A military co-op plan to invade a hideout for the most sinister pair in history. Joan was terrified; she could lose the people closest to her. Hell, these people had become her family –minus John, who had recently become her boyfriend- and she just couldn't stand to think of life without them. If one died midst the gunfire, she would never be able to live with herself. She had brought up the topic of Irene to this man named Jim and apparently he had taken her information to use against them. He had enlisted Irene's help –or vice versa, she wasn't quite sure- so if something happened to anyone, their blood would be on her hands.

A horrifying thought came to mind, making the colors in her face drain.

If one of these important people in my life dies, their blood will be added to my already blood-soaked hands, she thought to herself, her stomach churning. The blood of Grant, and now the blood of one of her family –or worse, John.

John could read Joan's worry as if it were written all over her face. He gripped her hand, his fingers interlocking with hers, despite their fight hours before. "We can do this." He whispered, forgetting the two other men in front of them. "We'll be fine."

Joan nodded, her confidence returning. "Let's kick some ass."

A/N: The much anticipated chapter (for me, anyway) is next! AHHHH! I cannot wait to write it! It will be gripping, devastating (for which side, I won't tell), and will have a huge twist! I hope you are just as excited! This chapter was kinda short, but trust me, the next will be longer…A LOT longer. :D

Please Favorite/Follow/Review! Trust me, I get so excited when you guys review! It makes me want to keep writing…and right now, I'm kinda struggling! I also have a really, really, REALLY sad announcement for you all in the last chapter of this story…Some of you already know, but for those who don't, you'll have to wait to find out.

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