Hello friends! Sorry this took so long but here is the next chapter! :D Enjoy!

The note would surely have reached the Horsemen by now.

Night is falling and the Horsemen should be stirring. They would come charging down the alley any minute.

I pace like a wild tiger trapped in a cage. If the Yard failed, like they have so many times before, then a life would be ended and the Horsemen would go free.

It was a miracle that Lastrade had talked Watson into going along with this. How he did I shall never know.

The what if's begin their terrible parade across my mind. What if the note had not reached them? What if they knew it was a trap? What if…

However my mind is unable to form the last question as the sound of hoofs striking stone reach my ears.

Time for the rabbit to play his part. The alley is long and narrow. The trap is set just where the alley meets the street. It opens like the jaws of an animal ready to consume its prey.

However getting to the opening shall prove to be the tricky part. Feet can only travel so fast and the horses gain with every beat. My heart is in my throat as the pack rounds the last turn. This was it, do or die.

To their credit the Yard perform their duties adequately. They block off the exit through which the Horsemen had just come and surround them.

From the roof on which I stand I can see the Yard let Watson, dressed as me, through a gap and then close it before the Horsemen can follow suit. They tighten the noose and the Horsemen have no idea what to do.

They try charging the line of men but their horses shy. They dismount and draw their swords standing back to back.

With the ease and grace of years I quickly make it down to the ground just in time to hear Lastrade issue an ultimatum. "Gentlemen, you are armed with swords, we have guns. You would be dead before you could advance on my men."

Two swords hit the ground. "Fools!" The third one yells. He swings his sword back in a killing arch and charges. He is cut down. The fool did not stand a chance.

The look on the two remaining Horsemen's faces tells me that they have no intention of following their companions' mistake.

Watson joins me and sighs. "It is over then."

The two remaining Horsemen share a perplexed look. "Over?" The shorter of the two says. "But it has only just begun."

At this Watson and I share a confused look. "You are not going anywhere." I state. "So how can it just have begun when we have the last two loose ends?"

They stare at me as if I have been struck dumb. A beat of the heart passes than two and the taller man laughs. "You really have no idea, do you?"

A furious look pinches Watson's face. I make sure to remain neutral, cold, calculating. My mind works overtime as it traces the tread back to the beginning. "The bread." I all but whisper.

The tall man laughs harder and nods his head. "Aye the bread. Did you really think we would eat all of it?"

I run the numbers through my head. Five hundred loaves of bread, five hundred empty stomachs. It all adds up to five hundred new recruits for the Horsemen.

But why? The Horsemen had killed their targets.

Than it hit me with all the force of a hurricane and the wind leaves my sails. "You are going to bring down Parliament."

This time the tall one does not laugh; he is as somber as if at a funeral. "Aye. Parliament falls this night and the Horsemen will forever be written down in history."

I hardly hear him as my mind is working double time on what I must do. I grab the nearest horses' reins and pull him in close. I mount without a moment's pause and wheel the horse in the direction of Parliament.

"Lastrade!" I boom, "Gather your forces and meet me at the steps of Parliament."

I urge the horse forward but he does not move. I look to see what is obstructing my path and low and behold Watson has a hold on the reins. "Holmes I agreed to this only because you would be out of danger! Now you want to charge head first into the jaws of the beast? I will not allow it!"

My mind is no longer here it is inside Parliament where no doubt five hundred people have gathered to destroy the symbol of their oppression.

I will my mind back to the here and now. I force it to focus on Watson. In a calm, level voice I explain. "Listen old friend right now five hundred people are descending upon Parliament ready to rip it out by the foundations. I need your help to stop this. I need you to help Lastrade organize the men and get them over there before we lose the building. I know you can do it. I have to go now and make sure that the guards are in place. Please, you have to let me go."

The words hang in the air. He looks at me for a long moment conflict warring behind his eyes.

Without a word he releases the reins and steps back. I dip my head in a silent thank you and spur the horse on.

The horse jolts forward eager to be under way. Its hooves pound the pavement devouring the distance between our target and us. I lean forward in the saddle urging the horse to go faster.

The alleyways blend together but I never get lost. The light bleeds out of the sky and still I urge the horse to go faster. It grows colder, the horse inhales air and expels steam, it grows tired and I dig my heels into its side. The horse snorts and bows its head extending its legs and pushing harder off the pavement.

We are almost there; the tension hangs thick in the air. I grip the reins hard and dig my heels even further into the horse's sides.

Suddenly my world changes. The sky and the ground switch places, my back collides hard with pavement and pain lances through my side. I look up and the horse is standing over me, head bowed hooves pawing impatiently. "Oh no." I tell the horse. "I'm walking from here." I shall never ride a horse again, crafty creatures.

I sit up and my side is sticky. I look down and see the fine stitching work Watson had made of my side is undone. I stand knowing I will be receiving yet another of Watson's fine lectures.

I make it to my feet and almost double over from the pain in my side. I take the pain and push it into the furthest corner of my mind. The pain recedes and I am running to Parliament.

I round the final corner of my trek and the building comes into full view. I eye the buildings doors and they do not look disturbed.

I race forward and pull hard on the door. Locked. That was a good sign. I checked another and another door. All locked. But then I came to one sitting slightly askew.

Throwing open the door I race inside and find the main floor empty. So that's how they where to get in.

I climb the stairs to the Speakers podium and hide in the shadows. It is not long before I hear a thundering herd of feet and room is quickly filled with light from the flickering torches in the hands of five hundred men.