TITLE:Mole Hunt AUTHOR:Courntey EMAIL:courtz16@hotmail.com DISCLAIMER: I don't own Stingers, or any of it's characters, and I am not writing this for any monetary profit. NOTES and THANKS: I started this fic a few months ago and its not really set at a particular time, its just really another case. A HUGE thanks to Cath (for editing the fic) and Cat (for telling me to finish the fic)and anyone else who helped me with this fic that I forgot! Hope you enjoy!! DEDICATION: Well this is my first ever dedication, and will probbaly be my last. I would just like to dedicate this whole series to Krystal. She was a great writer, and played a big role in the MSN web rings, and was a MSN friend of mine. The stars that shine the shortest really do shine the brightest. Oscar Stone entered the factory, looking more than just a little pissed off at having to come into work on his day off. Last to arrive, he quickly sat down next to Pete while Mac flicked over the whiteboard over to reveal a new case “This better be a bloody big case Mac, cos your phone call ruined the longest sleep in I have had for a month.” Mac doesn’t even bother responding to Stone's comment with words, preferring one of her infamous looks. Once she is sure she has got the teams attention, she begins the briefing. “Ok guys, this a going to be a big case, and its going to need everyone to pull together for the next fortnight. It would be advisable that you all cancel any prior engagements you had for the next two weeks” Macs last comments was met with a series of groans, but Mac continues “and after the briefing is finished I will need everyone to go to their homes and pack enough clothes and toiletries for the next two weeks, as none of you will be permitted back into you homes” Mac had predicted the teams reaction to this, and raised a hand to silence them. “Ok guys, I know it’s a pain in the arse, but you all knew that when you signed up for undercover. Now, this is going to be Operation Mole Hunt. Our job is to flush out an internal leak in the Witness Protection Program. As you know there have been a series of suspicious deaths that have occurred to people in the witness protection program, leading the Deputy Commissioner to believe it's an inside job, or at least an inside leak. This is to be a top-secret operation, and I’ve got the orders from the Deputy Commissioner himself. Apart from us, the only people who know about this operation are the Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner and a special surveillance team assembled for this sting. Each of us will have an undercover role in the operation, covering every possible angle. Ok, I’ve written out character profiles for each of you” Mac handed out each person a sheet, and conintued to talk as everyone read their profile “Ok, Danni and Angie, you two will be undercover as Rachel and Charlotte Littlewood. Two sisters from Double Bay in Sydney. You both witnessed a violent murder when returning from a nightclub. After a series of menacing phone calls and other threats you have been placed in Witness Protection, and taken to Melbourne by the very nice Constable Paul Richardson, which will be you Stone. You will be able to join the surveillance crew after your stint in the operation. The murder that the sisters are supposed to have witnessed was committed by Brian Macauley, Pete, you will have the honors of playing the bad guy. I will be going undercover as the new office clerk in Witness Protection Unit, Rebecca Mahoney, I just received notice that I was accepted for the job today. I’ve already arranged driver’s licenses and other details for you. You all have one hour to collect what you will need before we meet back her at 1600 hours. Stone, I’ve arranged for a NSW Police uniform for you, Ange and Danni, remember you come from Yuppieville in Sydney, so try to dress the part, feel free to use any of the clothes in the storeroom. Pete, well, you can just stick to your normal daywear. Any other information you need is in the character profiles I gave you. Danni and Angie, you will be given a house to stay in by witness protection, Stone, you will bunk in with the surveillance guys. Pete, you and I are staying here in the factory. With any luck, this should only be a short operation.. We just need taped evidence of whoever is leaking the information, and then we pull everyone out. This sting has to go down without any hitches, we’ve got the Commissioner himself breathing down our necks, so lets make it a good one guys. Any questions? No, good. Dismissed.” As they walked out of the briefing, toward their cars, Danni and Angie exchanged character profiles. Angie looked satisfied “Ha, look, Charlotte’s younger by one year!” Danni looked offended “Yeah, but you know the old rhyme about Charlotte the Harlot” Angie snatched back her own piece of paper, and handed Danni hers, “This is going to be a boring couple of weeks, stuck in a house out whoop whoop, with the crew from Witness Protection making sure we don’t get up to any mischief” Danni agreed “Yeah, I know. I’ll bring the Scrabble, you bring the cards” Angie laughed “And don’t forget the grog” Mac, Danni and Angie are together in the storeroom, sorting through racks and racks of clothes, Danni holds a chic looking black dress up to herself “What do you guys think of this one?” Mac studied it “Yeah, throw that one in to.” Danni threw it on top of a pile of clothes that her and Angie collected, Danni turned to Mac “How come you haven’t got any clothes laid out for the job?” Mac smiled and turned a plastic bag sitting behind her on the table “Well, all of the receptionists at Witness Protection wear a uniform. Blue and purple granny dresses, with a sloppy blue cardigan to match” Mac held up the ghastly dress against her expensive business suit. Danni and Angie doubled over with laughter, and Angie who was sitting near the accessories box, threw Mac a lovely fake pearl necklace “Here Mac, these should match the dress beautifully” Mac just laughed, and threw the pearls back at Ange. Danni looked at her watch “Hey where are the guys?” Mac put her new uniform back into its bag, then answered Danni “Oscar is looking through all the surveillance gear and checking plane timetables, so you can organize to meet the Witness Protection guy at the airport, and Pete is setting up his bed down on the floor, near the pool table” Danni laughed, but Angie said “Oh come one Mac. Poor guy, he’ll freeze down there! There’s already two beds made up in the rest room. Give the poor guy a break!” Mac dismissed Angie’s concern “I’m sure he will live Ange. You girls better pack all this stuff and get ready to leave for Tullamarine, because you are supposed to be getting off a plane that touches down at 8:16 tonight. From there you will probably be driven to Witness Protection Head Quarters in the city and then on to your safe house, which will hopefully be on the outskirts of the city. Danni answered “Ok then Mac. Hey Ange guess what I found in my cupboard at home?” “What?” Danni pulled out a box from her backpack “Yahzee!” Stone returned to Angie and Danni who were waiting at some chairs in the middle of the waiting room, Oscar grabbed Angie’s heavy backpack and said “Ok girls, the guy at the desk said if we go to the terminal and hand this note to the guy at the gate he will let us walk with the passengers of the flight. Terminal 16 is this way” Stone pointed to his left and they all made their way through the crowds of people. Once they got to the terminal Stone handed the note to the woman at the desk, and the three of them made down the hallway. Stone turned around to the girls “So are you sure you arranged for your luggage to be taken to the right place, cos we can’t stuff that up” Danni and Angie looked insulted, but Angie replied “Stone, I did not spend a year back packing and learn nothing” Danni added “We may be blonde, but we sure ain’t dumb, thank you” Stone stood corrected, as they waited for the passengers in the plane to come past them. he decided to change the subject “So we have no idea who it is exactly leaking the information, we don’t know who we are looking out for” Danni replied “No, none at all. As far as I can tell we will just have to wait and see if Mac came find any common link between any of the murders, and arrange Pete to go after him” Stone nodded and soon enough passengers filed past them, and the three of them mixed in with the group of people who had just arrived in Melbourne. As soon as they were out into the airport and man wearing a navy suit soon spotted Stone in his NSW police uniform, and two attractive blondes. He extended his hand to Stone, “Constable Richardson I believe, nice to meet you. I’m Stuart Thompson, and I’ll be escorting the three of you to our Head Quarters in the city. No troubles on the flight I hope” Oscar answered “No, none at all, we just have to collect the ladies luggage and then we can leave” Stuart answered “Ok then, let’s go” As Stone and Stuart lead off Danni and Angie looked at each other. It was obvious that they weren’t going to be invited to join in this conversation. With raised eyebrows, they followed the men. Oscar in the meantime was having a nice conversation with the Witness Protection Officer “Yeah, these girls come from Yuppieville in Sydney, you should see the amount of clothes they packed, I had to dish out for all the extra weight” Stuart nodded “Yeah, these yuppie types are the worst, you can tell by just looking at them that they are going to complain where ever we put them. Put them up in South Melbourne or Surrey Hills and they will still complain, nothing but the best for this kind, I tell you what” Stone replied “Tell me about it, those two never stopped complaining the whole way. Never been in Economy Class before, probably never been out of First Class before” The two men laughed, as they arrived at the luggage belt. Stuart turned to talk to the girls for the first time since they had arrived. “You do understand that we don’t give favours to anyone, I don’t care where the hell you came from, or how much money your Daddy had. You’re on my turf now, and I sure as hell am not going to put your up in a Toorak mansion. Understood?” Danni and Angie managed to bite their tongues and nod, and as Stuart and Oscar went to collect their luggage, Danni and Angie turned to each other and said together “Arsehole!” Mac looked down at herself, in her new uniform. It was not what she was used to wearing, it did absolutely nothing for her figure, she looked like she was eighty years old. Instead of her normal blow dried hairstyle, Mac wore her hair in a messy ponytail, making her look like a teeny bopper. Sighing, Mac pushed open the heavy glass doors of the Wittness Protection building, and went up to the main desk, and spoke to the sour looking middle aged woman at the front desk “Hi, my name is Rebecca Mahoney, I’m the new receptionist” The lady at the desk looked Mac up and down, before saying “Go straight through those doors there, and down the hall. First door on you left there is an office, the one with Craig Townsend on the door. Knock and go to see him. He’ll tell you what to do?” Mac thanked the lady, and as she left the room, heard her mutter under her breath “Three guesses why Craig hired her” Mac sighed and took a deep breath, before going down the hall. On her way down the hall, Mac passed a window of a small room. The venetians were open, so she looked in. Inside the room was a table and two plastic chairs, occupied by Danni and Angie, looking more than just a little pissed off. Danni was slumped across the table, and Angie was playing a game of Patience. They must have been in there all night, and they weren’t looking too happy about it. Mac spun around as someone came up behind her and put a hand on the small of her back. “You must be Rebecca. I’m Craig Townsend, and you will be working for me from now on.” He looked down at his watch. “Good to see you're punctual. Now if you would come with me in here.” Craig put his hand around Mac’s waist and took her down the hall to his office, explaining to her, “There’s no need to worry, we don’t have any criminals in here. The two girls you saw in there are witnesses to a crime, and need protection, so we give it to them. Those two come from a place called Double Bay in Sydney, talk about yuppies, but the government pays us to protect them, so that’s what we do”. Mac cringed at the mans touch on her back, but she knew if she could create a personal relationship with this sleezebucket their operation would have more chance of being a success so she turned to face him flirtatiously and asked innocently “So where will these girls be going?” Craig Townsend laughed and said “There are only a few people who actually know where people under Witness Protection are placed” Mac once again asked innocently, noticing the affect it had on Craig persisted “So does that include you Mr. Townsend?” “Oh, Craig, please. Yes that does include me, as well as a couple of others. Once you are settled in here and we are certain you are suitable for the job you will be required to sign forms stating that you will never reveal confidential information” Mac smiled and said “So will I be working near you, Craig?” Craig once again goofishly laughed and lead Mac to her workplace. In the mean time Angie and Danni had been watching Mac and work through the window, said together in time “Work it baby, work it!” Both of them laughed, and Danni added “Gotta love Pretty Woman!” Angie and Danni sat opposite each other on the small table in the room they had been enclosed in for nearly the last eighteen hours. Each of them threw card into the middle, until Angie suddenly slammed her hand down on the cards on the table “Snap!!” Angie triumphantly started to collect her cards, but Danni protested “Hey, you cheated, you're looking at the cards before you're putting them down, that’s not fair.” Angie just laughed “Your just jealous of my incredible snap playing ability.” The door to the room opened and Craig Townsend entered “Ready to leave girls, I will be taking you to your new residence. Have you read through all the rules I gave you about being in Witness Protection?” Angie reached down on the ground and took the forms she and Danni had signed. As she passed them to Craig, she decided to play on the rich girl thing. “I suppose you know who our father is? And that he would not appreciate it if we were to be taking to an… inappropriate suburb.” Danni decided to add “And another thing, tell the police to conclude their investigation soon, as we would like to return home as soon as possible. We are missing countless parties stuck in Melbourne you know.” Craig Townsend looked at amazement at the girls “I am sure the police are doing everything possible to return you… young ladies home. But until then, you are under our care, and you will do as you’re told, or face going home to Sydney where (Craig looked at his file) Brian Macauley will be looking for you, with a shotgun and two bullets.” With that Craig Townsend left the room, leaving Angie and Danni alone again. “Danni, you know you are going to get us sent to Broadmeadows don’t you?” Danni just laughed “You started it! And anyway, we might be fortunate enough to come across some criminal activity while we are out there. Be able to do some police work instead of just sitting on our arses.” Angie agreed, and the two of them began to pack up the cards and their other belongings, ready to go to the safehouse. Mac looked at her desk. At the moment it was bare, with a computer to one side. As with any sting, Mac had brought her box of goodies, to suit her persona. She had a brightly coloured penholder, a fluffy thing to stick on the side of her computer as well. The desk was slowly starting to look like Rebecca Mahoney’s. Mac reached down into the bottom of her box and took out a photo of a herself surrounded by a group of people. Mac didn’t have a clue who these people were. The photo had been made for jobs like this. It wasn’t as if Mac could have a picture of her friends on her desk. A picture of the two girls sitting in Witness Protection, the police officer from Sydney who brought them here and the murderer who was going to approach Craig Townsend for information on the girls might look a little strange sitting on her desk. Instead she was in the middle of a group of complete strangers. Mac's thoughts were interrupted by Craig Townsend leaning over her shoulder and studying the photo “You look like a popular girl Bec” Mac smiled at the way he had shortened her name to Bec in such a short time. She turned to her computer, but Craig obviously wanted to stay for a chat. “We are finally getting rid of those girls today” Mac looked puzzled, so he explained further “The two I was telling you about earlier, from Sydney” Mac nodded “Oh yes, the rich ones?” “Yes, that’s them. Well anyway I will be glad to get them out of my hair and out to Broadmeadows. The further away the better. The tall one with no fringe was concerned about the parties they were missing in Sydney, while the other one wanted to be sent to a nice home, in a good area. Now do you see why I don’t like rich people. Don’t appreciate all the work we are doing for them.” Mac smiled, Danni and Angie must be doing a good job “So who will be taking them out to Broadmeadows?” Craig smiled “I’ll be doing that myself. I do all that kind of stuff myself. You could come along for a ride if they weren’t so strict on security around here.. Security had been steeped up a notch around here lately. That just means more work for me. I’m the only one who knows exactly where the girls will be” Mac did her best to look disappointed, though her mind was ticking over. It had to be Craig Townsend who was leaking the information. There was no other way. The security leaks had been occurring for the past few months, and Townsend had gone through a number of secretaries in that time, so the leak couldn’t be occurring there. Craig Townsend finally looked as if he was going back to do some work, but before he left he sleazily to Mac “Sweetie, if you need anything, just call me on the intercom” Mac smiled. She had gone from Rebecca, to Bec, to Sweetie in less than three hours. That has got to be a record. “Sure thing Craig, I’ll do that” Pete walked through the crowded streets of Melbourne, looking for his informant. Looking down at his watch, he saw that she was ten minutes late. As if on cue, a rough looking red head girl came through the crowd, and she and Pete made their way back through the crowds and into an alley. “Did you get me a number Carissa?” Carissa smiled, and lit up a cigarette “You got the money?” Pete reached for his wallet and pulled out two fifties. “One hundred now, another two hundred if this info is any good.” Carissa began to pout. “But Marty said that I would get the money just for getting you the number” Pete began to put the money back in as he said, “Marty is a trusted informant. You’re new. If the info is any good, you will get you money. I’m not handing over three hundred dollars just to find out you gave me the phone number of some old lady in a nursing home. If this stuff checks out, you could be in for more than three hundred dollars cash.” Carissa sighed, “Alright, alright, here’s the number. Don’t worry, it’ll check out.” Pete took the small piece of paper, and handed her the money. “I’ll call you to arrange payment if this checks out.” Carissa turned and began to leave, “Yeah, whatever.” Mac and Danni sat in the back of the VX Calais like school children being driving to school. Craig Townsend sat in the front, driving through the city traffic. Just as Danni was debating on whether to try and make conversation again a mobile phone rang. The phone that was ringing obviously wasn’t Craig’s work phone, as it was in the car charger. The sound was coming from inside his bag. He reached across and took the phone from his bag and held it to his ear “Yep…. How did you get this number?… Because I just want to know…… Alright… Look, this isn’t really a good time, call me back in about three hours… Ok then, we’ll talk then. Bye.” Craig put the phone back into his bag, and the silence continued. Mac looked down at her watch, thankful it read 5.30pm, time to go home at last. She reached under her desk and grabbed her bag, switching off the computer. She did this as quickly as possible, not wanting to risk running into Craig Townsend. As she left her desk, and headed for the big glass doors, she saw Craig Townsend coming in from the carpark. There was no way to avoid him, he had already seen he coming through the big glass doors. Cursing, she went through the doors, and came across him on the footpath outside the building “Craig, I didn’t expect you back until six o’clock.” Craig smiled, “Happy to see me back early are you Bec?” Mac smiled, though her insides were churning. “Yeah, something like that..” Mac was interrupted by the ring of a mobile phone coming from inside Craig’s bag, Mac seized her opportunity. “Look, I better let you go, I’ll see you tomorrow Craig” Craig smiled, disappointed their meeting had been cut so short, but her was already reaching into the bag for his phone, “Sorry about this, but I was thinking, maybe we should get together some time, for a drink maybe?” Mac smiled, as she walked toward Angie’s Volvo “Yeah that would be good, bye!” As Mac got into the car she mumbled to herself, “God Bless the person who just rang Craig Townsend” Back at the factory, Pete was anxiously waiting for Mac. He looked at his watch again. It was five past six. With the way Mac drove, she should have been back about ten minutes ago. He was left by himself in the factory, as everyone else had left for the evening. At last her heard the roller doors lifting, and went down onto the factory floor to greet Mac. As she drove down the ramp, she winded down her window for Pete “Honey, I’m home!” But Pete was to anxious to smile “Mac, we have a problem” Mac immediately turned off the car where it was, and got out “What is it Pete?” “Well I have made contact with Craig Townsend, and you were right, he is the security leak. But that’s not the problem. The problem is that he is no longer handing out information” Mac looked confused, Pete continued “He has decided doing it that way is to risky. Instead he is offering to whack the girls himself, for an extra fee of one thousand dollars” They had now reached Mac’s office. “What about the tapes Pete, would they hold up in court?” Pete smiled “This guy is smart, he didn’t let anything of consequence slip. A first year law student could argue his way out of the evidence we have collected so far.” Mac sighed “When do you have to let him know by?” “Seven o’clock.” “Tonight?” “Yeah” Mac put her head in her hands for a moment, before saying “We have no choice do we? If we don’t go through with this, he is going to walk, and that means the Unit is going to be put under review again” Pete took a seat on the couch in Mac’s office “You’ve got to be kidding me. We were put under review at the end of last year” “Yeah, I know Pete, but there is nothing I can do about it, and I’ve got the deputy Commissioner breathing down my neck on this one. We have no choice if we want to keep our jobs. We have to go through with it.” Pete took his phone out of his pocket and got up. “I’ll ring Townsend” Mac took her office phone off the hook “Pete, see if you can get a time that he is going to do this. I’ll ring the girls and warn them, and I’ll get Oscar to wait outside the safehouse. I’ve got the address here.” “Ok.” At the safehouse, Angie and Danni, overcome with boredom were in the loungeroom of their very small and dirty safehouse cleaning, listening to Cher. Danni was busy mopping the floor, while Angie was attempting to clean the inches of dust that was gathered through the loungeroom. All of a sudden, after the silence in between songs, Cher’s voice came out loud and clear, “Does he love me, I wanna know, how can I tell if he loves me so!” Danni and Angie looked at each other and smiled. Angie turned the volume on to full ball, and Danni joined her in loungeroom, singing into her mop “Is it in his eyes” Angie laughed, taking her duster to her mouth. “Oh no, you’ll be deceived” Danni continued her part as the backup singers. “Is it in his eyes.” “Oh no, he’ll make believe.” By this time, Angie and Danni had given up on the housework, preferring dancing on the couch with their microphones at the same time, Angie with the chorus. “If you wanna know, if he loves you so its in his kiss.” While Danni sang “Shoop, Shoop, Shoop, Shoop…” Inside Danni’s bag, her phone was ringing, but the sounds was being drained out by the loud music and off key singing on Danni’s part “Or is it in his face” “Oh no, that’s just his charms” Danni moved closer to Angie and put her arms around her “In his warm embrace” Angie shoved Danni away, singing “Oh no, that’s just his arms. If ya wanna know, if he loves you so, its in his kiss” By the time the instrumental had come around, Danni was attempting to break dance of the rug, while the phone in Angie’s bag rang, but the girls were still oblivious to it. Frustrated at the fact that both Angie and Danni weren't answering their phones, Mac rang Oscar, telling him the situation “Can you get there right away?… Ten minutes will be fine… I’ll set up some surveillance guys to relieve you in a few hours… Thanks for this Stone. Keep me informed, Bye.” Mac hung up the phone as Pete came in. Putting his phone away in his pocket. “This guy doesn’t waste time Mac, said he’ll have the job done by morning. Do the girls know?” Mac cringed “Both of them are not even answering their phone, I have no idea where to reach them, and they need to know about this.” Pete agreed “Yeah, and there is something else you should know too. Craig Townsend may have done away with a lot more people that homicide knows about. When I asked how soon people would realize the girls were dead, he said that they wouldn’t. That he just tells people that they have done a runner.” Mac looked at him ( maybe what kind of look...or not) “This could be bigger than what we thought, I’m gonna ring homicide, you better go out to the safehouse with Oscar, just in case.” She gave him a piece of paper, “Here’s the address.” Pete took the piece of paper and went to his car, while Mac called homicide “Ellen Mackenzie here, can I please talk to Senior Sgt Matthews....” Oscar pulled up in front of a small flat in the back streets of Broadmeadows. He double-checked the number on the letterbox with the piece of paper he had in his hand. It was the right house, but it didn’t look fit for human habitation, with its overgrown garden and cracks through the brickwork. Sighing, he leant back into his chair, watching in interest the two figures he could see through the curtains, dancing around with what looked to be a mop. Inside the girls had had enough of Cher, and had moved on to a miscellaneous CD that had been left in the flat, and after doing some searching had found a song that they at least knew and had resumed dancing, this time together. “There she was just a walking down the street, singing Doo Wah Diddy Diddy Dum Diddy Doo!” Danni continued waltzing with her mop, but Angie had discarded her duster, and know had a broom. Danni brushed passed the window, and noticed a familiar car outside. She motioned to Angie to turn down the music. Once the room was silent, Danni said “Ange, come here. I reckon that’s Oscar, don’t you?” Angie went to the window, not needing to take a second look said “Yep, it is. What’s he doing here?” Danni shrugged “Don’t know, but I’m gonna find out. Not unless you want to go out and see him” Danni added teasingly. Angie smiled saying sarcastically. “No thanks, I’ll give you the honours” Danni laughed, and went out to see Oscar. Danni crossed the road, and went over to Oscar’s car as he wound down the window “Where’s Angie?” Danni was shocked at him tone “She’s inside, what’s your problem?” Oscar looked at her in amazement “You don’t know do you?” Danni was now confused “Know what Oscar?” Oscar told Danni what he had been told by Mac “Craig Townsend has changed his policy. He now does the hits himself.” Danni looked worried. “So we’re just sitting ducks? Is that right? Why weren’t we told!” Oscar replied “Mac tried to get a hold of you on the mobiles, but you weren’t answering” Danni leant on the edge of his car, “Oh, the music, it must have been too loud.” Oscar smiled “Yeah, well I could hear it from here, so that might have been it. I wouldn’t be bugging the neighbours in a neighbourhood like this Danni.” Danni just laughed and did a karate pose in the middle of the road, “Don’t worry, I know karate!” Oscar just laughed at her, but Danni returned to a serious mood, “So is there some kind of timeline to when we are supposed to be getting whacked or what?” Oscar answered “Not as far as I can tell. Mac didn’t say anything, I suppose it could be anytime” Danni looked at her watch “Well it wouldn’t be going down at 11.30 tonight would it?” Oscar laughed as he yawned, “No, I suppose not” Danni yawned as well “Why don’t you come inside for a cup of coffee. Ange and I went down the street before and brought fresh groceries. The coffee that was left in there had been there for the past ten years I think.” Oscar laughed, and got out of his car. “Sounds good” As they walked back toward the flat Danni turned to Oscar “Don’t expect to much, its smaller that a shoe box and dirtier than a pig sty. Angie and I are just in the middle of cleaning” Oscar laughed “Is that what you call it” Danni punched him on the arm, as they went through the front door, Danni called out “Angie, we have a visitor! It's Oscar! Put on you party dress!” Oscar laughed, as he stepped through the mess and into the loungeroom. Danni yelled out again, “Angie, where are you, having your daily sit or something?” Oscar laughed. Danni really had no shame. Danni turned back to Oscar “We live in a shoebox, how could I loose her” Oscar laughed, Danni continued “You’re a black coffee with one sugar yeah?” Oscar sat down on the couch “Yeah” Danni quickly shoved all the junk that was on the coffee table onto the floor, Oscar said “You know Angie is not going to be happy with you doing that don’t you?” Danni laughed “Well Angie’s such a neat freak. Now you just put your feet up and wait here” Danni left the loungeroom, into the separate kitchen, muttering “Give me open planned living any day” As Danni went into the kitchen, Oscar heard a loud thump, followed by the crash of some plates. Not sure what was going on, he went to investigate. Oscar made his way to the kitchen, over all the cleaning products, brooms and vacuum cleaner. He opened the swinging door and found Danni lying face down on the lino floor, beside Angie who was in a pool of blood, from what looked to be a cut on her arm. Oscar backed away and raised his arms, as Craig looked at him. “You know Paul, things are all starting to fall into place, you know that?” Oscar wasn’t sure what to do. He knew their cover had been blown, their was no doubt about that, and he had left his gun in the car. He stood in the kitchen, looking at Craig Townsend trying to stall for time “You had all this planned out didn’t you mate?” Townsend was aware of what Oscar was trying to do, and decided for the time being to go along with it. “Yeah, Oscar is it?” Oscar nodded, he would have heard Danni using his name anyway. “Yeah Oscar I did. But I want to know how I came unstuck. Not that it’s really going to matter, I’m just going to leave here, and you are not going to follow me. But firstly I am going to finish off these two. I have a very good work ethic Oscar. I always finish what I start. Employers really appreciate that you know. That’s is going to help me when I go to Spain you know. Christopher Skase might even get my a job, what do you think?” Oscar, still standing in the doorway heard a familiar Subaru WRX outside. He heard a car door slamming, and decided if he was going to help the girls he would have to get himself together now. He heard footsteps come through the front door, he said slightly louder than normal “So Craig, when you have finished are you just going to slip out that back door like nothing happened” Oscar felt relief as he heard the footsteps exit the front door, but it was short lived as Craig Townsend pulled out a handgun. “But before I leave I’m going to shoot Charlotte. No sorry what was her name, you did say it. Angie, that’s it, well I’m going to shoot Rach over there. You didn’t say her name, what was it?” Oscar sighed "Freeda" “Nice name, and then I’m going to shoot you. By the time they can actually work out where you are, because I am the only one who knows where people are sent” A look of horror spread across Craig’s face as it occured to him “Rebecca, Rebecca Mahoney is one of you isn’t she? I don't believe this” For the whole time in the whole of the proceedings Craig looked as if he was going to loose it. Suddenly the gun was pointed at Oscar. Oscar was about to deny knowing any Rebecca, but he saw Craig Townsend squeezing the trigger, as Oscar dived back through the doorway, the bullet hitting the wall behind where he had been standing. By the time Oscar had scrambled to his feet, he heard Pete’s voice “Put the gun down Craig, it’s all over” Craig had tears running down his face “No, no it’s not over, not yet” Craig, who had the gun pointed at Church swiftly pointed his gun at Angie, as a bullet was released. Oscar dove across to where Angie was laying, as Craig Townsend fell beside him, with a bullet burning through his chest, freah from Pete's revolver. He screamed in agony. Oscar rolled Angie over, not sure what to expect. She had a cut across he forehead from where she had been knocked out. Pete was still standing at the door. “Ambulance required, two officers down, suspect with a bullet wound to the chest, I repeat Ambulance urgently required.” As Townsend laid there in agony, Pete and Oscar attended to Angie and Danni, who were both still out cold, before grabbing a teatowel to stem some of the blood pouring form Townsend’s chest. Mac ran through the corridors of the hospital, searching for Pete and Oscar. Finally she spotted them at the end of the corridor. “How are they? Are they alright?” Pete took Mac by the shoulders and took her to some chairs further down the corridor. “Danni is going to be fine, only superficial injuries. She is conscious and her family is with her now.” Mac interrupted “And Angie?” Pete swallowed hard “She wasn’t as lucky. It was awhile before Danni interrupted Townsend. It looks like Townsend really laid into her She received numerous blows to the head and abdomen and the doctors have put her on life support." Mac let out a sob, and Oscar sat on the chair the other side of her, both men holding Mac tight “Oh God, this is my fault Pete. I wanted to save the unit” Oscar put his hand on Mac’s lap “Mac, none of us saw this coming. If anything it was my fault. I was there to make sure nothing happened to the girls, and it did” Oscar was interrupted by a doctor approaching them. They all raised from their seats. “Umm.. I have just come to inform you that Craig Townsend passed away ten minutes ago” Mac sat back down in the chair, while Pete asked, “And Angie Piper, is there any news?” Pete's question was ignored “ Has her family been called?” Oscar answered “Yes, they'll be here in around fifteen minutes, why, what's happening” The doctor hesitated before decided to tell them the latest news “It's not good. She has extensive brain damage, and limited brain function at the moment. To be honest, I don't see her surviving the night. I am so sorry to be the one to bring this news to you, but it is important for Miss Pipers family to get here as soon as possible, as a number of decisions need to made reguarding her treatment”