This is part one of what will be a VERY long story. So, if you're the kind of person who gets hooked on fics and goes mad waiting for each part, be warned - you're in it for the long haul! I have finished writing it, but won't be putting it all up at once; I like to keep people in suspense.

I'd like to mention that I've taken characters from various eras of The Bill and I'm well aware that the two main characters never actually met! It doesn't affect the plot though, so just ignore that if you will, and enjoy the story. I hope you do - it took me two YEARS to write, so it had better have been worth it! Oh, and reviews are always appreciated if you have time ...

Buried Treasure

At least fifteen marksmen were poised, ready to fire, as the four men slowly walked out of the automatic doors with their hands in the air. It was just beginning to get dark, and police cars and vans surrounded the office block with their lights illuminating the large two-storey building.

"DOWN! On the ground NOW!"

The men dropped to the floor quickly and lay spread-eagled as police rushed over and cuffed them, after checking them for weapons. Several others ran into the building to bring out the hostages.

"Alright everyone,' Jack Meadows sighed and turned to his officers, "I want you all in there to check the building; make sure there's nobody left inside and make it secure. It doesn't look like there's much more needs doing, so be thorough and we can be done by the end of the shift."

As they entered the building, the seven hostages were being led outside, shaking and crying and being comforted by other officers and a pair of ambulance paramedics.

"Poor sods," Sam Harker remarked, shaking his head. "I bet they weren't too confident they'd be getting out alive."

"It's weird, innit?" Cass Rickman looked puzzled. "Meadows said three of those guys are really ... y'know, not the sort to just give 'emselves up without a fight."

Sam shrugged. "Maybe they just used their common sense for the first time in their lives! They're not stupid but from what I've heard, they don't really think things through. They've done time before for getting caught over daft mistakes. Doesn't look like this'll be the exception!"

"Ok, everyone spread out and check the building," Meadows commanded, looking at his watch as the officers began to spread through the building. He realized that the siege had lasted just under four hours. In a way it seemed much longer, but then again much shorter ... it's amazing how quickly time goes by when lives were at risk, he thought.

He shook his head, snapping himself back to reality as a senior officer from another station strode over to him, suppressing a yawn.

"Jack, a word?"

"Yes sir. What can I do for you?'"

"The boy we arrested with the others, Daniel Wright, wants to speak to you. He says you've dealt with him and his father before, is that right?"

"How could I forget?" Meadows raised an eyebrow. "Never anything like this before, but I suppose it was only a matter of time before he followed his dad into the family business. Why does he want to talk to me?"

"He won't talk to anyone else, but he says it's important ... my guess is that he'll try to blag his way out by saying it was all Davy and Tyler's idea. He'll never drop his dad in it."

Meadows walked stoically over to the nineteen year-old boy, who looked even younger now; scared and fidgeting like a child who had lost his mother in a supermarket.

"Hello Daniel," Meadows muttered, shaking his head disappointedly. "It's a shame about you, turning out like this; I didn't think you had it in you."

"Look, Mr. Meadows," the boy stuttered, "It weren't me really, y'know, not my idea or nuffin', I didn't wanna go along wiv it, it were all Tyler's idea; me an' my dad didn' have anythin' t'do wiv...."

"Not now, Daniel..." Meadows cut him off mid sentence. "Save all this; we'll be hearing it all again at the station." He turned to go back to into the building.'

"Why're they all goin' in?" he asked, looking around nervously.

"We've got to search the building, Daniel," Meadows said, rolling his eyes. "I would have thought that much was obvious!"

"Stop!" Daniel uttered, as Meadows went to leave for the second time. He stopped and turned around, slightly taken aback at the urgency in the boy's voice.

"'Look, if I tell you sumfin', will you promise not to tell me dad and the others it was me that told you?"

Meadows stepped closer to the boy, sighing testily.

"Well, that would depend what it is, Daniel," he said. "But if it's important, I think you should tell me."

"Nah, come on, you gotta promise! If they find out, I'll be dead meat!"

Meadows looked around him in frustration, but eventually turned back to Daniel.

"Ok, I promise."

Daniel smiled weakly and nodded.

"Cos, y'know, I'm no angel, but I don't want any of your lot to get killed...I wouldn't wanna be involved with nothin' like that."

Meadows felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up.

"Go on.'"

"After a while they knew we was gonna get caught 'cause this geezer pressed the alarm, so they said at least they'd 'ave one up on you lot - make you think everything was ok, like, by letting all the people go, coming quietly an' stuff ... but Tyler had brought this gear with 'im. Said it was insurance in case anything went wrong like last time."

"Gear?" Meadows enquired. "Drugs?"

"Nah, worse than that," Daniel muttered, 'He went and made a bomb, didn' 'e. 'E said it's not that big or sophis', but it'd take out a good half of the building and show you lot that they're not guys to mess with."

Meadows froze. "And they set it?"

The boy nodded, genuinely concerned.

"When's it set to go off?"

Daniel shrugged. "I'm not sure ... about 'alf an hour from when he set it ... that was about half past five."

The senior officer looked at his watch. 5:56. He looked towards the building.

"My God," he whispered.