Disclaimer, I do not own Law and Order UK. All copyright belongs to ITV and Dick King and KUDOS productions. No copyright infringement is intended nor should be inferred.

Prologue

Rain battered the pavement outside the Old Bailey as James Steel looked through the window. He knew case could have gone better. He and Alesha had spent months making sure that the evidence they had and the case they had built against the woman currently below the courthouse, was watertight. Now she was going to prison for a long time and they had justice for the three children and their father that she had killed in cold blood. He was just disappointed in the way the defence had tried to destroy the witness, it wasn't fair for her to have to testify but she had agreed to. He ran a hand over his face as he thought of the teenager, no older than his own son standing in the dock. It wasn't fair but they did get the conviction they wanted.

"Penny for them."

"Alesha."

"You ok?" Alesha raised an eyebrow, knowing he was still brooding over the case.

"No." He sighed. "I will be."

She nodded as they headed towards the main doors, intent on getting some decent coffee on the way back to the CPS. He still felt dejected, knowing that whatever the outcome of the case there was little they could do to make things right. Three children and their father were still dead. He was barely listening to Alesha as they headed out onto the famous stone steps. The next thing he knew his head was connecting with concrete as people around them screamed. Shots ran out as he became aware that Alesha was trying to drag him out of harms way.

"James?"

"I." He shook his head gingerly as more shots ran out. The rain continued to batter the pavement as he tried to scramble to the edge of the line of parked cars just as Alesha fell quiet. She was slumped against the side of a parked BMW as he realised she was bleeding. "Alesha? Come on."

"I'm ok." She touched her hairline. "Who was that, James? Who just tried to kill us?"

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