Author's Note: We're getting there! Thanks for sticking with it! Quick up date, as I know it's been a while. Ross Cainen has just shot Steve and has been taken for questioning. Steve has gone back to the beach house and he, Mark and Amanda have just made the discovery that the victims names spell out Sweeney and that Mark is the last victim. Oh yes and Steve has found out that Tanis and Cainen slept together! So onwards ….

Ross Cainen wiped ineffectually at his bloodied nose. His raw, skinned knees throbbed and he was grateful to be sitting down, even if it was in one of the interrogation rooms at Parker Centre. He'd been in one of these rooms before, when Steve and Tanis had tried to arrest him for the murder of Gordon Ganza. That misunderstanding had been sorted out quickly. He was afraid that it wasn't going to be as easy this time. The blinds had been closed to keep out the prying eyes of other officers. There was only one other person in the room. Standing across from Cainen, Ron Wagnor loomed ominously over the disgraced agent. Wagnor's frustration had reached boiling point. He thumped a fist down on the table.

'You'd better start talking Cainen and I mean now' the FBI agent said. 'From where I'm standing you're a cop turned bad and last I heard, they don't take too well to your kind in jail' He shook his head 'and considering most of these guys thought you were on their side, they're not gonna be happy when they find out you've been playing 'em for the last couple of years.'

Cainen let out a breath 'We're wasting time here' he said urgently. 'The killer could already be on to his next victim and we're sitting on our asses doing zip'.

'So start talking' Ron demanded 'Your only way out of this is to make a deal. You know it and I know it. Tell me who you're working for and just maybe I can get you a life sentence rather than a lethal injection.'

Cainen stood up, his eyes flashing angrily 'I work for Chief Masters' he said, his voice defiant 'I take my orders directly from the Chief'.

The two men glared at each other, facing off across the table. Eventually Ron turned away

'Have it your way' he muttered in disgust. Turning on his heel he stalked out of the room, leaving Cainen alone.

Sinking back wearily into his chair, Cainen scrubbed his hands across his eyes. His head was pounding and he wondered if he might actually have a concussion. The room suddenly felt unbearably hot. May be he was running some kind of fever? Still, even if he were dying, there was no way that Ron Wagnor was gonna let him out of this room.

The FBI agent had the bit between his teeth, the problem was it was the wrong bit. Cainen sighed, he needed to contact the Chief and fast, but they'd brought him in through the back door. Kept it quiet – ostensibly because he was a cop, but more likely so the interrogation could take place without input from Masters. Right now whichever way he looked at it he was screwed.

He groaned inwardly as he heard the door opening. Ron Wagnor back for 'Round 2' already? He took a deep breath, trying to gather his strength for what was to come. His best bet in this situation was not to show weakness. Not to let them know you were hurting.

Looking up, his eyes widened with surprise. It wasn't Wagnor, it was Tanis Archer.

She looked pale and her eyes were red rimmed. Still she probably looked a damn sight better than he did right now. He must look like hell. He certainly felt like hell.

'Hey' he said, giving her a weak smile. He'd never been more pleased to see anyone in his life.

She stepped hesitantly into the room, pulling the door shut behind her. She had a glass of water in her hand.

'How you holding up?' she asked gruffly

'Better for seeing you' he replied

She shifted awkwardly, not meeting his eye 'I thought you might want this' she said, placing the water on the table in front of him. 'Can't give you any Advil in case you've got a head injury'.

He reached forward and took a grateful sip of water. He hadn't realised how dry his throat was.

'Thanks' he said gratefully. Placing the glass back on the table he reached for her hand, but she pulled it away.

'Tanis' he said quietly but firmly 'I'm not a dirty cop. I know it looks bad, but it was a bad situation and I took the only course of action I could'.

'Shooting Steve?' she said. She was still tentative, still not meeting his eyes, but now her tone was accusatory.

'Look' he said letting out a ragged breath 'I've been acting under the Chief's orders for the last three years and his orders were to maintain my cover as Ross Cainen' he paused 'by whatever means necessary'.

She looked up, startled

'Yeah, you heard me' he continued 'by whatever means necessary'. He let out a breath 'I could have let them die ya know. I could have stayed there in Sol's office and let the whole sorry scenario play out and I would still have been following the Chief's orders' he shrugged his shoulder 'It's that simple' then he sighed 'at least it used to be'.

'But not any more?'

'No' he said quietly 'Not any more'. He looked at her, his brown eyes sincere 'at one time I would have left them ya know. May be even a couple of months ago I would have done anything to maintain my cover and I wouldn't have given it a second thought, but now …

'But now?' she prompted

'I've changed thank God'. His face was serious, haunted 'I'll admit it, last couple of months I was in danger of losing it. Living the way I was, it becomes real, it has to if you wanna stay alive. I was in danger of becoming subsumed by Ross Cainen. But I'm not that man'.

He paused, looked at her his eyes clear 'You know I don't think we've ever been properly introduced, but my name is David Conti'

She looked at him surprise etched in her face

He shrugged 'You must have known I had a name, a real name. You know I'm not Ross Cainen'.

She nodded 'Yeah I guess I'd just forgotten'

He sighed 'Yeah and I was forgetting too. But not any more'.

Tanis looked at him, her eyes searching 'and what's brought about this sudden clarity?' she asked, her voice quiet.

He looked at her, his eyes serious 'You' he said.

'Dad, Amanda stay here' Steve said urgently, reaching for the phone 'I'll call it in and then I'm gonna check out the house, make sure Sweeney hasn't left us any unexpected gifts'.

'Do you really think he could have?' Mark asked

'He has before' Steve replied grimly.

Mark nodded, swallowing hard. It was true, Carter Sweeney had laid a trap once before, somehow accessing the beach house and planting a bomb without either Steve or Mark realising until it was almost too late. Steve was right. It was best to be cautious.

Now holding the phone to his ear, his son was frowning. Hardly surprising in the circumstances, but Mark knew Steve and he instantly sensed there was more bad news. He was about to ask, but Amanda beat him to the punch.

'Steve what's wrong?' Amanda asked, placing a hand on his shoulder.

Steve turned to his father, still holding the phone to his ear 'Have we had a problem with the phone today?'

Mark shook his head 'No. As far as I'm aware the phone has been fine all day'.

Steve's frown deepened 'Well there's no dialing tone.'

Mark stepped forward, taking the phone from his son and holding it to his own ear. Steve was right, the phone was dead.

'So what does that mean?' Amanda asked, her dark eyes fearful

'Well' Steve said grimly 'It could mean nothing, but right now I don't wanna take any chances. I think we should get out of the house and I'll call it in on my cell from outside'.

Mark nodded 'I think you're right'.

'Be careful' Steve warned, his eyes scanning the floor in front of him. He didn't wanna frighten them, but they needed to know the reality of the situation 'There could be trip wires or booby traps, so no sudden movements'. He swallowed hard and began taking careful steps forward. 'Follow me slowly and step where I step okay'

'Okay' Mark replied, his eyes also scanning nervously around him

'Okay Amanda?' Steve asked looking round.

Amanda nodded her head wordlessly and gathering up her clutch bag allowed Mark to position her between himself and Steve. The beach house, which had always been a safe haven, suddenly felt like an enemy.

Steve realised he was holding his breath and forced himself to breathe normally again. He wished it was just him, worrying about his father and Amanda was making this a hundred times worse. If one of them set off a trip wire there would be nothing he could do to help.

'It's gonna be fine' Mark said soothingly, placing reassuring hands on Amanda's shoulders. 'Just take it slow, there's not far to go'.

She nodded again putting her free hand over one of his 'I know it is Mark' she said giving him a weak smile.

'Okay guys' Steve said 'It's only a few more steps and then we should be home free'. He continued to scan the floor in front of him, could feel a trickle of sweat running down his face. 'Nearly there' he thought 'just hold it together for a few more steps'.

His hands still on Amanda's shoulders, Mark could feel her trembling 'You're doing just fine honey' he said.

Steve had reached the door now and he pushed carefully and then stopped,

Mark looked at Steve with a half smile 'You locked it?' the irony of the situation wasn't lost on him. Here he was creeping like a burglar from his own house, and for once his son had locked them in.

Steve shook his head 'No, I didn't. I'm sure I didn't'.

'You were pretty out of it when you arrived' Mark reminded him gently

Steve pursed his lips, maybe his Dad was right, his shoulder had been throbbing, his mind had been on Tanis. Maybe he had locked it?

He tried the door again, just to make sure. It still wouldn't budge. He searched in his pockets for his key and tried it in the lock.

It wouldn't turn.

He felt his stomach tighten.

'Steve?' Mark prompted

Steve didn't answer; instead he rammed his good shoulder against the door. It didn't give an inch.

And that was when he saw it, at the bottom of the door. Instantly he dropped to his knees, his stomach now turned to ice.

Mark stepped out from behind Amanda, trying to see what had caught Steve's attention. That was when he saw the thing he'd hoped he'd never see. Steve was still busy at the door; he hadn't seen what Mark had seen. Swallowing hard, Mark slowly bent and picked it up

'Steve' Mark said, his voice grave 'We got problems'. He shoved his hand in front of his son's face. Nestled in his palm was a chess piece. Mark swallowed hard 'It's the final piece' he said 'the White King. Now we know that Sweeney's men have been here'.

Steve turned agonised eyes to his father 'I don't think there's any doubt of that'. He moved back from the door to let his father see what he'd been looking at.

Mark struggled to see over Steve's shoulder, at first he couldn't make it. And then he froze. By Steve's right knee was a clutch of different wires. Connected to the wires was something that looked like a digital alarm clock, Mark had one just like it upstairs. But it wasn't an alarm clock. As he looked in horror, the digital display said 90 seconds and the numbers were going down.

TO BE CONTINUED …….

And I'll try and be quicker with the final chapter!