Chapter one

Sitting alone in the interview room, Zain lowered his head, leaning it against the table, willing himself not to cry. He was used to pushing the rules to their limit, but this time he had gone too far, way too far. He'd actually killed another man. He couldn't believe he'd been stupid enough to let it go that far. He couldn't believe he'd shot a man he'd gone to school with. A man who'd lived next door to him. A man he had at one time liked, even if he hadn't admitted it at the time. He was so preoccupied with his thoughts; he didn't even notice Phil and DI Neil Manson enter the room. He couldn't get the image of David's body out of his head. His thoughts turned to the first time he met David

"Where do you think you're going?" Zain's mother screeched at him as he walked towards the door

"Out!" he yelled back

"Out where?" Zain didn't bother to reply, just slammed the door behind him. The 15 year old Zain Nadir ran a hand through his dark hair and gazed at his house. One of these days, he knew he was going to just walk out and never come back. He was sick of his brothers and sisters, sick of his parents and sick of having to do what he's told all the time. He turned around to step over his low garden wall and walked straight into a scrawny boy with longish brown hair and glasses.

"Hi" the boy said brightly.

"Who are you and what are you doing in my garden?" Zain asked, getting straight to the point

"I'm David Hood" the boy introduced himself "I just moved in next door."

"Great." Zain said, trying to push past him

"So what's your name" David called, following him

"Zain"

"Zain? That's a strange name isn't it?" Zain didn't bother to reply, just shot a glare at him and walked off down the street, his hands in his pockets.

"So do you go to Sunhill Comprehensive?" David said, jogging to keep up with Zain's large strides

"Yep"

"So maybe you could show me 'round tomorrow?"

"Maybe' Zain replied, knowing he wouldn't

"Great. I saw you earlier on today." David paused, waiting for Zain to reply. When he didn't, he continued on "Who was the girl you were with?"

"Which one?"

"Your girlfriend."

"Which one?" he asked again.

"You have more than one girlfriend?" David asked complete awe on his face. Zain stopped and counted them off on his fingers

"Laura, Becky, Melanie and Rose. What did the one you saw me with look like?"

"She was black and had long hair."

"That would be Rose" he said, wondering when David was going to leave him alone. They entered the local park together and Zain's patience was really starting to grow thin with David's constant questions. As David opened his mouth again, Zain snapped

"Just shut up for a while, alright?" David nodded, looking slightly hurt and they continued walking. Suddenly a loud and angry sounding voice penetrated the virtual silence that had fallen over the park since David had shut up.

"Nadir! I've been looking for you?" Zain swore under his breath and glanced over his shoulder at the older, taller and stronger boy walking towards him

"Listen David, unless you want the crap beat out of you on your first day here, then you better run."

"Why? Who's that?" he asked, staring at the other boy

"Jack Allen. Melanie's boyfriend." He turned around to meet the other boy, "hey jack, what's…' he was cut off when Jack punched him hard in the stomach. Doubled over in pain, Zain heard Jack say

"I've warned you before to stay away from her"

"It's not my fault she likes me better" he said, straightening up, ignoring the pain in his stomach. Jack grabbed Zain's collar with one hand and raised his other fist and Zain tensed, not even trying to fight back. He'd been in enough fights, with enough angry boyfriends of the girls he'd been seeing to know which fights he could win and which he couldn't. However Jack released his hold on Zain's shirt and the blow to the face he had been expecting never came. Zain quickly opened his eyes again and saw with complete shock that David had pulled Jack off him and Jack was now focusing all his energy in pummeling David. Zain stood up straight with some effort and quickly pulled Jack away from David, punched him hard in the face, grabbed David and ran as fast as he could. Once they rounded the corner of his street, Zain collapsed against the wall, breathing heavily. He glanced over at David, and satisfied that neither of them had any lasting injuries, snapped

"What the hell did you do that for?"

"What?" David said, confused

"He could have killed you"

"It looked like he was going to kill you"

"I'm used to it." A silence fell over them after that. After a while, Zain glanced at his watch, and realized he'd better go inside before his mum got even angrier. He stood up and walked towards his house without another word to David, not wanting the smaller boy to think he was grateful in any way.

"Zain?" Neil's voice penetrated his thoughts "Are you sure you don't want a solicitor?" Zain glanced up and shook his head. Then, he resumed his staring at the table. An image of David's mother came into his head. How was she going to take the news that her son was dead? Dead because his childhood friend had shot him. The body swam into his head again, and Zain suddenly began to feel very ill.

"Are you alright?" Phil asked, seeing how pale he'd become. Zain shook his head. Phil and Neil glanced at each other and Neil said,

"Interview suspended at 6.13pm" and Zain heard a click as the tape was turned off. Phil and Neil stood in a corner, whispering about him, but Zain neither knew nor cared what they were saying. All he felt now was self disgust.

"Do ya want me to get a doctor?" Phil whispered to Neil "He's really not looking too well." Neil looked at Zain and the picture of the crime scene that he had in his hand.

"Do you think he's on drugs?" Neil said, ignoring Phil's question

"I don't think so. We took a test when he came in. It came up negative."

"But why else would he just walk into a room and shoot someone when there's a police officer standing beside him?"

"I don't know" Phil admitted, "I never thought he would have done that."

"What has he said to you so far?"

"He said he thought Hood was armed"

"Why would he think that?"

"I dunno."

"Maybe it's just a cover story" Neil suggested

"I don't think so. Look Guv', he really doesn't look well."

"Fine, take him to the toilets for a while, but make sure he doesn't try to escape"

"Guv" Phil nodded as Neil left the room. "Come on Zain" helping him to his feet and walked with him to the prisoner toilets.