Have finally managed an update. Thanks to my readers for their patience, even greater thanks to those who've reviewed. Still a few chapters to go but as the end of Episode 1.1 approaches so inevitably does the end of this story.

5 May 2002: 7.00am

Capitalising on our best lead operation 'Marsden' has been launched. Objective: to draw Mary Kane out of hiding. Methodology: the substitution of Junior Case Officer Zoe Reynolds for Diane Sullivan. Based on the assumption that Ms Kane has never actually seen Sullivan the resemblance in terms of age, height and clothing should deceive. Having taken possession of Sullivan's car my officer will depart from potential victim's flat in the tomorrow morning and proceed to follow the usual timetable of Sullivan's weekends, terminating at the market patronised by Sullivan. Given Ms Kane's evident desire for publicity this is the location that would reap the most casualties making it an ideal site for a statement attack.

Analysis of Mary's preferred methods of activating her bombs, acquired from information on the Liverpool attack and historic data culled from other intelligence sources, suggests that she will use her phone to send the signal. An army bomb disposal team with Danny Hunter in attendance will be present with equipment capable of jamming the signal. In order to reduce the risk of civilian casualties arrangements have been made to ensure that only members of the foot surveillance teams will be allowed to populate the market. In addition the surrounding approach roads that do not feature on Sullivan's normal direct route into the area will be subject to selective closures. The actual route used will open quickly as our Sullivan look alike approaches, followed with discreet closure as soon as Officer Reynolds and the target are settled into the market precincts and out of the eyeline of the road.

Once apprehended Mary Kane will be removed to a safe house pending her extradition. An officer has been sent to sit with Sullivan in case we have to remove her to another location.

Actually the reason an officer has been sent to sit with Sullivan has less to do with securing her safety and rather more to do with securing my sanity. This is a delicate and dangerous operation and I can do without having Helen bouncing around like an excitable puppy as a result of her being included in a field capacity for the first time ever. I've got problems enough with Danny, another of the easily excitable ilk. In fact I did suggest to Tom that due to inexperience perhaps Danny wasn't the best choice to supervise the surveillance. Tom's answer was inarguable – Danny's training scores for this type of operation are phenomenal. So here's hoping that his capabilities include the seamless translation of paper exercises into real life efficiency. One aspect of this operation that I trust will remain a paper exercise is the organ donor card that Malcolm tactfully presented to Zoe along with forged copies of Sullivan's other documents. I admired his thoroughness while silently considering that Zoe was nervous enough without being obliged to process the suggestion should Mary's murderous efforts prove successful the operation might culminate in her own body being quarried for spare part surgery.

There again if this goes belly up I stand to be eviscerated as well. The cost of this operation is about as phenomenal as Danny's scores. Covering the surveillance of Zoe's route by motor bike was well within budget as was some tracking of Sullivan's early appointments, but when it came to the market! I had to request the secondment of large numbers of officers to dress the stalls and look as if they were customers as, unfortunately, we also needed to organise keeping the public safely out of the way without giving Mary a clue. That we were setting up what is in effect a very expensive fishing trip inevitably leaked upstairs. The DG's default reaction was to witter on about the cost and the need not to upset the Cousins, until I introduced him to Malcolm's map of the likely results of a major Semtex explosion, accompanied by the suggestion that if London ends up splattered with body parts his own balls might be on the chopping block. When all else fails appeal to self interest – as usual it worked a treat. Anyway I got permission to continue this rather public black op providing the DG is kept in the loop but away from the fallout. Typical, although I did remind Tom that we have been warned off. This was verbal shorthand for 'make sure we have a good excuse when asked to explain ourselves'.

God I hate times like this when I can do little except sit with Malcolm listening into the operation while praying, in a strictly non-religious way, that I don't hear one of my officers being killed. Then I really curse the injury that drove me out of the field and imprisoned me behind a desk. I wasn't born to be a pen pusher or a yes man, not when being the latter forces me to wantonly send officers out to meet their deaths on the direct orders of those whose sole acquaintanceship with killing is delivered via computer games.

9.00am: The Section Head and Senior Technical Officer will be located in the small operations room listening into the comms as part of the on going risk assessments, with the option of altering the agreed protocols should the developing situation dictate the aborting of the original plans.

Now it begins, I can only hope it doesn't conclude in one big bang of the non-sexual variety. If it does we'll face weeks of publicity and trial by media during which various spokespeople promise change on our behalf. Once the events are relegated to memory, a process that usually takes a maximum of three weeks, everyone will revert to type. The politicians will worry about their image, the DG will review our existence down here, and the accounts department will complain about the cleaning and compensation bill. Thus run everyone's priorities. And mine for today and always? That I can keep the unknowing public safe without sacrificing my officers in the process.

Thanks for reading and if you have a moment in the pre Christmas bustle a review would be appreciated.