Hi All, so sorry once again for leaving so long before updating. Because I don't have much time to write this story, I have decided to write shorter chapters so that I can update more regualry...if that makes sense.

Chapter 27

Alex woke with a start. In a heartbeat she had gone from being laid flat on the station's medical room bed asleep to sitting bolt upright trembling.

"What does it all mean?" she asked herself wrestling with the implications of her dream.

It was always the same visions which had been filling her mind recently. The glamorous dark haired women in the hotel, the gun shot and the anguished pleas of a man on the edge. But, now a new image had loomed large in her subconscious. A masked man with cold eyes, which had made Alex fearful, bore down on her and terrorised an otherwise peaceful afternoon nap.

"Who are you?" she asked the air as cold sweat trickled down her neck.

He was familiar, those eyes were familiar, but try as she might she couldn't put a name to the face. The only person she recognised in the dream sequence was Fenchurch East's NYPD runaway, Leroy. Should she tell Gene? Gene hadn't taken her dreams seriously in the past, dismissing them as the product of an overactive imagination either that or borderline madness. She could hear his response to this latest episode 'Hormones' That seemed to be his stock answer to Alex's behaviour of late. It wasn't worth telling him. However, she would have to tell someone, she couldn't keep it to herself leaving it buried deep inside to fester. Hormonal or not, her instincts were still just as sharp.

She had learnt a long time ago to trust her instincts, these dreams happened for a reason, in fact she would go as far as to call them premonitions. A masked man, the glamorous women…..and Leroy. She shut her eyes again to try to recall more detail, she knew the more she could remember the more likely she would be able to prevent the scene from playing out for real. Tighter, she pressed her eyelids together forcing the images to surface, but they had gone. She huffed in frustration as there was a delicate knock on the door followed by a less delicate clunk.

Shaz toed the door open carrying a tray with two teas on it. "Wasn't sure if you were awake Ma'am, it's 4 and the Guv thought you could do with a cuppa." Shaz plonked the tray on the bedside table and noted that Alex was looking rather pale and hot at the same time. "Everything alright Ma'am? You look white as sheet….shall I get the Guv?"

"No, no…I'm fine I'm still tired."

Shaz didn't look convinced "Didn't you sleep well?"

Alex briefly thought about telling Shaz about the dream, she would understand, but she quickly checked herself. Shaz was Leroy's partner, therefore, Shaz could be mixed up in whatever it was.

"Not really.." Alex swung her legs over the side of the bed into a sitting position. She sipped at the steaming tea as she spoke. "This bed wasn't exactly designed for a good sleep…..done my back the world of good though"

"Maybe you should go home to rest, the Guv has just sent Leroy home because he said he wasn't feeling very well."

"Leroy?" replied Alex a little alarmed.

"Don't worry Ma'am he said it was just a headache and he needed to sleep it off."

"Oh…yes course." Alex quickly recovered. "Thanks for the tea Shaz, just what I needed. Yes, I think it would be wise to go home…..it's quiet out there today."

"Yes it is, but that could be because Ray and Chris are down at the amusement arcade again, spose to be looking out for the nicker picker."

Alex smiled, she knew full well why Gene had sent the pair down to the arcade. "If it keeps them out of trouble."

Across the river, boredom was also taking its toll on unemployed officers.

"Geez, if we don't get a juicy case soon, I'm gonna have to take up clog dancing or somethin." Yawned Dempsey reclining back on his chair whilst plonking his feet on his desk.

"Be careful what you wish for Dempsey, the devil will find work for idle hands to do." replied Harry, her head buried in reams of paper printout. "You could help with this if you're that bored…"

"What is all that crap anyway?" Dempsey flipped a finger at Harry's paper mountain.

"I take it you weren't listening this morning." Harry didn't look up from her never-ending list "Interpol persons wanted."

"Sheesh Harry, I know it's quiet, but I draw the line at finding work to do."

Harry ignored him.

Dempsey huffed and leaned closer to her to get a better look "Anyone screaming out at ya?"

"No…" she sighed "Not a sausage." She let the list fall from her fingers and met his eyes. "Perhaps they've all gone to New York instead."

"Hurumph! Maybe cos I'm over here."

"I don't think even your reputation can span an entire continent….speaking of New York…" A mischievous glint appeared in Harry's eyes.

"What? I don't like the way you're lookin at me." Said Dempsey suspiciously "I get the feeling I aint gonna like this"

Harry grinned "On the contrary I think you will."

Dempsey was puzzled "You gonna tell me or do I have to guess?" He took his feet off the desk and leant forward into her space as if he was interrogating a suspect.

Harry was enjoying unsettling him "You remember your onetime special offer? You would do anything for me because you behaved like a bastard?"

The word stung him, even after all this time and they were a happy couple, the way he spoke to her that day in the SI10 parking lot still filled him guilt. "Yeah…" he tried to break eye contact with her to hide his shame. "I guess it's payback time huh?"

Harry mirrored him by leaning closer resting her chin in her hand and said with sugary sweetness "I wouldn't say payback, but you did promise."

"Okay, hit me with it, what's my punishment judge?" smirked Dempsey.

Harry brought her lips close to his ear and whispered.

Stunned Dempsey recoiled, his mouth gaped in utter disbelief while Harry gave him the widest possible grin "Why lady Makepeace I am truly shocked….make that speechless. What the hell gave you that idea?"

Harry was laughing silently.

"You serious!?" demanded Dempsey, his imagination was now stampeding around his head.

"I so am."

"You, you just came up with that brainwave?" he stammered, thinking his ears were deceiving him.

"No.." she said innocently "I've always fancied doing it, but never had a willing partner before."

"And you think I'm willing?"

Harry frowned, she knew it would be a surprise to him, but she felt sure he would go along with her plan "I thought it would be your sort of thing? In any case, as I say, you promised."

Dempsey looked at her pleadingly as if to say 'don't make me do this'.

"Come on, it will be fun.." she chided

"Fun….fun!" he said sarcastically. "I would have never of believed it.."

"Please? You said….."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah…..okay, just for you…but if you tell anyone.." Dempsey pointed at her warningly

"I'm hardly going to broadcast it am I?"

"Anyone!" he stressed.

"My lips are sealed."

"Keep it that way."

She gave a warm sincere smile. Dempsey returned it and said shaking his head "Nuts, nuts!"

Leroy, having feigned a headache, had quickly disappeared down into the underground. Every so often, not being a Londoner, he would check that he was travelling in the right direction. Satisfied that he was on the right train heading up the Northern line, he nervously checked his watch.

Coltrane's phone call had shaken him up and he couldn't deny it. He had to do something, he didn't know what, but he couldn't sit on the fence and plead neutrality. He had been dragged into a situation he couldn't handle, twisting his loyalty and testing his strength of character. Coltrane had upped the ante and he knew it.

Using Jasmine as a pawn was a sick trick by the assistant commissioner and it churned Leroy's guts. What sick and twisted lowlife would use a seven year old girl as a bargaining chip in a grown up's war? She was innocent, she had nothing to do with the Police, the mafia or Daly it was just her misfortune she was a daughter of a cop in hiding. A Father she hadn't seen for nearly a year now.

Leroy pulled out his wallet and flipped it open, there staring up at him with big brown eyes and afro bunches was Jasmine Banks's photograph. Leroy kept it on his person 24/7. She meant the world to him, but he feared that she would slowly forget about him.

Leroy had been living a lie for too long. Firstly in the gang in New York and now as a English Police officer. Life had always been difficult even without the pressure of working undercover operations, Leroy and Jasmine's mother had split when she was only four and in the beginning emotions were raw. Slowly Alicia Banks had come to terms that her marriage was over and Jasmine still needed her father. It worked for a short time, Leroy spending as much of his time with his daughter as possible, sadly as he rose higher as a talented detective in the NYPD, his visits grew less frequent. This didn't lessen Leroy's adoration of his baby girl, quite the opposite. When he spent long dark days on operations, he clung onto the thought of seeing Jasmine's smiling face. Now was no exception, all he wanted was to be able to go home and see his little girl. However Coltrane had found his weak spot, his Achilles heel, he had sunk a knife deep into Leroy's heart and had viciously twisted it.

Leroy seethed with anger, sat on the tube train, if he could punch something he would. He was now in an impossible position, nothing he could do would make it right, there had to be sacrifices.

He checked the underground map again, three more stops and he would be heading down the Edgware road to seal his fate.

Still clutching his wallet, Leroy pulled out a strip of passport photos. This time the pictures were of him and Maddy pulling silly faces at the camera. "Sorry babe, I have to do it and you're gonna hate me." He muttered sadly before stowing the pictures and wallet back in his jacket.

With a heavy heart he stood up to exit the train at Edgware station.

As he climbed the steps and walked into the sunlight he was greeted by the big burly Irishman Padraig. "Lieutenant Banks?"

Leroy nodded.

"We've been expecting you." grinned Padraig.

Leroy sagged inwardly "Where is he?"

Out of the shadow of Padraig and a nearby newspaper stand stepped Dan "I'm here, you took your sweet time."

Leroy scowled "I'm here, you're lucky I haven't socked you one and flattened you."

"Oh yeah!" replied Dan cockily "Well come on big man, give it your best shot." He goaded.

Padraig stepped in between them before the situation could escalate. He held out his hands "Now come on boys, we're one big happy family now." He slapped a paw on Leroy's back "Aren't we?"

Oh dear, doesn't look good for Leroy