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Chapter 17

"What do you think you're doing?" Mickey exploded as soon as the cop left

"The right thing. For once." Stacie replied, echoing what she'd earlier said to Danny.

"You told me what Hendon said. As soon as he's out, he'll come looking for us."

"Then we'll just have to make sure he doesn't get out." Danny argued

"How?"

"By going ahead with the original con." Danny replied, "And it will work. I'll make sure of it."

"I can't let you do this. He'll kill you."

"It'll be okay Mickey." Stacie said in a reassuring voice, "Danny can look after himself."

"I hope so, because if Hendon comes looking for you, I can't ask Ash or Albert to protect you. He's too dangerous." Mickey said

"I know." Danny said in a hollow voice, the weight of what he was about to do finally setting in, "I'd better go to the police station."

"I'll drive you." Mickey said, deciding he would attempt to talk him out of it on the way.

"No, I'd rather walk." He answered, "It'll give me time to think and all,"

"Bye Danny." Stacie said somewhat sadly, as he moved towards the door

"Well it's been nice knowing you all." He made a feeble attempt at a joke, before disappearing into the crowded hospital corridor.

He took the scenic route to the police station, because although he knew Hendon probably wouldn't dare have him killed whilst the police were watching, he couldn't shake the terrifying feeling that today would be his last. When he finally arrived, he saw DS Sam Nixon and DS Phil Hunter standing outside waiting on him.

"You took your time." Phil barked

"Sorry." He muttered, not in the mood to argue, "So we going ahead with this?"

"Yeah, my DCI gave me permission for this operation."

"Okay." Danny replied in a hoarse voice

'Are you okay Danny?" Sam asked,

"Never felt better." He lied, "So what happens now."

"Well I'm ready to go if you are?" Phil said, looking far too nonchalant. For the first time it hit Danny, this copper had no idea of the danger he was possibly heading into.

"Hendon's dangerous." He suddenly blurted out,

"Don't worry." Phil said, "We'll make sure nothing happens to you, or your girlfriend."

"I don't have a girlfriend." He frowned

"Oh, sorry." He backtracked, "It was just something Stacie said to me this morning."

"What did she say?" Danny said. Despite all the pressure, all the terror he felt, he felt considerably better at the mention of Stacie.

"It was nothing." Phil brushed off, "You ready to get on your vest?"

"Vest?"

"Bullet proof vest." Sam explained, "You didn't think we'd send you in there without one, did you?"

"Yeah, actually I did." He admitted, feeling a little embarrassed.

"We're aware of how dangerous Hendon is, but we've dealt with worse," Sam said, exchanging a glance with DS Hunter, "We assure you, everything will go okay."

"Okay then." Danny said, feeling a little better, but not much, "What are we waiting for?"

"How did he get you to agree? Mickey asked, pacing the small room.

"He didn't. It's the right thing to do." Stacie repeated for what felt like the hundredth time.

"He could get killed you know."

"He promised he wouldn't. He said anything that happened to him wouldn't be my fault."

"And it wouldn't be." Mickey agreed, "But you and I both know that wouldn't stop you feeling like it was."

"He kissed me." She said suddenly, needing to get it out in the open.

"What?" Mickey asked, thrown.

"Danny. He kissed me to get me to agree. Fed me some lie about needing to do this and like an idiot I went along with it."

"He kissed you?" Mickey said, still seeming to be stuck on that part.

"I'm sorry." Stacie said, not sure if she meant it or not.

"Don't be." Mickey replied, looking hurt, "It's just, I thought we had a…" he stopped, not knowing how to finish his sentence.

"So did I." She answered, feeling strange talking about this to Mickey "But then Danny kissed me, and everything changed, you know?"

"Yeah. I know." Mickey agreed.

"I'm sorry." She repeated

"It's okay." He sounded firmer, getting himself together, "But are you sure you want him to go through with this?"

"No." she answered honestly, "But his minds made up."

"You could change it."

"Maybe." She admitted

"I could go find him now. Tell him that you don't want him to do this. That you've changed your mind."

"He'll not believe you."

"Oh believe me, he'll be so scared, he'll be looking for an excuse to get out. I've been in a similar situation myself once." He explained. He looked at her, waiting for her reaction. After what felt like a lifetime, but had only been a few seconds, she slowly inclined her head and uttered one word

"Go."

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