Disclaimer: Don't own 'The Bill'

A/N: Chapter for little miss Ebony Mai who will be a Max/Millie fan before she even knows what TV is. Mwah ha ha. That's right Krissie, I'm corrupting your baby. Congrats again. I hope she's a nice, quiet little thing who'll sleep through the night... well, you can dream. Lol.

Chapter Twenty-One;
Sahara

Max frowned at the PCs as they joined him, looking to Millie. "I thought you were helping Will catch Brecht?"

"He didn't want us there. Sent us to help you." She explained.

Max shrugged. "He's too stubborn for his own good." He muttered to himself before looking up at them. "Well I think Bolt's seen us." He motioned out to the river where Bolt stood on the bow of his small boat waving at them cheerily. "So watch this space, I'm going to see how the others are doing." He started off back towards the bus as Millie glanced at Ben.

"Oh yeah, he can talk about stubborn." Millie grinned as Ben raised his eyebrows, then the pair looked back out at the boat coming toward them.

*

"He's what?" Stuart spluttered.

"He's lost him." DI Manson raised the radio to his mouth again. "Bring the driver in Will."

"On what?" Will's voice came through the radio and Stuart took his anger out on the tour bus by kicking it's wheel. This caused the large American man to come to the top of the stairs and look down on them with a frown. The policemen ignored him.

"Anything. Hindering a police investigation. Being a prat. I don't care what you bring him in for, just bring him in."

"Yes Guv." Will's radio went quiet as Neil looked at Stuart who was now leaning on the bus and glaring at the ground.

"Where were uniform?" He growled.

"Will sent them away, to help Max." Stuart kicked the tire again. "Damn."

*

Max returned two minutes later muttering something about Will being an idiot. Ben and Millie had heard through the radio what had happened, but Max was taking it to a rather personal level. Millie suspected he'd wanted both arrests for himself, frowned at him, then looked back at the boat just as it got close enough for them to hear Bolt's voice.

"Allo Guv'ner, what's all this then?" He grinned, putting on a stupid accent.

Max frowned at him. "Mister Bolt?"

"In the flesh. What's this then? A welcoming party?"

"Not exactly. Can you turn off your engine please and bring all your passengers to the front of the boat?"

Bolt grinned. "My pleasure."

A few minutes later the small cruiser had pulled up alongside and tied up. Max and the PCs boarded the boat, assessing the small group of passengers at the front. There were a handful of young women, Bolt's driver a scruffy-looking young man, and the smug Bolt. As soon as they boarded and Max had the boat under his control, he turned to the PCs.

"PC Brown, PC Gayle, cuff Mr. Bolt."

Craig just smiled up at them, glancing at Max's extended warrant card. "You make it sound like you've been looking for me DS Carter." He grinned as Ben ordered him to raise his arms straight out in front of him. Bolt complied and Ben slapped on the cuffs. "I hope you haven't been searching too hard."

"Craig Bolt, you're under arrest for the illegal importation of foreign citizens, you d…"

Craig cut him off. "Illegal? DS Carter, I was simply taking these women for a cruise. They're all English citizens, I assure you." Max stopped, eyeing the women again and realizing he'd seen them before. They were all women from Bolt's registered brothel. Bolt read the expression. "I'm sorry to disappoint you sergeant."

"Fine, then." Max looked at Millie. "The drugs." Millie nodded. "Put him in the car." Uniform dragged him off. Max looked at DC Moss as she joined him. "He's right, all these women, we've seen them all before. They're all registered. Their files have been sitting on my desk for the last seven hours!" He rubbed his left temple and forehead with his left hand then dropped it angrily. "So where the hell has he put the girls?" Stevie shrugged. "Fantastic." Shoving his hands in his pockets he turned away. Stevie just watched him go with a sigh.