"For sure, you turned your back on love, for the last time."

"I'll give you 500 for the Glock."

"Are you freaking serious? That's worth 1500, at least. It may be a little worn, but otherwise it's in perfect condition."

"I'll have to file the serial number off. That's two hours work, at least. Seven hundred."

"Get away. A grand."

The dealer sighed. "Fine." He pulled a red canvas bag from his car, ensuring the right amount of cash was in the bag, before handing it over. "If you ever need to sell anything elselike that, you know where to find me."

Stella gladly accepted the cash and smirked. "Mister, I never want to lay my hands on another gun again."

[]

"She's not at the base, she's not at her apartment. I left fifty messages! WHERE THE HELL IS SHE!" Lawson continued to yell and stomp around the TR offices, leaving everyone to scramble for cover, lest they become the next target for his wrath, as Leon had done only a couple of minutes ago.

"Shan? Shannon!"

The woman in question peeked out from behind the change room doors, to find Josh and Christian.

"What?" Her whispered reply was almost lost in the din coming from the Intel room.

"Can we hide with you?" Josh pleaded to his friend.

"SHANNON! WHERE ARE YOU!"

"Shit!" Shannon opened the door, ushered Josh and Christian inside, then locked the door.

[]

"Here you are, Miss."

"Cheers." Stella winked at the car sales lady before climbing into her newly purchased Commodore, starting it up and quickly flicking the gear into first. She needed to get away.

[]

"Kerry, ESD is here." Leon quickly withdrew his head from Kerry's office as a ball came flying towards him. The ball bounced harmlessly off the wall and back towards Kerry. The soft pft could be heard as she caught it, ready to aim at her next target.

"Is this a bad time?"

"Actually, no, this is the calmest she's been." Leon nervously rubbed his hands together. "I don't know why."
"Okay..." The ESD officer shrugged. "We'll be questioning you next, then the Senior Sergeant."

[]

"SHANNON!"

"Fuck, I'm going out there." Shannon quietly unlocked the door.

"No, Shannon! Don't do it! We love you!" Christian's pleas fell on deaf ears as Shannon opened the door, took a deep breath, and quickly slipped into the hallway, pulling the door shut behind her.

[]

North. Always north. Stella drove calmly, ignoring her internal conflict.

Kerry. She'll be in the shit from ESD, of course.

Lawson. He'll loose his shit. He always does.

Shannon... no, don't think about her. Too much pain.

On the passenger seat, sat a New South Wales licence.

Josephine Birch

DOB: 25/5/1985

Address:

199 Riverina Street

Narrandera NSW 2700

The licence was complete with a mugshot of Stella.

Stella glanced over at the plastic rectangle, and sniggered.

"Well, Joey, we're going home. Ha."

[]

"Where would she go?" Lawson had finally stopped screaming, and now paced back and forth through the locker room. Shannon, sitting on the weight bench, shrugged.

"I really don't know."

"Friends? Family?"

"No, that's too obvious."
"I know that!" Lawson snapped at the Sergeant.

"Well, you asked me!" Shannon stood up, her eyes ablaze. "I don't know where she is. Get it? I. Don't. KNOW!"

"I GET THE PICTURE, SHANNON!" Lawson visibly pulled himself up. "But, you are her best friend. If there's anyone who should know what the hell is going in, it'd be you."

"Well, I'm sorry, Lawson, but I really don't know shit."

[]

Josh looked at Christian.

"Do you think it's safe to go out yet?"

"If it's all the same to you, I might hang in here for a little while."

[]

"Thanks for your help, Leon." The pretty young ESD officer smiled disarmingly, causing Leon to blush.

"Tha-that's okay." He grinned slightly. "Can you tell me anything?"

"I'm not allowed to disclose-"

"Any information that may be leaked or used for the wrong purposes, I know, I've heard it before." He shrugged.

The blonde looked around quickly, before leaning in. "But I can tell you when I think is happening."

[]

Meanwhile, sitting calmly in Interview Room B, Raymond listened to the chaos erupting around the base, a crooked smile becoming evident.

"Perfect."

[]

The door to the change rooms slowly opened, and Josh stuck his head outside.

"Okay, it's clear," he whispered back to Christian, "no sudden movements though."

"Let's go."

[]

Stella - sorry, Joey - sat in a dark motel room. A forgotten cup of tea was left on the bench, while the young Dagostino simply held her head in her hands and cried.

Shannon curled up in her bed alone that night, missing the company of her best friend. She could almost imagine that Stella was thumping through the house, doing her best not to knock anything over in the place they shared. Shannon held herself tighter and allowed the first tears to fall.

So yeah. I updated a few weeks late... heh... *dodges rocks that are thrown*