Oooooo. The night out's here... hope you enjoy.

Chapter 16

Work the next day was like being in the fucking Twilight Zone. I was sitting with Andy having a coffee in the office when I brought up the subject.

"I was like a leper in here yesterday mate, today everyone fucking loves me. What the fucks going on? Even that fucking twisted little gnome didn't try and rip my head off."

Andy just started laughing at me. "Naoms its payday. EVERYONES in a good mood girl. Even that twisted little bitch. And of course we're out tonight on the lash and the pull." He eyeballed me carefully. "Did, errr, did you meet that nurse up on ward 4 then?" I glowered at him and he laughed. "Pete said you'd fucking run a mile. She's keen on you pal. Better have your trainers on." He smiled slyly at me over his mug.

"In the politest sense of the term Andy boy, she can fuck off, I've managed to get myself a stunner somehow. Or she's bagged me, I'm a little hazy on the details. I'm seeing her on Sunday and hopefully Monday being as that prick John's given me split days off next week a-fucking-gain. Balding fat twat."

He kicked me and demanded details about my stunner. I answered with my middle finger waved in his general direction before we got back to the shitty end of our job.

The day ended soon enough and I'd got home early enough to have a shower and get changed ready to meet my boys. I killed the time by called Em's to see how she was, but got her voicemail – a sure fire sign she was working and didn't want to be disturbed. I switched my phone to the trusty SMS application rattled off a message.

"Hey Ems, lying here bored waiting to go out with work tonight. So don't want to be there. What you up to laters? And I miss you. Sappy huh? N Xxx"

I must have dozed off with my phone on my chest. The fucking noise out of it as it went off frightened the shit out of me. I jolted awake and grabbed the piece of shit as it hell off my chest and headed for the floor. I jabbed at the inbox button. 2 new messages. The first one was off Eff.

"Oi Romeo. Make sure you text the girl and remind her you care and you miss being around her." Already done. Ha. I opened the second one.

"Just between lessons and caught your text. Oh my God. Why don't some people believe in basic hygiene? Yes, I know working out makes you sweat, but why do they turn up already smelling like vegetable soup? You're not sappy, you're lovely. And I miss you and your hugs too. I'm going to Pandas for dinner and a DVD. Em XX"

Not sappy huh? I hit reply knowing she'd catch it after her lesson.

"Ew, sounds rank. It must be going round today. My place was nuts. It's payday and they'd all been at the happy pills I swear. So, what we doing on Sunday then? Be ready at 2pm and don't eat lunch? No other clues? And are you ok? N Xx"

I checked my watch, 5pm. The boys would be over soon to wire me up. I got up, stretched and wandered into my kitchen to make some toast. I hated going out on an empty stomach and I'd have to find some way not to drink too much tonight, if at all. If we got any type of intel tonight, I'd have to be clean and sober. The fucking press jumped all over us these days if we got anything slightly wrong. Fuckers. Bring back the days of Gene Hunt I sometimes thought. I reckoned I'd go with the tried and trusted "I'm on antibiotics" routine.

About to put some bread in the toaster (I'd had to go a few slices down the loaf to find a couple that weren't too stale), I was making up a shopping list in my head for tomorrow when my trusty phone rang. Seeing it was Tony I picked it up.

"Naoms. Me and JJ'll be about 30 minutes. We're picking up some Chinese food chick, my treat, you want the usual?"

Tony was a living legend, not that I'd tell him, he'd never get his head through the door it'd swell that much. I agreed to the usual and he rang off. Putting my phone down I went to put the kettle on, throw out the half done toast and poured a glass of juice for JJ.

My phone buzzed its text alert at me again.

"It IS rank, let me tell you. I'll need at least 5 showers to get the smell off me. And I'm fine hun, looking forward to our date and no, no clues. It's a surprise. Hopefully the weather will be ok. And my phone will be so off so no disturbances. E Xxx"

Bugger. I'd have to keep my phone on too, post operation briefing and all that. Unless I could get it done in the morning. I'd ask Tony.

"Ok Cinders, I'll be good and not ask anything else. I'll see you tomorrow. I won't each lunch and I'll be ready for 2 as requested. Have fun tonight with Panda. Think of me being miserable! N XX"

I shoved my phone in my jeans pocket and waited for the boys to arrive with my tea.

I didn't have to wait long. My personal delivery service arrived promptly and it wasn't long before my living room was filled with empty takeaway cartons and the sounds of 3 content coppers. We sat and went over the plans. Tony and JJ would follow us into whatever pubs and clubs we entered. They'sd be busy as it was Friday night and it wasn't only the NHS's payday. 2 lads from the shift would be in a van listening in and recording, just in case they were needed. The idea was simple. Either catch Jim dealing, which would give us cause to go search his house and question him further, or get him to fess up to who his boss was.

We reckoned we'd easily get him on the first, which would lead to a house raid. They were always fun.

"You wearing that then?" Tony pointed at my shirt. I nodded.

"Cool. JJ, let's get geeky sunshine" JJ blinked for a minute, swallowed and nodded.

"Yes, yes Tony. We can put a wire in there" JJ pointed his finger at a spot right in the middle of my tits. I slapped his hand away.

"Oi fuckwit, touch them again and I'll rip your bollocks off"

JJ started stammering, "Yes, yes of course, sorry Naomi, sorry. Bugger!" I sighed and took pity on the poor lad. He was a similar age to me, but he really was the office geek. If you stressed him, he started blinking and stammering. With his curly hair and bright blue eyes, he had the look of a teenager. Despite his nerdy tendencies, he was actually a great member of our team. He was useless at undercover work, but his attention to detail over paperwork and the setting up of operations was astounding. He was a typical genius type. Massively intelligent but combined with fuck all in the way of social airs and graces. He also had a heart of gold. Tony was very protective of him, so was I when he wasn't touching my tits.

I took the mic offered to me and fed the wire up my top, taping it at the top of my cleavage, just out of sight. The wire from the mic was fed down my body and connected to a small transmitter which was positioned on my jeans waistband in the small of my back, hidden by the tails of my shirt. JJ had an ear piece in, screwing his face up.

"Naomi, have you got a phone? I'm getting bad feedback." I nodded and took my mobile out of my pocket and placed it on the couch, it buzzed at me just as I dropped it on the cushion. JJ nodded to himself, fiddled with a dial on his little machine and nodded again.

"Yes, right, that was handy. Managed to use Namoi's incoming text alert to identify the frequency her phone uses to eliminate any further..." he tailed off looking up at Tony and I. Our eyes must have looked glazed over as he'd headed off into JJ world again. Tony affectionately tapped the back of his head.

"I'm sorry, I was babbling again wasn't I?" Tony and I both nodded at him. "Well, you can keep your phone in your pocket again now Naomi, it won't interfere with any recording, and really you should check your message. It might be your new lady friend." He went bright red and looked at the floor. "Shit."

"TONY! You fucking told people?" Tony at least had the decency to look a little embarrassed at being caught out.

"Not really, J was with me when I texted you about wearing the clean and matching undies, that's all" I sighed and threw my hands up in the air, exasperated.

"Fine, it's not a secret, but it's not for public knowledge ok? I've only seen her a few times in a couple of weeks; it's early stages that I want to enjoy with any further complications. So shut the fuck up about it in the office."

The pair of them sat there looking for all the world look naughty school boys. I grabbed my phone and stalked off to the bathroom for some peace and quiet. Sitting down on the side of the bath I remembered the wire I was wearing. I smiled, deciding to do a radio check.

"JJ! TURN THIS FUCKING THING OFF YOU LITTLE FUCKING PERV" I hollered at the top of my voice, knowing that both he and Tony were wearing ear pieces.

I heard the pair of them drop the wire receiver and laughed to myself while I unplugged the mic from the transmitter. Yup, it was working fine. Hitting the button to open the message I read Emily's text.

"I think of you a lot anyway you know. You seem to invade my thoughts in work. I've finished for the day so I'm off to Pandas. Try and have a good time if you can, and be good! I'll see you Sunday at 2pm. Forgot to say, wear comfy stuff, nothing special. If your ears are burning later, it's me talking to Panda about you. Ems XX"

I put my phone back in my pocket and took a few deep breaths, calming myself before the night ahead. After a couple of minutes I exited the bathroom and met the lads in the living room.

"Right boys. You exit first and I'll follow in 15 mins. I'll see you there." It was time to go to work.