"We think either Buckton or Collins took a hit during the earlier shooting incident," Graves told Robertson after he'd arrived a little earlier than expected. He must have broken some speed limits, she surmised. She'd been hoping things would have been a little more in hand by the time he got here, but it wasn't to be, so she dealt with it as best she could. "There was blood in the car we believe was theirs, and bloodied cloth has been found amongst the mess in the surgery. They both appeared to have legged it out of here, so we're hopeful that the wound isn't too severe."

"It was definitely our particular duo then?"

"Yeah, we showed some photos to the neighbours and they confirmed it was Buckton and Collins that were seen fleeing through the back way from here."

"Good," Robertson said with a small nod. "Any further sign of them?"

"Not yet, but we have officers following their last sighted trajectory," she replied. "They were on foot, so I feel it's only a matter of time before we catch up with them."

"Assuming Braxton's people don't get to them first."

"We think there are at last four of them in town," Graves told him. "One already accounted for."

"How is Mr Upton?"

"He regained consciousness as he was being loaded into the ambulance," she said. "Once the doctor has assessed him at the hospital, he'll be formally charged and taken to the Station."

"Has he said anything?"

"Something about bloody bitches, followed by bloody Pee Wee, you fucking bastard," she replied with a smile. "I think he was pissed off with his mate for leaving him behind."

"Not the most loyal action by Mr Wilson."

"Yeah, well maybe it'll encourage Upton to be less loyal in return when it comes to saving his own arse."

"Doubtful," murmured Robertson. "While there may not be love lost between some of the foot soldiers, they are still loyal to Braxton, and in the case of the original gang members like Brodie Upton, they're loyal to a fault."

"That's because Braxton was always seen as untouchable," said Graves. "Now that we have a real chance of bringing him down, it may just loosen the tongues of some of those foot soldiers."

"I do admire your confidence."

"Well this has certainly helped to lift it," Graves said, showing him the bag. "It was found in the car that we suspect belonged to Upton and Wilson."

Robertson reached into the bag and pulled out one of the folders. He whistled at its contents as he flicked through it. "Is everything in there like this?"

"I haven't had a chance to go through every folder just yet, but the few I looked at will go a long way towards bringing those bastards down for good."

"Why on earth would they be carrying evidence like this around in their car?"

"No idea," said Graves. "Maybe Upton will be able to answer that when he's questioned."

"Assuming his lawyer will allow him to respond."

"He hasn't requested a lawyer."

"He will," said Robertson. "They always do."

Constable Lara 'Fitzy' Fitzgerald slammed on the brakes and looked to her partner, Const Patrick Avery.

"Did you hear that?" she asked him, just as two more gunshots rang out.

Avery nodded. "It sounded like they came from over there," he said, pointing toward the tree line.

"Call it in," she ordered as Fitzy was out of the car and racing toward the bushes before Avery had even picked up the radio.

In spite of the buzz of activity around them from the police officers performing their duties, and the noise of onlookers gossiping from the sidelines, the sound of gunshots could be heard across the blocks of houses to where Graves was still updating Robertson.

"Hogan," Graves called out as both she and Robertson immediately began heading toward the car.

"Yeah, I know, Avery just called it in," he said without needing her to ask. "The shots came from the bushland I told you about. He and Fitzy are going in to investigate."

"Tell them to be careful. Some of these people are dangerous and won't hesitate at shooting at cops," she told him.

"Will do."

"And send backup," she ordered. "We'll meet them there."

She jumped into the car and found Robertson wearing a pleased smile as he joined her.

"Well done with the way you've handled this," he said and she tried not to blush. Praise from her superior was a rare event, so she welcomed it those few times when it did occur. Graves fired up the engine, then caught Dex's eyes in the rear vision mirror. She hadn't even noticed he'd hopped into the backseat. God, don't go getting all girlie in front of Robertson, she admonished herself when Dex smiled at her. Dex is just a colleague, so act like it.

Watson just shook her head at her, her gun never wavering. Charlie sighed. This really was becoming the longest night in her life, and it felt as though no matter what she did, there was always someone else ready to step in with a gun to kill her. And now it may finally be at an end.

"I will make it quick, Charlie," Watson told her, her finger tightening on the trigger.

It was then that Charlie made a decision. Do nothing and she was dead anyway, so she started to back away from the other woman, all but daring Watson to pull the trigger. One step, then two, then three, then she was turning and fleeing at a sprint. When the shot didn't come, Charlie headed toward a sound that she prayed was help coming.

Watson watched her go, her gun tracking Charlie's back, but her finger refused to pull back on that trigger. In moments, Charlie was lost amongst the bushes and she was faced with a choice. The cops had to have heard her taking out Pee Wee and were already on their way, just as Charlie had said, so she could either go after Charlie and risk capture, or she could just get the hell out of here.

Two cars were already waiting for them when Graves and Robertson arrived a few minutes after the call had been made.

"You look like you have some news," Graves said to Teri Garner as they made their way toward the tree line.

"I do, I'm just not sure if it's relevant or not," she said, drawing level with the other woman, and keeping up with her hurried step. "A report just came in about a man found unconscious in the bushes just outside of town. He's in pretty bad shape. Looks like he's been tortured."

"Tortured?"

"He's got cuts all over his body."

"A signature of Tegan Callahan, a rather nasty piece of work," Robertson noted.

"And who also happens to match the description of one of the women seen arguing with Wilson at the vets," Graves pointed out. "Along with her girlfriend, Hayley O'Connor."

"Who is this man?" Robertson asked Teri with renewed interest.

"Unknown," replied Teri. "He had no id on him and Belle Taylor, the woman who found him, doesn't recognise him and she knows pretty much everybody here," she said. "So is this connected or not?"

"It could very well be," he murmured. "Have the officers that are keeping watch over Mr Upton at the hospital, check in on our mystery man as soon as they can." If this was Tegan Callahan's handy work, then they may very well have a living witness to her actions, assuming the victim pulled through of course.

Having dealt with Tegan, Joey had been planning her next move and thinking of both Aden and Charlie's plights, when the shots had come. Joey's heart had gone cold with fear at the thought Charlie had just been killed, and that fear had set her racing toward that danger. She thought of nothing else except going to Charlie. She ran through the bush and crashed directly into a figure coming from the other direction. They went down in a tangled heap. Joey was the first to recover, the knife she'd taken from Tegan now at the ready.