Return to the Bay

[Skykat]

Thanks for the reviews guys. Glad everyone's still enjoying this. Might not be able to update until the end of this week because I have a huge week at work, sorry. I'll get round to it on Sunday for definate if not before. Appologies.xx

[tasha7905]

Absolutely fantatsic Skykat. I cant wait to read more Im on the edge of my seat.

[ldscott]

Not a problem Skykat, thanks for letting us know, i'll be keeping an eye out for the next update.

Hope there's not too much stress for you at work!

[vikkysmile]

Hi just read the rest of the story really was great whats happened to steven and selina, sorry i have not been on been working hard at my new job.

[Oxidizer]

I've only read the first part so far, so I've got a lot to catch up on, but I gotta say I really like your fic!

[Skykat]

Oxidiser I love your story so it's nice to have you reading, you might be a couple of days getting through it all though...I tend to go on, and on...

How good am I? Two days earlier than I promised but I'm on a roll with this storyline. Hope you guys enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!

Thanks Jess for your suggestion. Much, much better!

FIFTY NINE

“One phone call.” Jesse’s mouth dropped open in surprise.

“You’re kidding me?”

“No, I don’t kid. If what you’re telling me is the truth then I can’t not let you make the call. If you’re lying then I’ll know about it.”

“Thanks Sir, thank you so much, I just need to go to my cell and get the number,” Jesse told him.

“You must think I was born yesterday McGregor, go to your cell? Access your stash maybe, not a chance.” The stone wall had gone back up again and Jesse cursed the unfairness of the Prison system.

“I’m telling the truth! Detective Baker’s number’s on my wall, I don’t know it!” Jesse was frantic now, he felt as if his one chance was slipping away from him.

“If you so desperately need to make a call you can phone the police station and pass a message on.” Jesse could tell from his voice that the Governor was fast losing patience and he felt desperation overwhelm him.

“I can’t phone the station, it’s a secret operation!” he protested, remembering what Peter had told him about it being a personal thing.

“A likely story. I’m tired of this McGregor, you had your chance.”

“No wait…” Jesse’s mind was doing overtime trying to think of a solution, but there didn’t appear to be one.

In the meantime the clock was ticking.

“Okay Mr Holden, Miss Arnold I’m Mr Shaw the branch manager. I’ll show you where you shall be working today.” Jack looked at Becky Arnold, the senior police officer loaned from Mangrove River for this assignment. She too was to pose as a bank employee and would be the closest officer in physical proximity to Jack. He wished wholeheartedly that it could have been Lara or an officer he knew well, somebody he could confide in about how terrible he was feeling. But Lara was positioned on a bench opposite the branch and he was stuck with Becky Arnold, who held her head high and looked at him with an expression of distaste. Wordlessly Jack followed Mr Shaw through to the back offices. “This is your desk Mr Holden. I’m sure you’ve been informed of the presence of another employee working back here. Mr Hunter has been informed not to communicate with you in any way and your Detective was okay with him being here.”

“Did you say Hunter?” the name hit Jack like a thunderbolt of realisation and as he looked across the row of desks he caught sight of Robbie’s head. “Dammit!” he cursed.

“Is there a problem?” Becky’s sickly sweet voice was laced with sarcasm and dislike.

“Yeah I know him, Robbie’s a good friend of mine, he’ll recognise me,” Jack replied, his voice laced with an equal level of sarcasm.

“Well perhaps we should have Detective Baker replace you then?” Becky’s plastic smile suggested that nothing on earth would please her more.

“That would be fine except that Robbie also knows Kane Philips and will recognise him as well. We need to check with Peter what to do,” Jack's tone was not dissimilar to hers.

“I’ll radio Detective Baker.” Becky glared at him, putting Jack very firmly in his place, behind her as the Senior Officer.

“As you wish, Your Majesty,” Jack whispered, glaring at her. He looked up to see that Robbie had caught sight of them and was looking at Jack quizzically. Jack held a finger to his lips motioned for Robbie to pretend he was working, which Robbie duly did as Jack tapped his fingers nervously against his side waiting for Peter’s answer. He hoped that Peter would allow Robbie to stay in the office. Jack’s head was thumping and he felt like the world was permanently moving below his feet. He pressed his eyes shut but that only heightened the effects of the hangover and it was still there when he opened them. Having Robbie nearby would make him feel a lot better, provided Peter would let him stay. With baited breath Jack waited for Peter’s response.

“Enough of the play acting McGregor. You had your chance, back down the block and I think an extended stay down there will allow you time to think about how stupid you were to waste my time!” Jesse looked at the Governor’s face and the hopelessness of this situation overwhelmed him.

“Please you have to let me make this call. I’m telling the truth, maybe an officer could go to my cell for me?”

“My officers have got better things to do than run your pointless errands. No my patience has worn out now. Go!” Jesse stood up, his head low with the devastation that there was nothing he could do. Then all of a sudden, as if by lightning, the solution hit him and he raced for the phone.

“McGregor! What are you doing?”

“You said one phone call!”

“That was before you started wasting my time!” The Governor’s face was lined with fury and Jesse watched in horror as he hit the hang up button on the phone.

“How are we doing?” Peter asked the communications officer nervously.

“Nearly set. You should have visual any minute, now.” As she spoke the three screens in the back of the white transit van flashed on to reveal the front of the Bank, the Bank forecourt and the back offices of the Bank.

“Great.” Peter bent over the first screen, “That’s Lara and Neil in place and Mike, so everything’s set outside.” Sergeant Bellmore nodded his confirmation. “Screen two, the bank forecourt. Phil is in place and John, no sign of Becky though. Isn’t she meant to be sitting in one of the advisor booths?” Peter’s agitation levels were rising and he turned to Sergeant Bellmore for an answer.

“Yes she’s meant to be in the second booth. Hang on she’s there in the back with Holden.” Sergeant Bellmore pointed to the third screen.

“What the hell is she doing there?” Peter was furious and reached for his radio, but as he did so Becky’s voice came over it.

“Mobile Nine to Base.”

“Base to Mobile Nine, why the hell aren’t you in position?” Peter could hardly keep the edge from his voice.

“It appears we have a problem. The Bank employee in the back offices is known to both PC Holden and Kane Philips, his name is Hunter, over,” Becky supplied.

“Dammit. That’s the last thing we need!” Peter stood up and paced around the van for a minute, muttering to himself. Sergeant Bellmore exchanged glances with the communications officer. Peter was studying the screen intently. “Robbie Hunter,” he muttered.

“Do you want us to have him removed or moved?” Sergeant Bellmore was looking at Peter as if he was slightly insane.

“No we haven’t the time and anyway it’ll attract the suspicions of the other employees. He’ll have to stay in place. I think Robbie Hunter can be trusted to keep quiet.” Peter picked up the radio again. “Base to Mobile Nine?”

“Mobile Nine receiving.”

“Mobile Nine. Mr Hunter is to stay in place. Get Jack to brief him that a police operation is going on and he is to keep quiet, keep his head down and not communicate with anyone. He is to keep his head turned away from the door at all times, no matter who enters, over.” Peter began pacing the van again.

“Received.” On the screen Becky could be seen relaying her message to Jack then she and Mr Shaw headed to the booth where she was to be working. Peter watched as Jack spoke briefly with a very bewildered looking Robbie and then, as Jack headed to his desk, Robbie buried his head in his computer. Peter breathed a sigh of relief. Just maybe things were going to be okay.

“What did you do that for!?!” Jesse was furious.

“I’ve had enough of this McGregor, I’m at the end of my patience with you. You can expect to be severely punished for this!”

“Please you promised me one call, I’m begging you! I’m telling you the truth. If I’m lying you can throw the book at me but if I’m telling the truth then you’ll be saving lives. I swear this is for real, please!” The Governor studied Jesse’s face for what could possibly have been the longest minute of Jesse’s life and then he quietly nodded.

“Make your call but I swear to God if you’re messing me about…”

“I’m not I promise. Thank you!” Jesse frantically dialled the number and then took a deep breath and prayed that somebody would answer.

They had to answer.

“Are you really sure you want to do this mate?” Dan opened the door to Leah’s house and let them in. His face was lined with grim determination.

“Never been surer.” He hurried through the house checking quickly that nobody was home.

“Where are you going to go?” Sutty asked.

“Not sure yet. Maybe Kane will let me stay a bit longer, or Jack, Kim’s just moved out so I’m sure he’ll let me move back in there.”

“It just seems a bit drastic. Do you not want to try and talk to her?”

“No offence mate but you know nothing about it.”

“So why don’t you try me? It might help to get it off your chest.”

“Yeah because talking about it will really help. I already told you what she did and I can’t forgive her for it, not ever.” Dan was throwing the clothes into a large duffel bag with a fair amount of aggression and Sutty felt concerned for him, but at the same time he could appreciate why Dan was so angry. Behind them the phone began to ring and Sutty moved to answer it.

“Leave it, it might be Leah,” Dan instructed.

“It might be important.”

“I doubt it, they’ll call back, leave it.” Dan’s voice was so firm that Sutty merely shrugged and left the phone to ring. Dan was right, if it was important they would call back.

The sense of relief Jesse had felt in thinking of the one number in Summer Bay he knew, the one with the closest link to Peter Baker was fast fading as the phone rang repeatedly. Jesse felt his heart frantically pounding in his chest as he heard the ring tone repeating over and over. “Answer, goddam you!” he cursed but still the phone rang out. Beside him the Governor was tapping his fingers on the desk impatiently. It was really distracting and only added to Jesse’s frustration. Still the phone rang out. “Come on, pick up, pick up!”

“I don’t think anybody’s going to answer McGregor, I think this whole thing was always fruitless. Just hang up the phone.” The Governor’s voice was sharp and it’s tone said ‘do not mess with me’.

“No they’ll answer! They have to answer!” Maybe it was the desperation on Jesse’s face or the way the receiver was clamped tightly in his hand but the Governor merely sighed and stood back while Jesse waited for his answer.

Still the phone rang out.

“Okay communications check. We know Mobile Nine is fine,” Peter announced, “Communications check. Mobile Four?”

“Check,” came Lara’s voice.

“Mobile five?”

“Check,” Neil replied.

“Mobile six?”

“Check.” Mike was in position cleaning the Bank windows.

“Mobile seven?”

“Check.” Phil was in the queue at the Customer Service Desk in the branch.

“Mobile Eight?”

“Check.” John was filling out forms by the cashier counter.

“We know Mobile Nine is operational, is she in place?” Peter asked of Sergeant Bellmore.

“Yes she’s at her desk in the advisory booth and she has Jack in her sights.”

“Great, Mobile Ten?” Peter called Jack for his radio check but as he did so his mobile in his pocket began to ring. “Dammit.” Peter took the phone from his pocket and saw Angel’s number on the screen. He started at the screen for a second, desperate to talk to her, but knowing he didn’t have the time.

“Detective Baker we have visual of Kane Philips,” Sergeant Bellmore was pointing to the screen where a very nervous looking Kane was crossing the street towards the Bank. Peter quickly hit the off button on his phone and put it into his pocket.

“Right communications check complete. Let’s get this operation underway.” Peter instructed.

And still the phone rang out.

[I love music]

That was a FANTASTIC chapter, Kat, you must be so proud of yourself!

Loved all the tension and excitement and the cliff-hanger ending. Very realistically written too. Poor Jesse! They'd BETTER answer that phone or they'll have me to answer to!

[Annette]

Great chapter, very tense, I can't wait to see what happens!

[ldscott]

Fantastic chapter!

Please post again soon!

[Gypsy & Will Fan]

Brilliant Kat!