They drove after the truck which went way down the road then stopped at the next lights. Valentine opened the door and wandered over to their patrol car.
"Can I help you gentlemen?" he smiled leaning on the door. Williamson wound his window down. "What you up to Valentine?" The SWAT soldier held his hands palm up and smiled. "Me officer? I'm pure as the driven." "That'll be the day." Max sneered. Valentine observed Donnolly. Their eyes locked for a few seconds and then Val closed his and looked to the skies. "My conscience is clear gents. Is yours?" Williamson felt cold. Donnolly shook his friend by the shoulder and stepped from the car. "Valentine. Get your nasty ass over here." The soldier smiled and walked over to Max Donnolly. "Hold your hands out," he instructed. "Why?" Valentine sounded like a child now as the drone of sirens in the distance echoed their nocturnal actions. Donnolly was losing his patience. "I know you're dirty Valentine. Know what you're up to. That bomb over on 10th street was one of yours wasn't it? You working for Bailey now is that it." Valentine scowled. "Bailey is a known underworld villain. You know that Max. You don't mind if I call you Max do you?" "Just leave your hands where I can see 'em." Valentine locked his hands behind his head and puffed his chest out. "Oh, by the way. How's Meredith?" Max knew he was playing him, making him make a move but he started breathing and tried to counter the anger boiling within him." "She's fine thanks Valentine. How's the wife? Oh, sorry. I forgot. She ran off with Bailey didn't she. Boy, that must've been tough." Valentine said nothing as Max searched him. "You know I'm clean po-li-ce off-icer." He staggered the phrase, underlining its structure, undermining his authority. Valentine was clean. They had no evidence to suggest otherwise so there was only one course of action open. Max hated to let the perp go but it was surely a matter of time until they nailed him. "Get going and leave the kids alone." Valentine walked away waving his hand as he went. Max and Williamson watched the SWAT van drive off into the distance. The chilled hookers ran off into the crumbling projects. "These people deserve better than this." "We know Max. Let's go, I'm freezing." "Just a minute," Max looked down at the ground and stepped from the patrol car. Drawn on the sidewalk in chalk was a circle with the letter MKS in the centre. "Ring any bells?" he asked Mick. His colleague shook his head. The Nothing 1 The Nothing 2 The Nothing 3 The Nothing 4 The Nothing 6