The Bodyguard

Chapter 26 - Aikens

-3rd Person-

David was driving home, he has the Compro-Mat on the passengers seat. His phone dinged with a new voicemail notification. He opened it.

'Hey, David, it's Chanel. Um, it was really lovely to run into you. I mean it about that drink." He called her back

"David, I was worried you weren't going to call me back." she answered

"Anything to play hard to get." he joked. She laughed

"Well let's meet up, I know just the place." she stated

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David got home and immediately  grabbed the small drill, he went downstairs to the bolder and unscrewed the panel, taking it off. He put the compro-mat in and the spare keys to the Montague flat before sealing it back up. He checked his gun before he went to his room and got changed.

Mean while at SO15 Anne Sampson entered the main office area, everyone stood up as she entered

"As you were." they all sat down and she went over to DCI Sharma

"Ma'am." he acknowledged "Sorry, I didn't know..."

"I wanted a update." she cut in telling him why she was here

"Yes, Ma'am. We've now interviewed all the security staff on duty the night before the bombing at St Matthews College. They all claim not to have witness any kind of break in or intruder." he informed her

"Claim?" she quoted

"Well the bomb didn't plant itself. Maybe we're looking at bribery and/or intimidation. They also needed part of the CCTV, to delete part of the recording."  Sampson went to look ever the investigation board.

"This sound like a new line of inquiry."

"Yes Ma'am. Luke Aikens. We're exploring whether he could have played a role in the assignation of the Home secretary. Possible motivation being to prevent scrutiny in to criminal communications."

"RIPA-18"

"Yes, Ma'am. Aikens is a significant player in the organised crime and, as you know, ma'am, he's always successfully avoided criminal charges." he aded of handedly

"As I know?"

"Yes, I saw in the file that you led the organised crime unit...across the investigations into Aikens' activities." he replied under her eagle eye look

"Well that was sometime ago. Why wasn't I informed about this new line of inquiry?"

"I'm sorry, ma'am."

"Who initiated it?" she questioned

"I'm acting on information from David Budd." She stared at him for a moment he walked off. Sharma stormed back to his office.

"every time we take one step forward we take take two back. he commented going past Rayburn. he went into his office, Rayburn got up and followed him.

"Something happen boss?" she asked him

"There's always been whispers Luke Aikens had senior officers in his pocket, officers prepared to sabotage investigations into his criminal empire."

"Our officers?"

"There's still so much of the Home Secretary's assassination we can't put together. But a lot of it can be explained if all along there's been an inside man...or woman." he heavily implied an accusation

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David was driving to the bar when his phone rang it was Mia. He pressed to accept the call.

"Mi."

"David, I forgot to tell you, the doctor wants me to have a check up tomorrow, if you want to come, make sure every thing is alright."

"Of course, I will come and pick you up, alright?" he asked giving a small smile

"Of course, my appointment's at 10, okay."

"Okay, i will see you tomorrow, love."

"Bye." She hung up. 20 minutes later he walked into the bar. Chanel grinned and and went to hug him, she also felt the gun he had

"You made it."

"Never one to turn down a free drink." he replied

"We have a table downstairs, if that's okay?" she asked

"It's your manor, your rules." he shrugged. She chuckled and turned to the bar.

"What would you like to drink?"

"A beer's fine."

"Cheep date." she joked "Um the same again please. But we'll have them downstairs." she told the bartender. She then led him down stairs and into a corner, where they both sat down.

"Actually it was good running into you." he said with a small smile

"Because here we are."

"That too. When you finished at the Home Office, I heard things." he told her

"About me?"

"Yeah, about you."

"They're always beefing me, what was it this time?"

"That your money came from companies registered offshore." he replied trying to gauge her reaction.

"So?"

"I think there was a concern these companies weren't fully legit."

"Listen, you're not a business person. And I'm certainly not. I have clever people to do that for me. So we could sit here and talk about coprate law all night and neither of us will be any the wiser." she rebuffed him

"Fair point." the both laughed. The drinks came over.

"Paid for with nazi gold." Chanel joked and David forced a chuckle. The bartender left.

"Cheers." the taped drinks and they took a sip. he stared at her.

"What?"

"Just trying to figure you out." he answered

"Well depending on who you talk to, i'm either deceptively deep, or deceptively shallow."

"Either way, your deceptive ." Chanel's posture changed

"What?" he asked

"I'm sorry." she glanced over his shoulder and he stood  look back, but he was shoved back into his seat. He had been set up. Luke Aikens was there and he went to  switch places with Chanel

"Well?" he asked her

"Belt, right hand side." she told him. As she left.

"We don't normally allow Coppers." Luke told  David "And we defiantly don't allow them."

"Makarov right." David thought back. It was all a set up.

"Look's like someone's been talking." he retorted

"Well, you go looking around for a PSL, it's going to come to my attention." Luke replied

"You supply Andy Apsted." Luke didn't answer. "Tell me one thing. Did he go to you or did you go to him?"

"Well here's a question for you. Is that thing loaded?" Luke questioned him

"What do you think?" David retorted.

"It's what it's loaded with that matters." Luke insinuated, David tilted his head slightly.

"You swapped in the blanks." David said. Luke gestured his head and his two flunkies forced David forward to grab his gun, the pulled him back up and punched him, the hauled him out of the club.