Costa Crew 3: Make or Break

Chapter 5 - Nothing Lasts Forever

Ted had hoped that he would never see the day where he would want to quit his job. There would always be some rough days, sure. Sometimes innocent people would get hurt and he would blame himself, and there would always be the voice in the back of his head that wondered if he was sending an innocent person to prison. Then he had been shot in the line of duty and felt himself at death's door. But it had been worth it. Because that was what it meant, at least to him, to be a police officer.

All his friends had their reasons for joining. Becky and Hannah had joined MI5 so that they could dedicate their lives to helping make the country a better and safer place. Paul understood that their justice system was flawed, and decided that the best thing he could do to change it was to join the force himself and rise to a rank where he could make large-scale changes. Charlotte wanted the world to be a safer place for her children to grow up in. Ted had joined to look out for the "little guy", as Spider-Man would have said. The underdog. Decent people who just wanted to live their lives in peace, like Ted himself once had.

He had completed training at the academy with this in mind, and started out in uniform for a few years in Glasgow. Walking the streets day after day, taking care of any problems he happened to come across. But he wanted to do more.

His wish was granted when he became a Detective and moved to London, along with Paul, who had just been promoted to DI, and Charlotte, who had decided to stay in uniform but to take the Sergeant's Exam. There they were lucky enough to all work in the same station, and it had been an incredibly rewarding experience that only got better when Paul was promoted to DCI and took over as the station's commanding officer, leading them into their finest hour.

Even when Drake had arrived as a DI things had still been pretty good. He listened to Paul, and his sarcasm, while often with cruel intent, had become something that the rest of the team just accepted and endured, because Paul was there to keep him in line. It had never crossed any of their minds that Drake could possibly be working for Britain's largest OCG.

Paul's promotion to Superintendent had been the beginning of the end. With Drake working harder than ever, it was only a matter of time before he was promoted to DCI. And sure enough, he was. And any sign that Drake had become a better detective was out the window.

"You wanted to see me, sir?" he asked, standing nervously outside Drake's office.

Drake looked up and nodded. "Take a seat, DS Green."

Ted did so, praying that Drake didn't know that Paul had sent him undercover. How could he? Sure, he might have considered the possibility, but…

"DS Green, I've just received a letter from headquarters," Drake said, breaking Ted's train of thought. "Apparently you were supposed to take the Inspector's exam a few months ago. First of all, I didn't authorise this, so I'd like to know who did. Second of all, apparently you didn't show up. Care to explain why?"

Ted sighed. He hadn't thought about that exam since the day he decided not to take it. "DSU Houston put me forward for it before he transferred," he replied. "When Curt Hidgens died I felt that I should be focusing on finding his killer. Now everything's going on with Amelia, and Becky, and Anti-Corruption, and it just doesn't seem like the right time to be thinking about promotion. Right now doing my job is more important than the rank I do it at."

Drake didn't know what to say. After what seemed like an eternity to them both, he nodded. "I see. Thank you, DS Green."

As Ted got up to leave, Drake asked, "You believe her, don't you? Hidgens I mean."

Ted nodded. "I know the evidence says otherwise, but I just can't believe that she's a killer."

"I see," Drake said again.