On the run

Chapter 12

Rose listened while Steve told her why he'd gone over to Yvonne's side. He'd decided whatever he found on the media card that Yvonne had just held him to ransom over, he should have gone to Pete in the first place and got the information.

"So she did use you, she kept you hanging on to find out about that night? Didn't you realise what she was doing?" Rose asked him as they ordered some food and moved to a corner booth.

"I was so angry Rose, I thought it had all been Pete's fault but I've only read part of it and Yvonne said the media card contained images of my father going into the house and some of him talking to Pete."

"Pete said he didn't realise who you were but there again, it was a long time ago and he told me he didn't know your dad all that well. It was all so secretive back then and Pete was only a secret backer."

"I realise that now. How can I apologise to him?" Steve asked her.

"He wants you to stop spying for Yvonne."

"That won't be easy Rose, she won't let me off the hook that easily. She'll expect me to still play her game, especially now she's given me the information I wanted. She told me if I can't decide how I feel it about it, I'm out permanently, she'll have no use for me. If I tell her I want nothing to do with you and Pete, she'll have someone watch me."

"Yeah, that wouldn't surprise me. She's already sent someone after Mickey. I think he might go along with it."

"You mean Martha? Yeah, I thought she would do that. That only leaves Jake and Yvonne knows he's the key to all this, she knows it will take drastic measures to turn him. She thought you'd be difficult as well."

"I am, I can't let my personal feelings get in the way though."

"You've been stringing me along then?" Steve tried to smile as their food arrived.

"Sorry Steve, I had no choice but we can be friends? Now tell me about the security breach?"

"No, I should face Pete myself and ask for his forgiveness for turning on him. I can't ask you to do it. Let me take you home after this and I'll tell him face to face."

"Okay then, he'll listen to ya. I'm really sorry, about leading you on."

"Yeah, so am I, I really like you Rose, before the Christmas party but Mickey was always hanging around."

"He tends to do that. When we broke up, I fancied someone, not from work but Mickey tried to get in the way. That's why I never seemed to have a boyfriend."

"Maybe when all this is over? I'd like to still be friends though?" Steve offered.

"Yeah, I can do that. Look Steve, I'm sorry about what happened to your dad but from what Pete told me, Lumic sent those metal monsters to kill everyone that night. Pete was lucky to get out and you've no idea what it was like for him when he couldn't rescue his wife. He doesn't talk about it much, so as not to upset her but you've seen she's come a long way since she was found."

"She seems to like you anyway, well from what I saw at lunch. You have your differences though?"

"Doesn't every family?" Rose smiled.

"I had to go home to help my mother. She was frantic when he didn't come home."

"I was the same when my mum went missing. We got separated while we were out, people running around everywhere. It took me ages to get home, there were roadblocks and everything and then a few of us saw the Cybermen were pulling people out of their homes, those without earpods."