Operation Pear Tree Recap

This is a recap for the episode " Operation Pear Tree."

## Recap

### Hijack of ED-905

The episode opens on the Eastfield Police Storage Facility. A fork-lift truck loads crates bearing the name ED-905 onto an unmarked lorry. Three AFOs, PS Jane Cafferty, PC Kevin Greysham, PC Ray Randhawa and PC Carl Waldhouse are waiting, watching the lorry being loaded. Cafferty gives the lorry driver a nod and she and the other AFOs get into two cars. The convoy leaves the depot with one ARV in front of the lorry and the one with Cafferty in behind. They get a message that the route is clear.

On the road, Cafferty notices a red car following them and radios it in, worried. It turns off and she relaxes. Cafferty receives a message on her radio from Waldhouse, saying that there is a road traffic collision ahead. She tells him to keep going and then radios into control, requesting local units attend the traffic collision. She sees a family car run off the road with smoke coming from the engine. As they go past, Cafferty notices a woman in the car, Lisa McQueen struggle to undo her seat belt. She watches McQueen get out of the car, screaming that her baby is trapped. Cafferty looks worried and tells Greysham to back up, then radios to tell the others to stop, that they'll give assistance until local units arrive and then continue, and to cover the target vehicle.

Cafferty gets out of the car and runs to McQueen, who is screaming and trying to save her baby. Greysham runs towards the car with a fire extinguisher and puts out the flames whilst Randhawa and Waldhouse take positions at either side of the back of the lorry with their guns. Cafferty succeeds in opening the door of the car to get the baby out, but it turns out to be a doll.

Cafferty is shocked. Suddenly, a man in a balaclava appears from behind a bush and shoots at her, and she falls to the ground. More men in balaclavas appear and shoot at the others. The lorry driver panics and runs away. McQueen puts on a balaclava. A message comes through on the radio saying that local units will be there in two minutes. The balaclava men hear that and panic, hurrying to leave with the lorry before anyone else arrives. They decide to leave the lorry driver, who is seen running away down the hill. A balaclava man gets into the lorry and starts driving away. McQueen takes Cafferty's glock and aims it at her, as she is still conscious, despite being shot. John Corbett yells at her, telling her to finish Cafferty, but McQueen hesitates. McQueen lies and says she's a goner. McQueen runs off and the balaclava men climb into a black range rover and drive away with the lorry. Cafferty manages to send out a status zero message, relaying that ED-905 has been hijacked by armed suspects. She watches the range rover and lorry disappear down the hill before losing consciousness.

The balaclava men drive the lorry to a barn. Among them are Miroslav Minkowicz, Ryan Pilkington and Lee Banks. They open up the ED-905 crates, which turn out to contain heroin. They all look very pleased. Corbett tells them to get it shifted, looking very pleased. McQueen removes her balaclava, looking exhausted.

### After Hijack of ED-905

Superintendent Ted Hastings walks into the AC-12 Building. DI Kate Fleming tells him about the hijack, that three AFOs were pronounced dead at the scene and the fourth was critically wounded. Hastings is shocked. Kate tells him that the convoy was transporting the drugs from the Eastfield Depot to the incineration facility, but was hijacked by armed men in dark balaclavas, which fit with the established OCG activity. DS Steve Arnott tells them that the heroin had a street value of £10 million and was originally seized 18 months ago, so either the OCG who paid for it in the first place wanted it back, or a rival OCG did. Hastings says that one thing's for sure, they certainly had access to inside information and tells them both to consider themselves assigned. Kate asks Steve to open a case number. Steve goes to talk to PC Maneet Bindra and tells her that they need to open a case file on the hijack.

That evening, Steve and Kate arrive at City General Hospital to interview Jane Cafferty, who is on the High Dependency Unit. There is an armed officer standing guard outside the room, and another one inside, who Kate dismisses. Steve closes the curtain and offers their condolences for what happened to Cafferty's team. Kate asks if she's up to answering some questions about the hijack. Cafferty is surprised that AC-12 are involved. Steve says they've just opened the inquiry. Kate says that they've listened to the recordings of her RT with Control. Steve hands her the transcript. Kate says that originally she followed procedure but then changed her mind and attended the alleged road traffic collision. Cafferty says that there's no alleged, she saw a mother fighting to save her baby, that she's got children of her own and there was an immediate threat to life, so she did her duty as a police officer. Steve says that nobody's accusing her of anything, she corrects him, saying they're not accusing her of anything yet. Kate says that the OCG didn't look into a crystal ball, the hijack required inside information and anyone who survived immediately becomes a person of interest, but she already knows that. Cafferty says that the lorry driver got away without so much as a scratch. Steve says that he didn't get told the itinerary until a few minutes before they set off, and there's no activity on his phone. Cafferty says that she never said a word to anyone outside the chain of command about it, that she was lucky, that's all. Kate says that she was the only female on the transport. Cafferty doesn't see the significance. Steve elaborates that she was the only parent. Kate says that it wasn't just about knowing the itinerary, the OCG needed the convoy to stop, that they were counting on someone ordering the convoy back to the car to rescue a child. Steve explains that whoever was leaking information to the OCG knew about her.

Cafferty suddenly looks upset and admits that she hasn't told them the whole truth. Steve gets out his pocket book. Cafferty explains that she was spared, that she didn't say anything because she knew they'd be suspicious. She tells them that the woman in the car told the others that she was dead, saving her life. Cafferty doesn't know why, she thinks maybe the woman didn't want to leave her kids without a mum. Steve asks her to describe the woman.

### After Jane Cafferty's First Interview with AC-12

McQueen is seen walking down the street and entering Kingsgate Printing Services. The men in the front of the shop actually are using printing machines. She goes into the back room, a de-facto HQ for the OCG. There is a television showing a press conference by PCC Rohan Sindwhani about the hijack, in which he confirms that Greysham, Randhowa and Waldhouse are all dead, but that Cafferty is alive and expected to make a complete recovery. McQueen quickly switches off the television. She notices Corbett and Miroslav joking about Sparkles, a strip club, over a glass of whisky. She wants to talk to Corbett. Once Miroslav is gone, she tells Corbett that she wants him to hear it from her first, that Cafferty survived. Corbett presses her, saying she said she was dead. McQueen says that she's not a doctor. Corbett says that she can ID her. McQueen says she'll make it up to him, he just needs to tell her how.

Back in the AC-12 offices, Steve is working through mugshots of various suspects who match McQueen's description. Maneet walks in and Steve asks her if they've got any leads yet. Maneet says that they're looking at everyone with knowledge of ED-905 but they've got nothing yet, but they'll keep trying. Steve is frustrated. Kate walks in and asks how Maneet's son is. Maneet shows her a video on her phone.

PC Tatleen Sohota walks over and tells Steve that she thinks she might have found something on the nominal. She starts telling them about a betting shop robbery at Stonewood Bros Bookmakers three months ago involving armed men wearing dark balaclavas, saying that a female accomplice diverted staff by telling them her baby had stopped breathing, and that the baby turned out to be a doll. Steve asks if they've got a description of the nominal or CCTV. Tatleen says that's the thing, the CCTV's been sequestered, that she tried to access the details and was blocked. Steve asks what the case number is, she hands him the file. Steve types in the case number and it leads to an incident report. He tries to access the details and is blocked by a MOPI notice, C-1601. Hastings is watching from his office.

### AC-12's First Meeting with Alison Powell

Kate arrives at an anonymous-looking police building. Steve is already there. He says that the particular MOPI notice, C-1601, blocks access to aspects of a number of cases and one name kept coming up as the authorising officer, DSU Alison Powell. Neither of them know who she is or where they are.

They go in and are shown in to see Powell. They go into Powell's office and find that Hastings is already there. They are both surprised to see him. Powell tells them that Management of Police Information exists for a reason, that when they encountered the MOPI notice, they set off an electronic tripwire and that she was prepared to overlook that, but when they requested a meeting, she thought it was best to consult Hastings. Hastings tells Powell that they are his best team, and they'll get to the root of anything. Kate asks what the root is. Powell says that access to certain case files has been restricted due to their sensitivity, that she's not at liberty to disclose the details, not even to Hastings, that he is there to assure them that there is nothing unlawful going on. She tells them that AC-12 have stumbled upon a highly sensitive undercover operation. Kate asks if there is a UCO embedded in the OCG that carried out the heroin hijack. Powell says that as Kate is a former UCO, she knows that Powell can't confirm or deny that. Kate says that she's a bit baffled because she doesn't know what this place is or what they do. Powell says that she was brought in from an outside force to lead on a specific operation, authorised at the highest level, and they've done a good job of keeping hidden. Steve adds that they've done a good job keeping it hidden until now. Hastings reminds Powell that three police officers were killed in the hijack. Powell assures them that their UCO has not been authorised to encourage, enable or commit criminal offences. Hastings says that nonetheless, maybe she should extract her officer and submit some evidence against the murderers. Powell says that the operation is at a critical stage, and it's best served by leaving the asset in place. Kate asks if the UCO provided information that helped them make arrests following the betting shop robbery. Powell again says that AC-12 have stumbled upon and undercover operation, and now she needs them all to stumble away. Steve and Kate hesitate, then leave. Hastings follows them out. Powell watches them leave, looking uneasy.

Hastings catches up with Steve and Kate in the car park, looking angry. He asks Kate what she was playing at, not keeping him informed. Kate says that it's her job as DI to take on responsibility, and she wanted to make sure that they were definitely onto something before she came knocking at his door, that the UCO had a responsibility to alert the COM that officers were in danger, and the same goes for identifying the betting shop robber. Steve suggests that maybe she couldn't make contact without blowing her cover. Steve thinks that UCO's the nominal, the one that saved Cafferty's life, that she couldn't stop the hijack but the best she could do was limit the loss of life. Kate says that she's been there, the lies, the fear, God only knows what the UCO's going through.

### OCG's Meeting with Slater

McQueen is seen in the bathroom at Flicker, a nightclub. Ryan walks in and says that they're loading up. She says she'll be right out. She puts some lipstick on after he leaves, her hand trembling.

Two black range rovers pull up outside a derelict building late that night. Corbett tells the driver to switch the lights off but leave the engine running. Corbett, McQueen, Miroslav, Ryan and Lee Banks walk round the side of the building, where henchmen are guarding the entrance. They open their jackets to show that they are unarmed, but the henchmen pat them down anyway. They hesitate when they get to McQueen, she tells them to just do it. One of them pats her down and they head in. They are meeting with Paul Slater, the head of a rival OCG. Slater asks if McQueen is Corbett's bird, Corbett responds by asking if one of the henchmen is Slater's. Corbett wants to talk business, Slater says there's no business to talk, that they've got his merchandise and he wants it back, he bought and paid for it. Corbett says that he lost it and they ventured some resources into recovering it. Slater asks if they want a finder's fee, Corbett says they want half. Slater says that they have what's theirs, nothing else makes a difference. He asks if they'll try putting it on the street. Corbett says that's why they should make a deal, to avoid any conflict of ownership. Slater says he hasn't got any problem with ownership, and Corbett says he doesn't either, three dead coppers prove that, but if they fight over the merchandise, they both lose, whereas if they make a deal, the both win. Slater again asks if McQueen is Corbett's bird. McQueen says that this is a professional meeting, and she's here in a professional capacity, and Slater should be looking at Corbett, not her, as he's talking sense. Corbett wants to split the heroin 50-50, either half the merchandise or half the street value, it makes no difference to them. Slater says it's not going to happen. Slater is willing to offer 10%. Corbett says that they're facing life for three dead coppers, they need more than that. Corbett says that they both know that he can get ten times more money than he paid for the heroin, that the numbers work, and this way, everyone wins.

### After OCG's Meeting with Slater

Back at Flicker, McQueen is looking worried, sipping a drink. Corbett walks over and McQueen says that she thought they'd lost him for the night. Corbett says he just needed a minute in private, that's all, and offers her some cocaine. She says she's not in the mood, that they're celebrating prematurely. Corbett says it'll be fine. McQueen says that they can't trust them, they don't know them. Corbett says they don't need to know someone to play a game. McQueen says there's no point talking to him when he's off his face, that they're getting into business with bad people. Corbett says "We are bad people!" Corbett is defiant. Two girls come up to him and the OCG start joking about them whilst McQueen watches poker-faced.

The next day, Tatleen is waiting nervously for Steve to arrive. She glances nervously at Maneet as she asks to talk to him. They go into the meeting room. Tatleen tells him that they've been checking out all offices who were aware of ED-905 who have any kind of disciplinary record. Tatleen shows him a record for Vihaan Malhotra, a civilian administrator who was involved in organising the processing of disposal and controlled substances. Tatleen says that he's had repeated minor disciplinary offences, mainly for poor time-keeping and irregularities with expenses. Steve asks what the problem is. Tatleen says that his name came up early on, that she showed the file to Maneet but she doesn't know why she didn't think it was worth investigating. Steve says that Maneet knows what she's doing. Tatleen apologises, saying that he's right, and leaves, looking worried. Steve starts reading through the file she gave him, then glances up, watching Maneet in the office.

### AC-12's First Interview with Vihaan Malhotra

Vihaan Malhotra is led down a corridor to a room where Kate and Steve are waiting for him. He looks worried. Steve says that they want to ask him some questions about ED-905. Malhotra looks worried but agrees. Kate says that his job is to sign off on Siezed Good when they're no longer required in evidence. Steve says that their enquiries show he was responsible for some of the paperwork on ED-905. Malhotra says it's not just that one, he's across lots of... He stops, panicking. Kate asks why he's so nervous. Malhotra asks if someone's been talking about him. Steve says that they did some basic background checks on him, that's all, and asks if there's anything he wants to confide. Malhotra denies it, looking even more panicked. They wait, and he panicks more. He goes to get a glass of water, trying to act casual, then makes a bolt for it. Steve and Kate chase after him.

Malhotra runs out of the building. Steve tackles him to the ground outside. Civilians stare at them. Steve handcuffs Malhotra and arrests him for conspiracy to commit robbery. Steve stands up, rubbing the base of his spine, looking in pain. Kate asks if he's alright, he says he's fine. Still worried, Kate asks if he needs his back looking at, he again says he's fine and they haul Malhotra to his feet.

Kate returns home in time for dinner with her husband, Mark Fleming, and son, Josh Fleming. It's all very happy.

At home, Steve opens a cupboard filled with packets of painkillers and muscle relaxants. He fills a glass of water and takes a few pills, looking pained. His phone pings with a notification from a dating site. He opens the app and finds a message from a woman, Tina Watts. "Hi Steve, great messaging you, would you like to meet for a drink?" He closes the app, looking troubled.

### AC-12's Second Interview with Vihaan Malhotra

Malhotra is sitting in the interview room, looking worried. An AFO is standing guard, watching him. Steve and Kate are getting ready for the interview. Tatleen walks in and Kate asks her if Maneet's around. Tatleen says that Maneet called in sick. Kate doesn't think anything of it and heads into the interview room. Steve remembers how Maneet tried to avoid looking into Malhotra and wonders if there's something odd going on.

The interview begins. Steve brings up a call history of a burner phone, used to contact other burner phones. Location triangulation places his phone near his phone during the time of these calls. One of the phones that Malhotra was contacting has been retrospectively placed at the location of the ED-905 hijack. Kate asks if he made that call. Under the direction of his solicitor, he answers no comment. Steve reveals that during a search of Malhotra's address, £25000 in used banknotes was found under the floorboards. Malhotra panics more. Kate asks how he accounts for it, he again gives no comment. Steve asks if he has been receiving bribes as an inducement to disclose sensitive information regarding police operations, specifically ED-905. Again, he gives no comment.

Kate says that whichever way he wants to play this, it makes no odds to her. She says she's consulted with the Crown Prosecutor about charging him with Conspiracy to Commit Robbery and Malfeasance in Public Office, and that she's satisfied that the Crown Prosecutor will agree that threshold has been met to charge him with these offences. She adds that given the loss of life, she will be seeking authority to charge him with Conspiracy to Murder. Steve adds that if convicted, Conspiracy to Murder carries with it a life sentence. Malhotra looks worried and shakes his head, saying they never said people would get killed. They ask who contacted him. Malhotra said that she said she was from the betting company. Steve asks to confirm that it was a woman. He says that she said she was from the betting company, she said they had a policy of offering people with large debts a structured repayment programme, that she got personal details off of him and used it to find out all about his private life, and if he didn't do what she said, she would tell his whole family. Malhotra describes her as young, dark hair, mixed race, the same description that Cafferty and Mawhinney, woman from the robbed betting shop gave. Steve and Kate are shocked. Kate gets up and pauses the DIR, then leaves the room. Steve follows her. Malhotra is left panicking.

Kate is livid and says that the UCO recruited him and then never told anyone. Steve suggests that she had to find an informant as part of ingratiating herself into the OCG, maybe if she'd reported Malhotra it would have blown her cover. Kate says that if she'd reported Malhotra, three coppers wouldn't be in the morgue right now. She thinks that the UCO has crossed the line. She says that Powell stonewalled them, now they need to see if Malhotra's more forthcoming. Malhotra is sitting in the interview room, still panicking when Steve and Kate come back in. Kate asks how many times he met with this woman, Malhotra says only twice, once when she pretended to be from the blackmail company and then again when she blackmailed him. Steve asks how he stayed in contact with her. Malhotra refuses to say. Steve says that any leads he can give them will help them to show that he's assisting the enquiry. He asks if they're talking about shortening his sentence, and says that it would be more like shortening his life expectancy. Kate says that this is an urgent investigation seeking hardened criminals, that three coppers were killed in cold blood, that they need to find the criminals and put them behind bars. Steve says that if he knows names and he isn't going to give them, things will only get worse for him, that they're throwing him a lifeline.

Malhotra says that he knows what they're up to. Kate asks what they're up to. He says they're protecting one of their own, that she pointed the finger at him and everyone's acting like she never did anything. Steve says that they really don't know what he's talking about. Malhotra doesn't believe them and says she's as much to blame as he is. Kate asks who's as much to blame.

### After AC-12's Second Interview with Vihaan Malhotra

McQueen is sitting at a table in the bar, looking worried. Corbett comes over and tells her that they're good to go with Slater for the trade. McQueen asks when, Corbett says tonight, McQueen seems happy. Corbett questions her, saying that when he looks at her, there's a voice in his head saying that she's soft, she's a bottler, she'll drag them all down. McQueen denies it. Corbett tells her to prove it, and says that he wants to put Slater out of business. He says she needs to prove she's worth some value, or that little voice might start telling him that he's given her enough second chances.

Two black range rovers and a white van pull up outside Slater's place and McQueen, Miroslav, Lee Banks and Ryan get out. Corbett stays in the first one and tells McQueen that he won't be far. McQueen heads in, followed by the others.

Slater asks her where her boss is. She says that tonight, she's the boss. He laughs and says that at most, she takes care of the livestock. McQueen says they're not selling livestock, they're selling gear, for half the street value. Miroslav hands over some heroin as proof, McQueen says that the rest is in the van outside. Slater's henchman opens the packet to confirm that it really is heroin, it is. Slater says that half was what he agreed with Corbett, him and McQueen need to make a new deal. He offers her 25%. McQueen is shaking with nerves as she agrees to it. The other three are shocked. She tells Slater that what's in the vans all his. Suddenly, her demeanour changes as she tells him that what's in the van's half the gear. The boys are much happier now. McQueen tells a livid Slater that Corbett will deliver the rest once he stumps up the other 25%. Suddenly confident, she walks up to him, saying that they could just spend all night playing games, he seems to like that. She stares him down defiantly.

Back in the nightclub, the OCG are drinking in celebration. McQueen goes over to them. Corbett tells her that she's got one last thing to do before they're even. She needs to mark Malhotra's card, make sure he knows the consequences if he talks about the hijack. McQueen doesn't see the point. Corbett pours her a glass of champagne and says he doesn't want to go falling out with her again, then sits down with some more girls, one of whom climbs onto his lap. McQueen is left looking worried.

### Maneet Bindra's Second Interview with AC-12

The next day, Maneet walks into the AC-12 building with her police federation representative, PC Paul Harris. She is in full uniform and looks very worried. Steve and Kate are watching from the glass balcony. They both hate the idea of having to do this. Hastings comes over and tells them to get set up. They leave, and he is left alone watching Maneet from the balcony watching her coldly.

In the meeting room, Maneet is looking even more worried. Steve and Kate both look uncomfortable. Hastings is still looking at Maneet coldly. Steve starts off by cautioning her, then shows her a statement that Malhotra gave, in which he confessed to disclosing information about police operations to the OCG. Kate asks what her relationship with with Malhotra, she admits that he is her cousin. Steve asks if she deliberately supressed a lead that would have led them to Malhotra, Hastings elaborates, saying that this was a lead that would have led them to a person instrumental in the hijacking of dangerous narcotics. Maneet admits it, apologising. Hastings just shakes his head.

Kate asks if she was aware of Malhotra's offences. Maneet hesitates, but then admits that she didn't know he was passing information to an OCG. Hastings tells her that this information left three coppers in the morgue, and one only survived for the grace of God. Steve then shows them an image of a summary of an internal investigation into information leakage that occurred following the disciplinary proceedings against DC Jamie Desford. Steve then shows a video from Maneet's first interview following those proceedings, in which Hastings clarifies that Desford was served a Red Notice, the termination of his contract as a police officer but that Desford denies disclosing sensitive AC-12 files to ACC Derek Hilton and claims that he was deceived by her into disclosing his username and password. Paul Harris says that they have no evidence to put her fingers on that keyboard. Hastings asks her if she used Desford's log in information to access sensitive AC-12 files, which she then passed onto Hilton. She denies it.

Hastings tells her that when you work with someone, you take them at their word. Returning to Malhotra's statement, Steve says that Malhotra claimed she supplied Hilton with information in return for keeping quiet about Malhotra's offences. Maneet says that she never knew it was so bad, otherwise she'd never have gone along with it. Steve asks what she went along with. Maneet admits that Hilton used Malhotra to blackmail her, but she never knew he was leaking information to an OCG, he only told her that he was in danger of dismissal for his personal problems. She says she only wanted Malhotra to have a chance at kicking his gambling addiction and that Hilton said he could pull strings for Malhotra as long as she kept him in the loop on AC-12 operations. Hastings accuses her of spying on them. Maneet says that he was the Assistant Chief Constable and she honestly believed it was lawful. Maneet says that he put more pressure on her to reveal more and more sensitive information. Hastings says that she could have come to him. Maneet says that she stopped, she took early maternity leave because she couldn't bear what she was doing. She says that nothing she can say can make up for what she did, Hastings says she's not wrong there.

Steve and Kate both feel sorry for Maneet. Steve says there's no evidence that Maneet knew that Malhotra was leaking information to an OCG, Kate adds that apart from this, she does have a spotless service history. Hastings asks Maneet what she thinks of that, saying that they are good, honest people sticking up for one of their own, but she has made a mockery of that. He tells her she is finished in AC-12, she finished with the force and that's just the start of it, Christ knows what criminal charges she'll end up facing. He storms out, saying "Superintendent Hastings, leaving the room, before I say something I'm gonna regret." Maneet is distraught and starts crying. Steve and Kate feel sorry for her.

Steve and Kate watch Maneet leave from the glass balcony. Maneet is crying. Paul Harris escorts her out.

### After Maneet Bindra's Second Interview with AC-12

Tatleen pins up a picture of Hilton under the heading H on the large evidence boards. Hastings addresses all the AC-12 officers, saying it's been a hell of journey to this point and there's been a fair few ups and downs along the way. He mentions Matthew Cottan, a corrupt officer who worked for them. Hastings says that Maneet's confession has put the final nail in Hilton's coffin. Hilton knew about Malhotra and was definitely the senior police officer running the show for the OCG. Hastings says that killing himself was the only decent thing that man ever did. Looking releived, he says they have finally found H. He says that to celebrate, he is going to put a few bob behind the bar at The Red Lion so they can all have a drink on him.

Kate turns to Steve and says that Maneet links to Hilton, Hilton to Malhotra and Malhotra to the OCG. Steve says that now there's UCO inside the OCG, if anyone can prove Hastings right about Hilton being the one pulling the strings, it's her. Kate suggests that she might prove him wrong. Kate leaves and Steve reflects on it before going back to his desk.

From his office, Hastings watches the evidence boards be put away and Kate leaving. Kate looks towards Hastings. Hastings gives her a smile and a nod. She returns the smile and nod. Kate enters the lift. Hastings looks pensive once he knows Kate isn’t looking. Steve has watched it all and it makes him pensive.

Maneet arrives at the Visitor's Centre at HMP Blackthorn, looking worried. She goes into the interview room, and is met by Malhotra, who has his arm in a sling. Maneet is shocked. Malhotra says that he fell down the stairs. They both sit down and Malhotra tells her she shouldn't be here. Maneet says that she used a false name on the VO, the prison don't know she's a police officer. Malhotra tells her she can't do nothing. Maneet says she can talk some sense into him. Malhotra asks why she wants to help him, as he dobbed her in. Maneet says that he did the right thing, she's been living a lie, keeping secrets from people she cares about. Malhotra apologises for everything, Maneet gets upset and starts crying again. She tells him to come clean to AC-12 and tell them what he knows, then he'll be out sooner. He gestures to the injured arm and points out that htis is what happens when he doesn't say anything. He says he won't say anything, he'd never say anything. He says that she always looked after him. He reaches out to her and their hands touch. The guard reprimands them. Malhotra begs her for help, then puts his head on the desk and sobs. She asks how she can help.

Maneet is seen walking to a phone box. She has N9 and 100/30 written on her hand. She looks through the business cards in the phone box and finds a business card for someone called Nikki 9 that says it is for 'personal services'. She calls the number and Miroslav answers. Maneet says she has a betting tip for him. He tells her she's got the wrong number. She gives the odds as 100/30. He asks her if she's sure, she repeats the odds as 100/30. A kid on a bicycle cycles past and drops off a package. Maneet goes out into the rain and gets it. She opens it up, it's a burner phone.

McQueen is waiting in a tunnel. Miroslav comes in with Maneet, she has a bag over her head. McQueen asks if she's been checked over. Miroslav confirms that she's got no weapons or recording devices, she's clean. McQueen gives him a nod and he pulls the bag off her head. McQueen asks her what it's all about. Maneet says it's about Malhotra, that he won't talk. McQueen says that he did talk, he told her how to get hold of them. Maneet says that's all. She wants a guarantee he's safe inside, this is family. McQueen corrects her and tells her that this is business. Maneet says she'll give them information in return about police operations, investigations that could damage their business. Maneet says that she passed information to Hilton, and she can do the same for them. McQueen says she's got an idea how they can help each other out.

McQueen is seen driving through The City. She watches the people outside the car, two drunkards fighting on the pavement, two girls in high heels, a man walking a dog. Her burner is lying on the seat next to her. It rings with a call from an unknown number. She ignores it.

Hastings is seen standing outside the Edge Park Hotel, trying to call someone. Nobody answers. He walks into the hotel. He asks the receptionist if the problem with the toilet is fixed, the receptionist tells him it's all sorted. The receptionist tells him there's a reminder on his account. Hastings looks worried for a second, then tells him that he thinks there was some issue with that but he'll make sure it gets paid next week, that banks screw everything up. He heads upstairs and the receptionist makes a note on the computer about the outstanding payment.

Hastings walks into the hotel room and takes his coat off. A photograph of him with his wife, Roisin Hastings is on the bedside table. He goes into the bathroom and finds that the toilet is still broken. He goes back into the room and picks up an official-looking envelope containing papers applying for a divorce. He looks upset and puts them back down, still blank.

Slater is pacing his hideout. He has several suitcases of money prepared to pay the OCG. He is getting impatient. Two ARVs pull up outside. AFOs burst in. The AFOs lead Slater out. He notices a white van being roped off. He is furious and asks where that came from, saying it wasn't there before. DS Sam Railston watches him be led to a police car. DCS Lester Hargreaves arrives and Sam leads him to the van. It is opened up and it is full of the heroin. Hargreaves is very pleased.

Sam is waiting for the interview with Slater to start, watching from a separate room. Steve walks in to watch the interview. Things are awkward between them, given their history. Sam asks what AC-12's interest is in this. Steve apologises. Sam says that Hargreaves thinks he knows the magic words to make Slater talk. Steve jokes that don't they all, and they exchange wry looks.

Hargreaves is interviewing Slater with PS Immerton, with Slater's lawyer, Susan Fordwick. Hargreaves asks him what he was up to tonight, Slater gives no comment. Hargreaves questions the van full of heroin, saying it was a bit careless to leave it lying around. Slater denies it was his. Hargreaves nods and asks if he carried out the hijack. He denies it. Hargreaves asks who carried it out. Slater says he should ask the woman who set them up. Hargreaves asks how she set them up.

### After Paul Slater's First Interview with Serious Crime

The next day, Steve is reporting to Hastings, saying that the first round of interviews have been completed by Serious and Organised Crime, and the following allegations were made relating to the controlled drugs seized by the OCG in the hijack. A portion of heroin was traded to a rival OCG for a very large amount of cash. A further trade was arranged the heroin planted at the scene in the van by a rival OCG. Kate walks in. Steve continues that it's been alleged that the whole thing was set up by a female OCG member matching the description of the nominal. Hastings says that it sounds like the UCO is finally getting some dangerous drugs off the street and some hardened criminals behind bars. Steve says that he looked into the tip-off and the caller used none of the code words assigned to undercover officers. They don't think it was her. Hastings is shocked. They enter the lift and Hastings says they'll see what Powell has to say for herself this time.

McQueen walks into the print shop. Corbett is waiting for her, looking cross. She asks what's up. He says she should tell him. She says all went as planned, they set up an exchange for the rest of the gear and the copper did her part and made the call. Slater's out of business, he's got what he wanted. Corbett asks about Maneet, saying all she's done is make a call. McQueen says she's working on it and they should give it time to pan out one way or another. Corbett repeats "one way or another". He leaves the room. McQueen is worrying again.

Maneet is driving down the road and stops at a red light. A white van comes up behind her and crashes into her. She gets out of her car to survey the damage. Lee Banks gets out of the van and starts apologising. Maneet says she's in a rush and they should just swap insurance details. A man in a balaclava suddenly appears behind her and grabs her. Together, Lee Banks and the other man force her into the van. A woman sees this and calls the police.

Maneet is taken to the print shop to be interrogated by Corbett, McQueen, Lee Banks and Ryan. Corbett asks what she's got for them. She says she hasn't had time to work her contacts. Corbett asks what contacts, Maneet says they don't want anyone to know. Corbett doesn't believe her and tells her that his men were following her and she was on her way to AC-12. Maneet denies it, getting upset. Corbett tells the others that they're all so eager to believe that this about protecting Malhotra. Maneet, sobbing, tells him it's the truth. He asks for her burner. Ryan takes her burner and gives it to Corbett. McQueen confirms it's the one they gave her. Corbett asks for a screwdriver, which Ryan gets for him. He unscrews the back of the phone and finds a recording device in there. McQueen, panicking, tells him it wasn't there when she got it. He says he'll deal with her later and tells her to get out of his sight. She leaves. Maneet, terrified, asks what's going to happen. Corbett, looking at the phone, says there's only one thing worse than a bent copper, and that's a bent copper who pretends she isn't. Carl and Ryan put the bag back over her head. Begging for her life, Maneet is led away. Corbett is left alone, looking pensive.

McQueen goes into the toilets in the print shop. She is distraught, shaking, hyperventilating, failing to pull herself together.

### AC-12's Second Meeting with Alison Powell

Powell walks into her office, followed by Hastings, Steve and Kate. Hastings lays it all out of Powell, that they have a betting shop robbery, the recruitment and blackmail of a civilian administrator, a hijack, narcotics traded, a rival OCG framed, three police officers murdered, one seriously injured, and the whole time, her UCO has failed to provide any information that would have prevented the offences. Powell says that she's already told him she's not at liberty to discuss any ongoing undercover operation. Hastings says that if the UCO is committing crimes, that's the business of AC-12. He tells her that if she's got any doubts, she just needs to watch how fast he'll shut down this whole operation and serve her, her COM and her UCO with Regulation 15 Notices.

Powell relents and tells him it's called Operation Pear Tree and that their brief was to embed and undercover officer within an Organised Crime Group. Hastings is pleased that they're getting somewhere and asks her a simple question, whether or not she is in contact with her UCO. She hesitates, he says "Now listen, Alison, I didn't float up the Lagan on a bubble." He asks again, and she admits she isn't. Kate asks her to clarify that the COM and the cover officers have lost contact. She tries to defend herself, saying that they're trying their best. Steve asks how long. Again, she hesitates. Hastings repeats the question, asking if it's days or weeks. She eventually admits that it's months and again tries to defend herself, saying she can't be sure what's happened, as it's a deep-cover operation. Powell thinks that he might still be acquiring information on organised criminal activity. Hastings, Steve and Kate look at each in shock, realising that the UCO isn't the nominal after all. Powell brings up a personnel file on her computer for DS John Corbett.

Corbett is seen in Flicker, having a drink, looking worried.

A car pulls up the Jetty where Oliver Stephens-Lloyd and Derek Hilton were killed. Two men in balaclavas, Miroslav and Ryan, get out. They open the boot where Maneet is being held and drag her out to the jetty. She is screaming and begging for her life. One of them slashes her throat and she falls onto the jetty. They leave her as she takes her last breaths. Her blood is seen dripping into the water below.

The episode ends with Corbett sitting in Flicker, looking worried.