Chapter 1 – Scum is Scum
It had been almost three years since Layton had shot Alex and he still hadn't been found; according to the police he had disappeared. He hadn't come looking for Alex, hadn't sent her any messages, nothing. He had just disappeared. In some way, this allowed Alex to forget; forget about being shot; forget about almost dying and leaving Molly alone; forget about Gene. Alex still had the odd dream from him, which told her that she was still in a coma back 'there', but she tried to forget all the same. She still had the files which she had taken from the records room, looked through them, only to get herself into a paranoid, confused state. She put them away; somewhere where her past couldn't haunt her. She never asked Evan again about Gene, knowing that he wouldn't tell her anything anyway – he would only deny it. She never asked 'Who was that Evan?' when he got off his mobile with 'him', instead she had made the most out of her time with Molly. When going back to work full time eight months ago, Superintendent Poole had suggested to her that she continue training for the DCI post and then apply for the role. She turned down the offer; knowing that she needed to focus on Molly and not her career. She knew that the chance to become a DCI would eventually come again, but the timing for this opportunity wasn't right. DCI Pitt, her long time DCI, had taken early retirement, leaving a rare DCI position wide open for anyone to grab.
Alex had woken with Genie, the now fully grown ginger tom, poddeling the duvet covers; gently picking up the covers up with his claws, then letting them fall back to the bed; gently coaxing Alex from her sleep, wanting her to feed him. As Genie did this she could hear Gene's distinctive voice in her head; repeating her name 'Bolly', softly, as if he was lying next to her, whispering it into her ear. When she opened her eyes, Gene was nowhere to be seen; and his voice was no longer heard.
She had lazily made her way downstairs and into the kitchen; making herself a cup of coffee, with the little remaining milk; hoping that would annul her tired-headache. The truth was, she had been feeling like this for days; the nervous knot in her stomach had just grown larger during each passing day, she didn't know what would happen; she was just waiting for the pin to drop and the knot to unravel itself. Genie meowed as Alex put a pouch of jellied cat food into his bowl, eating it as if he was lapping at a single malt whiskey.
Alex drank her coffee, looking up at the clock, 5.35. It was a Friday, Molly's birthday was on the Sunday; three years to the day since the shooting. Friday, today Andy comes with the milk. Andy was Alex's milkman, he and Alex had developed a friendship over the past two years of Andy delivering milk to Alex. She was usually up in the early hours of the morning and she enjoyed having someone else to talk to.
Alex heard a knocking on the door, Andy. She got up, swiftly closing the kitchen door as she did a jogging run towards the door; tightening her dressing gown as she did so.
As she opened the door, she turned; grabbing her bag. "Hold on a sec Andy." Alex waited for the reply, but one didn't come Alex slowly poked her head around the doorframe "Andy?". Alex had to grab the doorframe as she looked at the tall figure stood on her doorstep. His long coat replaced with a grey jacket, his snake skin boots replaced with black office shoes. Her eyes moved over his body, taking in the detail, she looked into the silvery blue eyes which could only belong to Gene. "Gene?" No he can't be; he must be his son? But he looks like Gene, like the Gene I know. His eyes were looking into her deep hazel ones with a look of confusion, relief and lust. Confusion; 'how is she 'ere', relief; 'she's alive', lust; 'she is my Bolly'.
"Bols?"
"No. You're here? You can't be here. Gene- what? How. NO!" Alex's eyes filled with tears, as she clutched the doorframe tighter
"Where the 'ell am I Bols!? Last time I saw you, you were in intensive care! In a coma! Your organs failing. I've not a word from you for months! And then I wake up, middle of a park, lying on the floor, fully clothed in what I can only describe as 'posh bloke shit', a warrant card and this," Gene unravelled a piece of notepaper from his pocket, "an address, I followed the instructions and find you. 'Ere, alive and asking if I'm bloody 'Andy', who the 'ell is Andy?" Alex couldn't say anything, she just continued to look into Gene, questions flying around her head.
Gene, I know you did exist, but how are you here? It was 29 years ago. So many questions.
"Come in." Gene continued to stare at Alex. "Gene? If you continue to shout your head off at me, then you will wake everyone up!" Gene threw her his irresistible pout as he stepped over the threshold.
"Alex? What the 'ell is going on? How are you here? And why am I here? Where is 'ere?" Gene broke his sentence off looking into Alex's eyes, he grabbed her, holding her close to him. They stood in the hall way, neither of them speaking, just enjoying the moment. Gene broke the silence "Who's Andy?"
Alex pulled away, "The milkman. You need coffee. Follow me."
"You're not shagging 'im are you?"
"Gene! You are unbelievable! Not that it is any of your business but, Andy is gay, and we are friends."
Alex led Gene through to the kitchen, opening the door carefully, not to let Genie out. Alex switched the kettle on, got a cup out of the cupboard and picked her own up from the table. Made the coffee, adding Gene's five sugars, then sat at the table to face Gene.
"Well, Gene, I don't know where to start. I don't understand. What is the last thing you remember?"
"Urrgh, it's 'azy. Ooh, I was walking, I could see the Quattro, it was dark and I was pissed. Now why was I pissed? Oh, The doctors at the 'ospital 'ad told me in the morning that your organs were failing, and I should give them permission to switch your life support off, I said no. But I realised that you weren't going to wake up, and the Bolly I knew had gone, I read your letter. When I finished it I remember walking back to the Quattro."
"Did you crash? What happened after?"
"I don't know! I can't remember ever reaching the door. Date. What's the date?"
Why is the date important to him? He read my letter? How much does he understand? Staring into her coffee cup she spoke, "It's July 15th." Alex raised her eyes to meet Gene's, realising that he wanted the year, not the date. "July 15th, 2011."
"It was July '83, last time I looked."
"You took that better than I expected, better than I did."
"You Bols, didn't have any evidence. I on the other 'and did. I 'ad lots of evidence staring me in the face; supporting the fact that you were 'from the future'. You knew so much about cases, the big ones, like op- The Prices, and The Drakes, and you said so in your letter."
"My letter. You read it? But you said only 'when I'm gone?' you would read it. I know that I'm not dead in '82, or is it '83 now? I was never gone! How did you get my letter?
"Shaz."
"Shaz? How did she get my letter? The letters were in a box," Alex's voice went quiet, "a box of tapes. I kept them behind the bath panel."
"Shaz said you gave them to her."
"No. I didn't." what is she doing with my tapes? Deciding that 'the tapes' may be a sensitive subject for Gene.
"Well --, and what do you mean 'when I said?', I never said that to you. And, 'ow do you know that you are in '83 too?"
"No, you didn't say, but I could hear you, sometimes, when you spoke to me."
"'Ear me?"
"Yeah, in my sleep."
"Couldn't get the Gene Genie off you mind?" As Gene said this Genie jumped onto Gene's lap; making him jump. "Who's this then? Never thought of you being a cat person, you're more of a dog." Gene picked up Genie and plonked him on the table.
"No, I couldn't actually," Alex admitted, "this is Genie."
"Genie? You named a cat after the Gene Genie? The untameable Manc Lion, a tame house cat!"
"Yes, I-" missed you? How would he react to that?!
"It's great to see you Bols, awake I mean. You weren't much fun to talk to in '83. Gene paused waiting for her to speak, but she didn't. "Your letter Alex."
"What about it? I didn't think I would see you again."
"So you didn't mean it then? Those things you said, they didn't mean anything?"
"I was telling you the truth, I,I meant them."
"So you're Alex Price?"
"Yes."
"Evan knew it."
"What?" Evan? How could he possibly know?
"Evan, came to the pub once and said that you, Alex Drake, were so much like, Alex Price. I thought 'e was mad at first, then I saw Alex Price, she looked so much like you."
"I remember."
"What?"
"I had just come back from a friend's house, I was arguing with Evan. I saw a man, a man who had been beaten quite badly, and he was wearing a long black coat and he was drinking Evan's whiskey. He fascinated me; I remember staring into his eyes, your eyes."
"Don't go all soppy on me Bols."
"Evan knew?"
"I don't know, 'e never said anything for sure."
"He hasn't said anything to me, now, when I came back here I mean." They were both quiet, both absorbed in thoughts. "What happened to you? The night that Alex Price saw you, how did you get into that mess?"
"Don't say it like it was my fault!" Gene lowered his voice. "I was attacked, they 'it me over the 'ead, took me blood, my tooth! And, they took some of me 'air as well. Made me go loopy that did. I hallucinated you."
"Me?"
"Yeah, you were in pyjamas, similar to the ones you are wearing now actually, and you came up to me, put your 'and where my 'eart should have been, but your hand just went straight through me. I woke up in 'ospital being prodded and poked by some doctor."
That sounds just like Christmas morning. "Hold on!"
"What?"
"Was I standing in a bathroom?"
"Urm, maybe, why?"
"It wasn't a hallucination."
"What?"
"You really were standing in my bedroom, bleeding. You were like a ghost."
"How can that be real Ms Fruitcake?"
"I have no idea Gene. I have done my best to forget. I know that you really did exist in 1981, and so did Shaz, Chris and Ray and me. But I have no idea, how. Evan told me that you existed; you were the man who helped him get custody of me, of Alex Price. But he never mentioned me. When I returned to work, I stole our files from the archives."
"'ow did I get 'ere Bols?"
"I don't know Gene. I don't know how it works. All I know is that a serious trauma has to happen and a comatose state has to occur." Gene was looking at her as if she was from a different planet. "What I mean is, that your brain, is not functioning as it should, for instance I was shot, and I woke up in 1981. Sam was hit by a car and woke up in 1973. You well, you got from 1983 to 2011."
"But I am asking 'ow?"
"I have been trying to find that information out myself for the past two and a half years!"
"'Ow did you get back 'ere?"
"You shot me."
"'Ow did that get you back 'ere?"
"You put me in a coma, and I thank-you a billion times over for that!"
"You're mad. How did that 'elp?!"
"I woke up from my coma here. I woke up in 2008."
"What did you do when you woke up?"
"Carried on with my life, I looked after my daughter. I'm still DI Alex Drake here."
"DI? I would 'ave thought you t' be a DCI with the way you were swannin' around in '82"
"Funny. Well when I came to you I was having the training for DCI and the Superintendent Poole wanted me to take the post up when it came available last month. My DCI retired, and they are waiting for a DCI to come."
"Do you know who?"
"No, Poole is still waiting for the transfer papers – hold on, did my transfer papers ever arrive?"
Gene looked at her with confusion in his eyes. "No, we only receive a typed document saying your name Alex Drake and that you 'ad requested a transfer."
"Where from?"
"I don't know, everything went through Super Mac." Alex was looking at Gene, staring at him, with a burning question in her throat.
Alex stood up and picked her mobile phone of from the work top. "I'll check what the replacement's name is." Alex rang the number of her Superintendent.
"Superintendent Poole?"
"Drake? Have you any idea what time it is?"
"Sorry Sir, I was wondering if you had found a DCI to replace DCI Pitt?"
"Yes, I have, he has requested a transfer, I'm still awaiting paperwork, but, he sounds like just the man for the job."
"Has anything arrived about him?"
"I've just had a transfer request form."
"What is his name?"
"His name is Nunt."
"'Nunt'" Alex turned to look at Gene. "Could that a typo? Is his name Gene or Eugene S Nunt? If it is then his name is actually Gene S Hunt."
"Yes, it is Hunt, sorry. I couldn't read my own writing!"
"When are you seeing him?"
"When he gets here."
"I must go, see you later sir."
Alex hung up.
"'Ow did you just speak to that person?" Gene looked at her mobile
"This is a mobile phone, you can call or text or email anyone from anywhere. Technology has improved in the last 29 years."
"Right."
"I'll have to have Molly teach you how to use it all."
"Where is she? Where's Molly?"
"She's here."
"I had people looking for her!"
"Really?"
"Yes! She hadn't visited you, and I knew that you loved her, and, you would have wanted her to see you."
"Well, she is here. How did you find me? You said you had an address."
"I do."
"Can I see?"
Gene handed Alex the piece of paper, Alex's eyes trailed over the hand written directions.
"Gene, who gave you this?"
"I don't know, I woke up and it was there. Why does it matter?"
"I know the handwriting."
"Where from?"
"I don't know. But somewhere, recently."
Alex looked at the clock, and said, "I must go and wake Molly up for school. But before I go, we need a story."
"A story?"
"Yes, a story. I told Molly that I had a dream about you when I was in a coma, but she only thinks it was a dream. Not that you are a real person."
"You told 'er?"
"I had to, she asked and it was so soon after waking up, I didn't think I would see you again, and it just made sense to tell her. In a way, she already knew about you."
"Know me? 'Ow?"
"She read the file about Sam Tyler."
"Sam? What 'appened? I don't believe what you said in your letter about 'im – Sam wouldn't do that. 'E just wouldn't, 'e couldn't."
"I'll talk to you later about that. The madness which is my reality. Now, Molly needs a story to believe who you are, she thinks that I assimilated Sam Tyler's dream, by reading his files and then writing a book about them. I saw your name as Gene Hunt in his file, and heard it countless times on his numerous tapes. You and I quite obviously know each other; therefore, I can't have met you as Gene Hunt. Do you understand?"
"So what are you going to call me? And where do we know each other from?"
"Well, 'Gene'." Alex waggled her fingers. "I can't have known you after 1996. So I was 23 in 1996, and was in university. So-"
"How about we meet in your first year of university, I'm studying psychiatry, so we have a similar circle of friends. I am introduced to you as Shunt, but you never learn my full name, and then we lose touch."
"Shunt? It does work, timelines wise, but there is a major flaw."
"Course it works Bolly; I'm the Gene Genie! And, Superintendent Poole? Wanted you to do a psychological profile on me before I started."
"Full of ideas aren't you! You still haven't told me; Shunt?"
"Well, quite simple really, my middle name begins with S and me last name is Hunt; put the two together, you get Shunt."
"And what is the Gene Genie's middle name?"
"That Bolly is private. We have our story then."
"Not quite – Sam. I can't have known him, but you had to have. Sam was one of your friends at university; that's how he knew you as Gene Hunt. Does that work?"
"So our story is; in 1993 we met at – which university did you go to?"
"Cambridge."
"Course you did. Anyway. In 1993 we met at Cambridge university, we didn't know each other well, but I was known to most as Shunt. But Sam, knew me as Gene Hunt. We lost contact when I dropped out to join the army, and I became known as Gene Hunt. Does that work?"
"I think so."
"Go wake up the Mini-Bols."
"Yeah, thanks 'Shunt'." As she said his nickname she waggled her fingers with a giggle.
"I told you before, don't waggle your fingers when you say my name." Gene said, but Alex was already half way up the stairs.
Gene. Here? In 2011? I don't understand.
Alex knocked on Molly's door.
"Mols?"
"What?" came back a muffled reply.
"Can I come in?"
"Fine."
Alex made her way in and sat at the foot of Molly's bed.
"Molly."
"What is it?"
"Just wanted to let you know that there is someone downstairs."
"Who?" Molly looked at her clock. "It's seven o'clock!"
"I know it is early. He is the new DCI, Superintendant Poole, asked if it was all right if I did a psychological profile on him before he starts as acting DCI. I forgot to tell you last night."
"Oh, OK."
"What do you want for breakfast?"
"Toast please."
"OK." Alex started to go back down to the kitchen.
-_-
Alex returned to the kitchen, getting some bread for Molly's breakfast.
"Do you want anything?"
"No."
Alex buttered Molly's toast, and handed it to her as she came through the kitchen door.
"Hello."
Gene turned to face a miniature Alex. "'ello. Your mum knows me as Shunt, but you can call me Gene."
"I'm Molly, but I like to be called Mols."
"Good to meet you Mols. Mols and Bols, what a combination!"
"Who's Bols?" Molly asked as she sat down. Alex too sat down, wanting to hear Gene's explanation.
"Your mum."
"But she is called Alex."
"Bols, is short for Bollinger, the champagne. When I met your mum, I thought, still think that she is a posh bitc- bird."
"Why's your name Shunt?"
"Molly."
"What?"
"My name is Gene, Gene Hunt"
Molly turned to her mum "You said he was a figment of your imagination. You never told me you met him. He was a dream! Your dream. Sam's dream! You said yourself that, 'Gene'," Molly waggled her fingers as she said his name.
"Don't waggle your fingers when you say my name."
But Molly continued. "Existed on paper somewhere, not that he was someone you knew! I know where you saw the name."
"Molly? I know that you read Sam Tyler's file."
"No, not that one. The file. The file in the office. The one in the drawer."
"When did you read that?"
"Last year. I read it because it was there, and, I knew the name. So I read it."
"Molly, this man in our kitchen."
"Bols, I'm sat right 'ere!"
Alex ignored him and carried on. "I knew him as Shunt, at university. I never knew him well enough to know him as Gene Hunt. But Sam Tyler did, and that is how he ended up in a coma imagining Gene Hunt."
"You all actually knew each other?"
"No," said Alex, "I only met Gene a few times, we lost contact sixteen or seventeen years ago. Sam was one of the few who knew Shunt as Gene Hunt."
"What about the figment? And the file?"
This was when Gene spoke "What is this 'figment' and what file?"
Alex opened her mouth, but Molly beat her to it "Sam Tyler was in a coma, just like mum, he dreamed of a man called Gene Hunt. If you knew each other, then maybe he was just using your name in his dream. And the file is an old file from 1981 about a DCI Gene Hunt, who worked in GMP then transferred to Fenchurch East in '81. Are you a DCI?"
"Yeah."
"DCI Gene Hunt?"
"Just like me uncle."
"What?"
"My uncle is the man you speak of, I presume it is 'is file. 'E moved from Manchester to London in February 1981."
The kitchen table's conversation had turned to silence, Alex looking at Gene awkwardly as Molly finished her toast.
"Mols, we've not got long before we have to leave."
"Okay." Molly got up and left the table.
"Where are we, or you going?"
"We, are going to drop Molly off at school, and then I'm driving us to work. Now, excuse me, I need to get ready."
Alex left Gene at the kitchen table for no longer than ten minutes. Gene looked at her when she returned, eyes trailing over the grey trousers with a white shirt tucked into the waistband, her matching jacket flung loosely over her shoulders, her feet were bare, and her toenails painted a glossy red. She picked up her mobile, putting it into her bag before rushing out again and calling up the stairs.
"Are you ready yet Mols?"
"Five minutes."
"OK."
Alex returned to the kitchen, noticing the bizarre look on Gene's face.
"What's wrong?"
"You're so different. You look different, act different. For the first time, in a very long time, I don't know what t' do."
"Are you going to fight to go back? Or?"
"Or what Bols? Stay 'ere? Where I know nobody, I don't 'ave my car, my house!—"
"I didn't have any of that either, don't you remember me telling you? Besides, you have me. I can drive perfectly well and a spare room where you can stay until you've settled in."
"Really?"
"If you don't like it here I'll shoot you myself."
"What would that do?"
"Take you back to 1983." Gene looked at her, his mind fighting a personal battle.
"I don't think you'll need a gun Bols. Scum is scum wherever you are."
"In that case then, we better get a wriggle on!"
-_-
TBC...
What did you think - Gene in 2011!
Just a little thought to get you going - Why did Gene come to her in 2011, why not earlier?
Hope it was worth the wait!
