Disclaimer:
All brand names used in the following are the rightful property of their owners. Ashes to Ashes is the property of Kudos and the British Broadcasting Corporation.
Camera flashed in the early day as the police tried in vain to move the press on. The call had been made an hour ago, a neighbour complaining about a party going on next door. He police had answered, but the party-goers had fled, leaving a dead young man with a dozen bottles of asbin covering him like a sheet.
A red Audi Quattro screeched to a halt, and four detectives had climbed out. Two males had ploughed through the crowd of journalists and photographers, clearing the way for their superior officers.
The coppers strode through the front garden before being stopped by a overall-wearing policeman, who pushed overalls in the front officers face, before being pushed into a wall.
"Bloody forensics" Gene Hunt growled. "What do we know about 'im?"
"Mortimer Hicks. College drop-out, history of GBH and fencing stolen goods. Always cleared by his parent's lawyers, before being whisked away in a Rolls-Royce, only to escape the following night" Alex informed her colleagues. "No chance of covering it up this time though" she indicated towards the press wrestling with the uniformed officers now, cameras flashing aimlessly toward the house.
"Likes his drink, don't 'e?" Gene added.
"His latest method of parent-upsetting no doubt" Alex answered.
"So what we doin' 'ere guv', this in't CID stuff. We know what killed 'im, too much o' this shit!" Ray asked, kicking an bottle of the body.
"Ten deaths in two months from the same drink, in same labelled bottles. I want to know who's dealing, where, when and how the bloody hell it's escaped our radar!"
"Right guv'" Ray and Chris chorused.
"Binge drinking" Alex stated outside the house, the press now slowly disappearing.
"Eh'?" Gene asked, confounded.
"It's what's killing off the kids. Drinking large amounts in a short period."
"You mean contests?" Gene answered, still with a look of confusion on his face.
"No" Alex replied, sounding exasperated. "Drinking lots just for the sake of drinking lots. You wait, more and more people will turn to it as time goes on."
"Not on my patch!" Gene concluded. "Oh shit!" he remarked under his breath as a Ford Taunus drove up the road, sirens blaring from it.
The car stopped and an balding man with large glasses, and what Alex thought was a remarkable similarity to George Cowley.
"DCS Hicks. To what to do we owe this pleasure" Gene greeted politely.
"Your remarkable ineptness is what you owe Chief Inspector. Ten deaths in two months, it's obscene! I'm handing the case to the Drug Squad."
"But that's not their job, Clive!" Gene complained.
"I'm sure they will handle it as well as if it were a drug crime. I need efficiency from my men Gene. That's where you fail" Hicks finished.
"Just one more week Clive, and I'll nail the bastards killing these kids. Evidence, witnesses, everything!" Gene pleaded.
Hicks sighed then spoke: "One week. And if the culprits aren't identified, I'll make you the first case of death by training courses!"
"I promise, culprits in a week" Gene promised.
"I'll be watching this space" DCS Hicks warned, turning back to his car.
"Git!" Ray whispered when Hicks had gone.
Gene turned to Ray. "That man just gave me the best chance for promotion since that sting on Archers Lane. And I intend to grab it by the balls, and hang on for my life!" he barked.
"Yes guv'. Sorry guv'" Ray apologised, shame-faced.
"Cris! Move yehself' and let's go catch some scum!" Gene told the group