A/N: My first attempt at Ashes fic, hope you all enjoy. It's just a quick one-shot inspired by something I heard on the series 2 audio commentary. No series 3 spoilers

….*…

It was more than likely a bad thing that Alex was unsurprised and a little indifferent when she strolled into CID one morning, late as always, to see her DCI manhandling what appeared to be a fourteen year old boy. The boy was lanky, face framed by a mop of greasy hair, evidently struggling against Gene's seemingly effortless grip.

'Would it kill you, DI Drake,' he started, tugging the boy with him along the corridor, Alex falling in step, 'to arrive on time for once? You only live across the bloody road!'

'Well clearly you don't need my help,' she countered. 'What's with the boy, Guv?'

'Kenny 'ere is coming along for an interview, aren't yeh, Kenny?' he ruffled the boy's hair roughly with his free hand, Kenny furiously trying to loosen Gene's grip around his neck as he stumbled along doubled over.

'I di'n't do it,' he protested. ''Onestly! An' my dad'll-,'

'Calling for daddy now are we? I know your father, son, and 'e's every bit as scared of the Gene Genie as you should be. Now mush!'

He shoved the boy into a door before pulling the handle and allowing him to fall through. He shut the door on the quivering heap that was Kenny with a neat snap and turned to Alex.

'That's the equipment room, Guv, what're you playing at?'

'DCI Dumbo-Jimbo is on my case for some collars, Bolly. Says my station 'as an appalling arrest record!'

'So you're pulling in kids off the street and hiding them among the equipment? That's hardly going to make Fenchurch look any better.'

'I'm not- 'ang on,' he pulled open the door again- Kenny's sticky fingers immediately withdrew from one of the shelves- sticking his head through to shout, 'Touch anythin' in there an' I'll give you a wallop so 'ard that even if you were Joe-bloody-Bugner you'd cry like a virgin after 'er first time. Got it?'

He slammed the door again and Alex attempted to stare him down.

'You were saying?' she said coldly.

'What? Oh yeah, Bolls, arrests, we've gotta make some nice little 'uns to keep Jimmy boy 'appy while we still get on with the real work.'

'And what has Kenny done?'

'Theft an' assault.'

'Assault? He's just a kid.'

'I dare say 'e learnt a thing or two from daddy. 'E was caught stealin' cheap cider with some of 'is philanderin' buddies by old Mr Rupesh down at the off-licence only when Mr Rupesh kindly did his civic duty in tryin' to stop the bastard he got a nice whack round the 'ead with a bottle of brandy and now 'e's at the 'ospital.'

'And he's in the equipment room why?

'Rupesh is almost completely certain it was Kenny only 'is memory is a bit befuddled by the incident. Gotta get a confession outta the boy. So I'm usin' 'im to test a theory.'

'I'll admit to being a little bit anxious here, Guv.'

'I'm not going to 'urt 'im! Anymore…'

'Then what are you-,'

He pressed down on the handle once more, opening the door slowly as if he was Willy Wonka unveiling the secrets of his chocolate factory.

'Watch and learn, Bolls.'

Kenny scrambled up against the wall as they entered, fingers fighting the cracks in the wall.

'Didn't touch anythin' did you, boy?'

'No, sir, I swear, really, I never.'

The poor kid was sweating with panic, dilated pupils tracing Gene's steps across the room.

'Relax, Kenny,' Alex told him gently. 'DCI Hunt just wants to ask you a few routine questions, isn't that right, Gene?'

'Exactly, Bolls. Step over 'ere, Kenny, I got something to show yeh.'

Looking over Kenny's shoulder, Alex could see that Gene was firing up the photocopier. What was he…

'Yeh know what this is, Kenny?' he asked brusquely. He spread his palm flat against the glass. 'It's a lie detector. Isn't that just all fine an' dandy? Imagine that, I ask yeh a question an' this machine 'ere can tell me whether you're lyin' or not. Shall I demonstrate?'

Kenny merely squeaked.

'If I lie, the machine will make a print-out of my hand just as it is now on the surface 'ere. If I'm tellin' the truth, nothin'll 'appen. Got it?'

Another squeak.

'Good. Now, I'll show yeh. Ask me a question DI Drake, an' I'll answer it usin' the detector.'

Alex could see Gene's spare hand on the buttons of the photocopier, ready to press scan when he lied. Kenny, however, could not see this.

'I, uh- do you have blue eyes?'

Something obvious, she'd decided, something that Kenny could clearly see whether it was true or false.

'Yes.'

Nothing.

'Well would you look at that, kid. Go on, Bolly, ask again.'

'How tall are you?'

'Taller than the Man City squad all standin' on each others' shoulders.'

Surprise, surprise, Alex thought, as the photocopier lit up, whirring and buzzing as the line of light slid beneath the glass up then down Gene's palm. A print out appeared at one end and Gene leant over to collect it.

'Wha'd'ya know, Kenny, I must've been lyin' on that last one!' he screwed up the paper and tossed it over his shoulder. 'Now get your lyin' arse over 'ere and put yeh 'and on the top.'

Trembling, but still not fully broken by Gene's sheer force of will, Kenny flexed his hand on the glass.

'It's warm,' he stated.

'Well I never said it'd be like petting a bloody polar bear's arse so quit stating the bleedin' obvious.'

Kenny's fingers twitched, as did his left eye. Gene pursed his lips and towered over him, leaning just so his body obscured his button pushing hand from Kenny.

'Is your name Kenneth Brady?'

'Y-Yes.'

'Good, that was an easy one. Is your dad's name Antony Brady?'

'Yes.'

'Is DI Drake over there still hung-over from last night?'

Kenny frowned at Alex, looking between her and Gene. '… No?'

'Wrong,' Gene told him. Kenny startled and withdrew his hand as the photocopier activated. ''and back on the machine!' he ordered, eyes glittering gleefully at Alex as a paper copy of Kenny's hand slid out of the tray and onto the tiles. 'The machine knows liars, Kenny. And DI Drake shouldn't 'ave 'ad that last glass of wine.'

Alex scowled. 'That was hardly an appropriate question, Gene.'

'And yet the truth will always out,' Gene replied, then returned to intimidating Kenny. 'You've seen the lie detector at work, Kenny. Now, I'm goin' to ask yeh one simple question. Yes or no answer. Either way, I'll know which one is true. So…'

He leant across and gripped Kenny's elbow, trapping his hand on the photocopier.

'Did you 'it Mr Rupesh over the 'ead with a bottle?'

No answer. Kenny's bottom lip wobbled and Alex credited him for attempting to stare Gene down.

'I'll ask yeh again… Did you assault an innocent man when you were robbin' his shop?'

Alex could see Kenny slowly breaking, crumbling behind his eyes.

'I know yeh did it, son. One. More. Chance. Did you-?'

'Yes! Yes, alrigh', I did it, but I didn't mean to, I was jus'-,'

'That righ' there is an argument tha'll stand up in prison about as well as you will after droppin' the soap in the shower!'

He stepped around the photocopier and grabbed Kenny by the collar. He dragged him the few steps to the door, which he opened to bellow,

'Christopher!'

In a matter of seconds, Chris appeared.

'Guv?'

'Take Kenny 'ere down to a nice, cosy cell.'

'Aye, Guv,' he answered, grappling Kenny's arms behind his back. He was about to leave when he paused and frowned, that familiar face Alex knew from having seen Chris attempt to put the pieces together many a time.

'What've you been doin' with the photocopier?'

'Now, Chris!' Gene commanded as Kenny spluttered.

Without another word, Chris whisked the uncomprehending Kenny away and Gene relaxed, arm against the doorframe. Alex stepped up behind him.

'Using lies to uncover lies,' she said. 'Very clever, Guv.'