Rich leather clogged her nostrils as a threatening glove clenched onto her face.
Glass shattered onto the floor.
Panic. Fear. Hope.
Her eyes bulged with horror, wide and surprised, she yelped as this animal began to drag her off the sofa.
Panic. She flung her body, vulnerable and weak, like a wild horse under attack.
Fear. The air was becoming weak.
Tears glassed over her pupils.
She began scratching this sinister clamp, which squeezed against her cheeks.
It was no use. He thumped her against furniture and grumbled.
This monster would end her life.
"Oh my God! James!"
Hope. Another stranger entered her flat. A woman. She was too terrorized to look.
To see this saviour.
He tugged her hair.
She shrieked in pain.
"Stop it let her go!" He rejected her command. This beast could not be tamed.
She still screeched in pain. Tears settled on the glove below.
Her body was losing, becoming lifeless.
All energy draining.
Hope. Another fight was commencing as the two strangers began to struggle with each other.
The beast loosened his grip.
One last grunt and he smashed her head on the solid tiles.
Her sight was decreasing.
Darkness enveloped her.
The woman watched as Alex sunk into unconsciousness. She stood for second, staring at this lifeless rag doll, before departing the flat.
Leaving the wreckage.
10 minutes earlier was a different story. Downstairs the bar was in full swing. A non-stop flow of alcohol was constant. Everybody engulfed in drunkenness. Thoughts and emotions buzzing in the air. Emma continued to flirt with Gene. He stared oblivious yet content with the company. Ray drooled over a dolly bird that entered the bar earlier. Chris was wooing Shaz. Yet nobody was expecting the sudden change of mood.
Emma looked uncomfortable. Reality had hit her in the stomach. She had to escape from this place. Away from Gene.
"I'm so sorry Gene. I'm so stupid. I should never have done this. I'm so sorry."
She rose off the chair. Avoiding eye contact with Gene. She snatched her bag and swept out of the room. With no explanation. Gene sat up. Absolutely stunned. Partly confused. Partly humiliated. Mostly upset. His face showed otherwise. There was no room on his face for all of his emotions. He sat, blank face. With one more swig of his whisky he followed Emma's actions and also left the bar. Stumbling into the night. Over the limit and unaware of the disaster upstairs.
The next morning, Gene was casually sat in his office, treating his hangover, while the rest of CID rummaged through paperwork and scrambled around the office. It has never been this busy.
Chris was passing the front desk when he saw a slim figure brush past him, only when they passed the corner that he realised it was Alex. Distant cries came from the toilets. He ducked his head into the CID office.
"Guv, I think there is something wrong with Ma'am, Drake. I think she is crying."
He took his time with heaving himself off the comfy chair. And slowly dragged himself across the office. Shaz looked concerned. Ray was puffing away, stabbing his lungs with smoke.
"Bloody women" Gene grumbled
"Ha I know what you mean Guv." Ray laughed to himself.
Gene strode out of the office, fed up and agitated.
"I agree with you there." Chris carried on the conversation while puffing away casually and leaning back on his chair.
"Oi, I heard that!" Shaz paused her writing to glare over at both Ray and Chris.
"My point exactly." Ray chuckled, before heaving himself up and heading out of the office. Chris scuttled along to catch up with him.
"I don't know what is up with Shaz lately; we were fine now she keeps shouting at me!"
"Time of the month probably. Or jealousy" Both Ray and Chris gawked as Emma left Keats' office and headed for the front desk.
Ray nudged Chris, they stared like school boys.
"She looked at you Chris. Go on talk to her"
"But-"
"Don't be a poof. Go on!"
Chris obeyed Ray and nervously crawled over to Emma.
"Err. Hi"
Emma made eye contact with Chris and smiled.
"Hi."
"What you doing?"
"Just getting some paperwork for Jim. You know what he is like."
"Yer, look let me get, err, them for you. I was going to pass his office anyway."
"Only if you are sure."
"Yer. Sure."
He gathered the files and struggled towards Keats' office. Ray was beside him chuckling to himself.
"Give us a hand mate." Chris was crumbling under the weigh of papers and pleaded to his mate.
"What's that Guv? Coming!" He laughed as he casually strolled into the department.
The Guv however was outside the ladies toilets, though he was contemplating barging inside and going into unknown territory.
"Drake, what's up? I'm going to get a reputation if I stand 'ere any longer."
Quiet yet loud enough sobs were heard inside. After 10 minutes of standing he departed.
"Shaz, I need you to talk to Drake for me she is in the loos."
"What's up with her Guv?"
"No I- bloody - dea."
She swerved around the desk and dash out of the office.
Gene headed to his office and slumped into his chair, placing his legs on the table. He chugged down his scotch and observed his team working.
A few minutes later, Shaz came in all in a fluster.
"Guv this is serious."
He jumped to his feet. Panic froze his body.
"She has been attacked."
The Guv was out the door before Shaz could breathe again.
"Bolls, I'm coming in."
He smashed open the door and scanned the room. Alex was by a sink, washing her face. She dabbed her eyes with tissue.
"Bloody hell bolls, why is it always you?"
She giggled, though Gene could tell it was fake. He could see her hands tremble as she turned the tap. He was concerned yet frightened; he didn't know what to say. Or what to do.
It was not until she turned to face Gene that he saw the full extent of the attack. A bruise covered the whole left side of her cheek. It was discoloured, and swelling. Black and blue radiated of her skin. It was a horrific site. She sustained it when the attacker grabbed hold of her face, and made it worse when he smacked her head on the cold tiles, when he let go of her.
"Shit Drake. Who did this?" She didn't speak, but held onto the sink for support.
Shaz suddenly popped her head round the door, gasped and flung herself at Alex with a force that nearly sent her flying.
All three left the toilets minutes later, still with no explanation from Alex. Shaz supported her by hold her arm. Gene left behind them. Bewildered.
Just before they headed back to the department Emma sprinted past them. Her head was down and she clutched on to a file close to her chest. Like a cowardly dog, with its tail between its legs.
Alex stopped dead in her tracks. She focused on Emma as she vanished down the corridor. Before she turned the corner she peered back at Alex, and then dissolved into a room. Alex stood blank. Yet memories clouded her mind.
"James..."
"Ma'am?" Shaz looked up at Alex.
"Bolls? What did ya say?"
It was yesterday evening, one hour after Emma accepted Keats task, one hour before CID headed to luigis and one hour before Alex was attacked.
"This man is so thick-headed you tell him what to do, he will do it" Keats chuckled as he radioed his colleagues.
"I'm just going to tell him the good news!" He chuckled to himself.
"No don't come after me, I will be some time."
He chucked the radio to one side and focused on the road. Minutes later he screeched to a halt outside Fenchurch prison.
"Good afternoon Mr. Lindsey" He leered over at the criminal, he pulled out at chair opposite this man who seemed oblivious to Keats' arrival.
"Don't patronise me with your posh bollocks" This man sat like a stroppy teenager, arms crossed and sat lazily on his chair. Still no making eye contact with Keats.
"Sorry. Hello James."
"What do you want?"
Again he refused to look up. His leg bounced impatiently. His grey dreary eyes, though hidden from view were revealing terror and dread. He began to hyperventilate.
"I have come to congratulate you on your release. You will be out in an hour." He glanced at his watch. James grumbled.
"I have also come to inform you that your sister has joined Fenchurch police." He grinned, and giggled inside. His eyes flickered with evil. The mood changed. James looked up, staring straight at Keats. In disbelief and fear. His breathing quickened.
"Another little birdie told me you are planning something when you get out of here. A robbery. But you do know that your sister will have to take you down. So I wouldn't try."
James was quite proud of that statement, yes he was going to do something, but not even his sister can stop it. His outside contacts have arranged something, nobody will stop him. He felt he could challenge Keats. He wasn't afraid.
"Well if she does get in the way. I will just have to stop her. Nobody, not even my younger sister can stop this happening."
"You not considering killing your own sister now are you James?"
"No. But I have ways." Deep inside, he truly did love his younger sister. And was shocked and angry when Keats thought that he was going to kill her.
"Your sister is doing very well at Fenchurch you know; I believe she will be very successful in the future. Once everyone stops harassing her and upsetting her she will surely-"
"What did you say? Who is upsetting her?" The volume of his voice increased. Along with his concern for his sister. Nobody hurts his sister. He clenched his fists under the table and gritted his teeth. Keats however was not threatened. In fact he was quite amused. This was the reaction he fed off.
"Let's see how Gene Hunt deals with this one" he thought, before departing the prison and heading off to the office once again.