Ashes to Ashes
Somebody's Watching Me
Chapter 7
"We'll need to stay close to one another Alex, can't go getting ourselves lost this mad place." It seemed unusual to hear him, talking in a protective manner in front of her. Yet for some odd reason subsequently she felt grateful to hear those words being mentioned by him, in response this left a warmth feel and butterflies in her stomach. She was left more surprised especially when her eyes glanced and noticed straight away that he was still pretty much holding her hand.
"Okay I understand you loud and clear. Oh by the way Gene, you don't need to hold my hand for the rest of the night. I'll be fine, I'm perfectly capable of keeping myself out of harms way." She expressively suggested. She easily sensed that he was always finding himself considerably worrying about her safety. She wondered perhaps if the last few previous times were he risked life and limb to rescue her from criminal bastards, had now caused him to become more conscious enough to watch out for her and the team's safety more than usual.
Of course she believed she was capable of being careful and observant while finding herself alone. She'd learnt from her past mistakes and was now determined to prove this to him.
Gene finally let go of her hand after a while. "Sorry Bolls. Hope I haven't squeezed your hand too much. It's my nerves giving the old school brain of mine a proper walloping." Despite feeling slightly awkward he still managed to provide a reasonable explanation as to why he sometimes felt that way.
"Gene it's nothing to feel embarrassed about if that's what you're thinking. Anyway is there any possible sighting of him yet?" She quickly moved the topic of conversation on to more important matters, the real reason for them being there. They were occupying the neon lit cocktail bar, which was well out the way from the main dancefloor.
"No unfortunately, we need to stay focused and aware then we might be able to pick him out among the crowd in here. He's got to be here... unless the potty mouthed weasel faced bastard has changed his appearance to avoid being recognized by us then we don't stand a chance of catching up with him" Gene certainly knew it would become a difficult enough task to spot the wanted criminal.
"I need a drink, oi Billy No Mates! I'll have a scotch on the rocks pronto, if you serve them." Gene sharply called over to one of the young cocktail assistants behind the counter.
"You don't need to raise your voice Gene. What if someone hear just so happens to recognize your presumptuous voice, hmm" Alex remarked, she was desperately praying that he wouldn't dare blow their covers. She could tell he was particularly thrilled at being there in the nightclub.
"Christ it's no wonder the bloody sod likes these sort of clubs. Probably helps him with not getting spotted by some other nonce he's pissed off." Despite feeling mind-numbingly bored and slightly out of place as he was surrounded by OTT nancies, Gene still managed to share a sensible enough thought.
"Just promise me you'll let me know as soon as possible if and when you do spot him" Alex suggested.
"Of course it's not gonna slip my mind when it comes to telling you. Besides anyway I've been ready and waiting long enough to knock the smirk off the smug faced bastard." Gene acknowledged straight away about something he'd always wanted to do against the hunted criminal if he was provided the opportunity.
Alex could see how much determined the DCI was on seeking out to arrest and charge the guy. In a eager bid to brighten the mood and the atmosphere up she decided that they didn't really any drinks just yet. "You know what we can always leave ordering the drinks until later. Right now I'd prefer for the both of us to share a deserving dance to help us take a few stressful things off our minds"
"No Bolly this is neither the time or the place to be doing the bloody hokey-kokey" Gene emphasized He was hardly in any sort of mood to start strutting his finest, best moves on the dance-floor.
"Look just for half an hour at least, so stop acting like a drama queen and follow me okay. You don't really suit being one" Alex highlighted, tonight for her had become more than a straightforward undercover case, if truth be told it was more about helping to bring out a relaxed and more confident side of Gene. Without uttering another word she patiently turned and started walking away from him, she was hopeful that he may eventually get the message and with any luck he may follow on not far behind her.
She looked on ahead at the partygoers who were spending most of their available time on the dance floor either snogging each other, chatting with their friends and couples who were slow dancing to romantic music being played at that very moment. "I don't care whatever more excuses or moans he comes up with, to stand out he'll need to dance with me"
She sensed a forthcoming hand a friction away from the back of her left shoulder. A deep exhilarating voice attracting her attention right away. "I'm never gonna win in an argument with you I am, Bolly. It's not the first time a woman's stood up to me and questioned my reputation, snapped her fingers and stunned everyone in the room for the rest of the working day when she's won the argument." For some reason he felt the greater need to chitchat longer than expected.
She expressed her annoyance by how much he appeared to be losing focus on this undercover work again. She casually silenced him with a fingertip to the lips. "Sssh I think you've said just about enough...for the time being. Now about that dance I mentioned a few minutes ago." Alex calmly reminded him as the conversation started to surprisingly blossom into something more unexpected beyond their wildest expectations.
"Alright, if it'll stop you acting like a Missus Fussy Knickers, I'll dance and let you take the lead" Gene grasped her hand and proceeded to quietly lead them towards the centre of the dancefloor. On the way he pulled a few browned off facial expressions when a few unhelpful people didn't seem bothered to move themselves out of the way. They eventually found the perfect spot on the dancefloor surface and Alex tugged him fractionally closer to her. They both reacted like shy schoolchildren dancing together at a prom night.
Alex secretly believed he looked adorable whenever his cheeks rosily blushed.
"Here, put your hand around my waist and follow my lead, stay close and keep focus on me" She recommended. Surprisingly he did just as he was told, positioned his hand around the left hand side of her waist.
"Christ Bolly how close do you actually want me to dance with you. " In next to no time he found a presentable reason to tease her back relentlessly seeing as she started it herself, the admirable teasing.
"Shut up Gene and keep whatever thoughts you have, hopefully to yourself. Can't have you distracting me everytime you open your mouth" She carefully and reassuringly informed him to keep his thoughts under wraps for the time being at least.
Their planned dance soon eventually commenced, the both of them were optimistically taking things step by step initially before opting to boosting the dancing to a quicker pace. "God Gene's not bad at this for a beginner, maybe he's trying to impress me or trying to persuade me to let us dance quicker." She couldn't stop herself from emitting a giggle. She really hoped he hadn't been able to hear or seen her obviously giggling, unluckily for her, straightaway he had caught her profusely laughing. "Alright Giggly Knickers spill the beans, what's tickled your fancy all of a sudden?" he shouted above the loud New Romantic music.
"It's nothing Gene." So she maintained, in actual fact she thought she wouldn't be able to keep her own respective thoughts to herself and that she'd almost certainly blurt out in front of him what exactly was occupying her mind. Needless to say in response Gene would definitely enjoy teasing and flirting her much more. As they danced together impeccably, an undeniable attraction soon began to blossom between them. Gene's eyes elegantly gazed down at hers, they looked relatively capable of making any lucky woman weak at the knees. Alex had already knowingly sensed this feeling, she was clearly happy to identify this manner of feeling.
She admiringly gazed up at him, despite the observable fact that he was towering over her while they were slow dancing, he still looked absolutely handsome, charming and surprisingly laid-back. "You're not a bad dancer Bolly."
"I should say the same to you too. You're very talented at shaking your hips in time with the music. " Alex felt she had to tell him the honest truth, he needed some praise and compliments after all.
"You know that's one of the nicest things you've ever mentioned to me Bolly. You're getting too soft with me." Gene quipped as he responded to her kind spoken words. He hadn't received such generous praise before by anyone he formerly known or worked alongside back at the old Station in Manchester.
"Has nobody ever praised you before Gene?" She wondered curiously as to why he seemed exceptionally touched to hear the comment in which she made.
"No not much. I've been patted on the back and praised more times by male colleagues than the number of times I've punched suspects for doing bad French accents." Despite downplaying the disappointment that he felt regarding the fact that he hadn't been applauded nor praised from female colleagues back in the day when he effectively cracked a few investigated cases, he was still reminiscing about them glorious policing days in an optimistic manner.
"Sounds like to me they didn't have too much belief and trust in the Manchester Police." Without thinking of something lengthy and well thought out to say, Alex came out and shared a honest thought with him.
"I think they could have done with having beautiful looking and annoying mentor like you Bolly." Gene half slurred while he talked out loudly, Alex soon wondered whether perhaps there was a possibility that he may have had a few sneaky swigs from his hip flask when she had her back turned while they'd been sitting together in the Quattro earlier in the evening.
"Gene have you been drinking tonight?" She pulled away from him, releasing herself from his huggable arms and waited for an acceptable explanation from him.
"Just the once Bolly, Look I was tempted to have another swig from my hip flask and then you mentioned about us keeping close together." Gene tried as much as possible to explain.
"You said that not me!" Alex half laughed, she couldn't believe how bad his memory was.
"Alright I admit I've pissed you off god knows how many times in the past and tonight I didn't want to be disappointing you again. I'm doing everything you asked me to do. I'm not going to allow my dislike for Owen get the better of me. " She wondered whether she had become too judgmental with him, reacted too over-elaborate on him. "Am I forgiven?"
"Pretty much looks that way...yes." She half smiled as she confirmed this.
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They'd been dancing together by her reckoning, for over an hour. "Maybe we should call it a night. Owen hasn't bothered to show up anyway." Although on the working side of things the night hadn't gone as according to plan as they both originally hoped it might. However on the personal side of things, the night for Gene and Alex had developed into something unexpected between them. One thing was clear, Alex was harboring certain romantic feelings for him. She clung to the last remainder in which she had, that Gene might also be feeling the exact same way as her.
"Ten more minutes." Gene verified, before scanning the half cleared out nightclub. When this attempt didn't look likely to be going anywhere, he eventually turned back to gaze at Alex.
"Do you really think we managed to persuade everyone in here that we were a happy couple?" She raised the question suddenly.
"Don't know, maybe." Gene found himself becoming preoccupied by the affectionate look she was giving him as they danced to the last song of the night. He realized that he couldn't hold back the overwhelming feelings he had for her any longer. His heart was now throbbing under his ribcage, his attractive eyes were darting wildly whenever she viewed the looks he was giving out. "Christ what the bloody hell is she doing to me, them eyes of hers are trying to undo me right here on the spot. The Manc Lion's heart mellowing never thought it could happen. Sod it...Got to kiss her now..."
Gene made the first move by placing his thumb and middle finger against her chin and titled it up, she stared expressively at him. Excitement rocketed between themselves especially as the realization kicked in, they were about to experience their first ever kiss. Gene narrowed the gap between within a matter of mere seconds and Alex followed, she was delighted that this was finally going to happen between them. As their lips inched closer to each other's, a voice called out from the other side of the room, it was Owen Murray gloating and bragging about a hefty payment he'd collected earlier in the night. Gene and Alex both disappointingly pulled away, their expected kiss would have to wait for another time.
"I just made a bloody fortune. I floored a restaurant owner and trashed his restaurant, left him unconscious on the floor.I could have done more damage but an ambulance was called so I fled."
"Gene you don't think." Alex looked horrified as she cottoned onto the possibility of who the poor victim might be. "Gene?" She turned around only to discover that he'd vanished into thin air. She ran out of another exit door, hoping to find him.
Gene was now talking to Chris and Ray in one of the back alleys surrounding the nightclub building. "Why didn't you two tell me about Luigi's restaurant getting attacked?" He wasn't feeling happy at all.
"We tried but you obviously didn't hear your radio in there. Guv I think he knows we're onto him, someone's telling him everything were discussing." Ray suggested.
"Oh bloody hell, this can't be happening again. We've got a bloody mole in our midst again." Gene fumed, the night was now turning into an absolute nightmare. As far as he knew from Ray had mentioned was that Luigi was now in hospital receiving treatment to the injuries he sustained and furthermore that another person from within the station was betraying him. "Where's Bolly?" He quickly realized that she wasn't presently alongside him.
What he didn't know was that she was finding herself overpoweringly being pinned up against a widened wall by a creepy looking Owen, he'd randomly followed her after catching a brief sight of her running out of the club. "I'm not going hurt you if you keep wiggling about like this." With some quick thinking, Alex managed to free herself from his heavy hands by headbutting him and then running off to go and find Gene. She was soon reunited with Gene and the team within minutes. She immediately wrapped her arms around Gene's waist and didn't desire to let go just yet.
Gene heard her crying, his gut feeling told him that Owen might be strongly responsible for this.
End of Chapter
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