Under Pressure

Chapter 14

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Ashes to Ashes or even Life on Mars, it all belongs to the BBC and Kudos.

Reviews or criticisms are always welcome and greatly appreciated!

Gene and Chris realised that there was no easy way of following the others out of the main door so doubling back along the hall they found a door marked exit. Making their way down what they now realised would have been the old fire exit they finally reached the doors which lead outside. Pressing down on the fire door handle there was a second where Gene suddenly wondered whether the old fire alarm was still connected.

The door swung open without any alarms going off.

It had stopped raining but the ground was still wet and large puddles had formed across the ground. They made their way out along the side of the building, keeping their backs pressed up against the wall. Following the edge of the building they rounded on the rest of the police team and were greeted by Burges and Caera who were sat in a car at a safe distance.

Gene pushed his way through the crowd and found Ray who had now been bandaged up.

"You alright Raymundo?"

Ray turned, surprised to see Gene and Chris.

"Yeah not bad Guv… apparently they're about to come out 'n make their way to the boat," Ray nodded his head in the direction of the makeshift dock. "I don't like it though… apparently there are undercover officers who have been in on this."

"What! What bastard organised that?"

A few of the other officers turned to look at Gene who had raised his voice. Shaz approached at this moment holding out Gene's coat.

"All I got told Guv was that when I went to organise a boat like DI Drake requested the whole matter was taken out of my hands. Apparently they're from another division and they've been onto Tony Hayler for a while."

Gene shoved the coat on getting more annoyed but this whole 'fuck up.'

"This is my bloody patch 'n no bastard is gonna come into my district 'n fuck it up for my team!"

His language seemed to worsen with his mood Shaz noted to herself as she watched her DCI carefully. Thrusting his hands into his pockets Gene was relieved to find a hip flask, pulling it out, he took a long swig. Capping the hip flask Gene studied the doorway of the power station.

"Guv?"

Ray held out a gun for his DCI, which he took but made no comment. The main doors to the disused Bankside Power Station were flung open and everyone who was armed readied their guns watching the group as they made their way out. Alex was currently being used as a shield along with Martin who was barely conscious.

"Keep back or you DI gets it." Mike pressed the gun into Alex's temple and shook her slightly making her yelp in fright. Gene clenched his fist tightly and watched the group carefully. Isabelle was being lead out last, her father had his arms wrapped around her shoulder but she looked far from comfortable. Tony had a gun pointed in his daughters' general direction but he was too busy watching Lola and the police officers than paying attention to what Isabelle was actually doing.

The group were no more than 300 yards from the boat when Isabelle suddenly grabbed the gun off of her father. Alex could see what was happening as Mike forced her to carry on walking forwards but it was the urgent voice of Isabelle that finally got him to stop.

"Let her go!" Mike stopped and turned to look at Isabelle who had the gun pointed at the group as a whole; Tony had his hands up in the air, Lola had pulled out her own gun and Rex was cowering behind her, his use of Martin as a shield quickly forgotten, letting him drop to the floor in a heap.

"How about you lower your gun first sweetheart and then I won't shoot you." Lola smiled at Isabelle who ignored her completely and continued to stare at Tony.

"You're a bastard! A lying, manipulative, evil person! Thank god I'm not related to you." Tony paled visibly as Isabelle hurled abuse at him, "You're going to regret the day you ever met that bitch."

She gestured at Lola with a nod of her head, her eyes never leaving his face.

"Now Isabelle… baby girl. You're distressed… upset. I can see that but please sweetheart lower the gun. You're scaring Daddy."

"You're not my Daddy." She spat out the word Daddy, "You tried to kill me!"

Tony stepped towards Isabelle, no longer looking as calm as he had once done.

"Well what do you expect when you're the daughter of a whore! You're not even my child! You're the result of a sordid little affair with a snivelling wretch of a man who deserved to die! I couldn't run the risk of anyone finding out you weren't really my child… not when my reputation is on the line!"

The crowd of police officers murmured in response. Here they had Tony Hayler admitting that he murdered one man and attempted to murder his own daughter. It was in some respects a police officers wildest fantasy.

Gene meanwhile had crept around the crowd trying to get closer to Alex and Mike; no-one had noticed him as Isabelle was providing a fantastic distraction.

"Just put down the gun and you can go back to your mother and forget all about this darling?" Lola didn't lower the gun but her saccharinely sweet voice seemed only to fuel Isabelle's anger.

"Shut up you stupid cow!" Isabelle pointed the gun at Lola and Tony saw his chance. Jumping forward he went to grab Isabelle; at the same time Gene saw his opportunity and pushed through the crowd and made for Alex.

Two gun shots rung out, followed by a blood curdling scream of pain.

Tony pitched forward and landed on the floor in a crumpled heap, blood quickly pooling on the floor around him. He was dead before he had even hit the ground. Isabelle on the other hand was still standing but was clutching at her side where Lola had shot her. Blood seeped out between her fingers and dripped to the floor landing on her now discarded gun.

"NO!! Alex screamed out making everyone stop causing Mike to turn and look at her, it was then that he saw Gene. He cocked the gun, the loud click of the metal making Gene stop short.

"Stop there or I'll shoot her." Mike pressed the gun more forcibly into Alex's temple making her wince and cry out in pain and fear. She hadn't seen Gene in the crowd as she had been so distracted by Isabelle, "Drop your gun!"

"Just do as you're told for once Gene!" Alex sobbed out her fingers clenched tightly around the arm that Mike held tightly across her throat. Gene was torn between ignoring Mike's threat and going for him... but then he could heardly ignore the pleas of Alex, "Just trust me Gene."

Alex pleaded with him, her tone resolved to whatever the fates had planned for her. Gene discarded the gun on the floor and raised his hands. He felt wretched considering that there were at least twenty officers here of which at least ten were armed yet no-one could do anything whilst Alex was in such a vulnerable position.

"You better know what you are bloody well doing Bolly; these bastards aren't playin' any of you mind games."

"How the hell did he get out of that room?" Lola snapped shoving at Rex who was still cowering behind her; apparently he wasn't quite the bruiser he made out to be, "Look you stay where you are or else we'll shoot that stupid bitch of a DI!"

Everyone watched Gene as he lowered his arms, his fists clenched and stepped back, resigned to accept this forced decision.

Mike shoved Alex forcefully into the boat, not caring that she stumbled and fell forward. Because of having her hands tied in front of her, with some difficulty Alex finally managed to get back up on her feet. The speedboat was only really large enough for four of them and so Alex was forced to sit on Don's lap, his arms around her waist. Rex was the only one in the group who apparently knew how to drive a boat so he took the controls.

The engine roared into life and quickly sped off up the Thames, in the opposite direction Alex had thought they would go in. She had been under the impression they intended to go towards the Tower of London and City Hall and disembark somewhere along there, however Rex seemed to be taking them towards Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament.

"I want someone followin' that boat now!" Gene yelled as he watched the boat disappear into the darkness. "Ray… Chris! Get in the car!"

Gene strode towards his car and was greeted by Shaz who held out his keys for him.

"Guv… Eddie says there is a blockade to meet the boat set up for them just past Victoria Tower Gardens. Don is meant to jump off with Alex at Jubilee Park so that if anything should happen at least they will be out of harms way."

"Shit! Those stupid bastards really reckon they're just gonna let them jump off into the water with out going back for them?" Gene was seriously pissed off now, both Ray and Chris watched him. Waiting to see if their plans would change, "Shaz tell the rest of the team to 'ead to Jubilee Gardens immediately… we'll go ahead to Victoria Tower Gardens just in case."

"In case of what guv?"

"I've got a gut feelin' about this."

Shaz stepped back as a cloud of dirt and dust was thrown up as the Quattro sped off up the road. Turning to look at the rest of the team she quickly relayed their instructions before making her way over to one of the police cars and getting in. She really hoped that her DCI was wrong about his gut feeling.

Don pressed his cheek against Alex's shoulder and whispered in her ear, she struggled to listen against the rush of wind, the sound of the boat engine and the rushing water that sprayed against her.

"Don't respond when I speak to you but listen carefully… when we get level with Jubilee Gardens we've got to jump. Shake your head if you understand."

Alex shook her head, she noticed that Lola was watching her and so she pretended to try and pull out of his arms; this made Don look up and he grinned at Lola.

"Just keeping her sweet!" He gave Lola some sort of explanation which Alex hoped could be heard over the noise.

Lola rolled her eyes and pulled her coat tighter around her frame before turning to talk to Mike. Don held Alex tighter against his chest, as they came around the corner and the lights of Jubilee Park could be seen up ahead. The boat begun to slow and Don loosened his grip around Alex's waist forcing her to slip onto the floor at his feet, apparently things weren't going according to plan for Don.

"Why are we slowing?" Don yelled at Rex who ignored him. Alex watched in horror as Lola leant forward and Mike produced a gun which he pointed at Don; the shot rang out and the body of Don fell backwards into the water.

Gene swung the car round the corners and the tyres screeched loudly as they hurtled through the streets of London, which were thankfully almost deserted because of the late hour; a few drunken people were about all the team saw as they raced towards Victoria Tower Gardens. Gene swung the car round the corner and raced onto Lambeth Bridge, Chris and Ray were trying to see out of the windows to see if they could spot the boat but it was too dark.

The Quattro stopped suddenly forcing all of its occupants to have to brace themselves; with Chris being the only one in the back he was left to clamber out of the passenger door left wide open by Ray. They jogged across the park and peered over the edge up the river; the sound of a boat could be heard approaching in the distance.

Alex had been pulled back up besides Lola but she seemed distracted by Mike who was trying to tell her something. She knew she had to do something to get away from these people considering they clearly had no intention of letting her go anytime soon. And even if they did let her go there was a chance that Lola would more than happily shoot her in the back to get rid of her. Up ahead, Alex could see the St Thomas Hospital building looming up in the distance, lit up by the street lights outside it.

Her hands were still cuffed in front of her but Alex knew she didn't have much of a choice, unless she could convince one of them to un-cuff her wrists. Lola must have noticed her fidgeting.

"Whatever you're doing stop it!" Lola turned to face Alex and waved the gun in her face.

"Sorry… it's these cuffs they're digging in."

Lola glanced down at Alex's wrists and rolled her eyes.

"They aren't exactly intended for comfort."

"I know but I was hoping that maybe you'd loosen them a little for me?"

Lola laughed but Mike started to rummage in his pockets.

"What the hell are you going you idiot! You're not going to loosen the cuffs on her!" Lola snapped at Mike but he continued to search for the keys defiantly, Rex had slowed the speed boat down

"No I have no intention of letting her go." Mike moved to kneel before Alex and undid the lock of the cuffs; but just as quickly he cuffed one wrist again and then attached the other cuff around Lola's wrist before she could stop him. He also grabbed the gun out of her hand before she could use it against him.

"WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO THAT FOR YOU FUCKING MORON" Lola screeched at Mike and went to hit him, causing Alex to jerk forward.

"So to ensure that if the cops try anything at least you two are stuck together!"

Gene watched as the boat slowed, he rummaged in his pockets for his radio but Chris had been quick to grab it before they exited the car.

"All units; to Victoria Tower Gardens 'n St Thomas 'ospital immediately."

The radio crackled into life as several people responded.

"Right we need a boat of our own!"

"Looks like there might be one down that way, Guv!" Ray pointed under the bridge towards where the blockade was meant to be. He didn't have a clue what radio frequency they were all on so Gene knew he was going to have to intervene himself, "Right let's commandeer a boat!"

Lola and Mike were arguing animatedly as Rex cruised down the river, he had nothing to be concerned about as far as he was concerned. He was under the impression that Alex had informed the police force to clear the river in both directions for them. As they approached Lambeth Bridge he glanced back at Alex and grinned at her.

"Changed your mind yet about my offer DI Drake?"

"What offer was that?"

"To come join me in my new villa in Costa Del Sol?

"Thanks but I've got plans." Alex joked hoping that some humour would work in her favour; Rex laughed and shook his head.

"Looks to me like you won't be going anywhere anytime soon luv."

Alex was jerked over towards Lola forcing her to brace herself against the seat and look down towards her feet. It was then that Alex noticed a key lying on the floor of the boat. Reaching down, trying to look like she was getting her balance from being pulled over by Lola, she grabbed hold of it. She recognised it almost immediately as being a handcuff key. By the looks of it Mike hadn't pocketed it as he had first thought.

Now Alex had an advantage…

Ray had remained on shore as a contact for the rest of the police when they arrived. Gene and Chris had 'borrowed' a boat and it was up to Chris to attempt to work out how to drive it. Luckily for them he approached it with the same attitude as the various games he played and quickly picked up the basics… well turning the engine on and that was about it.

Abandoning the idea for the moment they remained stood on the boat hopeful that one of the arriving police officers would know how to drive a boat.

Alex sat back at brought her other hand across to her cuffed wrist and pretended to rub her wrist in pain. No-one was paying any particular attention to her so Alex was able to position the key for when she wanted to undo the cuffs.

Her plan was to undo her cuff and bail out of the boat when they passed under the bridge; she hoped that the darkness would conceal her making it more difficult for them to shoot her whilst she was in the water. After that she didn't have much of a plan other than to swim towards St Thomas's Hospital and hope that there was a ladder there for her to climb out of the Thames.

As they came under the bridge Alex saw Gene and Chris stood on a small dock beside a boat in which a young police officer sat. Time seemed to come to a stand still as Rex realised who was waiting there. And then all at once everything seemed to happen.

Alex shoved the key into the lock and heard the satisfying click of it unlocking, pulling her wrist back she flung the key onto the floor and made to jump off of the side of the boat.

Lola realised only to late what she was doing so rather than managing to grab Alex before she hit the water she was dragged in behind her; both of them disappearing into the swirling dark water.

Rex slammed the boat into full speed not caring about Lola and Alex as he raced past Gene and Chris who were distracted by the fact that their DI had just thrown herself into the water.

Chris was suddenly handed Gene's coat and watched as his DCI dived into the water.

"Get that boat workin'" Was all Gene uttered as he dived into the freezing water of the Thames.

Alex surfaced coughing and spluttering at the sudden shock of the cold water against her body, she struggled to swim against the current unaware that Gene had also jumped in. Someone grabbed at Alex's shoulders and forced her back beneath the surface; she fought against them and surfaced to come face to face with Lola.

"Can't… swim!" Lola was panicking and trying to cling to Alex like a lifeline but in doing so was making it impossible for her to keep the both of them afloat. As much as this woman had kidnapped her and nearly killed her Alex, couldn't let the woman drown. She tried to grapple with her and stop Lola from pushing her beneath the water again but Lola was too caught up in the fear of drowning.

The current was pulling them down the river and Alex could feel the beginnings of hypothermia setting in; her fingers were going numb and trying to draw breath was difficult. She hadn't been in the water long but her flimsy clothing and repeated submerging wasn't helping her.

Alex tried to cry out for help but she took in mouthfuls of water instead; Lola was unintentionally killing the both of them. Alex struggled to keep them both afloat but Lola seemed determined to fight her ever move; eventually Alex lost her grip on Lola's arm before she sunk beneath the surface, kicking and trying to keep her head above the water.

As Alex surfaced once more and she felt herself start to accept what was happening. Lola had stopped grabbing at her and was floundering in the water just an arms length away; their eyes met for moment before Lola disappeared from sight.

Alex couldn't get her limbs to move anymore, everything was numb and just the sheer effort of floating seemed to exhausting to her. As Alex let her eyes fall closed she felt arms wrap around her waist and haul her up against a solid form. Fingers dug into her hips painfully forcing Alex to open her eyes and she was greeted with the sight of a bedraggled Gene.

She grasped limply at his shoulders, her head lolling back into the water before he could get a firmer grip. Alex was exhausted, her body cold and numb to her very core; Gene managed somehow to turn her body fully so that her back was against his chest and her head was tilted up to the cloud filled night sky. Gene could hear people yelling from the dock, it wasn't far to swim but the current was strong.

"Come on Bols… 'old in there." Alex didn't respond as she felt herself drift in and out of consciousness; it would have been all too easy to let the darkness engulf her and slip into a comfortable sleep. Yet at the edges of her mind Alex could feel a presence much like that of the clown, lurking… waiting to claim her. She fought against it closing her eyes and concentrating on breathing.

With some difficulty Gene held Alex's body up against his own; he kicked against the current towards the dock. Thankfully someone had managed to start the boat and they raced over to them. Many hands with fingers stretched out reached down from the side of the boat to him and they pulled Alex, with ease, out of his grasp and out of the water.

As he was finally hauled up out of the Thames, Gene caught slight of the blue tint to her pale skin caught in the streetlights. Her hair had lost its tight curls and lay splayed across the floor of the boat and it struck him how they stuck out so starkly against her almost alabaster white skin. A thin rivulet of murky brown water seeped from between her lips adding to the puddle that was forming beneath her. She mumbled something incohherently her eyes fluttering open for a moment before she fell silent again. The boat raced back to the dock where they were helped out of the boat by the numerous police officers who had arrived shortly before hand; Gene watched in futile as Alex was carried off out of his sight.

Gene finally made it up the steps, ignoring the fact that his body was numb and he was in agony; it felt like every one of his extremities was fighting against him. Each step took twice as much effort but he could see Alex just ahead of him. She was laid out on the pavement, coats swathed about her body in an attempt to keep her warm; officers huddled around whilst Chris and Ray were leant in close listening for a breath or for something she was saying... he couldn't quite tell from where he was stood.

Gene finally pushed them aside and dropped to his knees; his legs felt like jelly and he ignored the sharp pains as he shifted against the concrete. With two fingers pressed against the cool flesh of her neck, he felt for a pulse.

"Bolly? You still with me?" The words whispered as a desperate plea.

He breathed a sigh of relief as he felt a steady beat beneath his fingers; leaning across Alex's body he lowered his head over hers and waited anxiously to feel the gentle puff of breath against his cheek. She was breathing, short shallow gasps, but he could already see her chest beginning to rise and fall more deeply. Leaning back Gene took the proffered blanket which he covered Alex with, his fingers gripping at her wrist beneath the blanket.

Alex fought with need to sleep; she could hear people talking around her and the gentle touch of Gene as he felt for her pulse. His closeness was a comfort to her and Alex forced her body to stop succumbing to the darkness and fight for survival… fight to live… fight to see her daughter and fight to get home.

"Where's the bloody ambulance?" Gene's voice was gruff and his body had begun to shake from the cold. He still focused on Alex who he turned over onto her side and watched with bated breath as she started to cough; the brown water spilling from her pale lips; she opened her eyes. Alex's eye lashes fluttered closed again for a moment before her sight adjusted to the bright lights that shone in her eyes.

"Gene…" She murmured her voice raspy.

"They're just comin' Guv." Ray was holding the coat that Gene had thrust at Chris before diving into the water; he dropped it round his DCI's shoulders.

There was a look shared between them; Ray had been to hell and back with this man, seen him at his best and at his worst. He could easily tell that Gene was torn between beating someone within an inch of their life or staying beside their DI.

"Chris 'n me will deal with them lot." Ray nodded his head in the direction of Mike and Rex who were currently being lead away by two uniformed officers. The blockade had done their job but nearly at the expense of his team…

Gene would make sure that the right people paid for this cock up.

"Good." Gene nodded; at that moment Shaz appeared with the paramedics, they pushed their way through the crowd and knelt down beside Alex and Gene. Shaz stood beside Chris, she bit at her nails and watched nervously. Chris wrapped an arm around her waist for comfort.

"How long was she in the water?" One of the ambulance crew glanced up at Gene as they felt for a pulse; Alex watched them with glassy eyes. The world seemed to be passing her in slow motion.

Alex heard the question but was unable to answer, she was sure she had only been in the ice cold water of the Thames for a few minutes; at least she thought that was the case. Time had blended and distorted, her mind played tricks on her. Alex wanted to reach out and cling to Gene. At one point in the water she had been so sure that she could hear the steady beep of a life support machine; but her sluggish muscles and misfiring brain cells made thinking and moving almost impossible now.

"I… about… five minutes… no more." Gene couldn't think straight, he was cold and all he wanted to do was have a cigarette and a stiff drink; however his trusty hip flask was somewhere at the bottom of the Thames… along with Lola. There had been nothing he could do for Lola when he finally disappeared from sight, Gene hated to admit it but a part of him had been glad she was no longer clinging to Alex. Gene had watched Alex stuggling to keep the both of them afloat as he swum over, it had only fuelled him on as he worried that the next time Alex went under she wouldn't come back up.

The paramedics were muttering something between themselves about stage two, but Gene was unable to take in their comments. He was too focused on watching Alex's face for any signs of her trying to talk to him again.

"You need to get checked out as well mate, you might develop hypothermia." Once Alex was carefully strapped to the stretcher the crew made their way back to the ambulance. Gene followed a few paces behind, he watched Rex struggling against the police officers as they guided him into the back seat of one of the cars.

Gene sat in the back of the Ambulance watching Alex intensely as she lay there motionless strapped to a stretcher and wrapped in a red NHS blanket. Her eyes flew open and darted about taking in her surroundings; their eyes met for a moment and he was lost in the deep brown of her eyes. His face was void of emotion but his eyes told a different story. Nothing needed to be said between them.

Alex attempted a smile at Gene before an oxygen mask was placed over her face.