We Could Be Heroes...
Chapter 1
Gene sat in his office, the blinds pulled, he was pondering over a Scotch, well it was lunchtime. Running his index finger round the rim of the Crystal glass, he was lost in his thoughts. He'd not even shaven this morning, although some stubble did enhance the Gene Hunt brooding looks, along with eyes that sizzled many a female heart, eyes that were slowly losing their twinkle. He'd spent a lot of time there lately, alone with his thoughts.
It had been few years now since he'd lost the best team he'd ever had, not that he would ever of told them, and the demise of his beloved Quattro hurt too. He formed more of a relationship with that car, than any female. He understood cars, knew exactly how to handle them, never had he understood females. If he was truly honest with himself though, what really hurt most of all was the loss of his Bolly, but he was trying so hard to forget her, despite the name plate still hanging around in his drawer, the last part of her that he couldn't quite bear to part with. Why in gods name did he tell her "Go" There wasn't a day when he didn't see her in his thoughts, dressed in something skimpy of course!
Several raw recruits had come, and gone, none outstanding, at least they were all male, and there were no bloody premenstrual women to contend with, but the thrill, the reason why, was going. The intimidation, and battering of the local scum helped, a short-term distraction, but it had begun to cross his mind that the time to hang up the badge, and boots was looming. That scared him, and nothing scared the Lion. What the f*** would he do though? He didn't want to go back to the real world, he still wanted a life, to make that difference, to be happy, surely he deserved that. His mood had been very dark lately, not a place he wanted to be. Too much drinking, smoking, and the thinking part definitely worried him, not something Gene Genie liked doing. He was starting to forget again, how he got here, and wanted to keep it that way.
A knock at the office door brought him abruptly out of his thoughts.
"Yes?" Hunt snapped.
"Guv, there's phone call for you, won't give their name, said needs to talk to you"
"About what?"
"They won't say"
"You deal with it; can't you see I'm busy?" Gene took another slug of Scotch
"They're really persistent Guv, they sound desperate"
Hunt stood up, dragged himself out of the office, and his thoughts, snatched up the phone,
"Hunt!" Silence at the other end.
"Who is this? What do you want?" Hunt snapped.
"It's me Guv", came down the phone, almost a whisper.
A look of total shock, and recognition flashed across his face, he sat down, all 6 foot of him physically shaken.
"I'll ask again, who is this?" Hunt said in a quieter tone. He was sure he recognised the voice, but it couldn't be, surely? It just couldn't be.
Suddenly another phone rang in the main office, a voice shouted from across the room,
"Armed Blag at Carling Road PO Guv". Gene cleared his mind, slammed the phone down, just a time waster he told himself, a crank caller. It was easier to believe that, than what his gut was telling him, and what his heart was hoping for.
"Let's go get 'em" he barked as he grabbed his coat, and trusty Magnum.
The Merc was ok, but it wasn't red, it wasn't fast, it wasn't fun, and it definitely wasn't the bloody Quattro, God how he missed that car. Arriving at the PO, shots rang out, and 2 of the blaggers were heading for a getaway car.
"Right, listen up!" he called into the radio, " Barney, you stay, deal with this mess. Dibble, follow me as back up".
He slammed the accelerator to the floor, but the getaway car, was, getting away!
"Bugger"! Hunt said under his breath. As the Merc lurched, and struggled around the next corner, suddenly a Black Granada, a tank of a car, appeared from seemingly nowhere, and rammed the getaway car into the kerb. The curly haired driver sprang from the car, slamming the door on the getaway driver as he tried to get out, trapping his hand in the process. The passenger dazed, and going no where.
"You bloody stay there"
Hunt pulled up, getting out of the Merc, leaning on drivers door, staring, slightly baffled at the driver of the Granada, what the, can't be...
"What kept you Guv" It was...
"Well bugger me, Raymondo as I live, and breathe" Hunt said with a cheeky grin.
The back up Panda finally joined the party, Dibble and his plod mates jumped out, grabbed the blaggers out of the getaway, cuffed them, then threw them in back of the Panda. Dibble nodding to Hunt.
"Nice work, take them back, lock them up, I'll follow on later, for a chat!" Hunt growled.
Hunt had gut feeling these PO raids were linked to the new drugs appearing on the streets, the drugs cut with washing powder, rat poison, talc, anything to bulk them out, make more money. Young kids were dying on his patch because of this. He had no proof, yet, but he knew what his guts were telling him.
It seemed like ages as Hunt just stood there physically shocked, not for the first time that day, grinning at Carling, as if not believing what he was looking at, his heart pounding, suddenly some of the reason why was returning, his mood already lifting.
"What the?" Hunt stuttered.
"How the? Pub?" Hunt asked hoping.
"Sounds like a plan" Carling said, "nothing's changed then Guv"
They both climbed into the Merc.
"Blimey, this is posh Guv"
"It's not the bloody Quattro though is it" Hunt snapped
After Luigi left, the local watering hole had been taken over, renamed Cartwright's. It wasn't the same though, been refurbished, mainly pink walls, cherry red upholstery, not really Gene's thing, but the place had many memories he wanted to hang onto, and he couldn't be arsed find another bar, one he probably wouldn't of felt at home in anyway. Not many of the team stayed on after work, times were changing. Hunt really liked the landlord too, in a manly way of course!
"2 of your finest pints George" Hunt ordered, coming down the stairs, Carling following.
"Blimey this is different Guv, bit pouffy"
"Yeah it has changed, beers good though"
Carling went, and sat down, facing the bar. Watching Gene at the bar. Gene still in the old dark long black collared coat, but the boots had changed, well in colour, now black, not in style though. Still the old cowboy at heart. It was so good to see him again. I'd give him a huge hug, obviously not in a pouffy way Carling thought, and grinned. Gene brought the pints over.
"Cigarette Guv"
"Thought you'd never bloody ask Raymondo"
They then sat in silence, opposite each other, neither knowing how to approach the subject, that was rattling round both of their heads. Both started to speak same time, then laughed. Hunt hadn't laughed for a while, it felt good. He knew there was new DI starting tomorrow, hadn't bothered looking at the file, they come, they go. He didn't want to ask Carling in case it wasn't him.
"Oh bugger Carling, what you doing here?"
"I'm back on the team tomorrow, thought you knew, but didn't want to say, didn't want me back"
"Of course I want you bloody back" Hunt didn't want to say how much though, Carling was good copper, loyal, and liked battering scum, happy days.
"Why?" asked Hunt cautiously.
"Beer at Railway Arms was crap Guv"
They both smiled, both knew exactly what they were thinking, even if they weren't actually saying it!
Hunt had so many questions, some he wasn't sure wanted answers to. They could wait.
Carling had so many things to say, some the Guv wouldn't want to hear, it could wait. Carling was here for a reason, one reason only, and it involved the Guv. Carling had dreams, well nightmares, he knew the Guv was in them, although he'd never seen him. Both finished their pints, went up the stairs, and out into the chilled air, both needing to clear their heads, time for their own thoughts.
"First job tomorrow we'll tackle, well talk to, those Post Office bastards" Hunt said with a grin, as they parted
"Be like old times Guv"
Gene started walking back to his flat, stopping to light cigarette, looking over the Thames, watching car lights crossing the bridge. Well what a day, he thought. He felt good, felt his heart pumping again. Things were changing, he was actually looking forward to tomorrow. That phone call though, forget it Gene, he told himself...