A/N

Sorry about the wait between chapters, no internet access is a tricky business! Hopefully the next chapter will be up quite soon! A big thank you to everyone who had reviewed, story alerted or made it one of their favourites so far! You are all fantastic thanks!

A massive thank you to MaidenStar for the wonderful beta-ing and lovely comments!

Disclaimer: I own nothing, I merely borrow these characters of Gene Hunt, Alex Drake and Chas Cale from Kudos, Monastic, BBC, Matthew Graham etc. etc. please don't sue me! … But if you do, review first, okay? Thanks!

Alex walked into CID the next morning to find it practically deserted. Desks were empty, the kitchen area was silent and even the officer who had replaced Viv was absent from his post. The only sign of life was the shadow Alex could make out through the blinds of Gene's office.

At least someone is in, Alex thought, moving into the room and sitting behind her desk. She looked down and saw the number '6620' scratched into her desk. She threw Cale's phone records down over it quickly, putting all of her concentration on the paper in front of her. It was best not to dwell on it, Alex had decided, it was all just too much. Alex jumped slightly as she heard Gene's voice from in his office. His tone was angry and she guessed by the way the blinds were drawn that he was on the phone, most likely to a superior. Her suspicions were confirmed when he snapped very loudly:

"Yes, yes I understand sir, no I don't think you get what I- yes sir, I know."

With that, the sound of a phone being slammed into place echoed throughout the empty CID. Alex kept her eyes on the phone records as Gene ripped his office door open.

"Where the bloody 'ell is everyone!" he asked angrily, staring at the double doors into CID.

"I don't know," Alex replied carefully, trying not to become a target of the anger, "maybe they went out drinking last night."

Gene's eyes narrowed and Alex knew it was the wrong thing to say.

"Sleepin' it off! I want results, not bloody drunks!" Gene moved back into his office and grabbed his coat.

"What is this about?" Alex called out, "what's got you in such a sulk today?"

"It was our new Detective Superintendent on the phone," Gene stated, pulling his coat on as he walked up to Alex's desk, "it seems Jimbo isn't done with us jus' yet. Go through the phone records; find somethin' to keep 'em off our backs Bolls."

"Wait- where are you going?" Alex asked, confused. What did Jim Keats want now?

"I'm roundin' our bloody team up! If they're not on their way in the next 5 minutes, I'm gonna 'uff and puff and blow their ruddy doors down!"

With that, Gene stormed out of the doors of CID.

Alex let out a breath as she looked at the phone records. Gene would deal with Keats, she was sure of it. The fact that Keats was still in the picture meant that he wasn't quite done here yet, and that thought sent a shiver down her spine. Who did he want this time? Harry Lottman? Or maybe he was still hoping to pull Alex down into his underworld. She wouldn't let him, of course. Whatever he threw at them, they would throw right back and, with the force of the Gene Genie behind it, it would knock Keats down permanently. Her thoughts were interrupted as Gene's head appeared around the doors of CID;

"And I'm not bloody sulking!" he said, before disappearing once again. Alex smirked, shook her head and looked at the phone records.

...

Cale: Hello?

Nephew #1: Hi uncle, it's Matt.

Cale: How are you? How's your brother? I hope you're coping well.

Nephew #1: It's hard, Bill is out at the moment. We're holding up pretty well. When are they letting you out then? (nephew 1# laughs)

Cale: Bloody cheeky. (Cale laughs) I somehow don't think it's anytime soon. What are you doing these days? Do you have enough money for the house?

Nephew #1: We're getting by, but haven't had any job replies. It's not looking too good uncle. It's why I wanted to call you actually.

Cale: Knew there had to be a reason. What do you want then? I have no money, it's tied up in the restaurant, completely abandoned. Didn't even have the time to repair the window that bloody Hunt broke.

Nephew #1: We were thinking of going into the business.

Cale: The business?

Nephew #1: Yes ... the restaurant business.

Cale: Ahhh the restaurant business. Things must be rough going. Okay, what do you want? Advice on how to set tables?

Nephew #1: We just hoped you could help us if we had any problems or wanted advice on the business. Doubt we will have any problems though, having grown up listening to you talk about it.

Cale: That's what I'm here for. You're welcome to use my old restaurant if you want. Just promise me one thing, if I'm to help you.

Nephew #1: Name it, uncle.

Cale: I want you and your brother to go hunting. I used to go hunting and I loved it, exhilarating. Got a bit too old to carry on, unfortunately, and now I don't think I'll ever really get to go hunting again. I want you two to do it for me.

Nephew #1: ... okay, if it's what you want. Can you give us advice on hunting?

Cale: I can give you lots.

Nephew #1: Thanks uncle, we'll talk soon, bye!

Cale: Take care, both yourself and your brother!

Alex put the piece of paper down and let out an audible sigh. Nothing. Nothing incriminating. Chas Cale and his nephew hadn't allowed anything to slip on the phone and there were no indications that either of them were behind the robbery. They talked about hunting and the business. Alex of course had the suspicion that they were using them as codes. Hunting, they could very well be talking about robbing. After all, as Chas pointed out, it was something that he used to love doing and would no longer be able to do anymore.

She threw a pencil down in frustration. Nothing.

Gene caught the movement and ambled to her desk. It was now the afternoon, a few hours since Gene had dragged in several very bleary eyed, haggard looking squad members. It seemed their hangovers had subsided through the day, but there was still a quiet atmosphere to CID. Gene Hunt was the reason. He seemed to be on tenterhooks, as if his every move was being watched. He kept himself to his office mainly, phone in hand. Alex didn't know what was going on and part of her dreaded finding out. Now, however, he was out of the office and pushing the team to work, making them look through witness statements of the bank robbery. When Alex threw the pencil, he hurried over, no doubt expecting a grand realisation and all the evidence to nail the bastard who did it.

"What 'ave you got for us then, Drakey? Care to tell the rest of the class?"

Alex looked at all the eager faces watching her, hoping she had a culprit. She shook her head.

"Nothing, Guv. Unless you want to arrest Matthew Cale for word play."

"Don't tempt me Bolls."

"From what I've read, there is nothing to link Chas, Matthew or William Cale to the robbery."

"Shit," Gene muttered to himself. He looked over at one of his squad, "Poirot!"

The man looked up, his eyes wide. He hurriedly put out the cigarette in his hand and Alex watched as he slipped the magazine he had been reading under some files.

"Yes, Guv?"

"You 'ave the Cale twins criminal records there. What 'ave we got?"

Poirot opened the folder and looked at the sheet;

"Possession of drugs, GBH and theft."

"What 'appened?"

"They had a good lawyer, courtesy of their uncle. They never went down for possession and were found not guilty on GBH."

"The theft?"

"Never went to court. Charges were dropped."

"Well, I think that theft is making its way back to surface." Gene stated, looking at Alex.

"The charges were dropped, you can't do that." Alex replied wearily.

"I amthe law," Gene argued, hitting his fist against the desk in emphasis, "I make the rules 'ere. That theft is going to make a worse comeback than your spag bol after one too many wines, Bolls. Let's go pull in these nephews."

As Alex pushed herself out of the chair, Harry Lottman walked through the doors of CID. He slowly took in the room and Alex saw his shoulders slump. He was obviously hoping that by re-entering the office, it would magically transform back into whatever time he came from.

"Lottman, you look rougher than a badger's arse." Gene commented, taking in the man's rumpled appearance. He obviously hadn't slept well. Alex couldn't blame him. Her first night in this world had been hell. The nightmares, the new location, it was too much to take in.

"My apartment, it's not the one I'm used to." Harry replied.

"The bank workers, where are they?" Gene asked abruptly, changing subject.

"In one of the interview rooms."

"Good, we'll get to 'em later, after we've interviewed some scum."

"Scum? Who is scum?" Lottman asked, confused.

"We're going to bring in the nephews of Chas Cale," Alex informed him, smiling cheerfully, "we're going to go crash through their door, practice police brutality on them, drag them back to the station and interview them in a manner that is never mentioned in the good police handbook."

Harry looked flabbergasted.

"Why would you do that?"

"Because they stole a chocolate bar 15 years ago," Alex replied, the smile still on her face. She picked up her jacket off the back of her chair and put it on, "well come on, what are we waiting for?"

She walked out of CID, a disgruntled Gene Hunt and shocked Harry Lottman in tow.

A/N

Next chapter very soon! Thank you for reading, it makes my day!