I am soooooo sorry this has taken so long. My internet access was broken, and my dad refused to get someone to fix it! I know broken internet sounds like a lame excuse, but am I the only one this has ever happened to, no one else seems to have this problem, like… ever. Still, finally… the next chapter is up…
'The Fox's Tail' was a smallish bar with nothing unusual about it from the outside. On the inside it was full of some of the worst scum from the streets of Manchester. Even the great Gene Hunt, though he hated to admit it – even to himself – was a little nervous about just waltzing in without back up. He guessed there'd be a few familiar faces waiting for him. No doubt that was precisely the reason Myres had chosen the damn spot. Bastard.
Still… needs must, and there was no way he was gonna back out of this one now, not when there was a chance Sam might be hurt because of it. Without his bidding his mind returned to those pictures. Sam's swollen face and broken ribs.
'Fuckin 'ell' he swore as he climbed out of the Cortina, and stormed toward the bar.
A half and a whole lot of bruises later, Gene stumbled into the station. Blood leaked from a gash on his chin, running down his throat, and leaking into his shirt collar. He'd have to put it in the bin now, he thought, somewhere distantly in the corner of his mind.
''You feelin' alright Guv?' Ray finally broke through his daze, a look of concern on the DC's face, 'you're bleedin' all over.'
'You would bloody well would be too DC Carling, if you had just the sods I just had on me, kicking four kinds of shit out of you.' He snarled, feeling guilty for venting at Ray, but unable to stop the tone in his voice.
'What 'appened Guv? Summat to do with the Boss?' Chris asked, a wary tone in his voice.
'Yes summat to do with bloody Tyler, what do you think?' Gene bellowed, 'I just go 'round gettin' beat up for fun?'
Gene took a few deep breaths. DCI mode he told himself firmly.
'Right you lot listen up… Myres has made contact and I have ascertained his demands. As you all know this department hasn't always been whiter than white, or as transparent as maybe we should have been.
Now I got all their attention, Gene thought, as phones were hung up and conversations ended, and everyone turned to face him.
'Now it seems, that sad fact is coming back to bite us all in the arse, and DI Tyler – the most politically correct of the lot of us – will be the one paying the price of our stupidity with his life, if that is, we don't find this bastard before tomorrow night. Now I don't think I really need to remind you just now much Sam has done for this department. I want you all out there, talking to your snouts, getting the word on the street. NOW!' Gene lost it as they all just stared at him, not moving to follow his order, and screamed the last part, making the entire room full of grown men cringe. It would have made him proud at any other time. Now all he felt was sick, 'cos he had just said it. Sam could die.
'Guv?' Chris's voice questioned, as the young man himself appeared out of thin air next to him, rather making Gene think he was spending way to much time with DI Tyler than was probably safe for the world… Manchester could only take 1 Sam Tyler. Gene imagined a screens full of Sams, and streets full of his doubles… there was no way the world as they knew it would stand it. They would all turn into just one great big report, he mused, ignoring Chris's attempts to get his attention, before being brought back to reality by the realisation that at the moment, he didn't even have 1 Sam Tyler… and maybe that was something Manchester couldn't stand either. He knew he sure as hell wouldn't be able to.
'what the hell is it DC Skelton?' Hunt asked.
'It's just… I think we might have a lead Guv.'
This time as Sam awoke the pain flared immediately spreading like wildfire through his stomach and chest, piercing his lungs like knives. Please Gene, he thought, please, please get me out of here. He was too tired even to deny his feeling for his DCI, God knew he would shout it from the roof tops if it made Gene come for him any faster… he had to come, Sam didn't know how much longer he could hold on.
Again really sorry for the delay guys… please review this chapter though, even if I am a non-updating, sorry excuse for an author.