So, so sorry about the lack of recent updates, I hope you haven't given up on me!

Right anyway…

Chapter 15

Gene stood outside Levin's house and gazed on the aftermath of thirty minutes before hand. An ambulance had arrived within minutes and after the paramedic ponces had given Gene a once over, even after his insistence that he was ok, they finally agreed and let him see how his Gov was. Sam sat on the back step of the ambulance his arm in a sling waiting for the paramedics to return. Gene had always had always had a strong stomach but the sight of a woman in her prime, gun clamped to her hand because of Rigamortis and a bloody hole where one side of her face once was made even the gal in his stomach rise.

"Y'right?" Gene asked gruffly and Sam looked up.

"Well apart from the lump of lead currently in my shoulder, yes, Gene, I'm al'right." Sam replied with as much sarcasm as he could manage. Gene smiled and offered Sam a swill from his hip flask. Sam shook his head but Gene offered it again.

"Medical." Gene said.

"Y'mean medicinal?" Sam corrected and took the flask.

"Those forensic divs'll be finished soon, so I'll see ya later." Gene explained as the pair spotted the paramedics bring out Amy on a stretcher.

"Sir?" one female paramedic asked and gestured Sam into the ambulance.

"Sure. Your in charge detective." Sam said to Gene before Gene walked away. "Gene?!" Sam called out, suddenly remembering, but Gene was already out of ear shot.

"Is Sam alright?" Maya looked concerned, less worried, but Gene guessed that she was trying to hide it with the level tone of her voice.

"He should be, this day and age they even have anaesthetics." Gene joked but Maya continued to look grave before turning away.

"Maya." Gene said and she turned. "What's the deal with you an' 'im. One minute you'll barely speak to him, the next-" Gene gestured towards Maya and she flushed red.

"We didn't brake up on the best of terms." Maya explained, "He just got so obsessive with the job, there was never any 'us' time."

"Oh c'mon, this place? I highly doubt you where never in the same room."

"True, but when we weren't at work, he just couldn't switch off." At that Gene gestured to a wall and he and Maya say down. He couldn't quite believe he was going all soft

but who was going to know when he got back home?

Gene shook the thought of home from his mind and continued.

"Look love, this job, in his position you can't switch off, trust me I know. And 'er inside never forgave me for it, but it didn't mean I don't love 'er." Gene tried to explain but it felt far to clumsy and he felt himself go red. Maya nodded understandingly and stood.

"Maya."

"Y'sir?"

"I want you to round up the team, who ever can, I want back at the mother ship."

"Ring, ring, Genie Gene Genie." Gene's eyes snapped open to find the yellow girl at the foot of his bed.

"What?" Gene asked slowly, not quite awake enough to be afraid.

"Hello, hello, who's calling? He's calling, calling, calling, calling…" The girl repeated as if a siren. "…Calling, calling, he's coming for you Genie Gene Genie."

The trill of the phone cut into Gene's mind and darting around, he found he was alone. Shaking the last of the grogginess of sleep from his head Gene picked up the telephone by his bed.

"Hunt." Gene said, and noticing the time, just gone two in the morning, he wondered who on Earth could be calling.

"Hello," came the voice, then a snort of laughter, "hello, Gene."

"Oh, it's you." Gene spat, deliberately.

"The opportunity has come sooner than I expected. You're playing the game well."

"Game? This job isn't a game, it's… well, why do I need to tell you."

"You were always one to play the part. But with Tyler out of the way, well, all you have to do…" the voice paused as if Gene was meant to finish.

"Is what?!" Gene demanded, but all he could hear was a hollow laugh.

"Do it and you can go home."

What is Gene expected to do? What on Earth could Sam being hospitalised mean for the safety of Manchester and will Sam finally be able to speak to Gene before it's too late.

So sorry, again, that this is so late in being published.