I have to apologize to everyone who has left reviews for the last few chapters. RL has kept me busier than normal, and I've been a bit stuck in this (and the next) chapter. A very public thanks to everyone who's reading and leaving reviews. (And to those of you just reading too!!)
Thanks to everyone for sticking with it this long. I really do appreciate it!!
Now - everybody ready?
--
"Do you want a drink?"
"Yeah. OK." Gene walked from the doorway of the flat towards the kitchen peeling off his clothes. By the time he reached Alex in the kitchen he was down to unbelted trousers and an untucked, half- buttoned shirt.
"Getting comfortable?" Alex laughed.
"I do live 'ere." He kissed her quickly on the neck, then nodded towards the glass in her hand. "You could fill that up a bit more. Where're my fags?" Alex watched him as he wandered back through the living room and picked his jacket up off the dining chair, rummaging through the pockets. He had certainly perfected rakishly grumpy, she thought to herself.
Gene sat heavily on the sofa next to Alex, picking up his drink and swallowing several gulps. "Could it really be over Alex? Could this be our man?"
"Possibly. But I'm not sure he's capable of the level of violence we saw in some of the murders. I'm sticking to my belief that he has an accomplice somewhere. A night in a cell could have him talking, I imagine."
"Well I hope you're right. I want this bloody over with." Gene sat back on the sofa with a sigh, rolling his drink around in his glass. "I'm getting too old for this Alex. Up at all hours, managing the bloody Superintendent. I need a bloody holiday every month now."
"Bollocks, Gene. You are not too old for this. This has just been a difficult case. But never mind that for now," Alex took Gene's glass from his hands, ignoring his protests. "I think you promised me some ungentlemanly behavior."
She saw his eyes flash darkly as she swung her leg over his lap, straddling him. "So I did."
His hands covered her breasts, squeezing softly as she kissed him, her tongue meeting the whisky and cigarettes that had been there moments before. Unbuttoning his shirt, she slid off his lap onto the floor, her mouth leaving a trail of kisses over his chest as she worked her way lower. Gene sighed deeply as she unfastened his trousers, tugging them as she pulled them completely over his ankles. "Oh yeah" he moaned as she ran her tongue over his hardening length. Glancing up she saw Gene with his head back against the sofa and she slowly sucked him into her mouth. Fully erect now, he jerked his hips toward her. "Oh god, take your time. More, oh yeah, like that" he murmured, gasping as she sucked him, licked him gently. Pushing his knees wider she cupped his balls, squeezing, teasing with her fingernails. Gene groaned as she licked him shaft to tip, then sucked him hard as her teeth grazed over his taut flesh. "Ooh god harder, again, oooh, can't hold on." Looking up again she saw him watching her, her mouth around his cock, sucking, kissing, wanting him. Her eyes glistened as his darkened, as his breath shortened and she swallowed all of him, throbbing against her tongue as he came slowly into her mouth with a loud moan.
"Well" he breathed. "That wasn't very gentlemanly of me."
"What? Coming down my throat?" Alex asked.
"No, not letting you go first." He grinned. "Drag my arse to the bedroom Alex and I promise I'll make it up to you."
"Fair enough" she laughed, her hair shaking around her face and she stood, grabbing Gene by the hand.
--
Shit. Didn't they just fall asleep?
Alex looked at the clock. It was never a good thing for the phone to ring at 3:15 am. Especially since Gene slept through it every time.
"Hello?"
"Ma'am?" It was Ray. Shit again. "You 'n the Guv need to get down here."
"I hate to ask."
"Found a body in an alley off Mile End."
Oh Christ. "We'll be right there Ray."
"And Ma'am? It looks like our killer. You know, the one we've got in custody."
"Or his partner."
--
Alex clung to the inside of the Quattro as Gene sped through the empty London streets. It was
possibly more frightening to ride with him when there was no one on the streets but them. He squealed the car to a stop in front of a small group of officers, some in uniform.
"Ray!" He barked, shutting the door as he got out.
"Over 'ere Guv."
They followed Ray into an alley, lit now by the headlights of a squad car. The crumpled body of a young woman lay on the ground.
"Who found her?"
"Couple of blokes on their way home. Stopped into the alley for a slash. One of them tripped over the body."
"Are they still here?" Gene's voice was measured, but Alex knew he was moments from exploding. Martin Pierce would be in for a long night.
"Yeah." He indicated the end of the alley where two young men stood nervously.
"Have them taken to the station. Tell them we just want to take a statement." Ray nodded and walked away. "Alex?"
She stepped closer, resisting the urge to put her hand on his arm. "Well, it doesn't look like the attack took place here, out in the open. So there's another crime scene somewhere. And it doesn't look like he made any effort to hide the body. Other than dropping it in the alley here. He could have put her in the skip, but he didn't." She indicated the skip not ten feet away.
"What does that mean?"
"That he's getting more reckless. With Martin Pierce locked up he didn't have the usual access to a tube station. He couldn't drag a victim there. But he had to take her somewhere. The attack surely didn't occur here in the alley."
"Why not?"
Alex looked around. "No evidence of it. She looks dumped."
Gene paced around the alley. Back and forth, looking at the walls. Alex could see him getting angrier.
"He wouldn't want to drag a body through the streets. It had to be close by." He looked at Alex for confirmation.
"Yes." Alex agreed with him. "It would have to be close by." She followed him out of the alley to the few officers standing on the pavement.
"I want a full search of every location within three blocks of here. Inside, outside, alleys. Apologize to anyone you 'ave to wake up to do it, but I want someone inside every building. We think the murder took place somewhere very near by here. You are looking for evidence of rape and or murder.
"You are also looking for a suspect we know nothing about. Inspector Drake and I are going back to the station to interview our suspect in custody to see what we can squeeze out of 'im. Questions?"
No one had any.
"Right. If you find anything radio D.S. Carling who will contact me immediately." He glared at Ray, who nodded back emphatically.
--
Alex had radioed in to the station while they were in the car and Pierce was in the interview room when they arrived, cuffed to the table by his wrist and his ankle. He was pale and jumpy and Alex thought he looked scared.
"How are we doing this morning Martin?" Gene started, his voice artificially bright. He paced back and forth on their side of the table.
"A b-b-bit tired actually."
"Not surprising, is it Inspector Drake. That our friend here is a bit tired." Gene stared down at Pierce. "Seein' as 'e hasn't had a snort in over – how long?"
"Probably six or seven hours." Alex answered.
"Well now. Six or seven hours. No drugs, no sleep. Probably hasn't even killed anyone tonight."
"N-n-n-no. How could I. I've been in here all night. All night."
Alex could see him shake. Gene was leaning over the table, getting closer every time he spoke. Alex knew her only job tonight was to keep him from killing Pierce.
"Well someone's had time to kill again, Martin. Only without your help he had to dump her body in an alleyway."
"Wh-wh-what?"
"That's right Martin. But he didn't kill her there. That's why we're here. We need your help. We need to know who he is. And where he killed her." His voice was menacingly soft.
"N-n-n-no. I can't. I d-d-d-don't know. He'll kill me if I say anything. He'll kill me. He made me kill those girls. I didn't want to. H-h-h-he made me." The words came pouring out. Alex was certain that if they just let him talk he'd be unable to keep his secret. Gene disagreed.
"Then I'll give you a choice Martin." Gene pushed Alex gently so she'd move away from the table. "You can tell me what I want to know, and pray your murdering bastard partner won't kill you while you're in jail." In one swift motion Gene upended the table, hurling it against the wall. Chained to the table leg Pierce skid across the floor, landing with a thud against the wall. Alex thought they were lucky he didn't crack his skull open.
"Or," Gene bent over, breathing into Martin's face. "You can not help us and be sure that I'll do the job here."
Pierce was near tears, shaking on the floor. "M-m-m-michael. It was Michael. He made me do it. He made me help him. I didn't want to kill those girls, but he said he'd kill me if I didn't. If I didn't help him. M-m-m-my brother. He's my brother." Martin convulsed with sobs.
Gene turned to Alex, but she was already out the door.
"Michael Pierce" she said loudly as she walked through the double doors. "Shaz, I need you to find out everything you can on Michael Pierce. He's Martin's brother. Martin claims he's been responsible for the murders."
Gene pushed through the doors. "Well?"
"Shaz is on it."
Gene nodded. "Bastard. His brother. Does he work for the Underground?"
"I don't think so Gene." Alex shook her head.
"Has anyone heard from Ray yet?"
Alex shook her head again.
"So we wait."
"Yes. But not for long. We'll get something shortly. Then it's just a matter of bringing him in."
"But he has the jump, Alex. He could be anywhere."
"He won't be. Even though he may have been pulling the strings, he won't leave the area so long as we have his brother in custody. He'll be trying to hide, but I don't believe he'll leave the area."
"I 'ope you're right." Gene pouted, heading to his office to wait.
--
Two hours later Shaz had confirmed that Michael Pierce lived in a small flat above a gym on Bow Road and officers had found a possible crime scene in the gym.
"We missed him earlier because there was no family listed in Martin Pierce's job records."
"It's OK Shaz. I'm amazed we have any information this quickly. Pierce has only been in custody for about twelve hours."
Alex had gone back to Martin with a cup of tea and through tears he'd given her a description of Michael. He'd also begged her to let him go.
"I'm sick. Can't you see?"
He looked awful, suffering from withdrawal. Alex suspected he'd moved beyond snorting to smoking only recently. "You're better off in here Martin" She told him. "We'll get you some help." She didn't remind him that he'd probably be in prison forever.
--
"Six-four, blonde hair, 16 stone. The total opposite of his brother."
"Bloody big bloke," Gene grumbled before radioing a description. "And be careful. We don't think he's armed, but he is extremely dangerous. Now get the bastard."
Gene went into his office, returning with his gun and belt holster. "I want you armed too Alex. He's dangerous and I don't want any officers approaching him without backup."
She nodded, reaching into her desk for her own weapon. "Plan?"
"We'll head to the gym, check out he crime scene they found there. See what we can find in his flat. Then join the search. You said you don't think he'd go too far."
"No. I don't."
"Well then let's hope we find him soon."
--
The murder had definitely taken place in the gym. He hadn't even bothered to clean it up. Alex was convinced Michael Pierce was the stronger personality, the controlling half of the pair, but maybe he wasn't the organizational half. Martin was critical to the planning and execution.
After leaving to let forensics finish collecting evidence, Gene checked in on the radio.
"Nothing yet, Guv. But we've got men crawling all over the area. If 'e's 'ere we'll get 'im."
They drove in the Quattro, turning up and down every street, Alex keeping watch, one hand on the radio in case anything came through.
Suddenly the radio crackled. "Guv! Guv! We think we got 'im!"
"Where Ray!" Alex shouted back.
"Running down Great Eastern towards the Stratford tube station. Bloody people all over."
"We're almost there now! Don't lose him!"
--
In minutes they joined the chase in progress. Gene sped up, manouevering through traffic dangerously in an attempt to get ahead of Pierce, cursing at everyone and everything in his path that delayed them.
"I'm heading straight to the station. Maybe we can head him off there."
But by the time they reached the entrance, it was too late. Pierce had already entered the station. Gene barked instructions. "Cover all the exits and for Christ's sake get the crowds under control." Alex followed Gene down into the station, fighting the people coming out at the instructions of the officers who'd beat them there. Middle of the afternoon, Alex thought. Crowded, but not rush hour yet. They'd have to be careful. Ray was waiting at the bottom of the stairs with Chris.
"He's down here somewhere. We're trying to get the people out, but it's a big station."
"OK. We'll split up and keep looking. Everyone have a radio?" The all waved them in the air. "No unnecessary risks."
They nodded and split up.
--
Gene rushed through the station, pushing people towards the exits as he checked behind rubbish bins and over crowds. Pierce was tall enough to stand out. If he was still down here they'd find him. The longer he searched, though, the more frustrated he got. Wandering onto one end of the westbound platform he looked up and down. Only a few people remained there and he shouted at them to get off the platform and leave the station. Once it was empty he glanced at it again, but was stopped by a scream.
"Help! Nooo!"
Turning, he saw Pierce dragging Alex across the short width of platform. He had both her arms pinned behind her with one of his. Gene could see her kicking and struggling against him without success.
"Gene!"
"Alex!"
A split second later he saw the white light of the train barreling down the tunnel, heading towards the station, Pierce heading for the track without hesitation, Alex unable to break his hold.
"Alex!" Even if he ran he'd never make it. If Pierce's intent was to throw them both in front of the train he'd do it before he could stop him.
Pulling his gun from his holster Gene fired once. Seeing Alex spin away from the tracks he fired again and Pierce hit the wall behind him, slumping to the ground as the train raced past them.
--
Gene was on the ground next to Alex when other officers raced onto the platform.
"Alex, Alex. Come on." She was almost unconscious, blood seeping from her shoulder all over her white leather jacket. He slapped her gently to wake her. "Just nicked you. You'll be fine. Come on."
"Gene..." Her voice was weak. He didn't like that. Don't panic, Gene. Don't panic. Pulling off her jacket he searched for bullet holes. Christ. He'd hit her in the shoulder. He'd shot her.
"Alex. You've been hit." There was a lot blood. "Ambulance is on its way. We'll get you to casualty and all stitched up. You'll be just fine." By now he'd ripped off his shirt and wadded it up, pressing it to her shoulder, hoping to stem some of the bleeding.
"Pierce is dead Guv" he heard Ray behind him. Good, he thought. Then the ambulance crew wouldn't waste their time on him when they got here.
Gene tried to pick her up, set her upright, but she gasped and reached for her head. "Gene...hit my head."
"What?" He reached behind, holding her head up and felt it. Hair matted with blood. Shit. Where was the bloody ambulance?
--
Gene sat on a chair in the hospital corridor, just outside the emergency waiting room. The din inside the waiting room had been too much for him to take and he'd moved outside, where it was only marginally better. When they'd arrived Alex had been immediately rushed to surgery and they'd left him standing in the corridor without a word.
He'd been shirtless under his jacket and one of the young girls behind the check-in desk had found him something he'd managed to just fit into. Better than nothing he thought. It smelled awful. And he was dying for a drink, but had somehow lost his flask along the way and couldn't bring himself to leave until someone came out and told him something. Anything.
She'd been awake in the ambulance. Telling him it was OK. That she'd be OK. That he saved her life again. That she loved him and would he please not let go of her hand.
Then they took her away and he had to let go. Did she have any family? They'd asked. "You should call them and let them know she's here."
"Just me" he'd answered. But they were already gone. Just him.
He'd shot her, and she told him it was OK. Tried to make him feel better. He was supposed to be the one comforting her. Standing up he kicked the chair he'd been sitting on, cursing until a hospital guard came over and asked him to please be quiet.
Be quiet? He could barely breathe.
"Gene Hunt?"
Gene turned. A pimply young man in hospital scrubs was standing just behind him. He was holding a clip board.
"Yeah?"
"Oh. Good. Um, Alex Drake gave your name as her nearest relative. I need to ask you a few questions." Gene nodded. "Um, how are you related?"
"We're not. We live together. She's my -" Girlfriend? That didn't come close. "We live together."
"And she works for the Met?"
"Yes. We both do. She's my DI. I'm a DCI. Fenchurch East."
"And you live together?"
Gene gave him a withering look. "Is that a problem?"
"No. No sir." He cowered a little.
"How is she? Can you tell me anything?" He was desperate. It was just a shoulder injury. She should be fine. He wanted someone to tell him that.
"No, um. You'll have to wait for one of the surgeons to come out. It shouldn't be too long." He paused. "Um. Can you tell me how she was shot?"
Gene took a deep breath. "We were chasing a suspect. He'd disarmed Inspector Drake and was going to jump onto the train track. With her. I fired to slow him down and shot her."
"You shot her?"
Gene glared at him.
"Oh. OK. And the suspect? Is he here too?"
"No."
"Oh, did you not shoot him?"
"I did shoot him. He's dead. No reason to bring him to the hospital." Enough questions. "If we're finished?"
The younger man nodded. "Yes. I think so."
"Then send one of those bloody doctors out here to tell me how she's doing."
--
Two hours later Gene was climbing the walls. Ray had arrived with a full flask, Chris and Shaz in tow, to see how Alex was and if Gene needed anything.
"All I need is some bloody news!" Gene had barked at him, then downed several gulps from the flask.
"I'll see what I can do."
Gene scowled as Ray wandered off. But when he returned a short time later with information the scowl disappeared.
"Mary at the desk said that the surgery went well. They're almost finished. The bullet went clean through her shoulder, so they had to go in and repair some things, but the damage wasn't too bad. It'll take some time, but she should make a full recovery."
"How the bloody hell did you get her to tell you that?" Gene snarled.
"She's a friend of Cazzie. Been out with her a few times." Gene stared. "You know. In a group."
Gene relaxed, breathing quietly. "Thank you Ray."
"There's one other thing, Guv. Pierce clocked her pretty hard in the head. And she hit the platform again after she was shot. They're going to want to keep her for observation for a few extra days." Ray paused. "And you have to act surprised when the doctor tells you. Could get Mary in trouble."
But Gene had stopped listening. Her head. She'd hit her head. But that was OK. She'd be alright. Wouldn't she?