Hey everyone, sorry it's taken so long to upload this chapter, school's been really hectic. Thanks to everyone who has put this fanfic on alert or on their favourites and to those who has put me on your author alert. I was so surprised that a first chapter would get that much support, so thanks a lot! Please enjoy and remember to review!

Gene, Ray and Chris sat impatiently in the Quattro waiting for Alex, who had gone to change. None of them had understood why she needed to change out of her work clothes but Alex had insisted that it was part of her psychology bollocks and vital to her undercover role. Gene had been characteristically sceptical but had learnt not to argue with her on such matters.

A figure emerged from the entrance of Fenchurch East police station, face obscured by a hood and figure prominent in a tight-fitting skirt. The top left little to the imagination and the woman's legs seemed to go on forever. Her curls protruded from the hood, framing her pale but blushed skin.

Chris let out a low whistle, clearly rendered speechless by the woman heading towards them, her hips memorising him in their movement.

Ray started to laugh, "Bloody hell, she's a bit of alright… Jesus, is that Drake?"

Alex looked up to the meet Gene's eyes, the moonlight illuminating her somewhat vulnerable-looking face. She smiled at him, looking for reassurance. He nodded, trying to suppress a smile and the hunger he felt for her at that moment. Alex opened the passenger door of the Quattro, sat on the edge of the seat and swung her legs in, which Gene couldn't keep his eyes off of.

"Christ, you're meant to look like a junkie, not a hooker…" Alex simply rolled her eyes at his comment, secretly relishing the banter which should ensue.

"Same difference," Ray snorted, making Alex look back at him disapprovingly. She opened her mouth to chastise him but realised it wouldn't make a blind bit of difference and so turned back to watch the scenery hurtle past them.

They rode mostly in silence, which did not relieve Alex's misgivings about the operation. She couldn't voice her trepidation: after all, it was her plan and they needed this collar. Alex tried to convince herself that determination to catch the bad guys was what was driving her forwards, but deep down she knew that it was a pathetic attempt to impress the team and, moreover, impress Gene.

"Stop the car." Alex said quietly. Gene slammed the brakes on but luckily Alex had learnt long ago that bracing yourself in the Quattro was vital to just surviving.

"What the bloody hell are we stopping here for?" Ray said incredulously, clearly voicing the general consensus of the car.

"Stoke has CCTV covering the area around his club. If he sees me getting out of the Quattro, he'll know what we're up to immediately."

"Ma'am," Chris piped up, "Are you sure you'll be safe walking on your own?"

Alex smiled at his kindness, but she concluded that the walk to and from the club would be the safest part of this endeavour. "I'll be fine, Chris. Honestly."

Ray nudged Chris, calling him a poof, and Alex felt a twinge of pity for Chris having to put up with Ray Carling most of the day, every day in the office.

"If you're not back within an hour, Ray'll come and find you," Gene said gruffly, clearly still not happy with the operation.

Alex nodded and tried to get out of the car as gracefully as she could in a skirt that short. She stood up straight and tugged down her skirt to almost no effect and walked down the deserted street with her head held high, resisting the urge to see if any of them had watched her walk away.

After 50 minutes, the atmosphere in the Quattro was becoming that of unease. Conversation had ceased between Ray and Gene soon after the half hour mark and soon after that Chris had fell asleep, the purr that was his snore becoming increasingly agitating. This mixed with Gene's incessant tapping on the dashboard made Ray wish it had been an hour to have an excuse to leave.

Just as Ray began to ask if he should go and look for Alex, she appeared in the distance, her vision fixed to the floor, occasionally looking around her shiftily. Alex almost leapt into the car, not caring about saving her dignity. She pulled her hood off and exhaled with relief.

"Well?" Gene exclaimed impatiently.

"It wasn't Stoke who met me. It was some other guy. Didn't recognise him." Her breathing was ragged as if she had been running.

"Are you alright, Ma'am?"

"Shut up, Chris," Ray hissed. "Did you ask about a job?"

Alex composed herself before attempting to speak again. "Yes. He said there's a vacancy in the bar but it would involve other stuff as well."

"Other stuff?"

"I think we all know what that means. I'm in there; the plan's working."

"So far…" Gene looked at Alex with a look of real apprehension, the first time Alex had ever seen him look concerned; he usually saw any expression of emotion as a weakness.

"Come on then, lads," Alex sighed. "Luigi will be wondering where we are."