Chapter Nine

Jolting awake, Gene opened his eyes in shook as the last dregs of his nightmare disappeared into the silence of the early hours. Making an attempt to move, he quickly discovered that it was near enough impossible. Turning his head to the side, Gene was confronted with the sight of Alex she slept peacefully oblivious to his dilemma. With one of her hands gripping his shirt in a vice-like hold, Gene held himself incredibly still as he registered her other hand was under the material of his shirt, resting warmly in between his shoulder blades. Attempting to shuffle his feet; Gene soon discovered that was the wrong move as Alex moaned softly in her sleep and proceeded to press herself tighter against him as she stretched a well-toned leg across his thigh, trapping it in between both of hers as she ground her pelvis gently against his hip briefly as he tightened his hold on her in instinct, causing her to moan louder breathlessly into his ear before falling deeper into slumber.

Completely at a loss as to what do to next, Gene remained still as he tried to reign in his emotions, trying to process what had just happened. Sneaking a quick glance at her, Gene sighed in relief when he thought she'd finally fallen back to sleep. Chuckling to himself at her actions, Gene unconsciously began to stroke her at the small of her back with the thumb of the hand that had crept up underneath her night shirt during the night. Feeling her scrunch up his shirt tighter in her grip; Gene realised too late that he'd unintentionally woken her slightly, closing his eyes at the feel of her grinding herself into him as she released a guttural moan of undisguised pleasure, breathing huskily into his ear the one word that would cause his heart to momentarily stop beating.

"Gene..."

Snapping his eyes back open at the mention of his name, Gene swallowed audibly as waited for her realise where she was and who she with. Hearing her breathing change to a more even tempo, Gene carefully extracted himself from her hold as he knew he would never get any sleep if he stayed. Just as he had made it to the bedroom door and was about to turn the handle down, a sleep-laden voice asked quietly.

"Your leaving?"

Freezing momentarily at her words, Gene took a silent breath before turning to face her as he replied softly.

"Thought I'd go home and find a new set of clothes. Can't show up for work in the same lot three times in a row, Bolls."

Glancing at the clock, Alex returned her gaze to him with a small smile as she retorted in amusement.

"At four in the morning, Gene?"

Knowing he'd have to think up a better excuse; as he wasn't about to tell the real reason for him leaving, Gene took a couple of steps towards her as he said tenderly.

"Look Bolls...I've just remembered something I need to do. And I want to get it done before I forget."

Frowning in confusion, Alex asked amusedly.

"What? What could you possibly need to do at four in the morning?"

Smiling slightly at her innocence as to what took place moments ago, Gene replied calmly.

"To see a man about a dog."

Frowning deeper at his response, Alex watched silently as he let himself out of her room and, in turn, out of her flat. Once hearing the door fall closed; knowing she wouldn't get back to sleep for a while, Alex got out of bed and went in search of the tea bags in her kitchen.

Having consumed her tea and turning off her television, Alex lay asleep on the sofa. Hearing the distinct noise of something moving, Alex came to and sat up abruptly as she spotted Martin Summers sitting idly in the chair opposite hold a cassette as he spoke.
"Guilty conscience? You covered up a murder, Alex. That young bobby had his whole life ahead of him. As crimes go, it's a biggie."

"Clock's ticking. I've got until 50mls to beat the infection that's killing me. That's you, by the way."

"Ah heh. You think I'm the rot? That's ironic."

"And then I'm going home."

"If you're strong enough."

"I'll stop you and then I'll be strong enough."

"Well, you haven't done a good job of it so far." Martin retorts, placing the gun used to kill the younger version of Summers on top of Alex's television as he continued mockingly. "See? Heh heh. I'm one step ahead of you, Alex. All the time. See, I understand you, why you make these tapes. The private agonies of someone who's trying to figure out the meaning of life. Or death."

"I am going home."

Leaning forward slightly in the chair, Martin asked curiously.
"D'you really want to go home that badly? I'm in the next room to you. We share nurses, I hear them talking. You've only said one word since you came to the hospital. Just the one. Gene."

Taken back by the meaning in his words, Alex bits her lip briefly as she retorts quietly.
"No great surprise, is it? I mean... this world, it's... it's a maze. He's the one constant."

"Heh. But you lie to him too. What if you told him the truth? What you've done. How you buried that body. Eh? Would he be a constant then? Alex!" standing, he continues. "I am in control."

"No."

"I knew there was a reason I came here. I knew it the moment I arrived, and to stop me you need to find out what it is. Quickly. Because as you say, the clock is ticking."

Noticing the digital measurement on the television screen, Martin leaves her as he says tauntingly.
"Good luck."

As DCI Carnegie leaves, Gene turns his attention back to her and injects sarcastically.
"Big night on the Gin Slings?"

Ignoring his jibe, Alex knew full well he was using sarcasm to hide his concern and stated.
"Lafferty did not kill PC Summers, it was... It was a bent copper."

Coming round to sit at his desk, Gene retorted unconvinced.
"No, it was Lafferty. His MO."

Leaning on his desk, Alex continued to push her case.
"No, you don't understand. It was a bent copper, and I have to stop him."

"Well right now we need to find out where Doyle's guns went and who they were for. There's a major blag going on and I want to nab it, Drakey. The Summers case can wait."

"I have to stop this infection. Time's running out for me, Guv."

"Yeah, and time's running out for moi."

Taken back by his use of foreign language, Alex stepped back from his desk as she stated slightly impressed.
"That's French."

"Sorry, I'm under pressure. Doyle is dead. I want these bastards who are planning this. You got the DTs? You want to pour yourself a large Scotch, that should sort you out." As Alex goes to leave, he adds irritably. "Could do with something stiff inside you."

Turning back to him, Alex scoffs disapprovingly at him before opening the door and leaving his office slightly flustered, as she remembered vividly the remnants of her dream from last night.

In the interview room, Gene and Alex continue to question Tinny Tim Rivers as Gene states.
"Doyle gets you the guns for a blag, and then he gets scared and calls us, so you torture him to find out what he blabbed, and then you top him."

"You tortured him first."

"Oh, I don't torture, I interrogate like now." Just as he says this, Gene tugs on Tiny Tim's cuffs as he asks. "When's it happening, where's the hit, who's the gang?"

"I should tell you, Mr Hunt, I'm into bondage and you're giving me a stiffy."

Loosing her patience, Alex shouts menacingly.
"Just give us some bloody names!"

Causing Gene to be surprised a little by her out-burst before he takes Alex aside to inform her.
"Tough nuts are supposed to be your forte. You crack him, I'll get on with his sister."

"Well, he's buckling under your technique. You could keep going-"

"Just stay in this room." Gene instructs, slamming the door closed in frustration as he leaves.

Coming back into CID triumphantly, Alex informs Gene proudly.
"I've got it. Your blag, it's being set up by police officers. Tiny told m- Well, his subconscious revealed it to me during a state of anxiety. It's Operation Rose. It's this robbery."

"That's what Mac was going on about when he died. So, bent coppers are going to pull off a blag? That means when we nicked Lafferty, we took their guns."

"Yeah. And they got some more from Rock Salmon Doyle."

"Excellent. A breakthrough. Thank you, Bolls."

Smiling warmly at his praise, Alex retorted softly.
"Thank you."

"Right, keep at him with the old psychology."

Taken back, again in as many minutes by his attitude, Alex said in mild surprise that'd he'd actually been listening when she corrected him so many times before.
"Guv?"

"Mmm?"

"That's exactly what it is."

As a look of understanding passed between them, Alex lowered her gaze in embarrassment when Ray added.
"Guv, I got this name from Tiny Tim's place." handing him the piece of paper as he explained.

Frowning in confusion, Gene reads aloud.
"'King Dong job'?"

"Yeah, King Dong. You know, coloured porn star with a big, massive..." Unable to explain properly, Ray tries again. "The black porn star with a mass- Oh, he's a chocolate lad with a great whopping knob."

Glad to receive some more clues, Alex adds enthusiastically.
"Could this be code?"

"Either that or our bent coppers are making a bluey staring Daley Thompson."

Smiling in amusement, Ray injects.
"Now, I would pay good money to see that."

Sharing in his humour, Alex retorts amusedly.
"You know what, so would I."

"You couple of pervs. Bolly, Raymondo, go and talk to Tim about King Dong."

As Alex and Ray make their way off to do some work, Gene returns to his office and finds an audio cassette left on his desk. Gene get a cassette recorder down from his shelf and sets the tape to play.

Sitting in his office, Gene listens to the tape intently as Alex's voice floats from the cassette.
"Why have I pitched up in his world? Any minute now I could be dead. And if he finds me out, what would he do? What would he do if he knew the truth? I have to fight. I have to fight him, but... What does Gene Hunt represent? I- Oh God, I've got to get out of here. I have to get away from him. I hate this place. Maybe Summers can help, but Hunt must never know-"

Spotting Alex making her way towards his office, Gene stops the tape quickly as she opens the door and informs him of the proceedings.
"Tiny doesn't know anything about King Dong, but he's scared, Guv. He says the rot runs right to the top and they are everywhere. Trust no-one."

"Yeah, trust." Taking the tape out of the machine, Gene comes round the desk with it in his hand as he says thoughtfully. "Tricky thing to come by. Why am I a threat to you?"

"I don't follow."

As he holds up the tape up to her; she snatches it asking slightly panicked .
"Where the hell did you get that?"

"It was on my desk."

"He left it for you, didn't he?"

"And who would that be?"

"It's very complicated, Guv. It's- it's very difficult to explain."

"What, you- you analysing yourself now? You love it, don't you? The sound of your own voice. Is that what you do of a night? Sit at home talking into a machine, working out ways of bringing me down?"

Wanting to reassure him, Alex relied fervently.
"No. No, you have to believe I'm on your side."

"Oh, I want to believe you. But you've got to tell me the God's honest truth about yourself, Drake."

Knowing full well she couldn't explain it to him, Alex sighed in annoyance before adding distractedly.
"Time's running out for me here-"

"Yes, it is. You know, I look around, I see Chris taking bungs, the grave of my old boss, bent as a farthing, and I, erm... I feel adrift. You talk to me, Alex. If I mean anything to you at all."

Seeing the raw pain in his eyes at the notion of everyone turning against him, Alex felt a pang of compassion for him as she gathered herself before deciding to tell him everything.
"I'm from the future. I was shot, and I woke up here, with you. Just like Sam Tyler, only... only this is my reality. And I am fighting not to die, because if I die, I will never get home. And it's insane, but there it is. And I trust you, which is why I'm telling you the truth."

Unable to look at her as she came out with this seemingly ridiculous story ,Gene looked down as he tried to contemplate what was happening...that his trust in the one person he thought was on his side was lying to him.

Incapable of taking his silence any longer, Alex leaned in slightly towards him and whispered worriedly.
"Guv?"

Looking back u at her, Gene felt the anger boil in his blood as he retaliated furiously.
"You know I ask for the truth, and you piss in my face."

Realising that she was losing him, Alex tried to explain.
"No. No, no, no, no, no, no. Please, please don't do this. I'm telling you the truth. I thought it was all in my head, but Summers, Summers is here too and- And he's from the future and I saw him, I saw him. He shot his younger self. He's behind Operation Rose and I- I don't know why, but I do know that I have to stop him."

Picking up the tape that Alex had put back down his desk, Gene held it out to her as he ordered quietly, refusing to even look at her anymore.
"Get out of my sight, Inspector."

Wanting nothing more than him to look back up at her for her to apologise, Alex takes the tape from his hand, brushing his fingers briefly in the process before leaving, unable to say anything to him that would convince him to reconsider.

Making her way over towards the kitchen; close to tears, Alex sees on the notice board a poster , bleeping and flashing '25ml'. Tearing it down, Alex screws it into a ball and drops it into the waste bin just before Shaz appears, also red-eyed.

"Ma'am? I think they got in touch with Chris again. The Operation Rose people. He took a call earlier and..."

"Where is he, Shaz?"

Standing next a pen board, Alex continues her explanation.
"Shaz has been doing some digging."

Pining up a map up with routes marked on it, Shaz adds.
"Yeah. There's actually only three routes that they can take."

Taking in the fact there were three separate routes, Ray asks.
"So which one are they going to take tomorrow?"

"We dunno."

Looking at the map, Alex starts to remember something and voices it.
"Hang on a minute."

Not in the mood for her long explanations, Gene injects irritably.
"Inspector, you are trying my patience beyond its normal generous limits."

Ignoring his impatience, Alex continues.
"Only one of these routes goes east. I remember this. I studied this heist at Hendon. It's 1982. That's why this year's so important to Summers."

Confused at the mention of Summers again, Gene starts.
"Summers? Eh- What the bloody hell-?"

"King Dong. It's not King Dong on that piece of paper, it's King Doug! It's King Douglas Lane. Look, here. It's east of the bullion depot. I remember, I studied it. I can't remember anything about it, but that is where they'll hit and we can stop Summers."

"Summers is dead!"

"No, the other Summers!"

Baffled by this revelation, Ray asks in confusion.
"What other Summers?"

"I'm sorry, but there's another Summers. I had to get my head around it and so do you!"

Consumed by his rage at her continuation of her 'from the future' story, Gene stands abruptly as he shouts.
"I am trying to get my head around your connection to all this, Drake, because it is chilling me to my bones!"

"Guv, I am handing you a collar on a plate!"

"I have heard you on that tape attacking me, asking the same question over and over. 'Should I fight Gene Hunt?'"

Wanting to make him see Martin's intentions, Alex retorts desperately.
"Summers wanted you to hear that tape! He wants to drive a wedge between us!"

"Summers? What, the other Summers? The one from the bloody future?"

Watching him storm into his office; Alex follows and slams the door behind her.

Turning at her presence, Gene asks out-loud, fed up with everything.
"First Sam Tyler, now you. Why do I always attract the liars and the weirdos?"

"The bullion truck's scheduled for eleven o'clock tomorrow morning. Somehow it will be diverted to King Douglas Lane. Now, the clock is ticking, Guv, and we have to bring Summers down."

"I'm formally suspending you."

Shocked at his decision, Alex retorts in disbelief.
"Well, you can't do that."

"Me organ grinder, you monkey. Give."

Holding out his hand for her warrant card. He notices a flash of defiance as she whips it out of her pocket and onto the desk in one angry motion. Her blatant anger at his choice of suspending her causes him to doubt her corruption a little, spurring him to hope as picks it up from his desk, walking round to stand in front of her and say almost heartbreakingly.
"I really thought you and me... I thought we were the ones. We had a connection."

Hearing the pain evident in his voice as he echoes her words spoken to him in comfort, Alex adds tearfully.
"We do."

"You can't tell me the truth."

"I did. I know you can't possibly comprehend it, but I did."

Wanting her to feel the pain she was putting him through, Gene said accusingly.
"You know it's just struck me how truly cold you are, Drake. You told me once you had a daughter. You don't phone her. You never talk about her. You never try and see her."

Snapping at the mention of her daughter, Alex slapped him as hard as she could, breathing hard as she vented her anger at his accusation before storming out of his office. Not letting the door slam on him as she left him, Gene shouted out after her into CID.
"I'm doing this without you."

Stopping at the exit doors, Alex turned to face him as he continued threateningly.
"And you dare to get in my way, I swear to God I will kill you."

Not being able to take it anymore, Alex turns away and leaves CID. The rest of CID avoid Gene's eye.

Alex follows Summers into the ruins of a church, gun drawn. A brass plaque on one of the benches flashes and bleeps - '48ml'. Hurrying on, only to see a notice stuck in the ground, flashing at '49ml'. She moves on, looking around for Summers; who comes up behind her, jabs a gun in her ribs and takes her weapon. He steps back, still pointing his gun at her.

"November '82. The King Douglas job."

"There you go. Good girl."

"There was no mention of any bent coppers."

"The Met covered it up. Carnegie got away. The first time."

"And you saw it all. Back then. A young PC."

"They paid me off."

"And all this was... about putting things right. You wanted them to get caught."

"When I joined the force, I believed, Alex. They took that away from me! When I saw you couldn't be corrupted...I knew you'd uncover Rose."

Feeling his heart leap into his throat at the mention that Alex wasn't corrupted, Gene aimed his gun at the man threatening Alex as he orders.
"Police! Drop it. I will shoot."

Summers smiles and turns to look at Gene as he says knowingly.
"I know."

Seeing him cock his gun as he still had it pointing it at Alex, Gene fires. When he collapses to the ground, Alex looks a bit shocked as Gene hurries across to the injured man as he asks.
"Who is it?"

As Gene puts his gun aside and lifts up Summers' head, Alex replies breathlessly.
"He's- it's... He's a copper."

Muttering quietly, Summers explains.
"Just a sick DI. I messed up. I'm sorry."

"Are you?"

"Yeah. I'm scared."

"D'you remember? Young copper. Ready to put the world to rights. Spick and span, very proud. You remember that?"

"Yes."

"Hold onto that thought. It's a good'un."

"It is."

As Summers dies; Alex steps away, looking upwards, expecting something to happen.
"Come on. Come on. He's dead, it's over. It's over. Just let me go. Please, let me go home!"

Jenette appears behind her, brandishing a gun and letting off a shot. Alex shrieks as Jenette grabs her, gun to her throat. Gene grabs his gun and gets to his feet in a hurry.

"I don't believe this. Where's me bleeding money?"

"You're on your own, Jenette. Whatever he offered you to get between us, it was a lie. It's over, love."

Jenette jabs the gun in Alex's face, prompting Gene to aim his gun as he orders.
"Let her go."

As a radio announces.
"50mls administered."

Not wanting to miss her chance of getting home, Alex screams.
"No, don't do it!"

Alex jabs her elbow into Jenette's stomach, causing her to stumble backwards and fire blindly towards Gene, who also fires blindly as he ducks. Jenette runs away, unhurt. Alex, however, clutches her stomach as the blood begins to seep through her clothing.

Hearing her gasp of pain, Gene standing from his crouching position and utters brokenly as he moves towards her.
"Bolly."

Alex collapses to the ground as Gene looks down at her in complete shock as to what he's done. Not being able to comprehend what has just happened, Gene just stands there holding the smoking gun in his hand as Ray, Chris and Shaz arrive. Looking from Alex to Guv and back, Ray and Shaz quickly realise what has happened and look disapprovingly at Gene as Alex slips away from them, closing her eyes as the pain becomes too much to bear...

As Alex comes to, a man's voice is heard to say.

"Looks like 50mls just about did the trick. Mr Gerrard will be delighted. You may not feel it, but you're lucky. The bullet didn't penetrate. They stopped the bleeding and you fought off that infection." Standing at the foot of the bed, the doctor adds knowingly. "And now, someone's been waiting to see you."

As Molly approaches the bed, Alex whispers.
"Molly."

"Mum." leaning down to embrace her mother, Molly adds happily. "I knew you wouldn't leave me."
Overwhelmed with the reality of seeing her daughter again, Alex utters softly as she holds her.
"I love you. I love you."

"Let's give your mum a bit of time to wake up, eh, Molly?"

Pulling back from their hug, Molly adds in reassurance.
"I'll be right outside, Mum."

As Molly and the Doctor leave, a shrouded body is being wheeled past the door as they go as a nurse says quietly.
"Such an angry man. But in the end it was peaceful."

Alex finds a 'Get Well Soon' card from Molly. Meanwhile, the television is on, and it's showing 'In The Night Garden...'
"We're going to catch... the Ninky Nonk. Oh no, it's the Ninky Nonk! Catch the Ninky Nonk!"

As the Ninky Nonk, plunges into a hedge and the picture changes. There's a burst of static and Gene appears on the screen. He appears to be looking at Alex from a hospital in 1982.
"Bolly. Bolls. Bolly!"

Alex sits up, not quite believing what she's seeing and gets a closer look.

"Bolls!"

Alex clutches her head as Gene continues to speak to her through the television.
"Listen, I don't know if you can hear me, Bolls. The nurses are going to be back in a minute. I need you to wake up. What about if I gave you a slap? Would that help?"

As Alex reaches out to touch the television screen, the picture jumps again and Alex pulls back, startled.

"They think that I shot you. Well, I mean I did shoot you, but they think I 'shot' you. They're after me Bolly kecks."

Shaking her head in disbelief, Alex utters quietly.
"No."

"Look, I am on the ruddy lam here. I need you to wake up. Come on, snap out of that coma."

"I'm in a-?"

"Bolly."

Uttering to herself, Alex tries to dissuade the idea by repeating.

"I'm in a coma in '82? No. No, no."

"Bolly."

"No, no, no, I'm not."

"Bolly!"

"I'm not."

Ripping out the IV line, Alex repeats to herself as Gene to appear before her.
"No! No. I'm home." as she gets up, looking round the room in desperation as Gene continues to talk to her.

"Bolls?"

"I'm-"

As Gene continues, Alex can now see him on all the monitors within her room.
"Bolly!"

Backing away, Alex refuses to believe otherwise as she mutters to herself as she looks for an escape route.
"I'm home."

"BOLLY!"

Running out into the corridor, Alex implores.
"Help me!"

"Bolly."

As Gene appears on the laptop screen, Alex gasps.
"Oh God."

Materialising onto the television screen, Gene starts to get impatient.
"Bolly?"

As Alex bursts through the doors, she is met with a whole trolley of monitors being pushed along, with Gene's face all over them. She shrieks and runs on.

Really losing his rag now, Gene practically shouts through the screens.
"Bolls? BOLLY! BOLLY! BOLLY?"

THE END