Ramblings from a Freebird

A Game Of Odds, Epilogue: March, 2007, Manchester.

2008-09-12T04:38:26Z

Title: A Game Of Odds EPILOGUE: April 1973, Manchester
Rating: Blue Cortina for language etc.
Author: liquorishflame
Spoilers: Up until 2.8 for LOM, and most of series one for NT.
Chap. Summary: Shh, spoilers ;)
A/N: As promised! Let me know which one(s) you like best :)
Chapter One, Chapter One, Chapter Two, Chapter Three, Chapter Four, Chapter Five, Chapter Six, Chapter Seven, Chapter Eight, Chapter Nine, Chapter Ten, Chapter Eleven, Chapter Twelve, Chapter Thirteen, Chapter Fourteen, Chapter Fifteen, Chapter Sixteen, Chapter Seventeen, Chapter Eighteen, Chapter Nineteen, Chapter Twenty, Chapter Twenty One, Chapter Twenty Two, Chapter Twenty Three.

'Christ, are we going to wait out here forever?' griped Gerry to the others as he straightened his tie.

'Hope not.' said Jack. 'If we loiter out here any longer, somone might try to lock Brian up!'
The others chuckled as Brian made a sour face at the three of them.

'Oh very funny I'm sure. Remember, if it wasn't for me, you two would have never said anything about the...' he looked around and then whispered. 'Time travel thing.'

'Oh yes, that's a subject that I'd love to bring up. "Excuse me Gerald, but we all seem to have gone back in time a month as if nothing's happened." Doesn't really lend itself to small talk, does it?'

'Not nothing sirs.' Clarke protested. 'Thomas Pennywise was never murdered, Albert was never arrested, and Reginald Fry was put away for good.'

'And in fact, Tommy boy's an MP!' Gerry interrupted, chuckling.

Jack smiled delightedly. 'Well good for him! But what about the mother?'

Brian wrinkled his nose. 'Got off I'm afraid. The jury just couldn't bring themselves to believe she did it, not with the "oh dear I'm so frail and sweet" routine she does.'

'But the good news is,' Gerry interrupted. 'She got caught in a fraud case a few years ago, tried to bilk the Chinese ambassador's son! Ended up down a coal mine last I heard, or whatever it is they do to prisoners there. Er, Elizabeth, not the son that is.'

'Hello there, you the UCOS team?' said a voice behind them. They turned to see a fit looking man in his seventies or so, with shaggy longish blond hair that was going white. He was wearing a tasteful, expensive looking suit, paired strangely with an eye-sorchingly bad tie.
He also looked strangely familiar. Jack nodded hesitantly. 'Yes.. that's us. I'm Jack Halford, this is Brian Lane, and Gerry Standing. And PC Clarke of course.'

The man shook their hands, smiling. 'Super! Let's go in, eh?'

The four exchanged glances as the man brushed by them.

'Now hang on, we've been just waiting here for someone to let us in, and you just stride through without so much as a...a..by your leave!' Brian said crossly.

The stranger clucked his tongue as he stood next to a male nurse at the foot of a bed in the roome. 'Hush now Brian, he's waking and I don't want the first thing he hears to be a row.' The team finally reached the bed and looked down at the figure there, a thin, sickly looking young fellow, about mid thirties. His eyes were closed.

Jack's eye's widened in recognition. 'God help us..it's Sam.'

'Cor blimey, you're right! Poor bugger.' muttered Gerry, pulling out a cigarette before PC Clarke nudged him, pointing to the no smoking sign.

'Well why else did you thing we were here?' Brian whispered fiercely. 'Honestly, you lot, thick as a pile of bricks.'

'He's been sleeping a lot, but he's been asking for you sir.' said the nurse to the familiar looking stranger, who looked up from the bed with the ferocious frown of a man who doesn't know if he's going to laugh or cry.

'Is he awake now?' he said softly. 'Yes sir.' The man clapped the nurse on the shoulder.

'Thanks lad, we'll take if from here.'

There was a small, pained groan from the bed.

'DCI Tyler?' said the stranger. He looked at the others.

'Say something!' he whispered fircely.

'Er...Hello Sam.' Jack said uncomfortably.

'Hi.' 'Hello.' Gerry and Brian said simultaneously.

A look of pain crossed the man's face and he writhed in the sheets.

'No, no,' he murmered.

'Come on, wake up.' urged the man.

'It didn't change, I didn't-' the DCI Tyler muttered.

'Oi! Wake up dosey locks, 'fore I kick yer bullocks up yer arse!' roared the man.

The Tyler's eyes snapped open, and he and the stranger exchanged a long, measuring look.
It was as if two old friends, or rivals, were meeting again after a very long time.
As the UCOS team was wondering what the hell was going on, Sandra burst in.

'Sorry I'm late! I got here as fast as I could I-' She stopped on seeing Tyler, who looked at her as if he'd seen a ghost. A carefree smile bloomed on his face, and he fell back onto the sheets, his whole body relaxing.

'I had...strangest dream...You were there...and you...and you.'

The team exchanged some glances of their own, unable to contain the relieved grins.

'Welcome back DCI Tyler, from all of us.' said Sandra, smiling as wide as she possibly could.

'Thanks...Sandra.' Sam said, nodding. 'Hope you don't mind...but...I've been thinking...about starting my own UCOS team...in Manchester.'

'That's all well and good Dorothy, now tell me, what's my name.' snapped the other man, then grined. Sam smiled back.

'If I weren't in this bed, I'd kick yer arse...Guv.'

Gene smiled and reached out, ruffling his hair gently. 'Quite right too.'

A Game Of Odds Epilogue: April 2007, London.

2008-09-12T04:07:28Z

A Game Of Odds-Epilogue: April 1973, Manchester

2008-09-12T03:57:53Z

Title: A Game Of Odds EPILOGUE: April 1973, Manchester
Rating: Blue Cortina for language etc.
Author: liquorishflame
Spoilers: Up until 2.8 for LOM, and most of series one for NT.
Chap. Summary: Shh, spoilers ;)
A/N: As promised! Let me know which one(s) you like best :) Thanks especially to jpgr for the shortcut, thanks to draycevixen for liking it (even though there was no slash) ;), thanks to amproof for keeping my honest ;), bwuk2003 for the gun, wesseling for making me blush :), to wyvernwolf for "eagerly awaiting the next update", and saintvic for putting up with me (and being a great nit-picker) :D. You all rock.Chapter One, Chapter One, Chapter Two, Chapter Three, Chapter Four, Chapter Five, Chapter Six, Chapter Seven, Chapter Eight, Chapter Nine, Chapter Ten, Chapter Eleven, Chapter Twelve, Chapter Thirteen, Chapter Fourteen, Chapter Fifteen, Chapter Sixteen, Chapter Seventeen, Chapter Eighteen, Chapter Nineteen, Chapter Twenty, Chapter Twenty One, Chapter Twenty Two, Chapter Twenty Three.

Gene put a finger to his lips, his gun drawn as the CID crept up to the Pennywise residence, where shouting and breaking glass could be heard.
He winced as he put pressure on his bad leg. Doctor'd told him to stay off it, but what did he know? Doctor's should be seen, not heard.

'You okay Guv?' came Ray's whisper behind him.
The Guv turned around to give him a quick scowl.
'Be better if you an' Christopher were back in hospital, getting yer pillows fluffed by some posh tart!'
Ray raised an eyebrow. 'You first sir.'

Looking him up and down, Gene snorted, quietly. 'Tyler's been havin' a bad influence on yeh.'
He turned back to the house, hand squeezing the butt of his revolver. 'Okay on my mark, and no shooting, got it?' There were murmurs from all those present.

'An Cartwright!'

'Yes sir?'

'Make sure I'm out of yer firing line, got it?'

The 'Yes sir' that he heard sounded almost cheeky. He smiled to himself.

'All right then, MARK!'

The team burst into the kitchen, shouting and waving their guns at the terrified Pennywise family. Gene could see Elizabeth and Albert, but-

'Where's Thomas?' he barked. Albert just stared at him, so he swung 'round to Elizabeth. 'Where is he!?!'

'I..I don't know!' she wavered, the very picture of the battered wife. He gave her a measuring glance, but his attention was distracted by a howl from the other room.

'You little prick, get back here!'

The boy burst through into the kitchen, running into his dad, as Reginald Fry ran after him. Albert pushed Tommy behind him and lifted his chin stubbornly as Reginald spluttered and seethed in front of him.

'That kid of yours bit me!' Reggie growled, not seeming to realise he was surrounded by Manchesters finest.

'Yeh? So what?' Albert said, a tremour in his voice, but standing tall. 'Now clear off!'

'Not before me an' Liz get what we came for!' he yelled, grabbing at Tommy, only to be landed square on his arse by a punch from Albert. The other man looked down at him with satisfaction, flexing his hand. 'You heard him officer, right?'

'Indeed I did.' Gene drawled, letting his gaze rest lazily on Elizabeth. ' "Me and Liz, wasn't it?'

Bloody cow had the balls to keep quiverin' and twitterin' before she saw he'd have none of it. Then she straightened up, brazen as an alley pro. 'I want my solicitor.'
He looked back at her, his lip curling with disgust as he felt, for the first time in his life, like hittin' a bird.

'Ray?'

'Yes Guv.'

'...Get the cuffs on 'er.'

'Sure thing Guv.' Ray gestured for Elizabeth to come with him. He saw Albert looking at him from the corner of his eye, but kept his eyes on Mrs. Pennywise, God...bless her, as Chris cuffed Fry.

'You have the right to remain silent...er...anything you say may be taken in evidence, wait, that's not how it goes...'

'Oh come on then, you're nicked!' Annie said, rolling her eyes as she pulled Reggie to his feet.

'Tah, thanks Annie, er, Cartwright.' Chris said, flashing her a smile.

Soon the kitchen was clear except for the four of them, Gene, Annie, Thomas and Albert. Gene lit a fag, and breathed the smoke in deep. Albert watched him warily.

'Wouldn't think it to look at her, would you? I sure didn't.'

The other man shook his head, puzzled.

'So how did you know?'

Gene exchanged a glance with Annie. 'Little tip...from a friend in Hyde.'

'Anyway, I'd better take you along to the station for your statement sir.' Annie said, ushering Albert and Tommy along. Realising that Gene wasn't following them, she stopped.

'You coming sir?'

'Just gonna take a minute love,' he replied. 'I'll catch up.'

In a moment, he was alone in the place. Reaching under his coat, he brought out the tattered old file and dropped it into the tin kitchen pail.
Lighting a match, he let it fall, and watched as the paper curled and blackened in the flame.
He thought about all the names he'd read, Palmer, Standing, Halford, Lane.
Good people all.

Taking his flask out of his coat, he took one last deep draught in salute before throwing it into his make-shift bonfire.

'To days to come.'

A Game Of Odds, Chap. 23 FINAL CHAPTER!

2008-09-11T02:02:39Z

Title: A Game Of Odds Chap. 23 FINAL CHAPTER!!!
Rating: Blue Cortina for language.
Author: liquorishflame
Spoilers: Up until 2.8 for LOM, and most of series one for NT.
Chap. Summary: It's the eleventh hour, but can Sam save his old team and his new one?
A/N: The great God of procrastination and perfection seduced me. Also, there was overtime and a powerout. In any case, here 'tis, finished. :) Hope you gals and guys enjoyed the bumpy ride ;) UPDATE-now with the epilogues :)

Chapter One, Chapter One, Chapter Two, Chapter Three, Chapter Four, Chapter Five, Chapter Six, Chapter Seven, Chapter Eight, Chapter Nine, Chapter Ten, Chapter Eleven, Chapter Twelve, Chapter Thirteen, Chapter Fourteen, Chapter Fifteen, Chapter Sixteen, Chapter Seventeen, Chapter Eighteen, Chapter Nineteen, Chapter Twenty, Chapter Twenty One, Chapter Twenty Two.

Sam Tyler opened his eyes to complete blackness.
He waved his hands in front of his face, but wasn't sure he could see anything, the only real thing the gun now in his hand, as solid and cool as if he'd just picked it up.

'Still fumbling in the dark son?'

He turned to the voice, and the light behind him. Vic Tyler strolled out of the shadows, a sad, apologetic smile on his face.

'You're not real.' Sam stammered, feeling his eyes sting with threatened tears.

His father cocked his head. 'Is that so?'

'What is it with you? What..part of me are you supposed to represent?'

His dad shrugged. 'I'm supposed to represent me Sam.'

There was a cry behind them, and Sam swiveled 'round, to see a brightness in the distance, light at the end of the tunnel.
Four figures on the ground, and one standing, a shotgun in his hand.
That was where the sound of the gunshot had come from.
Sam stared at the scene, but couldn't move, even though his hands were shaking and his blood was pounding in his head. Do something do something do something-

'What do I do?'

He felt a comforting hand on his shoulder, and something flat was put in his other hand.

'Be what I couldn't Sam. Go be the hero.'

He looked over his shoulder and flashed a quick grin.

'Love you Dad.'

And then he was off, running down the tunnel. He was sure now of what he had to do.

Gene looked up at the barrel of the shotgun and knew that this was It.

Sam gasped as he ran through the tunnel as fast as he was capable, his shoes pounding off the gravel. He stumbled once on the railway tracks, but kept his feet.
Please, please, let me be in time!

He glared up at Johns, trying to think of something, anything. His treacherous DI'd disappeared to who-knows-where, and backup wasn't coming anytime soon.

He had a stitch in his side that felt like he swallowed scalding water, but he gritted his teeth and kept running.
He had to do this, had to. Not just for the CID, but for UCOS, for all those men on that roof with him in 2007.
Please!

Gene tried to focus through the pain, think of something pithy and sharp to say to his killer, be smooth like Bond..but he couldn't think...Just...no, please..

'No!'

Sam saw Johns raising his gun, and he stopped, taking aim.
He'd just have to pray he could hit him from here. He squeezed the trigger.
Please God!

Then Johns was hit.
Three shots range through the air, and the man went down with the surprised look of a punter who'd just romanced a tranny.
Gene looked up to see his traitorous, scratch that, bloody marvelous DI strolling up as if he'd just finished his Sunday tea. And where in the hell did he get that suit?
Must've had it under the overall, sneaky git.
He glared up at him. 'You bloody well took your time!'

Tyler grinned, reaching down to help him up. 'Sorry. You all right?'

Gene shrugged away, pushing him off. 'Gerrof I'm not a-'

He stopped as his hand went right through the other man. He gaped at him.

'Oh God..I'm dead aren't I? Dead an' in hell.'

Sam laughed. 'What would I be doing in hell?'

Gene stared. 'Even dead, you've gotta take the piss. Or is it that I'm ready for the loony bin?'

'You're as sane as you ever were Gene, never fear.'

'Sam...' Both men turned at the voice.

All Annie could do was stare, not sure what it was she was seeing. 'Sam...'

He turned to her, relief and joy lighting up his face. 'You're alive.'

'No thanks to you.' she said softly, with a smile to take the hurt from it. He winced, but smiled at her.

'Guess I deserved that.'

He crouched down, looking into her eyes. The both of them just sat there, him neat as a pin, her with dirt on her face and Ray and Chris's blood on her hands.

God she must look a mess. He reached out to touch her face. She closed her eyes, turning her cheek towards him, but all she could feel was a warm breeze graze her skin.

'All my love to long ago.' he whispered.

When she opened her eyes, he was gone.

The toast of the Manchester CID stayed where they were, frozen in disbelief, blinking at the now empty tunnel. One minute there, the next, gone like a pint on darts night.

'Blimey, think I should stay off the sauce.' Ray said finally.

'Guv, what just happened?' Chris asked, clapping a grimey hanky to his shoulder as he nodded to Annie in thanks.

'Dunno, but I'd rather not stick around 'ere and have philosophical chat about it while we all bleed to death.' Gene grunted, pulling himself up painfully.
It was then he noticed the plain manila folder with the words 'PENNYWISE' stamped on it in bold letters in the spot where his DI had been standing.

EPILOGUES:

Choose your own, or read them all if you wish.

Epilogue: April 1973, The One In Manchester

Epilogue: April 2007, The One In London

Epilogue: March 2007, The One Where They're All There

A Game Of Odds, Chapter 22

2008-08-23T00:29:22Z

Title: A Game Of Odds Chap. 22
Rating: Blue Cortina for language.
Author: liquorishflame
Spoilers: Up until 2.8 for LOM, and most of series one for NT.
Chap. Summary: Sam and the others try to get him back, but things don't go as smoothly as planned.
A/N: Written in snatches on the computer at work :) Enjoy it, it's almost over ;)

Chapter One, Chapter One, Chapter Two, Chapter Three, Chapter Four, Chapter Five, Chapter Six, Chapter Seven, Chapter Eight, Chapter Nine, Chapter Ten, Chapter Eleven, Chapter Twelve, Chapter Thirteen, Chapter Fourteen, Chapter Fifteen, Chapter Sixteen, Chapter Seventeen, Chapter Eighteen, Chapter Nineteen, Chapter Twenty, Chapter Twenty One.

Sam laughed harshly. 'Me?'

'Look, you say you've been to the past, right son?'

'Well yeah-'

'You need to go back, set it right-'

' "What once went wrong." ' Brian interrupted. He grinned sheepishly as the group all gave him varied looks of amusement. 'What can I say? I'm a big Scott Bakula fan.'

'Go back? What do you think I was trying to do when you interrupted me?' Sam said, gesturing to the edge.

'There may be another way.' said Jack, placing a soothing hand on his shoulder. 'Remember when Edith hypnotized you?'

Sam frowned, not understanding at first. Then his eyes widened. 'Wait, no...I was there, I was in the tunnel...'

'Tunnel?'

'Sounds a bit Freudian if you ask me.' Gerry muttered.

'Do you mind?' said Jack, shooting him an angry look.

'Look, all I'm sayin' is this is cracked. You really think that..time travel is gonna save our hides?!'

'It may be a long shot, but I'm out of ideas.'

'What about all that evidence of yours?'

Jack shook his head, a small smile on his face.

'Flimsier then a New Year's promise. The prosecution'll tear it to shreds. And can you imagine her up on the stand? She knows how to work an audience, you know. If she gets up there, and plays the poor blind woman, they'll be putty in her hands.'

'True.' said Brian, earning a dirty look from Gerry. 'What? It's not my fault you know.'

'Yeh well this all just stinks. Time travel? What next, flying ruddy cars?'

'Never know sir, science advances every day.' said Clarke, deadpan. Gerry glanced at him, determined that he was serious/couldn't tell, and turned back to the conversation.

'All right then, let's try this. Get back to your place Brian, see if Edith can work her voodoo on him again.'

'It's not "voodoo", it's hypnosis, which is entirely unrelated.'

'Fine whatever, lets get going.' They all started walking to the door to the stairs, only to be stopped by the appearance of a disheveled and out of breath Richard Webber.

'Webber? What're you doing-'

'Look, there's no time! They're coming.'

'Who's coming?'

'The police! They're here to arrest Mr. Tyler and you Mr. Halford.'

'You what?'

'Come again?'

Webber smiled bitterly. 'Mrs. Pennywise has "remembered" some facts about her abduction that "were masked by trauma". She's claiming that she heard you and Jack crucifying Mr. Hunt and Reggie.'

'That cold bitch!' Gerry spat, moving forward, only to be stopped by Clarke and Webb.

'Look, I don't think you did it for a minute, but she's very convincing. Just stay here, and you'll be all right.'

' "Stay here?" We're on a bloody roof!'

'Yes, well, I didn't say it was a good plan.' said Webb, panting for breath.

' 'Bout as good an idea as Prince Harry dressing up like the Hitler bloody youth! What do you expect us to do up here?'

'I don't know! Look, I'll stall them, maybe cause a bit of misdirection. Give me ten minutes.'

'Do we even have that much?'

'We'll have to hope so.' Webber disappeared down the stairs. Jack bit his lip, then turned to Tyler.

'So what now? "Meditate or die"?' Tyler said, throwing up his arms.

'Not quite as dire as that, but...well...time is of the essence, yes.' Jack said, crossing his arms and looking worried.

'Well get to it Brian!' Gerry said, pushing his friend forwards, who almost lost his glasses as he did so.

'All right, all right! No need to be pushy.' Brian grumbled.

'Actually there is! Now get started!' Gerry retorted.

'I'm going to see if I can help Mr. Webber sirs.' said Clarke, dashing off before any of them could say anything.

'Bloody kid..God bless 'im.' said Gerry, nervously pulling out a cigarette as Brian and Tyler sat down on the roof, cross legged.

Sam licked his lips nervously, then closed his eyes, taking a deep breath in and out. He opened his eyes.

'I'm ready.'

Brian nodded. 'Right then..er...um....just relax, count backwards from ten.'

'Ten, nine-'

'Eyes closed for God's sake!'

Huffing annoyedly, Sam did so, screwing his eyes shut.

'Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three- This isn't working.' He jumped to his feet, looking up at the sky, frustrated and upset.

'It'll work, just give it a chance.' Brian said, moving his hands in a calming gesture. Sam cut him off.

'No! We're doing this my way!'

Pushing Brian aside, he started taking a run towards the ledge.

'Sir, please step aside.' said the policewoman firmly.

'I'm afraid that I can't do that ma'am.'

'Why's that?' she said, folding her arms.

'Because currently Mr. Halford and Mr. Tyler are my clients, and as such, I cannot let you past without a warrant for their arrest.'

'Snap.' said the other officer, pulling out a piece of paper.

'Now Mr. Webber, can you please let us by?'

'Not until I've read it and made sure it's all in order.' Webber said.

The officers attempted to step forward, but were stopped by a hand from PC Clarke.

'I'm sorry sir, but I can't let you discharge your duty until I'm sure that the papers are in order.'

Before Sam'd taken three steps, he was tackled from two different directions.

'Let GO of me!' he shouted, struggling.

'Listen to me Sam, just listen! You really want to do this? Really? What about your team, back in Manchester?'

'What about them? They didn't know me! I was just their commanding officer.'

'And Maya? Would she understand?'

'Yes, she would understand...'

Wouldn't she?

'And your mother?'

'...I...'

He'd stopped struggling. Jack and Gerry let go of him. He felt something wet on his face and tasted hot saltyness, his chest heaving.

'But what can I do? What the fuck else can I do?!?'

Gerry leaned down. 'Listen son, was there anything that you saw or heard before you...er..before you went back.'

Sam shook his head. 'No, nothing...no.'

'Think, think Tyler. Go through the crash, step by step. Use that nutcracker brain of yours Jack says you've got.'

Sam closed his eyes, taking a deep breath.

'I'll try.'

Clarke stood there, increasingly nervous as Webber slowly read through the paper.

'Yes, yes...ummhum..yes..' The two officers were getting increasingly aggrivated.

'Mr. Webber sir, haven't you read that page already?'

'I'm just making sure I have all the details down...You say that this is a warrent for the arrest of Mr. Tyler and Mr. Halford?'

'Y-es?'

'So how come it says Mr. Taylor?'

The female officer snatched the paper from his hand.

'What?!'

'Right there,' Webber pointed helpfully.

'I don't fu-er-frigging believe this!' the male officer said. Webber just smiled contentedly at them.

'Sorry about that, suppose you'll have to just go and get another.'

The woman stepped up to Webber and Clarke stood ready, licking his lips nervously.

'It's scum like you that stop people like me doing my job.' she said, low and threatening. Webber just raised an eyebrow. With a snort of disgust, she turned her back on the both of them, storming away, her partner trailing after her, shooting them a dirty look.

Webber let out a long relieved sigh. 'That was too close for my comfort.' he said, holding a hand to his chest.

Clarke gave an impressed whistle as he stepped into the hallway to look after the departing pair.

'I'll agree with you there sir.'

'Well gentlemen, you know what they say.'

Clarke turned to see Elizabeth Pennywise, wrapped around Webber, holding a gun to the lawyers head.

'Close only counts in dancing and hand-grenades .'

'I was in the car...I was upset...' Sam said slowly.

'What about?'

'Maya..she's gone. 'S my fault..I almost hit a car...I stopped...' He paused, licking his lips.

'And then what Sam? What did you do?'

'Got out of the jeep, stupid to drive when you're upset.'

'What do you notice?'

'Fresh cut grass, petrol fumes from the cars...Mars...'

'What, the planet?'

'No...' he frowned.

'Song..my parents were dancing...' his eyes snapped open.

'David Bowie, Life On Mars! That was what I heard when I got there Gerry!' he said, seizing the other man's arms. 'That's what I need to take me back!'

Gerry grinned back at him. 'Snap!'

'Glad you're all having such a good time.'

The UCOS group turned around to see Elizabeth Pennywise holding a gun to Richard Webbers head.

'Since those stupid people wouldn't arrest you, I'll have to take matters into my own hands, as usual.'

She was practically spitting the words out.

'Why don't you let him go Beth?'

'Don't call me that you wrinkled old bastard.' Elizabeth pressed the gun barrel harder into Webbers's head.

'Tell me where to move Dicky, and, Richard, sweetie darling...don't forget anything.'

She emphasised the last by grinding the gun into his head. His eye flickered, but aside from that, he made no sign that she was hurting him.

Sam tensed his muscles, ready to jump her. What did it matter if he was shot anyway?
He caught Jacks's eye, and the other man shook his head, mouthing "Mother."
He clenched his teeth.

'Look a little suspicious if you shoot a lawyer.' Gerry said, calmly putting his hands in his pockets. 'Where'd you even get the gun?'

'From the policeman who was guarding my door, "protecting" me. Such a nice young man.' She snickered and Sam felt a chill run up his spine.
He couldn't believe he was looking at the same woman who'd looked so frail and fragile, hands in her mouth and chewing on her hair. That kind, meek, mask was gone. Instead he felt like he was looking into the face that was more a writhing, twisted shell, like some evil thing was looking out at him through the blank, black sunglasses.

'Those officers are going to come back with a new warrant.' grunted Webber. 'The mood they're in, they'll barely wait for the signature to dry before they're peeling back here.'

She smiled. 'But it will still take time, won't it? And I'll have a nice little story to tell them, about how Halford and Tyler panicked and grabbed Webber.'

Gerry laughed. She frowned.

'And what's so hilarious?'

Sam closed his eyes, started humming under his breath.
It's a God awful small affair/To the girl with the mousy hair..

'That's it? That's your plan?' Gerry said, scoffing.

'And what will you do, blackmail us all? Or shoot us all? Because those are the only options you have left.' Clarke said.

Sam started to feel a tingling in his toes and fingers, like pins and needles. He kept on humming.

'Don't you talk back to me, don't you dare! I know what I'm doing!'

'That's not what it looks like from here.'

'Where are you, where are they?! Tell me Richard, tell me!'

He could feel himself drifting away from the roof, from 2007..drifting into darkness...

And then a gun went off.

A Game Of Odds Chap. 21

2008-08-16T04:16:56Z

Title: A Game Of Odds Chap. 21
Rating: Blue Cortina for language.
Author: liquorishflame
Spoilers: Up until 2.8 for LOM, and most of series one for NT.
Chap. Summary: Jack makes it all clear, and plans are made.
A/N: To make up for the lack of any update last week, there was a chap. this past Monday, and there will be another this past Wed. This was written very late and may be crap, hopefully it all makes sense. If it don't let me know, please please please. :)

Chapter One, Chapter One, Chapter Two, Chapter Three, Chapter Four, Chapter Five, Chapter Six, Chapter Seven, Chapter Eight, Chapter Nine, Chapter Ten, Chapter Eleven, Chapter Twelve, Chapter Thirteen, Chapter Fourteen, Chapter Fifteen, Chapter Sixteen, Chapter Seventeen, Chapter Eighteen, Chapter Nineteen, Chapter Twenty.

Everyone started speaking at once.

'You've got to be balmy-'

'That sweet woman?'

'But if she was-'

'QUIET!'

Tyler's voice broke through the din, and they all stopped with shocked suddenness.

'Thank you.'

'Jack, you don't really expect us to believe that hogwash do yeh?'

Jack nodded grimly. 'Sandra was secretly taping Elizabeth.'

'Why?'

'She thought she was hiding something from her, protecting Reginald. But listen to this.'

Jack pressed the key on his tape recorder. 'I do feel sorry for Reginald really. I mean, he's completely useless.'

'Is he really?'

'Oh yes, couldn't plan his way out of a paper bag. Always needs a guiding hand, poor thing.'

Jack clicked it off.

'Well yeh, but...well it doesn't prove anything.'

Jack pressed the button again. 'I always had to be around to help him, he's hopeless without me.'

'That does sound quite concrete sir.' Clarke said.

'It makes her a good sister and a gossiping harpy!' said Gerry. 'It don't make her a criminal! She's blind for God's sake!'

'It proves that Elizabeth had little faith in her brothers abilities as mastermind. She would have us believe that he and his gang decided to kidnap Gene, because they panicked. But it was actually a distraction, a red herring.'

'Killing my Guv was a distraction?' Tyler said coldly.

'No Sam, I think killing him was a mistake. Something that an impulsive man like Fry would be prone to. Think about his reaction to your finding out about drugging the children. He decides to drug you too, not considering how truly suspicious it would look. Same thing with Gene's injuries, made hours before the gunshot wound to his head. Everything we know about Fry indicates he's not long on thinking.'

'Someone who don't look before he leaps.' Brian said, nodding, then noticed Tyler staring at him.

'Er..so to speak..Boss.'

'The scene that Tyler and I...the....what we saw when we walked in..' Jack took a breath.

'What we saw in that room was staged. The music, Fry and Hunt crucified on the wall with a nail gun. Splashy, theatrical, clever. Meant to distract, and horrify us. Gain Elizabeth sympathy. Then there's Gary Welkes.'

'Ah yes, Gary Welkes.' Brian murmured.

'Who is Gary Welkes?' Clarke asked.

'He was an MP in the eighties,' Gerry said. 'Did quite well for a while. But he had to retire though because of the...' he frowned '..Scandal.'

'What scandal?'

'They found out that he'd ordered a mail order bride, from Thailand.' Brian said. 'His current wife was rather upset.'

'Yes, I had to look it up in the library to be sure. It was right after he was cracking down on human trafficking. Made him look quite hypocritical.' Jack said dryly. 'And you know what one of the places he named was?'

'The Hyde Health Center.' Tyler said.

'Exactly. And did you know that quite a lot of children disappeared in London during the eighties? Welkes was trying to get to the bottom of it before the scandal broke.'

'The mail order scandal was cleared up, but he was never the same, even ended up working as their liaison.'

'So?' Gerry said. 'It still don't prove Elizabeth did any of that. Fry could have done all that.' Brian shook his head.

'Fry wasn't working there then.'

'Could have been working behind the scenes.' Gerry said.

'No, he was in jail. For assault.' Brian said.

'Still could have done it.'

'Gerry, he was there for five years.'

Gerry looked at the ground. 'Can't be.' he muttered.

'Maybe this will convince you.'

Jack opened the plastic shopping bag he was holding and brought out a bloody shirt.

'This is the shirt that Elizabeth Pennywise was wearing the night of her son's murder. Notice anything?'

They all stared.

'Ah! I see it!' Brian exclaimed. 'It's jaguar. Or possibly a kangaroo.'

'...It's not a Rorschach test you twit! Look, Elizabeth says that she surprised her husband 'disciplining' her son. Beating him. The boy started to choke, and she tried to administer CPR, but failed to resuscitate. His lung was punctured during the beating, and he coughed up blood on her. Notice anything?'

'I notice that we're doing this on a roof instead of in forensics.' Gerry said, reaching for a cigarette.

'Void.' Clarke said.

'Sorry?'

'There's a void in the blood splatter,' Brian agreed. 'Right there.'

'Where?'

'There! Look!'

The others peered at the shirt. 'And the directions wrong, see?' Sam said, pointing to the dried droplets.

'If she'd been giving him CPR, the void would be here,or here.' he pointed to one shoulder and then the other. 'Instead, the splatter is mostly from the neck and downwards, which would put her practically sitting on his chest.'

'And the void is high up on the collarbone, hand shaped.'

'Small hand.' Tyler said grimly.

'That's right. She was holding him down.' Brian said.

'Why?' Gerry asked.

'I have a theory.' Jack said. 'Suppose she was running a bit short that week. She was only starting the business back then, she might have been a bit desperate. Manchester isn't London, after all.'

Jack pulled out a picture. 'This is one of the pictures of Theodore's body. Notice this here, near the clavicle? It's a puncture wound, from a needle.'

'She was going to sell her son?'

'Albert hears all the noise, comes downstairs to find his wife attacking his son. He grabs the nearest object, the kettle, and hits her with it.'

'And thats how she was blinded.'

'Why didn't he try to grab her?'

'Because he was scared.' Jack said.

'Of what?' Brian said.

'Of her.' Tyler said suddenly. 'Elizabeth Pennywise was beating her husband and son.'

'..I don't think I can take many more surprises.' Brian said as Gerry and Clarke stood there in stunned amazement.

'She faked the bruises, made herself look small and vulnerable. No-one in the seventies would have believed anything like that.' Tyler said grimly, squeezing his hands into fists. 'I saw, but I didn't see, and she killed him!'

He turned away in distress.

'She played us all Sam.' Jack said. 'She's got lawyer's, politicians, and criminals on her side. But we have something she doesn't.'

'Oh really, what's that?' Tyler snapped.

'You.'

A Game Of Odds Chap. 20

2008-08-14T02:38:34Z

Title: A Game Of Odds Chap. 20
Rating: Blue Cortina for language.
Author: liquorishflame
Spoilers: Up until 2.8 for LOM.
Chap. Summary: Death puts everything in perspective.
A/N: To make up for the lack of any update last week, there was a chap. this past Monday, and there will be another on Fri. Warning: this chapter is better understood if you've read the previous chapter. Also, thanks go to jpgr for inspiring me to think in another direction. :)

Chapter One, Chapter One, Chapter Two, Chapter Three, Chapter Four, Chapter Five, Chapter Six, Chapter Seven, Chapter Eight, Chapter Nine, Chapter Ten, Chapter Eleven, Chapter Twelve, Chapter Thirteen, Chapter Fourteen, Chapter Fifteen, Chapter Sixteen, Chapter Seventeen, Chapter Eighteen, Chapter Nineteen.

Jack stood there, stunned, as Tyler stormed off once again. Finally gathering his wits, he raced after the DCI, turning the corner just in time in time to see him disapear into the elevator. He shouted, but the doors closed without him. He angrily punched the wall.

'Damn the man!' He sighed, then raised his eyes heavenward.
And frowned as he saw he numbers above the door counting up.

'But we're on the top floor, where's he going?'

Sam stood on the ledge of the hospital roof, closing his eyes as he felt the wind caress his face

'When you can feel, you're alive.'

He couldn't, he couldn't feel anything inside. Sandra was good as dead, Gene was dead.
His fault.
Again.

There was only one thing to do.

He took off his tie, threw it over the edge. It fluttered in the air like a kite, the updraft taking it briefly before it spiraled downwards. He took a deep breath and-

'What do you think you're doing?!'

Pinwheeling his arms, Sam nearly lost his balance at Jack's outraged shout, only to be pulled back at the last second, sprawling them both on the gravel of the roof.

'What the hell was that?' he said, trembling with adrenaline and fury.

'You tell me sir, you're the one perched on the ledge like a pigeon on Lord Nelson.'

'I just needed some air.' he said, trying to sound dismissive, but sounding defensive instead.

'There's better way's of getting the air then that Sammy boy.'

'DON'T call me that.' he snapped. 'I'm your DCI, show some respect.'

'How about some concern? We've two officers down, I'm not going to make it three.'

'Who says I was thinking about jumping?'

Jack raised an eyebrow. 'Who said anything about jumping? Thought you came up here for some air.'

The two men looked at each other, but Sam was the first to look away.

'This is just...it's something I have to do, all right?'

'Why?'

He gave a hollow laugh. ' "For want of a nail.." If I'd gone back, they'd all still be alive.'

'What's all this then?' Gerry's voice rang boisterously across the windy space. Sam groaned, putting his head in his hands.

'Oh great, it's the Marx brothers.' he muttered. 'I'll have two friend eggs, cheers.'

The rest of the UCOS team arrived, huffing and wheezing (except for Clarke).

'What're you two doin' up 'ere? Been lookin' all over for yeh, haven't we?'

Brian could do nothing but nod, still catching his breath.

'Sorry about Mr. Hunt sir.' Clarke said, nodding to Sam.

'I can...see why you came up here,' Brian finally said, still gasping. 'Closer to nature,..away from... distractions, give yourself time to grieve.'

'Actually, DCI Tyler came up here to top himself.' Jack said abruptly. The rest of the team turned to look at Sam, who stared pointedly up at the sky, tightening his jaw as he felt tears stinging his eyes.

'You what?' Gerry said, putting his hands in his pockets and leaning forward.

'Suicide.' Brian said, looking grim. 'Only natural, after all he's been through.'

'I'm sittin' right here, and I can HEAR YOU!' Sam said in a guttural shout.

'Why all this Sam?' Clarke said, hands outstretched. Sam got to his feet, feeling his whole body tense with anger and shame.

'Because I-' he stopped, his hands clenching and un-clenching.

'Because I...' He tried to get the words out, but was interrupted by Jack stepping forward, tape recorder in his hand. He pressed a button.

'How's that feel! Is this fun Bertie! Are we having fun!!!'.

Sam flinched as he heard Gene's voice, a cold chill of guilt washing over him. Then disbelief at the next thing he heard.

'Gene, Gene! DCI Hunt!'

'Don't bother me Tyler, I'm busy.'

'Yeh, so busy that we'll be brought up on charges!'

'It's nothing more then he deserves!'

'Well I'm your DI, and I'm telling you, this isn't the way we do things-!'

The recorder stopped. Sam's legs suddenly gave out and he would have fallen if Brian hadn't suddenly been there to catch him. 'Easy, easy now lad.'

'What in the hell was that?' Gerry asked, stabbing a finger at the recorder with furious bewilderment.

'That, was DCI Gene Hunt's DI, one Sam Tyler. Transfered from Hyde in 1973, disappeared in April 1973. Virtually identical to a DCI Sam Tyler...born 1969.'

'That's impossible.' Clarke said, but Brian was looking keenly into Sam's face.

' "There's more things in heaven and earth," eh lad? Coma patients show brainwave activity, some even talk and walk about. What's so impossible about-'

'Time travel? Because it's bloody mad, that's why!'

'How else do you explain it?' Brian said.

'Mass LSD flashback.' Gerry snapped back.

'Gerry, I don't think we've all taken LSD.' Jack said tiredly.

'Speak for yourself.' Gerry, Brian, and Sam said simultaneously.

'...Sirs, that's not the bigger picture.' said Clarke.

'Well what is Clarkey?'

'The bigger picture is, how do we send him back?'

'I was just about to give it a shot.' Sam said with little emotion, gesturing to the drop.

'I imagine you'd feel quite the proper fool if it didn't work.' Jack said with a bland look.

'And it's not like you can try again if it don't, can you? Why would you even think it?'

' "For want of a nail."' Clarke said suddenly. The others turned to him.

'What's that?' Brian said.

'If DCI Tyler is able to go back, he can warn us about the case, he can save Guv'nor-'

'And Gene.' Sam whispered.

Jack nodded thoughtfully. 'He might even be able to stop Elizabeth Pennywise from murdering her son.'

A Game Of Odds Chapt. 19

2008-08-11T22:44:22Z

Title: A Game Of Odds Chap. 19
Rating: Blue Cortina for language.
Author: liquorishflame
Spoilers: Up until 2.8 for LOM.
Chap. Summary: For some of the team, it's all over. For the rest, there's still time.
A/N: To make up for the lack of any update last week, there will be a chapter on Wed. eve, and another on Fri. Warning: this chapter contains death, pain, and misery. Also death.
P.S. Credit goes to bwuk2003, who rightly pointed out that the UCOS team wouldn't be armed. :)

Chapter One, Chapter Two, Chapter Three, Chapter Four, Chapter Five, Chapter Six, Chapter Seven, Chapter Eight, Chapter Nine, Chapter Ten, Chapter Eleven, Chapter Twelve, Chapter Thirteen, Chapter Fourteen, Chapter Fifteen, Chapter Sixteen, Chapter Seventeen, Chapter Eighteen.

Sirens, echoing through the cold air...

'Oh thank God, they're coming.'

So much blood....

'Sam, come on, give me your gun.'

Those nails...looked like they'd give, just had to pry them loose...

'Sam, what're you...?'

So much blood, making his hands slippery, hard to get a grip-

'Sam, stop.'

Had to get him loose-

'Sam!'

He turned on Jack. 'He's not dead!'

'Sam.' Jack was looking at him with pity... didn't need his pity.
He went back to what he was doing, prying the nails loose with his fingernails and the gun.
Guns make bad levers, he'd never do it like this again. A hysterical laugh half emerged from his mouth, sounding more like a sob.
A nail came loose, and he was holding half of Gene's weight. He grunted and kept going.

'Sam...you have to give me your gun. None of us carry one, they can't find it on you.'

John's soothing voice sounded mocking and patronizing in his ears. He ignored him.
The other nail was almost loose. 'Come on, come on!'

And then he was holding Gene, gently lowering him to the floor. He immediately bent over him, taking in a deep breath in-
He was grabbed, pulled away, Jack's face staring into his.

'What're you doing?!'

'CPR!' He tried to push him away, but the other man just tightened his grip.

'You have to be careful.'

'Why?' Jack stared at him.

'Don't you know?'

'Know what?'

'He's got AIDS.'

Sam paused, blinking.
He shook Jack off, back down on the ground, breathing air into then leaned over and breathing into Gene's lungs.

'DCI Tyler, you have to get rid of your gun!'

Pinch, breath, look, listen. Pinch, breath, look, listen.
He dimly heard the Jack throwing something off the side and comforting the crying woman.

'Come on Gene, breathe you bastard, breathe!'

Even as he tried to force air into the stubborn lungs, he couldn't deny the fact that Gene was cold and still under his hands.
He was crying, cradling the broken form on his lap.

'You bastard...you bastard.'

Jack had been the one to answer the questions the police had when they arrived. Ambulances had come to take them all the the hospital. Tyler and Gene were in one, Jack was in the back of the second, comforting Elizabeth Pennywise, who couldn't stop crying as the crucified body of her brother was zipped into a black bag and loaded into back.

'He just grabbed me, ranting like a mad man...I think he needed me, to help him think of something...When I got there, they all started arguing...about a ransom, about me...things got ugly. And then they...they tried to...'

She buried her face in his shoulder, and he patted her back with hollow comfort.

'Reggie stopped them, I think. There was sounds of a fight, gun shots...then Reggie was screaming and screaming...' she shivered. 'I don't ever want to hear anything like that again.'

'There there.' Jack said mechanically. 'It's over now, it's all over.'
It certainly was over.

'Promise me, promise me you'll punish those men.' she said, sobbing as she clutched at him.

'That's a promise easily made.' he said grimly.

Sam sat in the corridor, looking at the nicks and scratches on his hands from pulling the nails free, his face stiff where the tears had dried on his face.

'He's got AIDS.'

He'd checked for a pulse, couldn't find it.
The last thing he'd said to him...he couldn't even remember.
But it was nothing good, he knew that.
He kept flexing his hands, feeling the skin on his palms tighten.
Why didn't he tell him?

They'd pronounced him at the hospital, Gene was dead.

Wasn't fair. He came back, had everything important in his life ripped away, and then when he'd decided to fix things, make it right, make things better again, make sense again....

He remembered a western he'd seen where another man'd been shot in a duel. The bullet had blown a hole in him the size of a fist, and you could see the man who shot him right through it before he'd keeled over.
That was about how he felt right now.

Jack sat down next to him, handing him a coffee. 'Got Elizabeth squared away. She seems...rather upset'

Sam shook his head, still staring at his hands. 'This case...this case has been nothing but trouble from the start.'

He felt a comforting hand on his shoulder. 'Don't think about that right now Sam. You need time to mourn.'

'No witnesses,' he continued, ignoring him. 'No evidence, nothing. We started with nothing, and we're left with nothing. Just...death. Sandra, and now...'

He stood up and started walking down the hall.

'Where're you going?'

He gazed up at the ceiling.

'Don't know really. Maybe I'll just....drift?'

He shot a smile to Jack, but the other man didn't smile back. He was frowning in concentration.

'Tyler...why don't you get to the library.'

'What?'

'The library man! And if you can't find what we need, go to the bookstore.'

Jack was on his feet, pacing back and forth.

'Yes, and we'll need the evidence Sandra was surpressing.'

'Sorry?'

Jack shot him a quick glance. 'I probably shouldn't tell you this, but we'd been receiving pressure from some very important people not to involve some of the evidence from the original case.'

Sam could feel his heart start to race, caught up in the other man's excitement.

'Anything else I should know?'

'Sandra was taping Elizabeth Pennywise.' Sam could feel his eyebrows shooting up. 'Secretly.'

'Shit.'

'You're telling me, I just about hit the roof when I found out.'

'So what do you need me for in all this?'

Jack grinned.

'I heard about you're reputation, in Manchester. You're a nutcracker.'

'I've been known to give people a hard time, yes-' Sam said, hunching his shoulders defensively, but the older man wiped a hand through the air.

'No, I mean, you've been known to crack the toughest of 'em. And we'll need those skills for this one.'

'Who? All our suspects are dead, or babbling nonsense.'

Jack shook his head violently. 'No, that's what I thought, but now...now that I've had time to sit down...think things over....I know whose behind this, and a merry chase they've led us.'

'Feel like letting me in on this theory, or should I just guess?'

Jack grasped him by both shoulders, lowering his voice.

'Son, it's not a theory. I know who killed Thomas Pennywise!'

Sam pushed the other man away, feeling his face split into a deathly grin.

'Yeh well I don't care!'

A Game Of Odds Chap. 18

2008-07-31T03:16:21Z

Title: A Game Of Odds Chap. 18
Rating: Blue Cortina for language.
Author: liquorishflame
Spoilers: Up until 2.8 for LOM.
Chap. Summary: The UCOS team gets some bad news, and then things get worse.
A/N: Unbeated. Sorry it's up late, but other then that, I'm pretty happy with it. If I've made some mistakes, (or a lot ;) ), let me know. :)

Chapter One, Chapter Two, Chapter Three, Chapter Four, Chapter Five, Chapter Six, Chapter Seven, Chapter Eight, Chapter Nine, Chapter Ten, Chapter Eleven, Chapter Twelve, Chapter Thirteen, Chapter Fourteen, Chapter Fifteen, Chapter Sixteen, Chapter Seventeen.

Gerry got out his cell, punching the numbers in with a vicious pressure. 'Who're you calling, sir?' Clarke asked.

'That bastard Halford.' Gerry answered, pacing back and forth with a glower on his face. 'I'm not about to embarrass m'self running after them like some broken down geezer.'

'Easy on the volume there, she's asleep.' Brian scolded. Gerry scowled, but lowered his voice.

'Just want to find out where they- Jack! Jack, where are you? What do you mean hold on I-oh hullo Tyler, er, Boss. Yeh...really?! Really?
Well that's just stupid. Stupid sir. Yes, yes sir. Okay, goodbye.'

Gerry ran a hand through his hair and then let out a string of whispered curses.

'What's he done now?' Brian said resignedly.

'He's gone to the sister.'

'Elizabeth?'

'No, Mary Queen of Scots, or course it's Elizabeth Pennywise! Bloody family's brought us nothing but trouble.'

'Yeah well maybe if we'd done our jobs instead of arguing with each other, we wouldn't be in this mess.' Brain snapped.

'Are you saying this is my fault?' Gerry strode up to the other man, who took of his glasses and stood up. The two old men stood there, looking at each other with mutual spite, until two hands pushed them gently aside, and Clarke stepped between them.

'It's all our faults sir.'

'I'll agree with that.'

Richard Webber, Albert's lawyer, walked into the room.

'This investigation has been more about infighting then actual work. And from what I hear, if any of you'd actually put your head's together, this case would have been long resolved.'

The UCOS team stared at him.

'So you're here to say "I told you so?". ' Gerry countered. The lawyer sighed.

'No....I'm here because I heard about what happened to Miss - sorry, to CS Pullman. She's a great lady.'

'Aye, that she is.' Brian said.

The four men looked down at the shrunken form in silence, listening to nothing more then the sound of the life support machines and heart rate monitor.

The relative silence was shattered by the ringing of Gerry's cell phone, making them all jump.
Rolling his eyes, Gerry answered it.

'Yeh who's- Boss? She's, what?!' He looked at the others. 'Fry's kidnapped Elizabeth Pennywise!'

Earlier...
Reginald Fry looked down at the smoking gun in his hand, unable to believe what had just happened. That passed as he looked up into the horrified eyes of the men around them.

'Shit Fry, what've you done!'

One of the lads tried to grab the gun from his hand. He shook them away.

'Get off us.'

'Fry-'

'Said GET OFF!'

Fry pushed, sending the other man sprawling to the floor.

'Okay, okay, s'gonna be all right lad, it'll be all right.' he said, eyes wide and hands open and scared. They all were.

'Boss is on the way, just called from- oh shit..'

Fry stood there, looking at the body from the corner of his eye as the others gathered around it.

'You killed a copper? You killed a copper?!'

'You...daft bastard!'

'Well fan bloody tastic!'

'He's not a copper anymore!' he yelled. 'An' what else were we going to do with him!'

'I dunno, scare him! Rough 'im up a bit! Stuff like this doesn't do any of us any good!'

'He'd seen our faces, he knew it was us!'

'He knew that the moment we snatched him! If we'd listened to the Boss, this wouldn't have happened.'

'Doesn't need to be bothered with the little things, right? It were my fault Hunt had the tape, so I went to get it back, see?'

'And what a right balls up you've made of the whole thing.'

'Yeh, excellent idea, brilliant. Why don't you paint our bollocks with plum sauce and jump in a tank full of piranhas!'

'Easy there Mason. Fry didn't know what he was doing.' said a new but familiar voice.

Fry'd heard the expression "makes your blood run cold", but had scoffed at it. Jus' an expression, right?
Now he knew better.

' 'M sorry, 'm sorry, I've buggered it all up.' He couldn't stop himself, he started to cry. He heard The Boss walk across the floor to him.

'There there, I'm here now.' A comforting hand was laid on his shoulder.

'I'm gonna fix everything.'

Now
'How could this happen?' Mr. Webb exclaimed, gesturing wildly.

'Why is it when these things happen people say "How could this happen?"?' Brian said. 'People get struck by lightening, have heart attacks, lose their loved ones to suicide and cancer. It could happen because it does happen, to all of us.'

'Shut up! He's talking!' Gerry shushed, putting his hand over the phone before he turned away to listen.

'Careful of the Guv'nor sir.' Clarke whispered. Gerry nodded impatiently.

'Where are you now?' He turned back to the room.

'They're just leaving Mrs. Pennywises's office, her secretary's the one that told them. Do you know where she is?'

There was a pause.

'A garage, parking garage under construction.' he said to the room.

'Okay, I'm gonna call Strickland at the office, he'll get some bac- you're already there? Fine, stay-no, don't, don't hang up, don't-!'

Gerry threw the phone across the room.

'Shit!'

'Maybe we should wait Sam.' Halford said quietly. Tyler shook his head, already unbuckled and halfway out of the car. Jack hastily followed him.

'No.
Fry's got Elizabeth and he's probably got Gene too. I'm not going to let him down again!'

Tyler ran towards the door to the parking garage, Jack following close behind him. He raised his eyebrows as the DCI drew a gun from his coat.

'Is that necessary?'

Tyler checked the chamber, squinting.

' "Be prepared", right?'

'Baden Powell would be proud, I'm sure.' Jack said dryly. Tyler braced himself next to the door, throwing a glance at him.

'Are you armed?'

'Only with my wits.' Jack said. Tyler nodded as if he'd said something completely sane.

'I'll go first, clear the rooms. You stay behind me, all right?'

Jack nodded.

'Okay..here we go...' Taking a deep breath, Tyler spun and threw open the door with a well aimed kick. He was through and crouched on the ground inside before the other man could even blink. Jack waited there for several heartbeats, or forever, it was hard to say.

'Clear.' Tyler's voice broke the silence.

'Sweet Virgin Mary, but you scared the life out of me.' Jack swore quietly as he followed Tyler through. He couldn't help but be impressed as the man darted from shadow to shadow, stealth itself.

'Sorry.' came the terse reply.

'Do you really think that they're here?' Jack asked.

The DCI shrugged. 'It's the only lead we have.'

They moved slowly through the levels, each one empty. It wasn't until they reached the seventh that Tyler noticed something.

'Do you hear that?' He cocked his head to the side, concentrating. The older man frowned. Wind blew sharply through the half-formed roof and walls, making it hard to hear.

'Is that...singing?'

Tyler nodded, curtly, gripping his gun more tightly.

'Let's keep going.'

It was easier to hear it on the next floor up.

'That's The Beatles.' The two of them paused, listening.

".ing....clothes to...last night the wife said,
oh boy when you're dead,
don't take nothing with you but your soul."

'I don't recognise it.' Tyler finally said.

' "The Ballad of John and Yoko." One of the last songs they ever recorded together.' Jack said, gazing uneasily up at the ceiling.

'That's probably not good.'

'I don't think it's supposed to be.' Jack found that he was sweating.

They climbed up the flight of stairs to the ninth level.

'Ninth level...reminds me of the ninth circle of hell.' Tyler mused as they made their way up.

'Well don't remind me of it please.' Jack said. Tyler stopped at the door to the level. They could hear the song quite clearly now.

'Jack.'

He nodded, licking his lips nervously.

'Stay behind me. If anything happens, go.'

'Tyler-'

'No arguing.'

Jack sighed and nodded once more. Taking a deep breath, Tyler burst through the door.

The music was deafening in here...there was the sound of a woman weeping.

'Do you see Fry?'

'Not yet.' the DCI called out. He swept the room with gun, from right to left.

'There's some...something on the walls. At the back.'

The two of them made their way slowly through the level.

"Christ you know it ain't easy"

'Jack...'

'..Yes.'

"You know how hard it can be"

'Those are bodies.'

"The way things are going"

'Oh God.'

'....Gene?'

"They're gonna crucify me."

Chapter Nineteen

A Game Of Odds, Chap. 17.

2008-07-25T01:55:12Z

Title: A Game Of Odds Chap. 17
Rating: Blue Cortina for language.
Author: liquorishflame
Spoilers: Up until 2.8 for LOM.
Chap. Summary: Bad things are happening...
A/N: Here it is, at last. Sorry for the wait, but to make up for it, there is Sam sarcasm. And Gene whumping. Did I mention this is a Gene On A Hook story? :) Tiny little spoilers for the season finale of A2A.

Chapter One, Chapter Two, Chapter Three, Chapter Four, Chapter Five, Chapter Six, Chapter Seven, Chapter Eight, Chapter Nine, Chapter Ten, Chapter Eleven, Chapter Twelve, Chapter Thirteen, Chapter Fourteen, Chapter Fifteen, Chapter Sixteen.

She couldn't open ...eyes. Heavy... something heavy on her.
Soft and heavy. Her arm hurt...
Both her arms hurt. It hurt to breathe...
Voices...Gerry, Brian, Tyler, Jack...
Where was she ?

Smells like Dettol...bleach. Urine.
In a bed, not her bed.
Hospital.
How bad was it?

Forget it.
Focus, had to tell them about...
Mouth dry.
Try harder.
Have to tell them, tell Jack...Jack would know.

They took Gene, they took him. He's in danger.
Did she say it?
She opened her eyes.
Jack was holding her hand. She could see him patting it,
couldn't feel it. Tyler was there, looked angry, looked sad.
Something Gene said..about Tyler.
.....What was it?

'Well, what is it?' Gene asked, ignoring the aches and pains from the beatings he'd got.

'You gonna shoot me, or you gonna stand there like a knobless git?'

Fry's hand trembled as he stared at him, eyes wide, nostrils flared. Suddenly he turned away, hand dropping.
Gene grinned. 'Yeh, knew you couldn't-'

Fry swung around and hit him in the face with the gun.
Someone else hit him in the chest, the chair was knocked over. They kicked his legs....
And then he lost count...

Jack gripped the hand in his tighter. ' "Fry took Gene" where Sandra?' But her eyes were already closing.

'Sandra? Sandra love?'

'Tyler, where're you going!'

His head snapped up at Gerrys shout, seeing the DCI flee the room. Giving the hand a final squeeze, he ran after him.

'Tyler, oi DCI Tyler!'

Tyler was running for the lift, pressing the buttons frantically, diving into it when it arrived.

'Hold up, hold up!' Tyler held the door impatiently.

'Come on if you're coming then!'

Jack stumbeled in with a sigh of relief, then doubled over, gasping.

'You all right Halford?'

Spots swam in front of his eyes, then he straightened up, waving the younger man off.

' 'M all right Tyler. Just not as young as I used to be.' He doubled over again as his vision blurred.

'Maybe you'd better sit down...'

'I'm old, not dying.'

'You should be more careful, considering your past health problems.'

Jack looked up, straightening more slowly this time.

'You...little.'

Tyler smiled quickly, hands in his pockets.

'Said the pot to the kettle.'

Jack paused for a moment before drawing himself up.

'I..don't know what you're talking about.'

Tyler gave him a knowing look. 'Uh huh. I'm not as daft as you all seem to think I am.'

'I wouldn't say that Boss.'

'Oh really?'

Jack cracked a smile. 'Doubt you could ever be as daft as we think you are.'

'So nice to have a title that gets me respect and prestige.'

'If you wanted that, you shouldn't have joined UCOS.'

'Funny.'

They'd stopped.
Probably tired, the poor fragile things.
Shaking their hands in pain, wiping off his blood. He smiled mirthlessly. His blood...he might just get those bastards yet.

'Hullo.' Gene painfully lifted his head and blinked.

'Who're...you love? This's no place...f'r young g'rl.' he slurred.

'I'm Sam's friend. And this is my friend.' She gestured to a man in a strange outfit standing behind her. As he stepped into the light, Gene saw he was wearing a strange sort of clown outfit.

'Nice...frills..poof.'

The girl tilted her head, frowning at him.

'Don't you like me and my clown?'

'Ha....No...no I don't. 'Cause y'r not....real...here.'

She tilted her head to the side, giving him a pitying look. 'Gene Genie has to listen.'

He shook his head.

'Not listening...to you.'

'For want of a nail, the horseshoe was lost, for want of a horseshoe, the horse was lost, for want of a horse the messenger was lost.'

'S' nice story....puttin' me to sleep.'

'For want of a messenger, the message was lost. For want of a message, the battle was lost. For want of the battle, the war was lost. For want of the war, the country was lost.'

'All for the lack of a horseshoe nail.' the clown spoke, his voice an errie echo. The girl took the clowns hand, squeezing it comfortingly.

'He was going to be Alex's clown.'

He squinted at her.

'..Who?'

Jack finally got his breath back, and glanced at the numbers. 'Christ this thing is slow.'

'S'n old elevator. Seen better days.' Tyler cast him a sidelong look. Jack arched an eyebrow.

'But it still works, still in use, right?'

'Speaking of better days, what's happening with Albert?'

Jack shook his head. 'He said he'd tell us who did it, but all we got was....poetry.'

'Sorry?'

'He started reciting poetry.'

Tyler hmmed. 'Not very helpful.'

'Not very, no.' The elevator pinged.

'Ground floor.'

'Thank Christ.'

They burst out of the elevator, running towards the car park. Tyler went for the drivers seat, but Jack put a hand on his shoulder.

'Maybe I'd better drive this time.'

Tyler glared at him and Jack stared mildly back. Tyler took his hand away.

'All right then old man, if you insist.'

'I'm afraid I do.'

They slid into the car, slamming the doors in unison.

'So where are we headed? Don't even know where Fry is.' Jack said as he started the engine.

Tyler smiled and tapped the side of his head. 'True. But his sister might know.'

'Good idea. Hold on now.'

'I'm fine thanks!' the last came out in a strangled shout as Jack rapidly accelerated out of their parking space. He smirked at the DCI as he stamped on the gas.

'What's the matter Tyler? Can't handle a taste of your own medicine?'

'It's..different when I'm driving.' Tyler said, swallowing.

'Why's that?'

'Because then I'm driving!'

He couldn't stand it, girl starin' at him with those big soulful eyes. Eyes lookin' into his soul, damn it.

'She died. Died with her mummy and daddy. You were supposed to be there.' She looked at him with accusatory eyes.

'Dunno...what yer...talkin' about...'

'You have to be there. Sammy has to be there.'

'...Be what?'

'He has to catch a train, stop the pain.'

'Who're you talking to?' Fry's voice broke through, harsh and shrill.

He blinked. The girl and the clown were gone. He was on his own. Again.

Couldn't feel his hands...

These wankers. These bloody bastards. They wouldn't just let him go.
Seen their faces, hadn't he.

'Still don't have...the balls, do....yeh? Can't..do it.'

He couldn't see him, strange that.
Oh right, he was looking at his feet. Could hear those footsteps again, getting closer.

'That's why...you're not one.... killed Tommy. Not...who framed Albert. But you helped...'

The footsteps stopped in front of him. Oh how he wanted to lift his head, say somethin' pithy. "Get me outta this chair, or I'll stick me foot so far up your jacksie you'll need surgery!"
Yeh, tha'd be nice.

'Helped...kill a...child. Whose father...never laid hand...on 'im.'

His head was heavy, he lifted it, to find himself looking down the barrel of Fry's gun.

'You'll never know.' he heard, just before it went off.

Chapter Eighteen

Firefly fic-A Brief Affair

2008-07-20T16:30:34Z

Title: A Brief Affair
Rating: PG 13
Author: liquorishflame
Spoilers: general for Firefly, but no specific spoilers
Summary: 'Is that an arm?...Is that blood?!'
A/N: Unbeated Firefly fic, prompted by fiandyfic. Enjoy the weirdness :)

She sighed as she dragged the heavy bag behind her through the alley grimy alley. The refuse container was ahead, only 1.234567 meters away. She blinked the sweat out of her eyes, breathing through her mouth to avoid the smell of the humid and hot planet (26 degrees Celsius, humidity of 84 percent).

'You were fun. I really liked you. Kaylee would have liked you.'

The bag wasn't moving. She frowned. Perhaps the gravity was stronger around here...

She turned to look. The bag was caught on a snag. She yanked, and stuck out her tongue as it ripped up the side, spilling Oatybar wrappers, moldy food, and lint onto the ground.

'I'm not stupid, I knew that. Simon would have liked you. But everything is in sixes and eights, unaccountable. Too slow, there's not enough left anymore.'

She had to do this quickly, had to get back to Serenity before anyone noticed she was...
Absent.
She kicked the bag, pouting. 'Can't even lick the bowl.'

The refuse container was now only .212199 meters away, but it had turned itself into a top hat. Most unkind.

'My strength is proportional to my brain capacity, why can't I pull this BAG!'

She sighed. 'Now it's all bloody.'

The stain oozing from the bag was getting bigger.
It was all...gooey. Like the time she tried to make cookies. It was making another stain in the alley, which had many stains.

'It was just time. Time to let the petals blow away.'

She heaved it over her shoulder.

'River?'

She dropped the bag and spun around, gasping.

'Simon.'

Simon frowned as he walked towards her. He had on his big brother face, the one that made her head hurt.

'What are you doing?'

She stared off into the night sky.

'Oooh, look colours.'

She snuck a glance at him. Clearly the older male authority remained skeptical, which you could tell from the appearance of his face.

'River...you're insane.'

'Bibble!' she said desperately.

'But you're not that insane.'

'I washed my hair with fudge!'

He was peering behind her. 'What is that?'

'That is what?'

'The bag that you're hiding behind you.'

'It's irrelevant, completely debriefed. Let's have cauliflower!'

He pushed by her, and the appearance of his face changed again. He was angry.

'River..is that an arm?...Is that blood?!'

He bent to pick it up.

'Don't.' She gave him the look she'd been practicing, the one she'd tried on Jayne that gave him "the rutting shivers". He turned back to her, and his face almost made her cry.

'You're my sister River. You're my sister. And you would never hurt me.'

She vigorously shook her cranium from side to side.

'You don't know me like you think you do.'

'I think I know you're trying to hide a body.'

She ducked her head, letting her hair dangle in front of her face.

'Weeping willows have no ears.'

'Whatever it is, whatever you've done, I'll help you.' He reached for the arm in the bag and....

'Oh..m-' He grimaced.

'O zhei shi suo you cuo wu he fei chang huai! What..the....is it?'

The arm was twitching and making broken sounds. She bit her lip, looking down at the dirty digits attached to her feet.

'It's my toy.'

'This...is a toy?'

'Kaylee said...w-when you're, um...' She gestured vaguely between her thighs,

He started to laugh embarrassedly, looking away.

'This is your, this is your vibrator?'

'Brothers should be illegal.' she said, blushing.

'It's...mei mei it's huge!'

'My sexual appetites are proportional to my brain capacity.'

'Uh...What's it leaking?'

She shrugged. 'Strawberry scented oil. Made it all...bloody. And wasn't good for insides.'

He inclined his head vigorously. 'It is very...gooey. Who's insides, yours or...'

She frowned furiously as she felt tears prickling her eyes. 'It's.'
It wasn't fair! She'd been so clever to sneak out here, to get rid of it by herself, and he was laughing at her. She sniffled and he hugged her with one arm, the other holding onto her toy.

'I broke it with the power of my vagina.'

He dropped the toy. 'Thank you for...sharing that. It was extremely unsettling, and I'm going to try to erase that from my memory.'

He kissed the top of her head, smiling gently.

'Why did you try to hide it from me?'

She gave him The Look, the one that said "You are so stupid, why do I bother talking to you?" She was very proud of The Look, she'd been practising it.

'I broke it..with the power of-'

He held up a hand. 'Stop. Stop now before I too, loose my mind.'

She grinned. 'With the power of my-'

'Ahh! Stop! Can't you, can't we just say er.. "womanly bits?", please? I'm your brother, remember?' He grinned, and she felt the corners of her mouth turn upwards too.

'Sorry. I broke it with the power of my..."womanly bits".'

'Actually, can we just say you dropped it? And were too embarrassed to tell me, or anyone, and had to drag it out here, in the middle of the night, to practically humping bury it?'

She paused, chagrined and surprised that he could read her mind.

'...It's so much more complex then that.'

'I'm sure it is mei mei. Now let us never speak of this again.'

'The night I killed my sex toy?'

'Yes, let us never speak of this again.' Giggling, they walked hand in hand back down the alley to their ship.

A Game Of Odds-Chapter Sixteen

2008-07-17T02:24:45Z

Title: A Game Of Odds Chap. 16
Rating: Blue Cortina for language.
Author: liquorishflame
Spoilers: Up until 2.8 for LOM.
Chap. Summary: While Sam drives the team to see Sandra, Gene faces down Fry.
A/N: Unbeated. Hope it's all right :)

Chapter One, Chapter Two, Chapter Three, Chapter Four, Chapter Five, Chapter Six, Chapter Seven, Chapter Eight, Chapter Nine, Chapter Ten, Chapter Eleven, Chapter Twelve, Chapter Thirteen, Chapter Fourteen, Chapter Fifteen.

'Stop, hey, stop, stop!.'

'Slow down!'

' Stop!'

'Jesus Christ!'

Sam gave a grim smile as he pushed his foot to the floor, swerving around the other cars like a striking cobra, here, and then gone. All that was missing was someone in camel hair sitting next to him and swearing...

'Shit! Where's Gene?'

A fist came out of the black around him, smashing Gene in the jaw, making sparks behind his eyes. Didn't see that one coming, probably 'cause of the blindfold.
There was blood in his mouth again, and he spat to the side.

'All right.. do your worst.'

He couldn't hear anything, but there was the sound of shoes scuffing the ground. He smiled. Don't let them see ya sweat boyo.

'You don't know what you're gonna do with me, do yeh? 'Course that's 'cause you're not the brains, is it? You panicked, panicked, and snatched me, but yer too late.'

The shoes stopped and he smiled.

'Tape's with a very smart man, same one you doped up. That didn't that go well, did it?'

There was the sound of footsteps walking quickly up to him and something hit him again.
Smashed him....really
......Felt like a sodding brick...
.......

....Was he...did he black out?
Hard to say, can't tell with the damn blindfold.

'..See Fry...., if you'd been thinkin'... you would have used some fancy...stick up their arse solicitor, wouldn't you? But you're...stranded out here...no plan. Can't even look me in the eye, coward.'

The blindfold was torn off and he blinked, sodding blinded for a moment, before he looked up into Fry's face.

'Happy now? Good, 'cause I'm gonna blow your brains out!'

'What do you mean "where's Gene?".'

Sam revved the engine, heading straight for a gravel truck, then looked back.

'I mean, where the hell is he? Didn't any of you crusty bastards call him?'

'Eyes on the road, eyes on the road!'

Without looking, Sam slid the car around the truck. It was the best he'd ever driven, maybe because he was so sodding ticked off. He was so angry felt like a stick of dynamite with the fuse getting shorter every second, but whether he was angry at the others for waking him from his dream, or at what had happened to Sandra, God only knows. Probably both.

'He..uh...Oh Lord Jesus!....well he didn't answer his cell.'

'What about Sandra?'

'What?'

'You said Sandra was going to see Gene, that she felt badly about what happened today.'

'Probably found some boy scouts to take candy from.' Gerry grouched.

Sam cranked the wheel hard to the left.

'Shit!'

'Listen up you wankers, and listen bloody carefuly. That man is a drunken, broken down, filthy mouthed, misanthropic, bastard. I wouldn't trust him with my mother, my sister, or an open minded prostitute! He's also happens to be one of the best coppers I've ever had the pleasure of working with. He cares about the people who get hurt, actually gives a damn about what happens to 'em. People matter more to him then politics ever will, which is why he's never got a promotion, and he'll do whatever it takes to right a wrong, and he never abandons his people, never!'

For a long moment no-one spoke, just held onto the car and their lunch as the car lurched from side to side.

'Didn't know you had a sister sir.' Clarke finally said.

'I don't, I was illustrating a point.'

'Sir!'

'I'm watching the road!'

'We just passed the hospital!'

Gene started to laugh so hard that he would have fallen out of the chair if he hadn't been tied to it.

'Fry, I don't know what you think you're gonna do with that, but I know for sure that you're not gonna shoot me son.'

'Oh I'm going't shoot you old man. Drill hot lead through your brain, make you brown bread!'

Gotta admire a mad-man who could rhyme.

'If you were gonna shoot me, you would have shot me. Instead, you're standin' here with your thumb up your arse talking about it. You've not got the bollocks to do it Fry, and you never will.'

The barrel trembled, and he heard the click of the hammer being drawn back. Looking him calmly in the face, he squared up to Fry.

'Aren't you afraid to die?'

Gene laughed softly.

'I'm not gonna die.'

It took several tries for the UCOS team to get the on duty nurse to understand what it was that they wanted, but they finally got through, dashing through the halls, until finally..
They were there.
The group stopped dead in their tracks, unable to go in. He was afraid, they were all afraid Sam thought. Finally Jack turned to them, lifting his chin and squaring his shoulders.

'Right you lot! There will be no crowding, no shouting, and no carrying on! The Guv'nor needs us to hold on, right?'

He looked around at them, holding the gaze of each man, letting his words sink in. Various nods, and 'Yes sir' and 'Yes Jack' 's were heard. Jack turned around and the team quietly walked in. There were three cots in the room, and nervously, they peered at the first two, before moving on to the third. Someone sucked in there breath, and someone else muttered 'Shit'.

Sam had always admired how Sandra held herself. She would walk through a room, and they'd part like the Red Sea before her. He'd come to respect her, respect how she commanded attention, like she was ten feet tall and could kick your arse. Proud and cool, a Hitchcock blonde who was untouchable and unbreakable.
But now...

A metal frame surrounded her head like a vise. A nurse was trying to find a vein to give her fluids, but was having difficulty finding one, mostly because of the cast on her right arm that went all the way up to her shoulder, matching the one on her left. Her face...her face was swollen and bruised, making her look like a prize fighter down for the count. And her hair...

'What happened to her hair?' Jack asked the nurse, taking Sandra's hand carefully.

'I'm sorry sir?'

'What happened to her hair?'

'They had to shave her head for emergency surgery. There was swelling that had to be relieved, otherwise she could loose her higher brain functions.'

Gerry stared down at his Guv'nor, snapping his gum aggresively.

'Do we know who did this?'

Clarke shook his head. 'No-one good.'

'We known her hands were cuffed.' Brian said suddenly.

'Her hands were what?' Sam said.

'Her hands were...cuffed behind her...when she was thrown out of the car.'

'Bastards.'

'...with the night...acquaint....with...' Sandra was stirring, grasping at Jacks hand.

'Sandra?'

Jack gently stroked her head as the others came closer.

'Don't try to talk Guv'nor.'

'...Gene..'

Sam felt a cold shock go through him. 'Gene?'

No.

'...Fry....Fry took...Gene...!'

Chapter Seventeen

A Game Of Odds: Chapter Fifteen

2008-07-10T02:07:55Z

Title: A Game Of Odds Chap. 15
Rating: Blue Cortina for language.
Author: liquorishflame
Spoilers: Up until 2.8 for LOM. and series 1 for NT.
Chap. Summary: Sam takes a trip into inner space, and we find out what happened to Sandra.
A/N: Ubeated again :)

Chapter One, Chapter Two, Chapter Three, Chapter Four, Chapter Five, Chapter Six, Chapter Seven, Chapter Eight, Chapter Nine, Chapter Ten, Chapter Eleven, Chapter Twelve, Chapter Thirteen, Chapter Fourteen.

Sandra fell out of the car, feeling a sickening sense of free fall, before she abruptly landed. She hit the ground hard, feeling her body snap and splinter. She rolled to a stop, lying there. She wanted to get up, but then the pain burst around her. It was cold. She was cold... Her eyes closed.

'Right then! You sit over there Mr. Tyler and just relax.' Esther said, rubbing her hands as she sat down opposite him, neatly slapping Brians hand as he reached for a sandwich. 'What did I do?'
'Just look at those hands! They're filthy. You go wash up before you even think about it.'

The others hid their grins as Brian got up from his chair, grumbling all the while. Sam tried to relax, but all he could think of was "this is bollocks".
Which was a very Gene-like thought to have. Which was pretty terrifying really.

'All right Sam, I want you to breathe in through your nose, out through your mouth. In, and out. In, and out. Very gently, very smoothly. Now, I'm going to count to ten. When I reach ten, you will be in a trance.'
Sam snorted softly. 'Hey now, respect please.' came Gerry's voice.
'Right, right. Sorry, sorry ma'am.' He composed himself, settling back down, relaxing. Esther's voice got more and more distant, and he thought he could faintly hear Annie's voice...

'Sam?'
He turned around, and saw Annie standing in the door of the Pennywises's house. He turned back to Beth.

'Sorry, I'll be back in a moment love. All right? I'll be right over there.'

She nodded, her hands still over her mouth. He walked over to Annie.

'Well what is it?' he said rather irate, then sighed. 'Sorry, it's just that she was about to tell me something...anyway, what was it you wanted to see me about?'

'Theodore's locked himself in his room and he won't come out.'

'Not really a surprise, considering that we're arresting his dad and police are crawling all over his house.'

Annie nodded, her eyes crinkling around the edges as she gave a pained smile. Sam looked to the sky, then back.

'No wait, let me guess. You want to get him out of the room.'

She nodded again.

'You want me to talk to him, don't you.'

'But he won't talk to anyone else Sam!' Annie pleaded. 'And you're good at talking to people.'

'Yeh, I'm so good at it, it's all I flippin' do. "Where's Sam? Need him to do these files. Sorry, he can't do it, he's talking to the librarian about her missing pen." '

He held up his hands, warding off the sad, tender hearted look Annie was throwing his way.

'No, don't do that. Not the eyes.'

He snuck a look. The lower lip had started to tremble.

'Okay, okay I'm going! There's no need to shout.'

'Thank you sir.' Annie said, just a shade too sweet to be genuine.

He tossed her a half hearted glare as he eased by. 'You're not fooling anyone you know.'

He knocked on the door.

'Theodore? Theodore, can I come in?'

There was no reply, so he knocked again.

'Theodore?'

'No!'

He looked at the door, perplexed.

'No what?'

'No you can't come in.'

'Why not?'

'Because this is my room!'

'Fair enough.'

'And don't call me Theodore! It's "Teddy"!'

He nodded, then rolled his eyes.

'How can he see you nod, you stupid bastard.' he muttered to himself.

'What?'

'I said, my name's Sam.'

'Are you a copper?'

'Yes, I am.'

'Then piss off!'

Charming, the youth of today. Though technically, he was the youth of today.

'All right, I'm going now. Bye.' Quietly, he stepped away, and leaned against the wall beside the door. There was movement in the room, and then the sound of a key in the lock. The door opened, and a blond mop stuck itself out. It looked around and then saw him.

'You lied.'

He smiled. 'You fell for it.'

'You must think you've very clever.'

'Sometimes.' he said, still smiling. The mop huffed, then opened the door for him.

'Well come in then.'

Sam stepped into a room that looked more like a rat's nest. There were bits of food, candy bar wrappers, and dirty plates, along with dirty socks, trousers, and shirts. Theodore, Teddy, was a small skinny kid, dressed in a Ziggy Stardust shirt and blue jeans that looked about twenty years old. He flopped down on the bed and picked up a pack of cigarettes, putting one in his mouth and then offering one to Sam, who refused. He lit it, and blew a smoke ring into the air, settling back on the mattress in the corner of the room with a far too casual air of indifference. Sam kicked at a moldy apple.

'Like what you've done with the place.'

Teddy stared at him.

'You gotta gun?'

'I'm a police man.' Sam said evasively.

'Yeh, but do you have a gun.'

He sighed.

'Yes. Do you want to see it.'

'No.'

That was interesting.

'You don't like them I take it.'

'Guns are for murderers, that's what Mum says.' the boy said, looking down.

'What does Albert, your Dad, say?'

Teddy shrugged again, skinny shoulders making sharp points in the air.

'Dad doesn't say anything.'

'Why not?'

'He says you should leave the talking to clever people.'

Sam turned away.

'Do you-'

Whatever he was going to say shrank to a whisper. Teddy was lying bleeding in his father's arms.

'...Dad?' he whispered.

'Why Sam? Why did you let him die?'

He shook his head, pleading with him. 'No, no it wasn't me, I didn't...I didn't!'

Vic looked at him accusingly.

'That's right Sam, you didn't. You weren't there for him. Any of them.'

Teddy gasped, blood bubbling up from his mouth. Vic cradled him closer, tears pouring down his cheeks.

'Who?! Who Dad?'

'June. Maya. Joni. Teddy. Albert.'

'Sam!'

He turned. He was in the tunnel, gun in his hand. His friends were there,...they were going to die!

'And them Sam.'

'Sam, help us!'

Johns was behind them, he raised his gun-

'Tyler!' His eyes snapped open and he pointed his empty gun hand at the voice.

'I have to...send me back!'

Brian shook his head as he hastily shrugged on his coat, laden down with all theirs.

'The Guv'nor's in the hospital!'

'What!?' The whole room exploded into action, with some of the team running for their coats, the others opening up their mobiles.

'She was thrown out of a speeding car! The bastards.' he spat.

'Does her family know?' Sam asked, as they all dashed out the door in single file. Gerry was already at the wheel, but Sam shook his head, motioning him out. He complied without a sound.

'I'm calling her mother now.' replied Brian. 'Right. Buckle in everyone and hold on tight.'
'Get us there as fast as you can sir.' Clarke said.
'Right, no Sunday driving shite.' Gerry agreed.
'You really don't know me, do you?' Sam said, peeling out of the drive with a screetch.

Chapter Sixteen

A Game Of Odds Chap.14

2008-07-07T22:35:49Z

Title: A Game Of Odds Chap. 13
Rating: Blue Cortina for language.
Author: liquorishflame
Spoilers: Up until 2.8 for LOM. and series 1 for NT.
Chap. Summary: Things go from bad to worse.
A/N: Ubeated. So, I was going to post on Thursday, tra la la, and then, I realised it was Friday. AND I was going away for the weekend. Truly, I am a dunce. TO make up for it, the next chapter will be posted promptly on Wed.
Chapter One, Chapter Two, Chapter Three, Chapter Four, Chapter Five, Chapter Six, Chapter Seven, Chapter Eight, Chapter Nine, Chapter Ten, Chapter Eleven, Chapter Twelve, Chapter Thirteen

Sandra drummed her fingers against the steering wheel of her car, waiting impatiently. Her mobile phone rang, and grumbling, she answered it.

'Pullman.'

'Guv'nor, where are you?'

'I'm outside DCI Tylers house, Gerry.' she snapped.

'Oh..all right....er...why?'

'Oh well, I'm watching him prance around in his underwear to "Son of A Preacher Man".'

There was a hiss of static as Gerry paused on the other line. Then:

'Are you stalking him?'

'No I'm not stalking him! I'm following Hunt!'

'So, you're stalking Hunt, at Tyler's place? Didn't know you were so kinky.'

There was a chuckle at the other end, wait, several chuckles.

'Gerry...' she said, a note of warning in her voice.

'Er...yes Guv'nor?'

'Is anyone there with you?'

'Well.. just Jack. And Brian. Well and Clarke too.'

'I see.' she said frostily.

'See, we're over at Brians having a nightcap-'

'Oh shut it! I have to talk to him.'

'Brian?'

'Hunt.' She opened her glove compartment and grabbed at a pack of gum, pulling out a strip and chewing on it viciously. 'Of course.'

'Ma'am, are you sure that's a good idea?'

'I don't care if it is, or it isn't, and even if it isn't, I'm not about to listen to advice from you!' She snapped her mobile shut, even more annoyed. She knew what she was doing, didn't she? She was going to explain to Gene why she'd done what she did, and then he'd....

Well face it, he'd still be pissed off at her. She sighed, resisting the urge to bash her head against the car horn. It had seemed like a good idea at the time, but bringing Gene to the team had done nothing but impede the case...Mostly because of the strange connection between him and Sam Tyler. What was it between those two anyway? Maybe she should talk to Tyler after this.

Just then, she saw Gene walking out of the apartment, holding a hanky to his face. She got out, closing the car door behind her.

'You can't hide from me Gene, come on.'

He snorted. 'Watch me.'

'Gene...' He kept walking.

'Gene!' she grabbed his arm and spun him around, biting her lip when she noticed his bloody nose. He glared at her, daring her to say anything about it.

'What?! What more do you want from me?!?'

'Look, I'm sorry, all right? I'm sorry, but they heard the tape! They heard the bloody tape!'

He turned away and kept walking, but she kept up with him.

'I'm not saying I'm agreeing with them. What's done is done-'

'No its not, never is.' he interrupted. 'People say "the past" like it's something dead and buried. But the past's alive Vic. It comes for you when you least expect it an' kicks you in the bullocks. Like Sam Tyler...'

'What?'

He looked away, staring off into space.

'Sam Tyler...was my DI...in Manchester. Thirty three years ago.' He looked back, as if waiting for her to comment, but all she could think of was: Whaaat? and feeling like she wanted to laugh and scream at the same time. She did neither.

'Gene...think carefully. How could that be possible?'

He bared his teeth in frustration.

'I don't know! I don't bloody know. It's mad, it's just a mad thing, but it's him. Walks like him, talks like him...he even knows me.'

'Maybe he's read up on you?'

'No, it's him, it'shim. Here to haunt me, making me own up to my sins.'

'What do you mean "haunting you"?'

'Thirty three years ago, I lost everything I ever gave a damn about. I blamed him for it, told him so. But I was the one cocked it all up. My idea, my responsibility. I had the world in my hands, and I pissed it all away.'

'Gene, look, let's get you home, put your feet up. I'll make you a nice cuppa tea-'

A car suddenly pulled up beside them. Four men jumped out and grabbed Gene, who started to swear and struggle against them, lashing out with heavy fists.

'Oi!' She pulled her gun out of her purse, pointed it at them, being careful not to aim for her former mentor.

'You're under arrest!'

'Don't move copper, or I'll blow you're head off.' The voice in her ear was familiar. She smiled smugly.

'Mr. Fry...if you're going to threaten me, I suggest you use an actual gun, and not the whiteboard pen or whatever it is you're digging into my back.'

'Good point CS Pullman. Lads!'

The men finally had Gene in their grasp, if the worse for wear for it. Two of them looked like they were in excruciating pain, and the other two were nursing a black eye and a crocked nose.

'If she doesn't give me her gun, shoot Mr. Hunt, okay?'

Swearing under her breath, Sandra handed it over.

Sam stared at the static on the tv, hand over his mouth. He'd watched the tape three times before he'd really believed what it was he was seeing.
'Christ Gene...', he murmured, a wave of guilt passing over him. Gene'd tried to explain things, but he hadn't listened, had he? Just gave him a broken nose for his troubles. What a mess.

'Yes Sam, what a mess indeed.'

He looked up quickly.

'You!'

His personal demon, flashing smile straight from a milk advert, tapping her way across the floor like little Red Riding Hood.

'You can't be here!'

'Yes I can Sam. I don't have to play by the rules.'

He pressed his hands over his eyes, shutting them tight as he backed quickly away.

'You can't be here, you can't be! No, I can't see you, I can't!'

'Nobody sees, do they Sam? Nobody see's the truth. Except you.' He felt a little soft hand pat him on the face. He flinched.

'You don't have long, and neither does he. Tick tock Sam. Don't let the clock run down.'

The phone rang.

He flinched into wakefulness, sighing with relief as he realised he'd only been dreaming. As he struggled to get his jangling nerves under control, he picked up the phone.

'DCI Tyler.'

'Tyler,' It was Jack's voice. 'Is CS Pullman there?'

'Sorry Jack, I haven't. Why?'

'...Thought she was at your place.'

Sam looked out the window, but couldn't see anyone outside.

'No, I can't see her. Maybe she changed her mind.' There was an uneasy feeling in the back of his mind, but he pushed it away. Probably still feeling a bit bothered by the dream. 'Listen, I know it's late, but there's something I have to show you.'

'Er, all right. We're all down at having a nightcap at Brians. Bring it over and we'll have a look.'

He paused. Did he really want to show this to everyone? Now?
What choice did he have.

'Great, give me your address, I'll be right there.'

'You should keep your officers on a tighter leash CS Pullman.' Fry tutted as the coppers glared at him, their hands bound tightly behind them . 'We wouldn't be in this mess if it wasn't for him.' Gene spat at him, making a bloody stain on Fry's shirt.

'You hurt my officer Fry, and I'll make yer life a living hell.'

Fry smirked, wiping at the spit with a tissue. 'Hell is for the little people, who feel the need to believe in little imaginary things God and ethics. I'd rather believe in real things, like money.'

'Money and secrets, eh Fry?' Gene spat, glaring at him through a blackening eye. 'You're swimming in both, ever since you started snatching kids down in Manchester, right? Good money in human trafficking. Especially if it's kids. And if one day you run short, well...there's always little Teddy, isn't there?'

'Only, it's wasn't that easy, was it?' Sandra added.

'Just because he was-' Fry bit off whatever he was going to say.

'Look, just shut it.'

The whole team were glued to the telly. For once, not because of a football match. Clarke seemed somewhat distressed, sneaking glances at Tyler from time to time, a guilty look on his face. Jack and Gerry looked angry, but Brian was merely thoughtful as he frowned at the screen, rubbing his thumb under his chin. For his part, Tyler just sat there, looking down at the ground. As the tape came to the end, Brian pressed pause, and turned to the DCI.

'Hunt left this for you?'

Tyler nodded.

'And you don't remember any of this?'

'No, nothing.' Tyler shook his head again.

'It'd mean a lot if you could.' Gerry said cautiously. Tyler stood, pacing back and forth.

'Don't you think I've been trying? If I could flip a switch in my head, I'd do it, but I don't know how!'

'Easy son, easy.' Jack cautioned.

They watched warily as the DCI sat down in a empty chair.

'You know, I remember waking up in the hospital...after my coma...the way it felt, the way it smelled...It was like my body didn't belong to me, it felt.. heavy... strange. Every day was a struggle to make it mine again, to eat by myself, to walk, to button up my jacket. It was the struggle that made it worth while. It gave me something to reach for, something to achieve. It made me feel alive.'

He brought his thumb up to his face, worrying at a hangnail with his teeth.

'And then one day, I was cured. All better, go on home that's a love.' He gave a small laugh that sounded like a cough.

'Strange how being well made me feel worse.'

The room became uncomfortably silent as the men all exchanged looks over Tyler's head. Clarke cleared his throat.

'You can't remember anything about the hospital sir?'Tyler shook his head.

'Nothing except the name. The Hyde Health Centre For Children.'

'Founded by Doctor Frank Morgan you know.' Brian said, nodding, his movement frozen by Sam turning towards with checked fury.

'...What did you say?'

'Doctor Morgan...he's been long time friends of the Pennywise family. Gave em' the money to build the place.'

Jack looked carefully at Sam. 'Does that mean anything to you?'

'...My...doctor, at the hospital, that was his name.' He leaned forwards.

'Tell me about him.' Brian nodded his head, settling back in his chair.

'Doctor Frank Morgan Jr., P.H.D. M.D., 1981 and 1990, semi-retired to Spain. He's named after his father, originally from Hyde, Manchester, which is where the hospital got it's name. In 1973, he succeeded DCI Gene Hunt as the new DCI of Manchester-Salford CID.'

Tyler stood again.

'Shit! It's all connected, isn't it.'

Gerry shook his head firmly.

'Nah, no way..probably a coincidence that DCI Morgan took over in Manchester and his family's connected to the Pennywises, and his son supplied the money to build their hospital...er....all right, I think there might be a connection.'

'Can we contact the Morgan's?' Jack asked. Brian shook his head.

'The fathers dead, and the son's gone off to Spain. Indefinite leave.' DCI Tyler was getting more and more agitated by all this.

'If only I could remember!' he said, kicking at his chair.

'Oi! Just because you can't remember where you put your brains, don't take it out on me furniture!' Brian complained.

'Why don't you try hypnosis?' said Esther Lane, entering the room with a plate of sandwiches. She gave it to Jack, who put it carefully on the table.

'Hypnosis?'

'Ummhm. That's what my friend Gillian did when she couldn't remember where she left her wedding ring. Went to a hypnotherapist and she could see it, clear as a bell, right on top of the fridge where she'd left it when she was cleaning up.'

'Hypnosis? Hypnosis...' Brian said thoughtfully. He looked to Tyler, who grimaced.

'Why don't I like that look?'

'Just because he was what Mr. Fry?' Sandra said cautiously.

Fry gave her a sly smile.

'Oh I'm sorry, but just because we've got you in our car and all, it doesn't mean that I'm going to spill all my plans. That would be a stupid mistake, wouldn't it? Classic villain mistake: get the heroes where you want them and then go on and on about your plans-' He was cut off by a vicious kick to the face from Sandra's high heeled boots.

'Not like the mistake of nattering on and on about nothing!' she shot out, throwing herself forward at Fry. She managed to pin him with a knee while Gene struggled with one of the unnamed men who'd captured them. Fry writhed and snarled under her.

'Get off me you slag!'

'Oh make me, you pathetic wanker.'

Grabbing her foot, he twisted and heaved her off, throwing her against the car door, which fell open to her shock.

'Vic!'

Chapter 15

Delayed

2008-07-04T12:21:00Z

Due to my stupidity, the next instalment of A Game Of Odds will be delayed. Details to follow Sunday. I am sorry :(

A Game Of Odds Chap.13

2008-06-27T01:47:52Z

Title: A Game Of Odds Chap. 13
Rating: Blue Cortina for language.
Author: liquorishflame
Spoilers: Up until 2.8 for LOM. and series 1 for NT.
Chap. Summary: And what's Gene been up to?
A/N: Beated by saintvic who brought it to work with her so's she could finish it. She is a gem, throw her flowers and read her stuff :) Also, for those who are wondering, Gene left his bike at work, that's where he got it from.

Chapter One, Chapter Two, Chapter Three, Chapter Four, Chapter Five, Chapter Six, Chapter Seven, Chapter Eight, Chapter Nine, Chapter Ten, Chapter Eleven, Chapter Twelve

Sam and Sandra stood in uncomfortable silence after Gene had left the room.

'Did you...' Sandra’s hoarse question faltered for a moment. She cleared her throat and then continued. 'Did you know?'

Sam shook his head. 'I knew that the case was making him lose it. I knew it hit too close to home, but when I came in I thought...I honestly thought it had been Ray.'

He noticed Sandra was frowning at him, and mentally played back what he'd just said.
Shit.

The silence expanded for a moment and then Sandra spoke up.

'Let's..try to focus on the here and now DCI Tyler. Go out and look at the files and evidence with the others.'

'Files and evidence?'

'NOW Tyler!' she snarled.

Gene's mind was speeding as his bike as he hurtled down the London streets.

Vic, how could you do that to me? You always knew I had feet of clay girl.
He let out a heavy sigh.

Look, doesn’t matter now. What's done is done. What now?

What about Tyler?

What about him?

Well...remember you didn't meet him that day 'cause he were sick?

Yeah, and?

They said he'd gone down to the Hyde Ward for Children, remember? Maybe there's more to that story.

Like what?

Dunno. Let's find out.

He leaned into a sharp curve, turning towards the hospital.

Having got there in good time, he walked up to the front desk, hand going for his warrant card before he remembered. Sod it all. Well that was going to make it more fun, wasn't it?
Ah well, in for a pint, in for a pound.

The receptionist was a lumpy mashed potato sort of woman. She was wearin' a pink jumpsuit and had hair like stringy wig (or maybe it were a wig), an' sporting a frown that looked more like a sulk. Was also wearin' a name tag that had a bright smiley sun on it, with a word balloon coming out that said: Hi! My name is Shirley. She didn't look up as he strolled up, but kept winding a piece of hair round and round one finger of her right hand.

'Name?' she mumbled, not looking up.

'DCI Hunt love, I'm here to see the man or woman in charge.'

'You'll have to take a seat over there.' she said peevishly, pointing to the chairs behind him. Bloody hell, she didn't even look up.

'Sorry, must not have heard me, I'm DCI Hunt, I'm a pol-ice-man.' he enunciated.

'Take a seat there, someone will be with you soon.'

He wiped a hand over his face, sighing.

'God help us....'

He waved his hand in front of her greasy face, and she finally looked up, that peevish look obviously permanent.

'Look, be a love and go get the man in charge, all right? Tah.'

She rolled her eyes and stood up, waddling over to the corridors.

'I'll go and find someone. You stay here, and keep out of trouble.'

'No problem.' he said innocently, winking. She scowled at him over her shoulder before disappearing. How someone as lumpy as that managed, he'd never no. But that wasn't the most important thing. Which was, at the moment, find any security tapes from that day. Time for his James Bond impression...

Moving swiftly through the corridors, he looked at each door he passed until he came to one with a glass window labeled SECURITY. Taking a sly peek, and seeing no-one was in, quickly he tried the door which was locked, God...bless it.

If only Tyler was here, the man was a master with a lock...not that he'd ever tell him that. Okay then, plan b...

Turning his head, he smashed his elbow through the glass, wincing as he cut his arm. Ignoring it, he reached through and turned the handle. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a clean (relatively) hanky and clapped it over the wound as he looked around, closing the door behind him as he did so.

'Ah ha! Bingo!'

He picked up a box of security tapes and popped one of them into the VCR of the small telly in the room.

'..and another thing, the state of this operating theatre is a disgrace!'

He winced at the noise, turning down the volume quickly. 'Hope no-one heard that.' he muttered to himself. Of course Gene. Just like no-one heard you break through the door.

'Shitshitshit...'

Look, then leap Gene, damn you. This'd have to be quick, as the nun said to the vicar.

He looked through the box, squinting at the labels. He needed the one from the day Sam was here. He quickly rummaged through them as best he could, as panic started to rise in the back of his throat. Come on now, come on, it had to be there, deep breaths Gene, come on my son!

He closed his eyes, and took the calming breaths, in through the nose, out through the mouth.

Opening them, he cracked a smile as he saw the right tape was practically under his nose.

'Just goes to show yeh, old dogs can learn new tricks.'

He watched the screen as it flickered and then steadied. He could see his DI..(not DI) the DCI was in a small room with a window over looking a what he guessed was a corners, talking to someone who looked very familiar. It took Gene a second to recognize Fry, the rotten ol' sod. 'Im and Albert were practically neck an' neck for Best Bastard of 1973. Tyler was there too, standing with 'is back to the window, which looked out on the body of a small girl. Tyler glanced over his shoulder at her before turning back to Fry.

'Is it necessary to do this here?'

Fry nodded, the look of concern on his face as at home as a squirrel in an igloo.

'Afraid so Detective. The parents will be along shortly.'

'Parents?'

'To view the body. I'm afraid we don't have a lot of time, so we better get down to it.'

Tyler nodded, and as he did so, Gene could swear he did see the body move. But then Tyler started talking again.

'Do you remember the night that Thomas Pennywise was murdered?'

Fry looked thoughtful.

'Surely that was a long long time ago now squire.'

He chuckled and put a hand on Tyler's shoulder, who looked at it like it was a day old dog turd. The other man quickly took it back.

Good for you Sammy boy...did that girl's arm just twitch?

'Albert Pennywise is saying that he's innocent, did you know that?'

'Yeh, he kept saying that when they first arrested 'im. Still a lying bastard, eh?'

'Can you tell me what happened?' Tyler turned to glance behind him, idly looking at the items on the shelf behind him. Gene knew that trick, he'd taught it to the poncey git.

'Pretend your not really paying attention, and they might just slip up and say sommat important.' he said, nodding at the screen, but then gritting his teeth as he saw Fry put something into his pocket while Tyler was off with the fairies.

'Albert was off his nut 'cause he thought Liz'd called the roz- ah, the police. Started smackin’ her around and Tommy got in the way. Brave boy, but foolish. Albert nearly put 'is head through the wall, an' when Liz went to help 'im, he threw the kettle at 'er.'

Tyler turned back around. 'Sounds like things were pretty bad at home for Tommy.'

'Oh yeah, even had to step in a couple'a times. But she wouldn't leave him, the silly b...love.'

Tyler pinned Fry with his eyes, a patented DCI Hunt move that made Gene chuckle.

'So if Tommy suffered severe blunt force to the head, how come he died from suffocation?'

Fry's mouth dropped. 'What?'

Tyler's mouth set in a tight grin as he shoved his hands into his pockets. 'In the coroner’s report, there's evidence of repeated beatings, multiple injuries, and yet, no head injuries. Abusers are more careful then that.'

Fry looked very uncomfortable and Gene chuckled. 'Atta boy.'

'Er...sorry, it was so long ago.'

'And yet it seemed pretty clear to you. Perhaps because you were there?

'You're out of your tree mate.' It was very gratifying to see Fry cowering there like the slimy coward that he was, but Gene was distracted by something in the corner of the screen. Looking, he was shocked to see the dead girl move her arm. Fry saw it too, and his eyes flicked. Tyler frowned suspiciously.

'What is it you're looking at?' he said, half turning when suddenly Fry stabbed him in the arm with a needle. Tyler gasped and fell to the ground, clutching at Fry's sleeve. The bastard brushed him off as he pulled a cell phone out of his pocket.

'It's me. Why do you think? You didn't give her enough, she's waking up! I don't care about the bloody side effects, get down here and do it properly this time!'

Clicking it shut, he was surprised by Tyler who pushed him into the wall. The two men fought like weasels in a sack, grasping and clinging at each other. But it was Fry who had the upper hand, slammed the DCI into the side of a desk. Tyler shook his head like he was shaking off cobwebs, blinking frantically.

Fry smiled. 'You're tougher then you look Tyler, that much should have knocked out an elephant.'

'What..what're you doing?'

The devil actually smiled.

'You know, everyone goes looking for a missing kid, but who'd ever look for a dead one?'

Tyler bared his teeth like a dog that's seen a rat. 'You..!'

He pushed forward, but was caught by some tosser who just came in.

'Good timing Rob. Just hold him for me, would you?

Unable to move, Tyler started to shout, only to be stoppered by a hand the size of a dinner plate. Fry walked up with another needle, tapping at it with a mockery of doctor's concern.

'I've been told about your little gang, UCOS, or LUCOS or whatever they are. And you're its weakest link, aren't you? Crazy suicidal copper that no-one wants anymore. Who'd ever believe you, if you even remember?'

Gene's hand were clenched in rage as he helplessly watched. Tyler groaned as the needle was slowly pushed into his arm, his head drooping back. Fry gave a little laugh, patting his face. 'That's a good boy, yes. Time to sleep now.'

Suddenly Tyler came back to life. Giving a panicked heave, he threw his head back, breaking Rob's nose with a satisfying crunch, then spinning to ram him to the floor. Stumbling to the exit door, Tyler flung it open, and ran out of view, shouting for Clarke.

Gene turned it off, and stood up, wincing as he jarred his arm, his heart pounding in his chest as he though about what he'd just seen. His hand was shaking as he hid the tape inside his jacket pocket and closed the broken door behind him.

'Oi! What’re you doing?'

'Er..nothing, just go lost trying to find the loo.' Gene gave the frowning lump and her security guard a befuddled look. They weren't buying.

'Come on old man.' said the guard, reaching for his cut arm. He pulled back back. 'Don't touch me.'

'Come along-'

Gene elbowed him in the gut and ran past, going for the outside like a rugby player on the final stretch. He was out the doors and onto his bike in record breaking time, feeling a great relief as he left his pursuers in the dust.

He knew exactly where he'd take this...

Gene paused as he was about to knock on Tyler's door, feeling a wave of premonition wash over him (or maybe it was indigestion from them shrimp cocktails he'd had the other night?). After seeing what Tyler'd gone through, he felt as if..maybe he should tell him.
Yeh, he'd tell him.
He'd knock on the door and say 'Tyler, I'm sick. Actually, I'm dying.' And Tyler'd frown and say:

'So what is it?'

He'd smile and shake his head, and Tyler'd try to guess.

'What is it, sclerosis?'

'No.'

'Lung cancer?'

'No.'

'Well what is it Gene? Overgrown ego?!'

And this would be the hard bit, 'cause how do you tell yer best mate, or someone who used to be your best mate, something like this. He'd look 'im square in the face, darin' him to look away as he said.

'I've got AIDS.'

And there would be a pause and Sam'd get all flushed an' flustered. He'd cross, and uncross his arms, and rub the back of 'is neck. So he'd say something like:

'Well Sammy boy, either you've taken up some strange new form of Morris Dancing or you're decidedly uncomfortable with the idea that your former DCI has the gay cancer.'

Sam's eyes would widen.

'You're gay?'

'No I'm not bloody gay! If I was gay, I'd be shouting it from the rooftops! I'd be pulling David Beckham and John Bloody Barrowman!'

Sam'd smile then, could always make the bugger smile.

'Oh someone has a high opinion of themselves! And isn't David Beckham married to Posh?'

'She's not a woman, she's a soddin' goth Barbie. Besides, no-one can resist the Gene Genie’s indefinable allure.'

'What, the miasma of fags and whiskey that surrounds you like your own personal greenhouse effect?'

'All part of me charm.'

He'd want to know of course...

'How did it happen? Infected blood transfusion, stabbed with a dirty needle...unprotected sex?'

'Dunno. All of the above?'

'Gene..'

'Sam...' he'd parrot back. And what Sam would say then?
He didn't know. Maybe, 'Why've you stopped fighting it?' or 'How can you be so calm?!'

He might rage and rant.

He might be cool and aloof.

He might even blink at him and say, 'Why're you here?'

And that would be the worst, wouldn't it? The worst would be him pouring his heart out and Tyler being bloody indifferent. Made him angry just thinking about it, and he pounded on the door. It opened, revealing an angry and puzzled looking Sam.

'Why're you here?'

The words hit him like a punch to the gut. Gene winced.

'Just...came by to see how you're doing.'

They stood there, and Gene thought about how, in years past, he would have just barged his way in, and if his stuck up hedgehog of a DI didn't like it, he could lump it. But instead he just stood there, the memory of Albert’s beating holding him back, waiting while Tyler made up his mind about whether to let him in or not.

After starin' at him a coupla seconds, Tyler let the door swing open, and he turned and walked back into the flat, flopping down on the sofa in front of the telly. He pointed the control at it and the scene sprang into action.

'You want anything to eat?' he said over his shoulder.

'Nah. I'll have a beer though.'

'In the fridge.'

Gene walked to the fridge and grabbed a bottle, savoring the feel of its sweaty coolness in his palm. He walked back over to the sofa and sat down.

Sam snuck a look at his old DCI as they sat in silence, watching the screen in front of him. Why was he here? Why now?
Was this bonding?

Gene'd have to be crazy if he thought now was a good time for reminiscing about the old days.

'What's with him, that chap from Couplings?'

'You watch Couplings?'

'Yeh I watch Couplings.'

'Well that's Norrington Gene.'

'Well why's he look like a bloody ice cream?'

'It's a wig, he's supposed to look like that.'

'What, like a complete twat?'

'He's not a twat, he's just....okay, fair enough, he looks like a twat.'

There was silence for a while.

'Why is Sparra wearing makeup?'

'Sparrow. He's not wearing makeup.'

'He is, looks more girly then Ginger Spice.'

'He's a pirate! And Gerri Halliwell's Ginger Spice looked more like an extraterrestrial transvestite.'

'Errol Flynn never looked like that.' Gene retorted, completely ignoring his rebuttal.

'You do know that Errol Flynn was gay, right?'

'Not as gay as this Depp nonce is.'

Sam turned off the TV with an aggravated sigh.

'Fine! You don't want to eat, you don't want to watch telly, what do you want to do?'

Gene looked down, toying with his bottle.

'So, how've you been Tyler?'

'Great, fantastic, couldn't be flipping better! And you?'

Gene shrugged. 'No complaints.'

Sam stood up and walked to the door.

'What're you doing?'

'Getting your coat. I'm not going to let you sit here killing time because you've got no life of your own!'

'Well bloody excellent! I wouldn't want to hang around with some stuck up git like you anyway!'

'Good! Now leave before you make a permanent dent in my sofa!'

'What was that? Was that a remark about me weight?'

'How could I not notice, the way you're always throwing it around you big oaf!'

'And you, Sam Tyler, are smaller in every conceivable way!'

'Don't start-!'

'Oh I think I will!'

Sam leaned back and punched him on the nose, making the other man stagger back a few paces. Gene reached up and touched his face, frowning as his hand came away bloody. Sam immediately felt sorry.

'Christ, Gene I'm...Jesus. Let me look at it-'

Gene pulled away, raising hand up in warning.

'Don't.'

Without another word, he turned and walked away. It was only then that Sam noticed a video tape on the kitchen counter.

Chapter 14

A Game Of Odds, Chapter Twelve

2008-06-18T23:37:07Z

Title: A Game Of Odds Chap. 12
Rating: Blue Cortina for language.
Author: liquorishflame
Spoilers: Up until 2.8 for LOM.
Chap. Summary: Albert Pennywise is brought in.
A/N: Un-beated, unfortunately. I've been procrastinating, sorry. The fic faeries really don't come to finish your story in the night, do they? :/

Chapter One, Chapter Two, Chapter Three, Chapter Four, Chapter Five, Chapter Six, Chapter Seven, Chapter Eight, Chapter Nine, Chapter Ten, Chapter Eleven

Yesterday

Clarke and Brian walked Pennywise towards the interrogation room, his lawyer, Richard Webb, following further behind, reluctantly. As they go nearer, Pennywise twisted to look at Webb.

'Ricky?'

'Hush Albert, it's all right.'

'Ricky?!'

Pennywise continued to struggle.

'Ey, hold onto him will yeh?' Brian complained as he nearly lost his grip.

'What..do you...THINK..I'm doing!' Clarke grunted back, just as Pennywise broke free.

The man was running straight towards his lawyer. 'Ricky, Ricky!'

'Look out!' Clarke said, running after the man, who had finally caught up with his lawyer, and was hugging him firmly.

'Don't let them hurt Tommy, don't let them take him away again!'

'Hey, it's all right, hush, hush now Bertie.' As he cradled the ex-con in his arms, he shot an angry look over the other man's shoulder at the two coppers standing there in disbelief.

After giving Pennywise some milky tea and cushion to cuddle in one of the cells ('I feel like Mary Poppins,' Brain grumbled), the two officers sat down with Richard in the interrogation room.

'What's wrong with him?' Clarke asked.

'With Albert? Nothing. Nothing more spending ten years in the prison system after being framed for his son's murder.'

'Ey, you don't know that.' Brian said, frowning as he held up a hand.

'Yes, I do!'

The force of the answer seemed to surprise him as much as the coppers. Webb looked down at his hands on the desk.

'Look, I know him,' he continued, more quietly. 'I have known him since we were kids, and I'm telling you: He didn't do it.'

Brian leaned forward, frowning slightly.

'Why are you so sure?'

'Albert always did as he was told, unless he was supposed to hurt someone. Let me give you an example: when were were kids, and I'm talking fifteen or sixteen here, I loaned Bertie...Albert some dirty mags. He, of course, hid them under his mattress, where of course, his Roman Catholic mother found them when she was cleaning his room. They asked him where he'd got them, but he wouldn't say.' The venom in his voice was apparent.

'Do you have something against Catholics sir?' Clarke asked.

'Only those who beat the living shit out of their child when they don't get what they want. Oh, and coincidentally, it was a week later that Albert and Elizabeth got married.'

'So because he had a crappy childhood, he's not guilty.' Brian said. 'Not like we've never heard that before.'

'He wasn't violent, never has been violent. He didn't even try to fight back when they hit him.'

'You know what I'm wondering sir.' Clarke said as Brian was about to speak.

'What's that?' he said, shooting his colleague a dirty look.

'I'm was thinking, how Webb knew we were at the Laurel.'

Yeah...' Webb looked down at his hands.

'Mr. Lane, PC Clakre...when I heard that your team was re-opening the case, I was in seventh heaven. Finally, we would have a chance to tell our side of the story, finally we would be granted an audience. Then the days dragged on, and on. I called your superior and he said that there was no need to call Albert, they already had his testimony on tape. His forced testimony, I might ad. Extracted during a beating, which was given to him by one of the officers who arrested him.'

Brian and Clarke exchanged glances, but said nothing. Webb noticed, but continued.

'I asked if there was any way I could get in touch with the officers in charge of the case. He said it was impossible, couldn't be done. I hung up and called again to your office number and was able to get in touch with CS Pullman, who said that you were all having a drink at the Laurel Arms.'

'She told you that?'

'Well, I was very polite...'

He sighed as Brian folded his arms, leaning back in his chair.

'I may have identified myself as clerk or something like that-'

'You mean you lied.'

Webb coloured, but set his jaw.

'I wasn't going to just stand by and do nothing, not again! One lie is a small price to pay for the greater good, isn't it? I was convinced that once he spoke to you, and once you saw him, you'd know he couldn't have done it. So I went over to Bertie's place to pick him up, take him there. But I didn't know.....I wasn't aware that he knew any of the officers who had been assigned to the case. When he saw your DCI going into the pub, he insisted I stop the car. And you know the rest.'

'Why did he try to hit DCI Tyler?' Clarke said

'I can only think of one thing that might have set him off.' Webb paused.

'Which is?'

Webb sighed, looking up at the ceiling.

'Listen, if you want to talk to Albert, ask him anything you like about what happened. By now, he should be fairly calm and coherent. But do not, under any circumstances, accuse him of the murder of his only child.'

'You look tired.' Gerry commented as Tyler sat dazedly in a chair. He glanced up.

'What?'

'I said: you look tired.'

The younger man nodded, the circles under his eyes looking like they'd been tattooed on.

'Lemmie get you a tea.'

He poured himself another cup, then poured one for himself.

'Do you like sugar? Milk?'

Tyler shook his head.

'No. Strong, black.'

'Okay then.'

Gerry walked back, holding out the cup.

'Get that down you.'

The man nodded. 'Tah, your a diamond.'

'No trouble.'

Tyler looked up at him at that.

'You're being awfully nice...'

Gerry shifted uncomfortably. 'Yeah...well...you know, us lads have to stick together an all that-'

'So you know what happened to me?'

'Dunno what you mean Boss.'

Tyler gave him an amused look and Gerry sighed.

'You mean the car crash? Yeh.'

There was a moment's silence where Gerry shifted his weight from foot to foot.

'What happened between you and Pennywise?' he finally said.

'Sorry?'

'He tried to take a swing at you, what happened?'

'I'd just finished my song...I was coming down the stage when he ambushed me. It reminded me of when you're on a big case, and some ambulance chasing reporter pushes in front of you..."DI Tyler, can you tell us what you think about" etc. etc. I just..wanted to get away from him. I told him, politely, that we didn't know each other. He insisted that we did. I said that as a copper, I tried not to socialize with child murderers. And that's when...' he gestured aimlessly, then let his hand drop. He took a sip of the tea, and Gerry realised that he was waiting for him to say something.

'Good thing you're not married eh?' he blurted out, then stopped. Christ, was Tyler married?

'You're not, are you?' To his relief, Tyler shook his head.

'No...Never found the time for a relationship like that. You?'

'Me? More then you have fingers and toes Sammy boy.' They both chuckled.

'There was this one girl....'

There always is, thought Gerry as he grinned.

'Oh yeh?'

'She was...beautiful. Jus' ...beautiful.'

'So she was beautiful, so's a pint of Guinness, what else?'

Tyler smiled, sitting back in the chair.

'She looked like...like..you know Renoir?' Gerry shook his head. 'No, wait, yeh I do. Impressionist, right?'

Sam nodded. 'Yeh, looked a woman from a Renoir painting. Porcelain skin, dark brown hair...the most amazing eyes. Blue eyes you could just drown in them. There were times I just wanted to stare into them like some goofy kid with puppy love...but...'

'But?'

Tyler frowned, bit his lip.

'Well, ah, y'know. The job, my situation. She was just a W- a DC, I was her superior. Seemed like the marrying type though. The kind of person, the kind of girl....who, who could make you laugh, on the worst day of your life, who would keep her head when the shit hit the fan...The kind of person you could tell all your secrets, the kind who would keep them.'

'So what happened then?'

'She..she died. In the line of duty.'

He suddenly curled up on himself, scratching at his arm.

'Oi, have a care, you're bleedin'!'

'Am I?' He looked to where Gerry was pointing at a small but spreading stain on his arm.

He rolled up his shirt sleeve to reveal an angry looking puncture. It looked like it had started bleeding when he'd scratched it. Gerry whistled.

'Looks like a bite or something.' He grabbed a paper napkin and pressed it to the wound.

'Does it hurt?'

Sam just kept looking down at his arm.

'No...I don't feel a thing.'

He took the napkin from Gerry.

'I'm not feeling so well...think I'll take an early night.'

'Sure, no problem. We'll call you if we need anything.

Sam mumbled something as he shrugged on his jacket, heading out the door just as he left, Brian and Clarke came in.

'Gerry, where's the Guv'nor?!'

'She's in the office with Jack, you need her?'

'Yeh, something's come up, and we have to tell everyone. Where's Tyler?'

'Sent him home, poor lad. Probably still not adjusted back to full days.'

Brian rolled his eyes as Clarke suppressed a chuckle.

'Didn't take much to change your tune did it sir?' Clarke teased.

'Oh come off it! Lad's probably exhausted, what with all he's been through.'

Brain gave a one shouldered shrug.

'Well anyway, let him, we can catch him up on it when he gets here tomorrow.'

He went to bang on the door to Sandra's office. 'Jack! Guv'nor!'

It opened and Jack and Sandra came out.

'Gerry, we were in the middle of something-'

'This is important!'

'How important?'

'Pennywise know who the killer is!'

She stopped.

'Didn't he accuse anyone when he was arrested?'

'No Guv'nor, he was too scared to.'

'Scared?'

'Just, just come on.'

'Hold, on, I'll just stop-'

She was interrupted by a shout.

'I..I didn't do nothing!'

'Oh, you didn't do nothing?'

There was the sound of a slap, followed by a chuckle.

'How about now?'

' "Just stop the tape?" ' Brian finished, as the UCOS team all stared at their CS.

Chapter 13

A Game Of Odds Chap. 11

2008-05-28T03:12:29Z

Title: A Game Of Odds Chap. 11
Rating: Blue Cortina for language.
Author: liquorishflame
Spoilers: Up until 2.8 for LOM.
Chap. Summary: Gene and Sam relieve the good old days.
A/N: Beatated by the lovely saintvic.

Chapter One, Chapter Two, Chapter Three, Chapter Four, Chapter Five, Chapter Six, Chapter Seven, Chapter Eight, Chapter Nine, Chapter Ten.

'Jack, have you seen my-'

Sandra broke off as she saw Jack sitting there with the folder open in front of him. She tried to grab it, but he held it out of reach.

'How long have you had this?'

'It's not what you think-'

'And what exactly, do I think?'

She let out a long breath.

'Do you know why I've been supressing this? Pressure from above. The Hyde Health Centre For Children has a lot of supporters and a lot of money in it. People like Dr. Morgan and Gary Welkes. For us to be investigating one of their founders is causing some of the high ups to wet their knickers.'

'But Elizabeth isn't a suspect.'

'No, but her brother is. He's got a mean streak in him a mile wide. I've been trying to get her to say something, but haven't managed anything so far.'

'So, these tapes are you and Elizabeth?'

'Yup.'

'Sly. Very sly Sandra.'

'Thank you.'

'And she was suppressing this file?'

'Yes...and I was letting her.'

'Why?'

'There's nothing in the interview that implicates her or her brother Mr. Fry. But by letting her think that there was...'

'..You led her down the garden path! Brilliant!' Jack grinned.

'So all these tapes are you and her?'

Sandra's smile faded.

'...No. One of them is the 1973 interview with Albert Pennywise...by DCI Gene Hunt.'

The next day....

'Gene!'

Sam pounded on the door of the address he'd been given.

'Gu-Gene! C'mon, I'm here to pick you up (since you left your bike at the station).'

He knocked second time, only to have the door opened by a tousled blonde girl, who was just barely dressed in a man's shirt. She squinted at him.

'Yeh?'

'Er..is Gene up?'

'Who?'

'The...gentleman you're with.'

The girls eyes widened and she smirked. 'Oh right, the "gentleman". Hold on "sir", I'll just see if he's in, shall I?'

Sam, with the blush creeping up to his hair line, felt like the oldest fogiest bloke ever, as he stood uncomfortably in the doorway.

'Guv! Guv, door for you swee'heart' !'

'Thank you my lovely.' Gene appeared from in the bathroom, toweling his hair dry. As he and the girl passed each other, he gave her a passing smack on the arse, eliciting a squeal of delight. Sam watched in disbelief as Gene leaned nonchalantly against the door.

'Yeh Tyler?'

'What the fu- how old is she, twelve?!'

'Don't be such a nonce Gladys, she's of age.' He snuck a quick look over his shoulder, then bent forward, whispering.

'I checked her driver's license while she were asleep.'

The DCI groaned, wiping a hand over his face. 'God help us. An' how is it you're pulling girls, sorry, a girl, one tenth your age?'

Gene grinned. 'You know the nick-name that Doctor Who chappie has?'

'Wha', David Ten-inch?'

The former DCI nodded, leaning forward conspiratorially.

'Back in the day, I was known as Gene 'Twelve O' Cock' Hunt.'

'That just makes it sound like you've got twelve penises, Gene.' he retorted, frowning as he folded his arms.

Gene clucked his tongue as he reached forward to give his cheek an aunty-like pinch.

'Envy don't become you Sammy boy. Now bugger off and get the car 'round while I get ready.'

Sam pointed a finger at him.

'Twenty minutes Hunt. After that, I'm breaking the door down.'

'I'll laugh while you try.' The last thing Sam saw as the door shut was a flash of teeth from Gene's Cheshire Cat like grin.

'I can't believe you're sleeping with a prepubescent tart Gu-Ge-Hunt.' Sam said, rolling his eyes, as he drove them to the station.

Gene snorted, sipping a coffee. 'Can't help it if I'm charming and debonair.'

'Debonair.' Sam parroted blankly. Gene grinned.

'Yeh! It means-'

'I know what it means! I just can't bloody believe your cheek.'

'Just cause you haven't had any since-'

'What makes you think I haven't?!'

'Your bird. Your Ugandan bird, right? Didn't take you back, did she? I know the signs.'

Sam gripped the wheel tightly. 'Maya and I have decided we're better off as friends.'

His former DCI shot him a coy look. 'Friends eh? Just like you and Cartwright.'

Sam said nothing, trying to focus on driving. But Gene kept going on, and on.

'Course she never let you get her knickers off, did she? And it's not like she was even your type...'

'Change the subject.' he snapped, about to loose his temper.

'No, she never stood a chance, because you Tyler, like your women the way you like your coffee.'

'Oh really.'

'Yeh. Dark and bitter.' He chuckled at his own joke as Sam breathed shallowly, trying to stay in control. Count to ten, count to ten-

The light in front of them went from amber to red and he slammed on the brakes, causing hot coffee to spill down Gene's front.

'Flaming Nora!'

'And I guess you like your coffee the way you like your women: in your lap.'

The glared at each other.

'That, was very childish.'

'But very satisfying.'

'If you weren't drivin', I'd break your sodding nose.'

'Good thing I'm driving then, isn't it?'

They drove the rest of the way in tense silence.

Arriving at the office, they opened the door and walked down the stairs. The majority of the UCOS team, minus Sandra, were sitting around a table covered with files and tapes.

'Morning all.' Gene said cheerfully as Sam sneered slightly, shoving his hands in his pockets.

No-one answered back. The smile on Hunt's face began to curl down around the edges.

'Oi! I said "Good morning."!'

'And we heard you Mr. Hunt.' Brian said coldly, without raising his eyes.

'What's with the "Mr. Hunt" malarkey?'

Gerry snapped his file closed, stood up, and walked over to where Gene and Sam were standing.

'The Guv'nor wants a word.' he growled from between clenched teeth before he turned away. Gene blinked.

'What's your problem?' he reached out a hand, only to have it slapped away.

'Piss off!' Gerry stalked back to the chairs. About to retort, Gene was interrupted by the door to Sandra's office opening.

'Gene? Can I see you a minute?'

Shooting a frown at the team, Gene stomped off.

Without thinking Sam started to follow but was stopped when Clarke grabbed his arm.

'Sir, trust me when I say: you don't want to go in there.'

'Why?'

'Just...trust me sir.'

He shook off his hand, and followed Gene into the office. Seeing him, Sandra bit her lip slightly.

'DCI Tyler....what I want Mr. Hunt to hear, I would prefer you not to.'

Sam shook his head. 'Please, do your worst. There's nothing you can do that can make me have less regard for Mr. Hunt then I already do.'

The words spilled out of him before he could think, a spew of malice. Sandra and Gene both looked stunned. Gene was the first to recover.

'Let's-' His voice was horse and harrumphed, clearing his throat. 'Let's hear it then Vic.'

Sandra nodded and pushed the button.

As Gene stared down at the tape, listening to the crackle and hiss of white noise, he took a deep breath. He didn't like to talk about the past. He'd buried the past, forgotten it. But the past just couldn't stay dead.

'It's err, four-ish on April 11th 1973. Present are DC Skelton and DS Carling and, er...suspect Albert Pennywise.'

'Suspect?! You're bloody jokin'! He's guilty as sin!'

There was the sound of a door opening and closing.

'I'll take over from here DC Skelton.'

'Guv-'

'It's alright Chris. Just hop out to the canteen for a tic, okay? Grab me a Curly Wurly. An' Chris?'

'Yes Guv?'

'Take your time.'

'....Yes Guv.'

'Good lad.'

Gene rolled up his sleeves as he walked over and took his chair, sitting down across from Pennywise. The wanker'd been crying. As if that would make him innocent. Some people'd try anything, wouldn't they?

'Well Mr. Pennywise...you look tired. Don't he look tired Ray?'

His DS nodded.

'That he does Guv.'

'You know, they say that clear conscience makes a soft pillow. Not that you'd know about that, would you Bertie? I imagine anyone's conscience would be very muddy indeed, if they'd been up all night beating the shit outta yer wife and child.'

'I..I didn't do nothing!'

'Oh, you didn't do nothing?'

Gene leaned across the table and gave Pennywise a sharp slap. Ray stood in the corner looking on, snapping his gum.

'How about now?'

'...I'm innocent!'

'Innocent!?'

Slap.

'Lambs are innocent.'

Slap.

'Angels are innocent.'

Slap.

'Babies in prams shittin' themselves are innocent!'

SLAP.

'You my friend are no toddler. Or lamb. And definitely no angel.'

Gene pulled back his hand and punched the man, sending him falling backwards. Albert lay on the floor, whimpering. Gene looked at him in disgust. 'Get up.'

The man shook his head. 'No, no, no.'

'I said GET UP!!'

Bertie curled up into a ball, whimpering and moaning.

'Get him up Ray.'

Moving swiftly, Ray roughly dragged Bertie up and threw him back onto the chair.

'Now...where were we? Oh yeh..'

Gene slapped Pennywise's face as brutally as he could. The other man curled up on himself like a stuck slug.

'Stop it! Stop it, yer hurtin' us!'

'Oh be a good Christian an' turn the other cheek!'

Gene slapped him again.

'After all, that's what you do to your wife.'

Left side.

'To your kid!'

Right side.

'How old is young Theodore?'

'He's-'

'Was I asking you you piece of shite? Ray.'

'He's eight Guv.'

'Eight.'

Gene sat back in his chair as he stared daggers at the man across from him.

'Now Bertie, do you think it's fair that an eight year old boy gets up in the morning, gets ready for school, goes down for his breakfast and gets a kick in the kidneys with his side of bacon?'

The other man mumbled something, looking down.

‘Speak up.’ said Gene in a kind tone that was at odds with the look on his face.

'No. No it isn't fair.' He looked up and Gene saw something like panic in his face.

'It isn't right.' he protested.

The DCI stood up swiftly, overturning the table.

'You being funny?! You think that it's all a game?!!'

He dragged Bertie off his chair and onto the ground, punching and kicking him.

'How's that feel! Is this fun Bertie!' He could see nothing, feel nothing but the rage, hot molten anger pouring out of him.

'Are we having fun!!!'

Sam looked sideways at Gene as the sound of groans and pleas were drowned out by the noise of meat hitting meat echoed off the office walls. The other man's face was ashen as he stared blankly in front of him.

'Guv-'

The older man stirred.

'Turn it off Vic.'

Sandra continued to stare at the tape machine.

'I said TURN IT THE FUCK OFF!'

She did so, finally looking up.

'Mr. Hunt...you are suspended from this case...you will turn in your ID at the front desk. I'm sorry Gene.'

He turned to go.

'So am I.'

'That you did it, or that you got caught?' Sam said. Gene glanced over his shoulder, only showing them a slice of his face. With the hat on, all he could see were his eyes.

'Yes.' he finally answered, before walking out.

Chapter 12

A Game Of Odds-Chap. 10

2008-05-23T02:15:47Z

Title: A Game Of Odds Chap. 10
Rating: Blue Cortina for language.
Author: liquorishflame
Spoilers: Up until 2.8 for LOM.
Chap. Summary: More mysteries rather then less for the UCOS team as new facts come to light.
A/N: Spring is bad for writing. Go away pretty outside world, shoo! Beatated (yay!) by the incomparable saintvic who is a goddess :) (more action next time, I promise :) ).

Chapter One, Chapter Two, Chapter Three, Chapter Four, Chapter Five, Chapter Six, Chapter Seven, Chapter Eight, Chapter Nine.

'You have to admire his balls.' Jack remarked as they watched Tyler gyrating on the small stage. Brian and Gerry exchanged glances, stifling giggles.

'Not like that you prune!' he exclaimed, hitting them with his balled up napkin.

'Gotta point though, didn't think anyone'd dare to go up against Hunt...The music's certainly...interesting.' Gerry he said, nodding, then frowned suddenly.

'What?' Brian said.

'You see that bloke there...does he look like Albert Pennywise to you?'.

Following his glance, Jack nodded. 'Yes...yes he does.' The table started to get to their feet.

'That's because he is Albert Pennywise!' Clarke exclaimed.

'Really? I thought he was Kylie Minogue.' Gerry snarked as Brian rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

'What's he doing here?' he mused. 'And, more importantly, why's he watching Tyler?'

Gerry snorted. 'Pervy git.'

'Do you think he's going to do anything rash?' Jack said as they started to move through the crowd.

'If he tries it, he'll have us to deal with. Stick up his bum or not, Tyler's ours.'

'Well put, if rather dramatic Brian.'

'Thanks Jack. Now let's do this!' said the other man, rubbing his hands together with relish.

Jack gave him a sideways look as they shrugged on their coats. 'Quick question:have you been watching Hot Fuzz again?'

'No! .....Yes.'

'I thought you said that Simon Pegg was a fruity wanker with the all the talent of a worm eating two year old.' Gerry said slyly as the slowly moved towards Pennywise through the clapping and dancing crowd.

'Well.....opinions are like wine Gerry. They need time to...er....'

'Ferment? Rot?'

'Change. Why I bother talking to you lot, God only knows.'

'We're the only ones who put up with ya.' Gerry pointed out as Sam grabbed the mic and made an announcement from the stage.

'Sorry, sorry, I promised a mate I'd personally announce him. Ladies and gents, give it up for: The Gene Genie!' he said, as he pointed to the table where he'd been sitting. The UCOS team turned to look at Hunt, who sat there with a thunderous look on his face.

'S'tripe. Me.' Gerry said. 'If looks could kill..'

'You can say that again.' Jack murmured.

'Great, and what will he be singing?'

'Er....Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds.'

'Bloody hell... He does know what that stands for doesn't he?'

Clarke winced as they watched Mr. Hunt's furious face as he walked up to the stage. 'I think that's why he picked it sir.'

They were almost next to where Pennywise was standing. He'd stopped Tyler, and they now seemed to be in the midst of heated discussion. 'Let go of me!' they heard just as Tyler stormed out, swiftly followed by Pennywise.

They got outside just in time to see Pennywise take a swing at Tyler.

'You..he was my son, my son!'

Tyler easily sidestepped him, chopping at the back of his neck with his elbow, bringing Pennywise to his knees.

'Guess he didn't need our help after all.' Gerry commented as Pennywise collapsed at their feet, groaning. Jack nodded his agreement.

'One good thing though, we can bring him in! Alfred Pennywise, I'm arresting you for assaulting a police officer. You do not need to say anything, though it may harm your defence if you-'

'Wait!'

A well dressed man in an khaki trenchcoat ran up. 'I'm Richard Webb, and that is my client you're harassing.'

'Mr. Webb... how interesting to find you here.' Jack said with deceptive mildness.

'Whatever my client has been accused of, he's innocent!'

Brian smiled, waggling a cautionary finger. 'Mr. Webb, Mr. Pennywise here just tried to take DCI Tyler's head off! We're all witnesses.'

Webb looked from Pennywise to the team and then back again.

'What?'

'It's true. Out of the blue, he just took a swing at him, isn't that right DCI Tyler?' Gerry looked to Tyler, who glanced down at his shoes like he'd been caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

'S'right.'

Gerry and Jack exchanged a quick glance. Now was not the time though. 'Now, where was I?' Jack continued. 'Oh yes 'any evidence which you may rely on later in court...'

'Ay Gerry, better go inside and grab Hunt, okay?'

'Wha', me?'

'No, the spotted leopard standing behind yer, yes you!'

'All right! Keep yer hair on (what little there is of it).' he grumbled as he walked back inside.

Inside the club the shouting and wolf whistles almost deafened him.

'Robbin people with a six-gun!'

'I FOUGHT THE LAW AND, THE LAW WON!' the room chorused back with noisy cheer.

'I lost my girl and I lost my fun!

'I FOUGHT THE LAW AND, THE LAW WON!'

'I thought he was going to sing, "Lucy In The Sky"?' Gerry said as he nudged the nearest punter.

'What! Oh! Yeh, he went up and said he wasn't going to sing anything by those 'liverpool nancies' and started singing this! He's brilliant for an old guy, isn't he?'

Gerry laughed briefly, shaking his head.

'Yeh....'

He turned and walked back out, smiling smugly.

'Where's Hunt? Is he coming.' Brian asked as he handcuffed a weeping Pennywise.

'Nah. He's busy.'

'Busy?'

'Yeh. With his six gun.'

Tyler shook his head as they led Pennywise and his lawyer to Jacks car.

'I just hope that's not a euphemism.'

Jack tapped on the door to Sandra's office and then walked in, noticing she had a visitor.

'Sorry to interrupt Guv'nor, it's just, we've brought Pennywise in for-' He stopped as he recognised the other person in the room. Mrs. Pennywise turned around in her seat, a shocked look on her face.

'What did you say?'

Jack bit his tongue. Open mouth, insert foot.

'Er...'

'Mrs. Pennywise, Liz.' Sandra rose graciously to her feet, all smiles and diplomacy.

'I'm so sorry about this, it seems there's been a bit of a scheduling mishap. Why don't you stay in my office for a bit until I get this sorted.'

Mrs. Pennywise rose a trembling hand to her face, running a finger around the edge of her sunglasses before taking a deep breath.

'No..it's all right Sandra.'

Sandra frowned.

'Are you sure?'

Mrs. Pennywise smiled.

' "I have walked out in rain--and back in rain./I have outwalked the furthest city light." '

' "Acquainted with the Night", isn't it?' Jack inquired.

Mrs. Pennywise smiled gently.

'Yes that's right. I've come to think of it as my poem. Over the years it's given me great strength.'

'I'll go out with you Liz.' Sandra said, rising.

Jack nodded as they left. 'Right behind you Guv'nor.' He was about to follow them out when something caught his eye. Turning back towards Sandra's desk, he flipped open the folder there.

' "Transcript of the interrogation of Albert Pennywise?" '

He walked around the desk and sat down in the chair, opening various drawers, looking for something even as he prayed he wouldn't find it.

'God help us...' he said as he found three audio tapes, all labeled PENNYWISE.

'Sandra, what have you done?'

Chapter 11

A Game Of Odds Chapter Nine

2008-05-13T20:55:55Z

Title: A Game Of Odds Chap. 9
Rating: Blue Cortina for language.
Author: liquorishflame
Spoilers: Up until 2.8 for LOM.
Chap. Summary: (I'm so crap at these) Gene gets some revenge.
A/N: Unbeated again :p. It's been so nice outside lately, I can't hardly bring myself to stay in and write, so I'm still suffering from wB. But I couldn't let it go any longer without posting something. So here it is, chapter nine, sorry for the delay :)

Chapter One, Chapter Two, Chapter Three, Chapter Four, Chapter Five, Chapter Six, Chapter Seven, Chapter Eight.

'Say it.'

Sam looked at him blearily.

'No.'

'You can't, can you?'

'Fuck off.'

'Say it...'

'UCOS: stands for...Unsolved...Crime and Open Case...er....Squid. Squad! Open Case Squad.'

Gene smirked. Sam Tyler, drinking lightweight.

'So Tyler, how do you keep yer youthful looks? Bathe in the blood of virgins? Face lift? Skin graft?'

'I'm 37 you twat. I was born in 1969. I traveled, back in time, to 1973 after I was run over by a car. A blue car with a...thing...on top.' He waved his hands over his head like he was directing planes on the tarmac.

'What, a 747?'

'Piss off.'

'Time travel? You piss off, yeh.'

'S true. True true true.'

'You're drunk.'

'You're a bastard.'

'True true true.'

Gene grinned as Sam blinked slowly at him. 'Do you hate me?'

'S' good question....'

He leaned back in his chair and stared at the ceiling. 'You know, I hated you for running out on us, like a mangey coward. Had lots of lovely fantasies about you dying and me standing there, laughing at you. Then in 1981, moved to London...fresh start, new people. I started to make a difference again, started to have a team again. And I didn't even think about you really, except to curse you on the occasion. I didn't need that anymore, I was respected and feared, and then....then I found out....I got some bad news. Didn't take it too well. Things fell apart..'

He shook himself, took a deep breath.
'So....anyway.'

He looked back to Tyler, schooling his face into a blank.

'There's something you should know Sammy boy.'

Tyler leaned forward, frowning.

'Y' sound pretty serious Gene, w'a is it?'

He smiled at him, the smile of a baby that's seen the tit an' knows it's tea time.

'When we sat down, I slipped the waitress £20 to get me some apple juice to fill my shot glasses with. Horrible stuff, but you couldn't get drunk off of it if you tried. You, on the other hand, have been drinking nothing but good old single malt. Lucky devil you.' He winked as Tyler sat there, goggling at him.

'....You...you....'

'Well put.' he offered helpfully.

'You wanker.'

'I'm not the one who's going to be making a idiot of himself on stage.'

His former DI peered at him.

'...What?'

'Let's give a big hand for Sam Tyler, who's going to be singing "Staring At The Rude Boys" !' a microphoned voice boomed as a spotlight swung around to land on their table. Gene grinned at him as he unlocked the cuffs.

Sam staggered to his feet. 'Suppose you think this is funny?'

'Er, yeh!' he replied, folding his arms smugly.

Sam turned to go, staggering towards the door.

'Oi! He's leaving! Come on Sammy, don't be shy! Let's him a round of applause.'

The punters started to clap and stamp 'Sammy, Sammy, Sammy.'

Tyler turned around to glare at him, tight lipped.

'I'll get you for this Hunt.'

'Oh Sam Sam Sam. Can't do anything worse to me then you already have.'

Tyler ducked his head, clearly ashamed. Slowly, he turned around and walked up to the stage.
Gene watched him, breathing out a sigh.

'S not a public execution, but it'll do.' he said, raising his glass to ghosts.

'Cheers.'

The applause reached a crescendo around the pub as Sam nervously got up to the stage, gingerly grabbing the mic. He squinted out at the audience. The cheering had died away and the pub seemed quiet. Too quiet. He could feel his palms sweating as he looked out into the dark.

'Yeh, um, hi.'

He stood there tensely as the opening guitar riffs started, watching the beat count down on the screen.
He stumbled on the start of the song, and was barely whispering it. Someone in the back groaned, another one laughed. He never took his eyes off the screen, as shouts of 'Wanker!' and 'Get the fuck off!' were hurled at him. Then he did look up, and saw Gene....
Gene was laughing.
Gene was laughing at him.

He felt a hot, electric wave of anger course through him, and suddenly he was spitting the lyrics out.
'Never surrender, Never surrender!'
A visceral sense of satisfaction poured through him as Gene stopped laughing, barely smiling now. He stared to relax. Staring into the audience, he let his lip curl up in the patented rock star sneer he'd used to practice in the mirror, back when the only thing he'd ever wanted to be was Bernard Sumner.

'The skins in the corner, are staring at the bar, the rude boys are dancing to some heavy heavy ska!'

There was a whistle in the corner and he turned that way to see who it was, spotted a woman clapping and dancing. Catching her eye he winked, causing her and her mates to squeal with delight. To his surprise, he realised he was enjoying himself. Not only that, he was happy. Bruised, humiliated, and happy.
The happiest he'd been in a long time.

By the time he was finished the song, the whole room was nodding and dancing along with him, even joining in on 'We'll never surrender!' at the end. The DJ took the microphone from him, clapping along with the others.

'Wow! That was Sam Tyler! A weak start, but an amazing finish! Let's give him another round of applause!'

There were shouts and whistles as Sam thrust his fists in the air, grinning like a maniac. As the DJ turned back to start the next song, Sam grabbed the mic again.

'Sorry, sorry, I promised a mate I'd personally announce him. Ladies and gents, give it up for: The Gene Genie!'

He pointed right to where Gene was sitting.

'Great, and what will he be singing?'

Sam made a show of trying to think of something, but he'd already known what he'd pick by the time he'd gotten to the second last 'never surrender.'

'Er....Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds.'

Gene slowly rose to his feet, reluctance and threat equal in his body language as he stalked up to the front.

'I'll bloody get you for this Tyler.' he hissed, grabbing his arm as he walked past.

'Put it on my tab.' Sam shot back, shrugging him off.

'I thought you was pissed!'

'Well there's something you should know Gene: when you've been on morphine for three months or so, drinking scotch is like drinking cat piss.' He threw him an ironic salute and kept walking.

As he made his way back to his table, he was stopped by a tall man in is late 60's.

'Sam Tyler?'

'Yes?' he said, frowning. Didn't he know him?

'Can you spare a few minutes? Please?'

He frowned.

'Sorry, have we met?' The man definitely looked familiar...He smiled uncertainly as Sam stood there, staring at him.

'Don't you recognise me DI Tyler?...It's me sir...Albert Pennywise.'

Chapter Ten

A Game Of Odds, Chap. 8

2008-05-01T15:22:07Z

Title: A Game Of Odds Chap. 8
Rating: Blue Cortina for language.
Author: liquorishflame
Spoilers: Up until 2.8 for LOM.
Chap. Summary: The UCOS team goes over the evidence, while Sam and Gene finally have their showdown.
A/N: Unbeated. Sorry for the delay, I was stuck, and then I was unable to proof read, but here 'tis :).

Chapter One, Chapter Two, Chapter Three, Chapter Four, Chapter Five, Chapter Six, Chapter Seven.

'What a right smug little sod.' Gerry grouched as the four of them sat at the bar in 'The Laurel Arms.'

'He's really not that bad sirs.' Clarke protested as he sipped his tonic water an lime.

'Right!' Brian said. 'And getting a bee-sting isn't that bad either! Unless of course you're allergic, and then you swell up like a balloon.'

The other three all looked at him a moment, then went back to their own drinks at the table.

'So, why're we here?' Gerry pondered aloud as he sipped his room temperature Guinness. Jack shrugged, looking a little ashamed.

'We're here because we had to get out, and we lied to do so.'

'Correction: Clarke lied.' Brian pointed at the man in question, who put his head down, taking a deep drink from his glass. Jack looked morosely into the distance.

'So, give over: What's biting you?'

Jack shrugged again, looking into his glass as if it held the answer.

'...I think I was too hard on him.'

'Who? Wait you mean..too hard on Tyler?! He's a bloody manic! He's a rude, back-talking bastard!'

Jack shook his head. 'I looked up his file.'

'Nosey.' Brian said slyly. Jack ignored him.

'You know the reason, he's acting so mad? He was in a coma, for a year.'

'Crikey.' Gerry and Brian exchanged startled glances while Clarke just looked down into his gin and tonic.

'Yes...Got hit by a car, broken ribs, fractured leg bones, and severe trauma to the head, the cause of the coma. When he came out of it...he was...'

'Suicidal?' offered Clarke.

Jack frowned. 'Ye-es.' The other two turned to look at the younger man, who gave them a weak smile. 'Just a good guess, er, does the file really say that?'

'No, the file says he was "suffering from delusions, depressed, and uninterested in work or engaging in any of his former relationships with friends or family".'

'In other words, suicidal.' Gerry nodded.

'You lost your temper with a manic depressive? Shame shame Jack.' Brian tutted, causing the other man to glare at him.

'I didn't hear any protests from you!''

'Bit tetchy.' Brian sotto voiced to Clarke.

'He can hear you sir.' Clarke whispered back.

'Wonder what Hunt'll make of Mr. Stick Up His Bum?' Brian mused.

'Unbreakable Hunt? He'll probably squish him like a ant and gobble him down like a vindaloo.' Gerry said smugly.

'Can we please talk about something else?' Clarke protested.

'If you like.' Brian pulled out a manilla folder and slapped it down on the bar.

'What's that?' Gerry said, pointing to it.

'That is something I don't feel so bad about, now I know about your own snooping. Remember how Mr. Hunt had to retire for health reasons?' They all nodded. 'Well, I found out what they are.'

' "Are?" So whatever it is, he's still got it?'

Brian nodded. 'And you won't bloody believe it.'

As Gerry was opening the folder, he was stopped by Jack, who stared at the folder as if he was trying to x-ray it.

'Maybe we shouldn't do this here...'

'Oh Christ Jack! Of course we're going to do this here, now give over!' Opening it, Gerry's eyes widened, and Clarke, reading over his shoulder, gave a low whistle while Jack craned his neck, trying to read it over their shoulders.

'What is it? Oh....Jesus.' The three men just stared, frozen by what they were reading. Then Clarke grabbed it and stuffed it under his jacket. Gerry frowned, looking uncomfortable as he toyed with his glass.

'Why isn't he dead?'

'Things have changed you know. Twenty years, even ten years ago, this would have been a death sentence. But now, people can live for ages before...' He trailed off.

'Kicking it.' Brian finished, earning a rude look from the others. 'What?'

'Gene Hunt...has been living with this for some time. It would be undignified for us to bring it up, or mention it. So for the sake of his privacy, we should keep this to ourselves.' Jack said. 'It goes no further then the four of us here, agreed?'

There were nods, and various "agreed's",amplified around the table. Just then, there was the amplified sound of someone stumbling. Turning in their seats, the UCOS team saw a man staggering up to a microphone on a small stage. The banner behind him read: "Have a Harmonious Happy Hour! Test your skills and entertain your friends with KENS KARAOKE! 12 to 1 and 7 to Midnight every Wednesday."

There was a collective groan from them all.

'Karaoke and drinks?' Brian complained. 'Saints help us. Would someone do me a favor and put me out of me misery?'

As Sam gasped for air, with Gene crouched over him, squeezing his throat like an orange, he considered giving up. Better to have no choices, to only have the one...
So easy to just to give in, let go.

But even as he thought it, almost against his will, his hand stretched out under the jacket of his Guv, and grabbed the butt of the pistol he knew he'd find there. In a smooth movement, he'd drawn on his old DCI, clicking the hammer back. For a moment, they were frozen together, like a tableau. Ode To A Copper With Gun thought Sam crazily for a moment, his breath coming in pants as he stared into the other mans face. Then Gene backed up, slowly, not taking his eyes off of him either. Sandra, still frozen from where she was standing by the door to her office, cleared her throat and spoke.

'DCI Tyler.'

Sandra held her hand towards him, palm flat, her fingers betraying a slight tremor. Sam kept his eyes on Gene, his hand never wavering.

'DCI Tyler! Give me the gun!' It was a whip-crack of sound, and Sam couldn't help the shudder that rippled through him. Then he clicked the hammer back on, and slowly extended it to the CS, handle first. She took it with a sigh.

'Thank you, I hope that-'

With a roar, Gene tackled him. They were rolling around on the floor, biting and clawing and punching. No rules, no thought, just one man trying to kick the shit out of the other.

'Gentlemen, please!'

Sam was on top briefly, managing a short blow that only grazed the older man's chin. Gene grunted and kneed him in the groin, making him double over in agony, rendering him vulnerable to the chop of a hand to his neck. Sparks went off in his head, and he went completely limp. Gene must have hit a nerve cluster he thought. But it was a glancing blow, and he rolled to the side, and Gene delivered a smashing blow to the floor. As he clutched his hand in pain, Sam reared up behind him, putting his arm around Gene's neck, squeezing it tight around Gene's windpipe. The other man grunted and tried to break free, but was stopped short by him squeezing it tighter.

'All right, all right then DCI Hunt! That's enough, ok, enough!' He shook him slightly, hearing the other man's breathing growing ragged and thin. 'I'm going to let go of you, and you are going to get up, and we are going to try to act like we don't want to kill each other. All right?'

Gene grabbed at the arm, clawing at it, stopping only when Sam squeezed harder.

'Don't!'

Slowly, Gene put up his hands in a gesture of surrender. Sam cautiously let go, and the two of them slowly stood up. Then he felt something cold around his wrist. Looking down, he saw....

'You...bloody....bastard!' he growled, pulling on the handcuffs that now linked him to Gene. The other man merely grinned.

'By nature, not by name Sammy boy. You leave my mum out of it, CS Pulman.' The last was said to Sandra.

'I regret to tell you, that I won't be in for the rest of the day, on account of I'll be busy, drinking this little Judas under the table!'

'You've got to be-' Sam was cut short as Gene pulled him forward, dragging him out the door. Even digging in his heels did nothing, and for once, he regretted his being so fit. If he were a bit larger, he might be able to throw his weight around.

'Come along Tyler. I've got some questions for you.'

It was all the UCOS team could do to not put their fingers in their ears as the current singer stood up there slaughtering 'Blue Monday.' He was slurring the words so badly that 'How does it feel?' came out sounding more like. 'Howld it fee awl.'

'If that song was a horse, they would have shot it.' Brian moped. 'Christ, if I hadn't given up the boozing, this would drive me to drink.'

'Let's try to think about something else, take our minds off it.' Jack suggested, sipping his Guinness.

'Okay then, how about the case.'

Brian winced.

'The case is a complete shameless Gerry.'

'Shambles.' Gerry corrected.

'Why, what'd I say?'

'Shameless.' Clarke pointed out helpfully.

'In any case, between you fawning over Mr. Hunt, and Tyler being as stable as one legged flamingo, we've hardly done any work attall.'

'That's not true!' Clarke protested. 'What about the fibers that we found on Teddy's shirt? Yellow nylon. Albert wasn't wearing anything yellow, we checked the photo's and the statements.'

'Yes, but it's like saying you have the winning lottery numbers, but not the day they win for.' Brian said.

'If that's the case you know what you do?' said Jack.

'Enlighten us.' Gerry sighed.

'Keep playing the same numbers, until you get a result.' Jack thumped the table for emphasis. The others were unimpressed.

'And we still haven't managed to speak to Albert in person. Which is pretty important, considering he's out and a free man. What if he decides to look up his ex?' Gerry said.

'She's not his ex.' Clarke said, making Gerry turn towards him.

'What?' The DC shook his head.

'I checked the records, they never got divorced.'

'Even after all that?' Brian mused.

'Love is blind they say.' Jack winced at his poor choice of words.

'Well I don't know about you, but I think we should have another look at her brother. Shifty customer.' Brian said.

'Look who's talking!' Gerry snorted. 'But that is a good point, and Tyler did collapse right after speaking to him. I think that's a bit much of a coincidence.'

'Anyone spoken to Richard Webber?' Clarke said.

'I have.' said Jack.

'And?' Gerry said, nudging him.

'Nice bloke. Said he dropped by with a bottle of scotch to celebrate Teddy's birthday.'

'The scotch was for the boy?' Brian said, wrinkling his nose.

'He said that they were putting it away for when he turned sixteen.'

'Interesting, interesting.' Brian rubbed his chin as Gerry squinted at him.

'What's so interesting?'

'Well they say you know a man by his friends. Mr. Webb drops by to do something thoughtful like that, it reflects well on the father.'

'Just because Webb was a decent chap, doesn't mean that Bertie was,' Gerry pointed out. 'And you know what they say : A friends helps you move, but a real friend helps you move a body.'

Jack leaned forward. 'Are you saying Teddy's murder was premeditated?'

'It could have been.' Brian said. 'The boy was scared of something, from what we can tell. We might be able to find out more, if someone could find the tapes.' He looked accusingly at Clarke.

'You still haven't found them?' Jack said.

'It's not my fault sirs. They must have been mislabeled or misplaced.'

'Or maybe someone hid them.' Brain said darkly.

'More of your conspiracy theories?' Jack said lightly.

'I'm just saying that's its terrible convenient, isn't it?'

Gerry snorted. 'Not very convenient for Albert.'

Jack nodded his agreement. 'No, it's not, isn't it.'

'If Webb was in on it, then wouldn't it have been covered up?' Clarke said.

About to answer him, Gerry was distracted by something happening behind them. As the team turned, they saw DCI Sam Tyler stumble into the pub, followed by Mr. Hunt.

'Good Lord.' Jack said, raising an eyebrow.

'Bloody hell! Looks like they've both had seven kinds of shit beat outta them.' Gerry said, whistling. 'And why has Tyler got Hunt handcuffed to 'im?'

'The ways of the DCI are mysteries, their wonders to behold.' Brian said mysteriously.

'I'm sure.' Gerry grumbled as they watched the two men sit down at a table together.

'Oi! Oi! Can we have some bloody service here?'

Sam stared at Gene. 'What're we doing here?'

'I would have thought that that would be obvious. We're here to get drunk. An' yer payin' by the way, you owe me.'

'Why?'

'Because, it's the only sensible thing to do.'

'How come for you "sensible" means "get pissed." '

'Shut it. I may not outrank you, but I do outweigh you, so unless you want to do your real life impression of the worlds most wafer thin man, you'll behave yourself.'

He snorted and tried to sit back, only to be stopped by the cuffs.

'Look whose talking, "behave yourself". Yeh, right.'

'Now now Gladys, put those claws away and try to behave in a lady-like fashion.'

Sam gritted his teeth. 'You know, I haven't missed this! Being called girls names, having to answer to a pissed, tubby, bent, shallow, bastard.'

'So you admit it.'

'Admit what?'

'That you know me.' Sam's face fell as Gene looked at him with evil glee.

'Well I had to be sure didn't I! I mean, you did call me "DCI Hunt" while we were scrappin', but had to make sure. Wouldn't do to get pissed with a total stranger who just happens to look like Sam bloody Tyler.' Sam just sat there, stunned. Looking at him, Gene's grin widened.

'It never occurred to you, did it? Never occurred to deny it or evade the question. Don't know if that makes you honest or just thick. Probably both.'

'Not so thick that I didn't get the drop on you, old man. Still keep your gun on your left side.'

The other man blinked, and glared at him, then grabbed the bottle the server had just arrived with.

'You gonna drink Sammy boy? Or are you just going to talk me to death?' He poured them both a glass each, and shoved Sam's towards him.

'I don't want to kill anyone Gene, I just want you to leave me alone.'

Gene grinned like a death's head.

'Sammy boy....you don't want to kill anyone,' He seemed to be tasting the words. 'Seems to me you should have thought of that before.'

His stomach dropped like a stone.

'What do you mean?'

'Oh come on Sammy! Still being a thickie. Well I'll give you a thick ear if you don't smarten up.'

'They're all...they're...'

'Dead.' Gene said flatly. He poured them both another shot.

'Drink up.'

Sam took it automatically.

'But that's not the worst part you know. The worst part, is they died savin' me.'

'....What?'

'I was on the ground an' Johns was about to fire. Chris..... tried to stop him.... Johns put a bullet right through that boy, dead 'fore he hit the ground. Then Raymondo charged 'im, grabbed the gun. In the struggle, went off. Ray got it, shot Johns, but he.....he was dyin' hisself. Annie and him.... got me back to the station an help. They couldn't do nowt for Ray, but they fixed me up.'

'What about Annie?'

Gene ran his finger around the rim of his glass. 'WDC Annie Cartwright.... got away without a scratch on 'er.'

The former DCI refused to look up, scowling so hard that it looked like he was trying not to cry.

'Wasn't until I got out of hospital I found out she were in jail.'

'WHAT!'

Gene glared at him.

'A cock up like that, and you really think they'd let it pass? Someone had to take the fall. They didn't have you to punish, so they took her instead. She even told 'em she did, guess she was tryin' to help me.'

Sam sat there in shock.

'She died the first night in the cells, topped herself. Note said she couldn't stand the thought of facin' her dad at the trail. So don't tell me you don't want to hurt anyone Tyler..you're already responsible for more hurt then you could ever imagine.'

Chapter Nine

Fic-Christmas And 1939

2008-04-24T14:30:07Z

Title: Christmas and 1939
Rating: Green Cortina for angst.
Author: liquorishflame
Spoilers: LOM 2.6
Summary: Once upon a time, there were two brothers...
A/N: Just like dorsetgirl, I'm feeling low and blocked, so no chapter today, just a sad little fic.

When he tells it to himself, he tells it like a story, like the stories mum used to tell, before she got so scared.
He always tells it softly, otherwise he might start to cry.
And crying makes him feel worse because boy's shouldn't cry, and if He hears him, then He'll come roaring up the stairs, I'll give you something to cry about!

Once upon a time....
There were two men, two men who were brothers, twin brothers.
One brother was happy. Wherever he went, he smiled because he was so happy.
He would coo over babies in prams, making their mums blush, and he would buy chocolate because he said it was good for you, and he would always share.
And everyone liked him.

Then there was the other brother.

The other brother was angry. He was angry at everything, all the time, because he hated everything.
He hated boys, and women, and he hated people who were smaller and weaker then him.
He would shout at people for serving the potatoes too cold, or too hot, and sometimes he would pick up the plate and throw it at the wall, and stomp outside.
And everything his brother loved, he hated.
Sometimes, when he looked at his happy, loving brother, he wished him dead.

Then one day, there was a War.
It was the second War, and all the men had to go away.
'It's all right.' the happy brother said as he and the angry brother marched off. 'Don't worry about us, it'll be fun! And they say it will all be over by Christmas.'

And every day, and every month, and every year they waited for the brothers to come back.
And people kept saying 'It will all be over by Christmas.'
But it never was.

Then one day, one of the brothers came back.
And people couldn't tell if it was the happy brother made sad, or the angry brother made quiet.
But he came back alone, and he came back changed.
He came back with a monster inside him, one that grew bigger every day.
And every day, as it got bigger and bigger, there was less and less room for the family, until one day, they woke up and realised that the monster had taken over the whole house....

And that's where Gene always ends the story, because he can't even whisper out-loud what he really wants to say.

Some days, the boy wished that his Daddy never came home.

A Game Of Odds-Chapter Seven

2008-04-21T00:45:50Z

Title: A Game Of Odds Chap. 7
Rating: Blue Cortina for language and strangeness.
Author: liquorishflame
Spoilers: Up until 2.8 for LOM for this series. Some small spoilers for series 2 of NT.
Chap. Summary: Things get very weird, DCI Tyler acts up again, and the UCOS team finds their patience sorely tested.
A/N: Beated by saintvic. Just a reminder for you all, I intend to post two to three times a week, Monday (maybe Wednesday) and Thursday.

Chapter One, Chapter Two, Chapter Three, Chapter Four, Chapter Five, Chapter Six.

Sam was at his desk in CID, hard at work when Gene walked through the doors, letting them swing shut behind him. Like the Lone Ranger strutting through a Western bar.

'You worry me my dense deputy. Always thinking when you should be sleeping.'

He ignored him, scratching at the thorn in his arm, the one that had been itching him all day. Gene sighed heavily.

'Nose to the grindstone, pedal to the floor eh Wendy?' There was a note of bitterness in his voice that made Sam frown.

'That's not what you call me. It's polite to use someone's proper name.'

Gene shrugged, and one of his arms came off, falling to the floor. Sam stared at it, shocked. How could Gene do this to him, here where all sorts could see him? Just like the Guv to make a scene.

'This can't be done at my work Gene, I'm still DCI.' he protested, as his Guv reached down to pick it up.

'I have an ego in parts.' he said, sighing as he scratched his ear, which also fell off. 'Better fetch the leeches.'

Sam looked back at his desk, his face burning as he tried to concentrate on his work, pretending the other man wasn't there. But as always, Gene made himself impossible to ignore.

'What's the matter Alice? Embarrassed by me dying?'

'I have work to finish.' Sam muttered. 'Maya wants me to reconfigure the database.'

'How secure of you. I always wanted to be Sam when I grew up.' Gene used his spare arm like a pointer, the fingers waving limply.

'No, that's what Chris wants.' Sam corrected him, annoyed at Gene's thick headed response.

'Chris wants to live Sam. Can't you understand that?' The Guv gestured to the desk in front of him. Sam looked down.

'Crikey boss, you can't stop now. I need my liver if I wanna be a good copper.'

Chris was stretched out over the desk in front of him, like a patient on an operating table. But where Chris' chest should be, was a plastic cover, with holes above his organs. It looked like most of them were already gone. Sam dropped the tweezers he didn't know he had been holding, and an brief electric buzz stung their ears, making the DC squirm in discomfort.

'Needed that heart too Boss, it's necessary.' Chris grumbled, sounding weak and childlike.

'Here, you can have his.' Gene reached into Sam's chest and pulled it out as easily as if he was made of pudding, holding it up, dripping and red, before dropping it on top of Chris with a sickening 'splat'.

'He wasn't using it anyway.'

Peering at it, Sam saw that it was covered in shrink wrap, preserved and desiccated. His his heart wasn't beating anymore. It was dead.

'Ray.' he called out. 'Can you repair this? I need to feel something, I need to fix this!'

'Can't.' came the clipped reply.

'Why not?' He turned to look at the other man, who looked much the same as normal. The only thing out of place was a loose thread dangling from his shirt sleeve.

'You've got a...here, let me.'

Grabbing the stray thread, he yanked it out, only to see the Sergeant's hand disappear as he pulled. Unable to look away from the DS's face, he saw the eyes, nose, and mouth disappear, unravelling into a pile at his feet.

'We are congealed, we stick true to form.' the faceless Ray said. 'Either we freeze or we Fry.'

Sam jumped back in disgust and horror, shying away from what his team mates had become. He turned to Nelson, his eyes pleading.

'Nelson! You have to help me!'

Nelson shrugged as he polished a glass in the saloon. 'A reckon ah can't pardner. Not mah time.' He spat into a nearby spittoon.

Sam shook his head, trying to think. 'Annie!' he called out. 'Annie, we need first aid!'

''More like last rites.' Phyllis tsked as she swept up the pile that used to be Ray. 'Another fine mess you've gotten us into sir. But what do I know? I'm just the maid.'

' "And I alone survived to tell the tale". Isn't that what you wanted Sam?' Gene said, pointing to a white door with red words over it. Someone was pounding on it, like the beating of his heart. He could hear her voice, calling him, panicked and lost. 'Sam!'

'Annie!'

'Sam, help us!'

'Careful Sam.' Nelson cautioned. 'Thing about doors, is they let things out as well as in.'

But he wasn't listening, he had to help Annie! He ran down the hallway, nearly tripping over his Cuban heels, with Annie's screams echoing in his ears, praying he wouldn't be too late. He got to it, and wrestled with the doorknob, which was slick and slippery under his hands. He finally got it in his hand, and pulled it open.

His father sat there on the floor of the room, his face a mask of grief as tears streaming down his cheeks. In his arms, he cradled the dead body of Teddy Pennywise. The Test Card Girl was standing behind the both of them like a vengeful demon, pointing accusingly at Sam.
'Why Sam? Why?!'

'Are you all right?'

Sam opened his eyes. He was lying on a bed, covered with sweat, feeling like he'd gone on a three day pub crawl with Gene after a football match. Brian Lane was hovering over him, his lips pursed, as if he was considering a particularly hard word in the crossword puzzle, or he was about to kiss him.
Neither of which he found particularly appealing, it had to be said.

'...Fine, never better.' It came out hardly more then a whisper. Lane leaned back, satisfied.

'Good! Would you like some breakfast? You must be starving.'

Sitting up, he realised he was, and also, that he'd been sleeping on someone's sofa bed. Naked on someon's sofa bed. Oh please, don't let him have been drugged again. At least there were no handcuffs this time.

'Mr. Lane, Brian, two questions: Where am I? Where are my clothes? And what the hell happened?'

'That's actually three questions sir.' Lane pointed out, helpfully. Sam flopped back onto the bed, wanting only to surrender again to sleep.
Perchance not to dream.

'...Brian?' he said, trying to get the conversation going again.

'Hmm? Oh, right! Well, your clothes are in the wash, you're at my house, and you passed out.'

'I passed out?' Sam said dubiously, resting his cold hand on his warm forhead, wincing as he jarred a bruise on his arm. Brian nodded.

'Yeh, you've been asleep for nearly three days. It's the nineteenth, in the early afternoon.'

'Three days!' Eyes snapping open, he sat up in bed, then paused, momentarily dizzy. And then-

'Brian? ...I'm not wearing any pants.'

'Ah. Back in a tic.'

Lane disappeared briefly, then re-appeared with his clothes, clean and neatly folded. Sam was nearly tempted to hug them to his chest like a well loved doll. He just felt so shaky and vulnerable. He'd experienced time loss before (pun not bloody intended), but this memory loss, was a scary new thing. Try as he could, he couldn't remember a single thing about the Health Centre trip, other then walking through the front door. Brian got up, wincing as his knees poped.

'Okay then, off I go. You just stay here and rest easy, and Esther'll make you some soup! Won't that be lovely.'

Sam shook his head, ignoring the aches and pains.

'Stay? No, I'm coming in with you.'

Brian looked at him skeptically. Extremely skeptically.

'Sir, no offence, but you've been on your back for two days straight.'

'Then I should be rested and refreshed. I'm going in.'

'Fine then, don't say I didn't warn you.'

'So what happened, to me I mean?' Sam said, sipping some soup in a mug that Lane's wife, Esther, had insisted he bring, scalding his tongue on the first sip. He'd have prefered a sandwich, but she'd insisted, and he hadn't the will to resist her. Lane shrugged as he drove erratically down the street.

'Don't know sir. Clarke said that when you two got to the health centre, you demanded to talk to Elizabeth Pennywise, who wasn't there of course.'

'Why's that?'

'Well, she was over at the office, talking with us, wasn't she?' Lane ran a red light, causing the nearby cars to blurt angrily as they zoomed past them. 'Personally, just between you and me, I think there was something going on.'

'Really?' Sam tried to keep his meager breakfast down, clenching his teeth as Lane drove through the traffic lanes like a ferret on crack. 'Like what?'

'If I'm not very much mistaken, our new team member has a bit of a thing for her.'

He continued, not seeing Sam's incredulous look. How could anyone have a thing for Beth, that poor skinny, scared little creature?

'Anyway, you and Clarke went into the Health Centre, and you started waving your badge around, demanding to speak to someone in charge, which happened to be a Mr. Reginald Fry. He agreed to take you on a tour of the facilities, but only one of you. You went, Clarke stayed. He reckons you hadn't been gone more then ten minutes when you came staggering back shouting that you'd been stabbed.'

'What?!'

'Yowling and waving your arms around, and not a mark on you. Quite the picture, apparently.' He swerved suddenly to avoid a squirrel on the road, making Sam gulp.

'Toast?'

'...Toast?'

'Would you like some? Ester packed it for you.'

It was probably cold by now, but he needed the food, needed the energy it would give him.

'Sure, yeh.'

The DCI nibbled nervously as he continued to listen.

'Anyway, you were shouting and carrying on and making a scene, and then you passed out cold. Been unconscious since then, with a high fever. The Guv'nor said it was probably stress, we almost took you to hospital. But Esther thought it'd be nice for you to stay with friends, so you stayed at our place.'

Friends? He'd never even met them before. Esther must have a kind heart.
He looked out the window, turning events over in his head as the scenery flew by at a worrying speed (though not at Gene speed, thankfully). Stabbed? What had made him say that? And how come he didn't remember anything about the Health Centre?

And what had happened in the tunnel?
He swallowed, uncomfortable with what he was suddenly thinking. Ray, Chris, Gene,...Annie.
He'd left them all for dead, at the mercy of a vicious criminal. Did they die? Had some of them gotten away? What had happend for God's sake!

'Here we are!' Lane said cheerily. Blinking, Sam gathered his thoughts, gripping tightly too the roof of the car as another wave of dizzyness swept over him. As his vision cleared, he saw beaten up red motorcycle, parked haphazardly in the handicapped spot.

'Who does that belong to?'

Brian nodded thoughtfully. 'Right, right, you haven't met him yet.'

'Who?'

' "The Unbreakable Man".' Brian said, smiling mysteriously.

'And they call me strange.' Sam said to himself, following the other man into the station, trying to pull himself together.

'Oh, look who's up and about.' said Jack, pointing to the top of the stairs, where Sam Tyler was gripping the rails, looking quite ill. Gerry snorted, a sneer on his face.

'Who's he trying to impress, dragging himself in looking like that? If you ask me, he wasn't even sick. Probably on drugs or something.'

'Drugs?'

'You know what those young buggers are like. Get a bit of power, boss a few people about, and suddenly they think they're bloody untouchable. He'll never measure up to Mr. Hunt. Oi!' The last was shouted up at the DCI, who blinked slowly at them.

'You gonna earn your keep Detective, Chief, Inspector? Or you too busy up there on your high horse.'

The lad stared at him as if he'd been speaking in tongues. '...What did you say?'

'Your high horse.' Gerry sneered, 'Emphasis on "high".' he said in an aside to the others, putting a cigarette in his mouth, as the DCI walked slowly down the stairs.
He was about to light it when the younger man walked up, grabbing it from him. The DCI walked over to the board, clearing his throat awkwardly.

'So let's start from the top. Beth Pennywise, sorry, Elizabeth Pennywise and her son, Theodore are being abused by Albert Pennywise...'

'So we assume, from the evidence.' Brian, now set for the day, handed him an old black and white photo.

''These pictures were taken by a WDC Cartwright. As you can see, there were defensive wounds on her arms and the palms of her hands. Recent at the time the pictures were taken.'

He pointed to another photo. 'Note the bruising on the upper torso. Definitely the size of a hand.'

'What's a WDC?' asked Clarke. Jack cleared his throat. 'It stands for-'

'Woman Detective Constable.' Tyler interrupted him absently as he rubbed his arm. He was staring at the photo, as if it was speaking to him.

'And look there, on the upper left shoulder-' Brian said, reaching around him to point.

'Yes, thank you Lane, I have eyes.' said the younger man curtly, shrugging him off. He paced to the window, still holding the picture. Gerry and Jack exchanged glances, and Gerry rolled his eyes. They were trying, they really were. But even taking into account his sudden (and suspicious) illness, they were being pushed to their limits.

'She says nothing, but one day, a fight gets out of hand, and neighbours call the police.' Brian continued peevishly.

'The police being DCI Hunt and DI Sam Tyler. This Tyler....a relative?' Jack asked, trying to be polite.

Their DCI said nothing.

'DI Tyler...there's a bit about him in the files too.' said Gerry, trying to bait the younger man. Clarke looked towards him with the eager interest of a young puppy looking for a treat.

'What does it say?'

'Sounds like a real nutcase. Not a nice man by all accounts, didn't matter who he upset, who got hurt as long as he got results.' Gerry looked pointedly in Tyler's direction. The other man turned around swiftly.

'Mind yourself Standing.' he bit out. Gerry was taken aback but quickly recovered. Never one to back down from a fight Gerry, stubborn as a rock he was.

'Sorry sir, but it's true.'

'It's gossip.'

'He was, by all accounts, a cold, uncaring, fruitcake who cared more about facts then the people he worked with.'

'He was-!' The DCI stopped himself, clearly holding his temper in check.

'Sorry, we've gone off topic. You were saying about Be- Elizabeth?'

'......Right...well........Even though Hunt and Tyler found physical evidence of abuse, there was nothing that they could do. Mrs. Pennywise refused to tell them anything. The officers returned several times, putting more pressure on her to speak up, but she still refused. She said that she was afraid for her son's safety. Two people stopped by earlier that day to visit the family, Richard Webber, an old friend of Albert's and....Reginald Fry, Elizabeth's brother.'

Both Brian and Tyler looked up at this. 'Hang on, Reginald Fry? He's the one who was at the Health Centre the other day, when I...'

'Threw a fit?' Brain said helpfully, only to receive a glare from the DCI.

'We'll explore that later, first we'll finish reviewing the case.'

Quite the stickler, and not too subtle about it. Brian went on.

'Hunt and the others returned later when they were called to the scene after neighbours reported shots fired, found Albert in the kitchen with Elizabeth, the gun, and the dead boy. She said at the time that her son was killed by someone else, but later recanted her statement, saying it had been Albert who killed him.'

'That's unusual, isn't it?' DCI Tyler said, worrying at a hangnail.

'What do you mean?'

'Well usually in these cases, the wife will say that the husband did do something, but will recant later through fear, or misplaced love.'

Jack shook his head firmly.

'Not after she found out her son was dead, and that she would be blind for life.'

The room fell silent as the team shared a moment of sadness, imagining the horror that Elizabeth Pennywise must have lived through. Looking towards Tyler, Clarke frowned in concern. Misplaced concern it seemed to the rest of the team. Who's side was he on anyway? Jack mused, scowling at the his young superior.

'DCI Tyler, are you all right?'

The DCI blinked, and swept a hand over his eyes.

'M' fine, 'm fine.' he took a deep breath, then narrowing his eyes, a grin creeping over his face. 'You know what we should do?'

'What's that sir?'

'Exhume the body.'

His enthusiasm dimmed as the room remained silent, no-one disagreeing or agreeing with his idea.

'Well...' Brian said tentively.

'What?' The DCI snapped.

'Do you know what the body is going to be like after more then thirty years in the ground? Not to mention what the reaction will be to the public if we do this without cause or evidence, especially if MP Gary Welkes gets ahold of it? Before we get too extreme, we should talk to Mr. Fry and Mr. Webber.' Jack said, still trying to be resonable.

'In other words, let's look before we leap, eh?' Gerry said.

Tyler shook his head impatiently. 'It's the only concrete evidence we have! Think of all the things we could learn!'

The way he talked...it was like he didn't care at all.

' "It" was once a boy sir. And I think you should respect that.' Jack said.

'Don't make me order you Halford.' Tyler said with a growl.

It seemed like things were about to get intense when Clarke looked at his watch.

'Oh look sirs, its chucking out time!' he exclaimed loudly.

Tyler stared bewilderedly up at the clock on the wall. 'But it's only two pm!'

'Some of us have to go home for dinner.' said Jack.

'Or Countdown.' said Gerry.

'Or the wife. And the dog. Well, both.' said Brian.

Tyler snorted. 'Figures you antiques would bloody quit before we got anywhere. It's no wonder you're all stuck here, working on things long dead and past.'

The others stopped in the midst of shrugging on their coats. CS Pullman opened the door to her office, looking out on the scene, but not interfering with it. Jack drew himself up to his full height, staring hard at the other man.

'The past isn't dead, Detective Chief Inspector.' Jack grated out. 'Time and time again, we've solved cases, cases no-one else would take, and no-one else could solve, and do you know what we did?'

'Cracked 'em open like walnuts.' Gerry said.

'Because you see, the past isn't dead. The past is a living thing that grows over the years, reaching into the future, affecting decisions that are made, or will be made. And we lay it to rest. Because that's what we do.'

Tyler swallowed, but kept his eyes up. Jack finished putting on his coat, not looking away.

'Over the years, we've lost a lot of things.'

'Our minds.' Brain said, nodding.

'Our self respect.' Gerry intoned.

'Even our loved ones. And you, who have lost nothing, have the gall to stand there and lecture us, because you think you know who we are. Well, let me give you some free advice....sir. If you don't respect the past, then it will come back to haunt you. Just like it does with everyone else.'

They turned their backs on him, walking out. Enough of this. Let him rant at himself for a while.

'See you later Boss, (you ungrateful git).' Brian muttered as they left the stunned DCI Tyler alone in the room with CS Pullman.

Sam sat down heavily in a chair, shocked and exhausted. He couldn't believe how much they all seemed to hate him. Was he really so unlikable, that people would rather walk out then listen to what he had to say? Behind him, he heard CS Pullman sigh.

'That went well, didn't it? I haven't seen a room clear that fast since the end of last years budget meeting.'

Sam shook his head, not sure how he'd lost control of the situation so quickly.

'I didn't mean to...I just feel so....so tired ma'am.'

She put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

'Sorry about your breakdown at the Health centre.'

'Breakdown?' he said, frowning.

'I should have known better, I've been pushing you too hard, too fast....before you've even had time to properly heal.'

He sighed, getting up and rubbing a hand over his face. 'Great. No matter what time I'm in, people think completely mental.' he said to himself.

'Look, I have an idea! Why don't I introduce you to the seventh member of our team.'

He nodded, not turning around, feeling pointless and defeated. He heard someone walking out of the office behind him.

'DCI Tyler?'

He turned around wearily and then stopped, frozen in shock.

'This is-'

'Gene Hunt.'

'Sam Tyler.'

There was a slight pause as the two men sized each other up, neither of them able to believe their eyes. It seemed that Gene was a just as shocked as he was by the situation.
Unfortunately for Sam, Gene recovered first. His eyes widened and he swung a large fist towards his former DI's face.

'Bastard!'

Sam landed hard on the floor, and Gene was on him in seconds, wrapping his hands around his neck, choking him. He tried to fight back, but was still to weak. The air burned in his chest as the terrifying pressure on his throat increased.

'Kill you, I'll kill you!'

Chapter Eight

A Game Of Odds-Chapter Six

2008-04-17T13:44:40Z

Title: A Game Of Odds Chap. 6
Rating: Blue Cortina for language and situations
Author: liquorishflame
Spoilers: Up until 2.8 for LOM for this series.
Chap. Summary: While Sam flounders, the UCOS team welcomes a local hero.
A/N: Some was beated by saintvic, some was not, because the story is all twisty like knickers after a 3 km run. Just a reminder for you all, I intend to post two to three times a week, Monday (maybe Wednesday) and Thursday.

Chapter One, Chapter Two, Chapter Three, Chapter Four, Chapter Five.

The water closed over him, the shock of the icy chill taking his breath away. Surprised bubbles of air flew to the surface as he started to sink into the murk, deeper and deeper into darkness. Closing his eyes, he thought he could see a white light, and hear someone calling his name-

'Sir!'

He felt a hand on his shoulder, and turned to see at Percy.

'What, what is it?'

'Look, sir...come away from the edge.'

Sam blinked and looked down, seeing his foot hovering in the air over the greedy spring current.

'...Right.' He moved slowly backwards, the younger man guiding him gently, but firmly, away from the edge.

'Am I here for a reason?' Sam muttered to himself as he started walking.

'Sorry sir?'

'Why am I here Percy? What, am, I, doing, here?' He turned to stare at the younger man, trying to intimidate him. But he didn't flinch.

'You tell me sir.'

'...What?'

The seagulls wheeled and circled overhead, screaming so loudly he could barely hear himself think.

'I know about your report sir.'

A small laugh was forced out of him, dry and painful. A report? 'Which report?'

'The psychiatrists report.'

Sam stopped walking and stood with his hands in his pockets, feeling the rage and bitterness fill his throat like bile.

'Go on.' he said, in a deceptively mild tone. 'Tell me what this... "report" says.'

'It said...that your interest in work, and in life, was-'

'Flagging? Lacking?'

Percy shrugged, and his offhand attitude pushed Sam beyond bearing.

'Well maybe that's because I came back to this. This life, if you can call it that, where even outside I feel like I'm in a bloody cage, where my head hurts all the time, and how everyday I wake up in a room that used to be a....wake up to an empty room, with the screams of people, who were my friends, echoing around me!' He was shouting, and people were looking, but he couldn't be bothered.

He got closer. 'You know what this life has to offer me? Nothing!' he said, cutting his hand through the air like a knife.

Taking a breath, he suddenly felt his heart pounding in his chest, and sweat pouring down his arms. It was as if he'd run a mile in a minute. Percy just stood there calm as ever. 'And what about Beth?' he finally said.

Sam felt his conviction falter. 'Beth?'

'What about justice for her, and for Theodore? Who will help them if you decide that the world will be a better place without you in it?'

Beth needed his help...no, no Beth would be fine, she didn't need an insane broken copper making things worse.

'This world doesn't need me. One small step for Sam,' he cracked a smile 'And I'll be back where I really belong.'

The DC threw up his arms in disgust, wrapping his hands around his head, before lowering them back to his sides, staring at him angrily.

'Do you honestly think, that topping yourself will...send you back?'

'Who's to say it wouldn't?'

'You can't afford to make that choice, sir! Don't you know what's happened?'

The DCI frowned, not understanding.

'Albert Pennywise is free.'

What? He shook his head. 'No, no it can't be!'

'Yes, he is! There was a prison riot a month ago, and he saved the life of a guard, at the risk of his own safety. When his parole next came up, the guard spoke on his behalf. Sir, I'm telling you, Albert Pennywise is a free man.'

Sam looked away, trying to bring his thoughts into order...

'Beth Pennywise....Where's she these days?'

Percy seemed calm again, but he could swear there was a satisfied gleam in those seemingly stoic eyes. So, DC Percy Clarke had hidden depths. He'd have to remember that.

'She's working at a health centre, in St. Johns Wood.' the younger man replied.

Sam raised his chin, squaring his shoulders.

'Right. Let's go see her.'

Jack and Gerry were at the white board writing up the points of the case, when they heard a step behind them. Turing around, expecting to see Clarke and Sam, they saw instead a tall man in a black fedora and a duster. He strolled in through the back door without so much as a "by your leave". Leaning up against it, he took out a toothpick and offered up a grin to the two of them.

'Rejoice oh ye multitudes, your savior has arrived.' the man proclaimed to the room.

'Well well, the prodigal returns.' Halford murmured, just as Sandra came out of her office. 'Gene!' she exclaimed, and went over to give the stranger a big hug.

Gerry shook his head. 'Who's this manc bastard then?'

'Technically Gerry, he's our bastard.' Jack said, breathing heavily out.

'The "b" word is a swear gents.' Brian pointed out smugly as he walked up behind them, holding out the coffee mug. 'Cough up a pound you two.'

Grumbling, they did so.

'Yeh, but who is he?' Gerry said, dropping a coin into the swear jar.

'Gene Hunt, former instructor at Hendon College of Police Training,' Brian replied. 'Former DCI in Manchester and the London Met. Demoted in 1973 due to an incident with a career criminal called Leslie Johns. He worked his way back up to DCI in 1979, transferred to the Met in 1980. Was reprieved of rank, and delegated a teachers position in 1981, over a scandal involving local politician, Gary Welkes. Retired in 1997, citing health reasons.' He finished, his brow furrowing.

Gerry frowned. 'What, not...not that Gene Hunt?! What, "The Unbreakable Man." , THAT Gene Hunt?!!'

'The very same.' Jack said, his tone neutral.

'Blo- er, flippin' 'eck!' Gerry said. The former DCI broke away from their CS and noticed their collective stares.

'I assume my reputation precedes me.' the man said, hooking his hands into his belt.

'Er...yeah. Nice ta meet yeh... Mr. Hunt.' Gerry said as Brian nodded and smiled.

The other man nodded, walking towards the whiteboard. 'Nice to meet you all, I'm sure. And nice to see you again Jack.' Jack nodded in acknowledgment. 'So! What have we got so far?'

'So far? Nothing then what we all all-ready know.' Jack replied.

Mr. Hunt nodded absently, looking at the various arrows and notes. 'What about Beth? Spoken to her?'

'Not as yet, but we were going to send a car 'round, bring her down to the station.' Gerry said ingratiatingly, causing both Brian and Jack to turn to look at him with raised eyebrows.

'That, will not be necessary.' said a clear voice from the top of the stairs. Turning, they saw an elegant blonde woman in her late forties, early fifties, poised there like a fashion model. She was tastefully dressed in a black pencil dress made of satin or silk that clung to her body in a complimentary fashion. Her hair fell to her shoulders in soft, gentle waves, and her lipstick was an bright, passionate red. Her eyes were hidden by large black vintage sunglasses, and as she groped for the stairway, it suddenly occurred to the team who it was they were looking at. The room was silent as Elizabeth Pennywise made her way slowly down the steps. Mr. Hunt was the first one to move.

' 'Ere love, take a seat.' he said as he carefully, almost tenderly, took her elbow, guiding over over to one of the blocky blue chairs. He stopped as she put up her hand.

'Thank you, but I'd prefer it if I could talk to your superior, in private. If that's possible?'

'Course it is love. Sandra?' The CS nodded, stepping forward.

'Yes, thank you Gene. Mrs. Pennywise, I'm pleased you were able to take the time to come down.'

Elizabeth cocked her head to the side, then suddenly smiled.

'Gene Hunt? I remember you! You were so kind, so understanding and gentle.'

Hunt chuckled as Brian, Sandra, Jack and Gerry exchanged glances. That certainly wasn't the sort of thing that they'd heard about Gene Hunt.

'I'm flattered that you remembered.' he said.

'CS Pullman...if it's all right with you, I'd like to speak about the...case with Mr. Hunt.'

Sandra paused momentarily, then recovered. 'Certainly, you can both use my office.'

Hunt guided Mrs. Pennywise to the door, and then shut it quietly behind them.

'Well...' Gerry drawled. 'Who knew that she'd be so...'

'Exactly.' said Jack, smiling at the door.

'It's a bit of luck, her remembering Mr. Hunt so well, make it easier to talk about the case.' Brian said.

'Yes...I'm sure it will.' Sandra said, an edge in her voice. 'Would somone please get me a fucking cup of coffee!'

'Ahem.' Gerry picked up the swear jar, and she dropped the coin in with ill grace, shooting a look towards the closed door of her office.

Beth smiled at him as she sat down in a chair opposite the desk.

'I know it's been a long time sir, but I could never forget the man who put my....husband where he finally belonged.' There was a tremor in her voice on the last, and her hand went up to stroke top edge of her sunglasses.

'Least I could do.' he said, looking down at his clenched hands.

'I'm here because I was told this was where the people working on his, on Teddy's case were.'

'Yeh....I don't know if you heard love, but Albert's out of prison. Good behavior an' all that malarky.'

She nodded, swallowing nervously.

'Yes...God help me. Such a violent, brutish man.' He smiled, impressed with the polish she'd gained over the years. Good for her, not letting the bastard grind her down.

'Never you fear, he won't get within three yards of yeh before he's swarmed by coppers.'

Beth nodded, then leaned forward, and anxious look on her face.

'Why have you re-opened the case? That's what I don't understand, after what he did to me, to my little boy.....'

'Urm....first thing that Bertie said when he got out...was it was someone else that shot Teddy.'

Beth looked shocked. '....What does this mean?'

'What it means...is that he's saying he's innocent.' Hunt said reluctantly.

Beth shook her head, over and over, more and more vigorously. 'No, no, no!'

She stood up, breathing heavily, her hands clawing the air in front of her. Standing up from behind the desk, he walked quickly over, carefully grabbing her hands. She collapsed into his arms, sobbing.

'....Oh God! God, why Teddy, Albert, why?!'

'There there now petal, just breath easy.' Gene said, stroking her hair.

'I've thought about that night over and over Mr. Hunt! If I could go back, if I could turn back the clock, I would have made sure it didn't happen! I would have stopped him!' she sobbed into his shirt.

'Never you fear love, we'll set it right, you'll see.' He made sure that his voice was soft and calming, although he could feel the anger coursing through him. He'd seen justice done before, and if he had to, he'd see it done again.

Sam got out of the car, slamming the door carelessly, his jaw set as he walked towards the front entrance of the health centre. As he did so, he looked up to the sign above the front door and did a double take.

'Percy...'

The younger man smiled. 'Clarke, please call me Clarke sir. I hate the name Percy.'

'All right then...Clarke. Are you taking the piss?'

'No, I really do hate Percy, it's a terrible name.'

'Not that! This...this is where Mrs. Pennywise works?'

Percy nodded, looking puzzled. 'Yes sir.'

'Are you sure of that?'

'Yes sir, why?'

The DCI continued to look up, a mocking smile curving his lips.

'Sometimes Percy....I think the universe is having one big laugh at me.'

Sam shook his head as he and DC Clarke walked into the Hyde Health Centre For Children.

Chapter Seven.

A Game Of Odds-Chapter Five

2008-04-14T01:06:47Z

Title: A Game Of Odds Chap. 5
Rating: Blue Cortina for language
Author: liquorishflame
Spoilers: Up until 2.8 for LOM for this series.
Chap. Summary: Sam and UCOS go over the details of the Pennywise case.
A/N: Beated by saintvic. I'm glad people are enjoying this so far :) To make it easier for you all, I intend to post two to three times a week, Monday (maybe Wenesday) and Thursday. Thats all, enjoy :)

Chapter One, Chapter Two, Chapter Three, Chapter Four.

The UCOS team stood stunned in their offices in the wake of DCI Sam Tyler, "cock of the walk", storming out for no apparent bloody reason.

'DCI Tyler, Tyler!' They looked at Sandra leaning out the door calling after him, with no response forthcoming she sighed.

'I don't think he could hear anything, the state he's in. Right, Clarke, go after him. Make sure he's all right.'

'Yes Guv'nor.' Clarke dashed out the door. The remaining members of the team exchanged glances. Turning back to the room, Sandra caught the tail end of it.

'What? What is it?' she said, folding her arms.

'I don't think we need some barmy kid barging in 'ere and messing up our precision teamwork.' Brian said.

'And if Brian says it, well, you've got to give it some thought, don't ya? I mean, consider the bloody source.' Gerry proclaimed.

Sandra and Brian glared at him, with Jack moving to stand beside her.

'DCI Tyler has been through a lot of trauma-' Jack reasoned.

'So? Who on the Force hasn't? I'm sorry, but I'm not gonna to put on my kid gloves just because some namby pamby buggered up little sod, has swanned in here to find a quiet spot to have a nice little nervous breakdown away from prying eyes!'

Sandra shifted her hands to her hips, set her jaw, and declared...

'I've been thinking, what we really need in this department, is a swear jar.'

Brian and Gerry looked at her in disbelief as Jack quickly picked up a clean coffee mug from the table and put it in her hand, grinning.

'A penny a swear.'

'Bloody-' Gerry started when she advanced on him.

'A shilling?.' His team-mates chuckled at the look on his face.

'We don't even have shillings any mo-'

'A pound.' She ground it out from between clenched teeth. He shut his mouth. She smiled sweetly.

'Any other protests?'

There was silence as everyone else in the room looked elsewhere.

'Good. Glad that's settled. Now, Gerry.'

'Er, yes Guv'nor?'

She extended the mug towards him.

'Spare a pound?'

Sam and Percy were sitting on a bench overlooking the New Globe Theatre, watching the seagulls peck over the tourist food. One of them was trying to eat a pebble, the stupid thing. Percy finally spoke.

'So, you travelled back in time, while you were in a coma?'

'Yeh, that's right.'

'Wasn't that a movie?'

Sam snorted in disbelief. 'What?'

'I'm just saying...sir, that maybe, you made it up.'

'I made it up.' Sam repeated, incredulous.

'Well maybe you saw, or read something, it got stuck in your head, and then your mind did the rest while you were asleep.'

'Coma patients aren't exactly sleeping Percy.'

'It's just...I don't think you're quite recovered.' the younger man said gently.

Sam gave a wry grin. 'Then how can I remember the Pennywise case? A case I've never worked on in the future, now I mean, 2007.'

'Well.. false memory sir. You think you remember it, because you've convinced yourself that this is all real.'

'But I remember every detail! Beth was... terrified of speaking to us! She flinched everytime her husband entered the room! And Teddy..Theodore, he was still trying to protect his dad, even though...'

He trailed off. There had been something wrong with the case...something off about it.

'I remember...speaking to Beth, how she said that she couldn't talk, because of Teddy.'

Sandra ran a hand through her hair as she looked at the case notes. 'All right, while we are waiting, lets review the case. Elizabeth Pennywise was reluctant to talk to the police-'

'I said we'd protect her and Teddy. I gave her my word.' Sam banged his hand angrily on the bench, making the younger man jump.

'DI Tyler offered to take both her and Theodore into protective custody. However, since they didn't have any safe houses, they ended up staying with a WDC Cartwright-'

'Annie said she'd keep them safe, that I couldn't be trusted. I disagreed, but she pointed out that after some.....previous experiences that....ahem. That it would be more appropriate for a mother and child to stay with a woman constable.'

'Albert Pennywise was taken into custody. Naturally, he was treated with hostility. His interrogation was quite brutal.'

'Gene lost all reason. I have never....I'd never seen him like that before. He and Ray just locked themselves in Lost and Found, taking turns asking him questions and beating the shit out of him.'

'Mr. Pennywise ended up in hospital with fractured ribs, broken arm, fractured skull, broken clavicle, broken nose-'

'I had to intervene, otherwise they would have killed him. Drove him to the hospital, had a plod on the door. But the worst of it was-'

Sandra sat back on her desk with a sigh. 'Mr. Pennywise refused to say anything.'

'We had to let him go Percy. We let a child abusing wife beater go, that's the worst of it. Shortly after that, Morgan called, and three weeks later, I was back here.' Sam worried at a hangnail, closing his eyes against the ache in his head. 'I should have been there, I could have done something, I-'

He noticed that Percy was looking down, not meeting his eyes.

'Percy.' it came out of him in a low growl.

'..Yes sir?'

'Why aren't you looking at me?'

'It's.....I don't think I should tell you sir.'

'Tell me what?' he bit out.

'There's nothing you can do about it-'

'Tell me!'

Percy sighed.

'Neighbours called in a disturbance again. The desk officer didn't bother to send an officer immediately, as everyone was still upset about having to let Mr. Pennywise go. Eventually, DCI Hunt and some others went to the scene to investigate. They found Theodore Pennywise shot dead, the gun in Albert Pennywise's hand.'

Sam shook his head. 'I know that. Sandra told me that already. There's nothing I can do about it!'

'Apparently, Elizabeth struggled with her husband, and there was a pot on the stove to boil. Albert must have picked it up and...It splashed her full in the face. She's been blind ever since.'

Sam put his head in his hands, then stood up, wiping away angry tears.

'Christ...lost her sight and her child in the same night....why this Percy, why me?! Nothing I'm doing here seems to matter, seems to make any difference! I feel like I'm treading water, going nowhere.' He stopped, looking across the water.

'Maybe, maybe if I went back...I could fix things...maybe I could remember...I..' He wandered close to the edge of the Thames, hypnotized by the fast moving water. It looked dark and inviting, cool, and welcoming........

Chapter Six