Hard Battles, Part 6
Tada again! Sorry it's late - been busy. =)
Enjoy!
“You!” Sam snarled. He glared at the man before him, hands forming fists, ready to punch. He stepped forward with intent, but was startled out of his actions by Gene’s booming voice.
“Brody, old boy! How the bloody hell are ye?”
Sam gawked with surprise as a grinning Gene strode past him to shake the newcomer’s outstretched hand.
“Guv,” Sam called out, quickly moving forward to touch Gene on the shoulder. “Guv, that’s - “
“Good to see you again too, Gene,” Brody’s voice sent shivers down Sam’s back. “And this strapping young man must be your new DI.” His silver eyes landed on Sam.
“That’s right,” Gene stepped sideways to introduce Sam, “Brody, this is Tyler. Sam Tyler. Gladys, this is Brody Moon.”
“Good to finally see you, Sam. Gene has told me a lot about you,” Brody raised out his hand for Sam to shake it. Sam’s lip curled and he ignored the hand offered to him. Instead, he tugged at Gene’s sleeve yet again.
“What is it, Tyler?” Gene snapped, clearly having expected his DI to behave in a more suitable manner. His smile began to look somewhat strained.
“A word,” Sam jerked his head towards Gene’s office. Gene raised an eyebrow, and was about to retort back but Sam was already sauntering towards his office. Gene grimaced apologetically at Brody.
“I’ll be right back.”
“No worries, Gene,” Brody casually seated himself down on Chris’s desk. “I’ll just be having a chat with your constable here.” He shot a friendly smile at Chris, who childishly grinned back at him like an awestruck boy meeting his hero.
Gene marched into his office and hissed at Sam angrily, “What is your problem, Tyler? Do you know who that is out there? Brody Moon! Manchester’s finest businessman - and did I mention he occasionally contributes part of his fortune to this police station! Show him some respect!”
“He’s “Payne”.” Sam stated. He was sat on the seat facing Gene’s chair, staring down at his fisted hands.
Gene paused, “What?”
“Payne,” Sam raised his voice slightly as he stood up angrily. “Brody Moon is Payne!”
Gene stared at him for a few seconds, a frown slowly working itself into his face, before chucking deeply, “You really are off your nuts, Tyler. Brody Moon is not Payne.”
“Guv! I know it’s him! I remember his face!” Sam yelled, infuriated by Gene’s disbelieve. He was shifting from foot to foot, as though he couldn’t wait to arrest the man.
“Is that right?”
“It’s him, guv.”
“Right,” Gene simply sounded tired. A hand on Sam’s shoulder, Gene steered Sam to his office windows, and Sam found himself peering at Brody through a gap in the blinds.
“Tell me, Sam, does he look like a twisted murderer to you?” Gene willed Sam to see reason.
Gene had a point; Brody looked more like a friendly father than a psycho, with the laughter lines around his eyes and his ready smile. His hair was completely white, though he couldn’t have been any older than Sam, and he wore a well tailored suit that showed class. He was laughing with Chris, painting a perfectly innocent picture, but Sam’s insides twisted as he watched.
“Sam?” Gene resisted the urge to growl with frustration as Sam wrenched away from his hand and moved to his office’s door. Yanking the door open, Sam yelled at Chris.
“Chris! Go check if the forensics has anything yet.”
“But boss, Brody’s here - “ Chris looked as though his favourite cuddly toy was being wrenched away from him.
“Now, Chris.”
Sam watched as Chris scowled and sulkily left the squad room, no doubt muttering curses under his breath. He then glanced back at Brody, who was looking straight at him with a smirk playing around his lips. Their eyes met, and Sam found himself gritting his teeth at the challenging glint in Brody’s eyes. Withdrawing his head into Gene’s office, Sam hissed at Gene angrily.
“That’s Payne - the man who murdered Kevin, who tortured him, and if you aren’t going to arrest him, I’ll do it.” Grabbing the pair of handcuffs decorating Gene’s desk, Sam moved out purposely towards the door. Gene’s eyes widened with alarm. Moving quicker than Sam would have thought possible, Gene barrelled into him before his hand even reached the doorknob. They went crashing to the floor; Sam pinned under Gene’s bulk.
“Gene. Get. Off,” Sam grunted. “Now.”
“You are not arresting Brody Moon, you twonk,” Gene barked into his ear. “Do you have any idea how - “
“He’s a murderer, a child trafficker, a gang leader - the quicker he’s behind bars, the better!” An elbow strike straight into Gene’s gut left him gasping, relaxing his hold on Sam, who quickly wriggled out. He got to his feet, but his triumph was short lived when Gene tackled him back to the ground again.
After much swearing, shoving, striking and punching, Gene finally managed to manhandle Sam into his chair. Breathing deeply, Gene stood back to admire his handiwork. Sam looked back at him disbelievingly.
“Gene, get these handcuffs off me right now, or I’ll - “
“Tyler, you’re gonna sit here, nice and quiet like, and think about why we can’t arrest Brody Moon.”
“He’s Payne! How many times do I have to tell you that?!” Sam furiously shook his hands handcuffed behind him in protest.
Gene raised his eyebrows, “I can’t believe I’m saying this, Sammy boy, but fact is that you ‘ave no evidence.”
That shut Sam up. He opened his mouth but closed it again, unable to argue with that point.
“Brody Moon,” Gene continued, “is a well respected business man - not just in Manchester, but in quite a few other cities too. I’ve known Moon for six years now - he’s clean. He goes to church every Sunday, has a bloody gorgeous wife, gives to charity, gets a lot out of that business of his, nice guy, always friendly, and also happens to know some very influential people. Just because you remember his face as Payne’s doesn’t mean he’s Payne. It means that you’re getting your faces mixed up. Next thing I know, you’ll be kissing Ray ‘stead of Cartwright!”
For the first time, Sam began to doubt himself. Maybe he was getting faces mixed up. But then Brody’s face flashed across Sam’s eyes, the velvety tone of voice, the irascible smirk, and Sam knew that he had the right man. It’s been three years since he last faced Pein, but he never forgot a criminal’s face, a criminal’s attitude, their physicality, their mentality. He was a DCI in 2006 due to no fluke.
“So, Gladys, decided to be reasonable yet?”
“I know it’s him, Gene,” Sam replied stubbornly. “But you’re right - I’ve got no evidence. We need to start investigating him first, and the first sign of anything corrupt, we bring him in.”
“Oh,for the bleedin’ god’s sake! This is like that Tony Crane business again!”
“And who was right that time?!”
Throwing his hands up in frustration, Gene marched right out of his office, slamming the door close behind him.
“Stubborn bastard,” Sam muttered, as he resigned himself to picking at the handcuffs for the next few hours.
*
“Stubborn bastard,” Gene muttered to himself as he approached Brody. Why did Sam always have to complicate everything? Wasn’t it enough that the idiot was a target for a murdering psycho? Gene took in a deep breath, trying to calm that feeling that had been niggling at him since last night.
He had gone home, after trying and failing to get Wayne pissed. Letting himself in - because the missus had been gone for weeks now - he was shaken out of his drunken stupor upon reading the letter waiting for him in his lounge.
Immediately, the alarm bells in his head began ringing. He was the guv. One of his best officers and friend was in danger, and Gene had no hesitation about what he had to do. The suitcase was packed within two minutes and he was at Sam’s within five, refusing to panic but the icy fear of losing someone again slowly freezing his heart.
“Your DI doesn’t seem please to see me, Gene,” Brody smiled at Gene, breaking off his conversation with Briar halfway through.
“Yeah, well,” Gene grunted as he lighted a cigarette using Brody’s lighter, “Tyler’s a good copper, but he gets things mixed up sometimes. Don’t you worry.”
Briar interrupted, “Gene, I’ve just been telling Brody about our ongoing case. He says he can help.”
Brody nodded seriously, “I can alert the coppers in neighbouring cities about this gang, “Xander”. Just in case, this gang moves out of Manchester, you know?”
Gene shook his head slowly, “No, it’s alright, Brody. They aren’t moving from Manchester anytime soon...there’s something they want here.”
At that moment, Gene saw something in Brody’s eyes. It wasn’t curiosity, or fear, or even greed. Cruel, sadistic superiority shone out, but it disappeared as soon as it came, leaving Gene wondering if he had seen it at all.
He blinked, and Brody was smiling compassionately back at him again.
*
“About time!” Sam exclaimed as Gene’s office door swung open, but the grin melted off his face as he looked upon just who had entered through.
Brody smiled, “Hello Sam, long-time no see.”
Sam stifled a gasp, but he couldn’t help struggling even harder with his handcuffs, all the while, colourfully cursing Gene in his head, “Where’s Gene?”
“Oh, he’s around,” Brody tilted his head to one side, casually pulling up a chair to sit just opposite Sam. Sam’s eyebrows drew together as he unconsciously leaned back to distance himself from Brody, who was bending forwards towards him.
“So,” Brody stapled his fingers together, “let’s talk.”
Sam jerked forward, his teeth bared as he growled, “You killed Kevin.”
Brody smiled fondly, as though he was relishing a happy memory, “That’s right, Sam.” He cupped Sam’s cheek in his hand almost affectionately, “And you’re next.”
Sam pulled away from Brody’s touch, feeling his cheek burn with lingering sensations. He glared at Brody, who seemed indifferent
“Don’t worry, Sam,” Brody laughed, “I’m not going to do anything to you now. It’d be a little foolish of me considering your friends are all just behind these walls. But believe me, Sam, your time will come soon and I’m going to enjoy every minute of it.”
Sam’s breathing quickened and his heart was thudding so hard, he was surprised Brody couldn’t hear it. He refused to let his fear show, displaying only anger in the enemy’s face. He spat out, “Why risk everything for revenge, Payne?”
The change in Brody was unbelievably quick, and within seconds, Brody was towering above Sam, a hand tangled in Sam’s hair, wrenching the Inspector’s head back. Brody snarled in Sam’s face, “You took everything from me, Tyler. People laughed at me, they mocked me. You left me to rot in prison, do you have any idea how like hell that place is?”
Hiding a wince, Sam sneered right back, “Hell is perfect for bastards like you.”
SLAP! Sam’s head snapped to the right by the force of the slap. Cheek stinging, Sam’s glared back at Brody who had composed himself.
“But you’re right, Sam,” Brody smiled back at him benignly. “I wouldn’t waste this second chance for revenge. You see Sam, what’s going to happen to you, is just a part of my bigger plan.”
“And what’s that?” Sam wondered if his cheek was bruised, but he knew it wouldn’t be. Brody was too clever to leave behind marks.
“Wouldn’t you like to know?”Brody stood up and announced grandly, “Look at us, Sam. Two men stuck in the path of time...I rather like it here, mind. Police too slow to catch me, I’ve got a beautiful wife, my business is blooming -“ he paused and looked at Sam curiously. “And you like it here too...that fiancée of yours is rather striking, isn’t she?”
“You stay away from her!” Sam burst out.
Brody laughed, “Cool down, Sam.”
The door opened, and the two room occupants turned to see Chris tentatively coming in with a key in his hand. Chris grinned at them both sheepishly.
“Hey boss. Hey, Brody!”
“Chris, get me out of these handcuffs now.”
“Sure thing boss. The guv told me to get you down to the Railway Arms,” Chris snapped off Sam’s handcuffs, and was surprised at how quickly Sam stood up. Chris turned to Brody, who was smiling as usual.
“Hey Brody! Want to came with us?”
“No,” Sam took hold of Chris’s arm and hauled him out of the office. “He’s not coming.”
“I’m busy, Chris,” Brody winked at Chris, “things to do! I’ll be seeing you soon, Sam.”
Sam didn’t reply and didn’t look back at Brody, just in case the man could see the apprehension clearly visible in his eyes.
*
Gene cursed under his breath as he hobbled back to Sam’s flat, supporting his drunken DI beside him. Sam’s arm was around his shoulders, and his arm was firmly around Sam’s waist. Walking was no easy feat with Sam’s legs seeming to bend every ten seconds, but Gene was if anything, a determined man, and he plodded on, trying to get his own legs under control.
“Will you just walk, you twonk!” Gene growled hoisting a slipping Sam back up yet again.
Sam giggled before breaking into a song, “And I will walk five hundred miles, and I will - “
“No one’s asking you to walk five hundred miles, Tyler, a few more metres ought to do it.”
Sam laughed, and Gene was briefly struck by how carefree Sam sounded. He was about to express his opinion when Sam almost walked sideways into him.
“Bleeding ‘ell,” Gene cursed. “Tyler! You only had a few glasses, and you’re drunk! How am I s’pposed to make a man outta you if you can’t even handle your drink?”
Sam laughed uproariously, slipping out of Gene’s grip to point at him, “Mulan!”
“What?”
Sam was excitedly slurring his words, “I loved watching Muuulan. It was brilliant!”
“And what’s that?” Gene hastily pulled Sam out of the way of a lamppost.
“It’s a cartoooon movie!” Sam twirled around in a dizzy spin, before landing on the ground.
Gene picked him up, “Trust you to like the kiddies show, Tyler.”
“Disney is for all ages!” Sam pouted, and Gene resisted the automatic urge to slap the pout away. Stu used to pout like that all the time.
A dazed smile was already decorating Sam’s face as he pointed at Gene again, “You’re General Shang, you are!” He clapped his hands like a child before pushing away from Gene. Gene watched him pick up a stick off the ground and twirled it above his head.
“Oi! Watch it!” Gene ducked just in time, “You’re gonna have someone’s eyes out, and trust me, Tyler, I can kill you just as well with one eye!”
Sam laughed again, somewhat maniacally before bursting into a song, “Let’s get down to business! To capture... the scum! Did- they - send me poofters? When I asked... for sons!” He threw the stick into the air and tried to catch it again, but missed. “Ow...” Sam rubbed the side of his head where the stick had hit him, looking at the fallen stick with hurt betrayal.
Deciding that enough for enough, Gene steered a half asleep Sam towards the flat’s entrance and up the seemingly never ending stairs, all the while trying not to listen to Sam’s mumbled singing, “To be a man...we must be swift as a coursing Cortina...”
Gene let out a sigh of relief as they reached Sam’s flatroom, and he never thought he’d be so glad to see the ugly wallpaper. He unceremoniously dumped Sam onto the bed and growled with frustration as Sam tried to sleepily stand up. Gene pushed Sam back onto the bed, “Get some sleep, Tyler.”
Sam rubbed his eyes but refused the lie back down. Instead, he sat up in the bed, his hand clenching Gene’s arm almost painfully. Though his eyes were fully open, they weren’t focused as he stared at Gene dazedly, “Gene...”
“That’s me, you twonk! Now, go to sleep!” Gene tried to pry Sam’s fingers off his arm, but suddenly found himself engulfed in a tight hug. He quickly stiffened, not used to the feeling.
“Sam! Get off me now, you bleedin’ poof!” Gene mentally vowed never to get Sam drunk again, even as he slowly relaxed into the hug.
“You’re my bestest friend in the whole world, Geeeene.”
“Course I am - you haven’t exactly got a wide range of friend to choose from, being the annoying prick you are.”
“I am sooo sorry,” Sam mumbled into Gene’s shoulder, his head lolling to one side.
“For what?” Gene managed to slip off Sam’s shoes and at the same time, lower a limp Sam back onto the bed.
“For what I’ve done, for what the future’s going to do to you, for being a bother,” Sam murmured so quietly Gene could barely hear him. “’M sorry, Gene...”
“Don’t be daft, Tyler, you ain’t a bother. And will you bleedin’ stop talkin’ ‘bout the future?! Now sleep,” Gene was finally able to wrench Sam’s hand off him, and he quickly stood before Sam could hold him again. Sam frowned up at him, worry clouding his face.
“But she’ll get me with the nightmares again,” Sam’s voice was small, and Gene raised an eyebrow, wondering just when his DI was replaced by a little boy. He sat back down on the bed.
“No one’s going to get you, Sam. Not while I’m here.” Gene patted Sam’s hand twice before realising that the man was sleeping, his eyes closed as he breathed rhythmically. Gene frowned, noticing how the harsh lines of stress and bottled up anger seemed to have melted away, and Sam suddenly did look very much like a vulnerable little boy. The icy knot of fear in his heart tightened.
Shaking his head wearily, Gene moved over to the flat’s window, intending to close the curtains. The curtains were halfway closed when Gene paused, his eyes widening as he stared intensely out of the window at the black van parked up opposite the flat.
His internal debate to go out and check up on the van was concluded when the van drove away. Gene watched it go with a vague sense of foreboding.
When Sam woke up the next morning, with a crippling headache and a bad temper, he was more than surprised to find Gene dozing lightly next to the window with a baseball bat in his hand.
Hope it was ok! Please tell me what you think! Suggestions or improvements are welcome. =)
*on a side note, sorry to anyone who hasn't watched Mulan yet.