Part 3
Part 3 of 3
Sam awoke sometime around dawn and was disorientated for a moment when he felt arms around him and the hard floor underneath him. Then it came back in an instant. Gene had returned to Sam’s flat with him after dinner and they had proceeded to make a nest on the floor and shag at least twice more. Sam snuggled into Gene and allowed himself to enjoy the feel of his arms protectively around him, physically sheltering him just as he had been mentally sheltering him since he stumbled into his station.
Sam allowed himself to admit to loving Gene, perhaps it was a twisted desperate sort of love, given the circumstances that brought it about, but it was love nonetheless. Nothing else could have brought Sam to this place, cuddled up to his DCI on the floor of his disgusting flat after a night of sweaty animalistic sex. If it was merely lust that drove Sam he would have gone after Annie long before this. Sam realized now that he was driven to Gene not out of lust, although it was there, but out of a connection that went much deeper than mere bodily responses.
Gene’s hand began to stroke up and down Sam’s arm. Sam looked up and his eye’s connected with Gene’s.
“You know Sam, sometimes I think I was just marking time waiting for you to show up and throw my world completely off its axis. Mind you I ain’t thanking you for it.” Gene spoke softly.
“Wow Gene,” Sam said in all sincerity, awe outlining his words, “I don’t know what to say.”
“Good, don’t say anything at all and if you ever bring it up I’ll kidney punch you until your eyes cross.”
Sam’s head fell back onto Gene’s shoulder as he smiled wide and thought to himself, “Yep, I’m going to have one of those days.”
Gene left as the sun came up so that he could go home and get cleaned up and changed. Sam got up to prepare for another day of 1973 policing but he didn’t feel the dread he usually felt while readying for his day. He smiled goofily in the mirror. Gene, whom he first thought of as the bane of his cursed existence, had turned into his savior. Or perhaps Gene had always been his savior only Sam hadn’t realized it until now. It didn’t matter now Sam decided and he headed off to face his day with a genuine smile.
Thanks to Ray’s method of interrogation the three suspects had been booked and charged with the unsolved burglary’s that had been plaguing the department and work commenced on several new cases. Sam had been a little nervous about not being able to act normal towards Gene or Gene towards him but he needn’t have bothered because when the Guv strolled into the station it was work as usual and the last bits of Sam’s anxiety melted away.
The morning was going rather slowly until Gene emerged from office with an air of urgency.
“Ok you lot, we got ourselves a floater been pulled out of the canal with his throat cut. Get your asses shifted and be quick about it,” and with that he left making his way towards the Super’s office.
Everyone, except Sam because he never rushed on Gene’s word, broke into movement, scurrying to comply with the Guv’s orders.
Sam, Chris and Ray went to view the body together. Jeff Thornton was an average looking bloke in his late twenties and he had a deep long slice across his neck. From the photos of the crime scene it was obvious; to Sam at least, the victim had been grabbed from behind, throat cut quickly and dropped.
“Alright Chris, what’s the victims address?”
After rooting through the file he held for about 30 seconds, dropping papers as he went, Sam grabbed the top sheet, scanned the address with his eyes, turned and left.
Pulling up outside the victim’s house with a excited Chris in the passenger seat Sam knocked on the door. Nobody answered.
“Isn’t nobody home. Wife left him ages ago and took their kiddie with her.”
Sam’s head whipped to the left to see a middle aged woman’s head peeking out next door. He approached her motioning for Chris to stay in the car.
“My name is DI Tyler. We need someone to come down and identify the body. Do you know if he has any other family?”
“No, he was all alone in the world poor pet.”
“Would you be able to identify him Mrs….”
“Ms. Pruitt and yeah I suppose so. He was a soft spoken lad and a quiet neighbor.”
“Thank you Ms. Pruitt. Your help would be greatly appreciated. You didn’t happen to see or hear anything the last couple of days that seemed suspicious to you? Anyone Jeff had a grudge against or the other way round?”
“You know I don’t talk to coppers as a rule, shady group the lot of them, but you don’t strike me as one of those F….ing wankers.”
“AHH thank you,” Sam said to Ms. Pruitt and then to himself he mumbled, “I guess.”
“Well I don’t know if it means anything, probably nothing special to tell you the truth.”
“Sometimes it is the most mundane details that mean everything in these cases Ms. Pruitt.”
“Well see every night there is this bloke who walks down our block. Don’t know who he is but you can tell he’s a bit off. Always talking to himself and sometimes yelling things out. Any way, we’ve always just ignored him you know, me and all the neighbors. Well Jeff sorta blamed him for knockin over and bustin a flower pot his wife had put growing on the stair up to their door. I suppose it meant something to the lad because he sure put up a stink when he saw it in pieces a couple of mornings ago. Last night Jeff came home pissed off his ass and he never was a lad for drinkin. That’s all really. Everyone liked Jeff and I never seen him put up as much of a fuss as he did over that broken pot.”
“And you say you don’t know who this bloke is?”
“Nope, all I know is that he always walks down the block around 10:00 every night.”
“Could you give me a description of him?”
“Oh sure luv, he’s about your height with unkept shaggy brown hair. Stocky fellow, wide shoulders and he walks kind of like a monkey would.”
“Thank you so much Ms. Pruitt. You really have been a great help. I’ll take you to the station myself to identify his body.”
“Ah, can I come down later. Coronation Street is about to start and I never miss it.”
“Ms. Pruitt…”
“I promise, one hour and I’ll be on my way or if you like I don’t have to come at all.”
“Alright, alright. Thank you for your time.”
Turning away Sam made his way back to the car and Chris, ready to return to the station with what he had learned.
The Guv was in lost and found with Ray “questioning” a confused looking street rat about a couple of car thefts in the area when Sam returned to the station. Waiting for Gene in his office Sam formulated a theory and a plan.
When Gene came in he was breathing a bit heavy and looking for his whiskey bottle.
“Guv, I got a lead on the floater’s case.” Sam said in lieu of a greeting.
“Well surprise, surprise Einstein, why ain’t I feeling shocked?”
“Anyway, I think Jeff Thornton…”
“Who?” Gene asked confusion etching his features.
“Jeff Thornton, the floater, he blamed a local unknown for breaking his estranged wife’s flower pot so last night he goes out and gets drunk, due to his sorrow over his wife leaving him, see’s the unknown man walking past his house, follows the man somewhere to have it out with him and this man either slits his throat or is at the very least one if not the last person to see him alive.”
“How do you keep all that straight in your head? Never mind, I don’t really want to know. You got anything to back all this up?”
“No, it’s all theory as of now but I may have after I find this man and question him.”
“How you going to do that if he’s unknown?”
“The neighbor lady, Ms. Pruitt, has seen him many times walking down the block. I’ll just plant myself across the street tonight around 10:00 and when he walks by have Ms. Pruitt wave at me from her window. After she has identified the proper man I follow him home and question him.” Sam stated proudly.
“Alright, but since this is all you guessing anyhow can’t we do it tomorrow night? Tonight’s darts against C division and it’s a very important win for us.”
Sam rolled his eyes. “Listen, I’ll just take Chris with me then. You don’t let him play anyway.”
“That’s cause he’s got the coordination of a boozed up monkey.” Gene said defensively.
Sam smiled, “Don’t worry about it, I’m sure Chris will love to come. Good experience out of the stacks.”
“OK Sammy boy, but you taking me out to dinner first? It’s your turn to pay but I pick. I’m going to need sustenance so I can play my best tonight.” Gene’s eye brows lifted.
“Yeah, alright.” Sam nodded his head resignedly and then left to inform Chris he was cancelling his plans for tonight.
10:00 found Sam and Chris parked across the street from Jeff Thornton’s house quietly waiting for the mystery nutter to make his appearance. That’s what Chris called him anyway, but the nickname made Sam wince a little. It made him think of Billy Taylor and Sam was ashamed to admit neither Billy nor his situation was something Sam wanted reminding of.
“So boss, what we gonna do once we caught the mystery nutter.” Chris asked oblivious to Sam’s dislike of the name.
“We’re not trying to capture him Chris. We want to ascertain his identity and question him regarding his whereabouts last night. Remember, until we have reason to seriously suspect him of involvement we treat him like a witness. I gave you a talk about the difference between a witness and a suspect before.”
“I know boss, I wrote it down.”
“Never mind Chris.”
Fifteen minutes later a lone figure came out from an alley way making his way down Ms. Pruitt’s block. As the man passed her window Sam could see he matched the description she had given him earlier. Sam watched the window until he saw a hand wave, confirmation given it was time to make a move.
“That’s him Chris.”
“What we do now boss?”
“Well I was hoping to approach him off the street, somewhere contained in case he has something to hide and is a runner but I suppose its alright with the two of us to approach now.”
“Right you are boss.”
Sam got out of the car closely followed by Chris. They made their way across the street towards the mystery tramp.
Sam advanced upon him with an efficient stride, badge in the air. “Excuse me sir, police, may we have a word?”
The man didn’t even look in Sam’s direction as he took off like a shot running up the street and ducking down an alley. Sam and Chris took off after him but it was dark and they were both unfamiliar with these streets.
Sam followed close behind but just could not get the advantage on him. Chris could barely keep up.
Finally the suspect ducked into a run down shack of a house and Sam followed close behind. Chris tried to follow but tripped and went down on the front step, Sam turned in the entryway.
“Stay here Chris and watch the door. I’ll go in after him.” The last thing Sam needed was Chris bungling around a dark house with a possible murder suspect on the loose.
Sam made his way up the stairwell squinting to see what was ahead of him when all of the sudden a beefy arm grabbed him from behind and pressed a knife blade into his throat.
“Make one dodgy move and I’ll slit your throat so fast you’ll be dead before ya hit the floor.” The man said in a low raspy voice. “You’ve been lookin for away out of this life for awhile now. Well I might be able to help you.”
“Please, my name is Sam Tyler and if we can just talk rationally about this…”
“Shut it! Not a word out of you or I make it so you can’t talk no more.”
The man began moving backwards into a room, Sam kept in step with him and prayed Chris was doing something constructive.
Once in the room the man released Sam swiftly shoving him into a wall with such force Sam hit his head and slid onto the floor in a bit of a daze.
“Move a muscle and I’ll bury this blade in ya, you got that. You won’t be the first to die by this blade and you won’t be the last.”
The man was bigger than Sam and from the chase moments earlier Sam knew size didn’t impede his speed. He decided to wait him out and hope Chris was calling in back-up.
As a matter of fact Chris was doing just that. Calling into the station, Phyllis who was working late, due to the fact everyone seemed to have made off to the pub for the darts competition, decided the best thing to do would be to call the Guv at the Railway considering everyone else was there as well.
Gene Hunt arrived outside the house with in minutes. Chris was standing outside nervously awaiting instructions. The Guv excited his car and walking right up to the door, not even breaking his stride, he grabbed Chris by the collar and dragged him to the foot of the stairs.
“Right, talk.”
“Yes Guv. The boss took up those stairs after him but the man got him from behind with a knife and from what I could tell he took him into the room off the top of the stairs.”
Upstairs both Sam and the man had heard the commotion and voices downstairs. Sam was sure he heard Gene although he really couldn’t tell. The mere thought relieved him and scared the shit out of him at the same time. “Oh god,” Sam thought, “Please don’t let him do anything stupid.”
The man suddenly came at Sam, jerking him up by the arm and using him as a shield with knife to throat stepped out onto the landing.
Gene looked up to see Sam standing at the top of the stairs with a knife to his throat and his face froze with a look that if Sam had to guess looked very much like barely disguised terror. It quickly morphed into silent fury.
“I’m not going to prison. I’ll kill him and then meself before I let that happen.” The man said in a clear calm voice. Sam suddenly became very calm himself. This man was crazy but in a strangely rational way that made him entirely too dangerous in this type of situation. He would slit Sam’s throat in a second, without any thought at all. Sam knew this; he just hoped it didn’t happen.
“Let him go you piece of scum and I won’t kick the living shit out of ya before I put a bullet through your thick head.” Gene’s retort was less than diplomatic.
Sam closed his eyes. “Please Guv, don’t antagonize the man with the knife to my throat.”
“See there Sammy boy, even as the hostage your telling me what to do.” Gene’s voice was trying for normal but came off strained and raspy.
Sam decided to try to rationalize with the man yet again, “What would it take for you to let me go unharmed? Let’s be reasonable here. You don’t have to kill me and you can get something you want in return.”
“I’m fine with the way things are.” the man replied in Sam’s ear, “All I want is you dead. Its even better that your friends get to watch, I’ve never had that with one of my kills before. They’ve always been alone.”
Without thought and almost against his will Sam breathed out, “Gene.”
“Sam.” Gene answered back although Sam had spoken so softly it would have been impossible for Gene to hear. Focusing on Gene for a moment Sam saw the intent in his eyes. Sam had to try to get as clear of the man’s head as possible so Gene could get a better shot. But the man’s death grip was strong and tight and Sam couldn’t budge without causing the knife to sink deeper into this throat. Sam’s eyes connected once again with Gene’s and they widened in despair.
Gene’s however became hard as stone as his gun whipped out of nowhere, took aim and fired. Sam’s head jerked to the side on instinct and the man, startled by the shot allowed his grip to loosen. In a fraction of a second the man’s head was gone and Sam had collapsed onto the landing.
When Sam looked up Gene was there at his side gently helping him rise. With a solid grip on his arm they made their way down to the waiting crowd of police and curious late night onlookers.
“I had better get down to the station and start on the paperwork.” Sam said shakily falling back on police mode Sam.
“I won’t even ask if your daft or not. Your going home and getting some rest after you’ve been checked over.”
“I’m fine Gene really, not even a scratch.”
“Then off home it is for you my lad.”
“You alright boss” Chris asked startling Sam who was so focused on Gene he hadn’t even realized they were surrounded by some of the team and a gaggle of uniforms.
“I’m fine Chris, thanks.”
If Chris thought it was odd that the Guv still had a hold of DI Tyler’s arm as he walked him out and loaded him into his car he didn’t say anything. And good thing that he didn’t because all that would have gotten him was a thumping courtesy of the Guv.
Gene drove with an intense silence about him. Eyes straight ahead, knuckles white with the force in which he squeezed the wheel, he didn’t attempt one word. Sam sat slouched down with his head braced against the door seemingly resting, but with the tension emanating off Gene, he remained quietly alert.
And then he spoke much like he had at the top of those stairs believing he was going to die, “Gene.”
“I’m not in the mood to spill my feelings Gladys so don’t start on me.” Gene snapped angrily. Sam didn’t think the anger was meant for him, he was just the convenient target. He didn’t think he would ever figure Gene out but for some reason that thought didn’t bother him.
Sam sighed and decided not to bait Gene when he was this worked up, he didn’t have the strength to verbally spar with him anyway.
Gene pulled up to Sam’s building and without even a glance in Sam’s direction headed up towards his flat. Sam followed slowly wondering at Gene’s odd behavior. When Sam reached his door Gene was propped against the wall next to it waiting with his head down and his hands in his pockets.
Sam unlocked the door and took a step to enter when suddenly his arm was taken hold of and he was dragged inside.
Gene whipped him around to face him after carelessly slamming the door shut. Shoving Sam’s coat off his shoulders Gene proceeded to grasp either side of Sam’s collar and pull it apart so that buttons flew everywhere. Kicking off his shoes in the process he also discarded his coat and shirt in quick clumsy movements. Sam began to protest when Gene took him down to the carpet forcibly with his body. Sam sat up when Gene moved down to remove Sam’s boots and shove his pants down.
Gene’s palm flattened on Sam’s bare chest pushing him back down and proceeded to remove his own pants and boxers. With them gone now Gene spread Sam’s legs making a place for him to lie and wrapping his arms around Sam began to kiss him ferociously.
Sam thought about putting a stop to this, due to Gene’s rough manner, but he soon realized it was making him hard and that was new to Sam. In his 2006 sex life Sam had always liked to be the one in control, then again in his 2006 sex life he had always slept with women and this was Gene Hunt after all.
After about a minute of desperate groping Gene rose to his knees, moving back a little he flipped Sam over onto his stomach. Sam knew what was coming and braced himself. He was new to this after all and still sore from last night but he knew Gene needed this. Although he would never admit it to Sam verbally, Gene’s every movement spoke of a need to bind Sam to him somehow. Even though the sexual aspect of their relationship was new the emotional bond they shared, for some inexplicable reason, was deep and strong and that bond had been threatened tonight. Gene needed to be grounded just as much as Sam did.
Gene did take time to stretch Sam a bit and using pre-cum collected from the both of them he eased his way a bit. When Gene finally entered Sam in a savage thoughtless thrust it felt as if Sam had been impaled on a flagpole. The force pushed Sam forward bringing his head down to grind into the carpet.
Heedless of anything but the needs of his own body Gene began a ruthless pace. One hand on Sam’s head pressing it harder into the floor and the other grasping Sam’s hip Gene grunted his way to completion. As he came Gene reached down to stroke Sam, who was surprisingly more than ready, and exploded within a few strokes.
Sam collapsed fully onto the floor with Gene’s larger frame following him down and resting onto his back. Sam could barely breathe under the weight but could not bring himself to complain.
They stayed like this until Gene caught his breath and shifted onto his side next to Sam’s limp frame. After a few minutes Sam turned his head lazily to stare into Gene’s face.
Gene’s eyes were closed and his breathing was even. Sam thought he was asleep and again marveled at his new life.
“I don’t know how or why and I probably am a nutter for feeling this way but I love you.”
Gene startled Sam by letting out a mammoth yawn before he spoke in the same soft tone Sam had used, “Me too Gladys, me too.”
Sam’s face broke out into a huge smile. “Yep,” Sam thought, “I’m going to be fine.”
The end
Sam awoke sometime around dawn and was disorientated for a moment when he felt arms around him and the hard floor underneath him. Then it came back in an instant. Gene had returned to Sam’s flat with him after dinner and they had proceeded to make a nest on the floor and shag at least twice more. Sam snuggled into Gene and allowed himself to enjoy the feel of his arms protectively around him, physically sheltering him just as he had been mentally sheltering him since he stumbled into his station.
Sam allowed himself to admit to loving Gene, perhaps it was a twisted desperate sort of love, given the circumstances that brought it about, but it was love nonetheless. Nothing else could have brought Sam to this place, cuddled up to his DCI on the floor of his disgusting flat after a night of sweaty animalistic sex. If it was merely lust that drove Sam he would have gone after Annie long before this. Sam realized now that he was driven to Gene not out of lust, although it was there, but out of a connection that went much deeper than mere bodily responses.
Gene’s hand began to stroke up and down Sam’s arm. Sam looked up and his eye’s connected with Gene’s.
“You know Sam, sometimes I think I was just marking time waiting for you to show up and throw my world completely off its axis. Mind you I ain’t thanking you for it.” Gene spoke softly.
“Wow Gene,” Sam said in all sincerity, awe outlining his words, “I don’t know what to say.”
“Good, don’t say anything at all and if you ever bring it up I’ll kidney punch you until your eyes cross.”
Sam’s head fell back onto Gene’s shoulder as he smiled wide and thought to himself, “Yep, I’m going to have one of those days.”
Gene left as the sun came up so that he could go home and get cleaned up and changed. Sam got up to prepare for another day of 1973 policing but he didn’t feel the dread he usually felt while readying for his day. He smiled goofily in the mirror. Gene, whom he first thought of as the bane of his cursed existence, had turned into his savior. Or perhaps Gene had always been his savior only Sam hadn’t realized it until now. It didn’t matter now Sam decided and he headed off to face his day with a genuine smile.
Thanks to Ray’s method of interrogation the three suspects had been booked and charged with the unsolved burglary’s that had been plaguing the department and work commenced on several new cases. Sam had been a little nervous about not being able to act normal towards Gene or Gene towards him but he needn’t have bothered because when the Guv strolled into the station it was work as usual and the last bits of Sam’s anxiety melted away.
The morning was going rather slowly until Gene emerged from office with an air of urgency.
“Ok you lot, we got ourselves a floater been pulled out of the canal with his throat cut. Get your asses shifted and be quick about it,” and with that he left making his way towards the Super’s office.
Everyone, except Sam because he never rushed on Gene’s word, broke into movement, scurrying to comply with the Guv’s orders.
Sam, Chris and Ray went to view the body together. Jeff Thornton was an average looking bloke in his late twenties and he had a deep long slice across his neck. From the photos of the crime scene it was obvious; to Sam at least, the victim had been grabbed from behind, throat cut quickly and dropped.
“Alright Chris, what’s the victims address?”
After rooting through the file he held for about 30 seconds, dropping papers as he went, Sam grabbed the top sheet, scanned the address with his eyes, turned and left.
Pulling up outside the victim’s house with a excited Chris in the passenger seat Sam knocked on the door. Nobody answered.
“Isn’t nobody home. Wife left him ages ago and took their kiddie with her.”
Sam’s head whipped to the left to see a middle aged woman’s head peeking out next door. He approached her motioning for Chris to stay in the car.
“My name is DI Tyler. We need someone to come down and identify the body. Do you know if he has any other family?”
“No, he was all alone in the world poor pet.”
“Would you be able to identify him Mrs….”
“Ms. Pruitt and yeah I suppose so. He was a soft spoken lad and a quiet neighbor.”
“Thank you Ms. Pruitt. Your help would be greatly appreciated. You didn’t happen to see or hear anything the last couple of days that seemed suspicious to you? Anyone Jeff had a grudge against or the other way round?”
“You know I don’t talk to coppers as a rule, shady group the lot of them, but you don’t strike me as one of those F….ing wankers.”
“AHH thank you,” Sam said to Ms. Pruitt and then to himself he mumbled, “I guess.”
“Well I don’t know if it means anything, probably nothing special to tell you the truth.”
“Sometimes it is the most mundane details that mean everything in these cases Ms. Pruitt.”
“Well see every night there is this bloke who walks down our block. Don’t know who he is but you can tell he’s a bit off. Always talking to himself and sometimes yelling things out. Any way, we’ve always just ignored him you know, me and all the neighbors. Well Jeff sorta blamed him for knockin over and bustin a flower pot his wife had put growing on the stair up to their door. I suppose it meant something to the lad because he sure put up a stink when he saw it in pieces a couple of mornings ago. Last night Jeff came home pissed off his ass and he never was a lad for drinkin. That’s all really. Everyone liked Jeff and I never seen him put up as much of a fuss as he did over that broken pot.”
“And you say you don’t know who this bloke is?”
“Nope, all I know is that he always walks down the block around 10:00 every night.”
“Could you give me a description of him?”
“Oh sure luv, he’s about your height with unkept shaggy brown hair. Stocky fellow, wide shoulders and he walks kind of like a monkey would.”
“Thank you so much Ms. Pruitt. You really have been a great help. I’ll take you to the station myself to identify his body.”
“Ah, can I come down later. Coronation Street is about to start and I never miss it.”
“Ms. Pruitt…”
“I promise, one hour and I’ll be on my way or if you like I don’t have to come at all.”
“Alright, alright. Thank you for your time.”
Turning away Sam made his way back to the car and Chris, ready to return to the station with what he had learned.
The Guv was in lost and found with Ray “questioning” a confused looking street rat about a couple of car thefts in the area when Sam returned to the station. Waiting for Gene in his office Sam formulated a theory and a plan.
When Gene came in he was breathing a bit heavy and looking for his whiskey bottle.
“Guv, I got a lead on the floater’s case.” Sam said in lieu of a greeting.
“Well surprise, surprise Einstein, why ain’t I feeling shocked?”
“Anyway, I think Jeff Thornton…”
“Who?” Gene asked confusion etching his features.
“Jeff Thornton, the floater, he blamed a local unknown for breaking his estranged wife’s flower pot so last night he goes out and gets drunk, due to his sorrow over his wife leaving him, see’s the unknown man walking past his house, follows the man somewhere to have it out with him and this man either slits his throat or is at the very least one if not the last person to see him alive.”
“How do you keep all that straight in your head? Never mind, I don’t really want to know. You got anything to back all this up?”
“No, it’s all theory as of now but I may have after I find this man and question him.”
“How you going to do that if he’s unknown?”
“The neighbor lady, Ms. Pruitt, has seen him many times walking down the block. I’ll just plant myself across the street tonight around 10:00 and when he walks by have Ms. Pruitt wave at me from her window. After she has identified the proper man I follow him home and question him.” Sam stated proudly.
“Alright, but since this is all you guessing anyhow can’t we do it tomorrow night? Tonight’s darts against C division and it’s a very important win for us.”
Sam rolled his eyes. “Listen, I’ll just take Chris with me then. You don’t let him play anyway.”
“That’s cause he’s got the coordination of a boozed up monkey.” Gene said defensively.
Sam smiled, “Don’t worry about it, I’m sure Chris will love to come. Good experience out of the stacks.”
“OK Sammy boy, but you taking me out to dinner first? It’s your turn to pay but I pick. I’m going to need sustenance so I can play my best tonight.” Gene’s eye brows lifted.
“Yeah, alright.” Sam nodded his head resignedly and then left to inform Chris he was cancelling his plans for tonight.
10:00 found Sam and Chris parked across the street from Jeff Thornton’s house quietly waiting for the mystery nutter to make his appearance. That’s what Chris called him anyway, but the nickname made Sam wince a little. It made him think of Billy Taylor and Sam was ashamed to admit neither Billy nor his situation was something Sam wanted reminding of.
“So boss, what we gonna do once we caught the mystery nutter.” Chris asked oblivious to Sam’s dislike of the name.
“We’re not trying to capture him Chris. We want to ascertain his identity and question him regarding his whereabouts last night. Remember, until we have reason to seriously suspect him of involvement we treat him like a witness. I gave you a talk about the difference between a witness and a suspect before.”
“I know boss, I wrote it down.”
“Never mind Chris.”
Fifteen minutes later a lone figure came out from an alley way making his way down Ms. Pruitt’s block. As the man passed her window Sam could see he matched the description she had given him earlier. Sam watched the window until he saw a hand wave, confirmation given it was time to make a move.
“That’s him Chris.”
“What we do now boss?”
“Well I was hoping to approach him off the street, somewhere contained in case he has something to hide and is a runner but I suppose its alright with the two of us to approach now.”
“Right you are boss.”
Sam got out of the car closely followed by Chris. They made their way across the street towards the mystery tramp.
Sam advanced upon him with an efficient stride, badge in the air. “Excuse me sir, police, may we have a word?”
The man didn’t even look in Sam’s direction as he took off like a shot running up the street and ducking down an alley. Sam and Chris took off after him but it was dark and they were both unfamiliar with these streets.
Sam followed close behind but just could not get the advantage on him. Chris could barely keep up.
Finally the suspect ducked into a run down shack of a house and Sam followed close behind. Chris tried to follow but tripped and went down on the front step, Sam turned in the entryway.
“Stay here Chris and watch the door. I’ll go in after him.” The last thing Sam needed was Chris bungling around a dark house with a possible murder suspect on the loose.
Sam made his way up the stairwell squinting to see what was ahead of him when all of the sudden a beefy arm grabbed him from behind and pressed a knife blade into his throat.
“Make one dodgy move and I’ll slit your throat so fast you’ll be dead before ya hit the floor.” The man said in a low raspy voice. “You’ve been lookin for away out of this life for awhile now. Well I might be able to help you.”
“Please, my name is Sam Tyler and if we can just talk rationally about this…”
“Shut it! Not a word out of you or I make it so you can’t talk no more.”
The man began moving backwards into a room, Sam kept in step with him and prayed Chris was doing something constructive.
Once in the room the man released Sam swiftly shoving him into a wall with such force Sam hit his head and slid onto the floor in a bit of a daze.
“Move a muscle and I’ll bury this blade in ya, you got that. You won’t be the first to die by this blade and you won’t be the last.”
The man was bigger than Sam and from the chase moments earlier Sam knew size didn’t impede his speed. He decided to wait him out and hope Chris was calling in back-up.
As a matter of fact Chris was doing just that. Calling into the station, Phyllis who was working late, due to the fact everyone seemed to have made off to the pub for the darts competition, decided the best thing to do would be to call the Guv at the Railway considering everyone else was there as well.
Gene Hunt arrived outside the house with in minutes. Chris was standing outside nervously awaiting instructions. The Guv excited his car and walking right up to the door, not even breaking his stride, he grabbed Chris by the collar and dragged him to the foot of the stairs.
“Right, talk.”
“Yes Guv. The boss took up those stairs after him but the man got him from behind with a knife and from what I could tell he took him into the room off the top of the stairs.”
Upstairs both Sam and the man had heard the commotion and voices downstairs. Sam was sure he heard Gene although he really couldn’t tell. The mere thought relieved him and scared the shit out of him at the same time. “Oh god,” Sam thought, “Please don’t let him do anything stupid.”
The man suddenly came at Sam, jerking him up by the arm and using him as a shield with knife to throat stepped out onto the landing.
Gene looked up to see Sam standing at the top of the stairs with a knife to his throat and his face froze with a look that if Sam had to guess looked very much like barely disguised terror. It quickly morphed into silent fury.
“I’m not going to prison. I’ll kill him and then meself before I let that happen.” The man said in a clear calm voice. Sam suddenly became very calm himself. This man was crazy but in a strangely rational way that made him entirely too dangerous in this type of situation. He would slit Sam’s throat in a second, without any thought at all. Sam knew this; he just hoped it didn’t happen.
“Let him go you piece of scum and I won’t kick the living shit out of ya before I put a bullet through your thick head.” Gene’s retort was less than diplomatic.
Sam closed his eyes. “Please Guv, don’t antagonize the man with the knife to my throat.”
“See there Sammy boy, even as the hostage your telling me what to do.” Gene’s voice was trying for normal but came off strained and raspy.
Sam decided to try to rationalize with the man yet again, “What would it take for you to let me go unharmed? Let’s be reasonable here. You don’t have to kill me and you can get something you want in return.”
“I’m fine with the way things are.” the man replied in Sam’s ear, “All I want is you dead. Its even better that your friends get to watch, I’ve never had that with one of my kills before. They’ve always been alone.”
Without thought and almost against his will Sam breathed out, “Gene.”
“Sam.” Gene answered back although Sam had spoken so softly it would have been impossible for Gene to hear. Focusing on Gene for a moment Sam saw the intent in his eyes. Sam had to try to get as clear of the man’s head as possible so Gene could get a better shot. But the man’s death grip was strong and tight and Sam couldn’t budge without causing the knife to sink deeper into this throat. Sam’s eyes connected once again with Gene’s and they widened in despair.
Gene’s however became hard as stone as his gun whipped out of nowhere, took aim and fired. Sam’s head jerked to the side on instinct and the man, startled by the shot allowed his grip to loosen. In a fraction of a second the man’s head was gone and Sam had collapsed onto the landing.
When Sam looked up Gene was there at his side gently helping him rise. With a solid grip on his arm they made their way down to the waiting crowd of police and curious late night onlookers.
“I had better get down to the station and start on the paperwork.” Sam said shakily falling back on police mode Sam.
“I won’t even ask if your daft or not. Your going home and getting some rest after you’ve been checked over.”
“I’m fine Gene really, not even a scratch.”
“Then off home it is for you my lad.”
“You alright boss” Chris asked startling Sam who was so focused on Gene he hadn’t even realized they were surrounded by some of the team and a gaggle of uniforms.
“I’m fine Chris, thanks.”
If Chris thought it was odd that the Guv still had a hold of DI Tyler’s arm as he walked him out and loaded him into his car he didn’t say anything. And good thing that he didn’t because all that would have gotten him was a thumping courtesy of the Guv.
Gene drove with an intense silence about him. Eyes straight ahead, knuckles white with the force in which he squeezed the wheel, he didn’t attempt one word. Sam sat slouched down with his head braced against the door seemingly resting, but with the tension emanating off Gene, he remained quietly alert.
And then he spoke much like he had at the top of those stairs believing he was going to die, “Gene.”
“I’m not in the mood to spill my feelings Gladys so don’t start on me.” Gene snapped angrily. Sam didn’t think the anger was meant for him, he was just the convenient target. He didn’t think he would ever figure Gene out but for some reason that thought didn’t bother him.
Sam sighed and decided not to bait Gene when he was this worked up, he didn’t have the strength to verbally spar with him anyway.
Gene pulled up to Sam’s building and without even a glance in Sam’s direction headed up towards his flat. Sam followed slowly wondering at Gene’s odd behavior. When Sam reached his door Gene was propped against the wall next to it waiting with his head down and his hands in his pockets.
Sam unlocked the door and took a step to enter when suddenly his arm was taken hold of and he was dragged inside.
Gene whipped him around to face him after carelessly slamming the door shut. Shoving Sam’s coat off his shoulders Gene proceeded to grasp either side of Sam’s collar and pull it apart so that buttons flew everywhere. Kicking off his shoes in the process he also discarded his coat and shirt in quick clumsy movements. Sam began to protest when Gene took him down to the carpet forcibly with his body. Sam sat up when Gene moved down to remove Sam’s boots and shove his pants down.
Gene’s palm flattened on Sam’s bare chest pushing him back down and proceeded to remove his own pants and boxers. With them gone now Gene spread Sam’s legs making a place for him to lie and wrapping his arms around Sam began to kiss him ferociously.
Sam thought about putting a stop to this, due to Gene’s rough manner, but he soon realized it was making him hard and that was new to Sam. In his 2006 sex life Sam had always liked to be the one in control, then again in his 2006 sex life he had always slept with women and this was Gene Hunt after all.
After about a minute of desperate groping Gene rose to his knees, moving back a little he flipped Sam over onto his stomach. Sam knew what was coming and braced himself. He was new to this after all and still sore from last night but he knew Gene needed this. Although he would never admit it to Sam verbally, Gene’s every movement spoke of a need to bind Sam to him somehow. Even though the sexual aspect of their relationship was new the emotional bond they shared, for some inexplicable reason, was deep and strong and that bond had been threatened tonight. Gene needed to be grounded just as much as Sam did.
Gene did take time to stretch Sam a bit and using pre-cum collected from the both of them he eased his way a bit. When Gene finally entered Sam in a savage thoughtless thrust it felt as if Sam had been impaled on a flagpole. The force pushed Sam forward bringing his head down to grind into the carpet.
Heedless of anything but the needs of his own body Gene began a ruthless pace. One hand on Sam’s head pressing it harder into the floor and the other grasping Sam’s hip Gene grunted his way to completion. As he came Gene reached down to stroke Sam, who was surprisingly more than ready, and exploded within a few strokes.
Sam collapsed fully onto the floor with Gene’s larger frame following him down and resting onto his back. Sam could barely breathe under the weight but could not bring himself to complain.
They stayed like this until Gene caught his breath and shifted onto his side next to Sam’s limp frame. After a few minutes Sam turned his head lazily to stare into Gene’s face.
Gene’s eyes were closed and his breathing was even. Sam thought he was asleep and again marveled at his new life.
“I don’t know how or why and I probably am a nutter for feeling this way but I love you.”
Gene startled Sam by letting out a mammoth yawn before he spoke in the same soft tone Sam had used, “Me too Gladys, me too.”
Sam’s face broke out into a huge smile. “Yep,” Sam thought, “I’m going to be fine.”
The end