Fic: The Better Part of Valour 2/2
Title: The Better Part of Valour
Author: alex_caligari
Beta: thesmallhobbit
Characters/Pairings: Sam Tyler, Gene Hunt
Rating: PG
Summary: Tyler needs a private word and Gene isn't too happy about it.
Disclaimer: The puppets are still firmly attached to the strings of the BBC.
Author's Notes: Set way after 2.08, and takes everything in Ashes to Ashes as canon.
Chapter 1
It took almost a month before Gene was ready. He called Tyler into his office and said without preamble, “I’ve found a way to kill you.”
Tyler stared. “Don’t sugar-coat it just for me,” he said. He looked at the piles of papers on Gene’s desk. “What do you have?”
“Robbery. Jewellery store.” He slapped down a file. “My snouts have been muttering about something like this for a week. Now we have details. Bunch of first-timers who think they know the business. They’re planning to split up, and in the confusion, you go off on your own.” Gene made sure to stay matter-of-fact. “You can have a nice little accident. No one will be any wiser.”
Tyler sat on the sagging couch. “You really have this all sorted, don’t you?”
“Their meeting place,” Gene continued, “is near these warehouses. They’ll have to pass by the river here. That’s where you go in. Your car’s shite anyway, no one will blame you for missing the turn and losing control.”
Tyler said nothing. He seemed a bit shocked.
“That’s where I’ll meet you. Put the finishing touches on it. You got that, Dorothy?”
That roused Tyler somewhat. “Yeah, I got it.” He glanced through the file. “I just didn’t expect something so...meticulous.”
“I’m full of surprises, me,” Gene said. He tossed Tyler another file. “Here’s another one. I hope the shock doesn’t do you in.”
Tyler looked at the unfamiliar mug shot clipped to the inside of the file. “Who’s Paul Thordy?”
“A nutter,” Gene said. “And a conman. Likes to pretend he’s other people. Even burned his fingerprints off, the twat.”
“What’s he got to do with this? We’re not going to set him up for my death, are we?”
“No, of course not. Wouldn’t want that on your conscience, would we?” Gene pulled out a cigarette. He only smoked at work when he was agitated, which seemed like every time Tyler was in his office. He lit it up and took a drag before answering properly. “No, but we need someone unreliable. No matter how much we make it look like an accident, people will wonder. You’ve made a fair few enemies in this town, and any of them could become suspect number one.” Gene pointed to the file. “You pick up Thordy, give him some of that nonsense you told Tony Crane, and no one will believe a word he says. Having him raving about whatever madness he picks up from you will take the pressure off other villains. No one gets blamed, no one gets banged up.” Gene took a long drag of satisfaction, knowing he had surpassed his DI’s expectations.
“Except for Paul Thordy,” Tyler said, half-laughing.
“He pretends to be the son of veterans and steals their money. He deserves to be locked up.”
“When’s the heist?”
“In a week.”
“We’d better go get Thordy then.”
***
Sam walked out of Lost and Found to find Gene waiting for him. “It’s done,” he said. “I told him everything. He seemed to like it.”
“Good lad.”
***
The jewellery heist went down exactly as Gene predicted. Ray and Chris went off with a panda to pursue them, with Tyler as backup, while Cartwright had been left to control the crime scene. Gene drove off on his own, which surprised no one. He told the others that he was going to set up a road block at the hideout. The thieves split up, some on foot, others in another getaway car. Everyone was separated in the confusion.
Gene ignored the radio chatter of Ray and Tyler arguing and drove in silence. He pulled into the lot beside the river where Tyler stood waiting. It was the same lot where Tyler had revealed this crazy plot, but it looked quite different in the daylight.
“You ready?” he called. Tyler nodded and pulled a petrol can out of the boot. They had both agreed on fire; it would destroy any evidence left behind. He doused the inside while Tyler fashioned a fuse out of a rag.
“Last chance, Tyler,” Gene said when they were ready. Tyler just nodded. Gene lit the fuse and they pushed the car down the embankment. It picked up speed as it went and hit a bump at just the wrong angle. It rolled over just as the petrol caught fire. It was rather a spectacular sight.
“You were right,” Tyler said, the first words he had spoken since Gene arrived. “That car is shite.” He looked at Gene with that smug half-grin and was positively giddy.
“Get out of here, Tyler. Off to wherever it is you’re running to. I’ll deal with the rest of it.”
“Thanks, Guv. Say something nice about me in the paper.”
“Yeah, I’ll tell them all the best lies. Now, go!”
Tyler shrugged off his jacket and handed it to Gene. “Something else to make it more authentic. You look after that jacket, you hear me?”
“Like my own child. Go, you stupid nancy!”
Tyler grinned as he turned and ran. He ducked into an alley and was gone. Gene walked down the bank and threw the jacket into the water beside the burning wreckage, immediately breaking his promise. It would look like Tyler had struggled out of the car but was too injured to avoid being swept into the river. Gene went back to radio DS Carling for assistance, officer down. He was still standing by his car when the chaos arrived.
***
Gene was walking by himself to the pub when a shadow beside him moved. “Tyler,” he said in acknowledgement. The DI in question slipped out of the darkness and stood on the pavement. “Hunt,” he replied. “How’d it go?”
“Well, there’s a lot of denial, and lot of what-ifs. Everyone’s blaming themselves. So I guess it went all according to plan.”
Tyler looked abashed. “Did you catch the thieves at least?”
Gene levelled his gaze at him. “I hardly think that’s something you should be worried about. Why are you still here?”
Tyler nodded in the direction of The Railway Arms. “You really need to ask why when there’s a pub within throwing distance?” At Gene’s silence, he continued. “Because that’s what you do after a job. You go to your boozer.”
Gene looked between Tyler, looking cold and alone without his jacket to act as armour, to The Arms, full of light and noise and mates. He knew, with that finely honed instinct that let him survive this long, that Tyler was always heading towards this pub. He didn’t understand it, and didn’t want to, but he knew that if Sam went in there, it would truly be the last time he saw him. He heard Sam come and stand next to him and felt him put a hand on his shoulder, the only sign of affection that he thought Gene would allow.
“You certainly outdid me as a DCI,” he said.
“You were a good copper,” Gene said. They left it at that. Anything else had already been said when alcohol had loosened their tongues.
Sam let go and stepped forward. “It’s been a long day. I’m gagging for a pint.”
“Yeah,” Gene said. “Get one in for me and all.” Tyler started to walk away when Gene added, “See you around, Sam.”
He smiled and walked into the pub. DCI Gene Hunt walked back to the station to drink alone.
Author: alex_caligari
Beta: thesmallhobbit
Characters/Pairings: Sam Tyler, Gene Hunt
Rating: PG
Summary: Tyler needs a private word and Gene isn't too happy about it.
Disclaimer: The puppets are still firmly attached to the strings of the BBC.
Author's Notes: Set way after 2.08, and takes everything in Ashes to Ashes as canon.
Chapter 1
It took almost a month before Gene was ready. He called Tyler into his office and said without preamble, “I’ve found a way to kill you.”
Tyler stared. “Don’t sugar-coat it just for me,” he said. He looked at the piles of papers on Gene’s desk. “What do you have?”
“Robbery. Jewellery store.” He slapped down a file. “My snouts have been muttering about something like this for a week. Now we have details. Bunch of first-timers who think they know the business. They’re planning to split up, and in the confusion, you go off on your own.” Gene made sure to stay matter-of-fact. “You can have a nice little accident. No one will be any wiser.”
Tyler sat on the sagging couch. “You really have this all sorted, don’t you?”
“Their meeting place,” Gene continued, “is near these warehouses. They’ll have to pass by the river here. That’s where you go in. Your car’s shite anyway, no one will blame you for missing the turn and losing control.”
Tyler said nothing. He seemed a bit shocked.
“That’s where I’ll meet you. Put the finishing touches on it. You got that, Dorothy?”
That roused Tyler somewhat. “Yeah, I got it.” He glanced through the file. “I just didn’t expect something so...meticulous.”
“I’m full of surprises, me,” Gene said. He tossed Tyler another file. “Here’s another one. I hope the shock doesn’t do you in.”
Tyler looked at the unfamiliar mug shot clipped to the inside of the file. “Who’s Paul Thordy?”
“A nutter,” Gene said. “And a conman. Likes to pretend he’s other people. Even burned his fingerprints off, the twat.”
“What’s he got to do with this? We’re not going to set him up for my death, are we?”
“No, of course not. Wouldn’t want that on your conscience, would we?” Gene pulled out a cigarette. He only smoked at work when he was agitated, which seemed like every time Tyler was in his office. He lit it up and took a drag before answering properly. “No, but we need someone unreliable. No matter how much we make it look like an accident, people will wonder. You’ve made a fair few enemies in this town, and any of them could become suspect number one.” Gene pointed to the file. “You pick up Thordy, give him some of that nonsense you told Tony Crane, and no one will believe a word he says. Having him raving about whatever madness he picks up from you will take the pressure off other villains. No one gets blamed, no one gets banged up.” Gene took a long drag of satisfaction, knowing he had surpassed his DI’s expectations.
“Except for Paul Thordy,” Tyler said, half-laughing.
“He pretends to be the son of veterans and steals their money. He deserves to be locked up.”
“When’s the heist?”
“In a week.”
“We’d better go get Thordy then.”
***
Sam walked out of Lost and Found to find Gene waiting for him. “It’s done,” he said. “I told him everything. He seemed to like it.”
“Good lad.”
***
The jewellery heist went down exactly as Gene predicted. Ray and Chris went off with a panda to pursue them, with Tyler as backup, while Cartwright had been left to control the crime scene. Gene drove off on his own, which surprised no one. He told the others that he was going to set up a road block at the hideout. The thieves split up, some on foot, others in another getaway car. Everyone was separated in the confusion.
Gene ignored the radio chatter of Ray and Tyler arguing and drove in silence. He pulled into the lot beside the river where Tyler stood waiting. It was the same lot where Tyler had revealed this crazy plot, but it looked quite different in the daylight.
“You ready?” he called. Tyler nodded and pulled a petrol can out of the boot. They had both agreed on fire; it would destroy any evidence left behind. He doused the inside while Tyler fashioned a fuse out of a rag.
“Last chance, Tyler,” Gene said when they were ready. Tyler just nodded. Gene lit the fuse and they pushed the car down the embankment. It picked up speed as it went and hit a bump at just the wrong angle. It rolled over just as the petrol caught fire. It was rather a spectacular sight.
“You were right,” Tyler said, the first words he had spoken since Gene arrived. “That car is shite.” He looked at Gene with that smug half-grin and was positively giddy.
“Get out of here, Tyler. Off to wherever it is you’re running to. I’ll deal with the rest of it.”
“Thanks, Guv. Say something nice about me in the paper.”
“Yeah, I’ll tell them all the best lies. Now, go!”
Tyler shrugged off his jacket and handed it to Gene. “Something else to make it more authentic. You look after that jacket, you hear me?”
“Like my own child. Go, you stupid nancy!”
Tyler grinned as he turned and ran. He ducked into an alley and was gone. Gene walked down the bank and threw the jacket into the water beside the burning wreckage, immediately breaking his promise. It would look like Tyler had struggled out of the car but was too injured to avoid being swept into the river. Gene went back to radio DS Carling for assistance, officer down. He was still standing by his car when the chaos arrived.
***
Gene was walking by himself to the pub when a shadow beside him moved. “Tyler,” he said in acknowledgement. The DI in question slipped out of the darkness and stood on the pavement. “Hunt,” he replied. “How’d it go?”
“Well, there’s a lot of denial, and lot of what-ifs. Everyone’s blaming themselves. So I guess it went all according to plan.”
Tyler looked abashed. “Did you catch the thieves at least?”
Gene levelled his gaze at him. “I hardly think that’s something you should be worried about. Why are you still here?”
Tyler nodded in the direction of The Railway Arms. “You really need to ask why when there’s a pub within throwing distance?” At Gene’s silence, he continued. “Because that’s what you do after a job. You go to your boozer.”
Gene looked between Tyler, looking cold and alone without his jacket to act as armour, to The Arms, full of light and noise and mates. He knew, with that finely honed instinct that let him survive this long, that Tyler was always heading towards this pub. He didn’t understand it, and didn’t want to, but he knew that if Sam went in there, it would truly be the last time he saw him. He heard Sam come and stand next to him and felt him put a hand on his shoulder, the only sign of affection that he thought Gene would allow.
“You certainly outdid me as a DCI,” he said.
“You were a good copper,” Gene said. They left it at that. Anything else had already been said when alcohol had loosened their tongues.
Sam let go and stepped forward. “It’s been a long day. I’m gagging for a pint.”
“Yeah,” Gene said. “Get one in for me and all.” Tyler started to walk away when Gene added, “See you around, Sam.”
He smiled and walked into the pub. DCI Gene Hunt walked back to the station to drink alone.