Watching the Dark-Life on Mars fic-Green Cortina (1/1)
Title: Watching the Dark
Author: toolazytowork
Rating: Green Cortina (PG)
Word Count: 2073
Notes: Baby's first Life On Mars fic
cross posted to 1973flashfic and lifein1973
"We won’t get hurt. Keep telling yourself that. If you don't believe that we won't get out of here." Sam reached his hand out towards Annie, searching for purchase. His fingers brushed against the fabric of her jacket and he took hold. “If anything happens to either of us, it’s going to be me. I’ll make sure it’s me.”
"You keep saying that. You almost sound convinced. I want to believe you." Her words came out as little more than whispers. "But you don’t have any more control over what's happened. It’s not your choice who lives or dies. This isn’t a game. It’s real. Everything that's happened the last few days..." Her voice cracked.
Sam felt her body begin to shake. He could tell she was fighting tears. He scooted closer to her and slid his arm around her shoulder. "Things'll get into your head. Thoughts. If you let your guard down--Just don't think about it. Let's just concentrate on finding the Guv and getting out of here." He brushed his hand across her forehead, stroked her hair away from her eyes.
He had to protect Annie. No, he needed to protect her. Gene had come in here alone and none of their cries had been met with a response. People were disappearing. Walking into the tunnel and never walking out. Whatever was going on, if they were lucky Gene was out there, safe. It was best to to think about any other option.
Three days ago, a routine call had come in. Some kids had found an empty wallet and a pair of crushed eyeglasses outside of an old tunnel. Most likely some poor sap had been ripped after being lured down there by some sneaky broad whose boyfriend was waiting for her to lure their next victim. No man with an ounce of self-respect would report that. It wasn’t the first time they’d had to send someone down there to answer a call like that. Similar calls had been coming in for months. There were no clues. No one came forward to make a statement.
The men didn’t come back right away. Hours went by. When they didn't answer the calls Sam and Gene had gone down to the tunnel themselves. They found the officers' radios crushed to bits just outside of the tunnel. There were no other signs.
***
"I won't give up on my men, Sammy. Maybe that's how they do it in Hyde, just give up on good men, but that's not how we do things 'round 'ere. Not on my watch." He'd slammed his glass down on the bar, turned and left without a backward glance.
Sam had gone after him. Annie followed, trying to stop them both from doing something stupid. Gene had a good ten minute lead, at least. He'd had the benefit of the car to transport him. They were on foot.
They ran through the streets of town. Ran as fast as they could considering the amount of alcohol in their system. Ran until their hearts pounded in their chests and their lungs ached for air.
The Guv was gone. A cigarette ground into the dirt beside the car door showed the start of the path Gene had taken into the tunnel. Sam was certain he could still smell smoke in the air, but that was likely just his mind playing tricks on him.
If none of the men who had gone into that tunnel had been able to hold his own against whatever was inside there they were in for a hell of a fight. It was dark and they weren't in prime fighting condition. Neither of them dared say as much.
A shuffle step further into the tunnel pierced their silence. Annie gasped and dug her nails into Sam's arm.
"Quiet," he hissed. She nodded in response. He heard her hair brush against the leather of his jacket but she didn't say a word.
"Tyler!" That voice, that unmistakable voice.
"Guv," Sam whispered.
"Get your scrawny arse over here, Tyler. For once in your life, do things the easy way."
"'Fraid I can't do that." He gave Annie's shoulder what he hoped was a reassuring squeeze before reaching his hand towards his gun. The act was pure instinct. Would a gun help him? It was pitch black in there, someone could get hurt. Sam's mind filled with conflicting thoughts. There was no reason to believe that these events were rational. He knew better than to trust reality as it appeared before his eyes.
The Gene in that tunnel might not be the same as the Gene who left the pub less than an hour ago. Whatever was in that tunnel might not be natural...Anything was possible.
If there was something dark at work, if Gene had fallen victim to something supernatural, they’d be on equal footing, wouldn’t they?
Annie reached out towards where Sam had been. "Don't! Let's just get of here!"
"Ya brought the skirt. I would've liked to 'ave kept this orderly."
Sam stepped forward, towards where the words’ origin. "Keep what orderly?"
Shoes scuffed against the hard ground. Very close, now. Sam could hear breathing no more than a few inches away. All he had to do was reach out in the right direction and his fingers would wrap around Gene's jacket. He could grab him and take him down. Stop this from going on any longer.
"You did this, Sam. It's your fault."
Hot breath against his ear. Not an unfamiliar sensation. When Gene made a point he went to lengths to make sure it got through loud and clear. A whisper is much more terrifying than a scream. Especially in the dark.
Sam shivered. "What did I do? What's my fault?" It took all of his will to keep his voice steady.
"You pulled us into this, Tyler. You brought doubt and questions. You brought-" fingers wrapped around Sam's neck "death."
"No," he gasped. "I didn't." Gene's hold was getting tighter. Sam had already begun to feel dizzy. He could hear Annie fumbling and prayed she would trip over a stray rock and twist her ankle. Anything to keep her from getting too close.
Sam could feel Gene's breath on his face, could smell some strange inhuman scent. No, the scent was chemical, antiseptic. He couldn't breathe. Couldn't fight. This was how he was going to die, was it? After all he'd gone through it was going to end like this. With him gasping for air in some dark tunnel. Choked to death by his DCI.
"It's not real, Sam. It's a dream." It was a woman’s voice, but not Annie’s, too far away, too calm. "You're just dreaming."
"It..." he croaked, "...hurts..."
“What are you doing to him?” Annie yelled, stepping forward towards the men. “Stop it!”
"Shut up!" Gene loosened his hold on Sam's neck. "What do you think, Tyler?"
His choked on the little air he was able to get. It hurt to breathe. Sam could feel the rise and fall of Gene's chest against his own.
Breathing.
His own rasping breath. Annie's panicked gasps. The Guv's level breathing.
He could hear it.
Feel it.
Nothing else. No other sound. That other voice-if there had been another voice-was gone.
"What are you trying to do?" Sam asked. "Why?”
"You caused this. It's some kind of sick game for you, or what?"
"What?"
You’re the one dragging people down here."
"No, I don't know what happened to them. But I didn't have anything to do with it."
Gene threw his weight against Sam and knocked him towards the wall of the tunnel. "Then who does?" Gene tripped and took Sam down with him as he fell. "I want answers. Men ‘ave gone missing and I want to know why."
"What do you mean, I'm dragging people down here?" Gene's weight was crushing him. He wasn't strong enough to push him off.
"I've seen it. You. Or someone who looked a hell of a lot like you.”
"You couldn’t have seen me. I was in the pub with you all night. I’m right here." With as much force as he could muster, Sam shifted under Gene so that he could take more than the shallowest breath.
"I know what I saw.”
"It’s impossible."
"You'd think, wouldn't ya? But I know my own eyes. It was you all right. In some hospital bed, doctors hovering around you, strange machines beeping every time your heart beat or you took a breath. Only it wasn't any hospital I've ever seen."
Sam couldn't speak. He didn't know if there was anything he could say. If what he was hearing was true maybe he could get home. Maybe this tunnel was some sort of portal. He was close, so close. Gene had seen it. Why couldn't he?
"But, Sir, why do you think it was Sam? I don't understand," Annie asked. From the sound of her voice, it seemed like she was sitting on the ground a couple of inches from where Gene had Sam pinned. Maybe she had fallen, or dove out of the way to avoid getting smashed.
"It was too bright. That hospital was brighter than daylight. Leadin' up to it-it was all dark. Pitch black. Like the light was being sapped to power those machines." He pulled Sam's head up off the ground, pulling his hair until he could feel Sam's scalp lifting from his skull. "You turned your head, opened your eyes and looked at me. Right at me. I felt like I was being pulled into that room. Don't know what was goin' on. Don't want to know. Then it was dark. Darker than it had been before. You sayin' that's normal?"
The ache of having his hair ripped at the roots was not near as uncomfortable as the attempted strangling of a few minutes prior. Or even as bothersome as having Gene's full weight bearing down on his chest. He was in pain, but not from any of the physical abuse he had suffered. Every inch of his body hurt, intense internal fiery pain that rushed through his veins like poison.
He knew that he had missed a chance. Gene had gotten there first. Maybe if Sam had been faster. If he had taken the car. If he had skipped the pub that night. Maybe then he would've been there at the right time. But he hadn't been. It was too late.
"It was a hallucination, Guv. That's all. You've been under a lot of stress the last couple of days."
"It happens all the time.” Annie chimed in. “You're trying to make sense of things. You want someone to blame. It's normal. You just need some rest."
"Are you calling me crazy?"
"No," her voice shook. "No, I'm saying you're desperate for answers. And you--"
"Blame me," Sam finished. "But I didn't have anything to do with this." Except for how he had everything to do with it. "It's an accident. That’s all.”
"An accident." Gene pushed himself up off of Sam and dropped back onto his haunches.
Sam stayed on the ground and tried to catch his breath. "Nothing anyone could have done."
"Let's get out of here. We can talk about this somewhere else." Annie reached her hand out and searched in the darkness. She found the smooth leather of Sam’s jacket. She felt down the sleeve and took his hand in hers.
He sat up and offered a hand towards Gene. "Take my hand, Guv. If we hurry, we can make it to pub for another pint before last call. I think it was my turn to buy you a round."
Gene took Sam's hand and levered himself up to his full height. "My eyes playing tricks on me. That's some weird psychobabble shit, ya ask me."
"Happens to me all that time," Sam said.
"Is that your idea of reassuring, Tyler?"
They reached the end of the tunnel. Sam turned and looked into the darkness. "It’s all an illusion.”
Annie's eyes grew wide and she looked as if she was going to say something. She shook her head as if she thought better of it. "We have to hurry if we want to make it to the pub," she said.
"You heard the lady, step lively.”
Sam fired an exaggerated salute towards Gene and got into the car. He hoped there was enough time to drink the memory of what Gene had told him out of his mind. He doubted there was that much alcohol in all of Manchester.
Author: toolazytowork
Rating: Green Cortina (PG)
Word Count: 2073
Notes: Baby's first Life On Mars fic
cross posted to 1973flashfic and lifein1973
"We won’t get hurt. Keep telling yourself that. If you don't believe that we won't get out of here." Sam reached his hand out towards Annie, searching for purchase. His fingers brushed against the fabric of her jacket and he took hold. “If anything happens to either of us, it’s going to be me. I’ll make sure it’s me.”
"You keep saying that. You almost sound convinced. I want to believe you." Her words came out as little more than whispers. "But you don’t have any more control over what's happened. It’s not your choice who lives or dies. This isn’t a game. It’s real. Everything that's happened the last few days..." Her voice cracked.
Sam felt her body begin to shake. He could tell she was fighting tears. He scooted closer to her and slid his arm around her shoulder. "Things'll get into your head. Thoughts. If you let your guard down--Just don't think about it. Let's just concentrate on finding the Guv and getting out of here." He brushed his hand across her forehead, stroked her hair away from her eyes.
He had to protect Annie. No, he needed to protect her. Gene had come in here alone and none of their cries had been met with a response. People were disappearing. Walking into the tunnel and never walking out. Whatever was going on, if they were lucky Gene was out there, safe. It was best to to think about any other option.
Three days ago, a routine call had come in. Some kids had found an empty wallet and a pair of crushed eyeglasses outside of an old tunnel. Most likely some poor sap had been ripped after being lured down there by some sneaky broad whose boyfriend was waiting for her to lure their next victim. No man with an ounce of self-respect would report that. It wasn’t the first time they’d had to send someone down there to answer a call like that. Similar calls had been coming in for months. There were no clues. No one came forward to make a statement.
The men didn’t come back right away. Hours went by. When they didn't answer the calls Sam and Gene had gone down to the tunnel themselves. They found the officers' radios crushed to bits just outside of the tunnel. There were no other signs.
***
"I won't give up on my men, Sammy. Maybe that's how they do it in Hyde, just give up on good men, but that's not how we do things 'round 'ere. Not on my watch." He'd slammed his glass down on the bar, turned and left without a backward glance.
Sam had gone after him. Annie followed, trying to stop them both from doing something stupid. Gene had a good ten minute lead, at least. He'd had the benefit of the car to transport him. They were on foot.
They ran through the streets of town. Ran as fast as they could considering the amount of alcohol in their system. Ran until their hearts pounded in their chests and their lungs ached for air.
The Guv was gone. A cigarette ground into the dirt beside the car door showed the start of the path Gene had taken into the tunnel. Sam was certain he could still smell smoke in the air, but that was likely just his mind playing tricks on him.
If none of the men who had gone into that tunnel had been able to hold his own against whatever was inside there they were in for a hell of a fight. It was dark and they weren't in prime fighting condition. Neither of them dared say as much.
A shuffle step further into the tunnel pierced their silence. Annie gasped and dug her nails into Sam's arm.
"Quiet," he hissed. She nodded in response. He heard her hair brush against the leather of his jacket but she didn't say a word.
"Tyler!" That voice, that unmistakable voice.
"Guv," Sam whispered.
"Get your scrawny arse over here, Tyler. For once in your life, do things the easy way."
"'Fraid I can't do that." He gave Annie's shoulder what he hoped was a reassuring squeeze before reaching his hand towards his gun. The act was pure instinct. Would a gun help him? It was pitch black in there, someone could get hurt. Sam's mind filled with conflicting thoughts. There was no reason to believe that these events were rational. He knew better than to trust reality as it appeared before his eyes.
The Gene in that tunnel might not be the same as the Gene who left the pub less than an hour ago. Whatever was in that tunnel might not be natural...Anything was possible.
If there was something dark at work, if Gene had fallen victim to something supernatural, they’d be on equal footing, wouldn’t they?
Annie reached out towards where Sam had been. "Don't! Let's just get of here!"
"Ya brought the skirt. I would've liked to 'ave kept this orderly."
Sam stepped forward, towards where the words’ origin. "Keep what orderly?"
Shoes scuffed against the hard ground. Very close, now. Sam could hear breathing no more than a few inches away. All he had to do was reach out in the right direction and his fingers would wrap around Gene's jacket. He could grab him and take him down. Stop this from going on any longer.
"You did this, Sam. It's your fault."
Hot breath against his ear. Not an unfamiliar sensation. When Gene made a point he went to lengths to make sure it got through loud and clear. A whisper is much more terrifying than a scream. Especially in the dark.
Sam shivered. "What did I do? What's my fault?" It took all of his will to keep his voice steady.
"You pulled us into this, Tyler. You brought doubt and questions. You brought-" fingers wrapped around Sam's neck "death."
"No," he gasped. "I didn't." Gene's hold was getting tighter. Sam had already begun to feel dizzy. He could hear Annie fumbling and prayed she would trip over a stray rock and twist her ankle. Anything to keep her from getting too close.
Sam could feel Gene's breath on his face, could smell some strange inhuman scent. No, the scent was chemical, antiseptic. He couldn't breathe. Couldn't fight. This was how he was going to die, was it? After all he'd gone through it was going to end like this. With him gasping for air in some dark tunnel. Choked to death by his DCI.
"It's not real, Sam. It's a dream." It was a woman’s voice, but not Annie’s, too far away, too calm. "You're just dreaming."
"It..." he croaked, "...hurts..."
“What are you doing to him?” Annie yelled, stepping forward towards the men. “Stop it!”
"Shut up!" Gene loosened his hold on Sam's neck. "What do you think, Tyler?"
His choked on the little air he was able to get. It hurt to breathe. Sam could feel the rise and fall of Gene's chest against his own.
Breathing.
His own rasping breath. Annie's panicked gasps. The Guv's level breathing.
He could hear it.
Feel it.
Nothing else. No other sound. That other voice-if there had been another voice-was gone.
"What are you trying to do?" Sam asked. "Why?”
"You caused this. It's some kind of sick game for you, or what?"
"What?"
You’re the one dragging people down here."
"No, I don't know what happened to them. But I didn't have anything to do with it."
Gene threw his weight against Sam and knocked him towards the wall of the tunnel. "Then who does?" Gene tripped and took Sam down with him as he fell. "I want answers. Men ‘ave gone missing and I want to know why."
"What do you mean, I'm dragging people down here?" Gene's weight was crushing him. He wasn't strong enough to push him off.
"I've seen it. You. Or someone who looked a hell of a lot like you.”
"You couldn’t have seen me. I was in the pub with you all night. I’m right here." With as much force as he could muster, Sam shifted under Gene so that he could take more than the shallowest breath.
"I know what I saw.”
"It’s impossible."
"You'd think, wouldn't ya? But I know my own eyes. It was you all right. In some hospital bed, doctors hovering around you, strange machines beeping every time your heart beat or you took a breath. Only it wasn't any hospital I've ever seen."
Sam couldn't speak. He didn't know if there was anything he could say. If what he was hearing was true maybe he could get home. Maybe this tunnel was some sort of portal. He was close, so close. Gene had seen it. Why couldn't he?
"But, Sir, why do you think it was Sam? I don't understand," Annie asked. From the sound of her voice, it seemed like she was sitting on the ground a couple of inches from where Gene had Sam pinned. Maybe she had fallen, or dove out of the way to avoid getting smashed.
"It was too bright. That hospital was brighter than daylight. Leadin' up to it-it was all dark. Pitch black. Like the light was being sapped to power those machines." He pulled Sam's head up off the ground, pulling his hair until he could feel Sam's scalp lifting from his skull. "You turned your head, opened your eyes and looked at me. Right at me. I felt like I was being pulled into that room. Don't know what was goin' on. Don't want to know. Then it was dark. Darker than it had been before. You sayin' that's normal?"
The ache of having his hair ripped at the roots was not near as uncomfortable as the attempted strangling of a few minutes prior. Or even as bothersome as having Gene's full weight bearing down on his chest. He was in pain, but not from any of the physical abuse he had suffered. Every inch of his body hurt, intense internal fiery pain that rushed through his veins like poison.
He knew that he had missed a chance. Gene had gotten there first. Maybe if Sam had been faster. If he had taken the car. If he had skipped the pub that night. Maybe then he would've been there at the right time. But he hadn't been. It was too late.
"It was a hallucination, Guv. That's all. You've been under a lot of stress the last couple of days."
"It happens all the time.” Annie chimed in. “You're trying to make sense of things. You want someone to blame. It's normal. You just need some rest."
"Are you calling me crazy?"
"No," her voice shook. "No, I'm saying you're desperate for answers. And you--"
"Blame me," Sam finished. "But I didn't have anything to do with this." Except for how he had everything to do with it. "It's an accident. That’s all.”
"An accident." Gene pushed himself up off of Sam and dropped back onto his haunches.
Sam stayed on the ground and tried to catch his breath. "Nothing anyone could have done."
"Let's get out of here. We can talk about this somewhere else." Annie reached her hand out and searched in the darkness. She found the smooth leather of Sam’s jacket. She felt down the sleeve and took his hand in hers.
He sat up and offered a hand towards Gene. "Take my hand, Guv. If we hurry, we can make it to pub for another pint before last call. I think it was my turn to buy you a round."
Gene took Sam's hand and levered himself up to his full height. "My eyes playing tricks on me. That's some weird psychobabble shit, ya ask me."
"Happens to me all that time," Sam said.
"Is that your idea of reassuring, Tyler?"
They reached the end of the tunnel. Sam turned and looked into the darkness. "It’s all an illusion.”
Annie's eyes grew wide and she looked as if she was going to say something. She shook her head as if she thought better of it. "We have to hurry if we want to make it to the pub," she said.
"You heard the lady, step lively.”
Sam fired an exaggerated salute towards Gene and got into the car. He hoped there was enough time to drink the memory of what Gene had told him out of his mind. He doubted there was that much alcohol in all of Manchester.