Ashes to mars

Plans and pub

"Oh, would you look at that? Well, Sammy boy, it seems that-"

Sam grinned like a Cheshire cat as the Guv stopped mid-sentence as they came further into their common hang out, guess who was sat in the green leather booth tapping her fingers.

He folded his arms smugly, taking a moment to enjoy Gene's pout.

"You lot took your sweet time." Alex declared, getting up and strolling past them to the bar. "Which one of you is going to buy me a drink?"

Gene's pout remained in place.

She rolled her eyes, then looking at the confusion of Chris and Ray.

"Men tend to be a lot more forward with intoxicated women. And they're less quick to turn them down. Why do you think Ray goes after the drunks?"

Ray opened his mouth to defend himself, but the Guv stopped him with a flurry of his hand. She had a point.

"Pick up much?" He said instead, getting back to business.

"Not a lot." Alex admitted, as Gene propped himself up on the bar stool next to her. "It was opening night after all, Mr Peters is a busy man."

"Mr Peters?" He spat in a sarcastic way at the familiarity that Alex had gained.
Glaring at Sam again, proving it was a waste. "A night well-spent, then."

"I hope to get more out of him on Wednesday." Alex went on, not ruffled by Genes humour. "He wants to take me to Luddy's, wherever that is."

"A date?!" Gene spat. Whether he was more mad at her for going her own route or the fact she was having a date, Sam didn't care to guess.

"I wouldn't, Ma'am," Chris warned, "I don't think he's really your type."

"Is this why London wanted rid of you?" Gene exclaimed clearly pissed at his disobeyed order "Because you were too busy throwing yourself at the bastards"

"Fine, I'll cancel if that's what you want." Alex held up her hands both refusing to riled but also not backing down. "Anyway... I didn't exactly get nothing. One of the more chatty bartenders gave it away that Craig doesn't do business in his office, but rather on the roof. Hidden from plain view."

"So?"

"So," She went on, now getting frustrated "you need to be on that roof. Or, at least, plant a recording device. How else do you expect to pin him for being a drug lord?"

"Do I look like Roger Moore to you?"

She could only wonder where he was going with that thought. "Not particularly, no."

"Then, would you pack it in with all this spooky-dooky crap!" Gene complained, his voice rising. "Forget about drug dealings, I want him for murder, Drake." She went to interrupt, but there was no stopping him. "Tom Pooling, that kid's name was. His face has been half shot away, but you can still tell it's him...beanpole of a lad, like I was. He grew up on my street back in Lancaster and that twatface, Craigy boy your old mate is the reason why kids on my patch, are dying. And I'm not having it!"

Alex opened her mouth to scold him what for, she didn't know.

He always complained about her getting too emotionally invested. She could go ten rounds with him but she didn't want to, not now, not today, not when their arguing had taken it all too far.

"I know." She said simply, quietly, her eyes scanning his face, silently begging him to see sense and to not make her his enemy.

"But we've got no murder weapon, no murder scene, no evidence tying Tom's death to Peters. The chances are he had one of his chums pull the trigger anyway." She stepped closer, not blinking for a second. "We need a confession. A date with me, as enchanting as it would be for most men," She smiled softly at the small joke and was pleased to see a tiny smirk come to his own lips, "- won't have him confessing to all, he's too clever for that, but we'll find out what he cares about and what gets under his skin. Then, we can move in for the kill. If you want to make this stick, we've got to play a slow game here Guv."

It was the first time she'd called him Guv here and she'd picked the right moment to butter him up with it.

Ray sighed, sharing a look with Chris, as Gene nodded slowly in agreement. Losing the Guv to Tyler, a man could handle that, but to a woman. Ray shook his head to think he was going to lose his drinking partner to a pretty face.

"A drink for the lady, Nelson." Gene declared hitting the bar, Alex grinned mostly to herself. It was his way of accepting her. Unless this whole plan goes tits up that would change everything.

"Sure ting, brav." Alex shared a smile with Sam to see the infamous Nelson make his way towards them, "What you having?"

"What do you suggest?" She asked, suddenly in desperate need of a drink. Nelson frowned, confused. "I mean, your selection of wine, what's it like?"

"You're looking at red or white, bolls ." Gene snorted, getting his wallet out. "Best off getting a shandy."

Alex raised a challenging eyebrow. "I'll have what you're having, actually."

"Jack. Double." Gene smirked at her, but she took up the challenge:

"Sounds perfect."