Ashes to Ashes, series one, episode five.
Writer: Mark Grieg
Director: Bille Eltringham

xxxx

The mortuary. A shrouded figure lies on the slab.

GENE:
Time of death was between midnight and half past. Most of the injuries happened several hours before.

The cover is folded back from the face to reveal a young man, injuries to his nose and forehead.

GENE:
Marks around the wrists and ankles. Obviously he's been tied up at some point before he died.

ALEX looks down at the body and seems a little groggy. We hear sounds of dripping water and creaking metal.

GENE:
I seem to have mislaid the smelling salts. It's part of the job, love. His name's Anthony Grange. 17.

ALEX:
No. No, it's not that. I just, er...

FLASHBACK.
Gunshot
Fired gun and spinning bullet heading straight for us.
Images of LAYTON, ALEX and MOLLY all in 2008 visible on the tip of the bullet.

Rapid microfiche effect sideways.
The CLOWN in reflection draws back the sheet from another body in the mortuary.
ALEX sways; the sounds of water and metal are louder.
Rapid microfiche effect sideways.
The sheet is drawn back to reveal ALEX lying on the slab, a bullet hole on the left side of her forehead.
ALEX sways again and looks sick.

ALEX voiceover:
I am not going to die.

ALEX on the slab opens her eyes wide.
Rapid heartbeat sound.
The CLOWN in the reflection replaces the sheet.

ALEX voiceover:
I'm coming home to you, Molly.

ALEX really doesn't look too good, leaning over the slab for support. GENE helpfully snaps her out of it.

GENE:
DI Drake.

ALEX:
What's the background?

GENE:
He's the reason we're going after Simon Neary. Amongst his other business interests, Neary runs one of the biggest vice rings this side of the river. Anthony was one of his boys. Or at least he was until he got on the wrong side of him.

ALEX:
What have we got on him?

GENE:
Nothing yet, but I know he did it.

ALEX:
Well, let's just hang him now, shall we?

RAY comes into the mortuary looking for GENE.

RAY:
Guv? Guv? Oh, Guv. Reeks called. He's got us a location on Neary's meet.

GENE:
Right. Let's go catch the bastard in the act.



Hotel lobby, and SIMON NEARY steps in through the door. Well, out of a lift actually - it's on a boat; but we're to assume it's a tacky 80s hotel rather than a tacky 00s boat...

ALEX over the radio:
Neary's just entered the building.

NEARY starts up the staircase, past CHRIS who is ostentatiously polishing the stair rail, dressed as a member of staff.

CHRIS into the radio:
Target's on the plot. He's heading upstairs. Over.

ALEX over the radio:
Stay with him. Out.

CHRIS into the radio:
I have eyeball on the target. I mean, I can see him. Over.

GENE over the radio:
Just follow him, you dickhead.

CHRIS is so busy using surveillance speak, he forgets to do the actual watching.

CHRIS into the radio:
Lost him. Over.

NEARY walks along a corridor and knocks on a door; ALEX appears out of a side corridor, spots him and discretely radios in.

ALEX into the radio:
Eyeball, fourth floor.



In another room RAY is wrestling with bugging technology and losing. GENE waits. ALEX enters.

ALEX:
What've you got?

RAY:
It's not working.

GENE:
What?

RAY:
I didn't touch it.

ALEX:
Batteries. The new batteries for the mike?

RAY:
Oh, Chris has got 'em.

GENE:
He what?

RAY:
Well, see, I had the mike in the car...

GENE:
I don't want to know why, I just want it to work. I want to know when to arrest the bastard the moment he exchanges cash for the drugs. How else we gonna know when to go in?

There's a knock at the door and the Duracell bunny, aka CHRIS comes in.

GENE:
Batteries?

CHRIS:
Right here, guv.

GENE is naturally distressed at this; ALEX is none too impressed either. RAY thinks he might have finally got something.

RAY:
Oh, hey up.

GENE:
What?

RAY:
S'no good, I can't hear anything.

GENE:
Right, we've got to kick the door down.

ALEX:
If you go in too early you'll lose him.

GENE:
We go in too late, we'll lose him. We're bloody coppers, not spies. Look at us. Tinker, tailor, soldier, twat!

GENE storms out, followed by RAY and CHRIS, and a despairing ALEX.

ALEX:
Premature action could jeopardise the little intelligence that you've gathered. Oh...



GENE kicks in the door of room 4015 and courteously makes his presence felt.

GENE:
Neary!

There are signs of eating and drinking, but the only occupant is a surprised and confused MARCUS.

GENE:
Neary! Where's Neary? Where is he?

MARCUS:
He's gone, he's gone.

ALEX:
We had him right here. And we lost him.

MARCUS:
What's going on, who are you?

GENE:
Angry coppers about to take out every ounce of their considerable frustration on your miserable little carcass.

ALEX opens the briefcase NEARY was carrying that's still in the room. It contains assorted 'adult toys'.

CHRIS:
Bloody hell!

GENE:
Right, where are the drugs?

MARCUS:
What drugs? There are no drugs.

GENE:
All right, diamonds, the forged notes, whatever it is Neary was buying. Where are they?

CHRIS has picked out one item from the briefcase and looks at it in puzzlement.

CHRIS:
Must have bloody big ears.

ALEX:
It's the wrong orifice, Chris. It's a butt plug.

GENE:
It goes up your arse!

CHRIS drops it in a hurry.



Opening credits:

ALEX voiceover:
My name is Alex Drake. I've just been shot and that bullet has taken me back to 1981. I may be one second away from life, or one second away from death. All I know is that I have to keep fighting. Fight to live, fight to see my daughter. Fight to get home.



Interview room.

GENE:
Where are the drugs, forged notes, et cetera?

MARCUS:
I don't know what you're talking about.

GENE:
Do not try it on with me, son.

MARCUS:
I'm not. I'm not.

GENE:
So what were you doing in that room?

MARCUS:
Having sex.

GENE:
And what, Neary was a punter?

MARCUS:
No.

GENE:
I've had enough of this.

ALEX:
What's the nature of your relationship with Simon Neary, Mr Johnstone?

MARCUS:
He's my boyfriend.

GENE:
Your boyfriend? Dear God!



Station corridor; in the background we can see MARCUS looking a bit lost.

GENE:
He must be in on the deal somehow.

ALEX:
Let's face it, there was no deal. All they exchanged were bodily fluids.

GENE:
Immoral earnings. Get him on that.

ALEX:
No money exchanged hands. It was a perfectly innocent encounter.

GENE:
Well it's the first time I've heard shit-stabbing called innocent.

ALEX:
Oh, God...

GENE walks away while ALEX goes to speak to MARCUS.

ALEX:
Look, I am really sorry. That kind of behaviour from a police officer is completely unacceptable.

MARCUS:
Don't tell me you're surprised.

ALEX:
No. No, I'm not. I walk with dinosaurs. Do you fancy a coffee? I could do with a break from the world of Tyrannosaurus Hunt.

MARCUS:
Don't think so.

ALEX:
All right, well, maybe another time. I'll see you out.



CID.

SHAZ:
What, that bloke you brought in?

CHRIS:
Yeah.

SHAZ:
Really? What a shame. All the best-looking men are, I suppose.

SHAZ, you naughty wind-up merchant, you.

CHRIS:
Hey, is Neary a poof too, then?

GENE:
A fairy, a queen, a fudge-packing ponce.

CHRIS:
But he's as hard as nails.

RAY:
Ronnie Kray's a bumboy.

CHRIS:
One of the Krays is an arse bandit? I thought they boxed?

ALEX:
One, homosexuality is not something you can catch. Two, a preference for the male form does not indicate which sporting activity you prefer. And three, have you ever wondered why the Inuits have so many words for snow?

Both RAY and CHRIS have evidently never heard of Inuits.

SHAZ:
Eskimos.

ALEX:
It's because it's important to them. Why is Neary's sexuality so important to you?

GENE:
You know, it's not so long ago every woofter in the world was breaking the law.

ALEX:
They have sex, Gene. Sweaty muscular male sex. Just get used to it. Now can we concentrate, please, on the crimes he commits, and not whose cock he sucks.

A stunned silence and everyone looks at ALEX in shock.

CHRIS:
Did you just say...?

ALEX:
Yes, Chris, I did.

GENE:
Whether I like what Simon Neary gets up to behind closed doors, preferably padlocked, doesn't stop him from being a murdering bastard. If anybody deserved to rot in hell, it's him.

ALEX:
Well then let's make a good case. What happened to your red-hot lead? Your top snout? The one that you said would "Smash Simon Neary's poxy crime ring once and for all."

GENE:
Good bloody question.



An alley somewhere, and GENE bounces REEKS into a brick wall while ALEX looks on, unmoved.

REEKS:
Urgh.

GENE:
Reeks, you maggot. I gave you a fiver for solid information and you, you give me a suitcase full of dildos!

REEKS:
Dope.

GENE:
Dildos. The biggest of which I will ram so far up your arse it'll give your tonsils a treat if you don't give me something better.

REEKS:
Dope, I heard. Or smack. Or notes, forged drafts. I don't know, Mr Hunt, right. I'd heard something big, I mean large. Yeah, yeah, something major, that's what I heard.

GENE:
Do you know what I heard? I heard that your conviction for possession, the one that oh-so-conveniently disappeared, is about to miraculously reappear!

REEKS:
You wouldn't.

GENE:
Give me a sardine sandwich and call me the Copper Christ.

REEKS:
You can't. Can he?

ALEX:
I don't think he'll be taking my opinion into consideration.

REEKS:
I can't. I shouldn't even be... All right. Neary's got a big shipment coming in, he's been talking about it for weeks.

GENE:
A shipment of what?

REEKS:
I don't know.

GENE:
Thank you and good night.

GENE turns to go.

REEKS:
No, please, wait! Look, I can't push it too far. You know what he's like.

GENE wafts a five pound note under REEKS' nose.

REEKS:
He wants me as a driver for a meet later today.

GENE:
When? Fiver.

REEKS:
The thing is, see, Marie won't let me see the kids. So I've got to go to court, and I can't turn up dressed like this, can I? I need a suit, something nice. So if you could see your way to...

GENE:
A fiver, and I don't knee you in the bollocks. Bargain!

REEKS:
Two o'clock.

GENE:
Where?

MUSIC: 'One Step Beyond' by Madness

# One step beyond... #



Cue montage of GENE and ALEX legging it over a roof. GENE reaches the foot of ladder and waits for ALEX. They're both a bit out of breath.

ALEX:
What?

GENE:
Well, you've proved you're quicker climbing than me.

ALEX sighs and climbs up first, GENE standing aside just enough to get a good view before following her up.

GENE:
And more supple. Firm, with a peachy ripeness. That's just begging for a good old, er...

ALEX is not impressed.

ALEX:
Shut up!

GENE:
Your problem is you can't take a compliment. That's one of your problems.



GENE and ALEX are equipped with binoculars and camera respectively, watching NEARY and friends in a multi-storey car park some distance away.

ALEX:
I see Neary. Who's the dealer?

GENE:
No idea. He's not one of Neary's usual contacts. Here come the sweeties. Whatever they are.

ALEX snaps away as NEARY removes a hand gun from the dealer's briefcase, before pretending to aim and fire it.

ALEX:
Oh my God! This is about guns.

The CLOWN in reflection in Alex's flat points his finger and mimes pulling the trigger.
Gunshot.

ALEX:
Shit!

MUSIC: 'I Travel' by Simple Minds

ALEX starts back across the roof, followed by GENE.

ALEX:
We've got to get to that dealer!



Cue montage of further running across the roof, and then down some stairs to the Quattro, intercut with NEARY and friends making their way out of the car park.

# Cities, buildings falling down
# Ideal homes falling down #


GENE and ALEX leap into the Quattro and screech off. In front of them appear NEARY's BMW and the dealer's Mercedes.


# Those pictures I see on the wall
# Timeless leaders standing tall
# Assassin in a hit and run
# Asia steals a new born son #

GENE moves to follow the BMW; ALEX hauls on the handbrake and they come to a halt.

GENE:
What the bloody hell are you doing?

ALEX:
Forget Neary. You follow the gun dealer!

# Evacuees and refugees
# Presidents and monarchies #

GENE backs up.

GENE:
Sodding bloody women!

# Travel round
# I travel round
# Decadence and pleasure towns
# Tragedies, luxuries, statues, parks, galleries #

The Quattro speeds along, no Mercedes in sight.

ALEX:
Left, left.

GENE:
What?

ALEX:
Left. Left turn! Turn left!

# Travel round
# I travel round
# Decadence and pleasure towns #

GENE:
What do you mean, 'left left'?

ALEX:
I mean he turned left!

GENE:
You don't need to tell me twice.

ALEX:
Well, I just thought for clarity I should say, 'Go left.'

The Quattro goes left.

ALEX:
Well, not here!

GENE:
Well make your bloody mind up, woman!

ALEX:
Urgh, and now you've lost him!

GENE:
What do you mean, 'I've lost him'? You do realise we're back where we bloody started?



GENE and ALEX and walkin' 'n' talkin' into CID.

ALEX:
You follow the guns. That's what you do. That's the rule.

GENE:
What, and let Neary off the hook for the second bloody time?

ALEX:
Guns are at the root of the public protection issue.

GENE:
Don't you think you might be ever so slightly overreacting?

ALEX:
No, I don't.

GENE:
It's one little shooter!

ALEX:
That's all it takes, don't you see? One little shooter. It's killing me!

FLASHBACK
LAYTON aiming his gun.
MOLLY looking anxiously from the car.

MOLLY in memory:
Mum, don't go!

LAYTON firing on the barge.
ALEX falling backwards.
Close up of ALEX's eye as she wakes up.



ALEX's flat; she's marking off the days that have gone on her calendar, talking to MOLLY who is sitting silently on the kitchen counter to her left.

ALEX:
Stop the guns, stop the bullets. Stop the bullets, and I wake up. Wake up, and I see you. Please.



The station and CHRIS and SHAZ are getting friendly in the evidence room when ALEX bursts in on them. They part guiltily.

CHRIS:
Boss. Ma'am. I've put out the gun dealer's number plate, but his face is not ringing any bells.

ALEX:
I want everything you've got on Simon Neary. Criminal records, bank records, every single piece of paper you can find. And then I want the same again on everyone he knows.

CHRIS:
Right. Er, that might be a bit tricky.

ALEX:
Now, Chris.



Cue montage of ALEX and CHRIS going through files and case notes with differing degrees of enthusiasm. At one point RAY comes to ask if CHRIS can come out to play (football) but ALEX says no. Meanie.

MUSIC: 'Sergeant Rock' by XTC
# Hey!
# Rock! Rock!
# Hey!
# Rock! Rock!
# Hey!
# Rock! Rock!
# Hey!
# Rock! Rock!
# I'm enlisting overseas aid
# Need assisting, help with a maid
# Get the expert, on mademoiselles
# He could diffuse any bombshell
# If I could only be tough like him
# Then I could win my own, small, battle of the sexes
# Sergeant Rock is going to help me
# Make the girl mine, wave the victory sign
# Hey! Rock! Rock!
# Hey! Rock! #



CID. All members of CID are gathered round as ALEX, with the help of CHRIS, does a briefing with the aid of the white board and flip chart. ALEX turns over the first page of the latter to reveal some football strategy. Laughter in CID. ALEX turns to the next page showing a graph of NEARY's criminal career path.

ALEX:
OK. Right. Chris.

RAY:
Oh, here we go!

CHRIS:
Erm... Simon Neary. He's had fines for possession and one suspended sentence. Twice prosecuted for GBH, twice acquitted due to lack of evidence.

GENE:
Bloody judges. Couldn't recognise a villain if it burnt his house down, raped his wife, and jumped up and down on her head right in front of his bloody stupid beaky face.

RAY:
And juries.

GENE:
Jur- Don't get me started on juries!

ALEX:
Neary then starts to trade in forgeries, drugs and flesh. And he teams up with other criminals. Chris?

CHRIS:
Er... There's Sammy Baker, Derek Beatty, and Razor McCann. Five murder trials between them and two convictions. Villains with psychop... Socio...

RAY:
Sociologists? Bloody hell! If they start killing people we are in trouble.

CHRIS:
No, socio... Sociopathic tendencies. Sociopathic.

ALEX:
Neary is ruthless, ambitious and now he wants guns.

GENE:
A gun.

ALEX:
Guns. What we saw was just a sample. One gun is not enough for Neary. More than money, he wants power. So, what's at stake? Why does Neary want guns? Anyone? Open forum. OK, let's brainstorm it. Chris?

CHRIS:
He wants to shoot people?

Laughter.

ALEX:
Who? Why? Don't you understand? This is where it starts.

RAY:
What does?

GENE:
It does.

ALEX:
If Neary has guns, his rivals need guns. The violence escalates, it spirals out of control.

GENE:
He's not looking to start a bloody war.

ALEX:
No, but it becomes one. Once the genie is out of the bottle, we cannot put it back in.

RAY:
He'd never fit.

GENE:
Eh!

ALEX:
You might think it's bad now, but you have no idea what's coming. Crackheads armed with Uzis. Kids killed in the street, whoever happens to be in the line of fire. Our kids. Our streets. And if I can stop that now, if I can stop the guns, then I can stop the bullets and maybe, just maybe I can go home.

GENE raises his hand.

ALEX:
Yes?

GENE:
Is this you in your doolally captain of the Upper Fifth way of telling us that Neary deserves to go down?

ALEX:
Yes.

GENE:
Good.



An alley; GENE is having words with REEKS again while ALEX looks on. REEKS is wearing an ill-fitting suit and the most awful shirt and toe combo you're ever likely to see.

GENE:
Who's the dealer? When's he delivering the rest to Neary?

REEKS:
I don't know, I don't. If I'd known it was guns, I wouldn't even have been there. Neary only took me with him 'cos Kosher Pete's in hospital. Gall bladder.

GENE:
I should pull yours out with a bloody rusty hook!

REEKS:
I'm sorry, Mr Hunt. I just... Look, I'm not part of Neary's thing any more. I can't handle it. And I think he's on to me.

GENE:
You've let me down.

GENE walks away, but ALEX has another try.

ALEX:
How big is the shipment? D'you know how many guns are involved?

REEKS:
I don't. I really don't. Look, if you happen to have anything spare, I could really do with...

ALEX:
Well, if you can afford a suit.

GENE:
No. It's Mr Hunt's. He said, I could, you know, 'cos of the kids and all. I'm just going up the court now.

ALEX:
OK. Well, good luck.

REEKS gives a hopeful thumbs up and ALEX leaves.



CID and the lads are preparing to go out for a game of association football.

GENE:
Let's face it, Viv. Wooden tops don't stand a chance.

CHRIS:
Not with the mighty Shilton between the sticks.

VIV:
Ha! Ha! Don't put money on it. I wouldn't want to rob you.

GENE:
Mind you, you've got quite a handy left foot when you want to have.

RAY:
No stamina, though. Can't hack a man's game.

RAY throws the football at CHRIS, who fumbles it. ALEX comes in.

RAY:
I called Interpol like you said.

GENE looks the question.

RAY:
'Potential international connections.'

GENE:
Well I wouldn't hold your breath for the garlic munchers. Couldn't ID Hitler if he'd stormed their building in one of his Panzers.

CHRIS:
The same thing happened in World War II.

RAY hands ALEX a fax - remember those?

RAY:
They came up with this. Niccolai Sarris. He's been running guns for years.

ALEX:
Excellent. That is much more like it.

RAY:
OK, boys. Game on!

VIV:
OK

ALEX:
Where are you going?

RAY:
Football.

ALEX:
Well, we've ID-ed the gun runners. What about the car?

GENE:
Plods are on it. Driving round London looking for a car Sarris probably stole, is not a constructive use of my time.

ALEX:
Oh, and football is? This is the first lead that we've got.

GENE:
We've got a name and a face. I've got people looking for him. What more do you want me to do?

ALEX:
Well, what about the gun? Do we even know what the make of gun is yet?

GENE and RAY sigh; RAY snatches the photograph of NEARY aiming the gun from ALEX, glances at it and hands it back.

RAY:
Colt 1911.

ALEX:
Well, how do you know?

RAY gives ALEX a pitying look and leaves.

ALEX:
I thought you wanted to take Simon Neary down?

GENE:
I do. And we will. After the match.

GENE walks away.

ALEX:
Reeks hasn't given us anything. We need a new informant. If you won't help me, I will do this on my own! We have to stop the guns!



Churchyard; ALEX and MARCU are sitting side by side on a bench.

MARCUS:
Simon's not a bad guy.

ALEX:
You think so?

MARCUS:
I know so.

ALEX:
D'you love him?

MARCUS:
Just because we're both men doesn't mean we can't love each other.

ALEX:
No, I didn't mean...

MARCUS:
I trust him, he trusts me. He cares for me. He makes me feel safe. We have a good time. If that's not love I don't know what is. And the sex is great.

ALEX:
As long as you use protection.

MARCUS:
You sound like my dad.

ALEX:
Does he know you're gay?

MARCUS shakes his head.

ALEX:
What about your mum?

MARCUS:
I haven't seen mum and dad for over a year.

ALEX:
Why?

MARCUS:
Why?! Because... It's difficult, OK?

ALEX:
No, what's difficult is not having a relationship with your parents. That's difficult. Being alone. That's hard.

MARCUS:
Well, I'm not alone. I've got Simon.

ALEX:
Yeah. Now, I know that men can love each other. Men can have great relationships. And they can also have really bad ones.

ALEX gets out her notebook and writes on it, tearing out the page and handing it to MARCUS.

MARCUS:
What are you doing?

ALEX:
If you want to talk. Or if Neary says anything.

MARCUS takes the paper in a way that suggests he's just doing it to keep ALEX happy, and goes away.



LUIG's. GENE and ALEX are sharing a table again.

ALEX:
Marcus could be our best chance to get to Neary. Who could be closer to him than his boyfriend?

GENE:
No.

ALEX:
What's your objection? He's an informant like any other.

GENE:
This is the way I work. I pay a snout a fiver, he gives me information. He knows I'll look after him. That way we all know what's what. Him, I don't know.

ALEX:
What are you really scared of?

GENE:
Being stuck in a small room and forced to listen to you prattle on until the end of time.

ALEX:
Marcus could get us Neary and the guns.

GENE:
How do you know you can get him on side?

ALEX:
He's in denial about what Neary's really capable of. He thinks he's in love with him.

GENE:
'In love'? They're two blokes, for God's sake! Two hairy, stinking, bloody great blokes.

ALEX:
Someone fell in love with you once.

GENE:
More than once. And that was different. They were women. Get a waft of that. Man stink. Tell me that doesn't moisten your gusset.

ALEX pulls a face and turns away, disgusted.

GENE:
Who's in denial now?



Time has passed and the victorious players are getting a little boisterous. GENE is getting a drink while ALEX and SHAZ are seated at the bar.

GENE:
Give us a bottle of beer, Luigi. Hurry up.

ALEX:
Their idea of what makes a man a man is so utterly, utterly wrong, isn't it?

SHAZ:
I've always thought sexual characteristics are kind of misleading. Girls, boys. Masculine, feminine. When it comes down to it, we're all a bit of both.

LUIGI rolls his eyes at that as he passes on his way to try and quell the noisy CID crowd. He merely gets pulled into the throng.

LUIGI:
Calm down! Calm down!

ALEX:
Of course, the other reason for your rampant homophobia could be that you're a bunch of poofters!

The rowdy men suddenly go very quiet indeed and break up the manly hugging in a hurry.



Alex's flat. The phone rings and ALEX answers it.

GENE on the telephone:
Drake.

ALEX:
What?

GENE on the telephone:
Better get over here, now.



A sunlit flower meadow and humming bees. No, actually a patch of waste ground and the ominous buzz of flies. There's a high wall topped with barbed wire, sprawled over which is the lifeless body of REEKS, his face bloody and a piece of card with 'GRASS' written on it stuck in his mouth. He's still in the suit. People look down from the flats above.

GENE:
Take him down.

RAY:
All right, boys.

CHRIS:
What about forensics?

GENE:
Take him down, now.



GENE walks away, angry, and goes towards the Quattro. ALEX follows part way.

MUSIC: 'Turn to Red' by Killing Joke

ALEX:
Gene! I'm sorry, Gene. He was wearing your suit... Gene!

GENE half turns but carries on to the car and drives away. The Quattro speeds through the streets until we see NEARY, MCCANN and BAKER walking towards NEARY's BMW. The Quattro screeches to a halt and GENE approaches the men, radiating anger.

# The sky
# Is turning grey... #

BAKER makes a move to intercept GENE but NEARY waves him off.

NEARY:
Do I know you?

GENE:
You will.

NEARY:
Copper.

GENE:
I know you killed him.

NEARY:
Who's that then?

GENE:
I'm gonna finish you, Neary. I'm gonna dig a deep, dark hole and I'm gonna bury you in liquid shit.

NEARY:
Don't you need things like witnesses? You know, evidence. It's not that easy to fit people up these days.

GENE:
Oh, I don't need to fit you up.

NEARY:
What are you, DI?

GENE:
DCI.

NEARY:
Yeah, well, I wouldn't bank on promotion next time you're in front of the board, Detective.

NEARY turns away dismissively. GENE also turns away, deliberately running his key down the side of the BMW as he goes.

GENE:
Marked.



CID.

RAY:
Ballistics report. 9mm.

ALEX:
1911?

RAY:
What do you think?

ALEX:
Witnesses?

RAY:
None from the door-to-door. But me and Chris are gonna go back, see what else we can find.

GENE storms into CID and through to his office, where he kicks over a large stack of files to relieve his feelings.



Gene's office. GENE is nursing a whisky while ALEX hovers, ostensibly clearing up the files. CHRIS pops his head round the door.

CHRIS:
They couldn't get any prints.

ALEX:
Nothing at all?

CHRIS:
No.

ALEX:
Fibres?

CHRIS:
No.

ALEX:
No leads on Sarris either. Gun runner.

GENE:
I don't give a toss about the guns. Reeks was a crook and a junkie but at least he tried. And Neary's put one kid on the slab and left two others wondering why daddy doesn't visit any more. We've no forensics, no witnesses...

ALEX:
If Neary gets his hands on those guns, all hell will break loose. We need to move fast and Marcus is all that we've got.

GENE:
Will he help me bring Neary down?

ALEX:
I think so.

GENE:
Right.



Street; MARCUS is walking towards the Quattro. GENE and ALEX get out to talk to him as he reaches it.

GENE:
We want a word with you.

ALEX:
What do you really know about Simon Neary?

MARCUS:
He's got a big dick.

GENE:
My informant's got a bullet through the head. Why don't you try swallowing that?

ALEX:
Has he told you what he does for a living? He runs a protection racket. Loan sharks. He smuggles things.

MARCUS:
What things?

GENE:
Whatever the very worst of London's scumbags want, your bum chum gets. Diamonds, furs, hash. Speed, coke, smack. The gear your friendly neighbourhood dealer sells outside them school gates. Nice work.

ALEX:
Simon is part of that. He hurts people.

MARCUS:
He doesn't hurt me.

GENE:
Well lucky you.

MARCUS:
Yeah, he told me you'd do this. You try to fit people up. You need an arrest and you don't like poofs. That's the way it works, innit?

GENE gives him a long, discomforting look and walks away.

ALEX:
Will you do me a favour?



The mortuary, and ALEX shows MARCUS the body of REEKS lying on the slab.

ALEX:
Harry Richardson. 'Reeks'. You might have seen him around.

MARCUS:
What happened to him?

ALEX:
Your boyfriend. Reeks worked for him. Didn't do very much with his life, but his kids loved him.

MARCUS:
No. Simon wouldn't do this. Look, I don't know what you're trying to do to him, and I don't know why, but I don't believe any of this. Any of it.



MARCUS is walking away through the churchyard, ALEX in pursuit.

MARCUS:
Leave me alone.

ALEX:
So you think he wouldn't do something like that because he's told you that he wouldn't. And he trusts you, and you trust him. Except he doesn't. He gets jealous, doesn't he? He's the jealous type.

MARCUS:
Only 'cos he loves me.

ALEX:
It's not about love, it's about possession.

MARCUS:
You don't know him! How could you know what we're like together?

ALEX:
I know that you've thought about leaving him. But you're too scared because you're too scared of what he might do.

MARCUS:
He wouldn't do anything to me.

ALEX:
He is paranoid, and he's dangerous.

MARCUS:
Leave me alone now, Alex.

ALEX sighs, defeated. As they both near the exit, NEARY pulls up in his BMW. MARCUS looks anxiously over his shoulder at ALEX.

NEARY:
Hello there.

MARCUS:
Hey.

ALEX walks up, neatly trapping MARCUS into admitting he knows her.

NEARY:
Who's your friend?

ALEX:
Hi. Er. We go way back. I was working as a waitress in a cocktail bar, and, er...

ALEX takes MARCUS' arm, much to his dismay.

NEARY:
That's a flash name for a clipjoint.

ALEX:
It was a bit more upmarket than that, wasn't it? Trust me.

NEARY:
Don't be cheeky.

ALEX:
It's probably out of your league.

NEARY:
Really. Don't be cheeky. (To MARCUS) Listen, change of plan. I've got a lot on, things to do, I'm not going to make it this afternoon. Go straight to Nirvana, I'll meet you there.

ALEX:
What's that? A club? I'll come.

NEARY:
Oh, will you?

ALEX:
Yeah.

NEARY:
Meet me at eight, and that means eight. Wear the other shirt. (to ALEX) He looks lovely in blue.

ALEX:
Bet he does.

NEARY drives off.

ALEX:
See you at eight.



GENE and ALEX are walkin' 'n' talkin' down a corridor in the station. Again.

GENE:
I don't like it.

ALEX:
Well, we've established the cover; Marcus and I used to work the streets.

GENE:
Did ya?

ALEX:
No, that's the cover.

GENE:
Shame. Might have fancied a punt.

ALEX:
Hang on. Hang on, hang on. Now this is worth getting straight. I'm imagining you, imagining paying for sex with me, in my imaginary role as an imaginary street whore.

GENE:
You must have a filthy mind.

ALEX:
Absolute sewer apparently. Now look, OK, this is my op, my target, my risk.

GENE:
You know, it'll take more than an imaginary sneaky peek at your arse to keep me sweet if this goes tits up.

ALEX:
Do you want to nail Neary?

GENE:
No. I want to arrest him.

They go their separate ways.



CID.

CHRIS:
I updated the interest report on the gun dealer's car.

GENE:
What about Reeks? Anyone been back to the estate?

RAY:
We're just waiting for wooden tops to process their, er... Bloody hell!

Laughter, wolf whistles and other appreciative noises as ALEX comes in dressed in, well not very much.

ALEX:
What? What?

GENE:
You're supposed to look like a top agency girl, not some cheap slag from the Old Kent Road. You're supposed to be showing a little bit of class.

RAY:
She nearly is!

SHAZ:
I'd pay.

GENE gets up and prowls round ALEX, removing her earrings without a word, before looking at her rather tacky gold clutch bag.

GENE:
No.

He hands ALEX the earrings, straightens the dress on her shoulders and walks away.

GENE:
Better.

ALEX:
Thank you.

GENE, RAY and CHRIS makes signs of following ALEX as she starts to leave CID.

ALEX:
What are you doing?

GENE:
Back-up.

ALEX:
You do know where I'm going?

GENE:
Well, I think we can handle a nightclub. Chris here will do his best John Travolta, while Raymondo and myself fight off the ladies.

ALEX:
Hm.

MUSIC: 'I Feel Love' by Donna Summer

They leave.



ALEX walks down the steps into the bowels of the club, GENE, RAY and CHRIS following, laughing and joking in anticipation of a good night out. Only when they reach the bottom, so to speak, do they realise it's a gay club.

GENE:
Shit.

ALEX laughs and dances her way further into the club. GENE chivvies his shocked colleagues back up the stairs.

GENE:
Come on, quick, move. Get up.

# Oooo, it's so good
# It's so good
# It's so good... #



MUSIC: "Love Magic" by John Davis & The Monster Orchestra

Time has passed and ALEX is enjoying herself, but also keeping an eye on NEARY. He in turn has his eye on a large bearded gentleman. ALEX moves away from the bar and finds MARCUS, who is not overjoyed to see her.

ALEX:
Hey!

MARCUS:
You shouldn't be here.

ALEX:
I said I'd come. Come on, just follow my lead. And smile.

ALEX leads the unwilling MARCUS over to NEARY and they sit down.

NEARY:
On the dot. Must be love.

MARCUS:
Must be.

ALEX:
Well, you were right about the blue shirt.

NEARY:
Told you, didn't I?

ALEX:
I'd shag him if he'd let me.

NEARY:
Who wouldn't? So, what's your name, sweetheart?

ALEX:
Alex.

NEARY:
Nah, sweetheart. Suits you better.

ALEX:
Why? Because I'm so sweet?

NEARY:
No. Because that's what I'm gonna call you.

There's a definite hint of menace in the air, but ALEX rallies and indicates the bottle of champagne on the table.

ALEX:
So are we gonna drink this or what?

MARCUS looks anxiously at NEARY, who doesn't seem to like ALEX taking the lead much, but reluctantly nods in agreement.

ALEX:
What are we celebrating?

NEARY:
D'you need a reason?

ALEX:
Well, doesn't everyone?

NEARY:
I just like the taste.

ALEX:
Me, too.

NEARY:
Don't get used to it.

ALEX:
Cheers!



ALEX searches out GENE and CHRIS elsewhere in the club. They're standing around looking awkward, GENE with his sunglasses on.

PASSING SAILOR GUY:
(to GENE) All right?

ALEX:
I'm never gonna get... What the hell are they?

GENE:
He knows me face.

ALEX:
What? Well, why did you come then?

GENE:
To watch your bloody back. And me own.

ALEX:
Neary's too smart. I'm never gonna get anything out of him about this deal.

GENE:
Yeah, too much of the old bosom work and not enough of the old *whistle*.

CHRIS:
There's more than enough of the old *whistle* in here.

GENE:
Well I never thought Neary was a one-man kind of a bloke, myself. If you get my unsavoury drift.

ALEX:
No. No, I saw that. What do we think he's into then? In a sexual sense.

CHRIS:
I don't want to think about it.

ALEX:
Fetish stuff? Leather, queens, boys, bears.

GENE:
Bears? Bloody hell! I've seen a Dutch girl with a donkey, but I don't remember seeing a...

ALEX:
Not the Yogi Bear kind of bear. I mean, you know, like a big bloke, a man's man. A big hairy bloke.

On cue, the hirsute RAY arrives.

RAY:
Hey. Marcus is at the bar. Neary's on his own. What do we, er...?

GENE and ALEX exchange looks and they all three look at RAY.

RAY:
What? What?



MUSIC: "Don't You Want Me" by Human League

Time has passed and they seem to be having trouble convincing RAY of the plan.

RAY:
No way.

ALEX:
It's a great opportunity.

RAY:
Who bloody for?

GENE:
This a dangerous situation. Now we need a man who knows how to handle himself in a tight spot.

CHRIS sniggers.

RAY:
Guv!

GENE:
Neary is a hard bastard. He's a killer. Now I need somebody there that I can trust, somebody who understands the risks of an undercover operation. Somebody who's reliable but quick-thinking. A rock-hard centre back. I need Dave Watson. Nothing drastic, just pick up what you can.

CHRIS tries to suppress his laughter.

RAY:
But what do I say? What do I do? I mean, poofters and that. What do they do? I don't know...

ALEX:
Well, the man has a penis and the other man has a penis...

RAY:
No. How do they act and that? How are they?

CHRIS:
'Are you free, Mr Humphries?' 'I'm free!'

ALEX:
Just be yourself.

RAY:
How do you mean?

ALEX:
Just be yourself. He'll love it, I promise you.

GENE:
Just watch your back.

CHRIS sniggers again, and he and GENE leave.

ALEX:
Look, push it.

RAY:
Push what?

ALEX:
Flirt with him.

RAY:
Look, the Guv said all I had to do was go and...

ALEX:
Listen, I understand that it's difficult, OK. And only somebody's who's completely secure in their own sexuality...

A passing punter eyes RAY.

PASSING PUNTER:
Hello, handsome.

ALEX:
...could do this. Just treat him like he's a bird. You know, treat him like you would a woman.

RAY looks slightly more confident and ready to go.

ALEX:
OK.



MUSIC: 'I Lost My Heart To A Starship Trooper' by Sarah Brightman

RAY walks over the NEARY, helps himself to a glass of champagne, puts his hand on NEARY's knee and sits down next to him.

RAY:
Were you looking at me, or was it me who couldn't take my eyes off you?

GENE and CHRIS are observing from the bottom of the staircase.

GENE:
Bloody hell. He's going for it an' all.

CHRIS:
Bloody hell.

RAY and NEARY are deep in conversation, the latter topping up RAY's glass. Meanwhile ALEX approaches MARCUS.

ALEX:
Can I show you something?

MARCUS:
Well you can't show anything worse than what you've shown me already. And what you've shown me doesn't prove anything against Simon.

ALEX:
Yeah.

ALEX half turns MARCUS so he's looking straight over to where RAY and NEARY are getting like a house on fire.

ALEX:
And he loves you and you love him. And you can trust each other.

RAY:
So what line of business are you in?

NEARY:
Look, now's not the time to talk about business, eh?

# I lost my heart to a starship trooper
# Flashing light in hyperspace
# Fighting for the federation
# Hand in hand we'll conquer space... #

NEARY leans over to whisper in RAY's ear, and all is going well until RAY's face suddenly changes and he shoves NEARY away.

RAY:
For God's sake!

'Razor' MCCANN steps up to RAY, but RAY pushes him aside. Another of NEARY's heavies approaches.

HEAVY:
What are you doi-?

RAY punches him and leaves the scene of chaos in a hurry. MARCUS sees it all, realises it was a set up and walks off. GENE shoos CHRIS up the stairs again.

GENE:
Right. Get upstairs, quick, quick. Go, go.



Outside the club.

MARCUS:
That was a really shitty thing to do.

ALEX:
I think you deserve to know what he's really like. He doesn't have any loyalty to you. He doesn't love you.

MARCUS shakes his head and walks away. ALEX realises she's messed up.

ALEX:
Shit. Shit!



GENE ushers ALEX into his office for a good old fashioned telling off.

GENE:
Sending Ray in undercover is one thing, turning it into a twisted stunt is something completely bloody different.

ALEX:
Jealousy was the extra leverage we needed to get Marcus.

GENE:
Marcus is a civvie.

ALEX:
Well it was a risk I thought worth taking.

GENE:
But not one you thought about sharing with your superior officer?

ALEX:
I believed it was the right thing to do.

GENE:
You're playing with people's lives. Reeks is dead.

ALEX:
OK, all right, so we didn't get as much useful information from last night's operation as I'd hoped.

GENE:
Operation? If you were a surgeon, I would be six feet under. I want Neary.

ALEX:
He hasn't had the main shipment yet. If we can find the guns, we might have a chance of getting the dealer and Neary.

GENE:
Oh, great. Just one problem, we don't know when it is. Two problems. We don't know where it is. So, in spite of Raymondo's dazzling turn as a macho Mata Hari, we are precisely nowhere.



CID and ALEX is calling MARCUS.

MARCUS on the telephone:
Hello?

ALEX:
Marcus, um, it's Alex. Hi. Um, look, I know you're angry and I know that you're upset and you've got every right and every reason to feel that.

MARCUS on the telephone:
Yeah.

ALEX:
But I just wanted you to know I'm...

MARCUS hangs up. ALEX sighs, puts down the receiver and picks up CAROLINE's business card. 'Caroline Price, Solicitor. Lanrock House, Manshill Road, London E1 1PO. Telephone: (01) 946 0880. Facsimile: (01) 946 0885' You can't say I'm not thorough...


FLASHBACK
Rapid microfiche effect sideways.
Little girl in red school uniform holding a red balloon.
Audible heartbeat.
Cassette being put in a car stereo.
Microfiche.
CAROLINE leaning out of the passenger seat of a blue car.

CAROLINE in flashback:
Alex!

Car exploding.
A segment of number plate falling to the ground in flames.
CAROLINE looking down; child's laughter.
CAROLINE waving LITTLE ALEX goodbye in the school hall.

CAROLINE in memory:
Goodbye, Alex.

LITTLE ALEX sitting all alone on the floor of the school hall.



LUIGI's, and ALEX goes to pour CAROLINE a glass of wine.

CAROLINE:
No, thanks.

ALEX:
I probably shouldn't.

ALEX pours herself a glass anyway.

ALEX:
I never used to.

CAROLINE:
Long lunches were one of the perks when I started. I probably shouldn't.

CAROLINE pours herself a glass after all; ALEX laughs.

CAROLINE:
How can I help you?

ALEX:
A bit of advice. I'm running an informant, and, er, while I'm aware of the duty of care, I haven't made a formal risk assessment. I just wondered if that was necessary? Here. Now. In 1981.

CAROLINE:
Sounds like an excellent idea, but there's no formal arrangement required between police and their informants. It's more of a moral issue. You are after all exploiting another human being's weakness for your own ends.

ALEX:
Like you did with me.

CAROLINE:
I suppose I did. Well... It's best to face the truth about these things.

ALEX:
Really? And what if the truth is, er... Is about family? What if it's about parents and their children and... And what if the truth is just too big to comprehend?

CAROLINE:
Are you in some sort of trouble, Alex? Is there something you need to tell me?

ALEX:
In a way. Um... God! I'm sorry. Um, no, it's, er... It's something I should deal, er, with on my own. Cheers.



Alex's flat, and ALEX is pouring herself out a large measure of whisky. MOLLY is behind her, asleep in a chair.

ALEX:
I'm not a bad person. I just want to get back. That's all that matters, isn't it?

MOLLY in ghostly whisper:
Mummy.

ALEX spins round, but of course MOLLY isn't there. ALEX turns again to see the CLOWN reflected in the mirror. A knock on the door diverts ALEX's attention and she goes to answer it.

ALEX:
Hi. Come in.

ALEX ushers an awkward MARCUS into the kitchen.

ALEX:
Er, can I get you...?

MARCUS:
No, I won't stay. I know he's not a good man. I know. But I didn't think he'd... I didn't... I didn't want to know. He wants me to go with him to some sort of big deal tomorrow.

ALEX:
What kind of deal?

MARCUS:
Er, it's a delivery.

ALEX:
Where?

MARCUS:
I don't know.

ALEX:
Will you work with us? It's the right thing to do.

MARCUS is close to tears.

MARCUS:
It's... It's hard.

ALEX:
I know.

ALEX gives him a hug and he feels better.

ALEX:
D'you want me to give you a lift home?

MARCUS:
Maybe not straight home.



ALEX and MARCUS drive up in the green CID car and park near a suburban semi in a quite leafy residential street. They don't get out.

ALEX:
Which one's your parents'?

MARCUS:
Blue door.

ALEX:
Go in. Tell them.

MARCUS:
I've left it too long.

ALEX:
Yeah, but it's not too late. We wouldn't be here if you didn't want to.

MARCUS looks uncertain. Behind him a man comes out of the house with the blue door.

ALEX:
Give them a chance to understand who you really are. If they don't take that chance, then that's their loss. But if you don't give it to them, then it's yours.

MARCUS almost looks persuaded, but then glances over his shoulder and sees the man, who looks into the car in surprise.

MARCUS:
Oh, no. Go, go, go, go, go!

ALEX:
Why don't you just...

MARCUS:
No, no, it's my dad. Just go, go.

ALEX:
All right, all right.

They drive away.



CID.

GENE:
A wire? It's a risky bloody way.

ALEX:
Simon's gonna call Marcus and tell him where to come.

MARCUS:
Yeah, he says got something amazing to show me.

GENE:
Mm.

GENE is doubtful and pulls ALEX aside for a private word.

GENE:
You do understand how dangerous this is?

ALEX:
Well we need to know where the deal's happening. We can't go in until we know Sarris and Neary and the guns are there. We need a wire to do that.

GENE:
Neary has already taken out Reeks, he could do the same again. I am not gonna lose another snout.

ALEX:
And your better idea is?



The Room of Technological Marvels, and CHRIS produces the 'wire'. It's a bulky metal box.

ALEX:
What, that's it? That's the wire?

CHRIS:
Solid state.

ALEX:
Well, why don't you just get him a megaphone, or... some homing pigeons.

GENE:
Never get 'em under his jacket.

CHRIS:
Paul Daniels could.

GENE:
Yeah, he'd like that.

CHRIS:
Not a lot.

GENE:
But he'd like it.



CID; ALEX is wiring up MARCUS while GENE looks on.

GENE:
For God's sake, keep that thing out of sight, and don't let him near you. He might be your boyfriend, but if he thinks you've betrayed him, he'll kill you.

ALEX:
OK. Feed us the location as soon as you have it.

ALEX goes to feed the mike wire through MARCUS' shirt, but he forestalls her.

MARCUS:
Yeah, it's OK. I'll do it.

ALEX:
We can't go in until we know that the guns are there.

GENE:
What's the word?

MARCUS:
Angel.

GENE:
Right, as soon as we hear it, we'll be straight in. What's the word?

MARCUS:
Angel. As soon as I know he's got the guns.



GENE and ALEX watch from the Quattro as MARCUS hails a taxi to meet NEARY. They follow the cab as it drives off.

MARCUS over the wire:
I'm meeting him at Garside workshop.

GENE into radio:
Chris. Garside workshop.

RAY and CHRIS are in the green CID car.

CHRIS:
We're on our way, guv.

MARCUS over the wire:
Just here's fine.

The taxi pulls over while the Quattro turns aside to meet RAY and CHRIS already parked at the back of one of the workshop buildings.

RAY:
Armed team's on its way.

GENE:
We'll take the side door, you work your way round and take the back entrance.

CHRIS:
Sounds like a job for Raymondo.

They all get out and move into the buildings.

MARCUS over the wire:
Testing, testing. God, I hope you can hear this. # Wish me luck as you wave me goodbye, cheerio... #



GENE and ALEX settle down with the receiver to listen in as MARCUS goes in to meet NEARY.

NEARY over the wire:
Hello there.

MARCUS over the wire:
Oh! Didn't see you there!

NEARY over the wire:
You weren't meant to.

Meanwhile RAY and CHRIS are making their way through the yard.

MARCUS over the wire:
You said you had something to show me.

NEARY over the wire:
You seem tense, Marcus. Is something wrong?

MARCUS over the wire:
No. No, it's just... W-w-what about that bloke we're meeting?

ALEX:
Bollocks. Sarris isn't there yet.

NEARY over the wire:
Why don't you let me worry about him. You just get on with what you're good at. Come here. Oh... That's it. Oh, yeah.

NEARY moans and groans and generally sounds like he's enjoying himself, if you know what I mean...

GENE:
What's he doing?

ALEX:
Well, I'm not gonna demonstrate.

NEARY over the wire:
Oh! I'm gonna run this city. I'm gonna run it like an empire. Rod of iron. They won't know what's hit 'em.

MARCUS over the wire:
How are you gonna give it to them?

NEARY over the wire:
Hard.

MARCUS over the wire:
Yeah? Yeah, what are you going to do to 'em?

NEARY over the wire:
Hurt 'em.

MARCUS over the wire:
Yeah? Like that bloke Reeks they found on the estate?

GENE:
Shit.

MARCUS over the wire:
Huh? What did you do to him?

NEARY over the wire:
I hurt him.

MARCUS over the wire:
Yeah?

NEARY over the wire:
I hurt him bad.

MARCUS over the wire:
What you do to him?

NEARY over the wire:
The bastard, the grass, I shot him. I put a bullet in his, his... I killed him. Oh!

ALEX:
Well, that's a confession.

GENE:
That's really disgusting, but it's all we need. Let's get him out of there.

ALEX:
No, wait, wait, wait. We can't go in until we know that the guns were there.

NEARY over the wire:
Oh, yes...

RAY and CHRIS have found a set of stairs up the outside of the building. At the top RAY peers in through a hole in the corrugated iron to see the obviously dead body of the gun dealer.

RAY:
That's the gun dealer. Shit! Where's Marcus?

RAY into the radio:
Guv, go now!

RAY over the radio:
Guv... Go...

GENE picks up his radio but it crackles uselessly and he can't make out what RAY's saying.

RAY:
Come on.

RAY and CHRIS run to a more open position in GENE and ALEX's line of sight.

RAY over the radio:
Guv, can you hear me? Guv, the dealer's dead. Neary's killed him.

MARCUS over the wire:
Angel. ANGEL!

GENE and ALEX scramble to their feet and run to MARCUS' assistance.

MARCUS:
Angel! Angel!

GENE and ALEX draw their guns.

MARCUS:
Angel! Angel!

Gunshot.

ALEX comes to an abrupt halt.

FLASHBACK
The CLOWN in ALEX's flat, pointing his finger and pulling an imaginary trigger.
Spinning bullet heading straight for us

ALEX sways groggily, mouths a Bad Word and moves on.



GENE and ALEX enter the building to find MARCUS in shock with a gun in his hand, standing over NEARY who's lying on the ground, bleeding.

GENE:
Give me the gun, son. Give me the gun.

ALEX:
He's breathing.

MARCUS collapses but is caught by GENE.

GENE:
It's OK. Good lad. It's OK. OK.

MARCUS:
He was going to shoot me. Simon was gonna kill me.



Outside in the yard; NEARY is being carried into an ambulance.

GENE:
You know, I had you down as a bit of a soft touch, Drake. But you can be quite a tough old bird when you want to be. Gives me the right horn.

GENE walks away leaving ALEX not even slightly offended by this. She turns to speak to MARCUS.

ALEX:
Are you all right? I'm sorry.

MARCUS:
I'm not.



ALEX and MARCUS get out of the green CID car outside MARCUS' parents' home.

ALEX:
Hey, just be yourself.

MARCUS determinedly walks up the path, the front door opened by, presumably, his mother. I believe we're looking at a reconciliation here, kids.



CID and GENE opens up the case of guns from the dealer, handing one to RAY.

GENE:
Here you go, Raymondo. As I know how much you love to run your hands along the length of a barrel.



MARCUS comes out of the house to see ALEX off.

ALEX:
How do you feel?

MARCUS:
Better.

They embrace. Again. Only this time ALEX notices two spots of reddened skin on MARCUS' neck. I believe we're to assume it's Kaposi's sarcoma - Google it.

ALEX:
What's that? On your, um...?

MARCUS:
Oh. Just a rash.

ALEX:
Have you seen a doctor about it?

MARCUS:
I'll get some cream.

ALEX:
Go to a doctor. Go to a doctor and... Just go to a doctor.

MARCUS:
Never knew you were such a nag.

ALEX:
Terrible. Never marry me.

MARCUS:
Night.

MUSIC: 'Where Did Love Go?' by Soft Cell

ALEX sadly watches him go back into the house.

# Baby, baby
# Where did our love go?
# Oh, don't you leave me
# Don't you leave me no more... #



LUIGI's and the man himself is left hanging around while his last customers, GENE and ALEX, prop up the bar.

ALEX:
What am I doing here? Really? What is the point?

GENE:
To dress like a tart. Wiggle your arse in my direction, and fill my days with glimpses of the depths of your depraved mind. It's good enough for me, Bolly.

Credits.

# Oh, baby, baby
# Where did our love go?
# Oh, don't you leave me
# Don't you leave me no more
# Oh, baby, baby
# Where did our love go?
# Oh, don't you leave me
# Don't you leave me no more
# You came into my life
# So tenderly... #