I don't believe in modern love

[liquidsky]

Comments

to Sam in the middle of the night

[liquidsky]

hey

are you awake?

probably not

am I waking you up?

[manonmars]

Go fuck yourself.

I'm blocking you.

[liquidsky]

you know I can get another phone

I was just thinking about you

how are you?

[puregeneius]

"Morning, you big queer." Gene walked up to Sam's desk, looking him over. "Christ, you look like shit. What's the matter, are you sick again? Samantha's got a delicate constitution. Do you just want a thermometer up your ass so badly? I'm sure we could get someone to do a cavity search on you, might scratch that same urge."

There, he was ready to help. And he slapped a file down on Sam's desk. "We've got work to do, Tyler. Get your bony arse in my office."

[manonmars]

"Lovely. You know, misgendering me is something I could just report to HR. Any time." Sam remarked wistfully as he tried to keep himself away. He had some coffee and a 10 minute power nap in his car but he was not really refreshed and ready. Barty had entirely ruined his night and he hadn't managed a wink of sleep.

"What is it?" Sam asked as he got up and grabbed the file, walking after Gene to his office. "I don't think I'm in my best headspace to crack anything today."

[puregeneius]

"I'm sorry, I didn't know her Highness didn't want anyone to know how she's really a boy yet." Gene leaned against his desk, looking at Sam and gesturing to the file. "Another girl vanished. Sixteen this time. Looked older. Liked to party. Same profile. Someone's daughter and we've got no answers for the parents. I'm not saying I want to find a body, but at least then there's certainty, you know?"

Sucked any way one looked at it. "Beginning to look like a whole operation, not just one sick pervert."

[puregeneius]

There really was no need to kick the door open, it wasn't as if it was locked, but Gene just liked doing it. Inside some people were sitting at a table and looking up at them now, most of them somewhat surprised and confused. Annoyingly, Sam's ex was only looking mildly entertained, if anything. Spoilsport.

Barty got up, saying something to a man next to him that Gene couldn't quite catch and then he approached them, smiling. "DCI Hunt, DI Tyler. Was I supposed to be expecting you?"

The man Barty had talked to before was heading for a backdoor while Gene answered. "Nah, just a routine visit. We like checking in, seeing how things are going. Do you need all of those clowns here or is there a chance of talking without the whole circus listening in?"

[manonmars]

"We don't really need an audience, it isn't a raid. We were going to knock." Sam murmured as he watched the man go to the backdoor, wondering why he was fleeing so quickly. Was he going to get weapons or was he just scared of them? Either way, Sam didn't make a move to follow. He just held up his badge to show the men in the room. It was procedure.

"We're looking to talk to you in regards to a suspected human trafficking ring case."

Sam didn't smile or drop his professional persona - in some ways, it was a nice guard to have. It kept distance.

[puregeneius]

"I see..." Barty gestured for the remaining people around them to disperse, then he led them over to the table. "Sit down, we can talk in private. What do you want to know?"

"Question number one, asshole." Gene didn't like Barty for a variety of reasons, not least of all because he'd hurt his Sam so much. Insulting him was therefore quite satisfying. "Are you kidnapping girls to sell them off?"

"...no. We aren't in that business." Barty turned his head to look at Sam as he added, "I wouldn't."

He did want Sam to know and understand that he had morals. He wasn't pure evil. "What age are we talking about? I assume teenagers, given they come here." At least he assumed that was the link. "I haven't heard about many disappearances."

"Because we are trying to keep it on the down-low. Don't want a panic breaking out in the city." Gene just wanted it handled and stopped, quickly.

[liquidsky]

"What the hell do you think you are doing?!" Barty hissed the words to Sam the moment the other man Sam had been sitting with had left to go to the bathroom. "I don't know if your plan is to stay undercover or to directly confront him, what I can tell you is that either way it's a terrible idea."

He was bending down to talk to Sam, having reached for his hand without thinking, fingers encircling Sam's wrist. He wasn't gripping him tightly, touching him simply came naturally. "Just leave now. I can handle this."

[manonmars]

"Get away from me, what are you doing?!" Sam hissed as he move to the side slightly and shoved Barty away from him. How was he supposed to be undercover when Barty was here, talking to him like that. "You're going to blow my cover. Get out of here."

Sam yanked himself away from Barty and then checked where the boss has gone, hoping he didn't notice it. Even him being connected to Barty would look bad, nevermind being exposed as a cop. "I can't know you. Idiot."

[liquidsky]

"I own this place, I can talk to my clients. Especially the ones that are sucking up to some wannabe crime boss in the VIP lounge." Which Sam had been doing, extensively. "There's only two options, Sam, either he is weirded out by you or he thinks you are coming on to him. Either way, he knows you are a cop. You are the most cop to ever cop. The whitest of hats. It's obvious."

He kept his voice down, but he was trying to get through to Sam here. "Trust me."

[npcish]

"Glad to see you awake again. Shall I just call you Mr Tyler? No, of course not. DI Tyler. That's more like it." Cheon was standing in front of Sam, leaning against his desk. Sam was seated in a chair, flanked by men on either side. Men with guns that they clearly had ready while also being about three times Sam's size, not that that was hard. "I was worried I'd given you too high a dose. You're a slender man, I didn't want you to be out for too long. I didn't want you to miss the party."

[manonmars]

It was probably wrong that his first thoughts were about getting out of the situation or frustration at being drugged again but more disappointment in himself that now because of his misstep, Barty had to be right. And he didn't want Barty to be right. He was so annoyed over it that he just looked at Cheon with a very defeated expression. Fucking bastard. "I take it you weren't enjoying our time together? Shame."

Fuck, that stuff was hard, his head was pounding. "What party?"

[npcish]

"Actually, I really enjoyed it. It was great seeing you flex your acting skills. I'd tell you not to quit your day job, but it might be a bit late for that after tonight." Cheon smiled at Sam, not in a way that anyone wanted to be smiled at.

"As for the party... That's me giving you your big breakthrough, detective. So you can really show the world what you have to offer."

He had ideas, that much was clear. "Have you ever done drugs? I was wondering just how straight you were. In all the ways."

[manonmars]

It was mostly like a hangover at first. He woke up with a sore body, blinding headache and his eyes wouldn't open. It wasn't until he felt something his mouth that he even remembered what had happened. He forced his eyes open and properly looked around. He was in his apartment, he was stuck to his bed - cuffs, definitely cuffs - and his pants were around his legs. Well, at this point, around one leg.

This was bad. This was really bad. It was Cheon, wasn't it? What even happened? God, his mind was racing through a hundred things. He was injected, the car, he couldn't breathe - and the party. Oh God.

He had a camera.

Sam had no idea how to get himself out of this, he couldn't tell if he even had his phone anywhere and he really wanted this gag out because he was pretty sure he was going to throw up. How screwed was he?

[liquidsky]

Unfortunately it took another half an hour or so before there was a sound by the door. Barty knocked, then called out. "Sam?! Sam, if you are in there and you don't want me coming in, I don't give a fuck."

He was not about to respect Sam's rules regarding their interactions right now, instead he was already kneeling down to pick the lock. He had only heard rumours, nothing substantial. Maybe Sam was simply in there, entirely fine and very angry with him for invading. He would prefer that to any of what he feared.

to Jonathan O'Shea

[liquidsky]

We need to meet in person. Too sensitive to discuss in text.

When are you free?

[jonboy]

Can be free at two pm.

Yours or mine?

to Sam after leaving Jonathan

[liquidsky]

how are you doing, darling?

*Sam

sorry, force of habit

[manonmars]

fine

at work

busy

[puregeneius]

To Gene, it seemed like a very cut and dry case. So he had Jonathan O'Shea brought in and sent to an interrogation room, waiting a little to hopefully make him feel antsy. Always better when the suspect was in a bad mood. Tended to make it easier to come by confessions.

He walked in finally, coffee in his hand. He had Chris with him. Might be easier to do this with someone who he could shut up when need be. That was one of the advantages of Sam having a day off. "Full name is Jonathan O'Shea, correct?"

Of course he knew that. He'd hauled this punk into the station since he'd been a teen. Maybe even longer.

He sat down opposite him, shaking his head. "You crossed lines this time, Jon. You've got a temper, don't you?"

[jonboy]

"You know my blood name." Jonathan yawned lazily because he had been falling asleep before Gene came back in. He always tried this 'wait until you're annoyed' tactic and all he ever did with it was get some sleep in. May as well, while he waited. "Remember when you used to be able to smoke in here?"

He missed those days, he truly did.

"I got know fucking clue what I did so you should probably catch me up." Jonathan had done nothing his lawyer couldn't dismiss swiftly so sure, he let them play before he called in the big guns. "What's occurring?"

to Sam Tyler

[puregeneius]

get ur arse to workk

[manonmars]

i said tomorrow

i'm sick