Just a small setting the scene chapter, using the commentary alternative ending that was suggested.
Ruth closed her eyes in relief as she put the phone down. Safe. He was safe. Harry had taken the blame for everything and had risked spending the rest of his life behind bars. Being discovered with a top level dead Russian spy hadn't exactly been confidence boosting either. Ilya and Sasha were both being silent about her death and the FSB assumed British intelligence had been responsible. Bloody, Elena, Ruth cursed silently. She was still causing them problems, even when she was dead and buried. The Americans wanted to blame someone for Coaver's death and as Harry was already implicated the Russians had agreed to let him go to Washington. With the proviso that they had the second round of questioning in Moscow at a later date. Ruth had cried herself to sleep several nights running once she had discovered that. No matter what Erin came up with nothing seemed to work and time had been running out.
However, they had managed to replace the pilot without the Americans getting wind of it, and he in turn had diverted the plane to South America rather than Washington. They had just received news that the plane had landed safely as well as getting several angry calls from the CIA who demanded that they released Harry. But MI5 sweetly pointed out that they had no idea where he was. They had also implied that as the CIA had managed to lose Harry Pearce twice in a fortnight it was rich for them to try and blame MI5.
Erin walked over to Ruth's desk. (She had quickly transferred back to section D when she knew Harry needed her, much to Towers chagrin.) "He's okay," Erin said calmly.
"I know, I just wish…"
"Yeah," Erin said. "I can't tell you where he is, you know that don't you?"
"I do," she said with a sigh. "Doesn't make it any easier because I know that within a week he'll have vanished. He won't even leave something that I could follow because he knows its too dangerous."
"I'm sorry for everything," Erin said. "You know this is the right thing to do."
"I know its safest," Ruth said. "It doesn't make it right."
"Ruth…"
"Don't," she said. "I know I can't hold that knowledge, I know that. But still he has been torn from my life and I may never see him again. There is nothing you can say to make it easier. It can't be made easier." Ruth sighed. "Can you do without me for the rest of the day?"
"Of course I can," Erin said. "Go home."
"I will," she said, picking up her coat. She didn't look back as she went through the pods. All her mind could see was Harry.
I will probably continue this but have no idea where its going. Tell me what you think! xxx
