Disclaimer: I don't own Spooks/MI-5. Kudos and BBC own all. No copyright infringement is intended nor should be inferred

A/N you might recognise this but decided to repost as a slightly altered chapter 1 of my new story

1. Christmas cancelled?

Harry sat at the head of the table watching as the various members of his team settled themselves. Ros took her customary place leaning against the wall while Zaf, Alec and Adam discussed the cricket. Malcolm appeared to be engrossed in some papers in his hands as Lucas sat next to Beth. Ruth looked exhausted and while Harry had to admit they could have benefited from more sleep he was glad they had been occupied after dealing with the Elf. He had no idea why their daughter liked the toy so much but she did. He looked up as Zoe slipped into to the office followed by Catherine and Calum who looked equally sheepish.

"Morning." Dimitri smirked as Erin shot him a death glare. "What time do you call this?"

"Leave her alone." Calum defended her as Alec rolled his eyes. Zoe sipped her water trying not to show the rest of the team just how hungover she was.

"Children." Ros barked as the assembled Spooks fell silent. "Three o clock this morning one of our targets - Andreas Khrushchev was found dead in the lane behind Portobello road. Can we deal with that? Zoe's hangover and Erin's sex life can be discussed later."

Erin shot Ros a death glare as Zoe sunk further in her seat. Harry smirked.

"Dead? How?" Alec looked up. He was suddenly more interested as he recognised the name.

"Bullet in the back of his head. Execution style." Ruth explained. "For those of you unfamiliar with the name, Andreas Khrushchev was a Russian oligarch who moved to London after the fall of the Soviet Union. Ex KGB. Aged 63 he has two sons - Andreas junior aged 30. He's lived a relatively quiet life. Usual, uni then married childhood sweetheart, Carly. Has a son, Mikael and a daughter Ana. Other son, Pitor, multiple arrests, drug busts, uni drop out with ties to right wing groups."

"Andreas became an asset to stop his son going to prison. Until Russia started taking their aircraft for day trips to the Cornish coast he's been a sleeper agent." Ros picked up the story from Ruth. "He sold his soul to save his son."

"And ends up dead in an alley for his sins." Malcolm shook his head.

"Merry Christmas and Happy New Year." Lucas muttered. Ruth quirked an eyebrow as Adam glared.

Harry closed the file in front of him. He knew Lucas was distrusting of anything related to Russia and the FSB. He didn't blame him. His time in Moscow and Berlin had taught him the same.

"So?" Erin looked at the photos Ruth was passing around the group. "Why kill him? Why now?"

"Police say it's a robbery gone wrong." Ruth nodded as Ros spoke.

"But." Ruth looked at the photo she held. "What mugger leaves a Cartier watch and expensive jewellery on the victim? He was found with his wallet untouched."

"No." Adam agreed. "Not robbery. This is more personal than that. He was assassinated- this is professional."

Harry nodded. He agreed with everything his officers said. He knew the Home Secretary would go into apoplexy when she found out but he knew they had to find the assassins.

"Moscow, 26th January 1987 six men met in what is now a strip club. Before you ask I wasn't there. The men were all KGB. They knew the Iron Curtain was disintegrating around them. He was there. Until last night he was the lone survivor."

"What were they discussing?" Will looked at Ruth. Beth smirked.

"Peace." Ruth looked at her notes. "They wanted to defect but that meant risking their lives. They would be shot. Now each man has been killed in the same way."

"Isn't this a case for the Russian embassy to deal with?" Zoe asked. Ros narrowed her eyes. Harry pinched the bridge of his nose.

"I appreciate it's almost New Year but sadly terrorists don't observe the holidays. Andreas was found in possession of secret files when he died. He was a turncoat- an MI-5 sleeper who sold us out for money. He gave his killer a file - the consequences of that file being used is unthinkable."

Muttered expletives and shoulder shrugs met his announcement. Ruth bit her lip.

"The file in the wrong hands will be catastrophic. Think Chernobyl and times it by ten." Ruth watched as Adam and Zaf began to look uneasy. "If activated in London we lose 98% of UK landmass, the Channel Islands and South West France will be obliterated." She watched as the seriousness of the situation sank in. Adam recovered first.

"Russia wouldn't activate nuclear weapons?"

"Not the state. Not officially but." Ruth paused, glancing at Harry.

"If that file gets into the wrong hands I don't think the FSB or the Kremlin will be too concerned with who activated it." Harry finished as Ros began issuing tasks. He glanced towards the Christmas tree in the corner of the Briefing Room, knowing if they didn't stop whoever killed Khrushchev then they may not see another holiday season.

Xxxxx

A/N please review