I don't own spooks. All usual disclaimers apply, no copyright infringement intended. This is sort of a sequel to my favourite of my stories - Road to Baghdad.

Lost

Carrie picked Isabella up, determined to get the two year old ready for the day ahead. Isabella clearly had other ideas. The toddler giggled and kicked as Wes shovelled cereal into his mouth as breakneck speed. The doorbell rang, indicating the first of her charges had arrived for the day. She was in no doubt it would be Ros with the gruesome twosome. Smiling she deposited her daughter back on two feet before heading into the living room. Carrie lived for her job, much in the same way Adam did. To her caring for children was no less important than what her husband did - even if sometimes she felt inferior to the women her husband worked with. While Ros, Ruth, Zoe and the others seemed glamorous and intelligent she spent her days in jeans and t shirt crawling around the floor with toddlers and organising children. She did wonder what Adam saw in her at times. Distracted for a moment she startled as Wes called her name.

"Caz!" Wes yelled.

"Don't yell with your gob full." Carrie smiled as the young Carter man ushered Ros into the kitchen with James and Amy. "Hi Ros. Hello you two. Ready for the day?"

"Course we are!" Amy smiled as James and Isabella began playing together. Ros took the mug of tea gratefully. Now that Any had fully recovered from her meningitis Ros was working full time, the latest op splitting the team into teams - Adam away on a deep cover op didn't help either. She secretly relished the ten minutes of normality with her friend and the kids before work.

"You ok?"

"Tired." Carrie answered. "Missing Adam. Any news on when he's home? I know Emma and Danny are missing their daddy too."

"That's the rubbish bit of the job. No, no news yet." A crash from the living room followed by Wes swearing loudly and uncharacteristically caused both women to run into the living room. Molly Hunt stood gripping Wes' hand as images of Adam filled the screen. Two men dressed in black stood behind him. Only their eyes visible Adam was clearly kneeling down. Ros felt the anger surge through her veins as Adam read out a prepared statement. The video turned black as Carrie sank to her feet. Molly hugged Wes, clearly too shocked to say anything else. Ros speed dialled Harry.

"Harry Sky News, ABC, Fox, BBC, CNN all have a video of Adam." She stated as Carrie composed herself enough to organise and comfort the terrified children. "Get Terri to come and stay with Carrie. I'm coming in. Harry, the men in the video. If they have Zaf too." She let the thought hang in the air. The call ended as Ros prayed she'd see her friends alive once more.

Xxxxx

Harry stared at the image of Adam. Sending the two men into Iraq had been risky in the current climate. The political unrest in the country seemed more intense than it had been at the time of the fall of the Baathist regime. Sadam Hussain had been an evil necessity in many respects- keeping the extremists at bay now he knew the situation there had been more and more volatile in recent times. Adam had reasoned they needed someone on the ground. There was no way they could stop the people traffickers who were also bringing illegal arms into the country. Customs and Excise had been overwhelmed, truckloads of illegal immigrants and equally illegal firearms flooding the country had caused their boss to ask for help.

"It's not faked." Malcolm stated calmly. "The footage. That is Adam."

"I see."

"Those men." Ruth curled her hands into fists at her side. "Harry, those men with Adam. I ran a facial recognition on them. Difficult with only their eyes showing but I'm sure I'm right. There's also the tattoo of the spider on one of the men's hands that gives it away.

"Who are they?" Harry turned to her.

"Luke Barnes and Guy Boscard."

"Redbacks." Malcolm sighed. "Zaf."

"Why now?" Tariq asked.

"Terrorism. We can contain it but we can't beat it. You said that yourself, Harry." He nodded, fear pitted in his gut. He knew both men were either dead already or about to be killed.

"What now?" Malcolm asked as Ruth shook her head slightly. Harry tapped a key on his computer, pulling up a recently received email.

"Oh shit."

"Harry?"

"Get Will and Lucas in here."

"What." Ruth demanded rather than asked.

"If we have any chance of getting those men home we have to go after them. Ruth, I'm going back to Baghdad."

"Harry." Ruth held his gaze. She had nearly died in the country a few years earlier. She knew how dangerous it was. Harry nodded.

"What choice do I have?"

Xxxxx

A/n please review