Chapter Two

It had been decided that all the foot soldiers would travel on the Euro Star whilst the Home Secretary, the Foreign Secretary the head of Six and Harry would fly. Harry had baulked at this idea, made it perfectly clear that he would travel with his team a notion that had caused Jools Silviter a great deal of amusement at the final planning meeting on the eve of the trip.

"Still pretending that you're one of the boys eh Harry? Waste of bloody time old man. They'll hate you anyway. Best to keep a distance from them. After all their lives are in your hands. Now let me see who you're planning to bring." he said as he picked up the top sheet of the briefing papers "Interesting choice Harry."

And with that the obnoxious pest had wandered off to annoy someone else. Harry was not surprised to see that he had gravitated to Oliver Mace. The two men were peas in a pod and Harry wouldn't trust either of them as far as he could throw them.

Despite coaxing from the Home Secretary Harry remained firm that he would travel with his team commenting that as the security of the tunnel was part of the remit it would be good to gather first hand up to date information. And that he would gather that information which was preferable to second hand any day. Even the Home Secretary found this argument difficult to dismiss and so the next day a tired, disgruntled and travel dusty Harry Pearce found himself standing in the foyer of their city centre hotel. Why in God's name they weren't staying at the embassy he didn't know but at this moment he didn't care, he just wanted to get to his room wash, change and have a drink.

He was talking to Adam, outlining the agenda for the first meeting tomorrow when he saw Adam's eyes narrow and a look of surprise flit across his features.

"Adam, Harry, how are you both" Seems we made better time than you."

Taking a deep breath in order to stop himself shouting and or swearing Harry turned slowly around

"Ruth what are you doing here? I thought that I'd ordered you to stay on the Grid?"

He couldn't fail to notice how she'd blanched at the word ordered and he cursed himself for speaking before his brain was fully engaged. How did she do that? Only she could make him reveal how he truly felt about situations.

"Not my fault Harry, instructions direct from the Home Secretary. I didn't know until this morning, I hardly had time to think let alone contact anyone. One minute I was at home the next I was on the plane. I only just had time to ask my neighbour to keep an eye on the cat. So don't have a go at me Harry, speak to the Home Secretary!"

And with that she had reached round him and pushed her room key onto the reception desk. Harry was stunned. Not so much by her speech as by the frisson of heat that had shot through his body when her arm had nudged his as she was placing the key down.

"What the Bloody Hell is going on Adam?" he'd hissed. "Are my orders to be totally ignored by all and sundry? Sort it out Adam! Get her on a plane back to London now!"

And with that he'd snatched his room key from Adam and stormed off in the direction of the lifts. Adam sighed he was getting bloody fed up being in the middle of this game of ping pong Harry and Ruth were playing. Sooner or later someone was going to have to say something and he was very much afraid that it was going to be him. God Forbid!

Half an hour later Adam knocked on Harry's door silently praying that the older man was a little calmer because he was going to blow a fuse when he heard what he had to say. Apparently the Foreign Secretary had been singing Ruth's praises, indicating that he thought he might take the chance while they were in Paris and poach her from Five. Then expressing his surprise that she wasn't included in Five's party. The Home Secretary had gone into overdrive and insisted Ruth be included. After all he had commented he needed to be surrounded by the best of the best!

When this news was imparted to him, Harry he was furious but after Adam had spent an hour pouring good whisky down him, talking him down and agreeing that all politicians were asses he slowly accepted he would have to make the best of a bad job. He would just keep his distance from Ruth. And so it had panned out. Ruth had proved invaluable during the talks, charming everyone she spoke to, surprising them with her insight and knowledge. The Home Secretary was thrilled preening himself and bathing in the glow of her brilliance. Harry just brooded and sulked,jealous as he watched the French kissing first Ruth's hand and then as the talks progressed her cheeks. Bloody French!

It was the last night and there was to be a reception at the Elysée Palace. All the girls had managed to take a couple of hours off and gone shopping, coming back giggling, carrying bags and chattering ten to the dozen.

No one had expected there to be a problem back home that required Harry's expertise. When he wondered would the hell that was Northern Ireland leave him alone? Malcolm had contacted him assuring him that he didn't need to return, that he had set up a secure line and that it would be in fact quicker to do it remotely. All he asked was that Ruth was responsible for the technical side of things. Harry was aware that Malcolm was right but …...

In the end Malcolm had taken the whole thing out of his hands and contacted Ruth directly. And so they found themselves in the lift going back upstairs. Ruth had excused herself for a moment as she went to her room to collect her laptop not even bothering to change out of here evening dress, Her only concession to comfort being kicking off her shoes behind the waste-paper basket. Harry had taken off his dinner jacket and tie but he left his shoes on as he paced the room taking a conference call as he shouted out information to Ruth, telling her what he needed and she had quickly put it all together in a neat little package that she encrypted and quickly sent off to Malcolm. Somehow in the middle of the chaos she had found time to order tea and sandwiches. Her long dress had swished around her legs as she had walked to the door to collect them and Harry was distracted as he appreciated the way the dress clung to her figure.

They'd made small talk as they waited for Malcolm to get back to them. He tried to prise from her just what she had got up to that afternoon, she's told him it was girly things and he'd backed down not wanting to push her. When Malcolm got back to them saying that the information had been of great use and that the crisis had been averted they'd exchanged tired smiles and Ruth looked at the clock.

"It's only half past ten, What shall we do?" she'd asked.

Shrugging as if he didn't care he'd said

"It's too late to go to the reception. I'd say call it a night."

She'd perked up at that, all traces of tiredness vanishing.

"You mean we're free for the rest of the evening? Right Harry get changed, I'll be back in fifteen minutes. Don't just stand there! Move!"

And with that she was gone.