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Escape?

Ros pushed Carlos away from her slightly as she twisted his arm. He screamed in anger and pain as he fell forwards. She expected the gun shot to hit her at any moment, instead she found herself on the floor with her knee in Carlos' back. Becka had fired the shot that had caused the small box in his hand to explode. Lucas still had his gun trained on him, unsure if Ros really had been asking him to kill her. He didn't want to think about it but he knew he would never forget the look in her eyes for the rest of his life.

"SIT REP!" Dempsey barked down his radio. Harry was silent next to him. He couldn't take his eyes off Ruth. They had all heard the gunfire. It was as if Jo's death was being replayed again. Only this time they thought they had lost Ros. Ruth covered her face with her hands in shock as she wished the tears wouldn't come. Zoe swore profusely as did Louis. Louis pushed his chair away from the table in frustration. He desperately wanted to be with his troop, to see what had happened forst hand and help his friends. He ran his good hand through his hair in frustration. Tariq tapped keys in front of him, desperately trying to find out what was going on in the Embassy. Malcolm rested a hand on Ruth's shoulder and squeezed slightly as he felt the tears spring to his own eyes.

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Henno stepped away from the terrorist lying at his feet as Becka kept her gun trained on the man Ros had pinned to the floor. He heard his ear piece crackle in to life as he sighed.

"Three x rays dead. One restrained" He spoke slowly as he felt the room settle down around him. He was back in charge as he ordered Becka to get the remaining terrorist on his feet. Ros was eerily quiet as she released her hold on him. Lucas desperately wanted to grab Ros and hold her but knew it was the last thing he could do then.

"Three hostages returned" Dave spoke in answer to Dempsey's command. "One officer out of the building. Four x rays neutralised"

"Hostages" Dempsey continued to talk.

"All accounted for. One female dead" Henno spoke clearly as he heard his boss go quiet on the other end of the comms.

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"Harry I am dreadfully sorry" Dempsey turned to Harry as the Section Chief continued to glare in front of him. Ros had done it he thought to himself. She had managed to find her way out, to pay back what she thought she owed after Jo died. He felt the anger well up once more. The many losses over the years didn't make loosing another friend any easier.

"Can we have that confirmed?" Malcolm had found his voice.

"What Malcolm?" Dempsey was glad someone was still in work mode. He appreciated someone staying with the operation.

"The dead female. Can we have one of your team confirm whether or not it's her" His voice broke slightly on the last words. Ruth sighed heavily and returned to her analysis. Zoe pressed the comms button. It seemed she was the only one in the room able to continue without crying or remaining completely catatonic. Harry stepped towards the desks as Zoe spoke. She could see his anger but was pleased he actually seemed able to continue thinking clearly. There would be time to mourn later.

"Red Troop leader. Please confirm location of Section Head Myers" She spoke clearly, her cut glass English accent sounding clipped and harsh in the room.

"Affirmative" Henno spoke as he passed his comms device to Ros. "You tell them" He smiled slightly as he realised she hadn't taken her eyes off Lucas since they had entered the room.

"Harry, get the paramedics on stand by" Ros spoke in to the small mic. "We have three dead marks and one injured. No idea where any others may be" She snapped back in to Ice Queen Mode as she heard the collective sigh of relief from the room where Harry and the others were. She was determined not to have a flashback in front of Henno and Becka. It was bad enough that Lucas had seen her in that state as far as she was concerned. She was breathing heavily as she watched Lucas lower his gun and step towards her.

"Where's Adam and the others?" He asked Henno who shrugged.

"Still clearing out the other floors. Right, Becka get the walking out of here." He turned as he saw his junior officer usher the fat man in the corner towards the door, along with the younger woman and a couple of other people Ros had only briefly registered. Lucas stepped out of the doorway to allow them to pass as Ros smiled slightly.

"Do your job Lucas" She spoke quietly and followed them out in to the hallway.

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Adam and Dave had checked the remaining rooms on the ground floor. Fin had separated himself from the others. Adam just hoped Zaf had got out in one piece. He was getting unnerved at the lack of progress. Dave walked on ahead as his earpiece sprang to life.

"Floor two cleared. Lets get everyone home" Henno could be heard as Dave stopped and smiled.

"Affirmative" Dave replied before turning to Adam "Mate, all four x rays dealt with. Your boss is alive, also surviving hostages. Good day at the office I'd say" He smiled as Adam looked relieved.

"Right. Good" Adam was reluctant to leave until he had evidence that his team were fine. Fin returned to the group.

"We have to get out of here" He stepped back towards the main entrance. Dave called after him as Adam began to get very worried.

"IED" Fin marched away. The objective as far as he was concerned had been achieved.

"What? A bomb? Where?" He stepped further in to the building as Dave followed him. He was Red Troop's explosive expert. He knew he could diffuse any bomb given enough time. He whispered a prayer that there would be time to disarm the device. Both men stopped in the doorway of the room where Fin had emerged from. The dead body of a boy roughly Tariq's age was strapped to the boiler. A timer device hung around his neck. Adam tapped his ear and began speaking to Malcolm. He hoped the technical expert would be able to help. He had never seen anything like it.

"Poor bugger" Dave knelt down next to the corpse as Adam spoke.

"Fin, get up to the second floor. Make sure Henno and Becka know what is going on. Get them out of here. I'll stay to sort this out" Adam couldn't help but be impressed at Dave's bravery. Fin nodded and followed orders. Adam couldn't help but feel concerned as the timer hanging at the dead boy's waist seemed to tick the time away far too quickly.

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Ros was in the corridor with Lucas. He was walking closer to her than usual despite having the remaining terrorist in an arm lock. He was angry, Ros could practically sense the waves of anger radiating off the normally quiet and thoughtful senior officer. She knew he was angry that she had ordered him to pull the trigger but she wasn't sure if she was the cause of his anger or if he was internalising things yet again. The boy she had restrained earlier was the only remaining living terrorist to emerge from the siege. He was as quiet as a mouse as they made their way along the corridor.

"Henno" Finn approached them from behind as Henno rolled his eyes and stopped. Becka and the others were way ahead. She turned and took the boy from Lucas' grasp before they reached the stairs.

"What" Henno barked.

"IED. Ground floor. Carter and Dave are dealing with it. Less that two minutes to go" He watched as Henno barked for everyone else to get out of the building. The remaining hostages all followed Finn and Becka quickly along the corridor to the stair case. Ros felt her legs turn to jelly as she heard Finn. The corridor suddenly seemed too long, she wasn't strong enough to get out. She couldn't breathe, suddenly she was back in the hotel trying to drag Andrew Lawrence to safety and failing. Lucas watched her for a moment, concerned that she had stopped when everyone else was trying their hardest to get out. Suddenly it was as if she couldn't physically move. Lucas was a few paces in front of her as he walked back to her.

"Ros" He turned to see how pale she was, she was breathing quickly and looked as if she may faint again. He stepped towards her.

"We have to get out" His voice was low as he stared in to her eyes. "You can do this. This is different to last time. We just leave. Adam and Dave will diffuse the bomb. Come on" He wrapped his hand around her wrist, knowing she would be angry with him later. She nodded once before pulling her wrist away from him. He fought the stab of pain that went through him.

"Yes. Go" She pushed him ahead as she took another step.

"Ros if I have to carry you out of here I will. Harry's orders." He saw her narrow her eyes. They both broke in to a jog as they reached the staircase. Ros fought the palpitations that threatened to overwhelm her as Lucas pushed her through the open fire escape and in to the court yard. The explosion ripped through the building as they were thrown forward through the air. Ros hit the floor with a sickening thud as Lucas landed on top of her. The searing heat almost suffocating her as she heard others shouting and sirens in the back ground.

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authors note. Please let me know if you are reading this? Did Henno and Becka get out ok? What about Dave and Adam? Please review.