Disclaimer: I still don't own these. See previous chapters

Panic

Zaf drove towards the Docks with Adam and Zoe in the car with him. All three were worried about Ros and none knew exactly what the consignment Delaney and the others had been expecting. The only thing they knew was Harry believed it was dangerous and Ros had heard talk of weapon grade uranium being brought in to the country. The purpose or final destination of the consignment remained currently unknown. Zoe glared straight ahead as Zaf negotiated the London Saturday night traffic. Adam remained silent as they approached the Docks. All Zaf could do was bite his tongue and hope one of them came up with a plan before they found the mysterious cargo.

xxxxx

Lucas held Ros across his lap as Harry drove the white van like a madman. Ruth and Malcolm were in the rear of the van with Tariq as Harry negotiated the relatively quiet London streets as if he was trying out for the Chinese Gran Prix. Ros was barely conscious as Lucas held her, her breathing was slow and steady but her eyes fought to remain open. The green dress she had chosen clung to her skin as the sweat poured off her. Lucas held her as if his life depended on it. Her arms felt cold under his hands, despite the sweat that caused her hair to stick to her face.

"Nearly there" he whispered as he felt her nod against him.

"Amy" Ros stated as Lucas fought the tears that were springing to his eyes. He kissed the top of her head as Harry took a corner at break neck speed.

"She's with Carrie, she's safe" he whispered. Ros already knew this.

"My baby. Look after her" Ros turned her head in to his shirt as he gripped her tighter.

"We will. Soon. Just need to get you the antidote, then we'll go and fetch Amy" Lucas wanted to believe what he was saying, but to his own ears it sounded like optimistic nonsense. Ros became quieter in his arms as Harry pulled up at the rear of Thames House.

"Right, lets go" Harry jumped out the van as Tariq held the door open for Lucas to exit without having to let go of Ros' limp frame. Ruth turned her head, desperate to stop the tears that were now beginning to flow. Harry was ahead of them as he held the doors open for Lucas to pass. The journey from the back door of Thames House to the Grid seemed to take hours but in reality was merely minutes. Lucas felt the panic rise as Ros' breathing became more shallow. The blonde in his arms now drifting in and out of awareness. He practically ran through the Grid to Harry's office as he headed towards Harry's office. Harry was already there opening the safe behind his desk. Ruth, Malcolm and Tariq hung back in the main office as Malcolm shook his head, unable to take in the turn of events.

"What was she poisoned with?" Malcolm turned to Ruth, whose eyes were focused solely on the office windows. She could see Lucas lay Ros on the sofa as Harry looked in the safe.

"Ah, I think it was a nerve agent. Something seemed to paralyse her muscles. That's why she couldn't walk. Popular amongst the former KGB and other groups in the former Easten Block countries. If it is Neverol then we have the antidote" Ruth angrily brushed a tear away from her eye as Tariq walked towards the kitchen.

"Thats why she couldn't breathe properly either" he paused in the door way of the kitchenette and turned "You use muscles when you breathe. The heart is also a muscle - cardiac and respiratory muscles along with accessory muscles and the diapragm control breathing and heart beat" he turned and entered the small kitchenette as Malcolm sat pondering Tariq's words. The tears sprang to his eyes as he realised what his young sidekick had intimated. Ruth frowned. It isn't fair, this isn't supposed to be how thiings end up. Amy needs her. Ruth followed Tariq in to the kitchenette to see the younger officer sat on the floor sobbing. Knees up to his chest he buried his face in his arm. Ruth suddenly realised how much the baby of the team had seen in his time on the Grid, how much he had been forced to grow up.

"Oh Tariq" she knelt beside him as he tried to hide the fact he was crying. She rubbed his back as he tried to calm himself.

"Is it always like this? Zaf and Zoe get beaten up, You and Lucas get shot? People die. First Jo, now Ros?" he looked at Ruth as she shook her head.

"No" she pulled him in to a hug. "No, it isn't always like this. Ros will be fine. She's Ros" Ruth hoped she was right.

"We do our job so people like Delaney, Aleshki and Hemming don't get away with what they are doing. We will stop him" she saw Tariq bring himself under control.

"Yeah I know" he nodded "But is that before or after I attend another friend's funeral?" he stood and walked back on to the main Grid. Ruth sighed as she stood smoothing her skirt. How did the simplest of ops end up like this? She prayed that Harry had the right antidote.

xxxxxx

Ros was shaking slightly as she laid across the sofa. Harry drew the antidote in to the syringe as he had been shown previously. He had thought it was unnecessay, that he would never have to use it. But was glad he had paid attention at the time. Lucas was talking quietly to Ros, trying to get her to remain alert.

"Wont be long now" he pushed her hair away from her face as Ros stared at him. Her eyes were locked on his as Harry lifted her skirt slightly. The injection had to go in the muscle of her thigh. Harry remained silent, afraid whatever he said would be the last words Ros heard. Ros was barely aware he was in the room.

"Weapons in UK tonight" she whispered as Lucas shushed her. The glare in her eyes was stronger than she had hoped for.

"Tell me in a minute, when the injection has worked" he glanced towards Harry as he prepared the injection. The plunger on the needle now just milimeters away from Ros' skin.

She could feel her breathing become laboured, the darkness around the edge of her vision began to encroach on her. If she didn't say this now, there was a chance she never could.

"Lucas" his eyes were on hers imediately as Harry pressed the injection in to her leg. "I love you. Love Amy" she closed her eyes as Harry turned away. He could see Ruth openly crying on the Grid. He hung his head as Malcolm turned away from the scene glaring towards the Pods.

Lucas felt the tears fall as Ros opened her eyes once more. The headache was still there but her vision was slightly better, the breathing slightly less painful. She could see Lucas crying quietly as he kept running his fingers through her hair. He hadn't noticed her open her eyes as he whispered to her.

"Please don't leave me" It was so quiet only Ros heard.

xxxx

Adam watched the lorry in front of them load up. Four men were transfering small boxes from one larger container to the lorry. The men all wore protective clothing. Zaf frowned as he saw where Adam was staring. Zoe perched between the driver and passenger seat of Zaf's audi. She followed the men's gaze as the four men began preparing to leave the scene.

"Looks like something from the X Files" Zaf continued to glare at the scene in front of him.

"So, how do we know that is the consignment we want?" Zoe voiced the thought Zaf had been reluctant to.

"We don't " Adam was still worried sick about Ros. They had been friends for years. He'd been the first person Ros had really related to on the Grid. Even after all the business with Mace, Ros had been accepted by Adam and Zaf before any of the others.

"What choice do we have Zoe? It's our only lead at the moment." Zaf put the car in to gear ready to follow the lorry wherever it was headed. He hoped it was Delaney's consignment, at least then they could get some justice for Ros. In his heart Zaf believed his friend was dead.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Harry?" he turned to see his boss in the door way staring out at the main Grid. "I think the antedote works" Harry couldn't help but smile as Ros began coughing. She was still deathly pale but her eyes appeared more focused. He smiled as Harry turned away, walking back in to the main Grid. Lucas was grateful his boss had given them a few moments alone. Ros would still have to go to hospital but the urgency was passing.

"Leave you? Never" Ros almost whispered as she rested her hand on his. Both were smiling at each other, although Ros still looked exhausted. She had been fighting death for the last couple of hours and had really believed her time was up. Lucas' eyes filled with tears as he saw the determination return to Ros, she really was back.

"You heard me then?" Lucas smiled as Ros nodded between coughing. Once the coughs stopped racking her this frame, she held Lucas' eyes.

"I want these people Lucas" her voice slightly stronger. He helped her sit slightly, the nausea washed over her but the anger at what Delaney had done to her was stronger. "Whatever Delaney and the others are up to we stop them. Don't care if Harry's exwife is up to her neck in it" Lucas was relieved that some of the fight was returning to Ros. She still looked awful but compared to the way he had found her on the floor of the hotel corridor she looked great.

xxxxxxxx

Ruth had escaped the Grid. Determined to get some fresh air, she had left Malcolm to liaise with Adam and the others while she slipped out. Tariq had pulled himself together enough to start working on what evidence Ros had been able to collect from Delaney's room. She stared out over the London skyline as the streetlights gave the city an eerie glow.

"Thought you'd be here" Harry approached her as she continued to stare out over the city. She had missed this so much when she was in Cyprus. The cold night air made her shiver as Harry wrapped his arms around her from behind.

"Needed to get some air" the tears that choked her voice earlier still evident. She could feel Harry nod as he held her.

"The antidote worked. I think" Ruth turned in his arms as Harry spoke.

"Ros is ok?" Ruth daren't think that they had got out of this one. The way Ros had been when they returned to the Grid was frightening. Ruth couldn't believe Ros would bounce back so quickly after that.

"Well ok is a subjective term" he tightened his hold on his wife. "She was sat up when I left the office. She looked better, but we are going to have to keep an eye on her. I don't even want to think what might happen if either Lucas or Ros find Delaney or the others" Ruth wrapped her arms around her husband. She was relieved their Section Chief would live to fight another day but was worried about Harry. The question was out of her mouth before she could stop herself.

"What about Jane?" Ruth saw Harry's eyes darken. "What if she is more involved in this than Graham or any of us thought?" Harry remained immobile as he considerd Ruth's question.

"Her husband or one of his friends nearly killed Ros. Jane isn't stupid by any stretch of the immagination. She knows what's happening." he rested his forehead against Ruth's as she closed her eyes.

"What do we do? What about Catherine and Graham?" Ruth knew the kids would be distraught if they knew the true extent of their mother and step father's involvement in whatever was going on.

"Bring her in for questioning" Harry felt Ruth tense in his arms as he spoke. "I'll get Lucas to go pick her up later. We need to know what is in that consignment and we need to know where it is headed. Arresting Jane may flush out Hemming and the others. Nerve agents, weapon grade material, counter survailance measures, secret convoys Ruth, whatever they are up to they are not doing it on my watch" Ruth nodded as she pulled out of his arms and walked towards the door.

xxxxxxx

"I do not like this" Adam stated as the lorry ahead of them continued towards Central London. The traffic was lighter than earlier in the day as Zaf worked his way through the streets.

"Don't think they have realised they are being followed" Zoe was getting more and more agitated. There had only been one message from the Grid to say Ros had been found alive. While that had appeased the three spooks for a while but Adam was still on edge. Zaf remained quiet in the drivers seat as he drove. The lorry in front was headed towards the outskirts of the city. Zoe cursed under her breath as she remembered a similat stale mate over nuclear weapons before she went to Chilie.

"Boys" she pointed as the lorry turned towards the motorway "If that lorry contains what we think it does, then we are chasing what could be part of the world's largest dirty bomb" Adam nodded once as Zaf pushed his foot further on to the accelerator.

"Better catch up with them and see what we got then eh?" he smiled as they pulled on to the motorway.

author's note. Not sure about this chapter, let me know what you think. Thanks for all the reviews so far. Nearly did kill Ros off but then deleted it as it was too sad! She got a reprieve because I'm a wuss and she's one of my favourites! More soon - if you want me to keep on with this.