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The Meeting

The next morning saw a meeting full of tired and slightly disgruntled spooks enter the Briefing Room. Harry sat at the head of the table as Lucas slumped in the chair next to Ros. Both looked slightly depressed. Ruth was also quiet. Even Adam and Zaf looked withdrawn and thoughtful. It was only Tariq that bounced in the Grid with a little enthusiasm, although Harry wasn't sure if that was his youngest team member's genuine enthusiasm or the amount of E numbers the young man seemed to consume. He glanced around the table; even Zoe seemed a little quieter than usual.

"Right" Harry called the meeting to order as Ruth and Ros both looked up from the papers they were staring at. "What do we have on this Helen Jones and Oroborus?" Harry really hoped his team had some answers. Ros narrowed her eyes. She had been hoping Harry would tell them more of what he had eluded to the day before. In less than 24 hours she was supposed to be getting married, she had a funny feeling it wasn't going to happen. She stared at the pad on the desk in front of her as Zaf finally broke the silence.

"Seems it is a group originally formed in the UK" He glanced at Ruth hoping she would pick up the story. He frowned when she didn't answer. Looking around the table he saw all his friends looked tired and fed up. "I knew of Helen when I was at 6. Didn't she work with you?" He looked at Adam

"No, but she knew Fiona. Went through training with her. Fi didn't mention her much" Adam shrugged. He'd been a widower for almost five years and still found it difficult to talk about Fiona. Zaf nodded. "I don't think they were ever what you would call friends" Adam glanced up. He was still reeling from the way Carrie had treated him the night before. He hadn't really thought of anyone seriously since Fiona, even with Ros he knew he didn't love her. He cared for her yes, but it wasn't love. No where near what he had felt for Carrie. He glared at the desk, suddenly realising Harry was waiting for him to continue. It was Ros that filled the silence.

"Any news on the American?" She glanced at Ruth who shook her head.

"No not yet. We have a name but no location. The embassy is not exactly forthcoming." She sighed.

"Name?" Ros glanced at the computer screen as Ruth clicked the mouse.

"Yes. I ran a trace on the records from Grovesner Square. Their personnel files are pathetically easy to get in to." She shook her head slightly as Tariq smiled. Malcolm rolled his eyes. He was glad Ruth was on their side. If she were a crook there was no telling what her hacking skills could do.

"Well?" Ros was getting impatient as Ruth took a deep breath. An ID photo filled the screen.

"Anthony Barak. CIA Liaison Officer to MI6's Counter Terrorism Section. 36 years old. Originally from Seattle, stationed over here since Obama came in to power. Your typical high flyer. Not married, no children. He did have a girlfriend, but she's back in America. Has been AWOL for the last week. Not turned up for work, not seen at his flat. Vanished in to thin air" Ruth sighed as Harry began to grow impatient.

"Until he turned up in the Town House with you" Lucas nodded to Ros who barely flinched. The wound on her arm throbbed mercilessly. Harry knew he would have to tell the team what his contact at Whitehall had told him. He watched as the team went over the information they already had. He decided it was now or never.

"Anthony Barak" Harry spoke as Ruth finally looked up "Is a very dangerous young man. Seems as well as a sideline in Oroborous he has another sideline in blackmail and internet fraud. He seems to have been involved in a number of covert operations where the outcome has resulted in the death of a number of agents. He seems to be linked to Helen Jones, despite his apparent murder of Sophie Ryan. It seems he also has links to staff at Whitehall"

"Yeah, where is he now? Right. We find him. We find Helen Jones" Ros was thinking out loud. She knew that if Sophie was dead and Helen knew about it she was more dangerous than ever. She folded her arms across her chest as Tariq slipped from the room. Adam suggested someone visit the cousins, to see how much they were hiding. Ruth groaned, she was glad it wouldn't be her that would have to go. Zoe grudgingly volunteered while Zaf stated he would talk to some old contacts at 6. He had kept in touch with a couple of people socially over the years. It was worth a try. Tariq slipped back in the room as Harry watched him rejoin the group.

"Tariq?" Malcolm noticed his young sidekick looked slightly concerned.

"I just had a notification from the programme I have running on the CCTV" He looked at Harry. Harry raised an eyebrow.

"What programme Tar?" Lucas sighed.

"Well I installed it after Ruth, well after Samantha Caulfield shot Ruth." Ruth subconsciously touched her abdomen. Harry's eyes flicked to her and then back to Tariq. "I thought I'd already mentioned it. But anyway it flashes up an alarm when anyone were interested in is in range of the Thames House security cameras. Helen Jones is in reception." He watched as Ros pushed her chair back. Somewhere on the Grid a phone was ringing.

"Let's see what she wants then shall we?" Ros left the Briefing Room unsure of what was waiting for her in Reception.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Helen Jones hadn't set eyes on Ros since the day Juliet had tried to kill her. It would be interesting to see what the blonde had to say now. Things had changed very little as far as Helen was concerned. The rain battered the street outside Thames House as she pulled the collar of her cream jacket around her. The wind caught her hair as she walked in to the building making it seem that it was more like November than flaming July. She smiled at the security guard as the young receptionist approached her.

"How can I help?" The red head smiled at Helen as she approached.

"Ros Myers. I need to speak to her" Helen held the young girl's gaze. Stan watched the exchange from the comfort of his office. He didn't like the way the blonde asked for the Section Chief. He liked Ros, she was funny in a sarcastic, cold sort of a way. He decided he didn't like the way this woman was talking to his friend. Kathy was new to Thames House and was still getting used to the place. Stan walked in to the main foyer as Kathy glanced at him.

"Hello Flower, can I help?" Stan smiled at the new comer. He automatically didn't like her. Helen glared at the friendly Jamaican security guard.

"I came to see Ros Myers" She turned from Kathy.

"Ah, that's nice. Friend of hers? She's not here now. Haven't seen her in a long while. Nice lady" Stan smiled. He was as friendly as ever but he was making it clear she wasn't going to see Ros without an appointment. He didn't know her, she wasn't getting in to Thames House. Not on his watch.

"I'll wait" Helen was not going to be intimidated.

"I don't think you will Miss" Stan stepped towards her "This don't look like no waiting room to me" He folded his arms as Helen glared.

"I'll be certain I'll let her know when I see her" He narrowed his eyes and stared towards the door making it clear that he wanted her on the other side of it. Helen turned and walked out the door.

Xxxxxxxxxxxx

Ros walked down to the main entrance keen to see what Helen had come for. She was angry. The woman had been involved in an attempt on her life, she was the second in command in Yalta and had dared to turn up on her doorstep. Ros had the sense to know someone on the Grid would be watching her on CCTV. Stan turned to her as her heels clipped on the tiled floor of the reception area.

"Hello Ros" He smiled as Ros nodded.

"I had a visitor" She waited as Stan smiled.

"You did. Said she knew you. Sent her packing" He shook his head "What's a nice lady like you doing hanging around the likes of her?" Stan sighed "I didn't like her Flower. She was a bad un"

Ros nodded "Yes she is. If she comes back, let me know. I'll send her packing" Ros smiled slightly as she turned and headed towards the main entrance. If Helen was outside she wanted to talk to her. Stan sighed he remembered the last time a blonde turned up on their doorstep looking for Section D. He could still see the stain on the carpet where the cleaners hadn't been able to quite get the stain out. Shaking his head he pushed the image of Harry and Malcolm sat on the floor with Ruth's broken body. It had turned out well in the end he sighed as he returned to his office. Kathy stood in silence, watching the scene in front of her she wasn't quite sure what she had witnessed.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ros walked along the street outside Thames House. The traffic was rushing past as she realised it was still rush hour. People with normal jobs were still on the way to work and school. She wanted to scream in frustration as she gave up looking for Helen and walked back to the main entrance.

"Hey" Lucas was leaning against the lamp post as Ros turned.

"Hey yourself" Ros smiled slightly. She still hadn't worked it out. She was the senior officer. Harry's second in command but she always felt that little bit better when Lucas was around. It was irrational. She was more than competent in her job

"We'll find her"

"Yes. I know. She's getting worried now. I don't know why she's involved in Oroborus but I don't like it. She's a cold hard bitch Lucas and trust me I know exactly how to deal with her" Ros returned his smile. "After all Lucas, it takes one to know one" She walked back in to Thames House. Lucas wasn't sure what had just happened but Ros was back. He watched her walk back in the building. The fight she had lost was back. Lucas smiled after her, he knew Helen Jones didn't know what she was up against. He pushed himself away from the lamp post and followed her in to Thames House. In less than 24 hours he would be a married man. He caught up with Ros as she stood on the steps of Thames House and waited for him.

"Are you coming back to work or are you going to stand there smiling at me all day?" Ros tried and failed to sound annoyed as she returned his smile.

"I'm coming back. I know what I'd rather do though" He held her gaze as a slow smile crept up on her features.

"Lucas" He looked up as she called his name.

"Yeah"

"Just got to get through today." She watched as he stepped nearer.

"Yeah I know. 24 hours and we'll be married. If that's what you still want" Lucas looked along the street. He knew he sounded worried and uncertain. He knew what he wanted but Ros had been shutting everyone out. Including him. Ros reached up and touched his face.

"I know exactly what I want, Lucas" She kissed him lightly on the lips before walking back in to the reception area.

authors note. Next chap wil be the wedding. If there is one!