Thank you all for the lovely reviews, they're so sooo great to read and it's interesting to see your different takes on it.

Okay I know this one's short but hope to redeem myself as I'll post another update very shortly…

-x-x-

The verdict was as they feared but as predicted, guilty.

Instead of going quietly Harry had given his keepers the slip and for the last 48hours had gone dark, his whereabouts a mystery even to Ruth.

The IA had responded in actions that included intensifying the scrutiny to Ruth's own movements and communications.

Musing to herself during the early morning commute to work, Ruth considered entirely for her own amusement, giving her not-so-subtle stalker the slip but her desire to simply get to the grid won out and she resolved to simply ignore the boy numpty that followed her, for now.

-x-x-

Sat at her station with no way to help, Ruth's heart beat with a painful pulse of depression. She wondered how long this could continue, for how long would he run? Ultimately Harry was too big a fish for the government to just 'loose'. The hunt wouldn't cease till they'd got their pound of flesh and there was a part of Ruth that wondered both what lengths they'd go to get it and if it were for his own good to give up sooner than later.

Releasing herself for a critically needed lunch time coffee, Ruth bypassed the staff canteen and, in search of some fresher air, opted for the little coffee bar down the road.

With annoyance Ruth registered her 'tag along' follow her up the river. Inside, seating herself at a small wooden table, the room was too small for her tracker to enter unnoticed and Ruth drew some bitter comfort knowing they'd have to wait outside in the relative cold till she choose to lead them back to Thames House.

Whilst taking a nourishing sip of caffeine strengthened brew, try though she might, she couldn't help wondering what she was to do in this mess. Just as she deepened her ponder to some or any way she might be able to try contact Harry, a chirp from her phone sounded and Ruth began digging it out from the depths of her seemingly bottomless handbag.

Triumphantly lifting out her prize she scanned the screen.

'1 New Voicemail'

Thumbing it, Ruth lifted it to her ear and was initially greeted by the robotic voice of her inbox.

"One new voicemail, message from withheld number sent today at 12.13 pm…" There was an audible rustle of background, blustery wind, after the brief pause Harry's raspy voice rippled through her, "It's me-"

With her finger desperately stabbing at the phone Ruth instantly hung up, threw her phone in her bag, abandoned her coffee and, back on her feet, made for the back exit of the coffee shop. As her keeper burst through the front entrance Ruth already had a good head start and was making her way back up along the river.

Heading towards the grid, Ruth knew she needed to listen to his message without risking it being intercepted by the IA.

Having lost her tail Ruth made it to the outside steps of Thames House. This was when her beeper began screeching its wailing alarm and the coming nightmare began to truly unravel…

tbc…