Disclaimer: see previous chapters.
The Waiting Game
Across London a young woman was nursing her bruised wrists and dented pride as she looked across at her bewildered companion. Shaking her head she brushed the long blonde hair out of her eyes. Her companion was half awake and didn't seem to be aware of his surroundings
"Andrew?" the blonde American whispered. "Andrew? Wake up! C'mon. Don't do this" she was genuinely worried that the young politician seemed genuinely bewildered by the state he found himself in.
"Chris?" he stared at her "Christine?" she smiled. Despite the beating he still recognised her. That was a start. The bruises around his face hadn't been accompanied by any serious damage. She looked around the small room they found themselves in. They had been taken separately but had been held in this dank, dirty basement flat for over a week. She believed that Andrew had been in the basement a lot longer than she had.
"C'mon Andrew. Tom will find us. He will" her soft American accent doing nothing to alley the fear the man sat next to her felt. She was unsure whether her husband really would find them but had to keep hoping that he had managed to strike a deal with Dimitri. Christine Quinn had been married to Tom for a few years and had known him a lot longer; it was only now she doubted her decision to leave America with him to start again in the UK. It had been Tom that had wanted to come back to England, not her. It had only been a matter of time until Oliver Mace had reared his ugly head and dragged Tom back into the world that had nearly destroyed him. Surely whatever hold Mace had on Tom wasn't worth this?
She felt utterly defeated. Mace had questioned her about what she knew of an organisation called Nightingale. She had told him nothing, because she knew nothing. He seemed to think it was irrelevant that she had left the CIA over five years ago. She hadn't seen Mace for weeks, having been left alone until a few days ago. She had told Tom that Mace had picked her up but had released her, then Dimitri had been waiting for her as she left the Sports Centre the previous Friday. All she'd been told was Mace was unavailable and her husband was uncooperative. As she watched Andrew, she pulled him into a sitting position she worried that whatever Tom was involved with meant that both her and Andrew would not be leaving the basement in the condition they arrived in.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sunday mornings on the Grid were usually a little less frantic than at any other time during the week. It appeared to Adam that this Sunday was going to be very different. Sat in the Briefing Room he couldn't help but notice that both Ruth and Harry seemed calmer than they had over the last few days, smiling to himself he noticed the small gold engagement ring on her left ring finger. Bout bloody time! He thought to himself as one by one each of the team joined them.
Ros and Harry began to outline what Tom had told them about Mace capturing Christine and possibly Andrew Lawrence as Lucas frowned.
"So he doesn't know Mace is dead yet?" Lucas stared at Ros as she shook her head.
"No. I felt it more useful that he didn't yet. Mace certainly had a hold over him, although I'm not totally clear why. What we can assume is that Tom is certainly scared enough to cooperate with us now that we know Christine is in trouble." Ros began pointing out areas on the computer generated map that was displayed on screen.
"According to Tom. Dimitri is merely a go between for Mace and himself. That Dimitri is the muscle while Mace was the brains" she turned to address the team.
"Well that certainly seems plausible" Malcolm spoke up "Dimitri is a vile little man. According to the profile myself and Ruth acquired he has a history of violence dating from his late teens. Dishonourable discharge from the Russian army, the FSB couldn't handle him and following that he has been employed as a hired thug. Anyone who needs muscle has employed him with very few questions from Dimitri regarding any moral concerns"
"So, what's the plan?" Zoë looked directly towards Harry. She still didn't trust Tom but she knew they had nothing much else to go on.
Harry sighed. He looked briefly around the room knowing that none of his team was going to like what he had to say.
"Christine Quinn is still an American citizen. However, Andrew Lawrence is our main concern. As is the extent Nightingale has infiltrated the upper echelons of the British Establishment"
"We cannot leave her out to dry like that!" Zoë was incredulous, staring at Ros then Harry, not believing what was being insinuated.
"No-one is saying that" Ros stated. She remembered a similar conversation with Jo just after Ruth had returned to the UK. Closing her eyes briefly she turned towards Zoë.
"We have to make it seem our only concern is the return of the Home Secretary. We get Christine back as a bonus. That's the way it has to look or we will never be able to get CO19 to help and keep the various American agencies out of the equation. Frankly we could do without them poking their noses in at the moment" she looked across towards Harry.
"It seems Mace and this Dimitri had access to a number of run down properties that 6 have formally used as safe houses. These should have been sold off but never made it on to any estate agent's books. The addresses Tom gave us are all in South East London and there is one in Birmingham. Tom believes that they are being held in this one" Harry tapped keys on the computer revealing an address and a computerised map of South East London.
"I checked out the Birmingham address" Ruth joined in "No longer there. Was bulldozed last month to make way for a road being built. So I think the London angle is the best way to go." The team all began talking, trying to work out the best way to get into the flat. Adam nodded to Zaf as Zaf cleared his throat.
"Why don't we just send Tom there? Bung a wire on him. Watch him and then go in and pick them all up?" he shrugged. Harry stared at the young field officer, silently debating whether he could trust Tom to go in and do as they wanted, shaking his head he replied.
"Possibly. First we need to establish who is in that address. Zaf, you and Adam are to watch the flat today. I want to know who goes in and out, when and what duration of time they are there. Any signs of Christine Quinn or Andrew Lawrence you report back immediately. Tariq set them up with comms. Lucas and Ros will provide back up and Zoë and Tariq will take the night shift. Malcolm, organise surveillance equipment. Ruth I need you to go through the records on that property and …" he tailed off as she nodded.
"I'll cross reference the information we have on that property with the paperwork on other properties used as safe houses by 6 and any other agencies. I'm sure they wont mind me having a little look in their databases." she smiled.
"Not if you don't tell them" Tariq added, before the whole team began to leave, ready to set about their allotted tasks. Harry called to Ros before following her out the Briefing Room. It was only Adam and Ruth that hung back. She was stuffing folders full of paper as Adam leant on the table beside her.
"Thanks for sorting out that parking ticket." she smiled at Adam as he grabbed her left hand, studying the ring that no-one had commented on.
"Congratulations by the way" Ruth felt herself blush "Adam, I…" he let go of her hand
"All I will say is I'm glad you two are happy and it's about bloody time! Now we better get on before I get blamed for causing your first marital!" he laughed bending to kiss her cheek before walking out the room. Ruth was still blushing as she followed him.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Zaf hated surveillance work, he preferred to be in the thick of the action, not waiting for it to start. Sat in the black Golf he'd acquired from the car pool, he waited for Adam to return from the shop at the end of the street. The rain was relentless as the car was rocked by the wind. Zaf pulled his parker around him, trying to keep some of the warmth in. as Adam opened the car door.
"Anything mate?" he asked as he chucked the can of pop over to Zaf as he shook his head.
"Nope. Nothing at all. No one came in, no one went out. Nothing at all" the boredom was obvious as he opened the can, drinking half of it in one go. Zaf noticed how Adam had been soaked to the skin and was glad he hadn't volunteered for the impromptu shopping trip. Adam hated the waiting around as much as Zaf did, but he knew it was an important part of the job.
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Christine was tired of the incessant questions from Dimitri and the other man that had joined them. She vaguely recognised the balding middle aged man stood opposite her but was unable to recall where she'd seen him. Staring straight ahead she flinched as Dimitri came closer.
"Where's Tom? What have you done with him?" she anticipated the slap before it happened and managed to turn away slightly. Dimitri was in her face.
"Gone." he smirked "Now my employers do not have that much use for you any more. Tom seems to have met up with some old friends but I still think I can have some fun with you." he breathed in her ear as Christine began to feel physically sick. As Dimitri ran a hand through her hair she reacted on instinct, bringing her knee up to his groin she felt a slight satisfaction as he bent double in agony.
"I want to see my husband" her voice was no longer shaky as the training she hadn't needed for so many years kicked in.
"Tom went to speak to his old friends. He knew what the consequences of that would be" the older balding man sat across the room, smiled. He looked like the cat that got the cream. Christine felt the colour drain from her face. She knew exactly what consequences were being referred to.
"You monster. What have you done?" her voice was barely above a whisper as she contemplated not only her own death and that of Andrew and Tom but the hundreds of people that would die when Nightingale really got into its stride. She knew that if Tom had gone to Harry Pearce the best outcome would be a prison sentance. The most likely outcome would be that she was left a widow after Nightingale ensured that Tom could not give Harry or the others any useful information
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Outside Adam stared at the property. Now aware that Lucas and Ros were in the side street along side the flat. Their small black unmarked car just out of sight. Through the comms it had been established that no one had left either entrance of the property for the entire day.
"Are we sure we are in the right place?" Zaf was exhausted as he heard Lucas laugh through the ear piece.
"Yes we are mate. Look I'm fed up of this. I think I'll stretch my legs" without looking to Ros he opened the car door and was walking down the street. Ros cursed under her breath as she saw his retreating figure run down the front steps of the flat. She exited the car, instructing Adam and Zaf to be on standby as she went to the flat's rear entrance.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Adam was suddenly more alert as he pulled the car in to the main traffic, following the course of the road he parked behind the flat as Zaf went to follow Lucas. He watched as Ros began talking to an elderly man walking his dog. She smiled, petted the Yorkshire Terrier and returned to the car. "Stand down boys" she ordered through the comms. "I have news". Lucas rejoined her in the car as she continued.
"While you lot were off trying to be superman I met the old man that lives next door. Says he saw a young blonde girl enter the flat Friday. Never saw her leave. Foreign bloke lives there. He's unsure of the name but anyone going to bet against it being our man?" she was met with silence as Lucas just shook his head.
"Well, what are we waiting for?" Ros asked "Adam. Get on to Harry and tell him we're going in." she checked her gun before exiting the car and following Lucas and the others towards the basement flat.
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