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The End of the Beginning?

Ros walked alongside Lucas as they made their way back to the Grid. Her entire body radiated tension and Lucas knew whatever Anderson had said to her had got under her skin. He also knew she would never admit it.

"How can you stand it?" Ros asked as Lucas turned to her.

"What?"

"Your father was a priest, the same as Malcolm's. How can either of you stand that man making a mockery of your religion? How you were brought up."

"I can't speak for Malcolm." Lucas smiled sadly.

"I know." Ros ran a hand through her short blonde hair. "I just, that man was the most annoying man I think I've interviewed. I'll pray for you. He's the one that needs prayers at the moment."

"Ros." Lucas touched her arm. "Don't."

"What?"

"Don't let him get under your skin. It's how people like him operate." Lucas sighed. "When I was in Russia, when I was in prison I came across a few men like him. Using religion to twist the world into the way they wanted. It's just a way of masking their insecurity. Whether they actually believe in God or not is irrelevant, it's just a way of exerting control over people that they perceive as weaker than them."

Ros watched her husband for a moment, even now after all this time she realised she only had a vague idea of what his time in a Russian prison had involved. He rarely talked about it but she knew the nightmares were still there, just below the surface.

"Did you?"

"What? Did I ever listen to them? No. I was in solitary more often than not. The western spy that caused more problems than he was worth." Lucas smiled wryly. "But like everything else that went on in that place you tended to hear about it. Whether it was drugs, violence or finding God men found a way of exerting control over their world."

"Like you and tattoos."

"Like me and tattoos." He smiled at her as she seemed to relax. Her eyes rested on the collar of his open necked shirt. A tattoo visible at the base of his neck. "But at least it was only myself I was disfiguring."

"True." Ros nodded, unsure of how they had strayed onto more personal topics. She held his gaze for a moment. "I wouldn't say they disfigure you though."

"No?" Lucas was genuinely surprised that his wife liked his tattoos. He knew she accepted them but had no idea she liked them.

"No and for one thing, they give me something to read in bed." She smirked as he shook his head. He watched her press the button to call the lift down to them, knowing she had made him blush once more.

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"Anderson can't be working alone on this." Erin stated. Beth nodded as she watched the older woman.

"No, we still have Harris and Spence in the holding cells. Adam and Alec are talking to Harris but." Beth shrugged.

"No one has spoken to Spence yet." Erin glanced at her desk for a moment. "They could have killed Ruth and Catherine."

"Yeah." Dimitri perched on the edge of Zaf's desk. "But they didn't and now we have them before any of the bombs went off."

"And we still don't know where the attack is intended for." Beth shook her head. "How can he plant bombs and claim to be a Christian? How dare he use that as a front?"

"Religion." Erin sighed. "Whatever the original intention people will always corrupt it. Now, how about we see what Spence has to say for herself?" She pushed her chair away from the desk as Ruth and Harry walked in. Beth couldn't help but notice how Harry kept an eye on his wife or how she seemed to be walking more gingerly than usual, as if every movement hurt. Harry turned to see Zaf leaning against the kitchenette doorway. The younger man nodded, acknowledging he was just as worried about Ruth as his boss was.

"The French will want her back." Ruth winced as she sat down.

"You ok?" Beth asked. Ruth nodded once, avoiding her gaze. Harry raised an eyebrow, knowing Ruth was anything but.

"Yes, French Intelligence already know we have her." Erin stated as all eyes fell on her. "They sent an email asking for her return."

"When?"

"About five minutes after she arrived in Thames House." Zaf stated.

"Right." Harry narrowed his eyes. "Pierre can whistle if he thinks he is getting his own way over this one." He walked into his office. Erin and Beth made their way out of the Grid, determined to interview the French woman in the cells below. Zaf nodded for Dimitri to follow them, knowing Ruth was never going to talk to him with the former SBS man around.

"Ruth?" Zaf sat next to her.

"Leave it Zaf." She smiled at her friend. "I'm ok, it's him I'm more worried about." She nodded to the office where Harry was pacing back and fore while on the phone. It didn't look as though the conversation was going well. Zaf half expected him to hurl the small phone across the room at any moment.

"Yeah?"

"Zaf."

"Look, you were missing and Harry blamed himself. Not for the first time I know. But Ruth, you have to stop insisting on putting yourself in the line of fire. You said it to me once before, you are not a field officer. You were never employed to go out into the field. And before you say it, I know Lucas and Adam would be dead if you hadn't. But we need our analyst in one piece. You didn't see what it did to him when we faked your death and you don't see what happens to him when you put yourself in danger."

"He worries about all his team." Ruth rested her head on one hand and looked at her friend.

"Yeah." Zaf agreed. It was common knowledge that Harry considered Section D just as much his family as his biological family. "But, Ruth I'm the same when Zoe does it. I know how scared he gets and it twists your guts to be that afraid for someone. To not know if you'll see the woman you love walk back in here or on a slab in the morgue."

"I know what that feels like." Ruth ran a hand through her hair. "Zaf."

"Then why do it to him? You already know you are the best analyst we have ever had and we have more than enough field officers for once."

"I know." Ruth sighed. "But sometimes it is only me that can go. Who else speaks Wu? Greek?"

"And that was a one-off case. Please Ruth, just start thinking of how much we need you here. How much he needs you."

"I will." She smiled slightly as Zaf squeezed her hand.

"And you really are ok?"

"No." Ruth answered honestly. She knew Zaf was her best friend, that there was no way he'd go running to the others if she didn't want him to. "My back is killing me. What is it with thugs and those big bloody boots? Why is it you men know exactly where to cause the most damage?"

"Not every man hits." Zaf reminded her. "You know that."

"Yeah." Ruth smiled slightly as she caught Harry's eye through the office window. "I know."

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The doors to the lift opened to allow Ros and Lucas to leave. Ros stepped out ahead of Lucas and almost collided with Zoe.

"Is the Grid on fire?" She looked past the mousy haired spook to where Tariq and Malcolm were approaching. "And what are you two up to?"

"Ros." Malcolm smiled. "I, er I suggest you listen to Zoe."

"The bomb." Zoe interrupted before Ros or Lucas could say anything. "Anderson hasn't planted a bomb but I know who has."

"Go on."

"Margarete Spence." Zoe watched as Lucas nodded. He was finally beginning to see a picture emerging. "Harris' aunt."

"I know." Ros waited.

"Was wanted in France for buying illegal explosives. It looks like she got some into the UK. That she's working under Anderson's orders."

"He's paying her." Lucas rolled his eyes.

"Probably." Tariq rocked back on his heels. "I've hacked her bank account. She is one well off woman."

"Ok." Ros looked at her junior officers before stepping past them and heading towards the sanctuary of the Grid. "Where is that bomb? And when is it going to blow?"

"Beth and Erin are with Spence now. Maybe they can get some information." Malcolm watched as his friend narrowed her eyes. "But from looking at the records the French have on her I would imagine it is somewhere with easy access and more than likely somewhere of religious significance."

"Anderson is too stupid to give her an exact location." Lucas sighed.

"He knows what she is capable of and probably wants to make it look like someone attacking the Christian religion so that he can capitalise on the sympathy vote. It wont be a Mosque or Temple. Isn't the Queen and the Prime Minister due to attend church services this week?" Ruth stated as she joined them. "I'll call Royal Protection, see if they've heard anything. GCHQ have to talk to me now."

"Come on." Ros turned and headed toward her own desk. Harry could still be seen pacing back and fore getting more and more angry. She grabbed her leather jacket before heading towards the Pod doors. "Keep me informed. I want to know what the girls find out and can someone stop Harry before he has an aneurism?" Lucas glanced at Ruth who smiled slightly before jogging after his wife. He had a feeling detaining Anderson was only the beginning of their troubles.

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A/N Don't like this chapter much but needed to move the story on and we haven't seen much of Ros lately. Please review.