Disclaimer not mine. (any reference to Greek mythology may be completely wrong. I am no expert! Most of it can be credited to GCSE English in 1993 and Wikipedia)

Stuff of Legends

Adam walked back to the car, relieved that a bomb hadn't actually gone off. Lucas fell silent as he opened the car door.

"Any ideas what that was about?" Adam stared through the windscreen as he started the car engine. The sky opened up allowing rain to drench the few commuters that were running past the shops and stalls in Picadilly Circus. Lucas shrugged, his eyes fixed on the floor rather than the rain soaked windscreen. The droplets of water bounced off the glass. Adam stared back at the statue of Eros.

"I dunno. What I know about Greek mythology you could write on the back of a stamp. Isn't Eros something to do with love?" Lucas sighed. "But I bet Ruth will know" He pulled out his mobile phone out of his jeans as he spoke. He dialled Ruth's number on the Grid and tried not to think about the water hitting the glass in front of him. Adam nodded as he pulled the car out in to traffic.

"Ruth, what do you know about Eros?" Lucas started as Ruth answered the phone.

"Hello Lucas" Ruth sighed

"Ruth"

"Eros, in Greek mythology he was the son of Ares and Aphrodite. He wasn't wroshipped much in early Greek mythology but was much later. The Romans sort of hijacked the myth and renamed it Cupid. There was a cult in ancient Greece that worshipped Eros as a fertility symbol. Aphrodite, his mother in some legends was the goddess of love. There is a legend that Eros was always at his mother's side. I am sure it is mentioned in the Illiad somewhere that he was the god of passion, romantic love" Ruth frowned "But always at his mother's side"

"Ruth isn't that just a little Shakespearian?" Lucas smiled slightly.

"I am just telling you what the legends say Lucas" Ruth was in no mood for joking around. She was worried sick about Harry and the others. There had been no news from Beth or Dimitri either.

"Well, you are the classicist on the Grid Ruth" Ruth smiled slightly at his words. It was the first time her obsession with ancient history and the classic texts hadn't been laughed at or seen as irrelevant.

"Yes" She sighed "Harry left a note before the failed meet. You and Adam are under no circumstances to look for him"

"Dont tell me" He almost laughed. "Stop the terrorists first. That is the priority"

"Exactly" Ruth sighed.

"Ok, fine. Adam and I stopped the bomb in Picadilly Circus. You are looking into the connection to Eros. Might be time to go and see if Zaf and Zoe need a hand"

"Its disobeying a direct order" Ruth bit her lip. In her minds eye she could see Adam smiling as he drove towards the one place he was not supposed to go. Lucas hung up the phone before Ruth had the chance to try to talk them out of it.

"So, what did Ruth say?" Adam took the car through the traffic lights on amber.

"Back to the Grid. Do not rescue Harry. Do not pass go, do not collect £200" Lucas shrugged "So where are we going?"

Adam smiled as he floored the accelerator "Harry needs a lift"

xxxxxxx

Ros walked across the Grid to Ruth and placed a coffee on her desk. Ruth ignored the mug and kept reading the text on her screen. "Eros"

"Ruth, you are beginning to loose the plot" Ros leant on the desk.

"Does nobody else here get the connection between Eros and Hugo James?" She shook her head as Tariq raised his eyebrows. Ros glared. She knew Tariq would have no idea what Ruth was talking about unless it involved diodes or IP addresses. She folded her arms and looked at her friend.

"Ruth, I think I had a decent night's sleep last year. Please tell us what the link between a legend from 800BC and that little scrote is" Ros kept her voice deliberately neutral. Ruth closed her eyes for a moment.

"It's been a long time since I read anything of Homer. If my memory serves me correctly Aphrodite was unfaithful to those around her. Her husband inparticular but everyone in general. Remind you of anyone?"

"She was a nasty piece of work then?" Tariq joined the conversation

"But didn't appear to be. She led everyone astray. Like I said I know I wasn't here at the time but remind you of anyone? Eros had a fixation almost on his mother. Again?" Ruth watched as Ros smiled.

"Reminds me of someone" Ros glanced to Tariq "Find the location of anything in London, Hotels, Statues, exhibitions with anything to do with Greek mythology. I think if you do that we'll find where these idiots are planning to strike next. She picked up her mobile as Tariq returned to his computer. Ruth ran her hands through her hair as she realised just because she had found something, curteosy of Lucas' help they were far from getting to the bottom of the case. She tried to push all thoughts of Harry to the back of her mind. There were still people out there that they had to stop, she could only pray Harry was right. That he was coming home.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Zaf glanced up to where Zoe was hidden. She was barely visible. Harry was sat with his back to him, slumped in his chair. His head lolled dangerously to the side. For a moment Zaf wasn't sure his boss was even breathing. Zaf closed his eyes for a moment as he realised Harry was still breathing, although he didn't look particularly conscious. He watched as the man he believed to be Gregor walked towards Harry accompanied by Hugo.

"Mr Pearce my friend" He knelt by Harry's side "You seem like a man that can keep his mouth shut. Although I suppose that is part of your job description is it not?" Harry remained silent as his captor laughed.

"I am not sure others on your team are so stoic. For example should your wife be here would she keep her mouth shut? Would she keep your secrets?" He laughed as Harry didn't even register his presence. Harry was mentally far away from what was going on around him. He thought of Ruth and the children at Christmas. Mentally reminding himself that Catherine and Graham were not children. He thought of little Charlie staring at the tree lights in amazement and how Scarlet had been unwilling to go for her walk in the snow. He did not think of the man who hit him so hard he fell off the chair.

"Why did you create Sugarhorse? Did you know back then Connie James would die because of it?"

"Harry Pearce. Section Head. Number 50.." He fell silent as he felt another punch to the side of his head. Zaf watched the whole exchange, horrified yet proud that even then his boss had kept quiet. He knew he would have struggled to do the same. It was then he heard the gunfire followed by Zoe's scream.

"Shit" Zaf muttered as he felt his heart constrict. He prayed it was Zoe that had fired the gun but was acutely aware that he could only see Gregor and Hugo. That meant the second Russian, Nikolai Darshan was somewhere in the building. He pulled his own gun and aimed it steadily at Gregor's head as he saw the man pull a gun on Harry. "No you don't mate" He yelled "I told his mrs I'd have him home by now" Gregor looked up in shock as Hugo stepped back.

"No need for all this is there?" Zaf tried his tried and tested trick of using the gift of the gab. "I knew Connie. She was always ok with me"

"Put your gun down" Hugo yelled as Zaf shook his head.

"Never gonna happen my friend" Zaf risked a step further "Not while you are holding my boss here. "

No one knew Adam and Lucas had arrived. Adam waved to Lucas as he drew his gun. He walked towards the left side of the garage, still in the shadows as he saw Zaf hold his gun steadily in front of him. Lucas nodded as he turned and walked the other way. He stopped in his tracks as he saw Zoe sat on the floor with her back to the wall. She was deathly pale and held her right shoulder. She screwed her eyes shut as she focused on her breathing. Blood ran down her white t shirt as she clutched uselessly at the wound.

"Zoe" Lucas knelt beside her "Who did this?"

"Can't breathe"

"Yes you can" Lucas touched her face, forcing her to look at him "Who did this?"

"Darshan"

"Ok, let me see" He prised her hand away as Zoe seemed to look past him into the ether.

"Danny"

"No you don't. You keep your eyes on me. You do not look at Danny"

Lucas began to panic slightly, remembering how his grandmother had mentioned her husband's name in the minutes before she had died. His father had always said she was going to her husband. Part of Lucas didn't believe it but he wasn't going to take any chances. "You are staying with us Zo, just keep thinking of Emma yeah. She's 5 she needs her mum"

"My baby"

"Thats right, think of Emma" He scooped her up in his arms as she closed her eyes "Zoe!" He hissed "Open your eyes. Open them"

"Sorry" She slurred as she rested her head on his shoulders. "Sorry. Bye"

Lucas ran out the building towards the car. The rain didn't register as the blind panic he felt holding his friend's limp body in his arms took over.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ruth stared at the computer screen as Ros tried to reach Lucas on the comms. He had been quiet too long.

"Alpha 1 come in" She almost yelled "Alpha 2, respond"

"Medics required now" Lucas answered

"What?" Ruth almost screamed.

"Officer down. Repeat Officer down" Lucas spat the words "Zoe's been shot"

"Medics are on the way Lucas" Tariq answered calmly as both women looked at each other "How many casualties?"

"One" Lucas pressed his hand against the wound. He knew there was a chance Zaf could hear him. He hoped he was able to keep a clear head. He wasnt sure he would have been able to in the same situation. "One confirmed casualty"

"Ambulance is one street away. Hang on" Ros spoke calmly as she saw Ruth drain of colour. More gunshots were heard in the back ground. Lucas looked up to see Zaf and Adam half carry Harry towards the car.

"Better make that two casualties"

"ZOE!" Zaf abandoned Harry and Adam as he ran towards his girlfriend. Sirens could be heard getting nearer. Adam helped Harry cross the road.

"What about those jokers in there?" Lucas had cut the comms to the Grid.

"No sign of Darshan but Hugo James and Gregor aren't going anywhere for a while. Gregor is dead. James is restrained." Adam explained as a paramedic helped Zoe on to a stretcher. She was at least conscious and holding Zaf's hand. Lucas leant heavily against the side of the car as the adrenaline left him. Adam watched as the ambulance pulled away. He didn't like the look of Harry but had to admit he looked alot healthier than Zoe at the moment.

"Clean up team required" Adam walked slightly away from the two men as he spoke to Ros. Smiling he walked back to Harry.

"Harry? I think there is someone who needs to speak to you" He passed the mobile to Harry who frowned slightly as took the small Iphone from him.

"Hello?"

"Harry" Ruth almost sobbed his name down the phone, grateful that Tariq and Ros were busy for the moment.

"Ruth" He smiled as he realised what Adam had done. "Did you get my note? I'll be back soon"

Ruth shook her head slightly and smiled. "Yes Harry. I got your note. I'll be waiting"

A/N It was supposed to be fluffy but the chapter was too long. Reunion in the next chapter. I promise! Oh please review, is Zoe ok? What will happen when Hugo is questioned? Where has Darshan gone? More soon xx