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A Bad Day?
Ruth stepped back on to the Grid, painfully aware of both the time and her throbbing knees. She couldn't help but smile as she saw Harry talking to Dimitri. The young man had returned to the Grid when she had been in the bathroom with Harry. She blushed slightly as she realised what could have happened if someone had walked in on them. Although it was entirely innocent her thoughts at the time hadn't been. She tried to ignore her stining hands and knees as Dimitri and Harry turned to her slightly. She smiled as she saw the relief on Harry's face. They had obviously had some good news and she just had to hope it was about Beth.
"Ruth?" Ros walked towards her. "How well do you know this Xiu?"
"She was an asset before I went away. Never let me down before." Ruth booted up the computer.
"Zaf has done some background checks." Ros answered as Ruth raised an eyebrow.
"She's never let me down in the past. And we were both nearly killed this afternoon." Ruth didn't want to get into an argument. Not now. Not when Nico and Graham were coming home.
"Ruth, trust me from experience that means nothing. Look at how often I saved that idiot's neck. Three weeks in ITU and he still turns out to be a traitor." Ros glared as Ruth nodded.
"Zaf's found something hasn't he? Something the initial background checks missed?" Ruth had inherited the asset from Fiona and was certain the background checks would have been completed properly.
"She's not to be trusted." Ros watched as Ruth lowered her eyes. "Look, I know what happened today shook you up but its a fact we can't trust her."
"On what evidence?" Ruth asked as Zaf joined them.
"Sorry Ruth but I think she set you up today. That message might be something major. But it looks as though Xiu is not what she said she was."
"How do you mean?"
"I did some background checks, talked to people in the Embassy. She's related to Lee Wong."
"What?" Ruth felt her heart beat increase.
"She's his sister in law." Zaf looked at her as he spoke. "Xiu married his brother in 2009. He was killed in 2010. Bomb in North West China. Car blew up when he was over there visiting family."
"She set me up. So someone else deliberately tried to kill me this morning." She closed her eyes as Zaf nodded.
"Sorry mate but it looks that way."
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Dimitri followed Harry into his office as he tried to stiffle a yawn. Harry smiled sympathetically.
"Dimitri."
"I just left Beth at the hospital."
"And?"
"The doctors seem a little happier. It's early days apparently." Dimitri sat down as Harry waved a hand at the chair in front of him.
"She's off the life support?"
"Yeah." Dimitri smiled slightly. "They are worried about there being some brain damage. The fact she remembers me and that she can talk seems positive but she had a substantial bleed on the brain, whatever that means." Dimitri watched as Harry's eyes darkened. "I don't think she'll be back at work, at least while this op is live."
"Of course." Harry didn't want to think of the bubbly and fiesty blonde not being back on the Grid. She reminded him of Jo and Helen before her. Both seemingly as hard as nails. Until you got to know them.
"Harry."
"Are you ok Dimitri?" Harry suddenly realised how tired the younger man looked. How heartbroken he seemed.
"Me? Yeah." He smiled slightly. "I was hoping to be able to spend more time at the hospital. I mean, as much time as possible."
"You have some leave due. Look, from experience." Harry's eyes immediately darted to Ruth who was beginning to look worried as she sat talking to Ros and Zaf. He frowned slightly. "There are more important things than this place. Work 9-5, spend the rest of the time with Beth. At least until she is well enough to get sick of you."
"Thanks."
"Oh and Dimitri." Harry looked up as Dimitri reached the door.
"Yes Boss." Dimitri looked towards him.
"If you are working 9-5 you are Grid bound unless absolutely necessary." Dimitri nodded. He knew that was the only way he could almost guarentee being with Beth every visiting time. He smiled slightly, knowing he would hate being confined to base but he knew she was worth it. He nodded once more before closing the door and heading across to Tariq and the others to fill them in on how their friend was doing. Harry turned back to his paperwork as he wondered that had caused Ruth to look so worried.
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Graham loved the sunshine. He immediately understood why people came to live in Cyprus but the more he heard about the family Nico had come from the more he was relieved he was bringing the young boy back to the UK to live with Harry and Ruth. He smiled slightly as he realised Nico was watching him as they sat waiting for their plane to be announced. It was time to go home and start family life again. He turned to the teenager as he thought about how he was going to persuade Teresa to stay in London for as long as possible.
"You ok?"
"Yes." Nico looked away for a moment.
"Nervous?"
"What if Harry doesn't like me? What if I make things bad for him and Ruth?" He stared into the can of pop he was holding as Graham sighed.
"Those two." He smiled as he thought of his father and step mother. "They were made for each other. Look, I know my dad. He can be a stubborn, stroppy pain in the backside but he loves Ruth. He never would have said yes to you coming over, or gone all out to make sure it was the right thing if he didn't think it was. You've no worries on that score." Graham watched as the younger boy sighed.
"Really?"
"Really." Graham watched as Terri approached them.
"Flight is due soon. No more delays." She smiled as Nico looked at his feet. "Nic?"
"I'm ok." He was uncharicteristically quiet. Teresa exchanged glances with Graham.
"Is that why you asked the Mother Superior to write to Dad rather than Ruth? Incase he said no?" Graham watched as Nico shrugged.
"I knew Ruth would say yes. But I didn't want to make her choose. I know everyone said I had to come back to live with Auntie Anna and Uncle Costas but I wanted to stay in London with Ruth. I didn't want to come home when my father died." Graham rested a hand on his shoulder as he cried. "No one listened to me or Ruth."
"I know." Graham squeezed his shoulder. "Better late than never eh? We're listening now."
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Beth stared out the window of the intensive care unit. She hated being in hospital. The smells and the sickness made her depressed. All the times she had visited hospitals were because the people she cared about had been badly hurt. She remembered walking into a hospital with her Gran only to be told her parents were already dead. Then her Gran had developed breast cancer and died shortly afterwards. Years later Ruth, Malcolm and Dimitri had all been hospitalised. Hospitals equalled injury, fear and death as far as she was concerned. Now she was stuck there. She smiled slightly as she looked at the Get Well cards from Wes, Emma and the others. Even Malcolm had visited. She really hadn't expected that, especially with the wedding happening so soon. She couldn't help but smile as she thought of the aging techi who had taken her and the newer recruits under his wing.
"Beth?" The nurse smiled as she called her name. "Your young man called. He says he's coming to see you later."
"Oh." Beth smiled slightly. She nodded before turning back to the window. She ached in places she never knew she had but there was no way she was going to correct the nurse as she had Henry last Christmas. As far as she could remember Dimitri was her 'young man' as Henry and the nurse had referred to him as. She only hoped he still felt the same after everything.
"So, the sooner we move you from ITU the better. I am arranging for you to be transfered to the High Care Unit. One step from the ward."
"Ok." Beth nodded. She was too tired to ask anymore. All that mattered was Dimitri was coming to see her.
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Zoe walked along the Embankment with Adam as the asset they were going to meet leant against the wall overlooking the Thames and the Houses of Parliament. It was then Zoe had a sudden feeling she knew exactly what Nightingale were targeting next. Adam frowned as he realised she was uneasy.
"You alright?"
"Yeah." Zoe answered on reflex.
"What is it Zoe?" Adam knew she was worried about something. The forlorn figure his asset made in the distance did nothing to ease the sudden sense of dread that was building in the pit of his stomach.
"Saturday."
"The day these idiots seem to want to warn us about." Adam nodded as he shoved his hands in his pockets.
"There's a march on Saturday. Some student/public sector cuts/stop the war march. I don't know which, but it's this Saturday." Zoe tucked a strand of hair behind her ear as she spoke.
"I know. I'm on duty. I'll be marching in the crowds." Adam shrugged.
"And Zaf. Beth was supposed to be there, apparently Alec has offered to fill in for her." Zoe rolled her eyes. She wasn't fond of the current interloper.
"Yeah. He's ok. Hope it isnt a student rally. He's knocking on a bit." Adam smiled cheekily as Zoe huffed.
"That's the target. Or at least one of them. Some idiots always seem to kick off and cause maximum damage while innocent people just want to protest." Zoe watched as Adam nodded. "Perfect cover if you ask me. Everyone is going to be watching the march, looking for any trouble makers. What about the rest of London? What about that place over there? Who's going to be looking for trouble where you wouldn't expect it?" He had to admit Zoe had a point. He only hoped that meeting with his asset Ellen Shaw could shed some light on the subject.
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Harry slammed the phone back on his desk and swore profusely. The day had started off badly and was rapidly getting worse. He glanced out over the Grid as Ruth met his eye. His expression softened as he saw the way she was looking at him. He knew he would have to tell her and the rest of the team about Beth but at that moment he knew he had no option but to wait. Swearing again he pushed his chair back, abandoning the email from the Home Secretary's office and marched towards the main Grid.
"Ros."
"Yes."
"With me. Now." Ros rolled her eyes as Adam and Zaf looked up from the surveilance they were looking at.
"Harry, what is it?" Ros was at his side as they reached the pods. Both were aware of Lucas and Ruth watching them.
"Security have just called. Mai tried to hang herself. Paramedics are in the cells with her."
"Shit." Ros muttered. "How?"
"That is what I want to know. There was nothing in there she could hurt herself with." Harry marched along the corridor. "I saw to it."
"A hired assasin isnt going to go to trial. When in doubt its best to get yourself out of the situation permanently." Ros hissed as her heels clicked on the floor. She was furious. Harry nodded.
"And if you want her silenced."
"You think someone tried to kill her? Who? In a cell in Thames House?" Ros watched as Harry stopped and raised an eyebrow.
"Ben was killed here."
"I know that Harry. I was there when he was found, if you remember." Ros pushed the door to the cell open as paramedics pushed past her carrying a stretcher with Mai on out of the building.
"Ok, I buy someone tried to kill her." Ros nodded "Who?"
"That's where I may be able to help." Lucas stated as both Harry and Ros turned to them. Stan stood next to Lucas with both hands in his pockets.
"Ah." Stan nodded as Harry walked towards them.
"Go on." Harry was in no mood for nonsense.
"An hour ago I had a phone call." Stan stated. "A family member of the lady in there. She said she knew we had her in the cells and she hoped we were looking after the little bird."
"And?" Ros narrowed her eyes.
"Nightingale knew we had her. Little bird? Nightingales arent that big are they?" Lucas backed up Stan's argument. Harry nodded.
"Get me the tape recording. Have Tariq and Malcolm look at it." Harry stormed back towards the Grid. "Arrange for Mai to have security on her at all times. If someone tried to kill her here then a hospital will pose no problem at all."
Stan shifted uneasily. He rarely worked with anyone on anything. He glanced at the two remaining officers before nodding towards the front entrance of Thames House. "I'll get that recording for you." He disappeared before Lucas or Ros could answer.
"Ros."
"What?" Ros was back in full Ice Queen Mode.
"If she was targeted by Nightingale that only means one thing." Lucas watched as Ros nodded slightly.
"Someone here is in Nightingale. Someone in this building is doing their dirty work. I don't like it Lucas." She shuddered as she thought of Connie. The traitor that had fooled them all for so many years.
Lucas touched her hand as she leant against the wall of the corridor. She was furious. Someone here knew Ruth was meeting Xiu. Someone here knew Mai was in the cells, that she was our best link to Nightingale. Someone here wants us scared. She turned back to her husband as he stood calmly facing her. He could see how angry she was.
"Ros."
"Lucas, we have a traitor in Thames House. Someone here is on the payroll for MI5 and Nightingale." She watched as he nodded slightly. The thought made her feel sick, but she knew it wouldn't be the first time.
"Who?" Lucas leant close to her, his voice so low that he was certain no one would be able to hear him.
"That." She paused as she looked up into his eyes "Is what I am going to find out."
A/N Next chapter is Saturday. Nico and Graham finally come home. Is there really a traitor at Thames House? What are they going to do? Who is it? Is everyone in Section D to be trusted? Will they all survive the weekend and can Beth rely on Dimitri being there for her as she fights to get back on her feet? Please review.
