Finally this chapter is finished. Thanks for the patience and the kind reviews. The delay partly due to real life and some computer problems. Anyway the end draws near.

But I will keep her ignorant of her good

Act 4 Sc 2 106

The morning start on the Grid had so far followed the usual routine. Malcolm arrived first and had logged on by the time Zoe, Danny and most of the other personnel whooshed through the Pods to discover him beavering away as usual, a file of manila folders at his elbow baring witness to his industry. Giles to emphasise his seniority arrived a calculated fashionably utterly rude late half hour after his subordinates, stalking across the Grid floor pointedly not acknowledging the staff. A process during which he was pursued by daggers flashing from Zoe's eyes, and then physically a couple of minutes later by Jed, entering the office on his self imposed morning mission of ensuring that Giles' nether regions remained sparklingly clean.

The day only began to diverge from normal when the daily gainful occupation of subdued under the breath mutterings about the pseudo spy sitting in the crimson office (the disrepect of whom was signalled by the fact only those wanting their P45 would have risked even a whispered comment regarding Harry's parentage, sexuality or relationship with his mother) was suddenly interrupted by Giles emerging from the Head of Counterterrorism's office. Surveying his minions with distaste in every liniment he cleared his throat, and once sure of their undisturbed attention announced in magisterial style,

"I have just been informed that the DG will be here in half an hour for the purposes of investigation disturbing information he has received regarding some of personnel in employed within these walls." Swapping his former distaste for an expression plucked from whatever realm existed beyond the land of smug he continued, "I have little doubt that he will share my view that this entire section, with the possible exception of Malcolm, is riddled with unsatisfactory operatives and I will be recommending that several staff, and in particular the senior team are either transferred or decommissioned with immediate effect."

While Zoe was close enough for Malcolm to invisibly give her arm a warning squeeze, advising against the impending expostulation, Danny chose to plunge in with his objection, "Surely that will be a decision for the actual head of this section. Not his temporary substitute."

If Giles noticed the number of heads giving an infinitesimal nod of agreement he chose to ignore it as he replied in an equally sharp voice, "As the DG has received an update regarding Harry Pearce's condition I am also expecting to be confirmed in post so you may clear your desk and leave now."

Danny's dislike was in every insubordinate syllable as he spat back, "Not until I've exercised my right to request an exit interview."

The glare Giles shot in his direction worried Danny not a jot. In comparison to Harry Pearce's probable expression had anyone ever dared to indulge in such unthinkable defiance it was like the moon versus the sun. Having been thus bested in his own specialised field of invoking protocol to create difficulties, and well aware of the contents of the personnel handbook and employees rights thereof, Giles attempted to save his face by ordering, "No one is leave the Grid until the DG arrives," prior to making his royal way back to the office. Once he was ensconced behind the blinds, with no prospect of his emerging until the DG was present, the bulk of the Grid staff, stunned by these events, were either expressing their own worries or backslapping Danny. When the immediate topic was exhausted and the rest of the staff had eventually wandered back to their individual workstations, indulging in a laudable pretence of continuing to be on task, Zoe and Danny both turned on Malcolm, with Danny demanding of the most long serving senior, "Are you seriously going to continue working on the Grid with that prick?" At which identical moment Zoe rather more thoughtfully was enquiring, "Why the arm squeeze Malcolm?" Her statement making Danny join her with an interrogatory expression,

Malcolm, while wishing he could take them into his confidence, decided that a few more minutes of secrecy would make little difference, especially since he wasn't entirely sure how Harry planned to proceed, a vagueness that was unsettling Malcolm, who could still visualise a chasm of disaster opening beneath the Grid. The few items Harry had asked Malcolm to bring onto the floor, one of which was reposing in Malcolm's desk drawer, presenting the latter only the most measly of clues. Measuring his answer carefully Malcolm simply commented, "I think we should wait until we know exactly why the DG is coming at very short notice."

"Probably to tell us Harry is either dead or retiring due to injury." That pessimistic utterance being from Danny but was also mirrored in Zoe's face.

Malcolm feeling for Danny's gloom tried for a little cheer, courtesy of a minor untruth, "I've been hacking Debra Langham's computer for the last few weeks and no change has been listed in Harry's status beyond what we were told when Giles arrived."

Needing to disappear as per his instructions from Harry and actually wanting to avoid further questioning from two of the more accomplished spies on the Grid he informed them, "Now I need to leave for a few minutes."

"But Giles…"

"Tell him I've gone to the Men's room." And with that Malcolm committed yet another act of rebellion, reflecting as he did so that in Harry's absence this had become a habit, wondering if he should throw it off entirely when Harry returned. He detected in his superior a growing tendency to believe that short of walking on water he could accomplish most impossible tasks, perhaps an occasional reality check might be in order. A near treasonous proposition to be debated later, possibly at the weekend when he and Sarah had distanced themselves from London and all it implied for a couple of days. For now he had the delicate task of smuggling Ruth into the building unseen and then steering her to a spot near the Grid ready for the fun and games orchestrated by Harry. Master spy and at present master puppeteer jerking the strings of one and all –including the DG.

Having vanished into the Gents as per his statement Malcolm then exited and headed down to the carpark, his further prepared excuse of a memory lapse would be supported by the small file of unimportant documents he'd deliberately left in his car boot, should confirmation of his reason for absence be required. Carefully skimming his way around the grey graffitied concrete sides of the parking bays and repressing a juvenile urge to run his keys across the paintwork of Giles' sports car, thereby making a damaging in both the penis substitute and the income acquired from Giles ill gotten gains, he made his way to the street entrance where he encountered, as per his earlier agreement with Harry, a very nervous looking Ruth. Seeing the worry in her eyes and the slight biting of her lips as she shrank back against the wall Malcolm resisted the urge to put a protective arm around her. Once again he wished that Harry had taken her into their confidence but his remonstrations to that effect in one of their mobile phone conversations had met with a blank refusal, worthy of Giles himself, on the grounds that, "Ruth has only just joined Section D so protocol dictates that if I involve her I must also involve Danny and Zoe as the two Acting Section Heads and I can't risk them inadvertently warning Giles off."

Malcolm, as he guided a very tense Ruth back retracing his entrance route, via a small detour to his car to pick up the for excuse files, was more than a little irritated by this patently false justification. Since when had Harry ever given a stuff about protocol? The whole bonkers scheme now drawing to a close had been orchestrated and then steamrolled by Harry through just about every rule laid down by the service, albeit with the DG's reluctant blessing.

None of this however did he indicate to Ruth as they climbed the backstair case up to the Grid floor. Emerging like a tortoise from the sand Malcolm poked his head around the door into the service corridor withdrawing it just as quickly. All clear, as he hurried Ruth along the deserted walkway and then pulled her into a small interview room positioned a short distance from the Pods. Locking the door behind them he held his finger to his mouth before removing a small piece of kit from his pocket which he proceeded to set on the table in the centre of the room, indicating with his fingers that Ruth, by now was ashy white with worry, her body almost huddled into defensive knot, was to sit.

To reassure her Malcolm pulled up another chair and in a very low voice informed her, "This item will blank out any sound or pictures from the room, so what instructions did you receive from Harry?"

Ruth whose anxiety was increasing by the second, almost choked her reply, remarkably devoid of any sense of accusation, "None. He said you knew."

Malcom managed to venture a wintery smile which, if it did nothing else, made Ruth relax just a touch as he agreed with the statement, "Just checking he had no last minute changes. So this is what will happen. When the DG arrives I will buzz you on this." Handing Ruth a very small transmitter as he spoke. "You then make your way onto the Grid and…"

"Get arrested." Ruth's voice was trying to avoid being tremulous, and falling short sadly.

"No, you will put your case to the DG and then … well I don't quite know what Harry intends but I'm sure it will be fine." As he spoke Malcolm wondered who exactly he was trying to convince here, but he had no time for further discussion. The DG was due in five minutes and he had to get back to the Grid. Picking up his alibi papers he gave Ruth a reassuring pat on the shoulders and left. Not daring to look at her, he could only trust that she wasn't going to end up as collateral damage in Harry's great scheme.

Beating a path back to the Grid he managed to get scurry through the Pods with only a couple of minutes to spare before the arrival of the DG was signalled by Giles marching from his office for the second time in an a hour, an unpprecedented number of personal appearances on the Grid floor, and a record that most of the staff would have been preferred to have remained intact, unless by some happy chance he managed to trip and break his neck in the process of emerging.

As the DG stepped out Giles first words were an oily, "Welcome Sir and please do come through away from the junior ranks." The DG's answer to this self important greeting being the first indication that the morning might not quite go Giles anticipated as he replied, "I think not since some of what I have to say concerns all the staff."

Giles, trying to regain ground, repeated his earlier public assertion "I have already advised them that most of them will be redeployed or retired for inefficiency – I have found…."

Whatever Giles had found was to remain forever a mystery as the DG in his turn repeated Danny's earlier assertion, "Those recommendations can only be made by a Section Head and…" turning to face the entire staff he smiled, rather in the way of the knitters at the guillotine, although quite who the proposed victim was had yet to be determined, "I am pleased to inform you all that Harry Pearce has made a complete recovery and is even now on his way here to resume his post."

From Malcolm's standpoint, as he pressed the buzzer that would bring Ruth into the mix, it was a tossup which was the more beautiful sight to behold, the look of utter disappointment mingling with anger on Giles face, or the broad smile decorating the visages of most of the assembled spooks. Rarely had the DG's presence ever been so welcomed.

Giles' mouth opening, probably to protest, was closed quickly as the sound of the Pods ensured that everyone's head turned expectantly. To the disappointment of most, and perplexity of some, the figure that emerged was not the expected one of a balding man of medium height and stocky build, but a small brunette with remarkable if frightened eyes.

The stunned silence that greeted her was broken by Danny, who rushing forward, took her hand and pulled her protectively to stand between himself and Zoe, the latter hugging her as she muttered into Ruth's ear, "Good to see you."

Giles baulked of one plan proceeded to push on with the alternative, as he snarled "So the traitor returns." Emboldened by the welcome she'd received Ruth replied hotly, "I'm not traitor but..." Only for Giles to interrupt and turn to Jed, "Call security at once. Tell them they need to remove this person to the holding cells."

Jed showed every sign of jumping to it, only to be halted by the DG holding his hand up as his own phone buzzed. "Ahh Harry. Let me just place this on speaker."

From the phone boomed the unmistakable tones of Harry Pearce, "As you know I am about to return to you but am currently held up by traffic.."

"I see. Harry we have a situation here with Miss Evershed, whom your temporary replacement has accused of treason. As you've not been present …"

"Under the circumstances please ask Mr Bamford Smythe to proceed as he thinks fit. He was entrusted with my post and I'm sure his judgement will be sound."

While a ripple of disapproval at that suggestion filtered through the Grid, Giles parrot like repeated, "Security then Jed," only to be frustrated yet again by the DG intervening, "I think we need to hear her defence first." Adding slyly, "It is the usual rule."

Unable to gainsay the DG Giles almost snarled at Ruth, "Speak - if you dare."

Ruth, silent as she considered the forthcoming embarrassments, hesitated, a delay interpreted by Giles as,"She has no defence," at the identical moment that Zoe was encouraging her reluctant colleague. "Please Ruth whatever the truth this is your chance."

Swallowing Ruth seizing her courage stating in as firm a voice as she could muster, "This man blackmailed me into sleeping with him by threatening my brother and myself with prison if I didn't agree."

Almost predictably Giles spat out a single word denial. "Lies".

The DG ignoring this expostulation interrogated Ruth, "And did you, agree I mean?"

Ruth's face was turning the colour of an over ripe strawberry as she replied haltingly, "I really felt I had no choice but a friend, an asset of Harry Pearce's called Horatio Prince, helped me to avoid that. I had to strip off and enter the hotel room, but then he helped me to escape."

The DG's face suggested that at the very least he was intrigued, while Giles, suspecting that he was fast losing ground, produced an argument intended to close down the forthcoming discussion.

"Rubbish, Sir she's in league with that man who is a very dodgy character, probably also a traitor and when I became wise to her treachery she ran and is now making up this fantasy to discredit me."

The entire Grid was cloaked in a temporary silence as denizens attempted to work out who they believed. Most, given the group loathing of Giles, preferring Ruth's version, but not knowing her well a smidgeon of doubt was havering in the air, when into the febrile atmosphere all heads turned as once again at a further whoosh of the Pods. . The hope that Harry Pearce had returned to tackle this mess dying, when the figure stepping onto the Grid while undoubtedly male, was most definitely not arrival they had anticipated. Instead they found themselves staring a weird slouching individual clad in a long raincoat, a very battered trilby hat overshadowing a face that was sporting a pair of eye concealing dark glasses with a chin obscured by designer stubble that had grown into an incipient beard.

While most beheld this apparition - the overall impression being that the stranger had dressed up in an attempt to either live down or up to the popular cartoon image of a spy - with bemusement, Giles was almost jumping in glee, "You see Horatio Prince, here to defend his accomplice, Jed check he isn't armed."

Jed, unwise enough to obey, was swiftly felled by a punch to the jaw, which was productive of a snicker rippling through the assembly as the figure announced, "Only partly right Mr Bamford Smythe. I am here to defend Ruth, whose name, appropriately given the circumstances, rhymes with truth."

The DG, wrong footed by the ongoing absence of Harry Pearce, feeling that matters where spinning out of control managed to intervene, "Mr Prince explain that statement."

"Gladly." As the sarcasm in the vocal tones began to resemble some vaguely familiar cadences Danny and Zoe cast a fleeting glimpse at Malcolm, responded with the minutest of head inclinations. Satisfied that their dawning suspicions were correct the two began to relish the next few minutes as Giles continued, his earlier confidence beginning to shade into mild hysteria.

"I tell you the man is a liar. He can't be found anywhere, and was at a party with another woman I suspect of being a traitor, Jane Townsend. They left together and…"

"She gave me some very useful information relating to your sexual proclivities which was why I felt the need to help Ruth." Waiting a second before delivering the killer verbal punch, "If you were half the spy you thought you were you'd have realised this…" Leaving GiIes to ponder over what he'd missed, the new arrival turned to address Malcolm. "The item in your desk drawer please!"

Giles stunned was beginning to gibber, "God so Malcolm is in on this as well. I'm surrounded by…. "

"Those who have your number." Danny was smiling broadly, but any further discussion was drowned out by the sound of an electric razor being applied by the new arrival to his chin. With a few minutes the now clean shaven stranger announced,

"That's better, now if I just remove this coat, hat and glasses."

Without waiting for comment the stranger proceeded to performed a respectable striptease, accompanied by the gasps of everyone on the Grid with the exception of Malcolm. Finally, in the centre of an untidy heap of discarded garments, a straightened upstanding undisguised Harry Pearce, Savile Row tailored with immaculate tie, was revealed, pausing for a theatrical moment before confirming the now obvious,

"Horatio Prince does not exist, whereas Harry Pearce most definitely does."

Thanks for reading. I'll be away for a few days after which I will try to get the next chapter written asap.