Money?

Tariq stared at the computer screen in front of him as he tried to not show his frustration at how slow the internet worm he had put on Damon Spencer's financial accounts had been. He knew his worm would work, but they were tracking the illegal accounts of the Deputy Director of MI5. He knew there was a chance they could be caught, despite Malcolm's amazing fire wall and the Charlie Chaplin movies being there waiting for them. He just hoped they had enough time.

xxxxxx

"Ruth." Harry pulled back as he felt her sway in his arms slightly. "You have said it yourself more than once. You are not a field officer."

She nodded, feeling the tell tale signs of a migraine beginning in the base of her skull. It had been a long time since her last attack but she knew it could potentially wipe her out for days. She felt Harry kiss her cheek as she rested against him. "Ruth?"

"A little dizzy, that's all."

"Glad to see I still have that affect on women."

She raised an eyebrow as she looked up at him. "Harry."

"Only you Ruth. Since the day you walked into that meeting and dropped everything everywhere. Its always only been you."

Ruth smiled warmly, knowing he was telling her the truth. "I know. And that's why I know I can do this. I've got you to come back to. I'm not a field officer but I really don't see what choice we have. They didn't take the bait we offered them. It me or we let the op go and I am not going to let the man who killed Maria walk away. I can't."

Harry knew when Ruth was being deadly serious. He knew how determined she was when those she loved were hurt or threatened. "You do not take any risks. You do not try any heroics. You'll have Zaf as your handler. They'll believe he's on your side, your best friend."

Ruth watched as Harry slipped from 'husband Harry' mode straight into Boss mode. She knew he was just trying to make sure she had the back up she needed. That every base was covered and every possible risk minimised. "We need to go back inside. Ros will have a fit if she can't contact you."

Harry took her hand, bring it to his lips before leading her back to the Grid.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"I don't like this." Lucas stated as the team once again assembled around the Briefing Room table, only this time Alec and Ruth were in their places. Alec looked exhausted and Erin couldn't help but feel a little sorry foe the older man. It wasn't just Harry's past that had been dragged up and exposed for all to see. He stared at the eco mug on the table in front of him as if it held all the answers to life.

"None of us do." Beth agreed. "Ruth, these people."

"Are liars, murderers, traitors and terrorists." Ruth agreed. "I know. My friend was dragged out the river and her wife is on a plane back to Hong Kong to bury her. This group, Bethsheba is global. I wasn't as unconscious as they thought I was when they took me from the hotel. I heard a lot more than they think I did." Ruth sighed. Adam and Zaf exchanged looks.

"Ok, but you can't do this without back up." Dimitri spoke up, Catherine nodded.

"I wont be." Ruth glanced at Harry as he began to outline the plan he had come up with while they had been waiting for everyone to assemble. Zaf nodded, taking the idea of looking after his surrogate sister incredibly seriously. He knew he would be the obvious choice, it was well known he was Ruth's best friend. It would be him that would take her side over everything.

The room fell silent as Tariq's phone sprang to life. "Sorry, sorry. Oh FFS! YOU BEAUTIFUL WORM!"

"Excuse me?" Harry snapped as Tariq got to his feet.

"The worm worked, I." Tariq smiled as if he was a child in Santa's grotto. "The money. The finance for Bethsheba."

"Well?" Callum asked as Ruth and Beth both smiled. "Are you going to tell us?"

"Oh, yeah. Right." Tariq sat back down. "Our friend, Spencer. He is a very very rich man and he is not surviving on his pay from MI5. Trust me he is selling information to Bethsheba."

"You can prove that?"

"Yeah." Tariq nodded. "I can. He's not just dirty he's below pond life. Below whatever it is that is below that. He was paid to abduct Ruth."

"Oh great." Alec looked up as Tariq spoke. Harry felt his blood run cold.

"When is the next payment?" Malcolm asked as Tariq looked at his smart phone.

"If they keep to the pattern they have. Its tomorrow. Approximately 6pm. I can block it. Divert the money. Make Bethsheba think they've paid it but divert it anywhere else." Tariq looked around the room as Ros pushed herself away from the wall.

"No, we need to know why Bethsheba need him. Why they want to him to destroy Harry. There's still to many questions. Let the money go through but put a marker on it. Every penny."

"Ok."

Ruth rubbed her temples as the migraine fought for her attention. "Ruth?"

"I'm due to meet him tomorrow. At 6."

"We'll be there." Ros stated firmly. "Lets just make sure he doesn't know we know whats going on. Ruth is in the firing line here. We mess up, we will be needing a new analyst."

"Thanks." Ruth rolled her eyes, knowing that was as far as Ros would go in expressing concern for her safety. Ros was a friend as well as a colleague, but she didn't do the hearts and flowers crap some of the others did.

"No problem. Damon Spencer is not a stupid man. He knows if he messes up Bethsheba will more than likely kill him. Don't underestimate him. He's trained the same way as we were. He may have been behind the desk for a while but he was a vicious field officer in his day. He has a reputation for circumventing the rules."

"And you don't?" Adam smirked.

"Not like him. Not when it results in people getting slaughtered. This has to be about more than money. Even he is not that shallow."

"Well, I hope tomorrow I'll be able to find out." Ruth sighed as the migraine began to take hold. The meeting ended as the team began leaving the Briefing Room. They had a little over twenty for hours to work out how to stop Spencer and his friends. Ruth just prayed she didn't let her friends down. Or Harry.

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