2.

Harry knew the Prime Minister would not be announcing the intended Lockdown until his 8pm television broadcast. Sat at the head of the table in the Briefing Room he wondered if the public would really listen to what the Prime Minister and Home Secretary had spent the last few hours arguing over. In the end he and Ros had left, knowing that there was no way their views were going to be listened to. He waited a moment as the rest of Section D began settling. He glanced at Adam, who had barely spoken since arriving on the Grid that morning. Known for being one of the more outgoing members of their strange little family Harry was unsure whether he should be worried. The death of Tessa had affected them all but Adam seemed unusually quiet. And pale.

"Right." Ros spoke loud enough to be heard over the chattering in the room. "Is everyone here or am I going to have to take a register?"

"Its not school." Tariq huffed.

"Then why do I feel like I am trying to control a rowdy classroom?" Ros raised an eyebrow as Zaf and Lucas smirked slightly. Tariq fell silent, knowing there was no way to win an argument with Ros or even come out of it unscathed. Something had happened when she and Harry had visited Whitehall and now neither senior officer were happy. The room fell silent as Ruth began booting up the computer that would display information on the white board behind Harry.

"As of 8pm tonight the UK will be on Lockdown." Harry stated. "Well, what the PM thinks is 'an appropriate level of Lockdown."

"Which is?" Erin asked.

Ros folded her arms. "All schools and university campuses will be closed. Only shops selling food and basic essentials will be open."

"No one is to leave the house unless it is obtain essential supplies, go to work - but only if you are a key worker, daily outdoor exercise is allowed and police will be given the powers to break up any groups larger than two people. Its going to be announced on every media platform at 8pm." Harry paused. "Pubs, general shops and businesses will shut down. He says its for three weeks but he's whistling up the wrong tree."

"Where does this leave us?" Will looked around the room, his eyes catching Zoe's as she nodded to the computer screen. A map of the UK was highlighting areas where the virus had already been found.

"I am guessing, terrorists wont be taking the time off." Calum shrugged.

"They're pretty good at social distancing though." Catherine smirked.

Harry looked around the room.

"We carry on. Malcolm can you and Tariq set up some sort of network where you, Calum and Tariq can work from home?"

"Take me best part of five minutes." Malcolm nodded. "Can set up a link way with reverse firewall for the rest of the team to keep in contact."

"No school means no childcare." Catherine sighed. "Lilly and Charlie are going to be hard work to keep entertained."

"Danny and Emma will love it." Zoe thought of her children as Zaf smiled, knowing his stepdaughter hated school.

"School will be open for the children of keyworkers and the vulnerable." Harry paused. "Which, when you consider the roles they suddenly consider key workers means they may as well keep the places open. Nurses, Doctors, binmen, shop staff, police." He looked at the screen. "Our roles continue although we might not be based solely on the Grid. The DG, in is infinite wisdom has decided that all non-essential personnel and all those who are able to not work out of Thames House should make alternative arrangements."

Malcolm pushed his chair backwards, ready to get back to work. "Well, we can work from home. I'll set up secure connections." He left the room, slightly relieved that he was going to be able to stay at home with Sarah and the dogs. He knew for him the most difficult part would be not being able to visit his mother in her care home. He pushed down the disappointment knowing that the older woman would not miss him. She rarely knew who he was or acknowledged his presence when he did visit her. Sighing he left the Briefing Room as Harry began issuing tasks and reminding the team it was not a holiday, Section D was not being disbanded but merely remotely working for the foreseeable future. The team made their way out of the Briefing Room as Ros reminded them to concentrate on the Morgan case as Ruth and Harry remained in their seats.

"I don't like this." Ruth spoke quietly. "Splitting us up."

"Not my choice." Harry paused.

"I know. Doesn't mean I have to like this. The virus, it is so unpredictable. Anyone could be infected and none of us would know until symptoms started. Erin's mum is elderly, Tariq is diabetic, Beth has had brain surgery, Malcolm is older as are you."

"Ruth." Harry touched her hand.

"Then there's the children. None of the little ones know what we do. Not really. Emma thinks Zaf and Zoe are police officers, Wes knows but I am not sure he fully understands."

"Not sure I always do." Harry sighed. Both fell silent as the sound of coughing caught their attention followed by the sound of Erin calling for help. Harry got to his feet rushing out of the room with Ruth on his heels. He stopped short as he saw Adam collapse as Zaf tried to break his fall.

"Ambulance now."

Adam shook his head, sweating profusely and barely conscious. "No, can't."

"Yeah, you bloody well can." Zaf lowered him to the floor. Adam wheezed dangerously short of breath.

"I."

"What? I was in Italy three weeks ago remember? Tailing the leader of that Neo-nazi group Morgan was meeting."

"Oh. Oh no." Ruth muttered as she realised what she was seeing. "Italy. The virus, we had to get him home before Lockdown made it difficult to get out of Naples."

Harry nodded, glad that Ros was already calling paramedics. "WE have to go into Lockdown now. Everyone off the Grid. Anyone who has had contact with Adam get screened and self isolate. How long until that bloody ambulance gets here?"

"Funnily enough we aren't the only 999 call today." Ros snapped as she watched Adam struggled to breathe. Beth ran from the Grid, only to return with Mike a few minutes later. The doctor knelt in front of the blonde spook as Harry began trying to work out what to do to protect everyone while his gut told him his friend was very seriously ill. Mike looked up.

"We are not waiting for an ambulance. Ros, can you let the City General I am bringing in a patient for immediate and total isolation nursing. Full Quarentine procedures. Thank you."

"How are you going to move him with no ambulance?" Zaf asked as Mike looked around the room. He sighed.

"Zaf, you are his best friend, yes? Worked with him over the last two weeks?"

Zaf and Adam nodded.

"Chances are you may be infected. I need you to help. Get my car." Mike placed an oxygen mask over Adam's face as the paramedics arrived - dressed in full hazmat suits. The paramedics took handover from Mike before taking Adam out of the Grid. Zaf and Zoe exchanged glances knowing he could be infected too. Mike sighed in relief as the ambulance took the younger man away, knowing he hadn't had to ask his friends to put their lives on the line for him. He turned to Harry before sticking his hands in his pockets.

"Remember EERIE?"

"Yes." Zoe and Ruth spoke together. Harry nodded, his jaw set.

"This is it. This time its real. No one leaves the Grid. Not until everyone and I mean everyone is tested and proven to be negative. We have to isolate. Total lockdown. Harry, I am taking the medical lead on this."

"How quickly can we get tested?" Zoe asked. "I."

"Someone has to tell Wes and Carrie what is happening. They can't go to the hospital but they need to know." Ros stated firmly. "This isn't like EERIE. Its a different world now."

Harry nodded. "Yes, and that is why I think this is so much worse."

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