Finders Keepers?
"Tariq." Harry frowned, his arms folded as he looked over the younger man's shoulder. It seemed the baby of the team had stumbled across something after all. "Forgive my ignorance, but what the Hell is this?"
"Its encrypted." Malcolm stated calmly. "I'm running it through the system now."
"Ok." Harry was still none the wiser. Ruth smiled slightly.
"Well done, Tariq." She squeezed his shoulder. "If we can trace that back."
"On it." Calum stated. Ruth nodded, knowing the Geek Squad would be able to trace not only the source of the information but get them the facts faster than anyone in the whole of Thames House. Harry looked from his son in law to his wife.
"You always ask me to chase the money." Tariq began. "You know? See who or what is financing a particular psychopathic terrorist organisation?"
"Yes." Harry nodded.
"Well, if I am right. And I mean if."
"I don't doubt you." Harry said firmly. Tariq straightened up a little. "Go on." Ruth couldn't help the smile on her lips. Tariq had become her protege as much as he was Malcolm's. The youngest of the Geek Squad was as insightful, instinctive as any field officer. She just hoped he stayed that way. Years in the service could jade the best officers. To be good, the best, as Section D were you had to keep your edge.
"Well, if I am. Then this is the encrypted financials of John Morgan."
"Lydia Morgan's husband?" Ros frowned, aware that Adam and Zaf were on the way back from finding his corpse. Tariq nodded.
"Seems the financial world aren't aware of his death as yet. Or the murderers are pretending to be him." Calum agreed. "It could be a lead on his murder if nothing else."
"Who's dead?" All heads turned to see Erin bring Alec and Lydia into the Grid. The older woman looked pale, a bruise forming over her right eye. Alec looked annoyed whereas Erin looked like she would rather be anywhere else than the Grid. For a moment Ruth wondered if the travel embargo was beginning to affect her friend's relationship with the CIA Liaison. She made a mental note to talk to her when there was less people around.
"We just got chased out of my flat." Alec slumped in his chair as Zoe pulled a face. "Some 'eadcases with guns and a sledgehammer. I am putting a new front door on expenses." He sulked as Harry rolled his eyes before ushering Erin and Lydia into his office.
"So, are you still too traumatised or can I expect you to move the ten feet from that chair to my office?" Harry supressed the urge to laugh as he sensed the former IA man huff before following him. Ruth pulled her chair up to where Catherine was still working on the information she had found earlier.
"From the distance between Alec's flat and John Morgan's address there could have been two hitmen?" Catherine leaned back in her chair as Ruth nodded. "A simultaneous attack. Meant to do what?"
"Maximum carnage, least time." Dimitri answered as he looked up from his computer. "Only thing is, it sounds professional. Almost like."
"Special forces?" Ruth stared at him.
"No," Dimitri didn't want to believe it. "No, I don't think it is serving SAS or SBS. No way would an op against a former PM be sanctioned by Dempsey or anyone of his level."
"There are conspiracy theories." Catherine paused.
"No." Ruth raised her hands slightly. "No conspiracy theories. Facts and figures. Its what we work with. Analysts work with the information we have not theories." Catherine looked back at the screen.
"How about this guy?" She turned her screen slightly so that both Ruth and Dimitri could see. Dimitri felt sick as he looked at the image on the screen. Ruth watched him for a moment.
"You know him?" Ruth watched as he nodded.
"Yeah." Dimitri swallowed hard. "Yeah, he's dead. He died the week I transferred out of SBS."
"Really?" Catherine glanced at the office where her father was talking to Lydia and the two field officers. "You're sure?"
"Yeah." Dimitri snapped. "Course I am. Where did you get this?"
Catherine looked over to him. "I."
"Catherine?" Ruth's voice was calmer, more gentle as she encouraged her step-daughter.
"It was on the feed Tariq sent me. From the CCTV footage outside the flats where Alec lives. About an hour ago." She watched as Dimitri swore under his breath before getting to his feet and walking towards the Pods. Beth tilted her head as she watched her boyfriend leave. Ruth nodded for her to follow him before turning back to the screen Catherine was working on.
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"Dead." Lydia repeated as Harry nodded. "He's dead."
"Yes." Harry nodded. "I am sorry. He was found by two of my officers a short while ago. Adam and Zafar are on the way back now."
Lydia fell silent for a moment. Frowning deep in thought she took the news in. "How?"
"At the moment we don't have an official cause of death." Harry tried to be diplomatic. He knew there was no way she wouldn't find out.
"Harry." Erin paused as she watched the older woman sit a little straighter in her chair.
Harry paused, resting his elbows on the desk in front of him, his index fingers in front of his face. "As far as we can tell. The cause of death is a bullet hole to the chest."
"A hit." She paused. "John is al." She stopped herself. "John was always so blaze about security."
"Really?" Alec sat on the red, battered sofa. "Only, with his last job security would be pretty important."
"Why kill him? We were divorced? We were not even talking to each other. I hadn't seen him since Jamie's wedding." She closed her eyes. "Someone will need to find him and Leanne. He lost him mother when he was a young boy, now this." She sighed. "I have to be the one to tell him."
"Do you know where he is?"
"Cardiff." Lydia sighed. "His wife is a University lecturer there. He married a welsh girl, kept out of the limelight the moment I was made head of the party. He didn't like the media interest in our famiy. Neither did I. John thought it funny."
"I need an address." Harry looked her in the eye.
"No, I need to go to him." Lydia got to her feet. "I."
"You are a target." Erin snapped. "You could have been the one killed today. You and my colleague if I hadn't appeared when I had. I suggest you sit down and do as you were told." Alec smirked slightly as he wondered if it was the first time the former politician had taken an order from anyone.
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Ros stood in the alleyway, knowing that there was a very good chance her asset was going to be a no show. She knew Jax was no more reliable in his old age than he had been when he had been Helen's asset. She paused as she realised the balding man was walking towards her.
"Rachel."
"Hi." She stepped out of the shadows as he checked no one was following him. "Calm down. Think of your blood pressure."
"Well, one does try to avoid things like this. I have no wish to get shot." He tugged his Saville Row suit jacket closer to him. Ros raised one eyebrow. "You need to see this."
"What?"
"Are you alone?"
"No, I have the hoards of Genghis Khan behind those bins over there." She narrowed her eyes. She was not going to tell him that Lucas was listening in to their coversation. "Now, am I wasting my time?"
"I hope not." He handed her an envelope which she placed in her inside jacket pocket. "What is this?"
"I like Lydia. She was a good boss. Decent woman, doesn't deserve this." Jax shook his head. "I am happy to help." Ros nodded as he turned, walking away from her as she watched him go.
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