2
Ruth walked back onto the Grid, glad to be away from the claustrophobic environment of the prison. Part of her felt guilty that she was leaving Ros behind. She got to go home to Harry and the children but Ros would be separated from her husband and children until they finished the op. She knew how difficult it could be to be away from those you loved. Frowning slightly she looked over what appeared to be a mostly empty Grid. Only Harry's office lights remained on and one solitary computer.
"Ruth."
She turned as she heard Lucas call her name. Ruth smiled, the dark haired spook was just the sort of person that Ros needed. The exact opposite to her physically it was his calmness and old school charm that kept Ros sane. Ruth wondered how Lucas just seemed to be able to read Ros when the majority of other people had never been allowed close. Like her, Ros wasn't one to trust easily. It had to be earned, it seemed Lucas had been one of the few people she really did let in.
"She's ok." Ruth smiled as the relief filled his eyes.
"You spoke to her."
"Yes." Ruth smiled, fishing the memory stick from its more recent hiding place of behind her watchstrap. "She managed to borrow this from the Governor's office. Apparently he made a point of calling her into his office."
Lucas frowned. "That's odd."
"Decidedly dodgy if you ask me." Harry joined them. "The Governer - Thomas Worthington is a slimy bastard."
Ruth raised her eyes. She had heard her husband swear more times than she could count. It was the venom behind his words that concerned her. Lucas folded his arms.
"How so?"
"Apart from being a misogynistic dinosaur?" Ruth smiled slightly, knowing the man they were referring to was only a little older than Harry. She knew on more than one occasion she had berated him for referring to himself as a prehistoric spook. Harry ran a hand over his face.
"When I was in Whitehall earlier I happened to bump into Louisa Stroud."
"Justice Minister?" Ruth glanced at Lucas. Harry nodded.
"Yes, she owes me some favours."
"I dread to think." Lucas paused. Harry shrugged.
"I believe she wouldn't want the Gutter Press finding out her husband was into Swingers Parties in the less desirable areas of our wonderful city."
"Harry." Ruth raised an eyebrow.
Unrepentant Harry continued. "I asked her a few questions. Seems the prison was one point away from being put in Special Measures. Worthington was put in there to sort the place out. Seems all he has done has hushed things up. She wasn't that surprised to find out he is on our watch list. And as for Gruber."
Ruth turned to her computer, deep in thought she hated the idea of her friend locked in with corrupt men and psychotic terrorists. She sent a silent prayer to whichever Saint looked after spies that Ros would be back with them soon. "Right, it's encrypted." She glared at the computer screen. "This might take a while. Where's Malcolm?"
"Its late, I sent everyone home." Harry explained. Ruth raised an eyebrow, realising the time of day was much later than she had initially thought.
"Why?"
"I wanted to wait to see if there was any news." Lucas blushed slightly. Harry turned to answer the ringing phone in his office as Lucas looked at his feet.
"You miss her."
"Like Hell. Amy keeps asking where she is, why is she working away and why am I not with her. James has become a little withdrawn. Missing his mum."
"He's only five." Ruth smiled slightly. She knew how Gracie reacted when her and Harry were not there. The few times Harry had gone away since Gracie had been born were memorable. Gracie had waited, sulking until her daddy arrived home. Ruth squeezed Lucas' hand. "He will be fine. So will Amy. Ros knows you are the best person to look after them. She wont miss Amy's birthday. You know that. We'll get her out before then." She smiled slightly as Lucas took a deep breath.
"Three weeks."
"Yes. I know." Lucas ran a hand over his face, wondering how he would cope as a single father if anything went wrong. Ruth felt tears threaten for the second time that day. "Go home, Lucas. Be with your children. I'll work on this and as soon as I get anything, we'll go after them. Gruber needs to be stopped." She watched Lucas leave as Harry returned to her.
"Home Secretary having a panic attack over the latest Brexit nonsense. Crowther is going to give herself, and me an ulcer at this rate." He leant against Will's abandoned desk. "Ruth."
"I'm worried about Ros being in there. The guards, if they are as corrupt as Worthington and in Gruber's pockets." Ruth bit her lip, letting her thoughts go unsaid. Harry nodded. He didn't need the potential consequences explained to him. Ros was an outstanding officer, but she was only human. If something went wrong and they were unable to get back up into her then there was a chance she was in real danger. Ruth got up from her desk to stand in front of him.
"We are going to have to look after Lucas too."
"Really?" Harry rested his hands on Ruth's waist.
"Yes, Harry." She smiled as his expression softened. "You know how you would be if I was in there. They've been through so much over the years. I."
Harry nodded, pulling her towards him as he stood up. "I know. You're right." He was suddenly so close Ruth could smell his aftershave. "And we will." He kissed her gently before pulling back. "I know exactly what Lucas is going through. Just because you get to come and go from that infernal place doesn't make me any less worried."
"Trust me." Ruth touched his face gently.
"You know I do. Trust and worry are two different things." He kissed her once more, glad that he had sent everyone home.
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"Well, that was a load of shit." Kyla jumped on the lower bunk as Ros walked back into the cell. The younger woman reminded her of Jo. If Joanna Portman had been a crook rather than a journalist turned spook. Ros sat at the chair in the corner of the bleak room.
"What?"
"Association. I'm trying to stay clean, yeah? Get off the gear so I don't end up spending more of my life in here than I have to."
"Good plan." Ros had begun to like the younger woman. It seemed that even with a fairly lengthy prison sentence ahead of her she seemed to be optimistic. Ros knew her time in the prison was limited but there was no way she could see any positives in her stay.
"Yeah, only that fat tart, the one that bothers with the witch everyone is afraid of."
"Gruber?"
"Yeah." Kyla narrowed her eyes. "She wants me to buy gear off of her."
"Cocaine?"
"No, cola bottles. Yes Cocaine." Kyla snapped. Ros raised an eyebrow. "No chance I said. Not tempted."
"Good for you." Ros made a mental note to keep an eye on their resident drug pusher.
"I was though, tempted. Mostly because of who she was. Gruber could have anyone in ere killed. Easy. I just wanna quiet life, not having her breathing down me neck."
Ros nodded, she understood how breaking a damaging cycle was difficult. All she had to do now was work out why her cell mate was being targeted and how she was going to make sure Gruber and her friends didn't succeed in causing Armageddon.
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a/n please review