Identity crisis

Ros walked back from the chapel trying to figure out what happened. The Poison Dwarf that had followed Gruber around had decided to beat her up. Everything ached. Her lip throbbed but she knew taking the beating was part of her initiation into the little clique Gruber had surrounded herself with. It also meant Kyla was left alone, which for some reason had become important to her. Trying to suppress a groan she headed back to her cell; knowing more than likely her cell mate would ask questions.

Xxxxx

Harry matched onto the Grid with a feeling of uncertainty. The JIC meeting had gone on for longer than expected and it unnerved him. It seemed Mace was dead and gone but his legacy remained. He called for Adam and Ruth before heading into his office.

"Harry?" Ruth frowned. She knew when her husband was hiding something from her. He may have been able to conceal everything to the rest of the world but to Ruth he was an open book. He sat at his desk, every muscle in his body screamed anger and more worryingly to Ruth, fear.

"I spoke to Father Michael this morning."

"And?" Adam sat down.

"Ros has been transferred to the hospital wing of the prison. She was attacked last night in what appears to be a Bible class initiation."

"Is she ok? Lucas?"

"I don't know and no." Harry looked at his wife. "I haven't spoken to him yet. I will, before the briefing."

Adam swore. "I've a visiting order for this afternoon."

"Keep that appointment. I want to know exactly what happened. I'm willing to pull her out of there now but apparently she's recovering from her injury."

Ruth shook her head. "Don't pull her now. My gut tells me we get away from there as fast as possible but we still don't have the target. We know Gruber is setting something up, recruiting and radicalising women in there. We can't just walk away now. However much we want to."

Adam nodded. He knew she was right. He also knew how worried Harry was and how devastated Lucas would be. He glanced out over the main Grid, watching Lucas pull on his leather jacket as he spoke to Dimitri. Moments later both men left the Grid. Harry pinched the bridge of his nose as he watched them leave. Beth marched towards the glass panelled room before walking in.

"Does no one knock?"

"Brain damaged. I forgot." Beth stared at him. Ruth smirked. "Francine Gruber knows who I am. I've gone after her in the past. I'd bet money on her knowing Ros is in there."

The words came out in a rush, almost as if she was afraid they'd get lost in the pea soup that often accounted for her memory. Ruth swore, knowing how serious and precarious her friend's situation had become.

"Fine. We won't put you anywhere near this op. You keep back. Understood."

"Sir." She paused. "If I'm right."

"Then Ros' life is in danger." Harry got to his feet, signalling that the meeting was over. He knew Ruth and Beth were right; they had to continue the op. He just hoped it wouldn't cost the life of his friend.

Xxxxxx

"Gruber murdered her husband." Dimitri got into the car as Lucas started the engine. The small car revved as Lucas pulled out of the car park underneath Thames House.

"I know. And her child."

"So, she has no problem killing anyone. Why would your asset want to help? Beth's asset is dead because she wanted to help us."

Lucas felt himself tense as Dimitri spoke. He knew that Dimitri was right.

"Gruber is a known Nazi sympathiser. Dresses herself up as the model prisoner, but this isn't the first time she's been inside. A friend of mine from before Russia arrested her."

"Really?"

"Yeah, we are going to see DCI Nikki Page. Still a serving officer. It was her testimony that got her put inside." Lucas drove away from the centre of the city. Dimitri frowned. "Gruber was arrested and imprisoned for three years back in the late 90s. Attempted murder of a police officer- Nikki. Attacked her purely because she is Jewish."

"What?"

"Antisemitism is alive and disgusting as ever." Lucas paused. "That was her explanation. Nikki was attacked because of her Judaism. Twisted but then we know Gruber is an evil bitch."

"Unbelievable."

"Yeah." Lucas pulled into a small council estate on the edge of Peckham. Killing the engine he turned to Lucas. "Nikki is meeting us here."

Dimitri looked over the run down estate as a motorbike approached them. Moments later a leather clad figure with a biker's jacket and helmet approached them.

"Nice bike."

"I like it. Harley Davison Fat Boy. Classic." Nikki unzipped her jacket before getting into the back of the car. "Here. My case files on Francine Gruber and her cronies. Stop her. I don't care how you do it but she's a parasite. We linked her to several banned groups. One which we believe is inciting violence and planning an attack."

"You know the same as us." Dimitri frowned.

"I'm a copper not a spy." Nikki snapped. "The information in that file should put you in the right direction. She believes she is Hitler in a bra. My guess would be she's getting her minions to get her out of there, to go after sites that Hitler didn't attack."

"London Eye didn't exist back then." Dimitri paused.

"Neither did the O2 arena." Nikki paused as Lucas stared ahead, suddenly aware of the potential magnitude of an attack.

Xxxxxxxxx