9
Ruth sighed as she rested her head back against the head rest in Zaf's car. She knew he wanted to ask her about Harry but she was exhausted, her mind seemed to have stopped whirring so much that she was really unsure of what to say. He watched her for a moment.
"Home?"
"Yeah. Please." She sighed. "Shouldn't you be at work?"
"Ros knows where I am. We look after each other, yeah? Section D. Family." He drove out of the carpark as Ruth blinked back a tear. She knew her and Zaf had always been close but there were times when she knew him and Adam were the brothers she should have had.
"Tell me about the case. Please tell me we are getting somewhere with it?"
"Last I heard Ros was tearing her hair out at being stuck behind a desk. Erin got nowhere with her American contact." He wiggled his eyebrows at the words. "Adam and Dimitri are chasing a lead. Molloy? Malcolm found him glued to the motorway."
"Molloy?"
"Richard Malloy? You recognise the name?" Zaf asked. Ruth frowned.
"Rings a bell. Why? Why do I know that name?" She sighed in frustration. "Why doesn't my brain work?"
"Maybe because you have more to worry about." Zaf squeezed her hand as they pulled up outside Ruth's house. She smiled slightly as she saw Gracie and Fidget in the window. "Go on. Be with your family. Let us worry about the apocalypse for a while."
Ruth thanked him before stepping out of the car as her daughter ran out the door to her.
"MUM!" Ruth hugged her tightly as Zaf quietly drove away.
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Ros folded her arms as she watched the little lights on the screen move through the map on Tariq's computer screen. She hated the feeling of not being in the thick of the action. She had never wanted to be a desk spook but she knew Harry would be relying on her to keep the Section going in his absence. The likes of Dolby's replacement were forever hovering in the shadows looking for ways to remove them. Staring at the screen she watched the little dots that represented her team. Adam and Dimitri were nearer to the target than Beth and Erin. She knew the police were on scene but had no idea if Zoe had been able to get a message to the officer in charge on the scene.
"Ros."
"Yeah." Zoe walked over to her as Ros looked up. "What? Make it good news."
"Its ok. Well, I spoke to DCI Rachel Evanson. She's running the policing of the protestors. Told her to get as many protestors and drivers away as possible."
"Don't tell me, she'd already thought of that." Calum smirked as Ros shot him one of her patented looks. He pushed his chair away from his desk stating he needed caffeine. Lucas smirked. How the techi was still slightly scared of Ros when Harry was his father in law he would never know.
"She did. When I explained four MI-5 anti-terrorism officers were on the way to remove a potential suicide bomber she became much more helpful." Zoe stuck her hands in her pockets. "This Malloy, he's not one for violence as a rule. Not according to his records. Its all cyber crime and psychological violence."
"Doesn't like to get his hands dirty." Catherine agreed. "Look," She turned the screen to show her boss. "I think he was radicalised in prison. He went from being a computer criminal to actually violent while in prison. Seems he met his side kick and she turned him to be more shall we say hands on in the Shining Dawn movement." She looked at the screen in disgust at the man's picture filled the screen. "How far away are the boys?"
"Five minutes." Tariq paused. "Erin and Beth are around five minutes behind them."
Ros looked over to where Lucas was pulling his leather jacket on as Will grabbed his keys.
"Asset just called in. Gave the code word for Ruth." Will explained. "I want to check it out. Someone is looking for her."
"Do not tell them what's happened." Ros stated. "Lucas."
"I'll go with him." He smiled slightly as her eyes softened. She couldn't shake the feeling they were heading into an ambush. She had no idea why but something about the whole op felt wrong. She watched Lucas and Will leave the Grid silently praying she would see them both come back before long.
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"Mum." Gracie took Ruth's hand leading her into the house just as it started to rain. "Are you ok?"
"Yes." Ruth smiled at her daughter as they headed in. "Uncle Zaf gave me a lift home but he's had to go back to work." She explained as Gracie headed into the kitchen. The little girl reminded Ruth so much of Harry at times that it was sometimes unnerving. The little girl climbed up on the breakfast bar stool as Ruth turned the kettle on. Graham walked in carrying his baby daughter.
"Catherine has gone to work."
"What?" Ruth sighed. "Why?"
"Felt useless sat here. She said we are to call her with news." He placed the baby in her pram as the five month old continued to sleep. "Nick, Charlie and Lilly have taken Scarlett for a walk with Terri." He explained. "But Gracie wanted to wait for you"
Ruth smiled at her youngest child, knowing that the little girl was pretending she wasn't worried.
"He's doing ok. Tired but that's to be expected. He looks a lot better."
"Thank God for that." Graham began making coffee for him and Ruth. Gracie frowned.
"Do you think?"
"Gracie?"
The little girl bit her lip, her eyes fixed on the top of the breakfast bar as they filled with tears. "Gracie-Jo?" Ruth was at her side in a second, hugging her. "Don't cry. Daddy is going to be fine. I promise. The doctors say he is going to be ok."
"Will he forgive me?" She looked up as Ruth clearly had no idea what she was talking about.
"For what? Oh, there's nothing any of his kids could do that wouldn't be forgiven." She smiled at the little girl, wiping her tears away.
"But I gave him a heart attack. He told me. I made him jump, when I ran in the room and jumped on the sofa and Daddy said oh you'll give me a heart attack one of these days Squeak and then he had a heart attack so its my fault." She burst out crying. Ruth shook her head, holding her tightly. It was clear she hadn't even taken a breath in her little monologue. Ruth kissed the top of her head.
"My baby girl. Heart attacks don't work like that." She pulled back. "I promise. You did not make your Dad unwell. I promise."
"Really?"
"Would I ever lie to my girl?" Ruth smiled at her as Gracie shook her head before hugging her tightly. Graham looked away, sniffing slightly as he realised it wasn't just him who had been blaming himself for Harry being unwell. The thought a seven year old had been doing it too broke his heart. He quietly took Keisha into the other room, leaving mum and daughter to talk in peace.