9
Beth swore as the noise became more of a cacophany. The glass exploded as machine gun fire rained down on them. She felt sick, knowing that the majority of her team were either in the room or watching. She took a deep breath, knowing she had to get the man she had rugby tackled out of the room, somehow she knew the assassins were not expecting him to have survived. Tapping her earpiece she listened to Ros shouting orders as she ran towards the site.
"Ros?" Beth raised her head slightly to see Calum and Lucas in her peripheral vision. She had no idea if there would be more gunfire but knew if they stayed where they were then they were sitting ducks for whoever wanted to kill them all.
"Not exactly subtle are they?" Ros had her gun in one hand as she marched towards the ballroom. "Sitrep, now."
"Well, Calum and Dimitri are alive. I can see Lucas." Beth looked at the man she had rugby tackled. "And I think I broke the ribs of the Deputy Prime Minister."
Ros smiled slightly as she reached the entrance of the ballroom only to see Adam approaching with his gun drawn. He nodded slightly as they approached the door. The gunfire had stopped a moment earlier. Ros knew she had to get into the ballroom but what had happened in there was still unknown. She only had the information from Beth's audio and Malcolm in her ear piece.
"Cameras have been shot out." Malcom sounded more frustrated than angry. Adam and Ros exchanged glances. "I have audio from Ruth's bug and thats about it."
"Status?"
"Well, we know Beth is alive and the others are still in there. No camera footage from the exits show anyone leaving or entering since the gunshots." Tariq paused. Ros nodded.
"Malcolm, pack up and get back to the Grid."
"No." Malcolm paused.
"We have been targeted." Adam tried to reason. "We know you, Catherine and Tariq are sitting ducks up there. We need someone back on the Grid."
"I have eyes." Tariq's voice cut through. "Ruth is moving. I can see images from her camera. The one in her necklace."
"If she's moving, then she must be alive." Malcolm tried to sound reassuring, knowing that Catherine was just a few feet away from him. He looked over to the younger blonde woman who was glaring straight at the computer screen. He knew Harry had the ability to compartmentalise his thoughts and feelings. It seemed his daughter was just as able to do that. He sighed, hoping against hope the junior analyst could hold herself together.
"Catherine." He turned to her. "You and Tariq get back to the Grid. Go while we know you can leave."
"What?" Tariq looked up.
"We need the better resolution on the cameras in there. Ruth's camera is too low resolution on here. You need to go back and enhance the feed. Can't be done from here." Malcolm explained. "Catherine, you go too. Help him."
Catherine took her head phones off, her eyes dark with anger as she got to her feet. She pulled her jacket on, feeling for her gun and checking the safety catch was off she nodded before leaving the room with Tariq just behind her.
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Harry opened his eyes, aware that the gunmen were just a few feet away from them. The various dignitries and politicians were all crouched on the floor as a heavy set man wearing a balaclava stood where the band had once been. He estimated about four gunmen, at least one with an automatic weapon. He glanced over to see Beth laying across the body of the Deputy Prime Minister. Both looked relatively unharmed. He silently thanked his junior case officer's quick thinking. Feeling himself slip back into Field Officer mode he tried to analyse as much of the scene as he could. Ruth groaned slightly as she felt Harry squeeze her hand.
"Harry."
"Stay down." He whispered, desperately worried that she had been hurt. She smiled slightly for a moment before turning her head. The majority of people in the room seemed to be on the floor while the gunmen walked around them. A man she recognised from the RPS had managed to get the Prince into the corner of the room, determined to get the man out of the room. Balaclava man seemed to be relying heavily on gunpower and theatrics as he walked around the room. Harry knew the members of the Section that weren't in the room were in the rest of the hotel. He hoped Ros and Adam were far enough away to raise the alarm.
"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. PLEASE REMAIN ON THE FLOOR. YOUR COOPERATION IS APPRECHIATED."
The Balaclava man laughed. "ACTUALLY ITS MANDATORY. WE WILL NOT INCONVIENCE YOU ANY MORE THAN WE HAVE TO."
Ruth frowned, the accent was familiar to her. She couldn't place it. She knew James George was Texan and she had no idea how he could have a link to the apparently Eastern Block terrorist in the room. She tried to focus as he stepped nearer to her. Her heart beating in her ears almost drowned out the voice as she forced herself to concentrate. She glanced to her left just as the glass panel door to the rest of the hotel opened slightly. The Prince and the armed bodyguard that had saved him slipped almost unnoticed out of the room. Ruth nodded as she caught Adam's eye as he ushered the pair away. She had no idea if the other members of Section D knew what was going on outside the room but just knowing Adam was out there and doing something was reassuring.
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"Move." Adam ushered the armed RPS officer towards the back of the hotel where Zaf and Zoe were now hiding. "Jase?"
"I thought that your lot were on top of this." Adam raised an eyebrow as the former MI6 officer he had met in Syria glared at him.
"Well, you're not dead." Ros snapped. "I'd say thats a success."
"Who's that?" The Prince's cut glass English accent cut through them. Ros glared, instantly disliking the younger man.
"The woman in charge." Ros stated. "Ros Myers, Section Chief."
"Ah, Harry Pearce's Woman Friday."
Adam and Zaf exchanged glances. Ros glared, the Ice Queen in full flow.
"Oh, you are currently alive but talking like that is lowering your chances of getting out of here with your testicles." Ros smiled sweetly. "Now half my Section are in there as well as the RPS and at least a dozen international government ministers. I suggest you tell us whats happening in there."
"Big men with guns." The Prince snapped.
"And we were here to stop and an illegal arms deal. Your attendance here was kept a secret until you arrived. So, the question is Your Highness." The sarcasm dripped from her words. "Who knew you were attending today and who wants you dead?"
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