20

Lucas paused as he thought about how Ros may be coping. He knew she had been in more hostage situations than he liked to think of, the one leading to Jo's death had changed her irrevocably. He pushed his foot to the accelerator knowing that if anything happened to Zaf she wouldn't be able to live with herself, never mind look Zoe or Ruth in the eye again. He refused to believe anything would happen to her.

"Adam."

"Yeah?" Adam looked at his phone, hoping that there would be something positive to tell his friend.

"Where would they take it? If not Thames House, how far can they get on the fuel they have?" He pushed his foot to the accelerator hoping that Ruth would be able to talk nicely to the Traffic Police. Adam put the phone back in his pocket, knowing Ruth would call if she had anything to tell them.

"Honestly? No idea."

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"What the fuck?" Alec asked as he jogged down the steps from the Pods. "Ros and Zaf have been taken hostage by Princess Tabloid? What about the pilot?"

"We checked him out." Ruth sighed. "He was cleared to work with British Security."

"Yeah?" Alec slumped in Beth's abandoned chair as Erin looked around the Grid. Harry was already on the phone to Air Traffic Control, trying anything he could to find out what was happening with this officers. He knew Catherine and Ruth were desperately trying to hack into something that would help while Tariq was targeting the actual helicopter.

"Yes." Ruth snapped. "You accusing me of something? You think I would deliberately not have full background checks done before I sent them in the helicopter? You think I was what? Careless? Rushed or are you accusing me of something else?"

"Ruth." Erin had never really seen Ruth lose her temper. A raised voice was rare never mind full blown anger. Alec stared at her.

"No, but."

"But what?"

"Bit convenient our Section Chief is in the bloody thing with one of the more senior officers we have. Almost like Katya was expecting us to pick her up today."

"She would be bloody stupid if she didn't think Beth or someone would catch up with her eventually."

"All I am saying is Ruth was gone for a couple of years." Alec looked at Erin as the dark haired woman glared at her. "And Ros has ties to Russia."

"Well, so does Lucas but I don't see you accusing him!" Catherine snapped, without taking her eyes off the computer screen in front of her. Ruth curled her hands into fists before releasing them again. She glared at Alec, unsure of what to say. Catherine looked up. "Or my Dad. After all he worked with Elena Gavrik at one point. Served in Moscow. I worked there - did a documentary on LGBT rights, or the lack of. So, you start pointing fingers then you better have some bloody evidence."

"Catherine." Ruth's voice lost its edge as she saw Calum run into the Grid. "Its ok."

"No it bloody well isn't." Harry stated as he marched out of the office. "Alec, with me." He marched to the Pods, turning once to see Ruth and Catherine watching them. Part of Ruth began to feel sorry for Alec but then she wondered if he would have dared kick off at her if Adam and Zaf had been there or if Harry hadn't been in his sound proof office. Part of her wondered if the rest of the team felt the same. She was startled by her thoughts as Tariq very quietly called him a prick.

"Tariq!"

"Well, as if." Calum joined in. "Like you are really a mole."

"Once." She sighed, remembering when she had to practically beg Tom and Harry to let her stay. "Long story, back in my GCHQ days." She turned back to her desk determined to find anything that would help Ros and Zaf.

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Harry remained silent as he walked out of Thames House towards the carpark. He knew Alec was wondering if he had heard how he had spoken to Ruth minutes earlier. He fell into step beside him as Harry unlocked the 4x4.

"Where are we going?"

"Russian Embassy. I am taking you to meet the head officer of the FSB in London." He got in the car. "If I took anyone else, in Ros' absence I dare say you'd have accused me or them of being a traitor."

"So you heard."

"I did not." Harry paused. "I lip read. My daughter is quite expressive when she is pissed off. Attacking her friends and stepmother tends to do that." He really wanted to throttle him in that moment but he knew Alec was only voicing his fears, even if he had directed them in the wrong way. "Ruth is not and never has been a traitor."

"I read her file."

"When you were in Internal Affairs." Harry nodded, pressing his foot to the accelerator. "I am aware of that. After her death."

"When she went into deep cover."

"It was not just her death that was faked." Harry shot him a glance. "Malcolm made it look good. Her acting skills did the rest. Now, we talk to Viktor. See what the wily old sod has to say. If he can give us any information that can get Ros and Zaf back on solid ground. That is the paramount objective for the moment. Ros and Zaf home. Katya in a cell and we find out what the bloody Hell she is playing at and who is supporting her endeavours." He shot Alec a look. "Any more bating of my team, whoever they are from you and I promise you will be working with Debra Langham until the day you retire."

"Could be worse." Alec paused. "Could be Tring."

"Now, there is an idea." He drove through the central London traffic. "If we have a mole. If we did, then it is not one of the core team. You owe Ruth an apology. And I dare say Catherine." He shot his old friend a look.

"Harry. I."

"She didn't deserve that back there. I know you were angry and frustrated as we all are." Harry kept his voice low. "Take it as part of me getting old that I haven't knocked you out." He turned into the car park alongside the Russian Embassy. "As it is, you may want to think about that transfer."

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Ros tensed. She had always hated flying, accepting it as a necessary evil for her job she never took to it. Glancing at Zaf she knew he was thinking the same as her.

"You fire that gun up here. We're all dead." Zaf stated as Katya shrugged.

"You will have me killed anyway."

"You aren't in Russia now." Ros snapped. "We tend not to make people we disagree with vanish. You are going to live a long life." She smiled. "At her Majesty's pleasure." She got to her feet as Zaf pushed Katya towards Ros. The blonde woman began fighting with Katya as Zaf slipped into the cockpit. The pilot turned as he saw Zaf and felt the helicopter lurch under the motion of the women brawling for the gun.

"Alright?" Zaf asked as the pilot swore.

"Change of plan." He nodded. "Back to the original. Thames House please." He shot him his best charmed smile. The pilot glared at him. It was then Zaf realised the pilot had no idea what was going on. "Keith?"

"We don't have enough fuel." Keith answered. "When Harry told me we were changing route I."

"Harry told you?" Zaf snapped. "When?"

"Message just as you and Ros got off."

"That wasn't Harry." Zaf paused. "Where can we land?"

"Without killing everyone and a few on the ground?"

"Ideally."

He pressed a few keys, tried to talk to Air Traffic Control before clearly beginning to panic. He tried again. "Zaf, I can't talk to base. I can't get hold of base. I." He took a deep breath. "Ok, leave it with me. I'll get us down. As long as you can stop that pair trying to shoot us out the air."

Zaf nodded before stepping back in to the cabin as Ros rugby tackled the Russian woman to the floor while kicking the gun away from her. "You, Katya are really starting to annoy me." Ros snapped as she pinned the younger woman to the floor. Zaf smiled slightly as the pilot called that they were going to land in the next few minutes.

"Sorry, got distracted. Need a hand?" He smirked as Ros glared at him before shaking her head.

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A/N please review - possibly about three or four chapters left