Encryption?

Malcolm headed across the Grid towards Harry's office. He was still furious that his home had been invaded, his wife and the dogs put in unnecessary danger. Not stopping to knock he barged into the office. Harry looked up, half expecting to see Ruth stood in the doorway.

"Does no one knock any more?"

"The results on the forensics from my house are back. Will is heading back with a memory stick that could be useful." Malcolm ploughed on. "Ruth is busy running the DNA profile through the database. We may get a link."

"I see." Harry frowned.

"Have you spoken with Henry?"

"No."

"I suggest that you do. I still thinks he knows more than he told us."

"How do you know?" Harry regraded his old friend. Malcolm glared at him.

"Because he has forgotten more about spy craft than any of us will learn. He doesn't just appear from nowhere in the middle of the night for no reason. Dammit, we have been on the back foot for too long! We have to break this."

Harry nodded just as Tariq burst into the office.

"Sorry, police have requested assistance. Seems they've picked up Lee's ex-girlfriend Tanya."

"What for?" Harry asked.

"Possession of Class A. Fake passport handling and possession of paraphernalia that could be linked to terrorism. Ruth is talking to the police version of her."

Harry and Malcolm both nodded before following the younger man out of the office.

Xxxxxxxx

Lucas stared at his heavily plastered leg deep in thought. Broken bones tended to heel but the time it took was long and tedious.

"Penny for them?"

He smiled slightly as Ros handed him a coffee.

"Was thinking. When I was Amy's age I was desperate to break my leg."

Ros raised an eyebrow.

"My friend, Marcus had broken his and suddenly got out of doing his chores, the girls were fussing about him." Lucas smiled as he thought of the six year old boy. "Now, well now."

"You only have this girl to fuss." Ros quirked her lip as he held her gaze. "And Amy. Only neither of us are naturally good nursemaids so I suggest you don't rely on it."

Lucas smiled. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

"Good. Because if you put yourself in hospital again I will kill you myself." She felt the intensity of his gaze change. He knew she loved him, that she had been convinced she was a widow. Mentally she had been as tortured as he had been physically. He linked his fingers through hers.

"I'm not going anywhere."

Ros smiled slightly before kissing him gently. "I have to go. Make sure Beth and the others haven't driven Ruth insane or destroyed the Grid."

Cxxxxxxxx

"Don't like this." Erin snapped as she drove towards Piccadilly Circus. Alec shrugged. He didn't like the situation any more than she did. The thought of heading to pick up Lee's ex girlfriend didn't fill him with joy. He knew the younger woman had been cheating on Lee a few months before they had broken up.

"She could have been set up. Gullible girlfriend?"

"It's 2018. Not 1950."

"And you know everything Richard does?" Alec countered. Erin raised an eyebrow.

"Did you with Juliet? We are all in the same business. This girl isn't. Whatever Lee has got her into isn't the norm for her. Catherine's research found out she's an apprentice hairdresser."

"Ah but hairdressers know all the secrets." Alec watched as Erin smirked.

"Yeah, like if you're going anywhere nice this year."

Alec laughed as she pulled the car into the small car park behind the police station. She had a feeling it was going to be a long day.

Xxxxx

Will sat down on the train back to London, wondering if he really had got the short straw being sent to deliver the memory stick to Malcolm. He looked around the London bound train unable to shake the feeling he was being followed.

"Cmon." He mumbled as the train finally left the station. He hoped Zaf and Adam were ok but he really just wanted to go back home. Sensing that someone was watching him he stood up, knowing that he had to move carriages. It was going to be a stressful trip, he knew he shouldn't glance over his shoulder but the temptation was there. His hand curled into his pocket, gripping the memory stick tightly as he hoped his instinct was wrong.

Xxxxxxxxx

Beth ran a hand through her hair as Dimitri surveyed the destruction around them. The small, one bedroom flat had been practically annihilated by police search teams - leaving hardly anything for the spooks to work with.

"I don't fancy cleaning this lot up. Don't envy Tanya that." Dimitri stated as he picked up a battered cushion from the floor.

"Dim, I don't suppose any women who carry explosive devices are particularly house proud." Beth picked her own bag up. "Time yo go?"

"Yeah." He agreed. Beth stepped over some debris left on the living room floor just as a definite click could be heard.

"You are kidding me." Beth narrowed her eyes. Dimitri shrugged, seeing the red numbers on an apparently innocuous alarm clock begin to rush forward. Seconds later he and Beth were on the street as bricks, glass and dust covered them. Dimitri swore before looking at Beth. The blonde woman lay next to him, deathly quiet and bleeding from her head. Dimitri shook as he moved towards her, aware his prosthetic leg was badly damaged.

"Beth? Beth? Stop messing around." He touched her hair, blood now on his hand. Tears began to fill his eyes as she remained silent beneath his touch.

Xxxxxx