Chapter 21
Spooks episode referenced is Season 3 ep 6
--

The ride back to Edinburgh from Rosslyn passed in relative silence. In the back seat of the minivan, Colby sighed contentedly when Hannah snuggled up against him. It made him happy to see the satisfaction in her eyes, from the outing to Rosslyn. She had enjoyed the trip to the Chapel, and that made it all worthwhile to him. He leaned over to kiss her on the lips, then they both laughed when Don groaned.

Relegated to the middle row of seats, Don and Eleanor looked similarly relaxed. Don grinned at them when they laughed, apparently glad that they were amused and not offended. Somehow, he had got into the habit of harrassing Colby every time he made some public display of affection towards Hannah.

It was late afternoon when they got back to the hotel. It didn't take very much time to get their luggage from the bell captain, and they were on their way to the train station in short order.

"Don," Colby murmured as he looked past Don's shoulder while in the middle of getting their luggage on the train.

"I saw him," Don casually continued what he was doing. "We'll just keep an eye on him.

Don and Colby both heaved sighs of relief when the train pulled away with Green Jacket still at the Edinburgh train station.

But Eleanor shivered. The tranquility at Rosslyn Chapel had helped her regain some equilibrium. Seeing Green Jacket at the train station shattered that equilibrium. "But why did he follow us if he hadn't intended to get on the train?"

Don caressed her cheek gently. "It's no secret where this train is headed, Eleanor."

"He probably just wanted to make sure we were on it," Colby added.

"It's alright, Eleanor. I'll call ahead to Carter, see if he can have someone meet us at the train station in London. We'll see if we can pick up whomever will be at the other end." Don drew Eleanor into his embrace, and led her to their sleeper compartment.

Hannah still looked worried when Colby finally got them settled in their own compartment. He traced her full lips in a gentle caress. "I might beat these guys up just for chasing the smile from your lips."

Despite her worries, Hannah laughed, "You wouldn't! Would you?"

"I would love to. But no, I can't. I'm an officer of the law, after all. But I can do this." He leaned in to kiss her gently.

But she knew he was just as worried when he wedged the door shut with their luggage, and shielded her with his body.

"Just sleep," he assured her when he saw her wide eyes, "Nothing's going to happen to you."

--

The next morning saw them back in London.

"There's Carter, and one of his men. Looks like Danny Hunter." Don murmured to Colby.

Colby nodded, but his attention seemed to be elsewhere.

"What is it?" Don asked curiously. It wasn't like Colby to be inattentive.

"Those two guys over there. Trying to look unobtrusive." Colby lifted his chin slightly to indicate a direction.

Don scowled when he recognized them. It was the two men who had followed them from Chinatown to Churchill's War Rooms a couple of weekends ago. He glanced over to Carter who nodded. He was apparently aware that the two men were there. "We'll let them follow us. Carter can get them from behind."

They got their luggage together on a cart. "Come on," Don placed a gentle hand on Eleanor's back. "Hey, it's going to be okay."

Despite his comforting words, her eyes stayed wide with worry as they headed past Adam and Danny. They kept walking until they heard shouts and sounds of a scuffle. Both men turned and ran back to help Adam and Danny subdue the two men.

"You can't do this!" One of the men was shouting.

"No? This badge says I can," Adam flashed his identification.

Don stifled a grin when he saw the shoulders of the captured men droop like the air had been let out of them. "Maybe we'll finally get somewhere," he murmured to Colby.

"Meet us at Thames House this evening? We'll brief you on the results of the interrogation." Adam asked as they pushed the cuffed men ahead of them.

Don nodded. He would have preferred to be present for the interrogation, but they had a training session to run, and it was Carter's case anyway.

--

"We stopped by the flats before coming here," Don told Adam. He watched Adam carefully for his reaction but wasn't surprised when Adam's expression gave nothing away. "I didn't recognize either one of your officers. Where are Zoe and Danny?"

Adam met his eyes, and seemed to ponder for a moment before he answered. "I'm afraid that Zoe is no longer with MI-5. Danny is one of my senior officers now and I'll need him here on this and other cases."

Don was silent. He recognized the look on Adam's face, he'd seen it often enough on his superior officers at the FBI. Something had gone wrong, and they were either covering it up, or they had to do something under the table to rescue Zoe. "Alright," Don said softly, "Eleanor and Hannah had grown fond of her and wondered. As long as you trust these two, it's good enough for me."

"What did you get from Ali Sharef and Mahmet Hassan?" Colby picked up the threads of the conversation.

"It's as we thought. They're part of a sleeper cell that's been activated. They don't know why yet. They just know to follow Eleanor around. She's the key in some way." Adam flipped a folder shut in an unexpected display of frustration.

"What about the ELM?" Colby asked.

"Decoy. It was just to throw us off. A couple of them joined the ELM to give them some legitimacy. But those two men made a mistake when they targeted the companies that Eleanor is involved with. They apparently picked targets from the wrong list. All Saref and Hassan would say is that those two men had been severely punished for it."

Don watched Adam pace restlessly arond the room. "Dead probably."

Adam nodded in agreement, "No reason to think otherwise. And the only reason that they're cooperating. They want protection in return for information."

Colby raised an eyebrow.

Adam shrugged, "If they help us get the leaders."

Don looked at him skeptically. Adam seemed a little cavalier about it. "What's next?"

"I'm turning them loose. They're to let us know when they know."

Don saw Colby look up in surprise. He was surprised too. Surprised that Adam would promise protection then turn them loose. But evidently Adam did things differently. "All right." There was nothing he could do, he had to play it Adam's way.

"Alright. We'll talk tomorrow." Adam left.

Colby looked over at Don, and shook his head.

Don shrugged.

"Tell them that Zoe's fine." Danny said from the doorway.

They both turned their gazes to him.

"Danny, are you alright?" Don was alarmed at the grief and pain in the younger man's eyes.

Danny shook his head, "No, I'm not. But nothing can be done now. Zoe..." he paused as though he were struggling for control, "Zoe grew fond of Eleanor and Hannah, and I wanted them to know that she'll be fine. I wish I could tell you more."

Don shook his head and said softly, "I think I understand."

"It's this business we're in..." Danny trailed off. "What's important now is Eleanor's safety. We'll keep you abreast of the situation."

"Thank you."

"Agent X in the papers today, you think?" Colby referred to the headlines in the papers that morning, where a government agent had been convicted of murder.

"It must be," Don murmured. "Some case must have gone bad, and she was convicted of murder over it. I'm sure they've spirited her away with a new identity."

"Poor Zoe. How much do you plan to tell Eleanor?"

Don shrugged, "I can't tell her anything since I don't know anything. We're just speculating. Besides, it's Eleanor's safety I'm worried about not Zoe's."