"Lucas, do you really want to kill me?" Ruth asked, trying to stay as calm as possible.

"Want to? No. Will I? Of course I will if its required. You can't tell me you are totally guilt free, working in this job?"

"Probably not," she said. "I've probably been responsible in killing dozens of people. But they are criminals and terrorists. People who want to kill innocents indiscriminately. I have never kidnapped someone and threatened their life to make their loved ones do something wrong."

"Finally admitting that you do care for him then," Lucas said.

"With death knocking on the door, it seems rather pointless to deny it doesn't it. He proposed a few months ago. I said no."

"Why?" Lucas was genuinely curious.

"Because we are so twisted and intertwined with each other. It is just impossible to unpick it for us. I couldn't."

"That is a pathetic reason. You should say yes."

"Well its all hypothetical if I never make it out of this room alive isn't it?" she said, trying to bring things out of her non relationship with Harry. How would you kill me Lucas? I know that Harry won't do what you want, so I'd like to know how you'd kill me?" She could tell that her matter of fact way of speaking was starting to get to him. So there was a shred of humanity in him, even when hiding behind this mask of an uncaring, unemotional man.

He swallowed before replying. "I'd drug you," he said. "You won't feel anything. It would give Harry time to find you before you OD'd."

"But for him to find me, you'd have to tell him where I am. I know you well enough to know that no one would find wherever I am at the moment, and certainly not in the time I have. Not unless you tell them."

"I think if you were at the grid, you'd probably find it," Lucas said. "You're brilliant."

"I think that's the only compliment you've ever paid me," she replied. Lucas forced himself to hold in the smile and looked at his watch.

"Time to call. Can I trust you to keep your mouth shut while I speak to Harry?" She nodded, not wanting to be gagged again. "Okay."