Ruth felt, for possibly the first time in her life, pure debilitating terror.
"You're lying," she heard Zaf say, but one look at Kamil's beatific face told her that he was not.
"I armed it when you allowed me to get my handkerchief," he informed Zaf, who slammed his hand down on the table in anger.
Harry.
Harry was on the Grid and there was a bomb about to go off. She felt as though her world was about to end.
"No," she said, tears gathering in her eyes.
Zaf, however, focussed on the details. "How big?" he demanded, leaning over the table threateningly.
"Oh, big enough to destroy the Grid completely."
"And Oliver Mace authorised this?" the young spook queried disbelievingly.
"Well, not exactly. He ordered a small explosion that would cause minimum damage, but I made a few moderations to the plan. A small explosion would not have delivered our goal of having Harry Pearce removed from his post."
Zaf only just resisted the urge to cause the smug bastard bodily harm. "But you can stop it," he guessed.
Kamil looked at him, and what Zaf saw in his eyes discouraged him. Fervent belief in his cause; an almost fanatical fervour. He banged his hand down on the table again, and beside him Ruth jumped in her seat.
"Can you?!" he shouted, and Kamil nodded.
"There is a code that will disarm it, but I will never give it to you."
With a curse Zaf swung away. "You get it out of him," he ordered Ruth before sprinting for the door.
"Where are you going?" Ruth asked, bewildered.
"To the Grid, to see if I can disarm it. Call me as soon as you have something."
And then he was out the door.
"Admirable," Kamil said with a small smile. "There aren't many men who willingly run towards a bomb."
Ruth glared at him, and knew that if she had a gun she would seriously contemplate shooting the man in front of her. "And only cowards plant bombs that will go off long after they've departed the scene," she shot back angrily.

- 0 –

Adam stood closely behind the bank manager as he opened the safety deposit box. He was flying solo now, as Malcolm had curtly informed him that Oliver Mace had appeared and was after Ruth, and that he had to go because Harry was about to take drastic measures. He was not surprised; Harry had been on the edge ever since the accusations against Ruth had been made, and he knew that his boss was prepared to take huge risks to safeguard her. It worried him; if Harry took things too far, they might make matters worse instead of finding a solution. But then, he could hardly point fingers, as he was basically holding up a bank at the present moment. He had assured the bank manager that the warrant to access Barrett's deposit box would be delivered upon opening of business, but that of course depended on whether what was on the tape was damning enough to put an end to Mace's machinations. The bank manager wiped the sweat from his brow for the umpteenth time, and Adam glanced at him. He was concerned that the man was about to have a heart attack from the stress, and then he would have yet another death to explain. The box was opened and he looked over the manager's shoulder, ignoring the pungent smell of sweat. Inside the box was a CD in an unmarked cover, and a couple of thousand pounds.
"Only the CD," Adam said curtly, and practically snatched it out of the man's hand. "Now, point me to the nearest computer please."

- 0 –

Malcolm swallowed and moved to the pods to follow Harry's instruction. He tapped in the code that would override the access panels and effectively lock down the Grid. They watched in silence as some of the lights went down and the computer systems flashed the message: LOCKDOWN in bright red letters.
"Malcolm, show these other gentlemen into the meeting room and barricade the door," Harry instructed.
A small smile flickered across Mace's lips. "Don't listen to him," he said, staring Harry down with narrowed eyes. There was a hint of arrogance in the countermand, and Harry smiled as well. A dangerous smile.
"You think I won't do it? You think I won't shoot you?"
"Frankly? No."
It happened in the blink of an eye. The gun swung up and came down smartly across Mace's face, the barrel catching him above the right eyebrow. He cried out and fell to the floor, clutching his face, blood already beginning to trickle between his fingers.
"Tempt not a desperate man, Oliver," Harry said, the gun once again squarely aimed at the man on the floor. "Now get those men into the meeting room."
Malcolm ushered them away, and they went meekly, casting wary glances at Harry.
When they were alone, Mace sat up gingerly. He fished a handkerchief out of his pocket and pressed it against the wound.
"Quoting Romeo and Juliet now, Harry? My God, she must be something in bed for you to lose the plot like this. You're throwing your career away for a titillating office fling."
"No, I'm throwing it away to prevent you and the CIA of strong-arming our leaders to throw all human rights out of the window."
Mace looked up in surprise, and Harry continued.
"The only way you could know that Ruth is here is if Bob Hogan had told you. I've obstructed his attempts to spirit away practically the whole Muslim population to Guantanamo and God knows what other remote corners of the globe, so he went over my head. To you."

Mace pushed himself upright gingerly and leant against the nearest desk. Bright red stains spotted his previously pristine white shirt, but Harry felt no remorse.
"The PM and the Home Secretary didn't want to hear it," Mace explained, looking at Harry curiously. "You've got them eating out of your hand after foiling the recent coup attempt. They said they trusted your judgement."
"So you decided to, what, discredit me? Get me dismissed?"
"Either, actually. I'm not particular to any of those options." Harry's face darkened, and Mace felt obliged to explain. "I respect your abilities, Harry. You are a brilliant intelligence officer in most situations. But we are at war, and it is a war that requires us to sometimes do the unthinkable. Your old-fashioned moral code has no place in this new world. In fact, it's downright dangerous." He looked at Harry entreatingly. "It's not too late. Come over to us, and all will be forgiven."
The answer was immediate. "No. I'm not interested to join anyone who is willing to kill its own for the flimsiest of reasons."
Mace's eyes hardened. "Then you are not the right man to lead the Counter Terrorism section in these times."

Malcolm's return briefly interrupted the discussion. The techie glanced at the bloodied JIC Chairman. "At least Adam's misdemeanour pales in comparison to this," he mumbled.
Harry frowned, and was about to ask for clarification when there was a loud bang against the pods. They all turned to see Zaf on the other side. He was agitated and out of breath as he banged on the door again.
Harry firmly shook his head. He wouldn't drag yet another member of his team down with him; it was bad enough that Malcolm was involved.
Zaf disappeared down the corridor but was back within seconds, a whiteboard marker in hand. He began to write on the pod, and they all watched in fascination as the letters B-M-O-B appeared one after the other.
Malcolm's eyes widened. "Bomb," he breathed.
They were all frozen in place for a few seconds as the implications sunk in. Harry was first to recover.
"Get him in here," he said to Malcolm. "National security takes precedence over everything else. We need to find out where that bomb is."
At that moment Mace's eyes fell on the sport bag on the desk opposite him, and the blood drained from his face. His voice was decidedly shaky when he said, "It's right there."

- 0 –

Kamil watched Ruth silently. It was obvious that she was highly affected by the news of the bomb on the Grid. He wondered why that was.
"Why so worried, Ruth? There's hardly anyone up there at this time of the morning." He smiled. "Are you that fond of your computer?"
Ruth's eyes flashed. "Is that what Mace told you? When there is a threat, there are always people on the Grid. My friends are up there."
And the man I adore, she thought, but managed to keep that to herself. "So please, Kamil. Don't add murder to your list of sins."
He paled a little at the news, and her hopes soared. "Give me the code," she pleaded softly.
He closed his eyes momentarily. "Is Harry Pearce up there?"
"Yes," she responded, and knew it was a mistake when she saw his face harden.
"Then I can't, Ruth." He sat back resolutely. "I have a duty to my dead sisters. Harry Pearce and his loved ones will learn the hard way what the cost of failure in this war is."

- 0 –

Harry's eyes followed Mace's to the bag, before returning to the JIC Chairman. "How do you know?" he demanded, but Mace just looked at him. He could see from Harry's narrowed gaze that he had already guessed the truth.
"Good God, Oliver! You authorised the planting of a bomb on the Grid?! Have you completely lost your mind?"
By now Malcolm had carefully slid open the zipper of the bag and peered inside. He looked up with a hint of panic. "Five minutes and counting, Harry."
Harry moved to the pods and punched in the code as he spoke. "Can you disarm it?"
Zaf darted inside as soon as the pods opened, in time to see Malcolm shake his head in response to Harry's question. "There's not enough time to figure out how. And there's enough explosive here to destroy the whole floor and cause significant damage to the ones above."
Harry's accusing gaze turned to Mace, who was as white as a sheet. He shook his head. "No. It was supposed to be a small explosion. Are you sure?"
Malcolm nodded impatiently. "Of course I'm sure," he snapped.
"Seems like your creature has developed a mind of its own, Oliver," Harry said coldly, even as he was frantically trying to think of a solution. "Zaf, evacuate as many people as you can, and tell them downstairs-"
"You can't," Mace interjected, and Harry stared at him, coldness seeping into his veins. "What have you done?" he asks chillingly, and perspiration began to pearl on Mace's upper lip.
"I had them seal the entire floor, so that you couldn't spirit Ruth away somehow. There's no way to get out before the bomb goes off."
As Harry closed his eyes, Zaf peered over Malcolm's shoulder. "Misral said it could be disarmed with a code. Ruth's trying to get it out of him."
Malcolm wiped at a bead of sweat. "Then she is our only hope."

- 0 –

Adam punched in Harry's mobile number one-handed as he slewed the car around another corner. Thankfully the streets were quiet at this time of the morning, otherwise he might have caused about five accidents by now.
"The number you have dialled is not available," the voice intoned again and Adam cursed. It was not a good sign. He thought back to Malcolm's hurried message, and wondered what exactly Harry had done. He was about to try calling his boss again when the mobile trilled in his hand. It was an unknown number, and he frowned. He lifted it to his ear and waited, not saying anything.
"Mr Carter? This is Percy."
There was panic in the Security Officer's voice, and Adam pressed the accelerator down even harder.
"Percy. Where's Harry? I can't get through to his mobile."
"You won't. Oliver Mace arrived about half an hour ago, and ordered that the Grid and the whole floor be locked down. He instructed that it only be opened once he has Miss Evershed."
Adam took a breath. "I'm almost there-"
"There's more." By now Percy sounded positively distraught. "I found out which Security Officer has been helping Mace. It's Brian, and just before Mace arrived he let Mr Younis take the walk-in up with a large sports bag. I had a look at the footage – there is a bomb in that bag, and it's locked in with Mr Pearce and the rest of them somewhere on that floor."
"Fuck," Adam said, with feeling.

Images of his wife dying in his arms, of Colin and Danny and Sophie came to the fore unbidden. He had been too late to save all of them. Every time, just a few minutes too late. And it was about to happen again. The images threatened to overwhelm him, along with the guilt and regret, and he felt as though he was drowning. His breath came faster and faster, and somewhere in the recesses of his fuddled mind he knew he was panicking, and that scared him even more. He, who had always been cool and in control, was losing his grip.
"Mr Carter? Adam?!"
Percy's voice cut through the fog and Adam blinked, to find himself parked in the middle of the street. Mercifully the panic receded, and he could breathe more easily. He pulled to the side of the road. "I'm here," he assured Percy. "Show that footage to whoever is in charge and try to get the lockdown lifted. Also tell them they will soon receive a call from the Home Secretary, and keep this line open. I'm going to put through the Home Sec's call on your mobile."

He didn't give Percy a chance to respond before disconnecting and making another call. There was quite a long wait before a groggy voice finally mumbled, "This better be good."
"Home Secretary, this is Adam Carter. We have a crisis at Thames House." He briefly explained, before ending, "I am sending you some video footage. Look at it, and call me back immediately."

- 0 –

"Ruth," the voice in her ear said. Harry's voice, which she loved so very much. "Malcolm reckons there are enough explosives here to destroy the Grid. We can't disarm the bomb or get out of here in time – Mace has had the floor sealed off. There is four minutes left on the clock. We need that code."
Four minutes?!
There was never enough time…
Panic rippled through her, focussed her mind as she turned to Kamil. "Congratulations. You are about to become a terrorist," she said as her eyes danced over his face. "You put enough explosive in that bag to destroy the Grid, and kill many people in the process. You know what the funny part is? The rest of your family will forever think of you as something abominable; you have become the very thing they – and you – have nurtured such hatred against all these years."
There was a flicker behind the dark eyes – was it fear? Or, God forbid, triumph? But still he said nothing, and she knew she would have to figure it out herself.

There was nothing she could say that would persuade him to give her that code, and Harry and the others were about to die.

tbc