2
Ruth braced herself against the sink in the female bathroom convinced she was either about to be sick or collapse. Nausea washed over her as she recalled the list of injuries Tariq had received. The boy was less than thirty years old but had already been left for dead twice.
"Toxicology reports on a Tariq are back." She turned to see Zoe watching her. "No alcohol."
"He doesn't drink." Ruth paused. "Strict Muslim - he goes to the pub but never has anything stronger than lemonade. Apart from when Laura from records spiked his drink."
Zoe shook her head.
"She's an idiot."
"That we do agree on." Zoe sighed. "Ruth, no alcohol was found, no known illicit drugs. Just a therapeutic dose of paracetamol and ibrufen. That and something they can't identify. The doc thinks it's a sedative of some sort."
Ruth blinked back tears as she thought of her friend. "He's not much more than a boy."
"He was drugged and beaten." Ros stated as she walked into the toilets. "Ruth, police are trying to contact you. I've had security put on Tariq and his family." She looked at the other women. "What am I not being told?"
"Ros."
"Zoe."
"I'm worried about Zaf. The race hate thing, especially islamaphobia is on the rise. First Rana in the records room was followed, now Tariq. I'm probably over reacting."
Ros nodded. The thought had crossed her mind. "Zaf is a big boy. How many spooks survived the Redbacks?"
"I know." Zoe nodded. "But you don't see him wake up sobbing and if you ever tell him I told you that I will kill you."
Ruth smiled sympathetically. She knew Harry would hate the red of the team to know how he still woke up sweating - how the deaths of Helen, Colin, Danny and Jo weighed heavily on him. Ros nodded once. She understood. They all did.
"I have some news on the taxi."
"Maybe we should take this back to the Grid." Ros turned on her heel, giving the others no choice but to follow her.
Xxxxxxxx
"I don't understand." Masood looked at the sleeping form of his son. Tariq remained in a medically induced coma as his body was given the chance to heal. Bandages wrapped around his head as tubes snaked into every possible part of him.
"We will find the person who did this." Calum stared at his friend. "You know what Tariq does for a living? Really?"
The older man nodded.
"You know the risks we take. He takes. He will be ok. He will survive this." Calum watched as Mas spoke. "Tariq Masood is not a weakling like me. I give in, take the safe option. He goes out and tries to save the world. Or at least stop others destroying it."
Calum smiled slightly. "What he does has saved so many lives. Every time. Every single time an atrocity it reported in the media there's twenty or thirty that are never spoken about. Because we stop them. He stops them." Calum frowned, surprised at how emotional he felt. He shoved his hands in his pockets. "We all love Tariq."
"I know."
"Where's Mrs Masood? The girls."
"Sunita is with her gran. My mother has Dementia. She doesn't know any of this. Zee and Aliya are at home. Zenab needed sedation. Her heart is broken. Our boy. Our only boy." Mas' eyes filled with tears. Calum thought of his own children. Lily and Charlie, his niece Rosie and the other kids in his life. He knew what the older man meant. His precious boy was fighting to live and his family were falling apart. He wondered how his own family would cope if they were ever in the same position.
"Security has been increased here. You and your family will be safe. You hear me? Tariq?" The body in the bed remained motionless. "We'll find who did this. We will stop them and you are going to get back to normal."
Mas tapped him on the back. "He's right, son." The machines bleeped as both men watched the body remain motionless in the bed.
Xxxxx
Zaf pushed his foot to the accelerator as he headed away from the centre of town. Will sat next to him as they made their way back to Thames House.
"You trust that girl?"
"Tash?" Zaf nodded. "She's Adam's asset. Saved my life more than once."
"She works in a coffee shop."
"Tash is ok. She has a habit of getting people to talk to her. We need her and she's a good asset." He swung the car around the corner. "Really? Now?"
"What is it?" Will began to worry.
"Dunno." Zaf broke the speed limit. "We are being followed. That if I'm right is an unmarked CIA car. Seems they're using us for target practice."
"Practice?" Will turned slightly, looking out of the rear window.
"Yeah. Because they ain't catching us." Zaf floored the accelerator as Will watched the American car get swallowed up in traffic.
Xxxxxxxx
A/N please review