3

Dimitri followed the others into the Briefing Room still worried about his friend and where he and Beth were going to be moved to. Sighing he caught Ruth's eye as Will and Zaf joined them. He couldn't really remember ever seeing Zaf angry. Adam was the one that was usually holding his temper when one of the team was hurt.

"Dim?" Catherine tilted her head. "Have you sorted out a safe house?"

"Not yet but I think after Zaf and Will were followed by CIA."

"We don't know that for certain." Malcolm spoke calmly. "I'm going through the cctv but .."

"Tariq usually does that." Ruth smiled slightly.

"There's a friend of mine says we could stay at his place. He's been an asset for us in the past so I think we can trust him." Dimitri looked at the paper Ruth was passing around the table.

"Who?" Beth asked as she took the paper. The empty chairs where Adam and Zaf should have been made their absence even more palpable. Dimitri looked up.

"Kev."

"Sienna Sapphire?" Erin raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah. I trust him. He's ex SBS, like me." Beth nodded; knowing her partner trusted the former SBS officer turned drag queen with his life. They fell silent as Harry walked into the room.

Xxxxxx

Adam braced a hand over his dressing. The fresh adhesive made his skin itch but merely moving made his chest burn. He was a naturally active man, being stuck in the hospital was not doing his overactive mind any good.

"And where do you think you are going?" He looked up to see Eleanor Carter watching him. Her arms folded as she stared at him made him feel like a naughty school boy once more.

"Mum."

"You were shot." She walked into the room. "Your heart stopped. If it wasn't for young Elizabeth and your friend Natasha you would be dead. And don't look at me like that. I traced her; I had to thank her."

"Once a spook." He smiled slightly.

"And don't you forget it." She rested a hand on his arm steadying him. "Adam. You didn't see how shaken Wes was. He's older now. He understands. Carrie sobbed in my arms. You've too much to lose. You have to focus on recovery."

"Zaf and Zoe were here. Told me Tariq is in ITU. He was targeted. Mum, honestly I just wanted to see how he is." He put on his charm smile as Eleanor raised an eyebrow. The older woman knew how protective Adam was with those he cared about. She had always been the same. She sat on the hospital bed next to him.

"You listen to me, Adam Carter. You are my only boy. My only child. You disappeared for almost a year - I don't think I breathed the entire time you were away looking for Zafar. Then Harry calls me, tells me you're badly hurt and that pain grips me again. Now." She raised a hand up to stop him interrupting her. "I'm a silly old woman who has been a spy longer than you could ever know. Before you were born I was working with Connie and Harry. Didn't like her then either; but that's besides the point. Just because I've been a sleeper all your life doesn't mean I have forgotten the risks."

"I know."

"And I've not finished. Did I just say that I was finished?"

"No Mum." Adam suddenly felt like a naughty eight year old rather than a grown man with a family of his own. Eleanor smiled.

"You need to be more careful. Wes and Isabella need their daddy. Carrie needs you and my boy so do I. So when you are being all heroic - just say ask yourself if it was Wes doing your job how would you feel?"

"Mum?"

"Yes."

"I love you."

"Soppy bugger." Eleanor hugged him tightly as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

Xxxxxx

The Briefing Room was almost silent as Harry took his seat. Ruth glanced at Lucas before turning her attention back to the computer screen.

"The taxi that Tariq took was a real London black cab. I've had a word with some of the drivers." Ruth felt her voice shake. "The cab was stolen and the real cabbie murdered. Police found it burned out in West London with the body of the owner in the boot."

"Bloody Hell." Catherine shook her head sadly.

"The cab." Ruth's voice broke slightly as she looked straight at her hands fidgeting on her lap. Harry had to fight the urge to hold her; knowing she was at the brink of tears. "The cabbie was Ishmael Mohammed. One of our spook cab drivers. He's been an informant for ten years."

"Tariq is Muslim. Thanks Ishmael was also Muslim. Anyone else seeing a pattern here?" Alec bit into his donut as Ros nodded.

"Which is the reason the Home Secretary wants us to drop this investigation." Harry stated firmly. Ruth swore under her breath.

"No chance." Calum snapped.

"What are we going to do?" Erin slumped back in her chair. Harry rested his hands together.

"Ignore the Home Secretary and continue as we are. She believes this is a problem for the police. I do not - two officers are in hospital and a trusted informant is dead. Two men just happen to be Asian and of Muslim faith."

"I don't do coincidences." Ros stated firmly.

"While this is not a black op I am disregarding a direct order. Anyone who does not wish to be on this op may say so now."

The room remained silent as the levity of Harry's words sank in. Beth folded her arms before staring straight ahead.

"It's Tariq. No need to ask anything more."

Ruth smiled slightly knowing how much ch the younger man meant to them all. Harry nodded as Ros pushed herself away from the wall before issuing the team their tasks. She could barely contain her anger, knowing someone had deliberately targeted her officers. Once the assembled had left she turned to Harry.

"Will thinks he and Zaf were followed by a CIA pool car. I've asked Ruth to trace the number plate."

"Ishmael was murdered. Tariq barely survived." Harry stated. "You think this is a targeted campaign?"

"Bloody weird if it isn't." Ros approached him as Ruth barged back into the room.

"Just heard from my contact in the police. Three members of Britain for Britain that we detained three years ago have escaped. Murdered a prison guard and left another for dead when they were being transferred." The anger radiated from her as she spoke.

"When?"

"Three days ago. Carl White, Paul Parkinson and Greg Lincoln. All were arrested by Adam, Zaf, Ros and Tariq. They were going to bomb George Park Mosque." Ruth watched as Harry and Ros tensed. "They're back on the street and apparently it's not something the prison service thought we needed to know."

Xxxxxx

A/n going to be a long multi chapter story like my old ones. Hope someone is reading it.