Disclaimer See previous

Solace

Harry stormed across to his office aware that Andrew Lawrence was waiting for him. He was determined to find out why the former Home Secretary had been targeted by a known hit man. He took his seat behind the desk as Andrew Lawrence cleared his throat. Harry was aware that both Ruth and Ros were watching from the outer office. The others appeared to be engrossed in the tasks he had set them.

"Ah Sir Harry" Andrew began as Harry glared. He wasn't going to make this easy. He was furious that the man had brought trouble to his team yet again. Andrew Lawrence felt like a naughty school boy sent to the head masters office as Harry waited for him to continue.

"You heard about the break in" He stated rather than asked.

"Yes" Harry waited. When it became clear he was not going to elaborate Harry continued "Why have you been targeted by a hit man?" Harry watched as the former Home Secretary began to blanche in front of him.

"Ah" He ran a hand through his hair as Ros entered the room.

"Yes Andrew who wants to see you dead this time?" She folded her arms as she stood in the door way. He turned as the blonde watched the exchange between him and Harry.

"Ah Ros" He looked down. She smiled slightly at his obvious discomfort. It was nice to see the shoe on the other foot. He had made her feel uncomfortable enough times. She wondered if he realised exactly how much trouble he had brought on himself. He may not have been a part of Nightingale but he certainly knew a lot more than he had ever told them.

"I asked you a question Andrew. I know there are a number of people that would like to see the back of you but it would be helpful if you could narrow it down to the psychopaths that would have the financial means to get a hit man to carry out their wishes" She smiled slightly as Harry raised his eyebrows,

"Ah, I really don't know" He looked utterly lost as Harry felt his anger abate slightly.

"If this is anything to do with Nightingale I don't care if you are one of the shadow Cabinet. I don't care if you are the next in line to the throne you are on your own with this." Harry watched as Andrew paled.

"I was never that involved in Nightingale. I just knew a few people who were" He shrugged. "Chrissie thinks its something to do with Tom but I really don't know. It could be" He looked lost.

"Tom is dead" Ros watched as Harry looked away briefly before standing. He still hated the thought that Tom had turned traitor. Ros was never one for sugaring the pill.

"Yes" Andrew sighed. Harry was impressed that Ros managed to intimidate the man who had made her feel so uncomfortable. Harry still hadn't forgiven or forgotten the way he had treated his Section Chief after she had risked her own life to save his. Harry hoped that Andrew hadn't forgotten it either.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ruth was exhausted and still disappointed that their weekend away had been brought to such an abrupt end. Glancing up she watched as Ros joined the exchange. Zaf and Lucas had already left the Grid; Tariq was absorbed in his own work as was Malcolm. Ruth looked around the Grid, suddenly becoming very claustrophobic. She could see Harry and Ros talking with Andrew Lawrence but couldn't make out what was being said. She smiled sadly, she felt sorry for the politician. It was a rare occurrence but she knew how it felt to have someone want to kill you and know they would go to any lengths to achieve their goals. It had happened to her twice now, once with Samantha Caulfield and now with Frankie. The thought that someone actually wanted her dead made her want to be sick. She had to get out of the Grid. Pulling her jacket over her shoulders she made her way to the roof. Harry looked up and watched her leave. He still had a sneaking suspicion that she wanted to go to Cyprus. That she thought she could fix the whole situation on her own.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ros watched as Andrew Lawrence tried to come up with a reason as to why he would be targeted by a hit man and who could have hired him. She thought he was pathetic and wasted no time in telling him so. Harry was also beginning to loose what little patience he had.

"So you expect us to protect you." Harry knew they would have to ensure that nothing happened to him, although he didn't like the idea at all. Andrew looked across at Harry before turning to Ros.

"Well, yes. Someone seems to want to kill me. I mean I'm not in government anymore but surely this is a matter of national security?" He ran a hand through his hair as Ros glanced at Harry.

"I'll ask you again Andrew, what enemies have you made that would want to see you dead?" Harry held his gaze as Ros waited for an answer. When none was forthcoming Ros stepped a little closer.

"Andrew, answer the question. You have enough enemies as it is. Don't make any more" She watched as Harry smirked slightly. Ros had saved the man's life twice; she was in no hurry to put herself in the position where she had to do it for a third time. Andrew looked at her before shrugging.

"Truthfully Ros, Sir Harry I have absolutely no idea" He slumped in the chair in front of Harry's desk.

"Fine, we'll protect you." Harry watched as Andrew looked up.

"Sir Harry" He interrupted as Ros stepped forward leaning on Harry's desk.

"You tell me everything Andrew. And I do mean everything. Including what the hell you were doing in Basel." She watched as he paled in front of her "Starting now Andrew. I haven't got all day"

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Malcolm was sat going through the CCTV footage from London. He was looking for anything that would suggest what Frankie was up to. He was growing more and more frustrated as he watched Frankie look in shop windows in Oxford Street. He was no nearer finding out who Frankie was working for than when he had arrived that morning. He watched as Ruth walked past him and made her way to the roof. He had a feeling his friend was more scared than she wanted any of them to know.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ruth stared out at the London skyline. She had missed this view when she was away. London really was breathtaking. She leant on the railings as she watched the cars below idly wondering where everyone was off to, what normal things they were doing with their lives while she and her friends tried to protect a politician and stop a hit man. Nothing about Section D could be described as ordinary. Ruth was angry that she had thought Frankie would leave her alone. She was angry at herself for putting Harry in danger. She never should have returned to England. Glaring at the floor hundreds of feet below she began to wonder if she should lean over a little further, save Frankie the job of killing her and save Harry and the team in the process. The wind whipped up her hair as she began to gently lean over.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Zaf and Lucas drove through the city towards the hotel where they believed Frankie had been staying while he was in London. Zaf had been in contact with an asset of his that he believed was reliable. Lisa Finch had been the fiance of a man Zaf had arrested years ago. It had been Lisa that had reported him, she had remained a reliable asset ever since. However Zaf still didn't like the idea that a man he had seen die was still walking around. He couldn't understand it. He watched the cars go by as he thought about the shoot out almost five years ago where he had been injured and Ros and Adam had barely escaped being killed.

"Ros shot this man" Lucas stated rather than asked.

"Yeah" Zaf sighed. "One hell of a failed arrest. He was here to shoot a business man and two members of parliament at the time. Ruth had just gone and Section D didn't have an analyst. We were a bit of a mess without her. You can imagine what Harry was like" Zaf shook his head at the memory.

"Yeah" Lucas turned the corner as the traffic lights went against them. "I thought they weren't together in those days? I mean not properly" He had only heard snippets of information since his own return to the UK. Mostly from Adam and Ros.

"They weren't, but mate it was obvious you know. They were crazy about each other. When she went, well it was like part of him died too. You couldn't look at him without getting shouted at. The whole atmosphere on the Grid changed. It was worse than when Danny died" Zaf remembered how bad it had been. "If Ruth had been there I think there would have been a good chance we would never have been involved in a shoot out. We just didn't have the ability to analyse everything like she does."

Lucas smiled; it was true Ruth did have a way of looking at things differently than the rest of the team. It was a skill Malcolm possessed too, but to a lesser extent. He parked the car as Zaf looked up out of the car window.

"Well, time to find out exactly what he wants this time" Lucas pushed the car door open.

Harry felt sick as he watched Ruth from the roof door way. She looked so sad. It was the only adjective he could use to describe his wife. She was stood leaning over the railing at the edge of the roof, seemingly unaware of his presence. He stepped towards her as she continued to stare out over the city, it was only as he got nearer that he realised just how far Ruth was leaning out over the barrier. She seemed to be debating whether to step back or let herself fall.

"Ruth" He called as he quickened his pace. She appeared not to hear him as she watched the cars below. He wrapped his arms around her waist pulling her back to him.

"Christ Ruth" He sighed as she leaned back in to his embrace. She was breathing heavily as he held her. "What were you trying to do?"

"I don't know Harry" Her voice sounded strange, almost detached from them both. He turned her in his arms so the he was between her and the edge of the Ruth.

"Ruth" He almost shook her as she looked at him. He had never been so scared in his life. She looked completely defeated.

"I looked in to the Basel meeting. There is nothing new. Andrew Lawrence was there, but we knew that. Sarah Caulfield was there, now she's dead. Hans Linnerman was there and now he's missing. Nothing new" she shrugged.

If Harry was surprised at the sudden change in conversation he didn't show it. He believed Ruth had tried to kill herself to get Frankie away from the team. The thought that Ruth believed that was the only answer was ludicrous as far as he was concerned. The wind whipped up around them as Harry pulled them both away from the edge in to the shadows of the doorway.

"Ros is speaking to Andrew Lawrence. One of Zaf's assets has given him a possible location for where Frankie is staying. We are getting somewhere Ruth. We are" He kept his hands on her shoulders as she began shaking.

"Good, that's good" Ruth seemed more sure of herself as Harry ran his hands along her arms.

"In Cyprus when Mani's men turned up for me for a moment I thought it was Frankie" She watched as Harry's face darkened. "I thought George had sent him after me, but then I realised it wasn't him."

"Why would George send a hit man after you? Why would you think that? I thought he loved you" Harry could feel himself getting angry at the thought of it. It was a blessing for George that he was already dead.

"I'm being silly" She pulled back as Harry watched. The look in his eyes made it clear he wanted an answer.

"I think he wanted me dead because he knew I didn't love him, that I could never have married him." She felt the guilt wash over her "The entire time I was with him I felt like I was cheating on you. He always knew that there was someone else. He didn't love me either, I know that now. I'd just got myself trapped by another man that hurt me. He always said if I tried to leave him he'd make sure I couldn't. That's why I thought it was Frankie that day." Harry felt the anger well up inside him as Ruth told her story. He had never known how bad things had been.

"Ruth" Harry tightened his hold on her as she buried her face in his shoulder. He kissed her head as the wind continued to whip around them. "I never should have let you go, I'm so sorry" Ruth pulled back and glared slightly.

"You never had the choice. I saw to that" She smiled slightly "But it taught me, since joining Section D actually I learnt that there are good men out there that don't just want to hurt me. Friends like Malcolm and the others. You" She reached up and ran a hand over the stubble that had sprung up on his face. Kissing him she pulled back.

"Right, lets get back to work." He nodded as Ruth led the way back to the Grid.

authors note. I promise this has a plot! I just wanted to explain why Ruth is being a little paranoid. Let me know what you think. Is Zaf's asset really that reliable? Will Tariq and the others find anything? Who is behind the plot to kill the former Home Secretary? Please review.