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A Lead?

Ros glared at the errant politician. So far Andrew Lawrence had provided them with such limited information it hardly seemed worth talking to him. She leant against Harry's desk and folded her arms, wondering at how she could ever have liked the man in front of her. She knew that before the explosion there had been an attraction between them but that had ended with the explosion. She realised how glad she was that nothing had happened between them.

Silently she wondered where Lucas and Zaf were. She could see Adam and Zoe through the office windows. They were deep in conversation with Tariq who was becoming more and more animated as Ruth and Harry returned to the Grid. Ros decided whatever was going on in the outer office was far more interesting than waiting for Andrew Lawrence to say something useful.

"Boss" Tariq burst in through the office door as Ros stood "You got to see this" He was already out of the office before Ros could respond. Andrew stood as Ros turned to him.

"You stay here" She followed Tariq. The boy was bouncing in front of the computer screen as she reached him.

"No more Red Bull for you today" She watched as he pointed at the screen.

"Four million US dollars was put in to Francesco Papilopodus account an hour ago" He smiled as Ros' eyes widened. Harry leant a little further over Malcolm's shoulder so he could see the screen clearly without his glasses.

"Four million dollars!" Tariq was bouncing.

"And who made the deposit?" Ros watched as Tariq's face lit up.

"A Mr Hans Linnerman" He smiled. Ros returned the smile. She was going to enjoy finishing the interview with Andrew.

"Good boy" She smiled as she turned on her heel with Harry behind her. Tariq beamed at Ruth who gently touched his arm.

"Ok, now we have the who we have to find the why" Malcolm glared at the screen as the others returned to their tasks.

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Ros stormed back in to the office. She was furious. Her barely restrained anger visible in the way she held herself. Every movement controlled as if she was just stopping herself from lashing out. Harry was behind her as she spun the chair Andrew was sat in.

"Right" Her face was directly in line with his "I have the entire team working on this. The entire team are prepared to risk their lives for this case. Two of my officers are in the field risking their lives as we speak." Andrew nodded. He had never seen Ros in full Ice Queen mode. Harry almost felt sorry for him.

"I know Ros" Andrew watched as Harry entered the room.

"Where is Christine Dale and why does Hans Linnerman want you dead?" He felt the blood drain from his face as Ros spoke. Harry held his gaze, aware that Ros was very close to loosing her temper. He knew how she felt.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Zaf watched as Lucas picked the lock of the run down B&B where Frankie was believed to be staying. It was in one of the most run down areas of the city. What Zoe had referred to as Bedsit land. He smiled as he thought of her, he had been looking forward to spending the evening with her and Emma. Now it looked unlikely. Lucas sighed as the door sprung open.

"Your asset reliable?" He pushed the door open to reveal an empty bed sit. Nothing of any importance was to be seen.

"Lisa? Yeah. She's always been pretty reliable. She knows I only go to her when I have to. She was married to a complete monster. He really thought he was some big shot gangster. Adam and I saw to it he went to prison for a very long time. She's been giving me information ever since" He walked in to the small room and sat on the unmade bed.

"Yeah, seems Frankie knew we were coming" Lucas was annoyed. He had hoped this would be straightforward. Either make the arrest or get some information which would tell them where the would be assasin was. The empty and unloved room didn't seem to hold any answers. He crossed the room and opened a drawer in the dresser.

"Nothing" He slammed it shut as Zaf stood.

"I don't understand it either" Zaf ran a hand through his hair. "I'll go back, see what went wrong" Lucas nodded. He hoped Frankie hadn't got to Lisa first.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ruth sat at her desk. She could see Harry and Ros talking to Andrew Lawrence and the whole Grid could hear them. Zoe had been watching for a while, aware that Ruth looked tired she decided to talk to her friend.

"Ruth?" She sat in Zaf's chair as she spoke.

"Umm?" Ruth was going through everything they had on Hans Linnerman trying to see anything with would connect him to Andrew Lawrence and Frankie. She really didn't want to be distracted by Zoe.

"You ok? You look awful" Zoe knew she wasn't that tactful. Brushing a strand of blonde hair behind her ear she waited for Ruth to answer.

"Yeah I'm ok" She sighed. She knew she couldn't tell her what she had been contemplating. "Ok as I can be when I have a hit man out there that may or may not want to kill me" Zoe sighed as she nodded. She knew it was strange territory for a desk officer.

"Oh coffee?" She smiled as Ruth just nodded.

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Zaf was annoyed. The B&B where Frankie was supposed to be staying was a dead end. Lucas was just as annoyed. There was no evidence at the bed sit. There was nothing in the room to suggest that anyone had stayed there. Lucas watched as Zaf sighed.

"I dunno what went wrong." Zaf looked out the dirty window in the street below as Lucas gave up and walked towards the door.

"May be you should see if this Lisa is ok. If someone warned him we were on to him then perhaps we should check that she's ok" Lucas was worried that the hit man had been silencing those that would expose him. Zaf nodded. He felt sick at the thought something could have happened to one of his assets.

"Yeah, I'll arrange to meet her" He sighed heavily as both men made their way out of the B&B and headed back towards the Grid.

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Ruth drank her coffee as Zoe and Zaf continued to go through the CCTV footage of Central London over the last week. Malcolm had also spoken to the police in Yorkshire trying to find out if there was anything on CCTV in the area where Ruth and Harry had stayed. He was angry that his friends had been forced to cut their break. He knew how much Ruth had been looking forward to getting out of London. Both women and Malcolm looked up as Lucas and Zaf entered the Grid.

"Zaf?" Zoe looked up as he threw himself in his seat. Lucas shook his head, obviously angry as he walked towards the kitchenette. Zaf just shook his head he felt like crying but knew that would lead to nothing. Zoe looked worried as Adam leant on Zaf's desk.

"You ok mate?" Adam watched as Zaf ran a hand through his dark hair. He was exhausted and upset. He knew Lucas was angry too. They had listened to the news on TalkSport in the car on the way back to the Grid. They had taken a detour to the scene where the newsreader had said a young woman's body had been found at the bottom of a stairwell. Both had suspected the body belonged to Lisa Finch. She hadnt been named on the radio but it hadnt taken long for the spooks to find out the young woman had been murdered. Zaf felt incredibly guilty. He avoided Adam's gaze as he shrugged.

"Not your fault Zaf" Zoe watched as he took in a shaky breath.

"She was 32 Zo, got a kid same age as Emma. What chance has he got now? Dad in prison for life and Mum murdered by a hit man?" He shoved his chair back angrily. He knew he was taking his anger out on the wrong people but he had no one else.

Zoe watched him walk off in the direction of the roof. She knew he had hid there before, most of the team had at one point or another. She knew there was little point talking to him when he was like this. He wasn't the hard man Tom or Danny had been, but he liked people to think he was. He felt things deeply and sometimes he couldnt help but show it. She shook her head sadly as Adam saw her watch their friend walk away.

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Lucas filled the mug in front of him with tea as he wauted for the kettle to boil. He had been upset to find the young woman's body at the bottom of the staircase to a block of flats. All he could think was that Frankie had got to her before they had even got to the B&B, that he had realised it was her that gave Zaf information. He leant against the counter as he held his face in his hands. Another innocent they should have protected but couldn't. He shook his head again as he felt rather than heard someone behind him.

"Don't Lucas" Ros's tone of voice was firm. She expected no nonsense.

"Don't do what?" He turned as she walked further in to the kitchen.

"Blame yourself for Frankie killing that young girl. She knew the risks, she chose to be Zaf's asset." Ros held his gaze as he sighed.

"Yeah. She got a kid. Zaf told me, Connor. 5 years old" He shook his head. "Can't help but think what would happen to Amy if it was one of us dead at the bottom of a stone staircase" He clenched his jaw as he spoke. Ros knew when Lucas was about to blow. She had only seen him get close to loosing his temper once.

"It won't happen" She stepped nearer. "Amy has us for as long as she needs us" Lucas narrowed his eyes.

"Yeah, well not like either of us has nearly been killed before. What happens the day our luck finally runs out?" He closed his eyes as Ros covered his hand with hers.

"It's not luck Lucas. That girl was in the wrong place. It was evil what happened to her. We catch Frankie, we catch Linnerman and put an end to this" She watched as Lucas sighed. He glared at the floor as she stepped nearer.

"Lucas" She rested a hand on his cheek forcing him to look at her. "Listen to me" Lucas closed his eyes as touched him. They were millimeters apart. Ros knew this was unusual for her to show any affection at work. She was the boss, she had to hold back and be the Ice Queen. But she also couldn't stand back and watch as Lucas got more distressed about their daughter.

"Amy is fine. We are both ok. You know what we do is dangerous. It always will be. We just have to make sure we are ok." She glanced behind her aware that any of the team could walk in on them.

"I know" He sighed. "It just got to me. What's the plan?" Ros kissed his chastely on the lips as he smiled slightly.

"Andrew Lawrence is still in Harry's office. The police report on Lisa is due in soon. We have to find a safe house for him and Ruth" She sighed as the kitchen door swumg open.

"No. I will not go to a safe house. Never in a million years. If I can't go home then I'll sleep here" Ruth folded her arms as Ros sighed.

"You are a target. Harry is probably a target by proxy" Lucas held her gaze.

"No safe house. They aren't safe!" Ruth held his gaze. "You know what happened last time"

"Fine, sleep on the Grid." She walked out of the kitchennette as Lucas smiled.

author's note - will Harry and Ruth go to a safe house or sleep on the Grid? Who's going to end up babysitting Andrew? Will Zoe follow Zaf? Please let me know what you think. :D