Disclaimer nope not mine
Reunited?
Ros was alone. She had been dragged up the stairs of the townhouse and dumped in an unfurnished room. She ached everywhere, her left wrist throbbed and her abdomen ached. She was glad the goons had left her alone. As she pushed herself up in to a sitting position she fought the urge to cry out. She was aware that the man downstairs was Hans Linnerman and that he was probably in charge of the kill squad that had run her and the others off the road. She screwed her eyes shut for a moment as she thought of Amy and Lucas. She was determined to get back to them. She couldn't help but think of how unfair it all was, Harry and Ruth had been forced to end their holiday early while she was once again separated from her family. The more she thought of it the angrier she got. Swearing fluently under her breath she forced herself to her feet as decided she couldn't wait around to be rescued. She was going home.
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Zoe was fed up. She threw herself in to her chair as Zaf emerged from Harry's office. He looked more hopeful than he had since they had returned from the crash scene. Lucas was talking quietly with Ruth as Zoe watched. Lucas looked as if he was barely containing the emotion he was usually able to hide so well. Zoe washed as Ruth rested a hand on his forearm. Zoe didn't like how pale he looked but she expected him to keep how he was feeling to himself. He rarely if ever spoke about his emotions to the rest of the team. Just like Ros Zoe thought to herself as she rested her head on her hand. Zaf sat next to Zoe as Adam perched himself on the edge of Ruth's desk.
"Zoe, did you find anything?" Adam watched as she nodded.
"Yes actually I did." Lucas was suddenly paying attention to every word Zoe was saying.
"Go on" Ruth interjected as Zoe realised she would be addressing the whole team. Harry had now made his way in to the main Grid and was stood behind Ruth. She leant forward on her desk, more serious than she had been in a very long time.
"I went back to the scene of the car accident and spoke to some witnesses. There's a shop just by where the car ended up. Anyway, the owner says he saw an ambulance arrive before Harry and Zaf got there. The car was already on its roof, people passing by screaming and calling for help so he assumed someone had actually called an ambulance" Lucas ran a hand through his dark hair as Adam waited for Zoe to continue.
"Anyway, it looks like Ros was taken by two men posing as paramedics. The only thing is he says the ambulance she was put in wasn't the Mercedes vehicles that the ambulance service use. He said it had the words Private Ambulance written along the side. Unusual he thought so he kept a record of the number plate. He assumed you three were dead and that's why they only took Ros. He was expecting the police to arrive and remove the bodies" She shrugged as Tariq bounded over to them.
"I ran that plate for you Zoe" He was bouncing on his heels again. They all knew he was excitable, he'd obviously found something useful.
"Go on" Ruth smiled at Tariq aware that Lucas was getting very close to either storming out or crying.
"It is owned by Linnerman PLC" He watched as Harry nodded once. His hand still on Ruth's shoulder.
"Thank you Tariq" He glanced at the desk as he thought "Linnerman PLC. Ruth can you find out exactly what that is supposed to do? Zoe, keep digging" He was interrupted as his office phone was ringing. He cursed quietly as he walked through to his office and grabbed his phone. At the same time Lucas' extension was ringing.
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Ros was determined not to stay where she was. The bruises on her knees ached and the injury to her left wrist made moving difficult. Difficult but not impossible, Ros glared at the offending wrist as she forced herself to stand. The more she thought of Amy and Lucas the more determined she was to get home.
The door was open as Ros nearly pulled the wooden door off its hinges in her haste to get out of the room. She cursed silently as she heard Hans Linnerman on the phone in the room below. She had no idea who he was talking to but decided that she wasn't waiting around to find out. She glanced along the corridor surprised that there was no guards around. Carefully she descended the stairs as she held her breath. The pain in her arm was distracting her as she was sure there was no way she could effectively fight if she was caught the second time. Hans Linnerman was unaware that Ros was outside the living room of the town house as the front door opened.
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Sarah sat on the edge of Malcolm's bed. He was dumbfounded as Sarah explained how Ruth had found her and her life since returning to Whitchurch in Cardiff. He smiled as she fidgeted with the edge of her cardigan. Smiling shyly Sarah watched as he took her hand in his.
"I didn't expect Tariq to look for you. I didn't think he would mention you to the others" He still couldn't quite believe she was there.
"I was a little shocked. It was such a long time ago. I thought you would have moved on, forgotten about me" She wouldn't meet his eye as Malcolm squeezed her hand a little tighter.
"No" He smiled "I never forgot, never moved on. Its you, it has always been you Sarah" She blinked back the tears at his words. He suddenly felt very afraid. "Did you? I mean is there?" He didn't want to continue as Sarah shook her head.
"Me? No. After I got back to Wales I stayed with Rhys and his wife. I got a little rented place around the corner from them. There wasn't anyone for me, not that I wanted to be with. Too much had happened and I had sort of resigned myself to the fact I was to remain a spinster" Sarah shrugged.
"What a pair we are" Malcolm smiled as she looked up. "I wish I had fought for you. I wish there was something else that we could have done. Harry did try to help but we were blocked at every turn." Sarah nodded at his words.
"I know. I really do but there is someone else that needs our help. Stan told me about your friend. Ros?"
"Oh my word. What has she got in to this time?" Malcolm knew how Ros attracted trouble. He was immediately back in work mode as she relayed what little of the story she had been told by Stan.
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Ros dragged herself out of the house, the door had been guarded by a young man no older than Zaf. He was currently bent double in the hallway as she threw herself in to the phone box at the bottom of the street. She had no idea what had happened to her mobile as she punched in the number for the Grid and gave her password. She slumped on the floor of the phone box as she waited for someone to answer. Her nerves were on edge as she watched the cars passing by.
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Lucas picked up the phone at the same time Harry answered his extension. His already pale complexion turned transparent as he hears Ros give her password.
"Ros?" He clutched the phone's handset so tightly his knuckles turned white.
"Lucas" She was talking through gritted teeth "Hans Linnerman is definitely our man. I need a lift."
Lucas nodded as Ros gave him the location. She knew he'd been there as quickly as he could but every second she was sat in the phone box felt like an hour. She wanted to keep Lucas on the line but knew it was impractical. She glared at the floor as she contemplated how the sound of his voice could make her feel better. Turning so she could see what was coming down the street she decided she couldn't stay on the floor any longer. The phone box was a sitting target for anyone with a rifle. Ros dragged herself in to the alleyway and hid behind a large industrial rubbish bin.
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Lucas called for Zoe to go with him as Harry emerged from the office. Their boss looked livid. Zaf bit back a comment regarding his blood pressure as Lucas and Zoe turned. She was struggling with her denim jacket as Harry called to the team.
"I have just had a phone call from Hans Linnerman. He wants to exchange Andrew Lawrence for Ros" Lucas narrowed his eyes as Zoe finally managed to get the jacket to behave.
"No need" Lucas watched as Andrew began to look relieved.
"Excuse me?" Harry glanced at Ruth who shrugged her shoulders.
"Ros just called. I'm taking Zoe and we're going to collect her." He saw a hint of a smile cross Harry's face as Ruth looked decidedly calmer.
"Why you taking Zoe?" Zaf crossed to Adam who was tapping away at his computer, trying to pinpoint the location Ros had called from.
"I may need a driver. Zoƫ's the best we got" He watched as Zaf and Adam looked offended. Zoe smiled. It was true, in all the driving tests and assessments both her and Ros had top marks. Adam was frequently told off for reckless driving and risky behaviour. Harry shook his head.
"I'm sure we can find you two something to occupy your time" He suppressed a laugh as Ruth smiled. Everyone turned as the Pods whooshed open. Lucas tapped Zoe on the shoulder, keen to get away. She nodded as she followed him.
"Hello Malcolm" Harry smiled. Malcolm nodded as Sarah looked decidedly awkward next to him. "Good to see you Sarah. My office?" Harry walked into his office leaving Malcolm and Sarah no option but to follow him. The younger officers on the Grid returned to their work, glad their friend was back but unsure who the mystery red head holding his hand was.
authors note. Next time... reunion between Lucas and Ros? Where's Frankie? Will Harry meet Linnerman? More soon
