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Morning

Ruth stood in the Briefing Room setting up the computer ready for the meeting. She knew things were going to be difficult. Leaning back on the table she felt someone watching her. She knew instinctively it would be her husband. Smiling slightly she checked her watch. It was still only 8:30. The others wouldn't be there yet, for the moment they had the place to themselves.

"Harry" Ruth turned slightly as he stood in the doorway.

"I have to go to Whitehall after the meeting. I'm going to take Ros with me" He sighed as she nodded.

"Ok" Ruth returned to the task in hand. She was nervous, the plan Harry had talked about the previous night seemed more dangerous in the light of day. She also knew the team were not going to like what she had found. Sighing heavily she checked the data base one last time. They needed the correct information if they were going to stop Frankie and Hans Linnerman. She also hated to think of Ros' father sending a hit man after his daughter. She closed her eyes briefly as she suppressed the thought of Amy growing up without a parent. It had happened to her and she would never wish that on any child. She returned her attention to the large computer screen that adorned the wall of the Briefing Room and didn't hear Harry approach her until his arms were wrapped around her waist; he pulled her to him as she smiled slightly. As he spoke his breath tickled her neck.

"Stop worrying, we will stop them"

"I'm not worried about me Harry" She sighed as his hold on her tightened.

"Ruth" He kissed her neck as she continued to stare in front of her. Her hands now rested on top of his. "Don't put yourself in danger. Please just stay on the Grid" She closed her eyes at his words. They had been there all night and she was desperate to get out. The last time they had spent so much time there was the EERIE exercise. She thought of Colin, Danny and Tom and sighed heavily. It felt like a lifetime ago. Now was not the time for tears.

"I'll stay here but Harry" She started as the familiar voices of Adam and Zaf could be heard through the open door of the Briefing Room.

"But Harry nothing. Ruth, I can't have anything happen to you." He kissed her neck briefly as he released her. She turned slightly as he stepped back. She was aware that Zoe and Tariq had joined the others in the main Grid. It was almost 9 am and she knew they'd all be heading towards the Briefing Room any second now. She reached up and rested her hand against Harry's face, she could feel the stubble where he had rushed shaving and missed a bit. She smiled as she felt him cover her hand with his own.

"And what do you think will happen to me if you get hurt? God, Harry" She sighed as he rested his forehead against hers. "I love you" He whispered as she briefly kissed him. The pair broke apart as Zoe and the others began entering the Briefing Room.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hans Linnerman was angry. He sat in the exclusive gentleman's club in the West End of London and seethed. Andrew Lawrence seemed to be alive and well and currently under the protection of Section D. Even nearly killing three senior officers hadn't deterred them from protecting him. He knew it was only a matter of time before Frankie got his act together, especially now they had the financial backing of Joss Myers and his son Philip. He smiled. It was almost Shakespearian in a way. The child that betrayed the father was to be killed by the father's best friend. He idly wondered if Ros had studied the bard in her time at University and whether she would see the irony as she bled to death. He had helped to finance her father's failed coup and now her team had been responsible for the fall of Nightingale - his own pet project. Vile girl he thought to himself. He could see why the Myers family had disowned her. Startled from his thoughts he picked up the mobile in front of him as it rang.

"Yes" He spoke as a Cypriot accent replied to him.

"Today is the day. Have the rest of the money ready for me. I will do this at the exchange then I will be gone"

"There is not going to be an exchange. The bitch escaped." Hans Linnerman looked around the room keeping his voice low as his eyes locked on the dancing girl in the corner. In his mind that was all women were worth. They certainly were not supposed to be the second in command of Britain's MI 5 anti terrorist officers. He shook his head. In his world things would be very different, girls like Ros Myers would know their place.

"They still have your man? She will be at the exchange. I will delete them both. Cleanly done, no questions asked" He waited as the fat lecherous business man thought through his options.

"Fine. I thought you had some dealings of your own to attend to" He waited as Frankie laughed.

"Yes sir, but business before pleasure and the deletion of Lady Pearce will be all pleasure. Contact me when you have details of the meet" Frankie hung up the phone and returned to checking his weapons.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Harry waited as the team settled in to their various usual places around the table. He noticed Ros hung back slightly, choosing to lean against the side table she looked tired and withdrawn. He hoped she was dealing with the case as well as she wanted the rest of them to think she was. He sighed as Adam asked what the meeting was for.

"We have some new intelligence Mr Carter" Harry watched as Adam raised an eyebrow. Ruth sighed as she clicked the computer screen on.

"We know that Oliver Mace attended the Nightingale meeting in Basel" She started

"That was ages ago and he's dead" Tariq looked confused as Ruth nodded

"Yes but unfortunately still relevant" She clicked the pointer so that another picture appeared on the screen. This time two images appeared. Hans Linnerman and Joss Myers pictures sat side by side. Ros narrowed her eyes as Zaf's widened.

"What?" He had been around when Ros' father had gone to prison. It hadn't been a good time for anyone on the Grid. Harry picked up the story.

"Hans Linnerman knew Myers before he went to prison" Ros remained silent. "It seems they have kept in touch. Both men have the financial means to hire an assassin. We know Myers is still in prison and will be for a considerable amount of time and we know that he will not be eligible to apply for parole for another 5 years" Harry kept a descreet eye on his Section Chief. Lucas was doing the same.

"So how does he fit in to all this?" Zoe was at a loss to see what relevance Ros' father could have.

"He wants me dead" Ros' voice was a matter of fact as Zoe's eyes widened. "He has the financial means to order it too. Linnerman is my brother's Godfather and as I have since found out was my father's best man when my parents married. If my father says jump, he asks how high. While there is no evidence he visited my father in prison I think my idiot brother has acted as a go between for them" Ros didn't even try to keep the disgust out of her voice as Lucas looked away from the computer and met her gaze. Now he was worried, Philip was on the outside and easily able to run between the prison and anyone his father wanted him to talk to.

"Frankie was also in Basel" Ruth interjected as Andrew entered the room. He had been in protective custody and guarded by Adam overnight. He looked shattered as he took a seat next to Tariq.

"I knew I'd seen him before" Andrew shook his head as Adam rolled his eyes.

"I've had just about enough of you Lawrence" Harry shot Adam a warning glare "You really had better tell us what the hell you know or I for one am pulling myself off this case" Zaf smirked. He knew Adam wasn't allowed to do that. Andrew didn't.

"Sir Harry" Andrew emplored as Harry held his gaze. "He cant do that, surely"

"I don't see why not, we have enough going on apart from this, I could easily put him on another case. I know the Americans are keen for some help now that Russia is giving them grief instead of us" Adam smiled, pleased that Harry had backed him up.

"Ok, so we know these three men want to kill Ros, Ruth and Andrew" Tariq looked at the older officers, keen to get to the point. "How do we stop them?"

"We let them think we are giving them Andrew" The shadow Home Secretary frowned.

"They don't know we have Ros back. Hans Linnerman has already contacted me and asked to meet. At the time I agreed. So Tariq I need you and Malcolm to work on comms. They must be watertight. I can't have anything go wrong. Ruth, keep researching all the Intel we have on the three men of interest and anything you can find on Philip Myers may be useful. Adam, Lucas and Zaf I want you three to stay with Andrew. Adam you will be with me and Lucas at the meet. A stand in for Andew. You are both the same height and blonde. Hopefully they will accept you are him from a distance. Andrew, you will be there too but in the background." He watched as Adam frowned. He didn't like the comparison between him and Andrew.

"When will the meet take place?" Zoe was keen to get the job over with.

"11pm today at the docks"

"In the dark, just the way my father liked to keep things" Ros muttered.

"Ros, you and Ruth are to stay away" Lucas breathed a sigh of relief as Ros narrowed her eyes.

"No I'm Section Chief I will be there. They will think it's suspect if I'm not. They must be planning something, they know I'm no longer being held by them. They have nothing to exchange. I'll stay in the back ground but I'll be there" Harry pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Fine. Zoe, Zaf how are your marksman skills? I'm afraid we may be needing them" Zaf nodded as Zoe looked at the table.

"First class Harry, you know that. Same as Adam and the others" Zaf frowned. He hated guns with a passion.

"Fine, we'll meet here at 9. Make any arrangements you need to be away from home over night. I think we can end this nightmare in the next 24 hours."

The team knew they were being dismissed as Harry stood. Ruth clicked off the computer and gathered her files as Zoe and Zaf left the room, deep in conversation. Adam, Lucas and Ros hung back. Adam didn't like how tired his friend looked. He knew Harry would still be listening. He never missed anything and Adam knew he had to know how this case was affecting the whole team.

"Ros when did you last speak to your brother?" Adam watched as Ros looked up.

"You know when Adam. You were giving evidence at the trial" She was completely back in Ice Queen Mode. Harry and Lucas exchanged glances, neither liked where Adam was going with this. Ruth walked to the door.

"Don't you both have to be at Whitehall shortly?" Ruth turned as she spoke, sending a warning glance at Adam.

"So you havent spoken to any of your family since then? Not since your dad went to prison?" Adam had been there at the time and found it difficult to believe she would have kept away considering how close she had been to her father. Harry nodded to Ruth.

"Yes Ros and I really do not have time for this" He picked up the file from the desk hoping that Adam would take the hint and shut up. He didn't.

"Really Ros?"

"She just said so didn't she? Adam leave it" Lucas was beginning to get annoyed at his friend. He knew Ros had told him the truth, he didn't like the way Adam was doubting his fiancee. He narrowed his eyes as Adam ignored him.

"Adam, I have not spoken to my brother or sister or either of my parents since the day my father was sentanced to 20 years. The only people in my family I speak to are my daughter and her father now unless you have something you want to say I suggest you stop talking about things you don't understand and let Harry and I get on with some work. You carry on with the babysitting and leave the difficult jobs to me. As usual" She held his gaze as Adam found himself on the recieving end of one of her best death glares. Ruth decided it was time to leave before anything else happened. She glanced at Harry before leaving the room. Ros and Harry stayed where they were while Adam realised he wasn't going to get any answers out of his friend and followed Ruth and Lucas back in to the main Grid.

"Ros?" Harry watched as she glared after them.

"C'mon Harry we're going to be late" She walked towards the Pods without looking back. Harry couldn't help but wonder if the plans for the meet were flawed. If Ros came face to face with a kill squad he wasn't sure what would happen. All he knew was he had to keep her and Ruth as far away from the danger as possible, but he had to do that without either of them knowing. It was going to be a tough 24hours.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Zoe headed down to the armoury. She had been the first person in Section D to qualify as a firearms officer. It was in the days when only a few people took the course, now it was mandatory. A sign of the times she sighed as she signed out the weapon she was most familiar with. Zaf was behind her doing the same thing.

"I'm going to practice for a while before tonight. It's been a while since I used one of these" Zoe picked up some ear protectors as Zaf nodded.

"You ever shot anyone?" He hated how heavy the gun was in his hand. He knew Tariq had used a gun before, he had himself but it didnt make the experience any better.

"Almost" She felt overwhelmingly sad at the thought of it "It's last resort tactics, you know that Zaf. If a member of the public is in danger or one of our team are almost certainly going to be shot then we give a warning before firing. It's not the OK Coral."

"I know Zo, but using these, not a part of the job I like" He smiled and Zoe's heart melted a little. She knew Zaf could handle himself if he had to, but his way was usually with a smile and the gift of the gab. He rarely used any kind of violence. She smiled back, knowing the man in front of her was much more gentle than the other members of the team, he just didn't like the others to know.

"You coming back to mine later? Mum's got Emma until lunchtime tomorrow" Zoe bit her bottom lip as they walked across the firing range. Zaf grinned broadly.

"Yeah, ok"

xxxxxxxxxxxx

Harry stood by the black Renault Megane in the darkness of the Docks. Despite the warm summer day it was bitterly cold now it was approaching midnight. Lucas was stood next to him, remembering a very similar set up when he returned to the UK. His life was so different now, he hardly recognised the skinny, unshaven tattooed man he had been then. He smiled as he knew the reason he had changed so much was a particular blonde that was stood in the shadows waiting for the meet to happen. Harry was growing inpatient next to him, aware that the whole team including Ruth and Malcolm were in the area. He didn't like it, but at least Ruth and Malcolm were in the comms van around the corner. The imposing dark did nothing to improve his mood. He tapped his pocket, checking his own firearm was with in easy reach. He prayed he wouldn't have to use it.

"OK" Tariq spoke in to the comms, he was sat in the dark a few feet away from the van where he was monitoring communications on his palm top. "One black ford transit approaching the area"

"Thank you" Harry sighed. It was now or never. He nodded to Lucas as Adam stepped out of the car, dressed in the same suit Andrew Lawrence favoured. He looked around.

"I don't like this. Too many places to hide here" Adam didn't appreciate being a sitting target. Lucas smirked as Harry glared.

"I know the bloody problem Adam" Harry had thought the same thing himself. All three men tensed as the black van drove towards them. Harry silently prayed that the rest of his team were in position. He waited as the van stopped and Hans Linnerman stepped out. His bulky form casting shadows around him.

"Harry Pearce" He watched as Harry remained silent.

"Well, I believe you have something for me" He gestered towards Adam. It was the last thing Harry heard as shots rang out through the Docks.

author's note. Nearly there now. Not much left. Thank you for the reviews? Has Harry been shot or one of the others? Will Frankie and Ruth meet? More soon.