Captive Audience

(None of this is mine. Enjoy and review if you like. Shouldn't take too many more chapters... Sorry for the delay in posting.)

Ruth is the first to regain consciousness. Her back is against a cold damp rough wall. There is light coming from a small opening high above. It is enough. She can see Harry next to her. She starts to reach out, but her hands are bound behind her back. Her brain is foggy. Then she remembs talking to a woman, and all going dark. There is still some residual pain. Her attention returns to Harry. He is starting to stir.

"Harry," she says in a whisper. He groans and notices his hands are tied behind his back with plastic ties.

"Yes Ruth. What happened?" His voice is rough like gravel.

"I'm not sure. I was talking to a woman, and everything went dark. I'm hurting like I stuck my finger in a light socket. And no, I'm not telling how I know how that feels."

Harry couldn't help but smile at her insolence no matter what danger they might be facing. He understands how she saved Adam with a tree branch. He also knows she can empty a gun clip into a man when enraged and a life depends on it, be it hers or someone else.

A few minutes later the man and woman they saw earlier open the heavy metal door. It creaks with age and rust. "So our two guests are awake," says the unknown man. The woman who spoke to Ruth at the market is beside him. Both Harry and Ruth looked at each other and then back to the couple at the door. Both know it isn't a good sign that they aren't hiding their faces from their captives.

Harry spoke first. "What do you want?"

"He speaks. The great Harry Pearce speaks."

Harry decides he won't deny who he is. It was obvious they know who he is. It is not a random kidnapping.

"You don't remember me do you Sir Harry?"

Harry thought the man looked familiar. They are close in age but he can't remember him. There is no Irish accent. There is no American accent. There is only a Yorkshire accent.

"I fear you have me at a disadvantage." Harry is well aware he is at several disadvantages. Physically, he feels hopeless, bound as he is, but mentally he is becoming acclimated to his surroundings and looking for anything that will help them escape. Ruth is doing likewise. It is as if their minds are one. As if they can read each other's thoughts.

"We'll leave you a little longer to think on it and then return to question you." With those words both captors exit, leaving the captives to talk. Ruth starts to speak and Harry shakes his head in a side to side motion indicating she should say nothing.

Then he turns his back to her and she turns hers to him. They leaned against each other and are able to stand. Then they both start walking about the room. Harry stops at the door and listens. When satisfied no one is listening, he whispers in Ruth's ear. "Let's find something to cut these ties." Ruth nods in agreement. Eventually there is a shard of glass on the floor, apparently over-looked at the time the room is readied for them. Both Ruth and Harry, again back to back slide to the floor and Ruth picks up the glass and tries to cut Harry's bonds. It took a while, and she nicked his hand a couple of times, but nothing serious.

"You're paying me back for the handcuffs eh Ruth?"

"Sorry Harry, but it's not like I can see what I'm doing."

Eventually the plastic is cut. Harry takes the glass from Ruth and frees her. Then he reaches for his watch. Fortunately, they hadn't bothered with it. He twists the face counter-clockwise. Ruth's face holds a question. "It's a tracking device. It will let them on the Grid know we're in trouble." Harry keeps his voice to a whisper, fearing any devices that might pick up their conversation. Something tells Harry that these two aren't that sophisticated. He isn't so much worried about their situation now, as he is curious as to why they were taken.

Although still a little sore, Harry uses his rock climbing skills to scale up the wall of their prison. It's been awhile, but he is able to maintain his hold on the wall and climbs upward. He glances out the small window, squinting as the bright light hits his eyes. He can see they are still in Tintagel. It is the lay of the land and a few markers that gives him a location. He hopes his signal is operational. There is no way to know. With that he climbs back down the wall, pulling a loose stone with him. Thinking, this might make a good weapon. Not all of my spy skills are rusty. I should have picked up on them following us. Blinded by love.

Back on the Grid…

Tariq is first to notice the emergency frequency transmission and knows it is Harry's. He calls to Alec, Beth and Dimitri. "I've got an emergency signal from that watch I designed for Harry. I think they need our help."

"Any coordinates," asked Beth.

"Yes, it puts them in a structure just off the coastline in Tintagel."

Taking down the rest of the information, the team calls CO19 and is on its way to the site.

Back with Ruth and Harry…

"Harry we need a plan."

"That's obvious."

"Before they return would be best Harry."

"No pressure, eh Ruth."

"Well you are the section head."

"You're the analyst."

Then they both started laughing.

"We're having our first argument over not having an escape plan." Harry could hardly say the words he is laughing so hard. Ruth likewise had doubled over laughing. Eventually, they return to contemplate their situation.

It is a short time later the door opens again. Harry and Ruth are back where they'd been left. But they have a plan. Harry still wants to know what these two want from them.

"Still haven't remembered me?"

"Sorry, no ole chap. Can't say I do." He'd tossed in the ole chap for fun as he is now like a cat toying with a mouse.

"Well it was a long time ago. We were in MI5 training together. I washed out. You didn't. I've followed you for years waiting for my chance when you let your guard down and you finally did. "

"I see," said Harry trying to remember but failing. "I think I'd know if I'd been followed for years."

"You see? You see?" the captor's voice was rising. "It was the psychological. I told them you could not be trusted. I'd see you moving about at night, in and out of the barracks. They decided I was paranoid, but I know you still cannot be trusted and if no one else will do anything about you, I will. I'm James Hyde." The name still meant nothing to Harry. Then it clicks. "You idiot," says Harry. "I was already with MI5 and sent to the training to assess potential officers."

The woman next to Hyde remained quiet. "What's your story," Harry asks of the female? The captive had become the interrogator.

"Leave her alone," said Hyde his voice getting louder and less stable. "She's been hired to help me. Just booted out of Six. She knew how to find you. Once we finish with you we move on to Six to redeem her." Harry digests the information. With a look at Ruth they both know what to do.