disclaimer - same as ever
Back to the start?
Beth coughed as she tried to battle with the seatbelt hold in her in place. Smoke filled the air around her as she tried to make her fingers work.
"Beth?"
"I'm ok." She mumbled between coughs. Erin swore fluently as the seatbelt around her gave way. Fire crews raced to them as the sirens around them began to get louder.
Xxxxxxxx
Ruth ran through the corridors of Thames House, barrelling towards the lifts as two members of Section E stepped out of her way.
"Ruth!" She ignored Zaf as he called her name. All that mattered was getting to Harry and Ros. Nightingale had to be behind the car bomb. There wasn't any other militant group operating that way in the greater London area. Zaf caught up with her as they reached the interview rooms.
"Four." Ruth stared at the door before taking a chance and walking straight in. Harry kept his eyes on the woman opposite.
"Ah Lady Pearce." Tessa hissed.
"Harry, she's irrelevant." Ruth stated as Ros pushed herself away. "Just another cog in the wheel."
"I am no cog!"
"You are something, alright." Ros replied. "Ruth?"
"This is a delaying tactic. It's started. The riots in London, car bomb, Erin and Beth."
"Out." Ros stated as Ruth drew a breath. "Zaf, Ruth. Harry go with them. Tessa and I will be fine." Tessa narrowed her eyes as the three officers left. With the door securely closed Ros crouched on her haunches next to Tessa.
"Because of Nightingale I have been blown up, trapped under masonry, shot at and generally pissed off." Tessa glared as Ros rested her hand on the table. "You can understand my reluctance to watch you front it out in here. You see two colleagues of mine are still in the field. That makes me a little too keen to find out what we need to know."
"You won't touch me." Ros held her gaze. She knew a Tessa was right, there was no way she was going to cause the woman in front of her any physical damage. But Tessa didn't know that.
"No camera, no recording device. No Harry to stop me." Ros paused. "Can you be so sure?" She smiled sweetly as Tessa glared.
Xxxxxxxx
"Towers has vanished." Tariq shook his head angrily. Alec glared.
"No one ever just vanishes."
"I did." Adam stated. "It can be done."
"You faked your death in the biggest explosion in London's history." Zoe reminded him. "Ruth and Ros went into deep cover, I hid out in Chile for years and Zaf was abducted by the Redbacks before disappearing."
"Your point?" Alec shrugged.
"Disappearing is easier than you think."
Xxxx
"What is going on?" Harry looked at his wife as Zaf cleared his throat.
"I'm going down there, I'll call Lucas." He stepped away as Ruth twisted her wedding ring around her finger.
"A car bomb in Central London, less than twenty minutes ago. Beth and Erin." She sighed. Harry felt his guts twist at the thought of losing both officers. Ruth took a deep breath. "Beth called in, cuts and bruises but the pool car is a write off."
"I am getting sick of this." Harry snapped. "It was supposed to be a straight forward undercover op at the prison. It was never this big."
"Brewer had been led to believe how brother died because you signed a kill order."
"I didn't. I would never." Harry paused as Ruth rested a hand on his arm.
"Harry."
"Kill orders , they're a myth. I've never. I mean."
"The date it was signed you were hospital having your knee repaired." Ruth stared at him. "Besides I know you and I know your handwriting."
"Why? Why would Tessa do that?"
"I've analysed the file, had the original brought out if archives. It's one of the few they haven't been out onto computer. The flow of handwriting, along with the pressure marks suggest it was signed by a woman. She had been in a relationship with a man in 6 at the time. Perhaps that was part of the reason. Only she can tell us."
"And Nightingale will use anything they can to their advantage." Ruth nodded. "Blake hoped it would end Section D. Lawrence made money from it but going through Towers' notes it seems he actually believed the ideology. It also seems Nightingale have been around longer than we thought." She watched as Harry frowned, seemingly finding the idea that Tessa had played both him and Brewer scarily believable.
"Get Ros out of there and meet me on the roof in five minutes. Tessa is for transfer to Scotland Yard." Ruth sighed as she watched him go, the worry still eating away at her as she turned to return to the interview room.
Xxxx
Dimitri ran a hand over his face as he looked around the smoke filled street . The fire service put the flames out as he saw Beth talking to a uniformed police officer. Sirens filled the street as rioters headed towards them. Erin touched Beth's shoulder when she realised Dimitri was almost running towards them.
"Beth." Erin nodded before dissolving into a coughing fit. Beth handed her the small bottle of water she'd acquired moments earlier.
"Dim." Beth smiled as he reached them. "New leg going well."
"Yeah. You ok?"
"Looks like either a plant or a suicide bomber. Doesn't sound like Nightingale though."
"Time we went back to base." Erin spoke calmly, recovered from her coughing fit. Beth nodded, allowing Dimitri to usher them to the pool car.
"Harry will have a fit." Beth frowned. "Second car I've totalled." Erin pulled a face as Dimitri burst out laughing. Indignant Beth looked back at the wreckage of the destroyed pool car and shuddered.
Xxxxxx
"Everyone." Harry stated as he marched onto the Grid. The pods barely closed as Ros and Ruth arrived as he rounded up the team.
"Dimitri called, he's on the way back with the girls. Oh and Calum has moved Catherine and the children to Safe House B4."
"Thank you." Harry nodded to Tariq as he spoke.
"Harry? What is this all about?" Zoe stared at her boss. She held his gaze, knowing him long enough to see he was struggling to find the right words.
"Tessa is being moved to the Anti Terrorism holding suite at New Scotland Yard. Brewer is to follow. I want to thank you all for the hard work and dedication you have put in on this case. In 99 I did not sign a document condoning murder. Death notes do not exist as far as UK Intelligence go. My name was forged."
"We know." Adam stated.
"Thank you. Brewer's older brother did work for 6 and he was killed on duty by what we believed to be Irish terrorism group members. They were never caught."
"What do we think now?" Zoe asked. Ros stood beside Harry.
"His death was orchestrated by Tessa Phillips and William Towers." Ros stated. Lucas swore under his breath.
"So all that at the prison?" Lucas looked at his wife.
"Smoke and mirrors. Make us believe that Nightingale had an asset in there spreading hate and inciting racial and political violence so we weren't looking when they went after the big prize." Ros narrowed her eyes.
"London." Alec frowned.
"Yeah. London." Ros held her nerves. She wanted to scream, but knew channelling her anger would be more useful.
"So what now?" Lucas looked as Harry's eyes hardened.
"The Anti Terrorism unit want both Brewer and Tessa. I'm inclined to hand them over. Brewer and his little side kick have to go back to prison anyway."
"And Tessa?" Ruth asked.
"No longer of interest to Section D." Harry paused as the phone on Ruth's desk rung. She closed her eyes as she answered it.
"Ruth?" Lucas frowned as Harry moved slightly closer to her.
"Stan and Jamie in security were beaten up. Tessa has vanished and Brewer won't be going back to prison." She held Harry's gaze. Ros looked from the senior analyst to Harry.
"What?"
"Single bullet wound to the head. Nightingale's typical MO. He's dead. Stan and Jamie are on the way to hospital."
"And Tessa?"
"Gone."
"Teflon Tess strikes again." Lucas muttered.
"For now." Harry growled the words out. "We let the Met do their job and we do ours." The room fell silent as they realised maybe Nightingale or at least Tessa had won.
Xxxx
A/n epilogue to come. No reviews for last chapter. Hope you like this.