Disclaimer not mine
Apologies for the few naughty words. Ruth is having a bad day.
Talk
"You saw it." Ros stated as she walked into the small hospital room Ruth was nursed in. "The van."
"Morning Ros."
"Yes it is." Ros sat down. "We've been through the footage a million times, there's no way you didn't see it."
"I saw it." Ruth confirmed. "Gave me enough time to get Gracie out of the way." Ruth looked away. "Just."
"Thank God." Ros stared at her friend. "So."
"White male, late teens or early twenties. Black fleece top. Grey eyes. Looked high. As if he had taken something."
"Probably had." Ros sat on the chair next to where Ruth lay.
"Who did this? Ros?"
"Dimitri and Lucas are chasing leads." Ros answered firmly. Ruth rolled her eyes. She had heard that line whenever they had wanted Towers to leave them alone.
"Ok, so basically I'm paralysed from the hips down and we have fuck all."
"We have a lead." Ros repeated. "Self pity never did suit you. Grow up Ruth. Spinal shock the doctors told you. Possible to improve function. You wallowing isn't getting you home to Harry and the kids." Ros snapped. "Help us, we need an analyst on this."
"You need an objective analyst on this." Ruth retaliated. Ros raised an eyebrow.
"Boxes. Isn't that what Tom Quinn taught you all those years ago?" Ruth narrowed her eyes. She wanted to scream. Ros had walked in. Walked in and she was there, still on Oxygen, unable to tell if she was getting pressure sores as she couldn't move her legs. Ros actually expected her to work. Ros held her gaze.
"Ruth, I watched Harry slowly rot away because you physically weren't here. He doesn't work without you. He isn't coping with this."
"And I am?" Ruth spat at her.
"Angry, hurt and scared I get." Ros spoke calmly. "Cruel and bitter I don't understand. Coming from me, yeah not you. Ruth, they blew up the High Street. Thirty people, eight kids. Including your little girl could have died. You let this. Them. Destroy you and Harry and they've won." Ruth breathed heavily, fighting back tears as Ros spoke.
"I'm just."
"Angry? Frustrated? Scared?" Ros watched as Ruth nodded. "Bored?"
"Yeah."
"So." Ros smiled slightly. "Let's get who did this. Do what you do best, Ruth. Find that clue that we would never see." Ruth shook her head, smiling slightly.
"Flattery will get you nowhere."
Ros slipped a memory stick from her pocket. Handing her the small tablet from her bag. Ruth took them both, rolling her eyes but relishing the chance to be useful once more.
"Ok. You win."
"I intend to." Ros got to her feet, pulling an iPad from her bag. "Tariq has made a few adaptations."
"I bet he has." Ruth smiled as she took the device from her friend.
Xxxxxx
"Spinal Shock." Catherine whispered as she typed the words into the computer. "Don't fail me on this Wikipedia. Not now." She sighed as Calum squeezed her shoulders.
"Babe." He kissed her hair.
"I know how important this is to you. To have your Dad and Ruth there on Saturday."
"People have recovered fully from spinal shock. Obviously the priority was to keep her alive but now that she's out of danger."
"Cath, we postpone the wedding until Ruth is back on her feet. Ok?"
Catherine paused for a moment, finally listening to her fiancé. She rested her head back against him as he spoke. He kissed her forehead.
"I love you." She whispered Charlie ran into the room, throwing himself at her just as the phone rang.
"I know. I'll get that." Charlie launched into his story as Calum walked through to the kitchen.
"Erin? What? I'm on my way in." He hung up the phone. "Guys I've got to go. Ruth is helping with the case and Harry is meeting a contact." Charlie waved as Catherine stared after him.
Xxxxxx
"Are you sure of this?" Harry asked as he walked through the car park at the rear of the hospital. Malcolm nodded. The rain soaked pavement matching his mood perfectly.
"Yes. I believe that the bomb was intended to distract us. I've cross matched all the data and what was left of the explosives. It's definitely not the usual MO of out Irish, Syrian or AQ cells."
"Could they have changed?" Harry paused.
"No indication if that's anything to go by." Malcolm sighed. "Zoe has gone through everything with a fine tooth comb. She's not Ruth but she's becoming competent at analysis."
"I think we need more than competent."
"Harry." He turned as he heard his name called. Ros smirked slightly as she crossed the Tarmac to reach the two men. "We have more than competent. We have Ruth."
"Really?"
"Following some gentle persuasion." Ros watched as Harry smiled.
"Thank you." Harry answered. "She needs this. Ruth can't do wallowing it isn't good for her. She needs to be angry for the right reasons. Angry at the right people." Ros nodded once, knowing Harry agreed with her plan. "Any news on the situation?"
"The Home Sec seems to be on our side." Malcolm frowned, not used to the concept if a helpful politician. Harry smirked.
"She's not a career politician and has no links to Nightingale. Right now that's enough for me." Harry watched as Ros held his gaze.
"Dimitri is talking to an asset in the piracy sector. Thinks that this fits with an attack in Nairobi last month." Ros stated. "Very similar mechanism of attack. Tariq is going through bomb fragments while Adam charms his way into Special Branch." Ros continued to explain as she walked alongside Harry. "Erin believes she has an asset that may be able to help. A former KGB informer.,"
"There is an Africa/EU trade conference planned for Basal next month." Harry paused. "Dimitri may be on to something. Tell Erin to be careful. Send Adam or Alec with her. I've had dealings with former FSB before. Never really goes well."
"Go back to Ruth." Malcolm smiled "Give her my love, Sarah will be down to visit soon." Harry nodded before saying his goodbyes and heading towards Ruth's room.
Xxxxxx
"Basal." Adam closed his eyes as he listened to Zoe and Beth discuss what little information they had. "Does that suggest a Nightingale connection? I mean, didn't Lawrence and Hans Linnerman have their little meeting out there?"
"Yeah." Lucas walked in. "But it's a big place. The EU conference may just be that."
"Or it could be the next target." Beth stated. "We're clutching at straws here." The room fell silent, knowing she was right.
Xxxx
Erin walked through the park, aware Alec was watching from the small cafe at the edge of the park. She knew Alec could be there in seconds, should she need back up. Glaring slightly she approached the heavily tattooed man in front of her.
"Grant." She started. "What can you tell me?" The skin head turned to face her.
"Ellie, you aren't going to like it."
Erin sat next to him on the park bench, glad that she had given him an alias. "Go on."
"All this tracks back to your man."
"No riddle, Grant."
"Is no riddle Lass." The Geordie continued. "People are gonna get killed. Your girl."
"What?"
"The clever one." Erin watched him. "She won't be the last to get hurt."
"Kids were hurt."
"Aye." He nodded. "All I'll say is, look more closely at Shining Dawn and Billy Towers. You know they ad a thing for blowing up hospitals and train stations. Your man Bill hasn't been seen for a while. I'd look to them."
"They don't exist, not now."
"Don't they? Things have a habit of coming back round." He stepped away as Erin sat watching him go.
Xxxxxx
A/n more soon