Family
Zaf ran through the trees, dodging a second bullet. The undergrowth at his feet giving way as he slammed his feet into the ground. Twigs snapped before silence finally descended as Zaf rugby tackled his assailant to the ground.
"What?" Adam frowned as he realised the figure Zaf had pulled to the ground was not moving. Zaf released his hold before rocking up on his heels.
"She's taken something." Zaf turned her over to see the pinpoint pupils staring back at him. Her mouth foamed as Zaf tugged the gun from her hand. Adam called for paramedics as Zaf uncurled her fingers to find white powder smudged through her fingers.
"No." Zaf sighed. "Oh no." Adam swore, seeing the white powder and knowing exactly why the young woman had killed herself.
"Cyanide."
"Yeah." Zaf swallowed. "There must be something. She's just a kid. What? Tariq's age?"
"Moran's daughter. I saw her photo once. Linda Moran. Sending her to do his dirty work now." Adam glared as sirens wailed in the background.
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Ruth closed her eyes as Dimitri sat next to her. The phone call from Adam had been the last thing she had wanted to hear. There was still no sign of Harry and Graham and now a young woman was dead. Every moment that passed just convinced her the worst possible outcome would be the reality she'd face in a short while.
"Go back to the hospital."
"I'm fine."
"Ruth, Harry will kill us if anything happens to you because of this. Zoe is handling the analysis."
"Oh." Ruth raised an eyebrow. "Really?"
"Well." Tariq folded his arms. "She's not you. But no one is you. Are they? Only you are you." Ruth smiled as the baby of the team tried to pay her a compliment. Dimitri rolled his eyes.
"You spend too long in front of that screen. Try talking to real people more often."
"It's quite reassuring when someone else babbles." Ruth smiled slightly. "Look, I discharged myself against doctors orders. It was less than two weeks ago that Gracie." She paused, trying to collect her emotions. "And I were almost blown to smithereens. I could have been paralysed. But like the physio kept telling me. I've been lucky. I can sort of walk now, almost unaided. Spinal shock remember. Like a million nerves all jarred at once. I am not important. Getting Harry and Graham back here, stopping Moran. That's important. Before anyone else is killed."
"Well said." All eyes turned on Dr Mike and the Home Secretary as they walked through the pods. "Ros?"
"Yes." Ros marched out of Harry's office with Malcolm and Lucas at their side. "Mike, you carry narcan?"
"Yes, I can get some."
"Graham." Ruth stared at her friend, Lucas nodded.
"We think. Possibly." Malcolm sighed. "He'd be drugged. Young, healthy and stronger than Moran."
"They'd drug him to subdue him." Ruth voice dropped as anger shot through her. Ros nodded once.
"Mike, we need you with us. Home Secretary."
"Later." The middle aged woman nodded as the three left the Grid followed by Alec. Crowther leant against Zaf's abandoned desks. "I was warned about Section D."
"Good." Dimitri stared ahead.
"Yes, you do all tend to value each other's lives more than your own."
"Family." Ruth sighed. "Isn't that what families do?" Crowther smiled slightly before turning to Ruth.
"So tell me. Anything to report?"
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A/n short chapter - more soon. Please review.