The plan

"Ruth." Harry watched as his wife leant heavily on the desk, her knuckles white with the strain of holding herself up. Clearly in pain she smiled slightly.

"They told me motor function would return. Didn't warn me about how bloody weak I'd feel or how much it hurts."

"Where are your painkillers?"

"Don't need them."

"Ruth." Harry huffed, his face now a pattern of purple and yellow bruises. She glared at the hardwood desk.

"They make me feel sick and spaced out. I need to focus. Moran knows me and Adam. Towers knows us all. I can't help think there's a revenge element to this. We underestimated Moran all those years ago. And just because I'm paranoid."

"Doesn't mean they aren't out to get you." He kissed her hair.

"Now you've been bothering with Zaf and Tariq too much." The door to the office sprung open as Harry rolled his eyes.

"Right on cue." Ruth winked.

"Harry." Tariq gasped. "You need to see this." Harry and Ruth glanced at each other before following him into the main Grid.

"What happened to you?" Ruth spoke quietly. Harry frowned, Tariq's black eye and bruised face catching his attention.

"Thugs last night. I'm fine."

"Tariq."

"A lot of idiots think like Moran." Tariq shrugged his shoulders as Harry felt the anger burn inside. Knowing that Tariq would give no further explanation he turned his attention to the television.

"What am I looking at?"

"That is Towers' home address." Zoe explained. "It may have found it's way into the address book if certain television news journalists."

"That work for ITN, Sky, BBC, Euronews, Fox and CNN." Dimitri smiled. Ruth shook her head slightly as they listened to the Sky reporter and watched the melee of reporters jostling for position outside the austere gates.

"An anonymous tip off led to the previous Home Secretary's name being linked to known criminals. The racist and homophobic nature of these crimes hark back to the early nouties when one man was arrested and imprisoned for murder and incitement to cause racial hatred. He was also convicted of incitement to riot and became a person of interest for the UK Security Services."

"Someone has been busy." Harry raised an eyebrow. Dimitri shrugged.

"Jackie is a good journalist. I used to work with her husband Dan. In the SBS."

"So she knows what you do?" Ruth snapped her head around, immediately regretting it as pain shot down her back.

"She thinks I'm MOD."

"Towers has not been seen at his constituency home or Westminster since the revelations broke. The Prime Minister stated that as William Towers is no longer a cabinet member he should look to his place on the back benches to see if that remains tenable."

"He's persona non grata." Ros narrowed her eyes. "It's made all the red tops and 99% of the broadsheets. Internet papers are also running it. He can't hide for much longer."

"No." Adam agreed as Erin got to her feet. "Where are you going?"

"An asset of mine called. Wants to meet. May be useful." She shrugged.

"Take Alec."

"Me? Why?"

"Last time I checked I was the boss." Harry glared at the former IA man. "I am not about to let you lot repeat my mistakes. No one goes off alone. I don't care how good or reliable the source."

"Carlos won't talk to me if someone else is there." Erin stared.

"You are a spook, Erin. I'm sure you and Alec can circumnavigate that issue." Alec smiled slightly as Erin silently fumed. Moments later they headed out the Grid as the rest of the team put Harry's plan into action.

Xxxxxxx

"Moran is a thug but he isn't an idiot." Ros stared at Harry. "He allowed his daughter to die for his beliefs. That's how obsessive he is. A young man killed himself on his say so."

"I never said we weren't dealing with a fanatic." Adam stated. "To sacrifice a child. That shows more than anything how his mind operates."

"Yes." Malcolm agreed. "A certain type of mental incapacity if you ask me. Having never been a father I cannot imagine that mindset."

"I've got kids and there's no way I can understand it either. No doubt it'll be in his eyes a sacrifice for the greater good." Harry frowned. "Moran's keen to start a turf war while Towers thinks switching to the right, even the far right improves his chances of getting into power."

"Yeah." Lucas nodded. "Scare tactics. A lot of the newer political parties are trying that one. Jobs, immigration, religion. "

"99.9% of their argument is bullshit." Calum interjected. All eyes fell on him. "It is, it's insidious and Towers and his lot have been pushing it since before he became Home Secretary."

"But now he has a platform." Lucas stated calmly.

"No." Ruth glared. "He thought he did. Adam and Dimitri plotting in the media is one thing. It being brought up in PMQs is another." Lucas smirked as Ros shook her head.

"She agreed."

"You sly old thing." Juliet smirked as Harry glared at the former spook.

"You still here."

"Obviously."

"Why?"

"Harry, Harry." Juliet started as Ruth rested a hand on his arm.

"We need her to lure Towers in."

"Sad but true." Ros turned to the older woman. "Juliet, now is not a good time to make me regret killing you. Again." Juliet smirked as Harry and Lucas exchanged glances. A phone ringing across the Grid caught their attention. Lucas snapped it up and hit speaker phone, the rest of the Grid fell silent.

"Harry isn't here." Lucas lied. "If you're looking at him I'd try the funeral director. Why else do you think Ruth was taken from the hospital? They don't tend to discharge sick people." Towers could be heard taking a deep breath. Ruth narrowed her eyes, knowing they had to make Towers believe she was dead. It was the only way to make sure he knew Harry would never stop going after him. "Last I heard he was meeting you." Lucas lied smoothly. A distinctly northern accent could be heard in the background. Towers swore before turning back to the phone.

"I'll be in touch."

"Funeral arrangements aren't finalised. Not when there's a murder investigation ongoing." Lucas lied as he ended the call.

"Hold on." Beth spoke, breaking the silence. "Ruth isn't dead."

"Perceptive as ever Miss Bailey." Ros smirked.

"Towers will find out and isn't it what Moran wanted when that bomb went off?" Beth looked to Tariq and Dimitri for support.

"Yes." Ruth nodded. "But it isn't just me he's going to stop at. The press are reporting a woman in her early 40s has died following injuries sustained in the Sunday bombing. She I mean, I haven't been named. Police are waiting for next of kin to return."

"But why? I don't get it."

"Let him think he has achieved one thing." Adam stated. "No doubt Towers will have told him about Harry and Ruth. How's she's the heart of Section D." Ruth blushed, looking away as she sensed all eyes on her.

"So he thinks Harry is grieving." Malcolm nodded. "Therefore the team is in disarray. So he gets careless."

"Exactly." Harry nodded. Ruth closed her eyes.

"It's risky." Beth frowned. "I mean."

"Yes, it is." Ruth agreed.

"It'll flush him out." Adam stated. "Moran's ego and Towers nerves will thrive on it. We just need to wait for Erin's contact."

Beth glanced at Ruth, aware the brunette didn't like the plan anymore than she did.

Xxxxxxxxxx

Erin pulled her jacket closer to her as she walked towards the block of run down council flats as Alec dug his hands in his pockets.

"Where were we supposed to meet this Carlos?" Alec nodded pointedly at the large waste bin at the side of the flats. Erin narrowed her eyes as she followed his gaze. The blood stained body of the man they were meant to meet at the side of the bin.

"This is not good."

"No Alec." Erin snapped. "It's not."

Xxxxxx

A/n will the plan work? Why did Towers call and who killed Erin's asset? Please review