Disclaimer not mine. Very slight cross over with Only Fools and Horses.(Blink and you miss it!)
Dead Again?
Ruth sat at her desk, watching the rest of the team rush about. She knew that Ros had been right, Towers knew too much about the team. He would be able to feed information to Moran and his friends. It was the only way they could have known about Graham's problems, about their struggle to have Gracie and Nick moving in with them. She closed her eyes, certain that she had the start of a migraine.
"Ruth, are you really sure about this?" Beth placed a mug of coffee on the desk next to her computer. Ruth nodded.
"I've been dead before."
"Ruth." Beth started.
"I faked my death a long time ago. It was the only way then and it is the only way now. The only difference is, that this time my name hasn't been mentioned and I have the children to consider. Last time, the only thing I had to consider, the only things that mattered to me were Harry and my cats."
"You were in deep cover."
"Yeah." Ruth opened her eyes, knowing the newer members of the team had accepted that explanation without question. Only Ros, Zaf, Malcolm and Adam really knew what had happened. Jo had never really been told until it was all over and Ros had only begrudgingly agreed to help at the time. For a moment Ruth wondered what had happened to the coat she had borrowed so many years earlier. Ros had never asked. "It was a long time ago."
"What if?"
"Towers wont find out until it is too late." Ros stated as she joined them. "It isn't like before."
"No." Ruth nodded slightly. "No, it is not like last time. I'm not going anywhere. Not this time."
"Yes you are." Ros stated. "Lucas has arranged a safe house for you and the kids."
"We're in a safe house."
"Ruth, it's been watched. You, Nick and the baby have to go into hiding. For one thing, you need time to recover and for another you need to be somewhere these psychos are not going to look." Ros sat next to Ruth in the chair normally occupied by Zaf. "We need an analyst long term, not just to the end of this case."
"Ros."
"No, you don't get a choice in this. You are to meet Nick, Gracie and Calum at the North Primrose Hill safe house in thirty house." Ros stated. "Lucas is going to take you."
"That house isn't on the system yet. It hasn't been set up."
"Which means Towers wont know about it." Beth smiled. A phone ringing in the background.
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Erin stepped back, the bile rising in her throat. The body of the middle aged man in the alleyway had been mutilated badly. The police tape at the end of the alley flickered in the light wind as Alec rested his hand on her arm.
"We need to get back to the Grid." Alec spoke quietly.
"Yeah." Erin frowned.
"This is not your fault."He spoke firmly. "Carlos may well have got involved in something else. This is probably nothing to do with us." She snapped her head around to face him.
"Funny how he has a bullet through his head the day I arrange a meet." Erin blinked. "He was not one of life's high flyers but he was a good informant. And he knew Moran. He could have helped up. They killed him to stop him telling us."
"So what now?" Alec knew he wasn't going to like the answer. Erin stared at the dead man once more, knowing that the police would wonder what they were doing there.
"He lived near here. Mandela House."
"That's in Peckham."
"Ten minutes away." Erin shoved her hands in her pockets. "Come on Alec, it might just give us a break in the case. He lived alone after coming out of prison. He's been divorced for nearly twenty years. His only kid, Mara lives in Spain." Alec shook his head, he knew he had no option but to go with her.
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Harry walked up to Ruth's desk as Lucas shrugged on his leather jacket. Ruth was still furious that she was being moved but knew it was the best way they had to flush Towers and Moran out. She glanced up as Harry reached her desk.
"The safehouse is completely secure." Harry stated. Ruth took a deep breath.
"Erin's contact is dead. Killed execution style." Ruth stated.
"When?"
"Approximately ten minutes before her and Alec arrived. The police are at the scene."
"Great."
"She's gone to his home address, hopefully she got there before the police have had a chance. Moran was in prison with him. He was killed the same way he killed the journalist. Cross bow bolt through the head and bullet through the abdomen." Ruth watched as Harry pulled a face. "Leaving the body where it would be found was warning us. He's still as capable of murder as he was the day Adam and I were chased through the woods."
"Ruth."
"I escaped from him once, I don't see why."
"You have to hide? Towers wasn't his little lap dog back then. Not that we know of at any rate." He sat down as he spoke. "I don't like this at all. I like this less that you do. I need you and the kids to be safe."
"We are."
"Ruth, you and Gracie could have been killed. Graham was kidnapped and drugged. How long until Nick or Catherine are targeted? Until Lucy and Charlie? Don't say they've not targeted kids before. You know they have. Towers comes across as Mr Respectable but he's more of a low life than Moran. At least Moran never lied about his heinous little ways." Ruth covered his hand with her own, essentially stopping his tirade.
"I'll go. One condition."
"Isn't there always?"
"You keep Catherine, Graham, Terri and the babies safe. Here at Thames House if needs be."
"It's already arranged. Now go." He turned his hand to link fingers with her.
"I have another condition." Ruth pulled her lap top from the drawer. "Secure server and apps already applied by Tariq. I am not being sidelines by this." Harry smirked. He had known she would never back down. It was not her way to walk away, especially when her family had been threatened.
"Ok. But please just stay at the safe house."
"I have a third condition." Her eyes twinkled as she watched his eyes widen.
"Live. Get through this in one piece. I mourned you once. I can't." Her eyes filled with tears as he squeezed her hand. He knew Lucas was waiting.
"I will." He touched her face gently. "I promise. Now go." She nodded, slipping her hand away from his as she tucked the laptop in her bag. Moments later she slipped out the Grid with Lucas at her side.
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A/N Anyone reading this? If you are, please review.