Disclaimer same as ever
Sophie's Story
Adam leant against the car, the late Autumn sunshine bathing the street around him as he waited. He knew Zaf was paying for coffee from the small newsagent kiosk opposite Whitehall. Neither of them were particularly keen to be there, both worried about Ros and Lucas who were still in Wales and apparently unreachable.
"Here we go." Beth smiled as she jogged around the corner, almost knocking the petite red-head off her feet as she left the sweetshop on the corner.
"Oof." Sophie staggered back, ready to give Beth a piece of her mind. Moments later Zaf was behind her as Adam crossed the street. "I don't believe this."
"Hiya Soph." Zaf smiled. "Boss wants a word."
"I haven't done anything wrong. This could lose me my job." She huffed as she walked towards the car Adam was ushering her to.
"No it wont. If we wanted that we'd have picked you up in the office for all to see." Adam smiled sweetly. "You know that. This is just an informal chat."
"It takes three spooks to pick me up for an informal chat." Sophie raised an eyebrow.
"When someone is trying to kill people I care about. Yes." Adam snapped. Sophie raised her eyebrows before getting into the car. She knew any more arguing would be futile.
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The roof was cold as Ruth stepped out onto the concrete, the wind blowing her hair in all directions. London seemed to go on oblivious to the struggle she was having to get her legs to walk in the direction she wanted to go in. Harry hadn't even noticed her arrival. Swearing under her breath she dragged one foot in front of the other trying her best to ignore the pain shooting down her left leg.
"Ruth." Harry turned suddenly.
"Beth called. They have Sophie. She will be in the interview room before much longer. Dimitri has bought a cheep pay as you go phone to call Ros. At the moment no answer but he's going to keep trying." She winced as he stepped nearer.
"You're in pain."
Ruth smiled slightly. The wind finally blowing her hair away from her face.
"This is why you are so good at this. Reading people."
"I know you."
"So you do." Ruth smiled as he took her hands in his. He stared in her eyes, knowing she was teasing him but he wasn't going to be distracted by her. "I'm ok. Spinal Shock is not fun, my nerves are still trying to regenerate. I am lucky to be on my feet at all. You know that and as much as I hate to say it, if it wasn't for Juliet I would probably have been killed in that hospital room."
"Don't."
"It's true."
"Doesn't mean the very thought of it doesn't make my blood run cold." He held her gaze as she sighed.
"Harry, do you really think Sophie is feeding you and Towers information? A double agent? She's what? 26? Tariq's age."
"I don't want to think that." Harry was completely unfazed by the change in conversation. "But I didn't want to think Tom was on the blink, or that Lucas had been lying or worse still, Connie had been a traitor for years."
"Lucas had his reasons." Ruth stated. "You know that."
"Trust. It's a funny thing. I don't think she is a double agent but she knows something. She may just be in the same position you were all those years ago. Remember? You were supposed to be my downfall?" She closed her eyes as he touched her face.
"Harry."
"Well?"
"I am afraid I still may be." She bit her lip as he wrapped his arms around her, knowing that she still worried men like Oliver Mace would use her against him.
"No Ruth." He kissed her neck as he hugged her. "You saved me, more times than you know."
"Let me talk to Sophie." Ruth asked. "She's a young girl. Adam and Beth will terrify her and she thinks I'm dead so it may shock her into telling me something."
"No, I want you listening in. Erin can go with Adam." Harry stated. "A calmer influence than him may be useful." Ruth frowned slightly. "She may run straight to Towers when she's out of here. Telling him you are still alive is not going to put us on the front foot." Ruth nodded before turning and leading him back to the Grid.
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"Bloody idiot." Ros snapped as she walked along the leafy side street in Pontypridd. A night of car chases, lack of sleep and being almost killed had done nothing for her mood. Lucas touched her back, feeling how tense she was beneath her leather jacket.
"It was only a cyclist."
"Still a bloody idiot." Ros snapped as the young man rode away after almost knocking her off her feet. The town houses that were now mostly student flats stood in a row in front of her. "Here we are."
"You know what Dimitri said." Lucas raised an eyebrow.
"Dim says a lot of things." Ros stated as she jogged up the stone steps before pressing the doorbell. Moments later a middle aged woman with a cigarette hanging out of her mouth and a curry stained top opened the door.
"Yeah?"
"Mrs Moran." Ros flashed a fake police ID badge that Calum had made for her. "We're here to talk about your son."
"Better ge in 'ere then eh." She stepped back. "Dun wan the whole street knowing my business. Bad enough the bloody papers on my doorstep earlier."
"Papers?" Lucas asked as he stepped around a sleeping labrador.
"Yeah, some no mark journalis turned up half hour ago says they are putting my boy's name in paper, naming him as the killer. Young mum killed they said. Not my boy I said. Told him to eff off, bleeding cheek."
Ros and Lucas exchanged glances, knowing they had to get the woman to talk to them before she told anyone else what she knew or ended up dead.
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A/N If you are reading please review.