1

Ruth felt sick as she gripped the edge of the sink. The mirror above the porcelain basin seemed to taunt her as she tried to force the memory of Mace gripping her neck away from her mind. It had been years ago. Before she had married Harry. Before her and Harry were properly a couple, before Nick and Gracie had come into their lives. She closed her eyes reminding herself that Oliver Mace was dead. Ros had shot him and saved her life. He was dead, he couldn't hurt anyone anymore. She kept repeating it in her mind as she tried to push the panic away. Seeing the man they had thought would spend his life in prison was not only back in the real world but had apparently murdered three men in cold blood had hit her harder than she had imagined.

"Ruth?" She raised her head as she heard a familiar voice behind her.

"Its the ladies."

"And?" Zaf shrugged.

"You, last I was aware of are not a lady."

She turned to see Zaf smiling slightly. He was just as angry as she was that Scott Peterson was out of prison.

"Been accused of worse." He teased as she shook her head.

"Zaf."

"You can work this case." He frowned. "We know the men that were killed were part of a splinter group related to former Irish terrorists. Zoe is talking to her friend in the police, see what she can find out."

"Ok." Ruth sighed.

"Harry is currently screaming obscenities at whatever paper pusher is supposed to tell us if these scumbags are being released."

"Oh God." Ruth frowned. "He has to watch his blood pressure."

"Yeah, well I'm not telling him that. Don't fancy being stationed to Debra Langham's office for six months." Ruth laughed slightly, knowing that was the ultimate punishment as far as Zaf was concerned. "Lucas and Ros have gone out. Think they are meeting an asset."

"Ok." Ruth blinked as she remembered Ros constantly analysing the footage of her shooting Mace. She had been badly affected by the whole experience, although both Ruth and Zaf knew she would never admit it. "Is she?"

"Ok?" He shrugged. "She says she is."

"She always says she is." Ruth wiped her eyes, stepping forward to step past him. He grabbed her hand.

"We will get through this. You know that, yeah? It will be ok."

"I hope so." She blinked back a tear before he hugged her tightly. "I really hope so."

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Harry marched up and down his office, sleeves rolled up with the phone pressed to his ear as he berated the person on the other end of the line. He had felt sick at the thought of the man who had abducted Ruth walking the streets, free to murder whoever he chose. It seemed that the former civil servant had passed the parole board and was able to convince them that he was a reformed character. The idiocy of the decision angered him more than he had thought possible. Ending the call he wished he had used the landline - pressing the off button was not as cathartic as slamming the phone down. He looked up as he saw Ruth and Zaf return to the Grid. His heart broke for her as he realised just how much seeing the man who had abducted her had affected her. She smiled at him as she headed towards her desk. He stepped towards the office door as she broke eye contact with him. There was no way she was going to let him send her home. Zaf was right. She was capable of working the case. This was not like before, Mace was dead. History was not going to repeat itself.

"Briefing Room, ten minutes." He barked over the Grid before nodding to Ruth and returning to his office.

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Ros walked through the alleyway trying not to let the smell of stale urine and alcohol make her throw up. She headed to the end of the alleyway knowing Lucas was waiting for her in the car. The summer heat made the smell all the more pungent as she reached the skinny woman in the alcove behind the pub.

"Rachel."

"Hello." Ros glared at the heroin addict. She knew the woman was unreliable and couldn't be trusted but sometimes her information was useful. "What you got for me?"

"Money first."

"No." Ros glared at her. "You know how this works. Information first. Come on Diane. You know I can have you arrested in thirty seconds. Possession with intent to supply would just be the start."

"Oh fuck off then." Diane straightened up as Ros turned on her heel. "No come on." Ros turned to face her.

"He's out."

"Who's running him?" Ros watched as the skinny woman threw her cigarette on the floor.

"This place stinks of piss."

"Answer the question."

"Not sure of the name but the O'Donnelly gang is running out of the flats. You know? St Hughes Heights? Where those blokes were dun in?"

"Yes."

"They weren't exactly choir boys."

"Figured that."

"They were killed to order. Surprised you lot involved." Diane lit another cigarette. "I dunno much else."

Ros nodded, handing over the cash she felt her phone vibrate in the pocket of her jacket. She stepped away from Diane as the younger woman told her to watch herself. She had a feeling she was going to need to.