2
The atmosphere on the Grid was intense as Ros marched back through the Pods. She knew her informant had been telling the truth. The Irish splinter group had been cropping up in Ruth's intel reports and so far had been barely an annoyance. She knew her friend was right to keep an eye on them. Now it seemed the three ring leaders were dead and a known traitor was the main suspect in their deaths. She headed into the Briefing Room, glancing once at Lucas as she realised she was the last person to arrive.
"Peterson." Ruth started as she turned to the computer screen. Her voice was void of emotion as Ros kept her face deadpan. "Apparently released from prison three weeks ago for good behaviour."
"I thought he was dead." Malcolm frowned.
"Wishful thinking." Ros glared at the screen. "My informant told me as much. Don't think she knew anything more than we do."
Harry nodded. He knew 'Rachel' had cultivated a number of assets over the years. He had no doubt if Ros believed the woman then her intel was correct. He glanced at his wife as Ruth continued to explain how Peterson had been linked to the former Home Secretary, how he had been one of Mace's henchmen. She had been light on the details of her own abduction - making sure the newer members of the team knew how dangerous Peterson was without going into too much detail. She glanced away from the computer as Lucas looked over at Ros. He remembered finding her almost catatonic on the basement floor but had pushed the image as far out of his mind as he possibly could. The fact that the man was now back and apparently acting as some form of hit man made him wonder who the real mastermind behind the attacks were.
"Peterson was never the brightest star in the sky." Adam stated as Ros nodded.
"True. He was a civil servant." Ros stated. "A pen pusher."
"Who was pretty keen on doing whatever the highest bidder wanted." Ruth sighed. "Back then it was Oliver Mace pulling the strings. Now? We don't know."
"Oliver Mace?" Will frowned. "I have heard that name. Didn't he work with Dad?"
"Yes." Harry nodded. "Myself, your father, Juliet Shaw, Oliver Mace and Connie made up what was Section B back in the day. Henry Parks was the boss."
"And despite that trip down memory lane." Ros snapped. "We still have no idea who he is working for and three men are dead. Murdered in a flat with kids playing outside and a shit load of explosives in the kitchen."
Harry nodded before turning his attention to the team.
"Police searched the flat where the bodies were found. We know they were all former members of various groups. Some linked to Northern Ireland in the late 80s, others such as Shining Dawn and Britain for Britain caught their attention. They had no real ideology, rather worked for the highest bidder."
"Same as Peterson." Zoe glared at her notepad.
"Exactly." Ruth sighed. "Only thing is we have no idea who they were currently working for and why Peterson was employed to remove them."
Ros pushed herself away from the wall as Harry closed the file in front of him.
"We need to get as much background on him as possible." She paused. "Will, Erin. Get to the prison. See who thought he was a reformed character. Zoe. Your friend in the police?"
"I'm meeting her at Corner Café in an hour."
"Don't go alone."
"I."
"Peterson is dangerous. Don't underestimate him. Oliver Mace is dead, but he is exactly the sort of man this parasite has worked for in the past and will again. No doubt there is someone out there who thinks he can be useful. I'd rather not have to contact any of our next of kin to inform them one of us underestimated him." She began assigning tasks to the rest of the team as Harry glanced at Ruth. He knew she was focused on the present but he couldn't help but think she was still reliving the past. He knew he was. He knew the memory of her laying with blood oozing from her temple with Mace's hand around her neck would haunt him for the rest of his days. Sighing he got to his feet as the team began leaving the Briefing Room.
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Ros gripped the handrail around the edge of the roof. She knew she had always managed to compartmentalise her life. It was something she had known before she had become an officer, it was natural to her but now the memory of standing in the same basement where Jo had died holding the gun on Mace as she heard Jo tell her she could save Ruth made her feel sick. She had killed Jo and she had killed Mace. The only thing was she would never regret killing him, but Jo would always burn her soul.
"Ros."
"Why those three?"
"Bigger fish wanted them gone." Lucas shrugged as he watched his wife. He knew she was trying to find a motive for the three murders as well as keep herself rooted in the present. "Last time we met him you and I weren't married."
"Who?"
"Stevenson."
"Ah, yes." She glanced at him. "So what?"
"So, back then I felt that I couldn't tell you what I am going to tell you now." He rested his hands next to hers. Ros glanced at him before turning her attention back to the city skyline.
"As your wife or your senior officer?"
"Well, back then as my senior officer and the woman I was head over heels for." He watched her roll her eyes. "So, yeah. Pretty much the same situation. Only now I don't think you'll throw me off the roof when I say it."
"Don't count on it." She smirked as Lucas smiled at her.
"Ok, here goes." He rested his hand on hers. "You are the best Section Chief this place has had. Not just Section D, the whole thing. You care Ros. That's saying something. Look, I am not saying the other Section Chief's don't but its more about the case and the team with you, not just the case. You beat Stevenson once."
"Not before he abducted Ruth. Not before.."
"Ros." Lucas turned to her. "He is a piece of scum. We agree on that much." She nodded once. Lucas tilted her chin so she had to look at him. "And whatever he has planned we will stop him. You know he only got away with what he was doing back then because of Mace. Well, he isn't here now. We are. No one is going to get hurt this time."
"I bet Catherine thought the same that day on the Grid."
"And that was not your fault. He got the gun into the office. Fitzgerald. He shot Catherine. Not you. That was not your fault."
"One inch to the right and she would be dead. As is is she is paralysed. On my watch, Lucas. Catherine was paralysed in this building. On my watch." She turned away, the Ice Queen back in full flow. "It is not happening again. I wont let it happen again." She turned on her heels marching back into the building. Lucas swore under his breath, wondering just how much more his wife could take.