3

The heatwave was beginning to match Ros' mood. The soaring heat certainly matched her ire as she headed back into the Grid. Without a word she headed towards where Zaf and Adam were sat going through intel reports Ruth had given them. She felt physically sick as she stood behind Zaf.

"Ros."

"We were here last time this waste of skin was on our radar."

"Yeah." Adam nodded, frowning slightly he knew when Ros was about to go off and do something other people in her role would question the rationale behind. He also knew there was more than once when he had done the same. "So?"

"So, you know Erin and the others have no idea what happened then. Not really. Its just a case in the history files to them."

"Again." Zaf paused. "So?"

"So, we have to shut him down before he does something else. He abducted Ruth." She raised a hand. "On the orders of Mace I know but this Section has been through too much recently."

"A lot happened back then too." Adam paused. "Zoe and us coming back. You and Lucas being injured in the hotel attack."

"Losing Jo." Ros paused as Zaf's eyes darkened for a moment. Her heart broke for a moment, knowing how close he and Jo had been before his ill-fated trip to Iran. He looked back at her.

"And he knows us. He would recognise Ruth and us three. Definately would know Harry and Malcolm." Adam ran a hand over his face. "And once again we have been through shit."

"Yeah, you with Covid nearly dying on us. Catherine getting shot."

"What about Cath?" Calum stopped by their desks as he heard his wife's name. Ros folded her arms. She turned to him.

"Last time Peterson was on our books we were recovering from a nightmare. Now it seems we are doing so again. I can't help but think he knows this. Catherine's shooting was never leaked to the press, she has been continued to be counted in our numbers and as far as anyone outside this room is concerned she will be back."

"That's up to her."

"Exactly." Zaf stated. "But, mate look. This scumbag has a way of finding our achilles heel. He attacked Ruth knowing how important she is to us. How it would affect the team and destroy Harry. I don't think he will go for her again. But Catherine."

"Tell me she is safe." Calum glared. "For Fuck sake, Ros! She's in rehab. Tell me she is safe."

"I." Ros paused. "I wont lie to you. I don't know. I really do not know."

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Catherine glared at the ceiling as she lay on the bed in the rehab centre. She knew the children were happy and well cared for but she still missed them. And then there was Calum. Her husband had been amazing but she knew he was trying to hide how worried he was. She was not stupid, she reasoned, knowing that the fact she was off sick meant that there was very little he could talk to her about regarding work and she hated it.

"Catherine?" A blonde man in a nurses uniform approached her. She frowned, not recognising him. "Catherine Reid?"

"Yeah."

"I'm Dan. Your new physio." She narrowed her eyes.

"No one said I was having a new physio." She narrowed her eyes. Everything told her she was being lied to. She knew the man in front of her was not a physiotherapist. His whole demeanour gave him away. She had nicknamed the physio she had been working with as a Sally the physioterrorist but there was something wrong, something off about the man in front of her.

"Typical. Sally is off sick." He smiled.

"Oh, bless her." Catherine played along, wishing she could kick him where it hurt. Pulling herself up into a sitting position as he brought her wheelchair near to the bed. "Nothing too bad, I hope." She paused as he shrugged.

"Dunno, just got asked to cover her shift."

Catherine nodded, her eyes quickly scanning the room. She took a deep breath before pulling her legs over to the edge of the bed and looking up at him. "So, what is it today?"

"Gym." Dan smiled at her. Catherine pretended to roll her eyes as he held the chair still. She leant over and clipped on the break before sliding herself into the chair.

"Great. I need the loo first though. OK?"

"We are on a tight schedule."

"And I am on a paralysed bladder." Catherine paused. "Now, unless you want to be cleaning up a wet patch in the gym you'll give me five minutes to use the loo. Ok?"

He sighed, knowing that if Catherine continued to argue staff would come to check what was going on. He nodded. "OK. Fair point."

"Thank you." She wheeled herself into the accessible bathroom, locking the door behind her. Swearing under her breath she knew the man waiting for her was not the man he had said he was. Digging into her pocket she pulled out the phone punching in a text message before going across to the opposite door, letting herself out the other side with 'Dan' still none the wiser.

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Calum pulled his phone out of his pocket the moment the text alert went off.

"Catherine." He explained as Zaf ran a hand over his face. "Shit."

"What is it?" Ruth looked up from her desk. "Is she ok?"

"Just says URGENT EXIT NOW." He held up the phone. "She's in the rehab centre." He jumped as Erin threw his jacket at him.

"Come on!" She ran to the Pods with Zaf and Adam behind them as Ruth began calling the Rehab Centre. Ros had been right, the man they were looking for was looking for a weak spot. This time he thought it was Catherine. Knowing her step daughter she knew he had made a grave mistake. She ended the call to the manager of the rehab centre before walking into her husband's office.

"Harry."

"Ruth." He looked up, knowing that tone of voice. "What is it?"

"You are going to have to promise me you will stay calm. I cannot have you risking another heart attack."

"Ruth." His voice was deadly serious.

"Its Catherine." She paused. "Peterson has gone after her."

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