That they are meeting in Ruth's house, distancing themselves even further from their colleagues, Malcolm knows is an informed decision made entirely by Harry. And knowing him as he does, will be to protect the people he cares about. None more so than Ruth, who despite the appearance of being confronted by what must feel like another nightmare scenario, has a look of acceptance that is more positive than it is negative. That they are clearly the couple that he'd always hoped they would be and not just embarking on what he'd thought might be a second attempt, is pretty clear by the number of Harry's things which are dotted around the place. Something which despite the seriousness of the current problem, is filling him with an inner contentment that he hasn't felt since the day he retired. A retirement which despite moving to his cottage by the sea, still sees him enjoying his daily crossword and reading the newspaper. Which means that he knows that the endless circle of conflicts have continued unabated. The latest of which has seen the loss of Ros, which he knows will have hit Harry hard.

What he doesn't know and is curious to find out, is how Harry and Ruth have gone from barely speaking to each other to this? Or if he's being presumptuous in hoping that he might be invited to stay on longer than the couple of nights which Harry has suggested, based on knowing that nothing in their line of work is solved quickly. That and from a personal point of view, he'd like to spend more time with them as friends. Ones he can be honest with, rather than the fabrication he's concocted to appease his new neighbours. Something which doesn't sit easy with him.

For the moment though he just needs to make himself feel useful and is why he's followed Ruth into the kitchen, leaving Harry to explain to Alec that in order for him to be paid for his services, his choice of beverage for the duration, will be limited to a cup of coffee or tea.

.

'Behaviour similar to what you're describing can usually be put down to deep seated guilt or the need for revenge,' says Alec, who when Harry had knocked on his door demanding his help, had looked nothing like the man he'd remembered him to be. Whereas now having spruced himself up, despite the intervening years, looks somewhere close to the man from the time when they'd been forced to work together for a protracted period. When one of their colleagues had for no discernible reason, blown his brains out in the gents over at six.

At a time when it would have been a stretch for Harry to have said that he liked him, but then what he needs him to do now, doesn't require like to be part of the deal. Besides who is he to judge, when he himself during the years that Ruth had been away, had it not been for the support of his team, could so easily reached for the bottle more often than he had.

Which is just as well, because within moment of Ruth and Malcolm coming back into the room, 'nice set up you've got here,' says the man who is lounging in what he now views as his chair.

As opposed to be sleeping in a tip with bits of girls, thinks Harry and had Ruth looked offended would have said so. But not only does she seem perfectly in control, but says, 'we've set up a link to the grid so that you can access Lucas's records,' before placing the plate of sandwiches on the table, while Malcolm hands out the drinks.

Heaven forbid that Alec who has his eyes on the sandwiches knocks anything over, thinks Harry, moving a couple of Ruth's precious books while he waits for the appropriate information to come up on the screen and until it does, takes himself back to the day when Lucas had staggered across the rough ground of the industrial estate in Bermondsey. How in the car on the way back to the grid, he'd said he had a craving for fish and chips. And how he'd pleaded with him to let him get straight back to work. Although most striking of all the memories, is when he'd heard Malcolm say, is it really eight years, referring to the time that Lucas had been away. Does this mean that Alec is right, or is he himself responsible for the way that Lucas is behaving now? He doesn't know.

Any further thoughts though are interrupted when Malcolm asks, 'if everyone is ready?'

Ready, Harry knows will be to hear Malcolm read out loud the details on Lucas's personal file which Tariq has sent through as he's asked him to. Which although necessary, now feels like an intrusion. So much so that he finds himself wanting to walk out of the room. A ridiculous notion when the people he's brought in to solve this problem, along with Ruth and himself are the only people who will hear what Malcolm says.

'Born in Devon, the only child of a Methodist minister, Lucas North went to the village school in Oakhampton. From there he went to boarding school in Truro and then spent three years at the University of Birmingham studying History. His application to join MI5 and the induction course that followed, saw him joining Section D as a junior field officer in the early eighties. What his record doesn't show, but is documented in the paperwork which one of our colleagues has copied from the archives, is that Lucas was sent as an undercover agent to Moscow.'

'By me,' adds Harry for Alec's benefit.

'Do we know who shopped him?' from Alec, sounds all too simplistic given what happened to Lucas and to Ben. Memories which of the people who had been there on that dreadful day, only he and Malcolm are still alive.

'Someone who I'd known for almost thirty years and would have trusted with my life. Only to find that she'd been turned by the Russians, during an operation in the seventies.'

'And a personal life Lucas must have one?' Is Alec's next question and although Harry knows he has to tell him, somehow it feels like an even bigger intrusion.

'He was married to a Russian citizen living in London. They divorced for reasons I don't know and she remarried while he was in prison. She and her husband have a child. On my request Lucas started seeing her again. Using her on our behalf, we managed to infiltrate the FSB here at the highest level and in doing so, prevented a catastrophic incident that would have cost thousands of lives. In amongst all this, I do know that there was a failed attempt by Lucas at a reconciliation. Prior to that, Adam Carter my then section chief was killed by the same firm and I took steps to ensure that perpetrator was dealt with. But more than that I'm not prepared to say. Time moves on and up until very recently Lucas had been having an affair with Sarah Caulfield, a field agent the American Embassy. But she was killed before she could give us the information that she herself had delivered the bomb to the hotel where the Indian and Pakistan delegations were meeting. I lost Ros Myers on that occasion and less than a week ago, Ruth and I attended her funeral.'

'Put like that, it makes me glad I retired,' said Alec, who at least had been making notes. At which point Malcolm looked at Harry and not for the first time, wondered how the hell he kept going and was it really worth it?'

.

With Alec gone, having promised to be back by nine at the latest in the morning, they were just about to settle themselves down for the rest of the evening when Harry's phone rang. Excusing himself and heading out of the room, neither Ruth or Malcolm could hear what he was saying, or knew who the caller was.

It was only when Harry came back into the room and they saw his expression, that they knew their quiet evening was just about to get blown apart.

'That was Caroline. Ros's mother,' Harry added for Malcolm's benefit. 'Lucas has been to see her.'

'Why would he do that?' not only sounded inadequate, but proved to be so when Harry answered Ruth's question.

'I have no idea, but whatever he said to her she's frightened, so I've told her I'll go and get her and bring her back here. I hope that's OK?'

So am I, said Ruth's expression. But her and lack of saying so, Malcolm knew had nothing to do with Harry's suggestion that he was going to bring Caroline here. It was the thought of him driving all the way to Ely on his own, to be confronted by what?

'I think it's time I went upstairs and did my unpacking,' he told them, before leaving the room. Not even sure that they'd heard him.