It could so easily be raining or bitterly cold given the time of year thinks Harry as he stands looking out of Ruth's kitchen window with a cup of coffee in his hand. Allowing himself a brief smile because the garden is the size of a postage stamp compared to what they have at home. That and because there is no more than the odd cloud in the sky, there is good chance that by the time he gets to the Albert Memorial the sun will be making an appearance as it had on the day when he and Bob Hogan had met Dariush Backhshi to discuss his participation in the live broadcast. Only for him to watch on in horror when the man had been shot and the repercussions which had vibrated around Whitehall, suggesting as they frequently did that the Security Services were incompetent. Justified on that occasion because it had been orchestrated by one of their own, the exposure of Ros as being a member of Yalta and how he had watched Adams's tears during her faked funeral. Something that he himself had experienced but with so much more than a few seconds of reprieve.

Thoughts which have contributed to his determination that he Ruth and Graham will be heading home by lunchtime and is why he has insisted on a precise time for the meeting. Before which he wants to reacquaint himself with the lie of the land and when the time comes, to position himself so that he will be able to gauge Lucas's mood by looking down on him when he is climbing the steps. That and to be sure that Dimitri who is a crack shot and will be armed as a last resort, not to kill but disable and Tariq who will be able to hear every word because Graham is going to be wearing a wire, have both chosen vantage points from where no matter how many people are in the vicinity at the time, will have an uninterrupted view.

If he does have a concern, then it is because his son, who despite his willingness to help, if faced with physical aggression from someone as strong as Lucas, who knows? As is the burning question that were something to happen to him, if he will be able to control his own temper as he knows he must.

Thoughts which are interrupted when, 'you should have woken me,' says Ruth, materialising behind him and wrapping her arms around his waist. The implication being that she wants to spend some time with him and the comfort that brings as he covers her arms with his own. The chance that Graham will be roused from sleep at five thirty after a late night being as likely as him withdrawing his resignation, which means that they still have a short while before Beth arrives to keep Ruth company. The need to respond verbally not wise in this instance even though he knows by the way her breathing has changed that she is worried about him. And is why he limits his action to turning round and pulling her close, rather than to kiss her.

.

Ruth gets no warning whatsoever, but the moment the door closes behind Harry, the room spins and her legs buckle under her. That Beth gets to her before her head meets the tiled floor of the hallway is what saves her from anything more serious than the realisation that she has worked herself into a state by comparing the current situation with the time that Tom had shot Harry. That and how grateful she is that Beth is not only here to keep her company, but after she has made them both a cup of tea, instead of telling her she's here now, something which people tend to say at a time of crisis despite it being blindingly obvious and of very little comfort, she takes her back to the day that she and Harry had come back from their trip to Ely to see Caroline and the reason she had been the one to step in when Lucas had started digging the hole he was about to fall into.

'I knew the moment that you walked onto the grid together that Harry was in love with you. Bloody hell I thought this is the real thing. The spy who everyone looks up to, unmasked by his feelings. Whereas my past is littered with blokes who have egos that made them think that they can get away with anything. The point being that I see Lucas as one of those, purely and simply because he was arrogant enough to think that he could intimidate Caroline and get away with it. Worse still and what brought everyone on board big time was that he targeted you and now Graham.'

'Thanks,' says Ruth, before Beth changes the subject by saying, 'whilst acknowledging that we both know that the reason that I'm here is to take your mind off things and I'll understand if you don't want to tell me, but given what you and Harry did for a living, how easy was it to make the transition and be living in a house that you've chosen with someone you love and trust, knowing that every morning when you wake up that the day is your own.'

Not known for talking about her feelings, there is something about Beth and the fact that she needs a distraction that makes Ruth decide to answer her question. Maybe because Beth reminds her of Jo and the day when they had met on the steps in front of the Albert Hall which is adjacent to the Memorial where Harry is heading.

Either way, 'Harry calls it the real world and I would be lying if I told you that Lucas was the first officer to come between us. In fact, Graham asked me the same question in a roundabout way yesterday evening. I gave him a potted version of what resulted in Harry and I being separated for two years but not that it was Caroline asking us to come and see her after Ros her daughter was killed, which kick started the idea to buy somewhere to escape to at the weekends. It was finding a house that we both love in a beautiful location, combined with Lucas's threatening behaviour which caused us to move there permanently. But as to how it feels to wake up every day next to Harry with a whole day in front of us, apart from the obvious, I think it's being able to go where we want to when we want to without having to look over our shoulders or be accountable for what we do that makes it so special.'

'That good eh, maybe I need to find myself a Harry,' says Beth, making them both laugh.

.

'Harry good to see you,' says Lucas holding out his hand.

'One nil to Harry,' says Tariq for Grahams benefit, when Harry doesn't shake it.'

'Whatever you want to say to me you need to be quick, so get on with it,' he says instead, watching a flicker of doubt crossing Lucas's face because with every minute that passes the doubt that Graham is going to turn up is playing into their hands.

Only for that doubt to increase when Graham reaches the point where he can see them standing together and in a voice which is loaded with contempt says, 'how could I be so stupid not to have realised that this was some spooky plot cooked up to get me to acknowledge he exists.' His finger pointed at Harry but his accusation unmistakeably directed at Lucas.

'It isn't,' says Lucas as Graham turns as if to go, at the same time as Harry is doing a good job of pretending that not only is he surprised to see Graham but he will do anything in order to get him to stay.

Only for Lucas to save him the trouble by saying, 'I'll make it worth your while,' before with a look in Harry's direction he turns back to Graham and adds, 'how would you feel if you'd spent eight years in a Russian prison only to be thrown on the scrapheap when he finally found a way to get you home?'

'Ten minutes and a hundred quid or I'm off,' says Graham with a look of indifference that is worthy of Harry himself. Sticking to the script that he had prepared after he had gone to bed the previous evening. Based on his conversation with Ruth which had made him realise how his dad's approach to his job meant that whatever happened, revenge using innocents to cover up the truth was the polar-opposite of what he had believed. Which explained why what had appeared to be his rejection when he had been a child, was in fact his way of protecting him and Catherine. At the same time knowing that he alongside his dad, his job now is to press Lucas into trying to justify why he has behaving as he has and still is. Even if it means that he will have to hear what Lucas had been subjected to in a Russian prison.

Before that happens and wanting to move things along, rather than it turning into a prolonged verbal battle, 'I haven't got all day Lucas so you either continue with my character deconstruction to my face or I'll call Alec and this time I won't stop him locking you up,' he says, taking a step closer so that he is blocking Lucas's access to his son.

After which there is another pause during which Harry and those who are listening wonder if Lucas will say anything at all or respond by using his fists. Until when he does speak his tone suggests that he thinks his recent behaviour, is not only Harry's fault but acceptable.

'It was on the day that Adam was killed that I realised how little value I was to you,' he says, knowing that the loss of Adam had cut deep into Harry's already fragile mindset because Ruth had been lost to him at the time. 'The same day that Ros came back from Russia. You remember Ros. The traitor who you and Adam smuggled out of the country, whereas as I gave nothing away during those eight years. And what did you do, you promoted her to Section Chief over me. Then I lost Sarah and don't you dare say she was a traitor to make yourself feel better because I loved her and we both know how that feels don't we? But the real humiliation came after Ros was killed and you brought in Alec. An alcoholic who had been drummed out of the Service because he was difficult to work with according to the records, along with a bunch of kids barely out of nappies. Did you even give a thought to how those decisions would make me feel or were you to busy enjoying yourself?'

'Angry enough to cause a scene when Ruth and I came back from visiting a recently bereaved Caroline. Angry enough to think that terrorising her by creeping around her garden after dark was acceptable. Or that breaking into and ransacking Malcom's house thinking it would lead you to finding out where Ruth and I were staying. Not to mention breaking into Ruth's house when you thought she was on her own and when that failed turning you attention to my son in the hope of doing what Lucas? That kind of angry is irrational and contrary to what you might think, every one of your actions was witnessed and recorded by one of Alec's team not mine.'

'I don't understand?'

'I no longer work for the Security Services Lucas. I handed in my resignation within days of Ruth and I visiting Caroline. Which means that for the best part of two months Alec has been the Section Head not the Section Chief. Which even you of the tight fists which if they come anywhere near my son will see you behind bars, must have grasped the fact that there has been and still is vacancy for the position you obviously think you deserve. Not that I as a civilian will be asked if I know anyone who fits the bill, but I think its fair to say that one of the kids as I think you called them will be offered the job. Now if you would be kind enough to get out of my way, Graham Ruth and I have some gardening to do.'