2.
Ruth walked across the Grid aware that Harry was in his office talking to the Home Secretary on the phone. The meeting with the JIC had long since been abandoned in favour of a COBRA meeting. She knew that would mean he would be tied up in Whitehall for the foreseeable future.
"Harry." He ended the call as she walked into the office. "That distorted face. Tariq is trying to trace the signal."
"Good."
"It WAS the Gavrik family crest."
"Yes." Harry paused.
"Elena and Ilya are dead."
"Yes."
"Sasha isn't."
"No, but he is in a secure psychiatric facility. He's safe and certainly doesn't have access to the internet."
"Are you sure about that?" Ros asked as she joined them. "Harry, if there is any chance that boy is behind this."
"He would come after me." Ruth paused. "Or Harry. Its us he has a personal grudge against. Not half of London."
"Shock and awe?"
"No." Ruth shook her head. "No it just doesn't feel like him. He has other family. I asked Catherine to complete a reverse family tree. See what relatives are in Russia that may have the ability to do this."
"There's none to my knowledge." Harry paused. "Do we have a death toll?"
"Not confirmed." Ros paused. "Not yet, but three Major Hospitals are on alert. High number of casualties."
"Media blackout can only last for so long."
"Exactly." Harry snapped. "I need answers. Who the Hell is using that crest and who is behind this."
"None of the groups on my list would be capable of something this big." Ruth turned, following the out onto the Grid. Ros began barking orders at the team as Will and Dimitri grabbed their jackets.
"No heroics." Harry yelled. "I want answers, not visits to your next of kin. Understood."
Dimitri nodded as he looked over to Beth who seemed to be more subdued than usual. Still not cleared for field duty the blonde looked more frustrated than upset.
"Get me as much information on the devices as you can." Beth grabbed Dimitri's hand. "And be careful."
"Always am."
Beth nodded before turning back to her computer as the nausea seemed to overwhelm her. She hated not being in the field but knew there was no chance she was going to be allowed. Adam shot her a sympathetic look as he and Erin headed out of the Grid quickly followed by Alec and Zaf. Ruth watched them go knowing she had to get them the answers they needed before another device activated.
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Erin pushed her foot to the accelerator as Adam looked out of the passenger window.
"What the Hell is that?" Erin asked as she swung the car around some hastily placed bollards.
"Media coverage."
"So much for the blackout." Erin hissed as she threw the car around a corner hoping that her asset would be there waiting for her. The idea that the small Scotsman would not be there made her blood run cold.
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"Harry." Zoe looked up as Harry reappeared from his office.
"I have a meeting with COBRA. Ros can handle everything while I am gone." He shrugged his coat on as Catherine looked up.
"You need to see this."
"As I said."
"JUST LISTEN." Ruth snapped as she turned the monitor to face him. "Elena Gavrik may be dead but Anouska Krycheck isn't. Her ex FSB sister who happened to be a Russian explosive expert. She, Harry is very much alive."