24th September 1991, 2 pm

140 Gower Street, London

It happens quite by accident. She's walking down the hall, gazing down at the papers in her hands, skimming through the information there, analysing and putting it together with the rest of what she's learnt today, when she nears the corner and abruptly stops short. She's not sure what makes her do it. Did she hear something? Is it some sixth sense?

Round the corner is the water-cooler and there are two distinct, female voices conversing in low tones. One she recognises as Jenna's. The other, she has trouble placing – perhaps one of the admin people? Someone from C Section or the registry?

"How are things going with Harry?" she's asking.

"Oh, fine. You know. It's been hard with him getting injured like that."

"Yeah. I can imagine. But at least he's around now. You were miffed when he was in the field a few weeks back."

"Yes, well, it's a bit tricky to have a relationship with someone who's not there!" Jenna replies, setting off a cascade of emotions inside her. Is it Harry who's lied to her and everyone in the section, or is it Jenna who's hiding the truth from her friend, making it look like there's a lot more between them than there really is?

"Still. He's safe. That's what's important. I was so worried when I heard what they did to him. What was it he was investigating again?" her friend asks innocently, setting off alarm bells in Ruth's head. That's a wholly inappropriate question to be asking about an active operation and this woman should know it.

"That group I told you about. Our would-be domestic terrorists."

Christ! She'd already looked into Jenna and found no connection to the Bond group, but she hadn't considered the possibility of something like this. What if this other woman, who's not connected to the team, is the mole? One step removed from the action, so to speak, a link in the chain that almost cost Harry his life. She finds herself fuming at the realisation even as her heart begins to beat faster with excitement and triumph. She may have solved the puzzle after all.

"Oh, that's right. James or something, wasn't it?"

"Really, Sophie. It's Bond, not James."

Sophie laughs softly – a fake sound to Ruth's ears. "Silly me. Still. I'm glad Harry's alright. I heard that Coolidge gave the girl who saved him a job."

"Pfff!" Jenna doesn't sound pleased. "Idiot. She's got no clue what she's doing."

"Elaine says she's smart. She's come down to the registry a few times and-"

"Didn't you have something you need to retrieve for Mark from down there?" Jenna interrupts, her voice suddenly icy.

"Oh, right. Yes." There's a pause, then she adds, "I'm sorry, Jenna. Really. I didn't think. Look, I hope Harry feels better soon. I was so relieved to hear he survived, you know? And so pleased for you."

"Thanks," Jenna replies, her voice a little warmer again.

"It must have been a hell of a blow to lose the Bond group though," Sophie says, and it's at that point that Ruth is certain. Quickly, so as not to give Jenna a chance to reply, she rounds the corner, head bent over her files, seemingly oblivious to her surroundings, but very deliberately walking into Jenna, mainly because she's the one standing in her path, but also – just a little bit – because it feels good to get her revenge. A few files fall from her hands as she clutches at the rest of them, stammering an apology.

"Oi! Watch where you're going!" she exclaims.

"Sorry. I'm so sorry, Jenna," she says. "Are you alright?"

Jenna merely glares at her and brushes down her top, taking a step back from her while Ruth, glances quickly at the other woman who is staring at the pair of them. She recognises her from the registry. She needs to tell Mark or Harry and fast.

And as if summoned by her thoughts alone, Harry materializes beside her. "Everything alright?"

"Fine," she replies, a little breathlessly. "I wasn't looking where I was going and bumped into Jenna. Sorry, Jenna," she says again.

Jenna looks like she's struggling to decide which is worse: refraining from throwing her apology back in her face, or looking like a vindictive bitch in front of Harry. "It's alright," she replies after a short silence. "No harm done."

"Except to my papers," Ruth mutters, crouching down and beginning to pick them up. Harry follows suit as she hoped he would – a gentleman by upbringing if not by profession. He begins with the papers furthest from her, but she does a good job of stalling by setting the folders on the floor and sorting the papers as she picks them up, giving her more time to seize the right moment. "Harry," she murmurs softly when he moves nearer, doing her best to keep her lips from moving, "look busy, but listen."

She feels him tense, but he does exactly as she asks, taking his time picking things up and handing them over or sorting them himself into the folders at her feet. Luckily, Sophie and Jenna have began conversing again, giving them cover for a quick communication.

"It's her. The mole. Sophie from registry."

"Are you sure?"

"Ninety-eight percent. She was subtly fishing for information about the Bond group."

"From Jenna?"

"Yes."

"Christ! Did she get any?"

"No. I caused a diversion." She glances surreptitiously at him and sees his lips twitch.

"Well done," he praises softly. Then he's silent for a moment and adds, "Alright. Go to Malcolm, then take it to Coolidge together. I'll tell Mark. She fancies him, so he's the one to keep her busy until Coolidge decides how we play this."

"OK," she replies and stands, the last few files and papers clutched in her hands. "Thanks, Harry," she says more loudly. "I'll sort the rest at my desk." And with that, she turns, flashes Sophie and Jenna a smile and walks away.

"Jenna," Harry says, "I need you." And with those few, simple words, her demeanour changes completely and she's smiling and nodding her head, following Harry like a love sick puppy. It's rather alarming how easily Harry's able to manipulate her. Perhaps he did sleep with her after all, Ruth can't help thinking, suddenly feeling a little nauseous. That could be her if she's not too careful.

She watches surreptitiously as they move away from the cooler, sees Harry ask Jenna to wait while he strides over to Mark, murmurs something quietly, then strides away again, motioning for Jenna to follow and disappearing from view.

Thankfully, Sophie has been dawdling as she makes her way to the pods, stopping to chat to Nancy, which gives Mark plenty of time to receive his instructions from Harry and carry them out, while she snaps herself out of it and quickly goes off to find Malcolm. Her jealousy will have to wait. There are more important fish to fry at present.