3
Harry ran a hand over his face knowing that sooner or later he would have to talk to Barbara Watts and Masood Ahmed about their children. He felt his gut twist as he thought of the pending conversation. He'd been in their shoes with both Catherine and Graham. Understanding how the parents felt wouldn't make the conversation any easier.
"Ros?"
The blonde woman walked into their now shared office as he looked up.
"Beth was right. The timer used is old school. Favoured by our friends in the former USSR."
"FSB?" Harry swore under his breath. "Why them? Don't they have enough to do without bombing cake shops?""
"It's their style but like Ruth said there has been nothing to suggest this. There is no reason for them to do it. I've had Catherine research the previous uses. Ruth is looking for potential bomb makers."
"So? Tariq and Erin were the targets?" Harry paused. "Erin is a field officer but Tariq?"
"Boy is a genius."
"Neither working on anything particularly interesting to the FSB. Nothing to garner their attention. "
"No more than Adam or Alec are."
Both fell silent as the office door burst open. Ruth almost ran into the desk in her haste to get in to the room.
"Matthew James Reid. Field officer MI 6. Died thirteen years ago- initially believed to be major trauma RTC. Turned out brakes were damaged and an explosive device detonated. On a timer - ." She paused as Ros and Harry stared at her.
"Matthew Reid." Harry stared at her.
"Known as Matty."
"Calum's brother." Ros stated. "Rosie's dad. Erin was pregnant with her when he died."
"So why attack her now?" Harry frowned.
"Maybe Matty wasn't the intended target back then? I'm having the files pulled from archives now."
Ros swore under her breath before marching out of the room. Harry got to his feet as Ruth blinked back a tear. Harry squeezed her arm as she looked up at him.
"We need to find these people. " Ruth stated firmly. "For Rosie."
"We will." Harry headed out into the main Grid knowing that demons better left buried were about to be ripped into the present day.