Facing down the Meeting Room table Harry noted one absentee, where was Erin? His scowl must have spoken for his tongue as Dmitri hastily informed him,

"I think she's shopping….for Ruth."

Harry who tended to operate on the mantra of 'never apologise and never explain', settled for saying, "Of course. She can be brought up to speed later," just as Erin walked in, immaculate as ever in short figure hugging skirt, high heels and model girl makeup.

"Sorry Harry I was just checking that all the parcels for Ruth had arrived at the hospital."

"All!"

"Well day clothes, night clothes, underwear, shoes, makeup, perfume…"

The last making Harry interject, "Perfume!"

"I thought it might stimulate her senses."

A vision of the bill Erin had probably committed to the Section Budget was swimming before Harry's eyes as he contemplated the prospect of accounting for the purchase of women's underwear and perfume to the Head of Finance, a man who made the pre Christmas Scrooge look like a spendthrift.

While Harry indulging in this nightmare Malcolm had interjected, "A good idea Erin – olfactory memories can be important in reminding…" At which point Callum had cut in, "How true.. although last night the memories stimulated by the Gents in the pub…" Quite what these memories were remained a merciful mystery as Calum's efforts to lower the tone of the meeting jerked Harry out of his reverie as he called his troops to order.

"Thank you Erin. Now I believe we have a few developments…Dmtiri?"

For the benefit of the rest of the team Dmitri confirmed the Intel from the previous evening.

"The body by the Thames Barrier has been positively identified as that of Bernard Qualtrough. He was shot in the head execution style with a single bullet from what seems to be a favoured firearm of the Soviets. Bernard had changed his appearance, dyed hair, weight loss – the usual. He was also on the ports watch list with an arrest warrant."

Matthew chimed in, "Dmitri asked me to check for any related Intel. There was a link to the Renaissance file. I tried to access it but it flagged up as redacted."

Harry nodded, "It would be. It was part of a cross espionage operation- the flip side being called 'Sugar Horse'. A very messy time. Suffice it to say that Bernard almost certainly bore me a grudge for unmasking him."

Everyone was shooting puzzled glances at Harry not daring to ask for further details, The thin line also Harry's mouth suggesting that it wasn't just the file that was going to remain closed to them. It fell to Malcolm who did know the background to explain a basic outline, "Renaissance was a well embedded spy operation. When it was finally unpicked Bernard had to flee to Russia. To compound the puzzle it was revealed that Connie James, the analyst who had replaced Ruth, an old colleague of myself and Harry turned out to be the traitor in our midst." Pausing he added, "In view of the past history the main questions are 'Why did he risk coming back and how is.. er was… he involved with Ruth's reappearance?"

Harry was mentally buckling up for an even more awkward conversation.

"I might just receive some answers shortly. Alexis Gavrick arrived on my doorstep yesterday evening with a coded letter from Ilya."

Consternation was the keyword for the reaction of the group included Dmitri's feigning of the same since he reckoned admitting prior knowledge to this announcement would not curry favour with Erin. Something Harry noted with a glimmer of amusement while Erin was expostulating, "And you didn't buzz code red!"

Malcolm with years of knowledge of Harry's methods of operation, few of which went wholly by the Health, Safety and Security at work playbook was the only person present not to gape at his next statement.

"No I didn't as he's harmless."

Erin practically shrieked in response, "What after he did – he killed Ruth for goodness sake." Causing Calum to comment, "So who was it who took a pot shot at Harry the other night, Ruths' ghost?"

Harry having suffered two very strained days was in no mood to tolerate further dispute as he demanded "Silence now!"

Into the resultant calm he revealed, with minor redactions the events of the previous evening.

"Firstly as Calum has reminded us Alexis did not actually murder Ruth. As we all, with the exception of Matthew, know he was intending to kill me."

Mathew was also feigning ignorance, given that Calum had discretely explained to him the outline of the historic events under discussion. Any indication that he was not in ignorance passed unnoticed in the ruckus that Erin seemed intent on creating as she stated firmly, "Exactly so surely…" to peter out under the Pearce glare known to reduce those of a nervous disposition to quivering jellies.

Harry taking advantage of her faltering with a sarcastic, "Thank you" proceeded with "Alexis was sent to me by Ilya who would not have done so if he didn't believe that Alexis had recovered from his meltdown. The letter he sent with Alexis, a Playfair cipher," seeing the blank looks he twinkled briefly at Malcolm,

"Old fashioned spy craft."

"And not the safest – how did he send the keyword?"

"A cryptic sentence I had to solve."

Facing the now mystified younger staff he continued, "The letter basically informed me that he was sending Alexis to me before Putin's merry men could grab him as leverage to force Ilya into activities that he prefers to eschew."

Malcolm all too aware of various hideous past and bloody histories asked, "So he's no longer a spy!" as a query rather than a statement. Harry smirked, "More likely prefers a career change in favour of running his various business interests which I gather are increasingly centred in the West."

Matthew the rookie chipped in, "Could be used as a cover for various covert influencing and underhand practices… that was an increasing concern at the last meeting the various section analysts had with representatives from GCHQ"

Matthew might not be Ruth but he was rapidly earning Harry's approval. "Exactly, and as Ilya is I suspect planning to centre more of his business in Europe and especially in the UK."

Taking a breath he added "Importantly he also advised me in his letter that he had heard rumours of a plot to remove me but had no details. I suspect that the conditioning Ruth was subjected to might be an experiment in finding a method of removing obstacles without resorting to poisons."

Erin had an objection this theory "That seems expensive and not very reliable judging by the results – I mean you survived."

Harry aware that Erin had been groomed as his replacement wasn't sure if he had detected an undertone of regret in that statement.

Malcolm demurred slightly "A good point Erin, but few people are as intelligent or stubborn as Ruth s if she could be groomed to kill someone she adored well…" His words petered out having seen the flash of naked pain on Harry's face.

Further debate was interrupted by a junior member of staff entering to add her mite to the already fraught meeting room atmosphere.

"Sorry Sir but you did ask to be informed. Ilya Gavrcik has just arrived at Heathrow. He's cleared customs and is heading for a property he owns in Knightsbridge."