My apologies for the length of time it's taken me to update and thanks for your patience which is appreciated. A combination of trying to work out parts of the plot ( I do know how I intend to end this story) and real life are responsible for the delay.

As Harry sank into an expensively upholstered armchair in Ilya's palatial townhouse he felt a mild twinge of envy. Comfortable as his own circumstances were a lifetime of spying had afforded him nothing as luxurious. Then reality intervened with the thought that in political terms the worst he could expect was a change in government about three times a decade on average, when the public were finally unleased into the voting booths. Not that any of the administrations were a very different but a resignation could always be engineered if necessary. Ilya by contrast had been forced to second guess the mental processes of dictators, the brief period of Glasnost having been ousted by the authoritarian, and in the considered opinion of Harry's colleagues in Six, increasingly deranged Putin. His ponderings were brought to an abrupt halt by Ilya entering the room while informing some lackey, "I am not to be interrupted until I ring for you."

With those instruction given Ilya made his way across the carpet, slumping into the chair opposite Harry, his normally reptilian face showing distinct signs of strain. The shadows under his hooded eyes implying that sleep over the last twenty four hours had been as an rejected optional extra.

Nonetheless as Ilya eyed Harry he gave way to a tut of annoyance, "Did no one offer some refreshment?" Harry hastened to remove the stigma from Ilya's staff. Although he hoped not, he wouldn't be unduly surprised to discover that Ilya kept a punishment cell buried the subterranean depths of his property.

"They did but I've only just taken a coffee with Towers."

Ilya essayed a wintry smile, "Of course. I am pleased he is still in post. He was very helpful in allowing Sasha to be released into my custody." Noting the underlying tone of anxiety Harry decided it was time they moved into discussing the reality of today rather returning to the fictions spun eighteen months ago.

"Before you feel forced to ask, Alexis is in a safe house with an operative of his own age, new to the section since the partnership negotiations." Harry refrained from any indication of his own personal relief when those negotiations had foundered and then been abandoned about six months after the estuary traumas. "He can be released into your care as soon as you give me the word."

"Thank you Harry. I know sending him was a risk but…"

"From the cipher you sent I understand why you took it. I'd have probably done the same."

Ilya managed to produce what was for him a warm smile, even if, with his physiognomy he still resembled an undertaker receiving news of yet more business.

While Harry had many questions to ask Ilya he knew what, if he was in Ilya's place, would be his most pressing concern. Better get this one out one the way first.

"Regarding the DNA information I've not shared that with Alexis. In every respect bar that one he is your son, you brought him up and cared for him. " Taking a further breath he added, "Should the necessity arise I will of course do my best to ensure his safety, as I would for my two acknowledged children."

Ilya gave a brief nod. "I accept that. I do know the lengths you went to a few years ago when your daughter's life was in danger."

Harry gave a small shudder from the awakened memories before commenting, "At least my ex wife finally had to admit that I do care about them, although Graham…well I rarely see him but Catherine keeps me updated."

The pair of them sat silently for a moment as they contemplated the complications that spying brought to fatherhood before Ilya asked,

"Harry, Alexis was only allowed to return to the Russia on the condition that he never returned to England on pain of arrest for murder."

"I can put your mind at rest there Ilya. He will not be charged."

"But…"

"He can't be charged with a crime he didn't commit. Alexis was the second person to doorstep me this week. Ruth Evershed rang my bell the night before last. You can't be tried for murder if there is no corpse. At worst it's wounding with intent to kill or possibly attempted murder."

When Ilyas's jaw returned from the floor he managed to articulate, "But how…"

"That is what we are trying to discover. But I don't think the service will want to admit that not only was she still alive, but they also manage to lose her body."

With Ilya still looking less than convinced Harry related with full details the story of the last forty eight hours concluding his narrative with, "So we are now trying to discover what happened to Ruth between her removal by the Air Ambulance and her reappearance on my doorstep. We do think that Bernard Qualtrough was behind it in part, but plainly he had help." Given that Ilya, like himself was a relic of the Cold War, tact prevented Harry from mentioning the strong suspicion that some Russian group was the instigator of the scheme.

In the event tact was rewarded when Ilya, after digesting this walked over to the bookcase, pressed a volume thereby forcing a set of shelves to swing silently outwards revealing a small safe. After placing his finger to a panel in the safe door within seconds Ilya had extracted a memory stick.

Restoring the bookshelves to their normal innocent looking order Ilya passed the stick to Harry before resuming his own seat.

"This Harry is the reason I wanted Alexis removed, I'd heard rumours that various medications, and what I can only describe as mental water boarding techniques, were being practised on those who were considered vulnerable."

Seeing Harry frown he ventured further, "Ruth Evershed under normal circumstances would not be candidate but she was obviously badly wounded."

Harry finished the sentence for him, "Rendering her susceptible while being treated for the physical damage. I'm assuming that as Alexis had experienced some form of mental breakdown the same applied to him."

Ilyas' normal thin lips folded into an even grimmer line, nearly disappearing, "Exactly. His doctor risked a great deal to give me a heads up, he wasn't involved but had heard rumours and when a state surgeon arrived on an inspection tour and showed a great interest in Alexis he became alarmed."

Harry digesting this said, "So you are suggesting that Ruth was …"

"Possibly used as a prototype and I know Qualtrough had a personal score to settle with you, not to mention that it is well known in certain circles that you've foiled more than one major espionage operation."

"And the doctor who worked for you?"

Harry wouldn't have thought it possible for Ilya to look even more grave faced and bleak, but he was proved wrong as Ilya stated, "He sent me what he knew about the treatment five days ago, the next day he was killed in a road accident." Pausing to add, "Allegedly."

Harry had to ask, "So how safe are you Ilya. I'm assuming that you don't intend to return to Russia."

Ilya nodded, "I rather think I've, as you would put it, burnt my boats, but if I must spend the rest of my life looking over my shoulder I'd rather it was in the West where questions will be asked."

Despite the seriousness of the situation Ilya had just outlined Harry broke into a wry smile, "We've both looked death in the face so many times It's rather than achievement to have survived thus far."

Ilya smiled back, "Yes and I fully intend to live to a disgraceful old age."

A statement which they both knew reflected optimism over experience. As if to underline the fact Ilya's mobile phone began to trill into the silence. As Ilya while answering it digested whatever news the speaker on the other end was relaying, his eyes were sparking with a fury that Harry recalled from their shared past. The call concluded with Ilya snapping, "Thank you. Please ensure that all the offices are locked down and advise staff that they must not leave until advised to do so." After listening to what was clearly a protest he repeated, "This is for everyone's safety. If medical treatments or any urgent appointments of whatever nature have to be missed I will ensure that my staff do not suffer any adverse consequences."

After another few moments of conversation he added, "I will inform the appropriate British Security authorities. Do not stand down until I notify you."

Finishing his call he turned to Harry . "My Head Office has just been the subject of an attempted bombing attack. Also my private security teams think some of the other sites in which I have staff based are being watched."

Harry rose from his chair, "I'll advise the Home Secretary. The DG and Six. My own staff will have been monitoring this. I'm assuming that you would prefer Alexis to remain where he is for now."

Turning to leave he swivelled back briefly to add, "I shouldn't worry for yourself Ilya. If I didn't manage to kill you all those years ago and I can't see Putin's goons succeeding where I failed."

With spook black humour Ilya laughed back, "Modest as ever Harry but I'll accept that as compliment."

Thanks for reading and I'm hoping to update more quickly but no promises, real life has a habit of intruding.