[spoilers] 8.8 - Chapter 3

[almh]

Oooh, we've got into the episode now

Just realised that this is getting a bit like a real Spooks episode now - if you want to read a chapter ahead go onto fanfiction.net - just like BBC3! Sorry, that amused me...

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Location: Thames House

The Grid was almost silent, a rarity. The only noise came from the eternal air-conditioning that never seemed to turn off, lighting turning carelessly discarded pages of paper over on desks. It wasn't often like this, so quiet and calm. Most days the first people arrived at 8 (and on one particularly memorable couple of weeks for Harry, 6 am to complete extra paperwork,) and Ruth was often the last to leave, staying late at work, burning the midnight oil.

Slowly, they all entered in the mornings, in dribs and drabs. Tariq entered last, but still before 8. Harry had been in his office when he noticed the geek of the Grid enter. Almost at once, as soon as Tariq had put down his coat and logged into his computer, they all departed from their desks, heading straight for the meeting room.

"Right, last night GCHQ intercepted some information from Spain," Harry started to explain, looking to Ruth briefly for support.

"The people concerned are of particular interest to us, they're rumoured to have been at the meetings in Basel," Ruth continued, clicking on the projector. Two images filled the screen. "Daniel Manzanedo and Adelia Sanchos. Both former operatives of Centro Nacional de Inteligencia."

"What was the information about?"

"A proposed attack, nothing specific, they were talking in euphemisms. But they were missing during the same five-day period that the Basel meetings went on."

"Tariq, you were working on trying to find the hotel."

"Like looking for a needle in a haystack. I'm going through the airport security footage, but it's taking a while as I don't know who I'm looking for. However, something did come up. It looks like a piece of CCTV footage at the Basel-Mulhouse Airport has been tampered with."

"Can you get the original footage back?" Ros asked.

"I'm trying, but it's an incredibly well made fake."

"Tariq, you're going to continue working on that. At the moment it's our best link to Nightingale. Ruth?"

"I know someone at GCHQ who said they'd sent over an information that they could find that could have a possible link. I was going to try and see if they've missed anything out."

He gave her an almost inconspicuous nod. "Lucas, you're with me today. Ros, you'll be in charge. Anything new, tell me immediately." Ros gave him a small nod.

Harry and Lucas left immediately, with Tariq following immediately afterwards. Ruth stood there, gathering her things. She looked up at Ros when the other woman failed to move.

"Ros? Are you alright?" Ros quickly glanced outside, and watched Harry and Lucas leave the Grid.

"Have you spoken to him yet?" She asked bluntly.

"Spoken to who yet?" Ruth asked blankly, the only hint that she knew what Ros meant was with the increased speed she gathered the rest of her files with.\

"Harry," Ros asked, "Ruth, you haven't have you?"

"We've both been busy," she said, walking out. Ros refused to take the bait, and instead followed Ruth to her desk.

"Come on, you haven't been that busy to avoid talking to someone." Ros watched as Ruth sat down at her desk already full of files from GCHQ. She paused, trying to figure out what next to do. She decided to change tack. "Fine. You're having lunch with me today."

"Lunch?" Ruth told her quietly. "I didn't know that you were really that interested in my relationships with other people,"

"I thought that's what friends did." There was a pause.

"Ok. Lunch," Ruth finally said resignedly. "Will you leave me alone till then and not keep asking me than?"

"Perhaps. I need to go anyway, I've got to meet a contact soon. So, 1, here. Oh, and let me know if you find anything new about Nightingale." Ros turned away and left briskly, completely ignoring Tariq on her way out. Tariq looked after her, his reaction one of slight hurt. Ruth smiled sympathetically at him, but quickly returned to her work.