Friends in High Places: Chapter 1

[penfold]

Friends in High Places. Ch 1.
Spoilers for 8.3
November 21st, 2009
Harry Pearce and the Home Secretary.
Characters borrowed from Spooks.





A dark street of Georgian terraces in the early evening - a light drizzle reflecting the yellow street lights on the pavement. The lights shining through drawn curtains projecting a warm glow from behind them. Families settling down for the evening to do the things families do - eating, talking, watching TV with their loved ones.

One house was in total darkness except for a first floor window illuminated from inside by a dimmed lamp glow, and a man looking out onto the shimmering street, glass in hand, miles away in his thoughts. Harry had a lot to occupy his thoughts.

Two dark cars pulled up outside, getting his attention immediately. The front passenger door opened and its occupant quickly scanned up and down the street, talking apparently to himself. Satisfied with what he saw, or didn't see, he gestured to the second car, whose lone passenger exited from the rear door, closing it soundlessly behind him, and hurried up the three steps to the door. Harry was already waiting to welcome him in, and after an imperceptable nod to the Special Branch escorts, he closed the front door.

"Come in Home Secretary; to what do I owe this pleasure - always supposing it is a pleasure of course. Are you here to give me HMG's condolences on the loss of another one of my officers in the selfless service of our country's Government?"

Harry turned down the volume, reducing the Saint-Saens to a more comfortable level, and reached for the 50 year old Malt and another glass.

"Not exactly Harry - this is a personal visit" , said the Home Secretary, dropping into the Porter's chair opposite Harry's and savouring a mouthful of the Glenmorangie.

" I'm here to give my personal condolences - it must be a situation you live with every day, sending out your officers and never knowing if they'll come back. Today I had a small taste of what you go through, watching those trials on the web, knowing that Miss Myers was there, and knowing all too well that she was only there because I'd asked a favour of you Harry. It crystallised what I feel for Ros - I couldn't bear to watch, but I had to, with my heart in my mouth. I don't mind admitting I was scared, Harry"

Harry had noticed the shift from 'Miss Myers' to 'Ros, and and raised an eyebrow, but said nothing, and waited for the Home Secretary to continue.

"Thank heavens the Bendorf situation is over, as far as the rest of the world is concerned. It' s very far from over for the two of us though - a lot of fallout is on it's way."

"Well I do have a few, fairly important issues to sort out." said Harry. "I have a very depleted team on the Grid; my senior coms analyst has retired after the trauma of saving Nico's life, and his replacement is very good, but he'll never be Malcolm; Ruth is only just back and was starting to get back into her stride with the help of Ms Portman - Jo; I have an incredibly traumatised Senior Field Officer, who in order to overcome the threat from Finn, was put in the position of having to kill her junior officer -the aforementioned Ms Portman."

Harry looked sharply at the Home Secretary - " Did you even know her name? Jo? - the object of your condolences - did you know she has - had - a family. A family that Ruth has volunteered to go and tell they've lost their daughter. God knows why she would want to, after all she's been through - the woman is a saint. " Harry caught his breath and closed his eyes for a second at the mention of Ruth, then continued. "Do you realise that everything isn't a 'situation' that can be dealt with, stamped as 'closed' and then filed away. There is fallout - massive fallout - massive human fallout, after every 'situation'. You had a small taster, as you put it, and were scared. I'm scared every moment of the day; scared I've made the right decision; scared I've sent the right officer in with the right support and protection. Which I singularly failed to do in the case of Jo. That's bloody fallout."

Surprised at the strength of Harry's outburst the Home Secretary moved over to the fireplace, looking at the prints on the wall, swirling the contents of his glass round, all displacement activity - anything to avoid looking at Harry until he had composed himself.

After what he judged to be an adequately respectful pause, the Home Secretary continued." Our broken bridges are very different Harry, but they all stop us moving on in one way or another. I am of course devastated at the loss of Jo - mainly because you are, and I regard you as a friend and trusted colleague. May I put my cards on the table Harry -I've come to talk to you about my concern for Ros" .

"Do I deduce that your concern for Miss Myers is more personal than professional, Nicholas? " Harry had decided to drop the deference, and the title, for the remainder of this conversation, "that your feelings for her have indeed - shall we say- developed?"

Nicholas slowly downed the last two mouthfuls of Scotch, and used the precious seconds to process what Harry had said. Handing the empty glass over for a refill, he cleared his throat and said "Oh my goodness - I didn't realise it was that obvious".

"I've been attracted to Ros for some time - since the Tehran situation" , Nicholas winced at his use of that word again. "I've admired her skill and dedication. She's got balls Harry, and I love that in a woman, and so, reassured by the trust you have in her, I let my guard down, and the admiration has changed to ... hell Harry -a real physical attraction. Which I think is reciprocated, but maybe you could confirm that with your all-powerful, all-seeing eye" he said in a humorous attempt to cover his embarrassment. " How can I even begin to regain that mood with her and hopefully to move on to something more meaningful with her - after my actions nearly resulted in her death, after they did result in Jo's death. I can't begin to deal with it Harry - that I was responsible for the woman I.......... for Ros .... being in that situation. It's guilt, Harry. Pure and simple".

It was Nicholas's turn to compose himself after revealing so much of himself to Harry. It was not something that he was used to - opening up to such an extent.