The Gruinard Project Chapter 20

[khandy]

A little more spying

Chapter 20 19.00hrs Thames House London.

Harry walked out of his office pausing in surprise as he saw both Kate and Lucas immersed in work. It wasn’t often he felt guilty but he did now. He had been far from diplomatic in his comments to them earlier during the afternoon meeting. He had wanted a full report on the information they had retrieved from Dr Ross’ home and he had not been impressed when they informed him that they would need yet more time due to the amount and complexity of the data they were analysing.

His frustration had boiled over and he had informed them in no uncertain terms that the excuses they were giving weren’t good enough. He wanted answers not excuses. He had told then to stop making cow eyes at each other and do some bloody work and come up with some answers.

He sighed.

“Don’t you two have homes to go to? I know I was like a bear with a sore head earlier but I really don’t expect you to work all night.”

“Kate feels she is finally making some headway with the data, she doesn’t want to quit yet,” Lucas explained.

“OK but don’t stay all night that’s an order,” Harry said, before he headed off to the lifts.

They worked in companionable silence for a time, with Lucas playing the unusual role of second fiddle. She had asked him to find as much information as he could about a drug he couldn’t pronounce or spell. He glanced across at her, his eyes drawn to the way her nose crinkled while she was deep in thought and at the tip of her tongue, which was just visible. Every so often she would jot down a note or two and the tongue would creep out further and run along her lips as she wrote. He was tempted to go over and take that lovely mouth in a kiss. He shook his head and told himself to concentrate but his thoughts kept returning to her.

He looked at his watch realising it had been hours since they had stopped for a break. Telling her he would be back in a few minutes he disappeared to the canteen to get then both some food. True to his word he had returned quickly. Judging by her unchanged position she had barely registered that he had been gone. He smiled and took the food into the conference room. He poured two cups of coffee and then moved back to her side.

“Time for a break,” he said. “You must be seeing double.”

“Yeah a little I guess.” She reached up to massage her shoulders before she stood up.

“Come with me, I think you need food.”

He opened the conference room door.

“I didn’t want you eating at your desk, and I don’t want you discussing the headway you are making until we have finished eating,” he explained.

She reached up and kissed his cheek.

“You are so thoughtful.”

“Hey don’t get carried away it’s only a jacket potato and salad.”

“It could be beans on toast for all I care I’m starving.”

They sat at the end of the table chatting as they ate.

“Shall we go to the Odeon tomorrow? I’d like to catch the new Star Trek film I love cheesy Sci Fi films,” Kate asked.

Lucas smiled wistfully. How many times in Russia did he long for this kind of normality? How many times had he thought he would never have it?

Kate caught the strange look in his eyes.

“Hey you Ok? We don’t have to go the pictures.”

“No I’d like that. I was just thinking how often I dreamt about this kind of normality in Russia; I gave up believing I would ever have it.”

She moved to stroke his cheek and winced as pain sliced through her shoulder.

“Sore?”

“Yeah too much time sat at a computer,” she said reaching up to rub it.

“Turn round I will work the kinks out for you.”

Kate turned her chair so that he could reach her shoulders. She sat astride it facing the back, leaning slightly forward. He began to gently massage the tight muscles. He was good, his long fingers kneading, stroking, gliding and pulling the muscles attempting to make them loose, relaxed and free from tension.

“Kate can you slide your shirt off your shoulders? This would work better if I worked directly on your skin,” he asked her quietly, his mouth close to her earlobe.

She slowly undid three buttons on her blouse and slid the cotton material from her shoulders. His hands on her bra straps made her tense slightly as he pushed them off her shoulders as well. His hands began to move in a gliding circular movement the palm of his hand constantly in contact with her skin. They were neither soft nor work worn; just hard, firm and masculine. He changed his movement slightly as he used his finger tips and thumbs to work out the knots. His fingers slid along her collar bone. She swallowed rapidly as heat spread down her body. His body was close to hers and she could smell his cologne, something subtle and masculine.

“You feeling more relaxed and less sore?” he whispered, his lips brushing the soft skin at her neck.

She smiled relaxed and on edge at the same time, how was that possible?

Lucas moved to the door and locked it.

“I don’t want the cleaners disturbing us.”

**********

“Why don’t we carry this on at home? I won’t be able to work anymore tonight,” she suggested much later.

“Sounds like a plan,” Lucas agreed.

Lucas had moved to open the door when he heard the noise. Motioning her to be quiet, he watched as the person slipped into Harry’s office an envelope in their hand. Lucas waited until the man headed back towards the lift then moving swiftly he came up silently behind him. Before the man could even struggle Lucas had him restrained on the floor.

“You should know,” he said quietly. “At this point I could kill you in at least twenty different ways not one of which requires a weapon. So it would be stupid to move unless I say so or not to answer my questions. Do you understand?”

The man nodded his head a fraction.

Lucas released his hold and made the man sit in a chair. He was about fifty attempting to hide a bald patch with a Bobby Charlton comb over. Sweat had broken out on his brow and above his lip. Lucas could see he was terrified.

“Who are you?” Lucas stood in front of the man. He knew he was big and intimidating. That’s what he was aiming for. Fear might keep this man alive.

“Fred Davies.”

“You work here?”

“Yeah catering department.”

“How did you get up here then?”

“The bloke who asked me to put the note on that desk, he had the code.”

Lucas’ face remained impassive but inside his mind had gone into overdrive.

“How much did he pay you?”

“He said he would give me fifty quid.”

“When and where is he going to pay you?”

“Ten PM down by Lambeth Bridge.”

Lucas thought for a moment.

“Ok if you do exactly as I say you will walk away alive, if you don’t he will kill you. You have to go out and collect your money and then return to work. I am assuming you’re night staff?”

Fred Davies nodded.

“You are to do nothing that will make me have to kill that man. I need him alive do you understand?” Lucas watched as the man swallowed hard.

He nodded.

“I understand,” he whispered.

“Kate watch this man, if he even so much as moves, kill him.” Lucas turned and winked at her.

She moved in front of the man and stood nonchalantly watching him, wondering what the hell she was going to do if he moved.

Lucas moved past his desk to a locker. He entered a code and the door swung open. He removed a black polo neck jumper, black knit cap, black trainers and his gun.

Kate watched him change. Was it only minutes ago that she had been thinking of taking him home and having sex. Surreal didn’t begin to cover what she was feeling.

Having secured the gun Lucas moved back to Kate and the man, Fred.

“Kate once we have left, contact Ros and get her back here. I’m off to follow our man,” he told her.

Kate wanted to beg him not to go but she knew that was impossible. She had to let him do his job.”

“Ok be careful.”

She watched as they walked out of the door and waited until the lift hit the ground floor, then she contacted Ros.

[HellsBells]

Still loving this story!

[BravoNine]

Yay! Great! Please continue!

[khandy]

Thank you for the comments I willcontinue to post Lucas needs a better story than series nine.

[BravoNine]

(30-11-2010 07:54 PM)khandy Wrote:  Thank you for the comments I willcontinue to post Lucas needs a better story than series nine.

So totally agreed! Lucas most definitely deserves better than Series 9!

Please keep it going, I'm loving it!

If you can bring some Lucas-whump/hurt/comfort, that would be much appreciated too!