The Gruinard Project Chapter 15

[khandy]

Chapter 15 Thames House .

Lucas entered The Grid alone carrying the usual bakery treats. Malcolm was at his desk looking at images of Henry James’ office. He turned as Lucas put the box of cakes down by the coffee machine.

“I was wondering if you would have time to call at the bakery this morning,” Malcolm sighed. “Actually I was hoping you wouldn’t call, I have no self control.” He reached into the bag for a sugary doughnut.

“Neither do I,” Lucas smiled taking a cake and coffee over to his desk.

“Yes but I am fast turning into the doughnut I am eating and you remain like a Roman God,” Malcolm complained.

“Please Malcolm it is far too early for me to cope with images of Lucas in a toga. He is also neither Roman or dead.” Ros grabbed a cake and perched on Lucas’ desk. “Still have your shadow I see?”

“Yeah he was outside my flat this morning when we got up.” Ros’ eyebrows lifted slightly but she made no comment. “He watched me say a very public goodbye to my blonde girlfriend before she hopped into a taxi.”

“So Kate has not come in with you?” Ros observed.

“Well if she had shown up in what she wore last night Malcolm would have a heart attack. Do you mind if I have a quick word with Harry before you go in Ros?” Lucas asked.

“Be my guest.”

Harry looked up as Lucas entered his office.

“Do you have five minutes Harry?”

“Of course.”

“I want to be honest with you Harry, which is why I am telling you I forced myself to remember and analyse the vision I had two nights ago,” Lucas told him.

“How bad was it?” Harry put his pen down and leant back in his chair.

“What the vision or forcing myself to remember?”

“Lets start with forcing yourself to remember.” Harry studied Lucas’ face but it was inscrutable as ever.

“It was bad Harry. I was pretty out of it for a couple of hours. Kate was with me and I think I worked through it quicker than I would have had I been on my own. Kate was fantastic, so non judgemental but that doesn’t mean that she should have to witness this,” Lucas paused. “I told her I would understand if she wanted to leave but she says she won’t leave me.”

“Of course not she loves you. So what do you want to do?”

“I believe that she is the key Harry, the answer to unlocking all my Russian memories. However I am not stupid, this isn’t something she should have to face alone. Hypothetically if I request counselling for both of us will you remove me from The Grid?”

“What I said yesterday stands. I will only remove you from The Grid if I think you are a danger. Why do you feel that Kate needs a counsellor?" Harry asked.

“Just so she knows what to expect and to let her know there is support for her. If what she witnessed last night is anything to go on I have a lot of baggage. I can say it now Harry, I have Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome.”

“Well acknowledgement is the first step to recovery. How many flash backs have you had Lucas and can you pinpoint a trigger for them?”

“Three, the first one was when I recalled being interrogated about Sugarhorse, the rain on my face triggered a fleeting flashback. It was at your request that I forced myself to remember the details. The second was when Kate accused me of not knowing what being a captive was like. I was tied to a chair electrodes positioned on my body. If I gave the wrong answer I was given an electric shock. The third time was two nights ago and was the most detailed vision.”

“Can you tell me about the last vision Lucas?”

“Yeah, I control it now not the other way round, that’s not to say that it does not affect me it's just I can control it.”

Harry listened as Lucas talked him through the vision. He wasn’t easily shocked or disturbed but the level of depravity in the acts Lucas was describing shocked him to his core. Of course he was aware that torture happened and despite government denial some of the tactics the secret service in the UK used were certainly pushing the boundaries of acceptable behaviour, but nothing like this. Harry had no idea how Lucas could still function as he did.

“Are you alright Harry?” Lucas asked.

“I’m fine…” Harry took a few calming breaths. “Don’t ask me not to be shocked Lucas, I would be an inhuman bastard not to be shocked. I sent you there, Lucas I have to live with that!”

“You were not responsible for my capture Connie was, I don’t blame you Harry," Lucas said quietly.

“Well quite…Have you any ideas or thoughts on what might be triggering the memories?”

“I think I have to have a deep emotional bond with the person asking me to remember. Kate, whose image kept me sane during those nine years and you Harry, my mentor. You’ve been like a father figure, in many ways you know me better than my father. I want to trust you again Harry as I did pre Russia but is hard when I am not sure you trust me.”

“Lucas I do trust you. My reservations come from how you and the team cope if you break down while working. Give me one reason why I should not place you on sick leave?” Harry asked.

“I was thinking about dealing with Russia and it occurred to me that it has to begin with trust. I have to start trusting you Harry, so I’m trusting you to make the right call. This current case, it’s personal you need me and my memory to work out the connection. It may just save The Prime Minister’s life.”

Harry studied Lucas closely. Unsurprisingly he had changed out of all recognition. Gone was the confident exuberant man whose infectious sense of fun sometimes had to be curbed. In his place was a harder, serious Lucas with an undercurrent of anger and resentment not just aimed at his Russian prison masters but with MI5 as well. The confidence had not diminished however. Lucas was the most exceptional agent Harry had worked with, and that was the problem despite his protests Lucas could survive without MI5; Harry wondered if he could stand the loss of yet another agent, not to mention how much poorer section D would be without him.

“Well you better get back to work and be available for the PM at 10am he wants to see the other person threatened,” Harry told him.

Lucas smiled in relief and stood to leave, Harry’s words stopped him at the door.

“Lucas you say you wanted to trust me, well whether you realise it or not, today you did and I thank you. Book that counselling.”


******************

Kate was late, the phone call from Gina had delayed her far longer than expected. Her friend was worried about her but once she had explained about the family bereavement she calmed down. Of course dropping in about the good looking man she had met at the funeral had helped, Gina was easily side tracked. She had hung up thirty minutes later thinking how good a liar she had become.

The day was bright and sunny, Kate was certain there was nowhere better than England in the springtime. She walked quickly along the embankment towards Thames House. She spotted Henry James but without the blonde wig he showed no sign of recognising her. He was talking to a woman. Kate paused it didn’t seem like a chance meeting, they were discussing something in earnest. Kate walked passed them, but was unable to hear what they were saying. Using her phone she pretended to take a shot of the London Eye, which was further down on the opposite bank. In reality she was taking two or three shots of Henry James and the woman he was with. Once done she watched as the woman walked away, before moving into Thames House.

“You’re late,” Ros commented.

“Yeah I got delayed by a friend wanting to know where I was. I thought it best to spend some time calming her down,” Kate answered.

“What did you tell her?” Ros looked worried.

“Don’t worry Ros, I’m not a fool, I told her it was a family bereavement. That was the cover Jo gave my work.”

“Ok, well carry on with what you were doing yesterday.” Ros smiled to herself at least Kate thought on her feet.

“Ros there is one thing. Harry James…”

“Yeah I know he is still tailing Lucas,” Ros interrupted.

“No that’s not what I was going to say. He was meeting with somebody, a woman down by the embankment. It didn’t look like a chance meeting. I took a couple of shots of them in case it was important.” She handed Ros her phone.

Ros glanced at the phone and then reached for her own. Kate winced as she laid into the poor person on the other end.

“When I ask you to tail somebody you do not slink off for a pee… Well I suggest next time you put a knot in it!” Ros disconnected the call. “Jo see if you can ID this woman.” She handed the phone to the young blonde, who like Kate had winced at her harsh words. “Kate well done.”

“That’s what I like about you Ros you may be a ball breaker but you give credit where its due,” Malcolm told her. “Come on Kate to work before she finds something to complain about.”

*************

The Prime Minister was impressed with the young officer opposite him. He disliked people who fidgeted and faffed about in his presence, Mr North had been calm and confident in his assessment of the situation.

“I must say Prime Minister sir, I am relieved that you are taking this in your stride,” Lucas commented.

“Mr North I have been a target since I accepted office, it is a risk that goes with the job. To be truthful at the moment I think I am more in danger of being stabbed in the back by a member of my own cabinet,” he joked. “What concerns me is the biological weapon aspect.”

“Our expert is working on that at the moment. Her best guess at this time is that this is likely to be the work of a small group. It is unclear what biological agent, she thinks it may be a genetically modified existing agent,” Lucas explained.

“And the link to yourself Mr North what of that?”

Dolby, who had insisted on being present, answered before Lucas could.

“It’s a weak link and in my opinion not a very viable one, Mr North has only recently returned to The Grid so it is unlikely that it will be related to him.”

“Never the less there is a link. I am concerned that you are being targeted Mr North,” The Prime Minister said.

“ As you said yourself sir some jobs come with risks. Sir Richard is correct the link is weak and could be nothing more than coincidence. However we are checking it out. The fact that I have only recently returned from eight years in Russia…” Lucas paused. He didn’t add that he had been in prison, he didn’t have to. “It means that the number of cases that I have worked on is less than normal and consequently easier to check up on.”

“Sir Harry do you still believe that this attack may have something to do with The Commonwealth Heads of State Conference?”

“That is something we are not ruling out sir.”

“In which case I will have to inform Her Majesty. Can you be available at short notice Sir Richard? She will have questions.”

“Of course Prime Minister.”

“Well gentlemen I must leave you. It has been a pleasure meeting you Mr North.” The Prime Minister extended his hand.

“Thank you sir it has been a pleasure for me as well.”

Lucas followed Harry and Dolby out.

“I don’t want you spending too much time checking this supposed threat to yourself Lucas,” Dolby said and walked off.

Lucas called Dolby a particularly graphic name under his breath.

Harry smiled.

“Lucas do not forget you are not the only person here fluent in Russian.”

“Sorry Harry but the man is an idiot. I am just waiting for him to arrest me as a suspect. After all Bellingham had been a Russian prisoner and he assassinated Percival, so I must be a copycat killer.”

“Don’t joke like that it is exactly the kind of thing he would say. Come on let's get back to work.”


************

It was late afternoon and Kate had read the news report on her screen several times. It was an obituary and there was nothing unusual about it but it was nagging at her. She glanced across at Lucas for the third time in as many minutes wondering whether to bother him with this or not.

“Are you going to keep giving him those long lingering looks everyday?” Jo asked causing Kate to blush.

“They are work related,” Kate smiled at Jo’s sceptical look. “Honest!”

“ He won’t bite you know. Well only if you ask him.” Jo laughed at Kate’s blush. “Seriously, if you think you have found something no matter how inconsequential then ask his advice. I always find him helpful and approachable. Less intimidating than Ros,” Jo told her handing her a bottle of water. “Also don’t forget to eat and drink I have not seen you move since you arrived.”

“Thanks Jo, he seems so immersed in what he is doing I wasn’t sure whether to interrupt.” She uncapped the bottle and drank some of the water.

“He will be fine. He is not in the zone he is just reading.”

“The Zone?”

“Yeah, it’s what Malcolm calls it. It’s to do with his eidetic memory, if he is trying to recall something he goes into a zone in his mind where he blocks everything else out.”

Fascinating, Kate wondered how much more intriguing this man could get.

“Kate you’re staring again.” Jo teased.

“Sorry, how can you tell he is not in the zone?”

“Posture and he is wearing his watch, he usually takes it off. His hands as well they are normally palm down on the desk. He has beautiful hands, long, sculptured and expressive. Have you noticed they are seldom still when he is talking?” Jo glanced at Kate’s face and laughed. “Ok I’ll stop drooling over his hands now I know he is with you. Honestly whatever it is just ask him.” Jo went back to her desk.

Kate walked over to his desk and he glanced up when she stopped by his side. She was chewing her bottom lip nervously.

“Problem?” he asked giving her hand a reassuring squeeze.

“Not sure. Dr Matthew Ross was a senior virologist for a company called Welchem, he was killed last week, the victim of a hit and run. The reason I am twitchy is this company has been doing some significant genetic engineering research into viruses. It is all on their web site. I am wondering if he stumbled onto something he shouldn’t,” she sighed. “I am being totally stupid this ‘spy game’ has gone to my head. I am seeing coincidences everywhere.”

“As I told the PM earlier I would rather check things out. I am not a believer in coincidences,” Lucas told her. “Meeting time, we can discuss it with the team.”

They all listened to what Kate had to say without comment until she had finished.

“What do you think we need to do Kate?” Harry asked.

Kate was taken aback, she had not been expecting Harry to ask her opinion.

“Well I would like to have a look at the laboratory, to see their records and what Dr Ross was working on.”

“How can we access the records?” Ros asked.

“Well at the risk of sounding like I am in a spy movie, we could present ourselves as government inspectors; all laboratories have to follow good practice guidelines and are liable to be spot checked at anytime. If you can get me in there I will know what to look for. Can you do that or is just Hollywood where that happens?”

Lucas smiled.

“Yeah we can do that. Where is Welchem based?”

“Leeds.”

“Ok, why don’t Kate and I head up there on Monday? I think we should look at the police report and speak to his family maybe they know something.” Lucas looked at Harry.

“Ok Lucas arrange IDs. Kate, I want you to do exactly as Lucas says Ok? When will you leave, early Monday?” Harry asked.

“We will be in Cumbria at the weekend, my brother’s wife is having a party, we can leave from there,” Lucas explained noticing the look of surprise in Harry’s face. “Jo can you E mail the police report to me once we have it?” Lucas asked.

“Sure. Harry the woman with Henry James is an actress, I am guessing she is being paid by somebody. I will go and see her, see if I can find out who is behind his following Lucas.”

“Ok well have a good weekend everybody and Lucas keep in touch,” Ros said.

“Lucas give my regards to your parents, I spent several days with them when you were first captured and I was their liaison officer while you were in Russia,” Malcolm said as they were leaving.

“Really? I had no idea Malcolm. Of course I will say hello from you,” Lucas said.

“Well we’d better buy a gift if we are going to the party,” Kate said. “I don’t suppose you know what she would like?”

“As I have met her three times not a clue.” He placed an arm around her waist. “I am hoping you can be persuaded to help me with that, shopping is not something I enjoy,” Lucas told her smiling.

“I will require payment if I am to be your personal shopper,” Kate told him.

“Really? Well how about I offer to do this?” Lucas whispered in her ear. “ And this?” he whispered again.

Kate felt herself blushing at his x-rated suggestions.

“But first this.” The lift doors opened and he backed her against the far wall kissing her deeply.

“I don’t know about you Ros but I think I’ll take the stairs,” Malcolm said as the lift doors shut.

[HellsBells]

Khandy, what an excellent story!
I have just spent the last two days reading every chapter. I'm sorry I hadn't had the time before, real life can get in the way sometimes!
This is a brilliant story, so few Fanfic are Lucas centred, and your writing captures his torment brilliantly. And I love the humour as well. This is definitely the Lucas I know, so I can forget all about series 9.
Can't wait for the next chapter.

[khandy]

(26-11-2010 01:04 PM)HellsBells Wrote:  Khandy, what an excellent story!
I have just spent the last two days reading every chapter. I'm sorry I hadn't had the time before, real life can get in the way sometimes!
This is a brilliant story, so few Fanfic are Lucas centred, and your writing captures his torment brilliantly. And I love the humour as well. This is definitely the Lucas I know, so I can forget all about series 9.
Can't wait for the next chapter.

Thank you very much I love Lucas more soon