The Scars Run So Deep

Remembered Innocence and Fading Images

I couldn't believe what I was hearing, the woman sat before me had witnessed the execution of some unknown girl and had it on camera... on the phone I had smashed for her. Bloody Hell, why hadn't she told me something then? Evidence like that was like gold dust and it was gone, all bloody gone. My face fell into my hands in desperation, a soft touch to made me lift my eyes up to look at Elena, I saw for the first time the tears softly running down her cheeks. The realisation that she was in pain again; made me wants to just hold her and take it all away... Elena was distracting me constantly, I needed to focus. Maybe Tariq could do something if the images were stored on a micro SD or the phones memory? I'd have to call him and pray for some kind of miracle.

Elena Dimitrov may possibly have the answers to the many questions we'd been asking ourselves for years just sitting there.

"I have the photos, I printed them off the following day. I knew I had to do it, what I had on my phone was evidence at the time I just didn't know what I would do with them. Where I would take them to without guaranteeing myself a death sentence too..."

I froze, phone mid-air as I processed her words.

She had the photos.

This woman was incredible, she had taken a risk in her decision to come to MI5, but she was also carrying photos that could have had her killed. I wondered if she realized just what a risk she had taken in doing what she'd done. She was also going to need the best protection we had available if Alexander ever found out what she had done. I only hoped I was good enough. I had to tell Harry when he arrived when she had.

"Elena, show me them to me, please? Let me see the photos, you may have something in that bag that could stop this sooner rather than later."

She got up and went to the bag than never left her side, now I understood why. Looking at me with frightened eyes she passed over about twenty photos and I could see why she was afraid, the photos were very clear. Several showed both Alexander Dimitrov and Nazariy Demidov' faces, as well as several men I didn't know but with these images, I was sure we would find them out quickly. Then I saw an image that made my blood run cold, in it was the girl and Alexander, he had the gun raised to shoot her and the look on the girls face held my attention, yes, she was terrified her body language showed that but her face held a look of defiance. I was in awe of a girl who had been dead seconds after this photo had been taken.

Something Elena suddenly registered. The men. They had left the girl's body in the unit. Could it still be there? If so, we had damning evidence of a murder. We had our way to ensuring an arrest! This dark day was getting brighter at the possibility of even getting one of those despicable men off the streets.

Where the Hell was Harry?

He had said he would be with us as soon as he had news on the house in Matfield, and I really hoped he'd be in touch soon with something positive. Elena needed something to make her smile, to believe in. She was like a deer in the headlights after telling me the story of her life, no wonder she was seen to be void of any emotion something I could fully relate too and yet, if she was anything like me, she had a passionate nature just hidden away beneath the surface where it was safe. I decided to make the call, after all, I had information he needed to know, and hopefully he had something in return for me... for us.

"Harry, I need you here as soon as possible.

No, nothing is wrong. I can explain more when you're here, or Elena may...

I'm just saying, you need to come to see us the moment you can. Got something you may want to, no, you need to see. Might put a smile on your face...