Red Is My Colour Prompt for Day Thirteen (Part Two) - corrected
***
One hour earlier . . .
“Suzie, this is bollocks! We haven’t found a thing!” Owen flopped down on their bed and contemplated the ceiling.
“I know, Owen, and don’t you find that interesting?”
“Nah, I’d say I found that a waste of time.”
Suzie frowned at him over the top of her laptop. “Owen, we have readings from earlier in the week. Something is going on here. I just hope it hasn’t left before we catch it.”
Her computer beeped at her.
“Is your machine talking to you?”
“Yes, Owen,” Suzie replied absently, fingers flying over the keys as she called up various reports. “This is interesting.”
“You going to enlighten me, or am I supposed to guess?”
“I had Ianto do a search of local news reports from this area, cross-checked with any previous sightings of Xenthorian cruise ships. Apparently, another ship was spotted in this area almost thirty years ago. Torchwood at the time just gave it coordinates to move on its way, but what if something was left then, too?”
Owen scratched his head. “So . . . how does that help us? What are you thinking here, Suzie? The Xenthorians are dumping unwanted cargo and or murderous aliens on Earth?”
“Well, technically, the murders are new. But basically, yeah, that’s what I think.” She stood up and shrugged into her coat. “I’m going to go find Leslie. Nora Charles wants to ask him about the history of these fascinating cottages. The murders may be new, but I bet weird stuff has been happening here for the past thirty years.” She paused at the door. “Why don’t you contact Jack and Tosh, and fill them in? I’ll be in contact soon.”
She didn’t wait for Owen to nod, but slipped out the door, closing it behind her. It automatically locked.
Owen sighed and flopped back down onto the bed. There was something wrong with the light in their room; it cast a faint glow on everything. He contemplated ordering some porn, just so he could see Suzie’s face when she had to pay the bill the next morning. Grinning, he reached for his comm to contact the others first. The next thing he knew, he woke up in a dark wardrobe.
***
Leslie was not behind the desk when Suzie strode back into the lobby. There was a “Back in 5” sign up on his desk. Suzie did a slow circuit of the room. Next to the Christmas tree and fireplace was a large collage entitled “Christmas through the Years - Swansea Winter Cottages.”
Leslie was in a lot of the pictures, not changing much from year to year. Suzie also thought she could recognize the dead accountant and Mikhail from the stables in one or two photos. She frowned as something caught her eye. There was a strange yellow glow in a couple of the pictures. Leslie was not in any of those shots.
“Dr. Charles?” It took her a moment to remember that she was Dr. Charles.
Suzie fixed a warm smile on her face. “Leslie! Do you have a moment?”
“For a beautiful woman like yourself, my dear, I have several. I was just fixing myself a cuppa, would you like one?”
“That would be lovely, thank you.”
Leslie ducked back behind his curtain, and Suzie returned to contemplating the collage. Was there a special significance to the yellow light, or was it just glare from the sun? Leslie could have taken those pictures himself, which could explain why he was not in them. Maybe he was just a shit photographer.
The curtain rustled behind her, and Suzie turned to take her cuppa. Her eyes widened in horror. It was not Leslie. A yellow light filled the lobby and she had time enough to hit her own PDA once before it overtook her and she knew no more.
***
Tosh squinted through the trees. “What’s your ETA?”
“I just passed that chip shop we’re banned from - the one with the yellow roof. The closest access road to your location will put me about a five minute walk out, so I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.”
“Great, Ianto.”
She clicked off her comm. She was feeling considerably calmer now. In fact, she was feeling better than calm. Ianto had sent her Suzie’s final transmission, and she had spent the last twenty minutes going over it in comparison to the readings she had taken of the violet light, coupled with Ianto’s research. Tosh was forming A Plan. Those Xenthorians thought they could pick on her team? Ha! Not on her watch. She rubbed her hands together briskly and hunkered down next to Jack’s head. He was attempting to get feeling back in his extremities.
“Hey! You just wiggled your hand! Doesn’t that make you happy?”
Jack managed to turn his head to look at her. “Tosh, a little hand wiggle always makes me happy.”
Tosh smiled at him.
“I know that smile. You’re being devious. What are you planning?”
“Well! I think I’ve managed to work out what’s going on here.”
“And what exactly is going on here?” Jack was more than happy to provide the leading questions when Tosh was being brilliant.
“I think the second Xenthorian is looking for the first one. You said they were nomadic, right? Well, what would be the worst punishment for one, then? Being forced to stay in one place! Ianto found a Xenthorian cruiser passed this way thirty years ago, and according to what we’ve been able to pull from our records, they left something. Something that produced a similar Rift signature to what we recorded last week! The readings I took of the light that paralyzed you indicate that their physiology is adaptable - their natural form is of light, but they can look like a human in order to blend in.”
“So . . . you’re thinking that the second Xenthorian was actually trying to . . . what? Kill the first one? Like he was on an inter-galaxy death row here and his sentence was up?”
Tosh nodded, pleased. “That’s exactly what I think! The only thing is, the first Xenthorian got so good at blending in, the second one couldn’t figure out who he/she/it was. That’s why four people have been murdered already. The violet light paralyzes its victim, then probably changes into human form to hang the victim. It’s an easy enough way to kill someone if you don’t have a weapon and only a rudimentary knowledge of human anatomy. Then it could dissipate into light, leave the crime, and re-form elsewhere!”
“Brilliant, Tosh!” His face fell abruptly. “So, um, what do you think happened to Suzie and Owen?”
“Their trackers still work. I can tell that they’re alive, at least, and still in the Swansea Winter Cottages - or the basement, actually. I think, if they were captured, it was by the first Xenthorian. I’m not sure why - maybe they were on to him.”
“Well, that’s a little comforting. So what is your grand scheme for getting in there?”
“Ianto will be here soon. We can rent a room - ”
“As tempting as it would be to rent a room with Ianto, I think you should try a different tack.”
“Oh? What did you have in mind?”
Jack grinned. “Health inspectors.”
“Health inspectors?”
“You get to be all official and order people around. It’s kind of sexy. Plus, you’ll get a free pass to the basement.”
“Good one, Jack!”
“Tosh!” Ianto came running up to them, wearing jeans and a jumper.
“Especially since our Mr. Jones will have to change out of those delightful denims,” Jack said, admiring the view.
“I’m sure I don’t want to know what you were talking about,” Ianto replied, rolling his eyes, “but there are changes of clothing for everyone in the emergency kit in my boot. Can you walk yet, Sir?”
“I think you’ll have to carry me, Ianto,” Jack said, batting his eyes.
Tosh laughed. Ianto knelt in the snow, got a good grip, and pulled Jack around his shoulders. Jack’s eyes closed in a blissful expression as the three of them took off through the woods.
Part Three: blue-fjords.livejournal.com/5959.html#cutid1
One hour earlier . . .
“Suzie, this is bollocks! We haven’t found a thing!” Owen flopped down on their bed and contemplated the ceiling.
“I know, Owen, and don’t you find that interesting?”
“Nah, I’d say I found that a waste of time.”
Suzie frowned at him over the top of her laptop. “Owen, we have readings from earlier in the week. Something is going on here. I just hope it hasn’t left before we catch it.”
Her computer beeped at her.
“Is your machine talking to you?”
“Yes, Owen,” Suzie replied absently, fingers flying over the keys as she called up various reports. “This is interesting.”
“You going to enlighten me, or am I supposed to guess?”
“I had Ianto do a search of local news reports from this area, cross-checked with any previous sightings of Xenthorian cruise ships. Apparently, another ship was spotted in this area almost thirty years ago. Torchwood at the time just gave it coordinates to move on its way, but what if something was left then, too?”
Owen scratched his head. “So . . . how does that help us? What are you thinking here, Suzie? The Xenthorians are dumping unwanted cargo and or murderous aliens on Earth?”
“Well, technically, the murders are new. But basically, yeah, that’s what I think.” She stood up and shrugged into her coat. “I’m going to go find Leslie. Nora Charles wants to ask him about the history of these fascinating cottages. The murders may be new, but I bet weird stuff has been happening here for the past thirty years.” She paused at the door. “Why don’t you contact Jack and Tosh, and fill them in? I’ll be in contact soon.”
She didn’t wait for Owen to nod, but slipped out the door, closing it behind her. It automatically locked.
Owen sighed and flopped back down onto the bed. There was something wrong with the light in their room; it cast a faint glow on everything. He contemplated ordering some porn, just so he could see Suzie’s face when she had to pay the bill the next morning. Grinning, he reached for his comm to contact the others first. The next thing he knew, he woke up in a dark wardrobe.
***
Leslie was not behind the desk when Suzie strode back into the lobby. There was a “Back in 5” sign up on his desk. Suzie did a slow circuit of the room. Next to the Christmas tree and fireplace was a large collage entitled “Christmas through the Years - Swansea Winter Cottages.”
Leslie was in a lot of the pictures, not changing much from year to year. Suzie also thought she could recognize the dead accountant and Mikhail from the stables in one or two photos. She frowned as something caught her eye. There was a strange yellow glow in a couple of the pictures. Leslie was not in any of those shots.
“Dr. Charles?” It took her a moment to remember that she was Dr. Charles.
Suzie fixed a warm smile on her face. “Leslie! Do you have a moment?”
“For a beautiful woman like yourself, my dear, I have several. I was just fixing myself a cuppa, would you like one?”
“That would be lovely, thank you.”
Leslie ducked back behind his curtain, and Suzie returned to contemplating the collage. Was there a special significance to the yellow light, or was it just glare from the sun? Leslie could have taken those pictures himself, which could explain why he was not in them. Maybe he was just a shit photographer.
The curtain rustled behind her, and Suzie turned to take her cuppa. Her eyes widened in horror. It was not Leslie. A yellow light filled the lobby and she had time enough to hit her own PDA once before it overtook her and she knew no more.
***
Tosh squinted through the trees. “What’s your ETA?”
“I just passed that chip shop we’re banned from - the one with the yellow roof. The closest access road to your location will put me about a five minute walk out, so I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.”
“Great, Ianto.”
She clicked off her comm. She was feeling considerably calmer now. In fact, she was feeling better than calm. Ianto had sent her Suzie’s final transmission, and she had spent the last twenty minutes going over it in comparison to the readings she had taken of the violet light, coupled with Ianto’s research. Tosh was forming A Plan. Those Xenthorians thought they could pick on her team? Ha! Not on her watch. She rubbed her hands together briskly and hunkered down next to Jack’s head. He was attempting to get feeling back in his extremities.
“Hey! You just wiggled your hand! Doesn’t that make you happy?”
Jack managed to turn his head to look at her. “Tosh, a little hand wiggle always makes me happy.”
Tosh smiled at him.
“I know that smile. You’re being devious. What are you planning?”
“Well! I think I’ve managed to work out what’s going on here.”
“And what exactly is going on here?” Jack was more than happy to provide the leading questions when Tosh was being brilliant.
“I think the second Xenthorian is looking for the first one. You said they were nomadic, right? Well, what would be the worst punishment for one, then? Being forced to stay in one place! Ianto found a Xenthorian cruiser passed this way thirty years ago, and according to what we’ve been able to pull from our records, they left something. Something that produced a similar Rift signature to what we recorded last week! The readings I took of the light that paralyzed you indicate that their physiology is adaptable - their natural form is of light, but they can look like a human in order to blend in.”
“So . . . you’re thinking that the second Xenthorian was actually trying to . . . what? Kill the first one? Like he was on an inter-galaxy death row here and his sentence was up?”
Tosh nodded, pleased. “That’s exactly what I think! The only thing is, the first Xenthorian got so good at blending in, the second one couldn’t figure out who he/she/it was. That’s why four people have been murdered already. The violet light paralyzes its victim, then probably changes into human form to hang the victim. It’s an easy enough way to kill someone if you don’t have a weapon and only a rudimentary knowledge of human anatomy. Then it could dissipate into light, leave the crime, and re-form elsewhere!”
“Brilliant, Tosh!” His face fell abruptly. “So, um, what do you think happened to Suzie and Owen?”
“Their trackers still work. I can tell that they’re alive, at least, and still in the Swansea Winter Cottages - or the basement, actually. I think, if they were captured, it was by the first Xenthorian. I’m not sure why - maybe they were on to him.”
“Well, that’s a little comforting. So what is your grand scheme for getting in there?”
“Ianto will be here soon. We can rent a room - ”
“As tempting as it would be to rent a room with Ianto, I think you should try a different tack.”
“Oh? What did you have in mind?”
Jack grinned. “Health inspectors.”
“Health inspectors?”
“You get to be all official and order people around. It’s kind of sexy. Plus, you’ll get a free pass to the basement.”
“Good one, Jack!”
“Tosh!” Ianto came running up to them, wearing jeans and a jumper.
“Especially since our Mr. Jones will have to change out of those delightful denims,” Jack said, admiring the view.
“I’m sure I don’t want to know what you were talking about,” Ianto replied, rolling his eyes, “but there are changes of clothing for everyone in the emergency kit in my boot. Can you walk yet, Sir?”
“I think you’ll have to carry me, Ianto,” Jack said, batting his eyes.
Tosh laughed. Ianto knelt in the snow, got a good grip, and pulled Jack around his shoulders. Jack’s eyes closed in a blissful expression as the three of them took off through the woods.
Part Three: blue-fjords.livejournal.com/5959.html#cutid1