FIC: New Ground 4/7 [Rose, Mickey and Jake]
Back to I / II / III
IV.
"This doesn't make sense."
Jake looked from where he was listing the alien knickknacks; half of the things there he didn't even know what to make of. "What doesn't?"
"Duran."
He snorted. "What's there to understand? He's a greedy egomaniac."
"I'm just saying, from what I've seen he said he's been selling alien tech for a long time - so why choose this method now?" Rose said, chewing on her lip.
"Maybe he's getting paid more, I don't know." And by extension, he meant, he didn't care.
Jake had no love for Duran. He was a bastard during the resistance days but it seemed he turned into an even bigger bastard after.
Rose stood up. "C'mon."
"What? Where are we going?"
"To see Duran."
*
Probably the only reason why the Preachers weren't pulled into the basement offices was because the basement was already occupied with Torchwood's jail cells, war rooms and other secret labs Jake had only seen once during the days of the changeover.
They walked passed makeshift offices, people walking to and fro and some scattered debris until they hit the stairs since the lift in this area was still closed. Jake wasn't sure why Rose even wanted to talk to Duran. But he followed along; Jake supposed it was better he tagged along to make sure she didn't get into any trouble.
The senior staff was never keen with the idea of letting Rose anywhere near their inner sanctum. If someone had asked him, he'd have called it stupid; but the senior staff was composed of the old Torchwood guard, so he supposed stupid was default for them.
They hit the cells and Jake watched Rose skip towards the guard. "Hello, we're here to question the prisoner."
The guard looked dead on his feet. There was a day's growth of beard on his face and when he looked at them his eyes drooped. "Who are you?"
"Simmonds and Tyler, sent from above or actually below ground now, isn't it?" Rose flashed a badge Jake had never seen before at the guard. "See? All proper and official. Just want to question, build up a case."
The guard grunted, pressed a button and waved them on as the electric doors swung open.
"Thank you kindly," Rose said, and purposely strode on as if she knew where exactly to go.
"Do you know where you're going?" Jake asked.
She didn't stop walking. "No, but I figure we'll find Duran, eventually."
"Eventually?" he repeated.
"Yeah, it's not that hard and there's only one path, so eventually."
He stopped and looked. The path did stretch on with empty cells on either side. "Please don't tell me that you plan things on the fly too."
"C'mon, Jake, we don't have all the time in the world!" Rose called, tugging on his sleeve.
"We'll get in trouble for this, you know," he warned.
"No doubt about that," she paused, "unless you want to go back up?"
"And be bored out of my mind? No thanks."
Rose grinned. "Knew I liked you for a reason."
"What? You need a reason besides my good looks?"
"It's a benefit."
Jake watched Rose stride forward, checking cells. "You and the Doctor did this kind of thing a lot, did you?"
"Sometimes it was like all we ever did," she answered. "Ah, here's our man Duran."
There, indeed, he was. The bastard. He looked like he'd gone three rounds with Tyson. Duran raised his head and glared. "What do you want?"
"Well, there you are, charming as ever," Rose said, tapping on the transparent door.
"Sod off!"
"Is that anyway to treat the only people who think you're not guilty?"
He stared at them blankly, "You," Duran pointed at Rose, "think I'm not guilty, I didn't sell any tech to another agency."
"Let's not go overboard, I only meant I didn't believe you bombed the building. Even if you hadn't confessed I knew you'd be the sort to turn traitor for money."
"Then what the hell are you here for, getting a laugh out how the mighty has fallen?" Duran asked with a snarl.
Jake laughed derisively. "You're so full of it!"
Rose pressed on. "We're here because we believe-" Jake coughed, "Because I believe you're not the bomber."
Duran looked at them then suddenly threw his shoe at Rose, or would have if the transparent door wasn't there. "Get out!"
"Childish," Rose commented, looking at the shoe.
"Yeah, very 12 year old." Jake added.
"I don't need your help!"
Rose shrugged. "Suit yourself." She tucked her arm in Jake's and turned around. Jake allowed Rose to pull him away. He raised his eyebrows and watched her, he could almost hear Rose silently count off-
"Wait!"
She paused, shared a look with him then cocked her head in Duran's direction. "For what?"
"You really believe I had nothing to do with the bombing?"
Jake exchanged a glance with her before facing Duran. "Depends on your answers."
Duran looked at Rose suspiciously before asking, "What do you want to know?"
"Why were you packing up?"
"Someone tipped me that the operatives were coming for me," Duran said, "I thought that they finally caught on but when I saw the news I knew I was being framed."
Rose studied him. "What did you take?"
"I didn't take--"
"Christ, you're a bad liar," Jake said, annoyed. "Come on, Rose, he's got nothing."
"Alright, alright!" Duran shouted. "It was a sort of temporal imager, could see a few seconds into the future."
Jake had no idea what that was but Rose wrinkled her nose and said: "Not really all that impressive."
"That's because you've no imagination!" he sneered.
"What time did you spring this away?"
He looked peeved at Rose's non-reaction. "Five thirty."
She looked at Jake. "Think we got everything," she said. She then said to Duran, "It's been unpleasant, do enjoy your stay."
"What?" Duran asked, startled, "What do you mean? How does that help me? Tyler!" Duran shouted behind them. "Answer me! Tyler! Tyler!"
Jake waved at Duran cheekily before he followed Rose, waiting until Duran's kicking and screaming subsided. "Okay, how exactly does that help us?"
"Think about it, Jake," Rose said speedwalking her way out. He's only seen her like this once, in another world. Jumping and laughing in the face of certain death and danger; the situation wasn't the same but she's bouncing. It's the best he's seen her in months.
"I haven't slept in twenty-four hours, I'd rather not, thanks."
"Come on, you can do this."
"Fine. Well, he said he took the thingamajig out at five thirty and--" It clicked in his mind. "But the explosion happened at six thirty!"
"Bang on!" Rose crowed. "We'll solve this mystery soon, Holmes..." At Rose's faltering tone Jake followed her gaze and felt his stomach fall. It was Ianto, looking as sour as ever. "Or not."
*
"What did I say?"
"But it doesn't make any sense!" Rose insisted, tapping her hands on Ianto's desk. "Think about it, Ianto-"
"What did I say?" Ianto said, louder now.
"Think about it! It doesn't fit Duran's style! He's been doing this for a long time and done it so well none of us ever caught on! The only reason we caught him is because someone tipped us off! Duran would have gotten away with it if the bombing didn't happen--"
"Tyler!"
"-- I'm not saying he's not guilty for stealing and treason but he isn't responsible for the bombing! It isn't his style! Duran thinks he's all style and finesse and whatever, the bombing isn't. The bombing thing feels desperate!"
Ianto slammed his hand on the desk with a thud, shaking the files on the desk. "Enough! I gave you one job, Tyler, one job! You're qualified as an analyst, not as a field agent! And yet, here you are, going around playing detective! Let the experts do their job and you do yours!"
"But isn't this why I'm here?" Rose said, pressing her point. "Because I have experience with these things, you want someone who has experience with aliens? Got her fill of world saving? Well, that's me!"
"No, it isn't you!" Ianto gestured to the people outside his office. "They've been saving this world far longer than you have. We defeated the Cybermen without any help from you or your precious Doctor, we managed without you just fine and we can do so again!"
She gritted her teeth, "Listen to me, his story doesn't match--"
"Think you're so clever? Well, how about this, DCI Tyler." Ianto dropped a file on his desk.
"This is a phone transcript we recovered that clearly states his buyer insisted the purchase be set last night, that answers desperation. He needed a way to get it out without any notice--"
"But he already did! He told me! He sprang it away at 5:30!"
"And you believed him?"
Rose looked mutinous. "Yes."
Ianto moved away and let out a frustrated breath. "Look, I know you're not a bad sort and you probably think I'm the villain in this, but I have done this job a long time and believe it or not what I'm going to say is to your benefit. I want you to take a leave of absence for a few days-"
She stared at him, shocked. "What?"
"This is for your own good, someone has to protect you from yourself. And from the way you've been going, you're just being a nuisance to everyone. Go to your dad, to your mum. You need to be there now, we can function without you."
"You're serious, you're taking me off of this case."
"You were never in it," he said, quietly. "Your ID please, we'll return it after your leave is done."
His hand was outstretched. She looked at it for a long moment before she took the lanyard off of her neck and numbly placed it on the table.
"This is for your own good," Ianto repeated then turned to the door. "You can get your things, I trust we don't need a guard to escort you outside."
Rose shook her head, "No."
*
He was gone for only 15 minutes. He was sure of it as he timed it with his watch. The next thing Mickey knew he was doing a vigil outside Ianto's makeshift office and listening to the shouting. It wasn't until everything went quiet that he started to worry.
He knew from experience that the moment Rose got quiet was the moment things went pear shaped. "I leave you two for a few minutes and you get into trouble!"
"I didn't know we were going to get caught!" Jake said defensively and that deepened Mickey's scowl some more. "And what she said makes sense!"
Mickey threw his hands up. "Now I get why the Doctor went nuts when Rose wandered off!"
"Oi! What am I? Chopped liver?" Jake said, affronted. "Anyway, she made sense."
Mickey didn't respond and opted to stare at the fluorescent light. He wondered if he could go blind just staring at it. He felt Jake crowd him in. "She made sense, Mickey."
"Of course she does!" Mickey snapped, "She's the Doctor's whatsit... protégée since I don't even know how long."
"So what are we going to do?"
He stared at the ceiling again. Jake poked his arm. Before he could decide whether he should hit his head against the wall or insult Jake's comic collection (because, really, Marvel?) Ianto's door opened and Rose came stomping out of the office.
Mickey watched Rose walk away. He's known her since they were children and loved her for longer. And they were happy together after Jimmy Stone and before the Doctor but it took him longer to admit they were better as friends.
She had a mouth on her, Rose had, and a sense of humor and quick wit. He'd always loved the way she jumped at any chance to do something. She was always first in line for trouble too. But since the Void she'd been sleepwalking. Mickey didn't recognize that Rose, didn't like seeing Rose that way but now, she has that sort of sparkle in her eyes again and it took a bomb investigation to put that sparkle back.
"Mickey, man?" Jake prompted.
He sighed, as if it was even a question. "Fine..."
Jake slapped him on the back. "Yes, that's the way to go!"
"You two are getting along well," he observed.
"Yeah, strange isn't it?" Jake grinned, pulling on his coat and leaving.
For some reason Mickey felt more disturbed than ever.
*
She couldn't believe it. She was suspended. It was so much easier back when she was with the Doctor. She didn't need to deal with all this bureaucratic crap - they would have just swanned in, fixed the problem and damn the authorities.
Rose missed those days.
"Miss Rose, are you alright?"
Rose turned and saw Darrell sitting on the other side of a desk, clipboard in hand. He was one of the boy geniuses Torchwood employed. She liked him, he was always polite and he didn't seem as cynical or jaded as the rest of the Torchwood staff.
"Oh, yeah, sorry I was just..." She nodded to Darrell. "What you doing?"
He rolled his shoulders and looked like she just caught him stealing something from a cookie jar. "Just hoping to help out, Miss Rose."
"Darrell, I told you, Rose would do."
She watched, amused as Darrell turned red. "Yes, you did, M-- Rose."
"It's good of you to be helping out, especially since Mickey and Jake will be needing a hand..." Rose trailed off and then took a piece of scrap metal from the floor. "Darrell, were you privy to the kinds of gadgets that were hidden in the vault?"
"Hard not to be," he said. "Why do you ask?"
Rose approached the blast hole, entered the vault and sniffed the air and turned around. "What was here?"
"Dangerous alien tech," Darrell answered, "sort of gadgets the higher-ups don't want us to play with."
"What specifically?"
"I, uh, have to look it up."
"What are we looking up?" Mickey said, entering the room and raising his eyebrows at her.
"And weren't you suspended?"
"Sort of?" Rose hedged.
"Sort of, she says," Jake echoed, then reached over and tapped a folder on her head. "Guess you're officially one of the Preachers now. Running against the Man."
"Aren't we working for the Man?" Rose asked, confused. "Aren't you working for the Man?"
"We just let him think that."
Darrell's computer made a pinging sound. Rose went around the table and peered over his shoulder. "Let's see it."
"Okay," Mickey waved his hand at her, "still not answered the question."
"I'm just thinking here but..." Rose snapped her fingers. "I just realized maybe the bomb going off here wasn't 'cause it's the way into the vault - but what if it's because the item the bomber wanted was behind that wall?"
Jake and Mickey turned to where she was pointing and at the big gaping hole where the wall used to be.
"That would be stupid, wouldn't it? They'd destroy the object they were trying to steal."
"Not if there was a secondary vault protecting it." Rose bit her lip. "I've seen it done in other places. Darrell, does Torchwood use that?"
"It's standard procedure, Miss Rose," Darrell answered. Jake mouthed, 'Miss Rose?'
She ignored Jake and focused on the screen as Darrell read the list aloud: several sonic equipments, a triple blade disperser, cerebral controller, phoenix glove, laser blasters, sonic bombs-
"Wait, repeat that."
Darrell looked over the list. "Sonic bombs?"
"No the one before laser blasters I think."
"The Phoenix glove."
Rose looked up from the files. "The what?"
"The thing that could resurrect--"
"The dead, yeah, I remember." Rose paused. It was one of the things that caught her eye, reading through the manifest earlier. It had caused quite a stir when it was brought in and, according to the water cooler gossip, was the main cause of friction between the London and Cardiff office. There was something there at the back of her mind. Duran thinks he's all style and finesse and whatever, the bombing isn't. The bombing thing feels desperate! / "We must go now, Miss Tyler!" / Phoenix Glove, could resurrect -- "I'm an idiot!" The boys looked at her. "Ianto's right, inventory is key."
"Key to what?" Mickey asked.
"Could you rephrase that?" Jake said, "because I think you just said Ianto's right."
She ignored Jake again, caught in her thoughts. "It's not about the money, the objective was the bloody glove."
"Who?"
If she was right... dammit. Rose grabbed her coat and made her way to the door. "Let's go."
"Where are we going?" Mickey asked, catching up to her.
She paused to look at him. "We're going domestic."
*
On to Part V
IV.
"This doesn't make sense."
Jake looked from where he was listing the alien knickknacks; half of the things there he didn't even know what to make of. "What doesn't?"
"Duran."
He snorted. "What's there to understand? He's a greedy egomaniac."
"I'm just saying, from what I've seen he said he's been selling alien tech for a long time - so why choose this method now?" Rose said, chewing on her lip.
"Maybe he's getting paid more, I don't know." And by extension, he meant, he didn't care.
Jake had no love for Duran. He was a bastard during the resistance days but it seemed he turned into an even bigger bastard after.
Rose stood up. "C'mon."
"What? Where are we going?"
"To see Duran."
*
Probably the only reason why the Preachers weren't pulled into the basement offices was because the basement was already occupied with Torchwood's jail cells, war rooms and other secret labs Jake had only seen once during the days of the changeover.
They walked passed makeshift offices, people walking to and fro and some scattered debris until they hit the stairs since the lift in this area was still closed. Jake wasn't sure why Rose even wanted to talk to Duran. But he followed along; Jake supposed it was better he tagged along to make sure she didn't get into any trouble.
The senior staff was never keen with the idea of letting Rose anywhere near their inner sanctum. If someone had asked him, he'd have called it stupid; but the senior staff was composed of the old Torchwood guard, so he supposed stupid was default for them.
They hit the cells and Jake watched Rose skip towards the guard. "Hello, we're here to question the prisoner."
The guard looked dead on his feet. There was a day's growth of beard on his face and when he looked at them his eyes drooped. "Who are you?"
"Simmonds and Tyler, sent from above or actually below ground now, isn't it?" Rose flashed a badge Jake had never seen before at the guard. "See? All proper and official. Just want to question, build up a case."
The guard grunted, pressed a button and waved them on as the electric doors swung open.
"Thank you kindly," Rose said, and purposely strode on as if she knew where exactly to go.
"Do you know where you're going?" Jake asked.
She didn't stop walking. "No, but I figure we'll find Duran, eventually."
"Eventually?" he repeated.
"Yeah, it's not that hard and there's only one path, so eventually."
He stopped and looked. The path did stretch on with empty cells on either side. "Please don't tell me that you plan things on the fly too."
"C'mon, Jake, we don't have all the time in the world!" Rose called, tugging on his sleeve.
"We'll get in trouble for this, you know," he warned.
"No doubt about that," she paused, "unless you want to go back up?"
"And be bored out of my mind? No thanks."
Rose grinned. "Knew I liked you for a reason."
"What? You need a reason besides my good looks?"
"It's a benefit."
Jake watched Rose stride forward, checking cells. "You and the Doctor did this kind of thing a lot, did you?"
"Sometimes it was like all we ever did," she answered. "Ah, here's our man Duran."
There, indeed, he was. The bastard. He looked like he'd gone three rounds with Tyson. Duran raised his head and glared. "What do you want?"
"Well, there you are, charming as ever," Rose said, tapping on the transparent door.
"Sod off!"
"Is that anyway to treat the only people who think you're not guilty?"
He stared at them blankly, "You," Duran pointed at Rose, "think I'm not guilty, I didn't sell any tech to another agency."
"Let's not go overboard, I only meant I didn't believe you bombed the building. Even if you hadn't confessed I knew you'd be the sort to turn traitor for money."
"Then what the hell are you here for, getting a laugh out how the mighty has fallen?" Duran asked with a snarl.
Jake laughed derisively. "You're so full of it!"
Rose pressed on. "We're here because we believe-" Jake coughed, "Because I believe you're not the bomber."
Duran looked at them then suddenly threw his shoe at Rose, or would have if the transparent door wasn't there. "Get out!"
"Childish," Rose commented, looking at the shoe.
"Yeah, very 12 year old." Jake added.
"I don't need your help!"
Rose shrugged. "Suit yourself." She tucked her arm in Jake's and turned around. Jake allowed Rose to pull him away. He raised his eyebrows and watched her, he could almost hear Rose silently count off-
"Wait!"
She paused, shared a look with him then cocked her head in Duran's direction. "For what?"
"You really believe I had nothing to do with the bombing?"
Jake exchanged a glance with her before facing Duran. "Depends on your answers."
Duran looked at Rose suspiciously before asking, "What do you want to know?"
"Why were you packing up?"
"Someone tipped me that the operatives were coming for me," Duran said, "I thought that they finally caught on but when I saw the news I knew I was being framed."
Rose studied him. "What did you take?"
"I didn't take--"
"Christ, you're a bad liar," Jake said, annoyed. "Come on, Rose, he's got nothing."
"Alright, alright!" Duran shouted. "It was a sort of temporal imager, could see a few seconds into the future."
Jake had no idea what that was but Rose wrinkled her nose and said: "Not really all that impressive."
"That's because you've no imagination!" he sneered.
"What time did you spring this away?"
He looked peeved at Rose's non-reaction. "Five thirty."
She looked at Jake. "Think we got everything," she said. She then said to Duran, "It's been unpleasant, do enjoy your stay."
"What?" Duran asked, startled, "What do you mean? How does that help me? Tyler!" Duran shouted behind them. "Answer me! Tyler! Tyler!"
Jake waved at Duran cheekily before he followed Rose, waiting until Duran's kicking and screaming subsided. "Okay, how exactly does that help us?"
"Think about it, Jake," Rose said speedwalking her way out. He's only seen her like this once, in another world. Jumping and laughing in the face of certain death and danger; the situation wasn't the same but she's bouncing. It's the best he's seen her in months.
"I haven't slept in twenty-four hours, I'd rather not, thanks."
"Come on, you can do this."
"Fine. Well, he said he took the thingamajig out at five thirty and--" It clicked in his mind. "But the explosion happened at six thirty!"
"Bang on!" Rose crowed. "We'll solve this mystery soon, Holmes..." At Rose's faltering tone Jake followed her gaze and felt his stomach fall. It was Ianto, looking as sour as ever. "Or not."
*
"What did I say?"
"But it doesn't make any sense!" Rose insisted, tapping her hands on Ianto's desk. "Think about it, Ianto-"
"What did I say?" Ianto said, louder now.
"Think about it! It doesn't fit Duran's style! He's been doing this for a long time and done it so well none of us ever caught on! The only reason we caught him is because someone tipped us off! Duran would have gotten away with it if the bombing didn't happen--"
"Tyler!"
"-- I'm not saying he's not guilty for stealing and treason but he isn't responsible for the bombing! It isn't his style! Duran thinks he's all style and finesse and whatever, the bombing isn't. The bombing thing feels desperate!"
Ianto slammed his hand on the desk with a thud, shaking the files on the desk. "Enough! I gave you one job, Tyler, one job! You're qualified as an analyst, not as a field agent! And yet, here you are, going around playing detective! Let the experts do their job and you do yours!"
"But isn't this why I'm here?" Rose said, pressing her point. "Because I have experience with these things, you want someone who has experience with aliens? Got her fill of world saving? Well, that's me!"
"No, it isn't you!" Ianto gestured to the people outside his office. "They've been saving this world far longer than you have. We defeated the Cybermen without any help from you or your precious Doctor, we managed without you just fine and we can do so again!"
She gritted her teeth, "Listen to me, his story doesn't match--"
"Think you're so clever? Well, how about this, DCI Tyler." Ianto dropped a file on his desk.
"This is a phone transcript we recovered that clearly states his buyer insisted the purchase be set last night, that answers desperation. He needed a way to get it out without any notice--"
"But he already did! He told me! He sprang it away at 5:30!"
"And you believed him?"
Rose looked mutinous. "Yes."
Ianto moved away and let out a frustrated breath. "Look, I know you're not a bad sort and you probably think I'm the villain in this, but I have done this job a long time and believe it or not what I'm going to say is to your benefit. I want you to take a leave of absence for a few days-"
She stared at him, shocked. "What?"
"This is for your own good, someone has to protect you from yourself. And from the way you've been going, you're just being a nuisance to everyone. Go to your dad, to your mum. You need to be there now, we can function without you."
"You're serious, you're taking me off of this case."
"You were never in it," he said, quietly. "Your ID please, we'll return it after your leave is done."
His hand was outstretched. She looked at it for a long moment before she took the lanyard off of her neck and numbly placed it on the table.
"This is for your own good," Ianto repeated then turned to the door. "You can get your things, I trust we don't need a guard to escort you outside."
Rose shook her head, "No."
*
He was gone for only 15 minutes. He was sure of it as he timed it with his watch. The next thing Mickey knew he was doing a vigil outside Ianto's makeshift office and listening to the shouting. It wasn't until everything went quiet that he started to worry.
He knew from experience that the moment Rose got quiet was the moment things went pear shaped. "I leave you two for a few minutes and you get into trouble!"
"I didn't know we were going to get caught!" Jake said defensively and that deepened Mickey's scowl some more. "And what she said makes sense!"
Mickey threw his hands up. "Now I get why the Doctor went nuts when Rose wandered off!"
"Oi! What am I? Chopped liver?" Jake said, affronted. "Anyway, she made sense."
Mickey didn't respond and opted to stare at the fluorescent light. He wondered if he could go blind just staring at it. He felt Jake crowd him in. "She made sense, Mickey."
"Of course she does!" Mickey snapped, "She's the Doctor's whatsit... protégée since I don't even know how long."
"So what are we going to do?"
He stared at the ceiling again. Jake poked his arm. Before he could decide whether he should hit his head against the wall or insult Jake's comic collection (because, really, Marvel?) Ianto's door opened and Rose came stomping out of the office.
Mickey watched Rose walk away. He's known her since they were children and loved her for longer. And they were happy together after Jimmy Stone and before the Doctor but it took him longer to admit they were better as friends.
She had a mouth on her, Rose had, and a sense of humor and quick wit. He'd always loved the way she jumped at any chance to do something. She was always first in line for trouble too. But since the Void she'd been sleepwalking. Mickey didn't recognize that Rose, didn't like seeing Rose that way but now, she has that sort of sparkle in her eyes again and it took a bomb investigation to put that sparkle back.
"Mickey, man?" Jake prompted.
He sighed, as if it was even a question. "Fine..."
Jake slapped him on the back. "Yes, that's the way to go!"
"You two are getting along well," he observed.
"Yeah, strange isn't it?" Jake grinned, pulling on his coat and leaving.
For some reason Mickey felt more disturbed than ever.
*
She couldn't believe it. She was suspended. It was so much easier back when she was with the Doctor. She didn't need to deal with all this bureaucratic crap - they would have just swanned in, fixed the problem and damn the authorities.
Rose missed those days.
"Miss Rose, are you alright?"
Rose turned and saw Darrell sitting on the other side of a desk, clipboard in hand. He was one of the boy geniuses Torchwood employed. She liked him, he was always polite and he didn't seem as cynical or jaded as the rest of the Torchwood staff.
"Oh, yeah, sorry I was just..." She nodded to Darrell. "What you doing?"
He rolled his shoulders and looked like she just caught him stealing something from a cookie jar. "Just hoping to help out, Miss Rose."
"Darrell, I told you, Rose would do."
She watched, amused as Darrell turned red. "Yes, you did, M-- Rose."
"It's good of you to be helping out, especially since Mickey and Jake will be needing a hand..." Rose trailed off and then took a piece of scrap metal from the floor. "Darrell, were you privy to the kinds of gadgets that were hidden in the vault?"
"Hard not to be," he said. "Why do you ask?"
Rose approached the blast hole, entered the vault and sniffed the air and turned around. "What was here?"
"Dangerous alien tech," Darrell answered, "sort of gadgets the higher-ups don't want us to play with."
"What specifically?"
"I, uh, have to look it up."
"What are we looking up?" Mickey said, entering the room and raising his eyebrows at her.
"And weren't you suspended?"
"Sort of?" Rose hedged.
"Sort of, she says," Jake echoed, then reached over and tapped a folder on her head. "Guess you're officially one of the Preachers now. Running against the Man."
"Aren't we working for the Man?" Rose asked, confused. "Aren't you working for the Man?"
"We just let him think that."
Darrell's computer made a pinging sound. Rose went around the table and peered over his shoulder. "Let's see it."
"Okay," Mickey waved his hand at her, "still not answered the question."
"I'm just thinking here but..." Rose snapped her fingers. "I just realized maybe the bomb going off here wasn't 'cause it's the way into the vault - but what if it's because the item the bomber wanted was behind that wall?"
Jake and Mickey turned to where she was pointing and at the big gaping hole where the wall used to be.
"That would be stupid, wouldn't it? They'd destroy the object they were trying to steal."
"Not if there was a secondary vault protecting it." Rose bit her lip. "I've seen it done in other places. Darrell, does Torchwood use that?"
"It's standard procedure, Miss Rose," Darrell answered. Jake mouthed, 'Miss Rose?'
She ignored Jake and focused on the screen as Darrell read the list aloud: several sonic equipments, a triple blade disperser, cerebral controller, phoenix glove, laser blasters, sonic bombs-
"Wait, repeat that."
Darrell looked over the list. "Sonic bombs?"
"No the one before laser blasters I think."
"The Phoenix glove."
Rose looked up from the files. "The what?"
"The thing that could resurrect--"
"The dead, yeah, I remember." Rose paused. It was one of the things that caught her eye, reading through the manifest earlier. It had caused quite a stir when it was brought in and, according to the water cooler gossip, was the main cause of friction between the London and Cardiff office. There was something there at the back of her mind. Duran thinks he's all style and finesse and whatever, the bombing isn't. The bombing thing feels desperate! / "We must go now, Miss Tyler!" / Phoenix Glove, could resurrect -- "I'm an idiot!" The boys looked at her. "Ianto's right, inventory is key."
"Key to what?" Mickey asked.
"Could you rephrase that?" Jake said, "because I think you just said Ianto's right."
She ignored Jake again, caught in her thoughts. "It's not about the money, the objective was the bloody glove."
"Who?"
If she was right... dammit. Rose grabbed her coat and made her way to the door. "Let's go."
"Where are we going?" Mickey asked, catching up to her.
She paused to look at him. "We're going domestic."
*
On to Part V