[FIC] Progress - R - 7/7+epi

[jenexell]

Title: Progress
Series: Sempiternitas
Author: jenexell 
Pairings and Characters:Series will eventually be Jack/Ianto. This part: Ianto. Jack. Suzie. Tosh. Owen. No pairings.
Rating: Mature (swearing and some adult themes)
Disclaimer: If this was real, I wouldn't share. As its not, I'm sharing with no personal gain or profit, other than perhaps to feed my attention whore complex. non-recognisable elements are mine! plagiarists will be eaten alive by weasels. Much information has been gleaned from the show (obviously), Dr Who eps, various Wiki's, other internet sources and my font of all Dr Who knowledge ttfan . I have not read the books, so if something was mentioned in a book, but not on TV, I probably won't have it.
Distribution: My Journal (jenexell), and quite a few other places too. (attention whore complex). If you want it, link back to my journal, don't steal its naughty.
Warnings: Some strong language, medical stuff, violence. use of guns.(so basically all the warnings for Torchwood). References to adult themes such as people trafficking and prostitution.
Spoilers: Everything and nothing. Set pre-series, so may make reference to things mentioned in the show, but not the content of actual eps. AU from 2004 onwards.

Summary: Second story in the Sempiternitas Series: Ianto Jones, prisoner of TW3, is settling into his new life, and things are as back to normal as they get in Cardiff. But the imminent arrival of a certain VIP stands to change everything.

Author's Note: So here it is, the second one. Thank you to everyone who commented and supported the first story. I've tried a few new things with this one so I hope it works as well.

Just to let people know. I know some people have mentioned it about the last story. This SERIES will eventually be Jack/Ianto but the stories in it won't necessarily be.

This story is part of a series, and probably won't make a lot of sense unless you've read the first story, "Into the Storm".

Previous Parts
:: Part 1 :: Part 2 :: Part 3 :: Part 4 :: Part 5 :: Part 6 ::



Part 7
Cardiff, November 2004
Arrival Day

Night drifted, rolling one day to another. The first chimes of November midnight, cold and frosting.

Stragglers chatted, winding their slightly drunk way across the Plass, hands tight in pockets, not always their own; weaving around the barriers and empty stages and waving merrily at the few yellow jacketed stewards. Festivities that had taken so long to plan were not put off by something as trifling as a power surge it would seem. The events had rolled on as planned, if only a little delayed.

In the shadows beside one of the fire-exits of the Millennium Centre, a deeper shadow lurked, waiting. He hated waiting, which was ironic considering he’d spent most of his unnaturally long life doing just that. And yet, in all that time he had not learned patience. Not true serene patience. The best he’d ever managed was a restless, agitated patience born of necessity. The kind he was exhibiting now, the kind where his irritation seemed to grow with each passing minute.

He knew, he understood and he accepted the reasons why he had to wait. That didn’t mean he liked it. In the shadows beside one of the fire-exits of the Millennium centre Jack Harkness lurked and waited, his mind churning over the last few hours.

~Tw~wT~

8 Hours earlier.

They’d settled eventually on Starbucks. There was a logic to their decision. A large group of people in a small coffee shop stood out. Yes Starbucks saw traffic but if there happened to be a group of five people tucked away on the couches in the corner for a few hours no-one would really pay them much mind other than a brief glance and a quiet huff because they’d got the sofas first. Aside from that it was busy enough that no-one would pay attention to what they were talking about, it was open late on weekends so they’d be set until at least eleven if need be, had free wi-fi, served food, the coffee was tolerable if expensive and it was warm.

They’d needed a place to regroup, to sort themselves out and work out what to do next. Jack didn’t bother to look up from his wrist strap as Ianto returned to the table with a tray of coffees, hearing but not paying attention to the murmurs of thanks his team raised as the large mugs were passed around. He caught sight of one being placed in front him out of the corner of his eye, but didn’t let it distract him. He was trying to gain remote access to the Hub, but so far wasn’t having much luck. Hopefully Tosh would do better.

Thinking of the computer genius, Jack finally raised his gaze, taking in the group around him. Tosh opposite him with the spare laptop they kept in the Land Rover sitting on the low table in front of her. Suzie sat on the couch on one side of her, Ianto on the arm of the couch on the other. Owen had pulled up an armchair and was only slowly pulling himself out of his sprawl to reach forward for his coffee.

“How did you get out?”

“Jack took us through the tunnels. We managed to kick out a rusty grill on a storm drain and made it out that way.”

“You mean to tell me that for all of Torchwood’s high security, you got out because of a rusty drain cover?”

Half an hour later and that little overheard conversation still made a sea of emotions slop uneasily in Jack’s stomach. He’d taken them down to the storm drain because it would give them fresh air, would give them a better chance against the smoke and fumes. He hadn’t expected to actually be able to get out. But once Suzie had spotted just how worn and rusted the bars of that grill had been and started kicking it, even in heels, he could hardly just sit there and watch. The grill had given way with sickening ease with two of them hammering at it.

The Calavite was right. They were joke. Four lost souls running around like a bunch of clueless girl-guides, a prisoner who ran their cover for them, a clapped out Land Rover and a dilapidated top secret underground base. A base which had practically imploded on itself due to a power surge, then during the resulting fire it had locked them in. Not that it mattered because they’d been able to get out simply by kicking something hard enough. No wonder the alien underground was laughing at them, that Yvonne Hartman and her loyal followers laughed at them.

He could feel it, everything he’d worked so hard for, crumbling around his ears. All his hopes. All his dreams. All his ambition.

“I’m in!”

Blinking Jack looked up and shook off his claustrophobic defeatism. He was just tired. That was all. All was not lost. He couldn’t help himself, he caught Toshiko’s eye and grinned.

Tosh smiled back, her cheeks pinking slightly as she absorbed the unspoken praise in Jack’s gaze. Then her eyes flicked back to the screen and within moments the smile dropped.

“Main power is back online, but a number of systems are down. I’m going to try and access internal sensors.” Her fingers flew over the keys, her back rigid as she focussed. “The Hub is still locked down. Internal sensors report high levels of a number of toxic chemicals in the air.”

“From whatever caught fire. Lots of plastics and shit down there that would kick off nasty stuff when burnt.” Owen sighed and the others nodded in agreement. “Any idea how long until it’s safe to go back?”

Tosh shook her head. “Ventilation and air purification is offline. If the Plass wasn’t so busy I’d suggest opening up the lift slab, but...”

“I’d rather not unleash a cloud of poisonous gas onto Cardiff if we can help it.” Jack drawled, running his hand through his hair. “Any idea what caused all this?”

“Not right now, but should only take a minute to get all the information from the internal sensors and the monitors I put on the power grid from the servers.” Tosh continued to tap at the keyboard as she spoke. “I started saving data to the server as a primary after the surges started blowing up the CPU’s.”

“My genius Toshiko.” Jack laughed, his tone tinged more with relief than amusement. A relief that turned tense as that ‘only a minute’ seemed to stretch out. In his peripheral vision Jack could see they were all leant in expectantly, waiting, anxious for what Tosh would say. He didn’t envy her that scrutiny.

“And got it... let me just... okay... according to this The Hub went into secure reset due to a power failure at fifteen oh nine hours and twelve seconds. Nineteen seconds later, the sensors recorded a massive incoming power surge which overloaded the power grid.” Tosh rattled off, her hands hovering over the keys and occasionally tapping, her eyes narrowed at the screen.

“I arrived on the Plass around twenty past, so that makes sense.” Owen agreed. Frowning he looked over at Ianto. “Hang on, didn’t you say you saw fuzzy faces on the Plass before it went to hell?”

Jack’s gaze snapped to Ianto and he scowled, his voice low and dangerous. “And exactly when were you planning on sharing this with the rest of us?”

“Well I was going to... tried to... then Owen said the Hub was on fire and we couldn’t get in and then there wasn’t really...” Ianto stumbled desperately looking like a deer caught in the headlights.

Suzie rolled her eyes, but Tosh reached out and put her hand reassuringly on his knee while at the same time pinning Jack with a glare. “It’s ok. Just tell us what you saw.”

Sitting back, Jack raised his eyebrow at Tosh, unimpressed. He would have to think about how close those two were getting. But not now. Now he had to focus on the threat at hand.

“I uh... I was watching one of the outside stages, then there was this feeling.” Ianto began then trailed off with a frown. “It was probably nothing.”

“Let us decide if it’s nothing.” Jack snapped impatiently. “A feeling.”

“Like static. Like lots of static... I can’t really explain it.” Ianto tried, glancing around helplessly and clearly at a loss.

“Could have been the power drain. That amount of energy being siphoned off in one go would create a huge electromagnetic field. Would make sense if it reacted with The Pattern.” Suzie theorised offhandedly, Tosh and Owen nodding in agreement.

“You had this feeling before?” Jack asked bruskly.

Ianto shook his head, and on seeing that Tosh spoke up. “That’s not surprising. This was the largest power drain yet, by a long way.”

“Alright so you felt the power drain.” Jack sighed, sitting back. He still wasn’t completely happy with the answers he was getting, but then nothing was going to sit well with him until they’d unravelled this whole thing, sorted it and got the Queen in and out of Cardiff safely. “What happened next?”

“Well, it made me look up and... well I could have just imagined it but I thought just for a moment...”Ianto stumbled once again, and seeing the raised eyebrows and increasing looks of frustration and impatience around him, bit the bullet. “I thought, just for a moment that the Millennium Centre roof turned blue. I know it’s stupid.”

“No its not.” Tosh waved him off, already half engrossed in something she had seen on her screen. “Keep talking.”

“Tosh what...” Jack tried to ask but was immediately cut off.

“Shh. Let Ianto talk I’ll tell you in a minute.” Tosh admonished. “Go on Ianto.”

“Umm.. well... I looked around to see if anyone else had seen but then things started exploding and that’s when I saw the fuzzy faces.”

“How many?” Suzie asked, peering over Tosh’s shoulder at the laptop screen.

“I don’t know...” Ianto seemed nonplussed for a moment. “Five or six? That’s when I ran back to the tourist office but I couldn’t get in.”

“Tosh?” Jack asked curiously. He’d lost interest in what Ianto was saying as he’d watched the girl’s, clearly making some kind of progress on the laptop.

“Give us a second Jack.” Suzie held him at bay, then pointed to something on the screen which made Tosh nod.

“I’m a patient man, but I’m a little stretched ladies. Give me something here.” Jack huffed.

Finally Tosh looked up. “While we were talking, more of the data I’d been recording to the server downloaded. You remember Suzie and I were working on a program to detect the spiders? Well I just inputted the data along with what Ianto told us and with the original sensor readings and the fire investigators report from the millennium centre.”

Turning the laptop around, Jack saw the screen was filled with a 3D diagram streaked with coloured lines and bright blue blobs, some small some large. Most of the diagram itself was recognisable as the Hub, but one section didn’t look familiar. It took him a moment to realise what it was. It was the basement levels of the Millennium Centre.

“The lines show energy flow around the Hub. Those blue dots are the energy pulse signatures of the spiders.” Tosh explained.

“Of course since we used the light refracting device we took off the calavite to tell the program what to look for, we also picked up the devices themselves.” Suzie broke in. “We weren’t looking at the data from the Plass at the time, we were searching inside the Hub. But you can see them there. Five small devices on the Plass at exactly the time Ianto described.”

“Not only that, look there.”Tosh pointed to a section of screen and Jack followed her finger.

It was clearly the closest point between the basement levels of the Millennium Centre and the Hub, and in that spot, two large blue dots.

“The power was being taken from the Hub into the millennium centre.” Jack surmised out loud. “Why?”

“That we can’t tell you.” Suzie replied seriously, her eyes slightly agleam at what they’d found out in the way only an engineer could understand. “But what we can tell you is how. Those spiders weren’t eating or collecting power. They were re-routing it. See all the power flow lines. They’re all going towards that point. If I had to guess our power problems haven’t been because someone’s stealing our power, they’re just the reason we noticed. Those outages were caused when the spiders tried to re-route something and our dodgy electrics caused a short.”

“So what happened earlier?” Owen, who had been uncharacteristically quiet, finally spoke up. “What? Our wiring finally couldn’t hack it and went bang?”

“No.” Tosh shook her head. “No, I think it was a problem on the other end. They took the power they wanted, but something didn’t work and it all came rushing back. The drain itself took about forty to fifty seconds, but the return surge hit in less than a second.”

“A bit like stretching a rubber band then letting it go.” Ianto murmured, getting a pleased and approving nod from Tosh.

Jack wasn’t listening. Standing up he grabbed his coat. They had a source now. Somewhere to look. Whoever or whatever was taking their power was based in the Millennium centre and he was going to put a stop to whatever it was they were up to. Right now.

“Jack?” Suzie’s voice stopped him.

“We know what we’re looking for now. Tosh stay here and see if you can get into the CCTV inside and outside the Millennium centre. Keep an eye on the Hub as well and let me know if there are any more power drains. Something that needs that much power isn’t something we want to happen, so we’re going to put a stop to it right now. Suzie you’re with me, Owen, take Ianto to the Land Rover and lock him in. He knows too much about this, and I don’t want him anywhere near this operation. When you’re done come find Suzie and I.”

“Now hang on!”

“Jack you can’t be serious!”

“Jack!”

Three voices of opposition. Sighing, Jack levelled them all with a glare.

“Jack you can’t just lock Ianto in the Land Rover. It’s freezing out there!” Tosh protested despite the look she got for it.

“It’s alright.” Ianto muttered quietly, standing up. “He’s worried if I’m left alone with you, I’ll do something to sabotage your mission. It’ll only be a couple of hours, I’ve got my coat.”

Jack pursed his lips. He did not like the way Ianto’s capitulation and his team’s clear upset was making him feel. No, he would not be emotionally blackmailed on this. In the last week Ianto Jones had been given a great deal more freedom than he’d previously had, and in that self same week everything had gone to hell. It wasn’t that he didn’t believe in coincidences - in fact they happened all the time - but he didn’t trust coincidences. Never had. Never would.

Nobody moved. Tosh continued to glare. Owen looked anywhere but at him.

Suzie huffed. “Jack... wait. We can’t do this now anyway.”

“Excuse me?” Jack almost barked.

“Do you want One to find out about this? Or how about the Queen’s office? Mi5?” Suzie countered evenly. “If we go rushing in there now all guns blazing, every security organisation in the country will know what’s happened. Right now as far as the rest of the world is concerned everything is ticking over smoothly apart from an electrical fault that had nothing to do with us what so ever. Wouldn’t it be better if we could keep it that way?”

Jack took a breath. What Suzie said made sense. Sometimes he hated it when she made sense. Usually it was because she made sense when he didn’t. Drawing another deeper breath, he ran his hand over his face. “Tosh, I still want those cameras, and I want to know what’s happening in the Hub. The moment it looks like something is going down we’re moving in. Otherwise, we’ll sit tight until things close down for the night. But no later. I want this sorted. Tonight.”

~Tw~wT~

Midnight.

Tonight had come. The hours had crawled slowly by, and as soon as the evening’s show had finished and the crowds began to disperse they got into position. Starbucks had chucked them out at eleven, so they’d been forced to retreat to the Land Rover anyway. That’s where Tosh and Ianto still were. Necessity had made their previous clash of wills rather moot. Short of locking Ianto in the boot or cuffing him to one of the seats there wasn’t anything else Jack could have done to negate the risk of sabotage. He only hoped Tosh’s faith didn’t prove misguided. There were some occasions when Jack Harkness practically relished being wrong and this would certainly be one of them.

November chill crept through his coat. There were cars in the side-street he was lurking in; their windscreens were already frosting up.

“Tosh report.” He ordered with quiet firmness, tapping his ear piece.

“Most of the front is closed up now. There’s still a few stage hands and techies around dismantling the show but other than it’s just a handful of security guards.” Tosh replied equally hushed.

Jack had to wonder why she was hushed; she was safe in the Land Rover inside the garage. But that always happened didn’t it? Someone spoke in a whisper, they’d get a reply in a whisper.

“Jack.” Suzie’s voice crackled over the com. The signal wasn’t great, but that wasn’t surprising the beating their equipment had taken. “I’ve been around places like this before. I had a friend in Uni whose dad was a roadie.”

Jack resisted the urge to roll his eyes and ask why that was relevant. She’d get there.

“It’ll take them hours to take down the stage. They’ll likely be here all night, ready to hand over to whoever is setting up for tomorrow. There’s a tight turn around on these events.” Suzie continued. “I think it’s as quiet as its going to get.”

“Alright.” Jack replied. “We’re going in. Tosh keep an eye on the exits. Owen, Suzie you know the plan. No heroics.”

“Yeah yeah. Don’t take on the bad guys unless we have to. Don’t touch anything we can’t identify. Try not to shoot first ask questions later. Did I miss anything Daddy Harkness?” Owen snarked down the com.

“Depends, are you going to keep calling me Daddy?” Jack grinned, and the grin widened when he heard the throaty disgusted sound Owen made.

“Sick Harkness. Just sick.”

~Tw~wT~

Placing the device against the door, Suzie tapped a couple of buttons and waited. She’d been waiting a while to test this particular bit of Rift flotsam. Jack wouldn’t be exactly happy to know she’d taken it off base, but what he didn’t know couldn’t hurt him. It was actually a stroke of luck she had it at all. She’d been planning to take it home that night and try it on purely mechanical locking mechanisms like her front door and her fire-safe and had slipped it into her coat pocket earlier in the day. Sometimes out of the worst scenarios the greatest chances came.

The device pinged, the purple-y (plum? Aubergine? Mauve?) light going green at the same time as the door clicked. Result.

Gun in hand, she cautiously pushed open the door just as the com crackled into life.

“Suzie?”

“What?” She hissed back quietly, scanning the hallway and following the path they’d agreed earlier in the afternoon.

“Problem girls?” Jack’s hushed voice broke in.

“No... No Problem.” Tosh quickly replied. “I saw something odd on the CCTV but it was just a shadow.”

“OK then. Keep the com chat to a minimum ladies. We’re doing this quietly.” Jack insisted.

Suzie didn’t bother to reply. Her heart thundered. It looked like she and Tosh would have to have a chat when this was done. She’d seen the device. Not that she was worried Tosh would rat her out to Jack. That wasn’t how they worked. But she was clearly worried. Tosh did that. Worry. She’d have to sit down and explain the device to her before she worked herself into a tiz about it.

In many ways Tosh was still too green, too wet behind the ears, still too in awe of Jack, too desperate not to break any rules. She hadn’t learnt yet that at Torchwood, at least their Torchwood, provided they could explain why they’d broken the rules, the actual breaking was rarely a problem. With Jack, rules were more like guidelines. Apart from the golden ones.

Rule one. Don’t Mess With The Rift.
Rule Two. Always follow Rule One.

There were also the golden rules that they the team had added over time, but they weren’t official. Important for their own wellbeing and continued physical and mental health (Rule Seven. Do Not assume if it’s in the fridge its edible) but not stone clad gospel like Jack’s two.

Shaking her head, Suzie snorted with amusement. Best not to think about their rules right now. She needed to stay focussed. (Rule 12. Consider double entendre before each sentence spoken before Jack. If it’s there, he WILL find it.)

Footsteps broke the silence and not her own. Ducking into a doorway, Suzie peered out cautiously before tucking back in. Damn. She really should have been concentrating.

“Tosh?” She whispered urgently.

“Got you. It’s alright, he’s turned down a side passage. I’ll keep an eye on him. The stairwell you need is two doors down the corridor from your position, on the right.” Tosh chirped back.

“Thanks.” Suzie breathed out.

“You getting in trouble Suze?” Owen snorted down the com.

“Do I have to put both of you on the naughty step when we get back?” Jack chimed in, sounding unimpressed. “What part of silent running were you not grasping earlier?”

OK. So Jack really wasn’t happy. He was also clearly watching too much Super-nanny during their quiet times. That was worrying.

Stepping out of her nook, Suzie crept down the hallway and quickly reached the door Tosh had directed her to, pulling it open and once through easing it back closed as quietly as possible.

From the stairwell it was just a matter of making it down to the sub-basements. Slipping off her shoes and taking them in one hand to make her steps as silent as possible, she began her descent; heart in her throat the whole way down.

Oh how she preferred a good workshop and a bit of alien tech to field work. Owen relished it, even Tosh was getting a real buzz for it, but Suzie doubted it would ever be anything but nerve wracking for her. It was part of her job, and a worthwhile part of it too, it was important. It just wasn’t her favourite.

There was a door at the bottom of the stairwell. Not surprising. Slipping her shoes back on, she peered through the glass panel to check the coast was clear and then moved out, trying to picture the layout of the sub-basements in her head. Some of it was large open space, some of it was narrow corridors with lots of little rooms filled with services. Electrics, Gas, Water, Heating, Air-Conditioning, drainage. Pumps, substations, boilers. All that kind of stuff. The guts of the building. The large open area was storage apparently.

Jack wanted her to check the small rooms. He and Owen would be taking the large ones, each coming in a separate end.

If any of them found anything, they were to call in, but so far the coms were quiet.

Room after little room. The device was coming in handy, many of the rooms were locked.

“Hey guys. Found something.” Owen’s voice rang loudly in Suzie’s ear after the extended quiet.

“What?” Jack asked.

“Looks like someone’s been sleeping rough. Makeshift bed. Food packets.” Owen replied, the distinct sounds of him rustling through the camp audible over the com. “small tool kit. Bugger.”

“Owen?”

“I think I know where your spiders came from Suze. Got a pile of crap here. Circuit boards, motors, the works.” Owen supplied. “Hang on there’s something under...”

Something whooshed over the com, and then there was a clang.

“Owen!” Suzie yelped already running for the door of the small room she was in.

“I’m alright! But we’ve got a runner! Tosh can you see her?”

“Hold on, I’m searching...” Tosh urgently replied. “Got her. Suzie she’d headed towards your end of the building. Jack if you back up the way you came and take a left at the T junction you might be able to head her off.”

“On it. Keep tracking her.” Jack barked.

Barging out into the hallway, Suzie snapped her gaze and her gun one way then the other. “Tosh, which way is she coming from? I’m all turned around.”

“Keep the doors on your right, head down the tunnel and you’ll run right into her.” Tosh replied easily.

“Oh because I really want to run into her.” Suzie groused under her breath but took off nonetheless.

She’d only been running for a few moments when she heard Jack’s voice, and not over the com.

“Don’t move!”

Running around the corner she ran right into another body. She didn’t know what kept her upright, what impulse made her grab hold of the frantic wriggling creature that had run into her.

“I said don’t move!” Jack boomed.

The creature, figure, person, in Suzie’s arms didn’t stop trying to get free but Suzie held on, cringing at the wailing screeching noise it was making. It was in that tighter hold that Suzie realised something. It was a girl. A very slight girl. And the noise she was making was so desperate, so plaintive, but it wasn’t just noise. Somewhere in amongst the sounds were words. Not words she understood but definitely words.

“Jack...” Suzie began, but trailed off not knowing what she was about to say.

Jack had run up to them, Owen a few short paces behind. With relief, Suzie let go of the waif as Jack hauled her into his grip.

It was then that he spoke, although like the girl, the words he spoke made no sense to Suzie.

“What the fuck was that?” Owen barked. Looking at him past Jack and the still struggling alien, Suzie shrugged.

Jack had the girl by the upper arms now, was practically shaking her. What he said sounded like Miscar better march. Over and over.

“Keema tep! Keema tep! Limpta better march!” The girl replied through choking hiccupping cries.

“Jack...” Tosh’s voice over the com.

“A little busy right now.” He growled back, looking down at the girl, his face losing some of its ire, he shook her again. “Bitempa, crimpa better march?”

“A little sharing might be nice around now Jack.” Owen persisted.

“I think its galactic standard.” Suzie supplied with a frown. “I’ve heard him use it once or twice when we’ve had tourists come in too low.”

“Guys, you really need to...” Tosh broke in once more.

“Not now Tosh.” Suzie snapped, fixated on the scene before her. Jack’s hold had loosened considerably, and although he still didn’t exactly look sympathetic, he wasn’t quite the earth’s avenging angel he’d appeared moments before. And the girl. Suzie could see her clearer now. Her skin was orange, not like fake tan, but like a goldfish, scales and all. She had what looked like fine whiskers coming from her cheeks and her hands were webbed. Jack was shooting question after question at her and her answers were coming equally fast, babbled and noisy through her fright and tears. She was crying.

“Drimpta!” he shouted, and the girl lifted her arm, pointing down the tunnel the way Jack had just come. “Dolma heh!”

Suzie couldn’t speak galactic standard, but she could take a wild stab in the dark about the last two things said. Especially when Jack gave the girl a nudge down the tunnel, keeping hold of her arm. Where? Show me!

“Jack what’s going on?” Suzie persisted, jogging slightly to keep up with Jack’s long stride.

“I’m not sure yet.” Jack admitted.

“But you have some idea?” Suzie nudged.

“She made the Spiders. It was her camp Owen found.” Jack filled in.

“But...?”

“I think she’s the girl our Calavite was looking for.”

Owen let rip a curse that was rare even for him. “The one he called a...”

“Don’t say it.” Jack snapped, cutting him off. “Believe me she’ll know what it means and if she is then...”

“Right.” Owen seemed dazed. Suzie didn’t blame him. The Calavite had come looking for a girl. A girl he’d called a Dreneka. Worse than a whore. Jack’s description still made Suzie feel a little ill.

“But if she’s the... what he said, why would she attack us? Why make the spiders?” Suzie finally asked after what seemed like an age of tunnels. What was it with them and tunnels lately?

Jack opened his mouth to reply, but the girl pulled in his grasp and pointed to a door. Carefully Jack opened it and nudged the girl to lead them inside, a quick glance at Owen and Suzie to make sure their weapons were ready.

Moving through the doorway, Suzie looked around, checking the space before proceeding. Then she looked at it properly. There was a hole in the floor, cables upon cables coming out of the floor and into... She had no words. It was a machine of some sort. But it was not of this world. And yet at closer inspection it was. Every part, every piece was taken from something very much of this world. Like the spiders. Cannibalised from spare parts.

“Yullna fetchata. Me tampa heh. Lugma sheema gulma he...” The girl began softly, walking over to the machine, Jack close behind.

“What’s she saying Jack?” Owen asked cautiously, casting a worried look at Suzie. She understood, it wouldn’t be first time Jack Harkness had been taken in by a pretty face, and despite the scales and whiskers, even Suzie could see she was a pretty face.

“She was an engineering student on her world...” Jack translated with pained softness. “She... she was on a transport to a colony planet to visit her brother when they were hit by a rift storm. She landed here...”

“Brooma teem. Meta better march heh...”

“Kepta better march?” Jack asked her.

The girl shook her head, and suddenly the fear was back. “Drolna... Keema Tep!”

“Sh sh sh...” Jack soothed, raising his hands placating. “Dipna heh.”

The girl sniffed. Shook her head and placed her hand on her chest. “Licani Mon.”

Jack smiled. “Captain Jack Harkness.” He pointed to Suzie and Owen. “Suzie Costallo, Owen Harper, Drineh fitcha na. Mehe so?”

The girl nodded to Suzie and Owen in turn then shook her head. “Doolma heh?”

“Jack, need a bit of translating.” Owen sighed.

“I told her you were a doctor and asked if she was hurt.” Jack huffed back.

“What about the machine?” Suzie threw in impatiently.

“It’s a communication device.” Jack replied then smacked his forehead. “Bripta, cooma shenda Millenium Centre gifta be heh?”

“Fitcha!” The rest of what the girl said was lost to Suzie and Owen as she babbled excitedly, showing Jack parts of the machine.

“Jack!” Owen snapped.

“Alright alright! This machine, it’s a transmitter. She wanted to use the roof of the Millennium centre’s metal roof as an emitter of some kind, to send the signal. The shape isn’t ideal, but its huge and kinda convex, it would have worked but the transmitter isn’t quite working properly.” Jack hurriedly explained. “She was trying to get a message home. Trying to get someone to come find her. She didn’t care who picked it up, she was just hoping someone would.”

Just hoping someone would. God. Suzie felt her knees go a little weak. It was far too easy to picture. Finding herself on an alien world, far from home without a way to get back and then being found by the likes of that calavite and... no wonder she didn’t care. No wonder she would risk any and all the scum of the universe. No wonder she wouldn’t think twice about how she did it. She just wanted a way out. And there she was, babbling happily through her tears to Jack and looking at him with her huge silver eyes like he was her saviour just because he spoke her language and understood what she was trying to do. Like he could help her. “Jack, can we help her?”

“The question perhaps would be whether or not it is in your own best interests to do so. Captain Harkness.”

The new voice cut across the room like a knife. They all turned. The girl darting behind Jack and clinging to his greatcoat as Suzie took in the new comer, gun raised. He was short. Very short. Dark skinned, leathery looking with horns protruding from his head like a crown. He wore a pristine white suit, and on either side of him two fuzzy faced men, aliens, in equally smart suits menaced and filled the doorway, guns raised.

“Ahh, little Mon. I see you’ve been busy.” The newcomer sighed, his face filled with a gentle smile that made Suzie’s skin crawl. “You’ve given us quite the run around. Tsk tsk.”

Suzie tapped her com. “Tosh...”

“Ah. I’m Sorry. I’m afraid I’ve blocked your communications. Miss Sato was becoming a little annoying with her persistence to get hold of you, and proving quite adept at overriding our control of the cameras. Quite a nuisance.”

“If you’ve hurt her...” Jack growled, his own gun now raised as well.

“I assure you she is quite unharmed.” The newcomer reassured slimily. “I simply severed the communication link you share, nothing more. She’s probably running across the Plass now, coming to save the day. That is what you hero types do isn’t it? Not that she’ll be able to get in. She’ll find her way blocked I’m afraid, and if she has any sense she won’t persist in her efforts.”

Jack snarled. “Who are you?!”

“Forgive me. How rude.” The newcomer clasped his hands in front of himself. “My Name is Mr Salls.”

Suzie jerked. The name Jack has said was a myth. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Jack’s eyes widen and then narrow.

“Mr Salls is a myth.” Jack replied derisively.

“And yet here I stand. Quite real.” Mr Salls jovially rebuffed. “Now down to business. I have no interest in Torchwood Mr, sorry Captain Harkness, in fact I’m rather a fan of your work. Under your regime Cardiff is far friendlier place to do business. None of this kill on sight, if it’s alien it’s ours nonsense you have to deal with across the border. Why Cardiff is booming under your guardianship Captain. I really must commend you. However, we seem to have a slight problem. You see that young lady behind you is in fact mine. And while I would rather not do anything rash, she represents a rather large investment and I will protect my investments Captain, by any means.”

“In case you haven’t noticed, there are three guns aimed at your head.” Jack responded sarcastically.

“So there are.” Mr Salls observed. “But can Dr Harper and Miss Costallo, don’t look so shocked I do my research.” He rolled his eyes. “Can your associates take us all out before my associates take them out I wonder? Or perhaps you’d like to risk Miss Sato? She should be with my associates upstairs by now.”

“He’s bluffing.” Owen bit out.

“Am I?” Mr Salls calmly replied. “Are you really willing to test that theory?”

“He doesn’t need to.” Jack shot back with a smirk.

Catching Owen’s eye, Suzie cast him a wary look before returning her gaze to the thugs and Mr Salls. God she hoped Jack knew what he was doing.

“See, the thing you don’t realise. The thing you seem to have overlooked. The small detail that’s escaped you? Is that my team? My people? I chose them. And the reason I chose them was because they’re good. Better than good. They’re the best.” Jack taunted with so much pride Suzie felt a smile breaking out on her face before she ruthlessly crushed it. Jack suddenly brought up his left arm and casually clicked a button on his wrist-strap. “While your people? Not so good. Tosh, what have learned?”

“That Calavites and Sodium Pentathal don’t mix well.” Tosh’s voice rang out tinnily from the device. “Other than that, I have names, address, locations, contacts. I think he was about ready to give me his mother.”

“I take it you weren’t aware we had one of your associates in our custody.” Jack smirked, gleefully taking in the brief flicker of shock on Mr Salls face.

Mr Salls remained silent.

“UNIT and One are standing by Captain.” Tosh spoke up. “Just say the word.”

“You despise Torchwood London, you would not call for their aid.” Mr Salls snorted derisively. “You’re bluffing.”

“Am I?” Jack smirked back. “Are you willing to test the theory? Even if you escape here with your life... All your businesses, your clients, associates, everything you own, everything you have. Gone... and all for this girl?”

Mr Salls eyes flicked to Mon, who ducked further behind Jack, his breath coming in heavy nasal bursts.

“Toshiko overcame your communication blocker easy enough, and your associate has been so very helpful. Do you really want to risk it all?” Jack added conversationally, then grinned again.

“You kill me you won’t make it out of this building alive.” Mr Salls countered. “My associates are everywhere.”

“And the moment Tosh even suspects we have a problem she’ll have Unit and London crush you, your little operation and anyone else we can even remotely connect to you like a bug.”

It was a standoff. A classic standoff. No one had the upper hand.

Finally Mr Salls snorted, pursed his lips and bowed his head sagely. “Your talents are wasted in Torchwood Captain. You should have been a businessman, you would have made a fine negotiator. I will leave you with the Dreneka. I hope she proves as pleasing to you, as she has been for her many clients.”

“If they complain about her absence, be sure to pass on my apologies.” Jack snarled.

“I may just do that Captain.” Mr Salls nodded again, and then with flick of his hand, he turned, the two thugs backing out with him.

“Jack?” Owen asked hurriedly, looking like he would quite happily sprint off after the retreating Salls, but Jack shook his head.

“Stand down.”

Turning as one, Suzie and Owen could only stare at their Captain incredulously.

Tbc...
Epilogue