Death is the Beginning - Chapter Three
St Agnes Orphanage
Ianto sighed, somehow being back in this office made him feel like a naughty little kid again.
The office once belonged to Ernst Williams and back in his day, Ianto saw more of these walls than the classrooms he was supposed to attend. He had been lucky to end up in this place after his parents had been killed, having a strict but fair reputation to the charges in its care, thanks to the Williams family. Ianto owed a lot to Mr Williams Snr, a fact his son Rhys was always keen to tap into.
Ianto turned on the spot to face the door as it swung open and Williams Jr strode in. He held out his hand in a friendly gesture giving it a firm shake.
“Ianto, so good to see you again.”
“Likewise Rhys. How are things going these days?”
They sat comfortably and Ianto listened politely as Rhys filled him in on the latest goings on. He liked this man immensely and it seemed he had retained most of his father’s best qualities. The gentleness compassion, but also a Welsh practicality that had taken the orphanage into the 21st century, turning out fine young men, present company excluded.
A while into the conversation, the door opened to reveal a pretty raven haired woman with a kindly smile.
“Gwen, good to see you.”
Ianto rose to kiss her cheek, having not seen these two since their wedding four months previously.
“Oh you too, pet.”
“So, how can I help?”
Ianto listened as the pair of them recounted the story of the stranger who had shown up at their door.
“That’s all very sad really, but what can I do for him?”
“Dig a little? Find out about his background for him?”
“Rhys I’m flat out at the moment, I don’t really have time for a bleeding heart case.”
“Ianto, he can’t stay here and I don’t want to turn him out on the streets or to Providence Park. You know, sometimes all troubled souls really need is someone to give them a break.”
Rhys turned to look meaningfully at the portrait of his father that hung on the wall over the fireplace. Ianto sighed at Rhys’ smirk.
“We need to find his family, he’s lost Ianto and so frightened. If you only heard the terrified screams at night....” Gwen added, seeing the young man give in.
“Ok, ok let me meet him, I might be able to get Tosh to run his picture, see what we can dig up. Meanwhile he can stay at the Hub. I’m not going to send anyone to Providence Park.”
****
Ianto followed Gwen to the small bedroom. It was sparse and just as he remembered it.
“I think he’s showering.”
Ianto moved around the room, starting to go through the small amount of personal possessions that where on the bedside cupboard.
God, what was that smell?
“So, he can’t talk?”
“Only in his sleep, more of a scream actually,” Gwen answered.
“And doesn’t remember anything?”
She shook her head.
“So, one left glove, a signet ring....” Ianto picked up the shirt and pressed it to his nose, yep there it was. A momentary shiver passed through him, the smell seemed to penetrate to his very centre.
“The smell tell you anything?”
Ianto looked up at Gwen, a wry smile on her face.
“Ah, the label, you can get a lot from the la...”
He broke off as a man walked through the door, rubbing his wet hair. The man froze when their eyes met. Ianto felt a tingle of déjà vu, like the man was looking right through him. It was almost as if he had known him all his life.
Ianto shook himself as Gwen spoke.
“Hey pet, this is Ianto Jones, he’s going to help you find out who you are.”
Ianto held out his hand and fixed his most reassuring smile on his face. His skin prickled as their hands touched, it was brief but enough to grab Ianto’s interest.
“So, these are your possessions?”
The man nodded, cautiously watching Ianto’s fingers as they thumbed through the fabric of his shirt.
“Well, we could take some photographs of you and this stuff, put it up on some bulletin boards and see if we get a hit. Sound good?”
Ianto watched as the older man nodded. He was slightly taller than Ianto, muscular with a thick mop of short dark hair. His cheek bones where chiselled, lips the right shade of red. It was the eyes though that got to Ianto. There was pain reflected in a shade of blue that seemed to have no limit as to their depths.
“So, um.....if you want to come with me and we’ll get started?” Ianto held out the shirt as a peace offering gesture.
He watched as the man looked cautiously at Gwen. She nodded in encouragement, a toothy grin setting the man’s nerves to rest. He nodded at Ianto and took the shirt from him and proceeded to gather his meagre possessions.
****
“Ok, it’s just through here.”
He guided the man through the side door entrance to the Hub. Situated right on Cardiff Bay, it was the perfect central place. It was one of the few things he had inherited from his unknown family, having been left at the orphanage from a very young age. The other was a mysterious allowance that had started after he had finally left the police force.
Ianto watched as the man took in his surroundings. Impossible high ceilings, old Victorian walls, spiral staircases and a huge water tower rising up through the middle.
“Sorry it’s not much, could do with a bit of a re-fit.”
The man merely shook his head, a small smile playing on his lips, like he was beholding a wondrous thing.
“Well, Ianto, who have we got here?”
The man flinched at the voice as he span around to be faced with a petite Asian woman, glasses framing her small face.
“Ok, this is Tosh, Tosh this is.....well he can’t talk and has lost his memory so we are gonna help him find his family.”
“No name huh? Well we have to call him something Ianto hmmmm...what do they call the unidentified corpses?”
“John Doe?”
“Nah too impersonal. I know...John Smith!”
The name sparked unease in Ianto but one look at the enthusiasm on the strangers face broke his resolve as Jack nodded.
“Ok, John Smith it is then.”
Even the name on his tongue felt odd, alien almost.
“I can take your photo, run it on a few news bulletins on the web, also DNA or fingerprint profiles? I could hack into the national database see what comes up?”
“Do it Tosh, in the meantime he’s staying here. I’ll go and set a bed up.”
“You mean he’s staying here with you?”
“Yes....why?”
“My God Ianto.....You sure you can stand someone living in your space? I mean he might actually mess with your stuff. God forbid he touches your coffee machine.”
“Oh funny Tosh, just run the checks will you?” He flashed a warning glance her way as he ascended to the rooms above them.
The man watched him walk away and felt his anxiety rising, now that the young man he had already quickly come to trust, was no longer beside him.
Tosh flashed a reassuring smile at him as she took his hand and led him to her computer station.
Chapter Four