Into Gethsemane (2/11)
Title: Into Gethsemane (2/11)
Author: nancybrown
Characters: Jack, Ianto, Gwen, Lois, Johnson, Rupesh, Martha, Mickey, Tish, Rhys, John, Alice, Steven, OCs, many cameos
Pairings: mostly canon
Rating: R
Warnings: AUTHOR CHOOSES NOT TO WARN (but will answer PMs for any content questions)
Spoilers: up through COE
Words: 60,000 (6,300 this part)
Betas: eldarwannabe and fide_et_spe both performed major heavy lifting on this story, and have my deepest thanks for their efforts
Summary: A secret movement within the government successfully placed Lois Habiba as a spy inside Torchwood, and the trap is ready to be sprung. Meanwhile, Jack has received worrisome news, leading Gwen and Ianto from one danger into another. Loves, loyalties, and everyone's lives are on the line as the force behind the conspiracy finally comes to light.
A/N: Final fic in a fake third series where Lois, Johnson, and Rupesh have joined the team. Can be read as a stand-alone but will make more sense in context of the other stories.
Master Post
Chapter One
***
Chapter Two
***
"It never rains but it pours," said Jack. He'd sat back down and coaxed Ianto into the seat next to him. Ianto couldn't always read his moods, but for the first time today, Jack's opacity had cleared. The quiet touch of hands and the simple pressure of ankles brushing were for him necessary reassurances, and Ianto gave them, however reluctantly.
Jack played the rest of the message, then turned it off. "He contacted me last night. I've spent today working on a plan."
Rhys asked, "Who is he?"
Ianto had names for John Hart, but let Gwen explain. "He's bad news. Remember the bombs? He set those."
Jack said, "He's the guy you never invite to a party because you don't know if he's going to dance naked on the table or nail the dog to the ceiling."
"Bloody hell." Rhys took Gwen's hand at that. He knew enough to understand what they'd lost that night. "And he's coming here again? Expecting a job?"
"I don't know what he expects," Jack said. "The last time I saw him, two people I cared about died."
Ianto took a gulp before he spoke, not wanting the anger building up inside himself to take over. "He killed you. He helped," he didn't want to say Gray's name and make things worse, "I mean, he was the one who captured you so you were buried alive for over a thousand years. He's not coming near you again." The anger was winning.
"The worst he can do to me is kill me. The two of you won't come back from it, and believe me, there's far worse he can do to you than kill you. You're right," Jack said to Ianto, "this isn't fair. I'm going to be selfish and get you as far away from him as possible."
"Jesus," Rhys said, and for once, didn't launch into a diatribe about how Jack managed to entangle everyone into his messes.
"The others will be in danger too," said Gwen.
Ianto said, "You have to send Alice away."
"He doesn't know about Alice," said Jack. "And he won't. She'll be safe. He's met the two of you. All I have to do is tell him you've been transferred to another city, play it like I don't care, and he won't bother with you. You won't be interesting. I hope. After he's gone, I can recall you to Cardiff."
"How long?" asked Gwen.
"I'd give it a month," said Jack. His face twitched in the way it did when he was avoiding saying something.
"How long really?"
"Could be longer. He wasn't specific. Maybe six months."
Rhys said, "Are you fucking kidding me? You are not sending my wife away for six bloody months!"
"You can go with her," said Jack. "I'm not stopping you. I have to stay here, though." His thumb traced a circle; Ianto shivered. "And I need you both completely on board with this, because we have to tell the rest that you're leaving because you want to. If they think you're being sent away, he'll find out."
"He'll find out anyway," Gwen said. "We can handle him, Jack."
"You really can't. And there's one more thing."
"Of course there is," said Rhys in disgust.
Jack glanced at Ianto again, and he knew what Jack was going to say. "This is also a good excuse to get you both out of sight. I think our security has been breached."
The conversations they weren't supposed to have at home, but did regardless, had touched on concerns they'd both had, noticing the accumulation of odd details and forming an unpleasant conclusion. Added to this, Jack had received friendly warnings from their other contacts.
"Our London branch has picked up a lot of chatter about us lately. That L'dosian incursion made it to UNIT's ears, and I know I didn't tell them."
Gwen said, "You think it's Johnson."
"She's the most obvious candidate, yeah. And we vetted Rupesh but he's way too chummy with her for having just met." Jack leaned forward. "I'm not going to point fingers at anyone yet. It could be a coincidence. But I'd feel much better if you both were elsewhere and not under their eye. Especially if I need to call in the cavalry."
He glanced at Rhys. "Did I say the part out loud where you both continue to get paid because Glasgow's setup budget was approved separately from ours?"
This appeared to convince Gwen, who had clearly heard the previous implication that Rhys could go with her. She'd pretend to stubborn it out a bit longer, but her mind was made up to go, now she was playing for extras. Ianto sat back on the sofa, observing. Yes, they could buy that van Gwen had been pushing for, with the extra room for seating and equipment, with discretionary funds from the Glasgow account. Ianto could load it with their pick of the field equipment from here, and their luggage, and drive everything. No, they couldn't take Lois with them.
"I need someone here who knows where the paperclips are and how the filing system works."
"It's an alphabet," said Ianto. "Even you can manage that."
"Lois is staying. I may transfer Perry once you've established the site." Not a surprise; Jack had an uncomfortable history with their new technician, just as he had an uncomfortable history with the new Glasgow director. He'd be happy to have them on his side, working somewhere else.
"You're sure about this?" Gwen asked, but her eyes were back on the wrist strap. "I'm not certain the others will believe we're going as our own idea."
Jack leaned back again. "Oh, but the two of you have been talking to each other about transferring for a while. Cardiff's got a lot of bad memories, you need some breathing room, and this is the perfect opportunity. I was against the idea, but you stood firm, and I gave in because the other option was watching you both walk away from Torchwood entirely and I couldn't face that."
The cover story wasn't perfect, but they wouldn't have to hold it up for more than a few days; Jack had to keep the façade for months, and this would explain his melancholy.
Mouth dry, Ianto asked, "When do we leave?"
***
Jack saw Gwen and Rhys out. Rhys wasn't any happier, but spared them a rant, which Jack decided he'd count as considerate. Realistically, Rhys couldn't go to Scotland, find a job, and come back whenever it was safe, not if he intended to keep the position he had now.
At least Rhys could go visit. Jack didn't dare.
He wiped his face with his hand in the corridor outside the flat. Ianto hadn't said much, which meant "We'll be talking about this later." Now it was later.
"Hey," Jack said, opening the door. Part of him expected it to be locked. Ianto wasn't in the kitchen cleaning up, but had already pulled out his bags and was rummaging through the wardrobe.
"We should plan on going in tomorrow," Ianto said, looking critically at a shirt before folding it carefully. "I need to make sure all my access codes are signed over."
Jack walked up behind him, wrapping his arms around Ianto's waist. "Easy enough. We put most of it in place when you were on medical leave."
Ianto winced, and Jack moved his hand quickly away from the tender spot on his abdomen. The bandages were gone, and even the bruising had faded thanks to Torchwood's proprietary wound treatments. Jack didn't think for a minute it was physical pain he was reacting to right now.
One hand on the other hip, Jack said into his ear, "Say you're not mad at me."
"I'm not mad, I'm tired. It's been a long day and I have a lot to do this weekend."
"You know this isn't forever. He'll come, I'll deal with him, he'll go, and you can be home the next day."
"This time." Ianto stopped pretending to fold. "Where are you sending me next time?"
"There won't be a next time."
A noise growled down in Ianto's throat, rumbling through him. "John Hart isn't your only ex out there. Tell me honestly none of the others are psychos. You can't send me to another country every time one of your old shags is in town."
"I'll protect you." Jack pressed a kiss into his neck.
Ianto turned in his arms, and pressed a kiss of his own onto Jack's mouth, face drawn into the saddest smile Jack had ever seen. "Congratulations. I didn't think you'd find a way to do it without Retcon."
"Do what?"
"When Glasgow is set up, you'll have my resignation on your desk."
Jack moved his arms, mindful of the old wound this time. "You know, that's the second time today you've threatened to quit. It's going to lose power as a threat if you keep it up."
"I'm serious." Jack aimed for a laugh but Ianto kept his gaze as he said, "You're making decisions based on my safety instead of the good of the team. That makes me a liability to them and to you, and if I'm no longer useful to you as an employee, I can't stay."
Jack finally dropped his arms. "What do you want me to do? John's dangerous."
"He was dangerous before."
"Yeah, and look what happened. Before, he was too busy conning me to worry about anything else. If he comes back now, there's no way he's not going to notice what you and I have, and he will hurt you to get to me."
"You don't know that for sure."
Jack sat on the edge of the bed. He didn't like thinking about this. "Back when he and I were together, during that time loop, I got bored. I found someone else to spend a couple of loops with, and when he found out, he kidnapped her in the next loop, and the one after, and the one after that. Don't make me tell you what he did." The memories slithered back anyway: the cold pit in his stomach as he'd caught onto what was happening, the days spent searching for where John had left her, and what he'd found. And worst of all had been the next loop, when John had found her first, and befriended her this time, and met Jack with a predatory smile that said more than any threat ever could.
"I won't let that happen to you if I can possibly help it. And when he's out of the picture, you'll be back here." Jack took his hand. "Speaking of, we should talk."
"I've been thinking the same thing."
"Good," Jack said, a little relieved. He'd been mulling this over well before John had interrupted his night. "I'm glad we're on the same page." He pushed the suitcase off the bed and sat, pulling a reluctant Ianto to sit next to him. "After this is over and you're back home," he took a breath. "I think we should ... "
"Take a break," said Ianto, right as Jack said, "Get married."
Ianto blinked. "Not on the same page, then."
"No."
Ianto took a shaky breath and touched his ear. "Gwen, Jack's been compromised. I can't tell if he's been taken over or replaced. Get Rhys to safety and get back here."
"What?"
He had reached "replaced" when Jack jabbed his own comm and started speaking over him. "Gwen, ignore him."
"I'm serious."
"Can it. Gwen, we'll see you tomorrow."
"I'm closing the line now."
***
Gwen stiffened beside him in the car. Rhys watched her touch her ear. "What?" she asked.
She blinked. Rhys stayed silent as she listened for a moment, and then said, "I'm closing the line now." She touched her ear.
"What was that, then?"
"Couples' spat. The dangers of getting domestic all of a sudden." She made a noise. "I never thought I'd see the day."
Rhys kept driving. He couldn't see anything 'sudden' about the situation. In another month and a bit, they'd be coming up on the first anniversary of the bombs, and Rhys couldn't think of a single time he'd seen Jack since without Ianto nearby. They'd shared a flat for months, they'd gone to that wedding together, and Rhys himself breathed a bit easier every time he considered the pair as a unit. Kinda like him and Gwen, he mused, but with fewer arguments about the toilet seat.
"You know, speaking of getting domestic," he began, working at a thought that had been preying on him lately, "we never did finish that conversation from last night."
Gwen turned from staring out the window to face him, her lips pressed together for a moment in annoyance. "This isn't the kind of world I'd want to bring a child into. You've seen what I deal with everyday. It's not that I don't want children, you know that."
"I know, and I have seen what you do. But Jack's got kids, you said, and Martha's having one. You wouldn't be alone."
She sat back in her seat. "Talk to me when I'm back from Glasgow. I can't deal with the conversation now."
He bit back his reply, and kept driving.
***
"You want to break up?"
"You want to get married?" The expression on Ianto's face and the tone of his voice were the same as if Jack had suggested they strip, paint themselves blue, and go streaking at the Assembly. Actually ...
He twitched his head. Time to focus right now. "Why not? We're together, we're happy. We'll sign some papers, make it legal and tidy." He'd tested the waters before, and Ianto had reacted positively on each occasion. Jack had been looking for the right opportunity to bring up the subject again. "You like tidy."
"You don't." Ianto glanced around Jack's part of the bedroom, which okay, could be neater.
"I could learn."
"And you're allergic to labels. When we went to Mica's birthday party, and I introduced you as my boyfriend, you nearly choked."
"I was just surprised."
"None of this sounds like you." Ianto closed his eyes. "I can't believe we're having this conversation. I need to pack," he said, standing again, putting the suitcase back onto the bed and opening his sock drawer.
"Why do you want to break up?"
"I don't. I didn't." He paused in mid-grab, black socks dangling in his grip. "I need time to clear my head. Everything has happened so fast." He put the socks into the bag. "If we're going to be apart, you shouldn't be tied down. Do what you want. Do whom you want. I'll do the same. When I get back, I'm going to quit, and afterwards, I won't remember your name."
"I'm not Retconning you because you're not resigning." He could feel the annoyance creeping in around the edges, whispering that this was why he didn't bother with relationships. Wouldn't it be simpler to go back to nameless fucks he never brought home, and his own bed at night? No worrying about rules, no trying not to say something upsetting, no anxiety deep down wondering when Ianto would leave him as he absolutely must one day. Jack's whole life would be easier if they called it quits now.
And he'd considered this, and he knew he didn't want easier, not this time.
He was uncomfortably aware that he'd proposed marriage without ever saying "I love you" out loud, and that Ianto was bright enough to have noticed and drawn his own conclusions.
"We'll talk when I get back."
***
"I need to come in," Kate said, because she never was good at hellos. Alice stood aside and let her in, watching as she wiped her boots carefully on the mat.
"I've put some coffee on," said Alice, aware of her own dressing gown. It was late, and she couldn't sleep. Apparently neither could Kate. She'd called on her way here.
"Thanks." She followed Alice to the kitchen, watching her as Alice found mugs and the sugar bowl. "I didn't mean to wake you."
"You didn't."
They'd reached a ticklish spot between them. Kate had visited frequently since September. Originally they had chatted about aliens and their shared antipathy towards Jack, but the conversations had drifted to much better topics. Kate liked the same era of artists, liked the same musicians, liked the same films. They met for dinner, met for drinks.
Alice didn't hold any truck with labels, one thing she'd picked up from him whether she'd wanted to or not. If she was inclined to hang names on things, she'd call this the beginning of a relationship.
"I have something for you," said Kate. She held out a manila envelope. Her mouth twisted as their fingers brushed.
Curious, Alice opened the envelope. She found two passports, two birth certificates, other documents. Her own face was on one of the passports, but her name had never been Penelope Madison. "What's this?"
"It's for your security. You may be advised to leave the area in a hurry, and these will help you and Steven go underground."
"We're already underground." Worry burned through her. "What's going on?"
"I can't tell you that. Neither can the Captain." She tilted her head. "He would tell you if he could."
Worry churned into anger. Jack was using Kate to talk with her? This was a new low. "Has something happened? Where is he?"
"Safe, for now. But he can't guarantee your safety, and you should refrain from contacting him in the near future, for your own sake. Think of this as insurance. If you get the call, run."
Alice found a chair and sat down heavily. She hadn't imagined this in all her idle thoughts about tonight. When Kate had called her so late, she'd pictured them sitting up with coffee, talking for a while until one of them finally made that half-laugh, the one saying they were both thinking the same thing. Alice would bend in for a kiss, and Kate's mouth would be warm from the coffee, and firm, knowing. Perhaps they'd stay on the couch, perhaps they'd walk hand in hand up to Alice's bedroom.
Instead, Kate stood uncomfortably in the kitchen, spine straight as a stick, telling Alice she might have to drop everything and run away thanks to Alice's idiot of a father. Again.
The worst part was that this was not the first almost-relationship Jack had managed to end for her, and would surely not be the last. Bastard.
"Get out."
"Alice ... "
"Go."
***
Saturday and Sunday passed in a blur. When Gwen called Jack to ask if she could take the weekend to settle things at home, he was curt. She had to work Saturday and could deal with her personal life on Sunday, he told her before ringing off. They spent most of Saturday tracking a phase-shifted creature that was blundering through two shopping centres and a greengrocer's, and the shoppers walked through it all unawares. When they'd contained and disposed of the thing, Gwen still had to go through what inventory she wanted to take with her to Scotland, and she'd hardly packed yet. Ianto was out purchasing the new van, and promised he'd load everything she selected on Sunday.
Sunday was a mess at home. Not only did she have to pack what could be six months of her life, she also had to field questions from her mam, and then from Brenda Williams.
"It'll be fine," she said, resting the phone on her shoulder as she chose between two jumpers.
"If you're leaving him, I'd understand," said Mam. "Do you want to come stay with us? Do you need money?"
"I'm not leaving Rhys. This is just for work. It's a good opportunity, I couldn't say no. And it's temporary. Very temporary." God, she was of a mind to kill Jack.
"Is it that tall man? The good-looking one in the wedding photos? Oh, what was his name?"
Twice. She would kill Jack twice. Bloody Retconning her wedding, and still managing to make an impression from the snaps the wedding faeries hadn't wiped. "No. In fact, his boyfriend is going with me." She could hear the gears spinning in her mother's head. "Look, Mam. I've got to keep packing. I'll ring you when I get settled in Glasgow, yeah? Love you."
As soon as she set the phone down, it rang. Brenda again. "Rhys, you talk to your mother." She pulled out two more jumpers to compare them. She hadn't even looked at the kitchen yet, though Rhys would hardly let her take most of it. There was a lot of takeaway in her future. She and Ianto would have to keep an eye on each other to stay on Martha's good side and order meals with vegetables.
"It's not Mam," Rhys said, coming into the bedroom. "It's Lauren's mother."
Gwen picked up the phone again. "Ronelle, hi."
"Sorry to bother you."
"No, no. I said you could call anytime. How's Lauren?"
Ronelle hesitated. Lauren Hawes was a rare thing indeed: a Rift refugee successfully returned home. She'd vanished and popped up again a week later, and Gwen herself had found her frightened but unharmed. Far more victims of the Rift came back broken, or not at all, leaving only their photographs behind for their grieving relatives.
"She's having nightmares. Last night, she kept us up screaming." Tight sorrow ridged her voice. "I know we went to hospital and she was checked out and ... Um. They said nothing had happened to her." Gwen squeezed the phone. She knew what Ronelle feared for her little girl. "But she was gone a week. Who had her? Why doesn't she remember?"
Because she stepped through a crack in space-time and went directly from her garden to the front of a churchyard, and there was nothing to remember. It would be so simple to tell Ronelle. It would ease her worry to know her child hadn't been in the clutches of some paedophile for that lost week, was not blocking out horrific memories.
Gwen didn't dare.
"Stress-induced amnesia," Gwen said in as soothing a voice as she could. "She was wandering in the cold for days, poor lamb. And she's just four. Everything's going to be a blur." She switched ears. "If it would make you feel better, I can ask my boss to have a chat with her. He's good with children," she lied. "Maybe he can help her sort out what she's scared of." And he can dig, carefully, into what she might be remembering after all, and take that away, too.
"Do you think so?"
"I'll ask him first thing tomorrow. Oh, I'm going to be leaving town tomorrow on a business trip, so if you and Lauren have any problems at all, you can call my mobile, and I'll give you his, too."
"Thanks, Gwen."
She rang off. Gwen returned to sorting. So many damn things to do today.
***
His orders had Walter stand down permanently as of Friday. He could stop being Sergeant Trent, maybe set aside everything he'd done, and been forced to do, and find out who Walter was without the red cap. If Jack's magical forgetfulness pills wouldn't work on him, a new life somewhere else sounded like just the ticket.
Saturday was spent packing, and after that, he took Linnie out to dinner. "When I'm settled, you can come visit. It's a nice area, Glasgow. Scenic."
"Okay." Linnie barely talked to him these days. He always tried to get her to smile, but whatever her mum was telling her at home, it kept her distant, and he didn't dare tell her different. He remembered too well the previous timeline, the one where everything had gone to shit. A man he'd tortured to death, under orders and threats on Linnie's life if he didn't, had offered him a hand, and a way to make amends in his own head. His daughter couldn't smile in that timeline. Perhaps she'd eventually learn to like him in this one.
"I love you," he told her over and over, while she settled her shoulders deeper into the too-big winter coat and waited for him to pull up outside her mum's house.
"Bye, Dad." She pecked him on the lips and got out.
He got home to packed boxes and a life that didn't fit him anymore. He slept uneasily, and woke before sunrise, his body used to a lifetime of UNIT regulations that wouldn't be well switched to whatever passed for Torchwood's version of same. He had the car loaded by eight AM, picked up a bacon butty for his breakfast, and was about to get on the M6 just before nine.
The road was blocked, some sort of accident, he guessed. He'd chosen Sunday to drive for less traffic and still he'd have to reroute or wait.
A police officer approached his car. Walter rolled down the window, letting in a blast of February cold air. "I need to see your license," said the cop, face mostly covered in the chill.
Walter said, "I was about to turn around."
"Your license, please." The 'please' was a meaningless word. He'd used it himself loads of times. He got out his license.
"This you? Walter Trent?"
"That's my picture, yeah." Now that he was out of the military, maybe he'd grow his hair a bit from the severe cut in his photograph. Everything could change.
Walter had just enough time to see the gun, not enough to react, or even feel sad that he was never going to see Linnie smile again after all.
***
"So I'll be out of touch," said Ianto, pretending to enjoy the mug of weak tea. "I'll let you know when my schedule will change."
Rhiannon took a long drink from her own mug, then set it on the table. She fixed him with a long stare that reminded him too much of the times Mam had caught him out in a lie. He held himself back from shifting in the seat and confirming her suspicions. Mam and Rhi both had an uncanny sixth sense for bullshit. That was half the reason he'd barely contacted her after joining Torchwood. He could tell she smelled something off about his story, and he didn't dare give her any more reason to doubt him. Strangely, it was also probably why she (mostly) liked Jack: he was so full of lies, half-truths, and pure cheek that he overloaded whatever damn sensor she used when Ianto said it hadn't been him to use of the last of the loo roll.
"What kind of business trip, did you say?"
He hadn't. "Training. Lots of training. They've got some new people for me to mentor, and I'll be picking up training of my own." True. He and Gwen would be showing Trent how to operate, help him hire new people, and Ianto had no doubt he'd learn plenty playing through the archives at Torchwood House.
"Why are you going to Scotland for training? You work for Visit Wales."
"The idiot who gave me the orders said something like 'the spirit of cooperation with our sister programmes.' I tuned him out after that." Sort of true.
"Is Jack going with you?"
He saw the barb hidden in the question, and answered as carefully as he could. "He can't."
"How is he? We haven't seen you two since Christmas."
"Busy. We’ve both been. Sorry." He wasn't about to open up about his latest work-related injury. He'd been able to pass off the broken arm, even if Rhi still didn't believe him entirely that Jack wasn't involved somehow. Ianto's job wasn't supposed to include getting shot.
"Hey," said Johnny amiably before plopping down in the other chair. "Finally got their light out. What's this about you leaving town without your man in tow?"
Rhi was hard to lie to, but Johnny Davies was absolutely loathsome to speak with. Rhi could have done so much better, and fine, he didn't hurt her and he didn't drink away the little money they had, and she could have done far worse as well. Ianto didn't have to like him.
"It's a temporary assignment." And if Ianto found himself Retconned at the end of it, then explaining everything to them would become Jack's problem.
"You owe me five quid," Johnny said to Rhi. "She bet you were coming over to tell us you were signing papers."
Rhi shushed Johnny. "Don't listen to him. We were just talking. You be careful on your trip."
"Yeah, don't pick up any strange Scotsmen." This time, Rhi punched Johnny in the arm.
***
Saturday morning's meeting had been terse: "We're splitting the team. With the budgeting problem, we're better off minimising resources here and supporting the Glasgow rebuild. Gwen and Ianto have volunteered to help Trent re-establish the site, effective Monday, indefinite duration. If you need last minute training -- Lois, I'm looking at you -- see them today or tomorrow." And a minute later, the alert had sounded, and a phase-shifting alien had neatly cut off further questions.
Lois had barely slept since then.
Lois spent her weekend getting the information to her superiors in order to capture the outside players. Trent would be simple. She'd given his itinerary and planned driving route to her superiors. He hadn't engaged in any illegal activities to her knowledge, so he would be apprehended, interrogated, and released. Torchwood Glasgow would be under the umbrella of the new Torchwood. If Trent was amenable, she didn't see why he wouldn't be allowed to stay on after the reorganisation. Sunday afternoon, she was informed he'd been collected, and she faked a phone call to let Jack know Trent had arrived safely at his destination.
Dr. Jones and her sister, as well as Torchwood's sole London-based agent, had been involved in breaking Lucy Saxon out of prison back in December, and would need to be brought into custody. Curiously, both Doctor and Miss Jones had already been under surveillance, even before Dr. Jones spent time working as Torchwood's medic. Smith, the London agent, had vanished for two years before suddenly re-appearing with a Torchwood-provided cover story; Lois suspected he was a Rift refugee like Perry.
Gwen and Ianto could be picked up en route to Glasgow. With them out of play, she'd give Perry a doped cup of coffee, and when the sedative took effect, lock him in a cell until it was time to transfer the prisoners. Once the Captain was alone he would be easy to subdue. If she was lucky, another cup of coffee would do the job, and if not, a bullet to the head. She hoped for the former.
Monday dawned cold and clear. She'd been awake since four. Showered, dressed, prepared for a long day, Lois was the first to arrive at the Hub. She loved this time of day. The lights were low, Mainframe hummed to herself, the pteranodon cooed in her nest, and below it all the hush of water. No wonder Jack had lived here so long -- past the chill and the strangeness of an underground laboratory and base, the Hub had a quirky beauty.
She put the coffee on.
Ianto was in next, the circles under his eyes attesting how stressful the weekend had been on his end. "Good morning." Typically he made a beeline to the coffeepot, but this time he sat at his station, looking around as though for the last time.
He and Gwen had told the team how they'd talked this over for months. Lois wasn't sure she believed him; they weren't the best of friends, but they were close, and she thought Ianto would have said something to her if he planned on leaving Cardiff. Gwen rarely kept her own feelings on any subject hidden, for that matter, and had been sharing her experiences in decorating her new house with anyone who'd listen. She'd muttered something about her husband looking for a position in Glasgow. Ianto made no similar suggestion, and he hadn't looked at Jack at all.
Curious. But useful.
"Cheer up," Lois said. "Off on a new adventure, right?"
"Right."
"Is Jack coming in?"
"No, he wanted to check out something from the Rift overnight report." His eyes dropped to his desk. "He'll be in later. Or he'll be eaten by a creature from beyond the limits of human imagination. Hard to say."
Her opening presented itself. "Ouch."
"It's fine. He's not big on goodbyes."
Lois went to the kitchenette and retrieved their mugs, very careful to choose which was which. "Come on," she said, handing him a drink. "Drink up and you can tell me all about it."
"I really don't have time to talk." But he took the mug. She made herself not watch him, but took an encouraging drink of her own. She could make this simpler, subdue Ianto and Gwen now and pretend they'd gone, assemble a full set of sleeping agents for UNIT to come collect.
The cog wheel alarm sounded. Gwen hurried in, flustered. "Morning, pets. Ianto, we should get on the road. Where's Jack?"
Ianto stood, leaving his untouched coffee on the desk. "Out. We're to call when we get there."
Lois managed to pour another cup for Gwen without showing her nerves. "Here you go. One for the road."
"Oh, you're a love, but I can't. I don't want to have to stop."
"Good idea," Ianto said.
"Right," said Lois. "I'll make you a flask to go, then." She smiled.
***
Jack arranged not to be at the Hub when Gwen and Ianto left. Let the rest assume he'd said his goodbyes in private. He had gone by Gwen's last night to check in, apologise again, and wish her a safe trip. Ianto had visited Rhiannon at the same time, spinning whatever lie he thought best to keep her in the dark about why he was leaving so suddenly, and without Jack.
They'd barely spoken about anything other than work. Neither had slept on the sofa but an uncomfortable pall lay between them in their bed as neatly as a bolster.
"I had a thought," Jack had said when Ianto got back from Rhiannon's on Sunday night. "Next weekend, I could drive your car up so you'd have it in Glasgow instead of in storage."
"You aren't coming to Glasgow. That's why you're sending us there."
"I'll risk a weekend."
"No." Ianto went into the bedroom and began undressing for bed. Jack followed him. "You're not to risk Gwen's life for the sake of a quick shag."
"That's not why I'd want to see you."
Ianto hadn't answered, but fell upon him hungrily, almost savagely. The sex had been frantic, and a little weird even by Jack's tastes, and when they'd finished, he hadn't been sure if he'd just experienced a pity fuck, a goodbye fuck, or something else entirely.
"Call me as soon as you're there," he'd said, and Ianto had agreed, and had fallen asleep wrapped around his body.
Jack didn't dare watch him leave this morning in front of the rest of the team. He thought himself a fine actor but he was sure anyone looking would see his heart break, and no amount of lying would hide that away.
No, much better to be checking out the overnight reports, knowing full well the bloody Rift would be more active and unpredictable with his two best people leaving. He could bury himself in work, and the others would hardly notice if he growled at them more. They'd probably mumble to each other this was par for the course when the boss was no longer getting laid. And next weekend, Rift permitting, he would drive Ianto's Audi to him, maybe talk Rhys into driving him home after they both indulged in conjugal visits. Fuck John Hart anyway. He could let Jack have this.
So wrapped up he was in this mood, he barely said hello to Lois as he trudged in through the TIC. She fluttered at him nervously, following him down to the Hub. "Sir, they left an hour ago."
"Not a problem," he replied, flashing her a smile he didn't feel. "Do you have the agenda for the morning meeting ready?"
She nodded.
"Fine." The cog wheel door opened. Jack stepped inside a world that promised less fun and more lonely nights. Yeah, he was driving to Glasgow Friday, and he didn't care what tried to get in his way.
Johnson was making a call, and closed her phone as he approached. He reminded himself to take Lois aside later and have her put Johnson back under tighter surveillance. He'd put Rupesh under the same higher level of scrutiny, although Lois had been monitoring him and reported nothing unusual.
Rupesh was down in Medical working on something. Jack didn't see Perry.
"Where's Perry? We can get the meeting over early."
"Fletcher is feeding the Weevils," Johnson said.
"The coffee's up," Lois said. "I've got your mug."
"Just have it ready for the meeting."
"Sir," said Rupesh. "Could you come look at this?"
Jack's eyebrows went up. Something exciting at last. He jogged over to the railing. "What?"
"This is highly unusual. Come take a look." Rupesh was bent over another autopsy, a Gr'nash from the morgue. He'd been dissecting the older specimens for practise lately.
Jack walked down the stairs. "What is it?"
Rupesh stepped back from the body. "Take a look."
They would have words about the guessing game later. Jack liked to know what was unusual before he poked his nose into dead bodies, as a rule. But he humoured their new doctor, wet as he was. He was learning. Jack bent over for a better view. "I don't ... "
The first bullet hit his spine. The second shattered a rib on its way into his left lung.
He had time to turn, and only just enough energy. No air to draw breath, no way to warn the others. Everything hurt. Rupesh's face was still as he raised the gun again. Jack closed his eyes.
***
Chapter Three
Author: nancybrown
Characters: Jack, Ianto, Gwen, Lois, Johnson, Rupesh, Martha, Mickey, Tish, Rhys, John, Alice, Steven, OCs, many cameos
Pairings: mostly canon
Rating: R
Warnings: AUTHOR CHOOSES NOT TO WARN (but will answer PMs for any content questions)
Spoilers: up through COE
Words: 60,000 (6,300 this part)
Betas: eldarwannabe and fide_et_spe both performed major heavy lifting on this story, and have my deepest thanks for their efforts
Summary: A secret movement within the government successfully placed Lois Habiba as a spy inside Torchwood, and the trap is ready to be sprung. Meanwhile, Jack has received worrisome news, leading Gwen and Ianto from one danger into another. Loves, loyalties, and everyone's lives are on the line as the force behind the conspiracy finally comes to light.
A/N: Final fic in a fake third series where Lois, Johnson, and Rupesh have joined the team. Can be read as a stand-alone but will make more sense in context of the other stories.
Master Post
Chapter One
***
Chapter Two
***
"It never rains but it pours," said Jack. He'd sat back down and coaxed Ianto into the seat next to him. Ianto couldn't always read his moods, but for the first time today, Jack's opacity had cleared. The quiet touch of hands and the simple pressure of ankles brushing were for him necessary reassurances, and Ianto gave them, however reluctantly.
Jack played the rest of the message, then turned it off. "He contacted me last night. I've spent today working on a plan."
Rhys asked, "Who is he?"
Ianto had names for John Hart, but let Gwen explain. "He's bad news. Remember the bombs? He set those."
Jack said, "He's the guy you never invite to a party because you don't know if he's going to dance naked on the table or nail the dog to the ceiling."
"Bloody hell." Rhys took Gwen's hand at that. He knew enough to understand what they'd lost that night. "And he's coming here again? Expecting a job?"
"I don't know what he expects," Jack said. "The last time I saw him, two people I cared about died."
Ianto took a gulp before he spoke, not wanting the anger building up inside himself to take over. "He killed you. He helped," he didn't want to say Gray's name and make things worse, "I mean, he was the one who captured you so you were buried alive for over a thousand years. He's not coming near you again." The anger was winning.
"The worst he can do to me is kill me. The two of you won't come back from it, and believe me, there's far worse he can do to you than kill you. You're right," Jack said to Ianto, "this isn't fair. I'm going to be selfish and get you as far away from him as possible."
"Jesus," Rhys said, and for once, didn't launch into a diatribe about how Jack managed to entangle everyone into his messes.
"The others will be in danger too," said Gwen.
Ianto said, "You have to send Alice away."
"He doesn't know about Alice," said Jack. "And he won't. She'll be safe. He's met the two of you. All I have to do is tell him you've been transferred to another city, play it like I don't care, and he won't bother with you. You won't be interesting. I hope. After he's gone, I can recall you to Cardiff."
"How long?" asked Gwen.
"I'd give it a month," said Jack. His face twitched in the way it did when he was avoiding saying something.
"How long really?"
"Could be longer. He wasn't specific. Maybe six months."
Rhys said, "Are you fucking kidding me? You are not sending my wife away for six bloody months!"
"You can go with her," said Jack. "I'm not stopping you. I have to stay here, though." His thumb traced a circle; Ianto shivered. "And I need you both completely on board with this, because we have to tell the rest that you're leaving because you want to. If they think you're being sent away, he'll find out."
"He'll find out anyway," Gwen said. "We can handle him, Jack."
"You really can't. And there's one more thing."
"Of course there is," said Rhys in disgust.
Jack glanced at Ianto again, and he knew what Jack was going to say. "This is also a good excuse to get you both out of sight. I think our security has been breached."
The conversations they weren't supposed to have at home, but did regardless, had touched on concerns they'd both had, noticing the accumulation of odd details and forming an unpleasant conclusion. Added to this, Jack had received friendly warnings from their other contacts.
"Our London branch has picked up a lot of chatter about us lately. That L'dosian incursion made it to UNIT's ears, and I know I didn't tell them."
Gwen said, "You think it's Johnson."
"She's the most obvious candidate, yeah. And we vetted Rupesh but he's way too chummy with her for having just met." Jack leaned forward. "I'm not going to point fingers at anyone yet. It could be a coincidence. But I'd feel much better if you both were elsewhere and not under their eye. Especially if I need to call in the cavalry."
He glanced at Rhys. "Did I say the part out loud where you both continue to get paid because Glasgow's setup budget was approved separately from ours?"
This appeared to convince Gwen, who had clearly heard the previous implication that Rhys could go with her. She'd pretend to stubborn it out a bit longer, but her mind was made up to go, now she was playing for extras. Ianto sat back on the sofa, observing. Yes, they could buy that van Gwen had been pushing for, with the extra room for seating and equipment, with discretionary funds from the Glasgow account. Ianto could load it with their pick of the field equipment from here, and their luggage, and drive everything. No, they couldn't take Lois with them.
"I need someone here who knows where the paperclips are and how the filing system works."
"It's an alphabet," said Ianto. "Even you can manage that."
"Lois is staying. I may transfer Perry once you've established the site." Not a surprise; Jack had an uncomfortable history with their new technician, just as he had an uncomfortable history with the new Glasgow director. He'd be happy to have them on his side, working somewhere else.
"You're sure about this?" Gwen asked, but her eyes were back on the wrist strap. "I'm not certain the others will believe we're going as our own idea."
Jack leaned back again. "Oh, but the two of you have been talking to each other about transferring for a while. Cardiff's got a lot of bad memories, you need some breathing room, and this is the perfect opportunity. I was against the idea, but you stood firm, and I gave in because the other option was watching you both walk away from Torchwood entirely and I couldn't face that."
The cover story wasn't perfect, but they wouldn't have to hold it up for more than a few days; Jack had to keep the façade for months, and this would explain his melancholy.
Mouth dry, Ianto asked, "When do we leave?"
***
Jack saw Gwen and Rhys out. Rhys wasn't any happier, but spared them a rant, which Jack decided he'd count as considerate. Realistically, Rhys couldn't go to Scotland, find a job, and come back whenever it was safe, not if he intended to keep the position he had now.
At least Rhys could go visit. Jack didn't dare.
He wiped his face with his hand in the corridor outside the flat. Ianto hadn't said much, which meant "We'll be talking about this later." Now it was later.
"Hey," Jack said, opening the door. Part of him expected it to be locked. Ianto wasn't in the kitchen cleaning up, but had already pulled out his bags and was rummaging through the wardrobe.
"We should plan on going in tomorrow," Ianto said, looking critically at a shirt before folding it carefully. "I need to make sure all my access codes are signed over."
Jack walked up behind him, wrapping his arms around Ianto's waist. "Easy enough. We put most of it in place when you were on medical leave."
Ianto winced, and Jack moved his hand quickly away from the tender spot on his abdomen. The bandages were gone, and even the bruising had faded thanks to Torchwood's proprietary wound treatments. Jack didn't think for a minute it was physical pain he was reacting to right now.
One hand on the other hip, Jack said into his ear, "Say you're not mad at me."
"I'm not mad, I'm tired. It's been a long day and I have a lot to do this weekend."
"You know this isn't forever. He'll come, I'll deal with him, he'll go, and you can be home the next day."
"This time." Ianto stopped pretending to fold. "Where are you sending me next time?"
"There won't be a next time."
A noise growled down in Ianto's throat, rumbling through him. "John Hart isn't your only ex out there. Tell me honestly none of the others are psychos. You can't send me to another country every time one of your old shags is in town."
"I'll protect you." Jack pressed a kiss into his neck.
Ianto turned in his arms, and pressed a kiss of his own onto Jack's mouth, face drawn into the saddest smile Jack had ever seen. "Congratulations. I didn't think you'd find a way to do it without Retcon."
"Do what?"
"When Glasgow is set up, you'll have my resignation on your desk."
Jack moved his arms, mindful of the old wound this time. "You know, that's the second time today you've threatened to quit. It's going to lose power as a threat if you keep it up."
"I'm serious." Jack aimed for a laugh but Ianto kept his gaze as he said, "You're making decisions based on my safety instead of the good of the team. That makes me a liability to them and to you, and if I'm no longer useful to you as an employee, I can't stay."
Jack finally dropped his arms. "What do you want me to do? John's dangerous."
"He was dangerous before."
"Yeah, and look what happened. Before, he was too busy conning me to worry about anything else. If he comes back now, there's no way he's not going to notice what you and I have, and he will hurt you to get to me."
"You don't know that for sure."
Jack sat on the edge of the bed. He didn't like thinking about this. "Back when he and I were together, during that time loop, I got bored. I found someone else to spend a couple of loops with, and when he found out, he kidnapped her in the next loop, and the one after, and the one after that. Don't make me tell you what he did." The memories slithered back anyway: the cold pit in his stomach as he'd caught onto what was happening, the days spent searching for where John had left her, and what he'd found. And worst of all had been the next loop, when John had found her first, and befriended her this time, and met Jack with a predatory smile that said more than any threat ever could.
"I won't let that happen to you if I can possibly help it. And when he's out of the picture, you'll be back here." Jack took his hand. "Speaking of, we should talk."
"I've been thinking the same thing."
"Good," Jack said, a little relieved. He'd been mulling this over well before John had interrupted his night. "I'm glad we're on the same page." He pushed the suitcase off the bed and sat, pulling a reluctant Ianto to sit next to him. "After this is over and you're back home," he took a breath. "I think we should ... "
"Take a break," said Ianto, right as Jack said, "Get married."
Ianto blinked. "Not on the same page, then."
"No."
Ianto took a shaky breath and touched his ear. "Gwen, Jack's been compromised. I can't tell if he's been taken over or replaced. Get Rhys to safety and get back here."
"What?"
He had reached "replaced" when Jack jabbed his own comm and started speaking over him. "Gwen, ignore him."
"I'm serious."
"Can it. Gwen, we'll see you tomorrow."
"I'm closing the line now."
***
Gwen stiffened beside him in the car. Rhys watched her touch her ear. "What?" she asked.
She blinked. Rhys stayed silent as she listened for a moment, and then said, "I'm closing the line now." She touched her ear.
"What was that, then?"
"Couples' spat. The dangers of getting domestic all of a sudden." She made a noise. "I never thought I'd see the day."
Rhys kept driving. He couldn't see anything 'sudden' about the situation. In another month and a bit, they'd be coming up on the first anniversary of the bombs, and Rhys couldn't think of a single time he'd seen Jack since without Ianto nearby. They'd shared a flat for months, they'd gone to that wedding together, and Rhys himself breathed a bit easier every time he considered the pair as a unit. Kinda like him and Gwen, he mused, but with fewer arguments about the toilet seat.
"You know, speaking of getting domestic," he began, working at a thought that had been preying on him lately, "we never did finish that conversation from last night."
Gwen turned from staring out the window to face him, her lips pressed together for a moment in annoyance. "This isn't the kind of world I'd want to bring a child into. You've seen what I deal with everyday. It's not that I don't want children, you know that."
"I know, and I have seen what you do. But Jack's got kids, you said, and Martha's having one. You wouldn't be alone."
She sat back in her seat. "Talk to me when I'm back from Glasgow. I can't deal with the conversation now."
He bit back his reply, and kept driving.
***
"You want to break up?"
"You want to get married?" The expression on Ianto's face and the tone of his voice were the same as if Jack had suggested they strip, paint themselves blue, and go streaking at the Assembly. Actually ...
He twitched his head. Time to focus right now. "Why not? We're together, we're happy. We'll sign some papers, make it legal and tidy." He'd tested the waters before, and Ianto had reacted positively on each occasion. Jack had been looking for the right opportunity to bring up the subject again. "You like tidy."
"You don't." Ianto glanced around Jack's part of the bedroom, which okay, could be neater.
"I could learn."
"And you're allergic to labels. When we went to Mica's birthday party, and I introduced you as my boyfriend, you nearly choked."
"I was just surprised."
"None of this sounds like you." Ianto closed his eyes. "I can't believe we're having this conversation. I need to pack," he said, standing again, putting the suitcase back onto the bed and opening his sock drawer.
"Why do you want to break up?"
"I don't. I didn't." He paused in mid-grab, black socks dangling in his grip. "I need time to clear my head. Everything has happened so fast." He put the socks into the bag. "If we're going to be apart, you shouldn't be tied down. Do what you want. Do whom you want. I'll do the same. When I get back, I'm going to quit, and afterwards, I won't remember your name."
"I'm not Retconning you because you're not resigning." He could feel the annoyance creeping in around the edges, whispering that this was why he didn't bother with relationships. Wouldn't it be simpler to go back to nameless fucks he never brought home, and his own bed at night? No worrying about rules, no trying not to say something upsetting, no anxiety deep down wondering when Ianto would leave him as he absolutely must one day. Jack's whole life would be easier if they called it quits now.
And he'd considered this, and he knew he didn't want easier, not this time.
He was uncomfortably aware that he'd proposed marriage without ever saying "I love you" out loud, and that Ianto was bright enough to have noticed and drawn his own conclusions.
"We'll talk when I get back."
***
"I need to come in," Kate said, because she never was good at hellos. Alice stood aside and let her in, watching as she wiped her boots carefully on the mat.
"I've put some coffee on," said Alice, aware of her own dressing gown. It was late, and she couldn't sleep. Apparently neither could Kate. She'd called on her way here.
"Thanks." She followed Alice to the kitchen, watching her as Alice found mugs and the sugar bowl. "I didn't mean to wake you."
"You didn't."
They'd reached a ticklish spot between them. Kate had visited frequently since September. Originally they had chatted about aliens and their shared antipathy towards Jack, but the conversations had drifted to much better topics. Kate liked the same era of artists, liked the same musicians, liked the same films. They met for dinner, met for drinks.
Alice didn't hold any truck with labels, one thing she'd picked up from him whether she'd wanted to or not. If she was inclined to hang names on things, she'd call this the beginning of a relationship.
"I have something for you," said Kate. She held out a manila envelope. Her mouth twisted as their fingers brushed.
Curious, Alice opened the envelope. She found two passports, two birth certificates, other documents. Her own face was on one of the passports, but her name had never been Penelope Madison. "What's this?"
"It's for your security. You may be advised to leave the area in a hurry, and these will help you and Steven go underground."
"We're already underground." Worry burned through her. "What's going on?"
"I can't tell you that. Neither can the Captain." She tilted her head. "He would tell you if he could."
Worry churned into anger. Jack was using Kate to talk with her? This was a new low. "Has something happened? Where is he?"
"Safe, for now. But he can't guarantee your safety, and you should refrain from contacting him in the near future, for your own sake. Think of this as insurance. If you get the call, run."
Alice found a chair and sat down heavily. She hadn't imagined this in all her idle thoughts about tonight. When Kate had called her so late, she'd pictured them sitting up with coffee, talking for a while until one of them finally made that half-laugh, the one saying they were both thinking the same thing. Alice would bend in for a kiss, and Kate's mouth would be warm from the coffee, and firm, knowing. Perhaps they'd stay on the couch, perhaps they'd walk hand in hand up to Alice's bedroom.
Instead, Kate stood uncomfortably in the kitchen, spine straight as a stick, telling Alice she might have to drop everything and run away thanks to Alice's idiot of a father. Again.
The worst part was that this was not the first almost-relationship Jack had managed to end for her, and would surely not be the last. Bastard.
"Get out."
"Alice ... "
"Go."
***
Saturday and Sunday passed in a blur. When Gwen called Jack to ask if she could take the weekend to settle things at home, he was curt. She had to work Saturday and could deal with her personal life on Sunday, he told her before ringing off. They spent most of Saturday tracking a phase-shifted creature that was blundering through two shopping centres and a greengrocer's, and the shoppers walked through it all unawares. When they'd contained and disposed of the thing, Gwen still had to go through what inventory she wanted to take with her to Scotland, and she'd hardly packed yet. Ianto was out purchasing the new van, and promised he'd load everything she selected on Sunday.
Sunday was a mess at home. Not only did she have to pack what could be six months of her life, she also had to field questions from her mam, and then from Brenda Williams.
"It'll be fine," she said, resting the phone on her shoulder as she chose between two jumpers.
"If you're leaving him, I'd understand," said Mam. "Do you want to come stay with us? Do you need money?"
"I'm not leaving Rhys. This is just for work. It's a good opportunity, I couldn't say no. And it's temporary. Very temporary." God, she was of a mind to kill Jack.
"Is it that tall man? The good-looking one in the wedding photos? Oh, what was his name?"
Twice. She would kill Jack twice. Bloody Retconning her wedding, and still managing to make an impression from the snaps the wedding faeries hadn't wiped. "No. In fact, his boyfriend is going with me." She could hear the gears spinning in her mother's head. "Look, Mam. I've got to keep packing. I'll ring you when I get settled in Glasgow, yeah? Love you."
As soon as she set the phone down, it rang. Brenda again. "Rhys, you talk to your mother." She pulled out two more jumpers to compare them. She hadn't even looked at the kitchen yet, though Rhys would hardly let her take most of it. There was a lot of takeaway in her future. She and Ianto would have to keep an eye on each other to stay on Martha's good side and order meals with vegetables.
"It's not Mam," Rhys said, coming into the bedroom. "It's Lauren's mother."
Gwen picked up the phone again. "Ronelle, hi."
"Sorry to bother you."
"No, no. I said you could call anytime. How's Lauren?"
Ronelle hesitated. Lauren Hawes was a rare thing indeed: a Rift refugee successfully returned home. She'd vanished and popped up again a week later, and Gwen herself had found her frightened but unharmed. Far more victims of the Rift came back broken, or not at all, leaving only their photographs behind for their grieving relatives.
"She's having nightmares. Last night, she kept us up screaming." Tight sorrow ridged her voice. "I know we went to hospital and she was checked out and ... Um. They said nothing had happened to her." Gwen squeezed the phone. She knew what Ronelle feared for her little girl. "But she was gone a week. Who had her? Why doesn't she remember?"
Because she stepped through a crack in space-time and went directly from her garden to the front of a churchyard, and there was nothing to remember. It would be so simple to tell Ronelle. It would ease her worry to know her child hadn't been in the clutches of some paedophile for that lost week, was not blocking out horrific memories.
Gwen didn't dare.
"Stress-induced amnesia," Gwen said in as soothing a voice as she could. "She was wandering in the cold for days, poor lamb. And she's just four. Everything's going to be a blur." She switched ears. "If it would make you feel better, I can ask my boss to have a chat with her. He's good with children," she lied. "Maybe he can help her sort out what she's scared of." And he can dig, carefully, into what she might be remembering after all, and take that away, too.
"Do you think so?"
"I'll ask him first thing tomorrow. Oh, I'm going to be leaving town tomorrow on a business trip, so if you and Lauren have any problems at all, you can call my mobile, and I'll give you his, too."
"Thanks, Gwen."
She rang off. Gwen returned to sorting. So many damn things to do today.
***
His orders had Walter stand down permanently as of Friday. He could stop being Sergeant Trent, maybe set aside everything he'd done, and been forced to do, and find out who Walter was without the red cap. If Jack's magical forgetfulness pills wouldn't work on him, a new life somewhere else sounded like just the ticket.
Saturday was spent packing, and after that, he took Linnie out to dinner. "When I'm settled, you can come visit. It's a nice area, Glasgow. Scenic."
"Okay." Linnie barely talked to him these days. He always tried to get her to smile, but whatever her mum was telling her at home, it kept her distant, and he didn't dare tell her different. He remembered too well the previous timeline, the one where everything had gone to shit. A man he'd tortured to death, under orders and threats on Linnie's life if he didn't, had offered him a hand, and a way to make amends in his own head. His daughter couldn't smile in that timeline. Perhaps she'd eventually learn to like him in this one.
"I love you," he told her over and over, while she settled her shoulders deeper into the too-big winter coat and waited for him to pull up outside her mum's house.
"Bye, Dad." She pecked him on the lips and got out.
He got home to packed boxes and a life that didn't fit him anymore. He slept uneasily, and woke before sunrise, his body used to a lifetime of UNIT regulations that wouldn't be well switched to whatever passed for Torchwood's version of same. He had the car loaded by eight AM, picked up a bacon butty for his breakfast, and was about to get on the M6 just before nine.
The road was blocked, some sort of accident, he guessed. He'd chosen Sunday to drive for less traffic and still he'd have to reroute or wait.
A police officer approached his car. Walter rolled down the window, letting in a blast of February cold air. "I need to see your license," said the cop, face mostly covered in the chill.
Walter said, "I was about to turn around."
"Your license, please." The 'please' was a meaningless word. He'd used it himself loads of times. He got out his license.
"This you? Walter Trent?"
"That's my picture, yeah." Now that he was out of the military, maybe he'd grow his hair a bit from the severe cut in his photograph. Everything could change.
Walter had just enough time to see the gun, not enough to react, or even feel sad that he was never going to see Linnie smile again after all.
***
"So I'll be out of touch," said Ianto, pretending to enjoy the mug of weak tea. "I'll let you know when my schedule will change."
Rhiannon took a long drink from her own mug, then set it on the table. She fixed him with a long stare that reminded him too much of the times Mam had caught him out in a lie. He held himself back from shifting in the seat and confirming her suspicions. Mam and Rhi both had an uncanny sixth sense for bullshit. That was half the reason he'd barely contacted her after joining Torchwood. He could tell she smelled something off about his story, and he didn't dare give her any more reason to doubt him. Strangely, it was also probably why she (mostly) liked Jack: he was so full of lies, half-truths, and pure cheek that he overloaded whatever damn sensor she used when Ianto said it hadn't been him to use of the last of the loo roll.
"What kind of business trip, did you say?"
He hadn't. "Training. Lots of training. They've got some new people for me to mentor, and I'll be picking up training of my own." True. He and Gwen would be showing Trent how to operate, help him hire new people, and Ianto had no doubt he'd learn plenty playing through the archives at Torchwood House.
"Why are you going to Scotland for training? You work for Visit Wales."
"The idiot who gave me the orders said something like 'the spirit of cooperation with our sister programmes.' I tuned him out after that." Sort of true.
"Is Jack going with you?"
He saw the barb hidden in the question, and answered as carefully as he could. "He can't."
"How is he? We haven't seen you two since Christmas."
"Busy. We’ve both been. Sorry." He wasn't about to open up about his latest work-related injury. He'd been able to pass off the broken arm, even if Rhi still didn't believe him entirely that Jack wasn't involved somehow. Ianto's job wasn't supposed to include getting shot.
"Hey," said Johnny amiably before plopping down in the other chair. "Finally got their light out. What's this about you leaving town without your man in tow?"
Rhi was hard to lie to, but Johnny Davies was absolutely loathsome to speak with. Rhi could have done so much better, and fine, he didn't hurt her and he didn't drink away the little money they had, and she could have done far worse as well. Ianto didn't have to like him.
"It's a temporary assignment." And if Ianto found himself Retconned at the end of it, then explaining everything to them would become Jack's problem.
"You owe me five quid," Johnny said to Rhi. "She bet you were coming over to tell us you were signing papers."
Rhi shushed Johnny. "Don't listen to him. We were just talking. You be careful on your trip."
"Yeah, don't pick up any strange Scotsmen." This time, Rhi punched Johnny in the arm.
***
Saturday morning's meeting had been terse: "We're splitting the team. With the budgeting problem, we're better off minimising resources here and supporting the Glasgow rebuild. Gwen and Ianto have volunteered to help Trent re-establish the site, effective Monday, indefinite duration. If you need last minute training -- Lois, I'm looking at you -- see them today or tomorrow." And a minute later, the alert had sounded, and a phase-shifting alien had neatly cut off further questions.
Lois had barely slept since then.
Lois spent her weekend getting the information to her superiors in order to capture the outside players. Trent would be simple. She'd given his itinerary and planned driving route to her superiors. He hadn't engaged in any illegal activities to her knowledge, so he would be apprehended, interrogated, and released. Torchwood Glasgow would be under the umbrella of the new Torchwood. If Trent was amenable, she didn't see why he wouldn't be allowed to stay on after the reorganisation. Sunday afternoon, she was informed he'd been collected, and she faked a phone call to let Jack know Trent had arrived safely at his destination.
Dr. Jones and her sister, as well as Torchwood's sole London-based agent, had been involved in breaking Lucy Saxon out of prison back in December, and would need to be brought into custody. Curiously, both Doctor and Miss Jones had already been under surveillance, even before Dr. Jones spent time working as Torchwood's medic. Smith, the London agent, had vanished for two years before suddenly re-appearing with a Torchwood-provided cover story; Lois suspected he was a Rift refugee like Perry.
Gwen and Ianto could be picked up en route to Glasgow. With them out of play, she'd give Perry a doped cup of coffee, and when the sedative took effect, lock him in a cell until it was time to transfer the prisoners. Once the Captain was alone he would be easy to subdue. If she was lucky, another cup of coffee would do the job, and if not, a bullet to the head. She hoped for the former.
Monday dawned cold and clear. She'd been awake since four. Showered, dressed, prepared for a long day, Lois was the first to arrive at the Hub. She loved this time of day. The lights were low, Mainframe hummed to herself, the pteranodon cooed in her nest, and below it all the hush of water. No wonder Jack had lived here so long -- past the chill and the strangeness of an underground laboratory and base, the Hub had a quirky beauty.
She put the coffee on.
Ianto was in next, the circles under his eyes attesting how stressful the weekend had been on his end. "Good morning." Typically he made a beeline to the coffeepot, but this time he sat at his station, looking around as though for the last time.
He and Gwen had told the team how they'd talked this over for months. Lois wasn't sure she believed him; they weren't the best of friends, but they were close, and she thought Ianto would have said something to her if he planned on leaving Cardiff. Gwen rarely kept her own feelings on any subject hidden, for that matter, and had been sharing her experiences in decorating her new house with anyone who'd listen. She'd muttered something about her husband looking for a position in Glasgow. Ianto made no similar suggestion, and he hadn't looked at Jack at all.
Curious. But useful.
"Cheer up," Lois said. "Off on a new adventure, right?"
"Right."
"Is Jack coming in?"
"No, he wanted to check out something from the Rift overnight report." His eyes dropped to his desk. "He'll be in later. Or he'll be eaten by a creature from beyond the limits of human imagination. Hard to say."
Her opening presented itself. "Ouch."
"It's fine. He's not big on goodbyes."
Lois went to the kitchenette and retrieved their mugs, very careful to choose which was which. "Come on," she said, handing him a drink. "Drink up and you can tell me all about it."
"I really don't have time to talk." But he took the mug. She made herself not watch him, but took an encouraging drink of her own. She could make this simpler, subdue Ianto and Gwen now and pretend they'd gone, assemble a full set of sleeping agents for UNIT to come collect.
The cog wheel alarm sounded. Gwen hurried in, flustered. "Morning, pets. Ianto, we should get on the road. Where's Jack?"
Ianto stood, leaving his untouched coffee on the desk. "Out. We're to call when we get there."
Lois managed to pour another cup for Gwen without showing her nerves. "Here you go. One for the road."
"Oh, you're a love, but I can't. I don't want to have to stop."
"Good idea," Ianto said.
"Right," said Lois. "I'll make you a flask to go, then." She smiled.
***
Jack arranged not to be at the Hub when Gwen and Ianto left. Let the rest assume he'd said his goodbyes in private. He had gone by Gwen's last night to check in, apologise again, and wish her a safe trip. Ianto had visited Rhiannon at the same time, spinning whatever lie he thought best to keep her in the dark about why he was leaving so suddenly, and without Jack.
They'd barely spoken about anything other than work. Neither had slept on the sofa but an uncomfortable pall lay between them in their bed as neatly as a bolster.
"I had a thought," Jack had said when Ianto got back from Rhiannon's on Sunday night. "Next weekend, I could drive your car up so you'd have it in Glasgow instead of in storage."
"You aren't coming to Glasgow. That's why you're sending us there."
"I'll risk a weekend."
"No." Ianto went into the bedroom and began undressing for bed. Jack followed him. "You're not to risk Gwen's life for the sake of a quick shag."
"That's not why I'd want to see you."
Ianto hadn't answered, but fell upon him hungrily, almost savagely. The sex had been frantic, and a little weird even by Jack's tastes, and when they'd finished, he hadn't been sure if he'd just experienced a pity fuck, a goodbye fuck, or something else entirely.
"Call me as soon as you're there," he'd said, and Ianto had agreed, and had fallen asleep wrapped around his body.
Jack didn't dare watch him leave this morning in front of the rest of the team. He thought himself a fine actor but he was sure anyone looking would see his heart break, and no amount of lying would hide that away.
No, much better to be checking out the overnight reports, knowing full well the bloody Rift would be more active and unpredictable with his two best people leaving. He could bury himself in work, and the others would hardly notice if he growled at them more. They'd probably mumble to each other this was par for the course when the boss was no longer getting laid. And next weekend, Rift permitting, he would drive Ianto's Audi to him, maybe talk Rhys into driving him home after they both indulged in conjugal visits. Fuck John Hart anyway. He could let Jack have this.
So wrapped up he was in this mood, he barely said hello to Lois as he trudged in through the TIC. She fluttered at him nervously, following him down to the Hub. "Sir, they left an hour ago."
"Not a problem," he replied, flashing her a smile he didn't feel. "Do you have the agenda for the morning meeting ready?"
She nodded.
"Fine." The cog wheel door opened. Jack stepped inside a world that promised less fun and more lonely nights. Yeah, he was driving to Glasgow Friday, and he didn't care what tried to get in his way.
Johnson was making a call, and closed her phone as he approached. He reminded himself to take Lois aside later and have her put Johnson back under tighter surveillance. He'd put Rupesh under the same higher level of scrutiny, although Lois had been monitoring him and reported nothing unusual.
Rupesh was down in Medical working on something. Jack didn't see Perry.
"Where's Perry? We can get the meeting over early."
"Fletcher is feeding the Weevils," Johnson said.
"The coffee's up," Lois said. "I've got your mug."
"Just have it ready for the meeting."
"Sir," said Rupesh. "Could you come look at this?"
Jack's eyebrows went up. Something exciting at last. He jogged over to the railing. "What?"
"This is highly unusual. Come take a look." Rupesh was bent over another autopsy, a Gr'nash from the morgue. He'd been dissecting the older specimens for practise lately.
Jack walked down the stairs. "What is it?"
Rupesh stepped back from the body. "Take a look."
They would have words about the guessing game later. Jack liked to know what was unusual before he poked his nose into dead bodies, as a rule. But he humoured their new doctor, wet as he was. He was learning. Jack bent over for a better view. "I don't ... "
The first bullet hit his spine. The second shattered a rib on its way into his left lung.
He had time to turn, and only just enough energy. No air to draw breath, no way to warn the others. Everything hurt. Rupesh's face was still as he raised the gun again. Jack closed his eyes.
***
Chapter Three