Secrets and Hope (8/9)
Title: Secrets and Hope - (8/9)
Characters/pairings: Ianto, Jack, Gwen, Rhys, various other characters introduced in CoE. Jack/Ianto and Gwen/Rhys
Rating: PG, maybe pg13ish in places.
Genre: Happy ended angst, hurt/comfort.
Summary: As Torchwood rebuilds following the events of CoE the government is still keeping secrets and it's up to Ianto to reveal the truth.
Spoilers: Children of Earth days 4 and 5.
Authors note: A CoE fix-it fic. I will try to update once a week, but a new baby means my posting schedule could be a bit erratic.
part one
part two
part three
part four
part five
part six
part seven
Part eight:
Sitting with Martha in the officer’s mess, the UNIT personnel having eaten sometime before, Ianto picks at the food in front of him, trying to avoid the inevitable questions about how he is that Martha will have for him now that they are alone.
So far Ianto knows that he has been lucky to keep the conversation to business, the drive to Northampton filled with telling Martha about the research that the Audley Clinic is carrying out, and the level of security at the facility.
Getting to the UNIT base had taken longer than expected, the traffic on the motorway barely moving in places due to road works, and it had been late afternoon by the time they’d arrived and the meeting had actually started.
The meeting with Colonel Mace has been everything that Ianto had expected it to be: long, repetitive as the various experts that Colonel Mace had brought with him each seemed to ask the same questions just in slightly different way, and eventually frustrating, as while they do believe him, getting them to agree to a prompt course of action had seemed, at times, to be impossible.
Although this apparent indecision still annoys him, Ianto knows that going into a situation like this properly prepared usually leads to a better outcome - he just wishes that they'd been able arrange the attack on the Audley Clinic sooner than the eventually decided time of just before dawn the following morning.
Knowing that he can’t avoid talking any longer Ianto asks, “How is everyone?” Hoping that if he’s the one who starts the conversation he’ll be able to keep it away from topics he’s really not ready to talk about yet.
“You mean how's Jack.” Martha gives him a knowing look, before her expression turns sad. “Last time I saw him he was still blaming himself for everything.”
“He always does,” Ianto says unable to keep the worry from his voice. He knows that Jack doesn’t normally let anyone see how heavily the guilt and grief associated with out living everybody he loves weighs on his mind. "Losing his grandson must have hit him hard."
"So did losing you," Martha says gently.
Ianto closes his eyes, feeling tears threatening. He hadn’t wanted to think about how much his apparent death would have hurt Jack, not when he’d been unable to go to him and reassure him that he’s alright; it would have made his own captivity all the more unbearable.
When Ianto speaks his voice isn’t entirely steady, “Do you know where he is?”
“No.” Martha looks down, “I'm not sure how to tell you this, but he's gone.”
“Left Torchwood. I know,” Ianto says, not wanting to make the conversation any harder or more awkward for either of them. “I accessed the Hub's computer system before I phoned you.”
“Not just Torchwood,” Martha says sadly, “I got his vortex manipulator fixed, I don't even know what planet he's on.”
“He left Earth?” Ianto asks hollowly, the hope that he'd had of seeing Jack as soon as this is over spiralling away from him.
“I'm sorry. I can contact him, well Gwen can, I had the communications part of it linked to the Hub's computer system, just in case we ever needed to call him.”
“It's not your fault.” Ianto hears little of what Martha says after her apology. Getting up, Ianto ignores his half finished meal, saying absently, “I should get some sleep, it's an early start tomorrow.”
“Ianto-”
“Goodnight, Martha.” Ianto walks quickly away, not stopping until he's outside.
Leaning against the side of one of the buildings, Ianto takes several deep breaths, trying to get his emotions back under control. Seeing Jack again, knowing that there’s nothing that could take Jack from him had been the one thing that he’d been able to cling to while he was at the Audley Clinic, and now he’s gone.
Looking up at the stars, clear in the frosty night sky, Ianto says, “I’ll find you, Jack. Just be okay.”
He wipes his eyes, adding softly, “Please. I need you.”
* * *
It’s the loud, insistent ringing of his mobile that wakes Andy in the early hours of the morning.
“Something’s happening. Something big.” Johnson doesn’t give Andy time to say hello as he answer the phone. “I’ve been keeping watch on UNIT and there’s definite activity, troop movement, increased use of their secure lines. It seems to be centred on a private medical facility that’s just outside Henley-in-Arden in Warwickshire. They’re getting ready to attack it, I’m sure of it.”
“Don’t you ever sleep?” Andy asks irritably, only having gone to bed a couple of hours earlier. “Anyway what’s this got to do with us? I mean they’re dealing with whatever it is, aren’t they?”
“Because one of the communications that I managed to intercept mentioned Thames House survivors.”
Andy frowns, “But there weren’t any, well not apart from Jack.”
“I know. The level of activity suggests a retrieval mission for multiple individuals.”
“They’re rescuing people?” Andy says switching on his bedside light, realising that going back to sleep is now unlikely to be an option.
“Rescue or they could just be tying up loose ends.”
“You mean killing people,” Andy says with obvious distaste.
“Sometimes these things have to be done. I’ve notified Gwen and Lois, they’ll meet you at the Hub, I’ll meet you Henley.” Johnson hangs up before Andy can ask any further questions.
Andy is almost dressed when Gwen phones, telling him, “I’m heading over to the Hub now, I'll meet you there. You'll need to get the guns and hazmat suits ready, we’re not taking any chances. I’ve called Lois she’s finding us the quickest route, I’m still trying to get hold of Martha to find out if she knows any more about this.”
“You know what's going on then?”
“I don't, but we’re not going to be left in the dark, not this time,” Gwen says firmly.
“Do we at least have a plan?” Andy asks, grabbing his car keys and leaving his house.
“No, but we can think of one on the way. I’m not wasting any time. I’ll see you in fifteen minutes.”
“Brilliant,” Andy says to himself as Gwen ends the calls. “Just brilliant.”
* * *
The early morning air is cold, and a damp mist hangs over the estate surrounding the Audley Clinic as the UNIT vehicles arrive, parking out of sight of any security that might be watching.
Sitting in the back of one of the transports dressed in borrowed UNIT military fatigues Ianto can’t help but wonder if Jack would approve of his current look. The red beret had certainly been a success, and he suspects that the whole uniform would probably be as well.
Closing his eyes Ianto lets memories of Jack wash over him. Memories of Jack kissing him, of large, warm hands against his skin and of nights spent together touching and talking, cntent that neither of them are alone.
“It’ll be over soon.”
“What?” Ianto opens his eyes, and stares at Martha, confused and wondering how long she’s been talking to him. Sleep hadn’t come easy the previous night, despite the lack of rest the day before, and when it had the dreams that accompanied had made Ianto wish that it hadn’t.
“The attack.”
“Oh right.” Ianto rubs his eyes, lack of sleep making them feel gritty and sore.
“I still don’t understand why you won’t let me contact Gwen, Torchwood should be here.”
“It is here,” Ianto says sharply, tiredness making him irritable. “I’m here, aren’t I?”
“Gwen should still know about this.”
“No, because if Gwen knew about this she’d want to be part of the attack, and while I’m not familiar with the things that should and shouldn’t be done while pregnant I’m sure that storming an armed medical facility wouldn’t be considered advisable.”
Martha smiles, despite the fact that she still not convinced that Ianto is right about not telling Gwen. “All right. What about Jack? He’d want to be a part of this, he’d want to know you’re alive.”
“And that’s why he can’t be here. I can’t let him know, not until this is over.”
“Why not?”
“Because if this goes wrong and I die.” Ianto looks down at the floor, some of the disturbing images of his dreams playing on his mind. “I’m not putting Jack through that again, it’s too cruel.”
“Ianto-”
“No,” Ianto says sharply. “You told me how upset he was, I’m not dragging him back here to find another corpse.”
Martha stares at him, shocked, “Are you sure you’re okay? You know don’t have to take part in this, not if you worried it might go wrong.”
“I have to do this. I have to shut down this place down.” Ianto’s hand strays to the gun he’s been given, the cold metal more reassuring than it ever used to be. “I’ll be all right. When this is over I’ll be all right.”
Before Martha can question Ianto’s logic, or ask him who he’s trying to convince, Captain Andrews appears at the back of the transport. Nodding to the sergeant, he says, “Be ready to move out in five.”
“Yes, sir.” The sergeant drops the back of the transport, and the UNIT soldiers travelling with Martha and Ianto get out.
“Last chance to back out.” Captain Andrews looks at Ianto, “Nobody going to think less of you if you do. It’s likely to get rough in there.”
“Rougher than the explosions in Cardiff last year? or the Daleks? What about what happened at Canary Wharf? I lived through all of those.” Ianto thinks that there’s probably something wrong in dragging up memories that were awful for all those involved, but he’s tired of people underestimating him, and he wants the attack to be over.
Captain Andrews shakes his head, looking at Ianto with an expression of surprise.
“I didn’t think so.” Ianto smiles grimly. “These people took six months of my life and put the people I love through hell, I’m not sitting this one out.”
Seeing that he’s not going to win the argument, Captain Andrews says, “We’ll be glad to have you along.”
“Thank you.” Ianto nods to the captain, and gets out, walking over to one the groups who are ready to move out before either Captain Andrews or Martha can ask him any more questions.
The captain’s order to begin the attack comes only a couple of minutes later, and the UNIT soldiers, split into four groups, approach the clinic.
The group Ianto is with move quickly and quietly towards one of the side entrances of the clinic. They have nearly reached the door when there is the sound of gunfire from the other side of the building as the group taking out the security on the main entrance engage their opposition.
The element of surprise is lost, and as two armed security guards open the door the sergeant motions to his men to shield their eyes, and he throws a stun grenade to land in the doorway.
When Ianto uncovers his eyes the two guards are on the ground, disorientated, having dropped their weapons. Securing them, hands and feet immobilised with ziplock ties, UNIT leave two men to guard them before continuing into the clinic.
Although Ianto is glad he’s armed, he’s also relieved that so far he hasn’t had to use it, and that the security guards will suffer nothing worse than a headache. He’s seen enough death in his life that he doesn’t want to be the cause of it unless it’s his only and last option.
There’s no sign of Doctor Munro or Ruth as they clear the first floor of the building, the labs, treatment rooms and operating theatres deserted due to the early hour. Ianto doesn’t know if this is due to it being a day when neither of them are on a nightshift or if it’s something else.
Leaving some of the troops to guard the exits, and the one soldier injured in taking out the security on the door in Martha’s care, Captain Andrews regroups the rest to start the clearance of the second floor.
Working in pairs the soldiers start to clear the second floor where the people are being held. The realisation that it’s not only people from Thames House that are being held, sickens Ianto; six months here had been hell, that some of the people have been imprisoned here for years is a horror he doesn’t even want to contemplate.
The look of confusion and relief on their faces as they are released from their rooms is after the first half dozen rooms, more than Ianto finds he can take. He knows it shouldn’t surprise him that there were more people than the fourteen from Thames House being kept there, or that some of them had been there for so long, the Audley Clinic was, after all, a large and well organised facility that had been opperating for some time.
Reassuring the sergeant that he won’t shoot anybody without provocation and that he’s able to take care of himself, Ianto goes to join the soldiers who have moved up to clear the offices on the third floor.
Doctor Munro’s office is empty as Ianto passes it, the desk lamp is still on though, and the one of filing cabinets open and empty. Further down the corridor Ianto can hear the sound of doors opening and closing as UNIT continue their search.
Ianto has almost reached them when he hears a faint whirring from behind a closed door. Stopping, Ianto draws his gun before listening at the door.
The whirring stops after a moment and is replaced by the sound of rustling paper. Combined with the missing files from Doctor Munro’s office, Ianto thinks that there’s only one likely scenario, and he opens the door.
“Stop right there.” Ianto points his gun at Doctor Munro who is about to feed more paperwork into a shredder.
“You.” Doctor Munro looks annoyed, and puts down the patient files that he’s in the process of destroying. “Why am I not surprised?”
“Lack of imagination?” Keeping his gun trained on Doctor Munro Ianto moves closer. “There’s enough evidence here that destroying a few records isn’t going to make any difference. I thought you’d be better prepared.”
“You think so?” Munro smiles and puts down the file.
“You’d only just started to shred those,” Ianto points out, before motioning with his gun for Doctor Munro to step out from behind the shredder.
Doctor Munro doesn’t move. “I though that you of all the people here would understand that sometime things have to be done. We were on the same side once.”
“The same side?”
“Keeping Britain safe. You signed up to protect Queen and Country just as I did.”
“And I suppose that you think that the end always justifies the means?” Ianto asks, angry at hearing the same justification that Yvonne had so often used back in London before her desire for power and recognition had brought chaos to his and countless other lives.
“Of course.”
Ianto’s radio crackles for a moment, the silence that UNIT had observed on the approach to the clinic abandoned now that they are inside, then Martha speaks. “Captain Andrews says to tell you that the building is secure and the incendiary device has been defused.”
“Thank you, Martha,” Ianto says trying not to sound too shocked at the fact that the clinic had been rigged to burn down. “I’ve just found Doctor Munro, I’ll bring him down, put him with the rest of the staff.”
“See you soon,” Martha says, ending the call.
The annoyance on Doctor Munro’s face at the fact that the clinic isn’t going to burst into flames is clear and Ianto can’t keep the disgust from his voice, his finger tightening on the trigger as he moves closer to Doctor Munro. “You were going to kill them, let them burn to death. Why?”
“The research was mostly complete, the results forwards. They’d served their purpose,” Munro says calmly, although he’s taken a few steps back away from Ianto. “You must realise that they could never be released, the work here is too sensitive, people would never understand.”
“Are you surprised? You took peoples lives, told their families they were dead, experimented on them.”
“Yet they’ll still use the research,” Munro says smugly, “People are squeamish, they don’t want to know how the results were obtained, they just want the benefits. I just do what has to be done.”
Ianto wants to argue, but he knows it’s true, so many medical discoveries have had their origins in research that people would rather forget. “And I have to stop you.”
“You’re going to shoot me?” Munro sounds amused, “You don’t have it in you; if you had you’d have done it by now.”
As angry as Ianto is he knows, on this at least, Doctor Munro is right, he won’t kill an unarmed and ultimately powerless, now that the clinic has been shut down, man. Ianto also has the suspicion that Munro is actually trying to goad him into shooting, seeing death as a better option than spending the rest of his life in a UNIT prison. “Maybe I don’t, maybe I’m not a killer.”
“Then you’re a fool.” Munro reaches down behind the shredder and draws a gun.
Wondering why he hadn’t considered the possibility of Munro being armed, although he’d never seen him carry a gun in the months that he’d been at the clinic, Ianto says, “It doesn’t have to end like this, nobody has to die.”
“Don’t they?” Munro removes the safety.
“No.” Ianto looks steadily at him, hoping he looks more in control than he feels. “There are a dozen UNIT soldiers just down the corridor, if you shoot me you won’t get out of here alive.”
Munro shakes his head, and raises his gun, “I never intended to.”
There’s no time to think and Ianto fires first, his bullet hitting Munro in the chest, knocking off his aim as he shoots back.
For a second Ianto thinks that Munro has missed him then his leg gives way, the pain, sharp and fierce, starting as he hits the floor.
Ianto’s hand is shaking as he places it over the wound, trying to stop the bleeding, barely aware of the sound of running footsteps in the corridor outside as the UNIT troops checking the other offices come to investigate.
Feeling cold and shivery, Ianto closes his eyes, hoping that this isn’t it, but thinking that knowing his luck it will be.
“You came back.”
Ianto opens his eyes to see Ruth kneel down on the floor beside him, and open a first aid kit the one of the soldiers has handed to her.
“Said I would.” Ianto grits his teeth as a soldier raises his legs slightly to help reduce the blood flow. “Promised.”
“I know. I’m just glad I got you enough time.” Ruth gets out a bandage. “I told Munro that you’d taken my car, they spent half a day looking for it before they realised I hadn’t arrived in it that morning. He locked me in my office after that, said he had more important things to deal with.”
Ianto nods. He knows that Ruth is only telling him this now as a way to help keep his mind off the pain.
“I’m sorry, this is going to hurt,” Ruth says, pressing a pad down on Ianto’s thigh, blood welling up through her fingers.
* * *
Fifteen minutes later, with his leg securely bandaged and an IV in, Ianto is lying on a hospital trolley, being pushed to the clinic entrance. The idea of another stay at a medical facility, even if it’s a UNIT hospital rather than secret government run clinic is unappealing, although Ianto knows he’s really not got any choice about it.
They’re nearly at the door when there is a commotion outside. It hurts to move, although the painkillers are starting to work, but Ianto struggles to sit up as he hears a familiar voice say, “You listen to me, we’re Torchwood, and I’m not taken no for an answer.”
“I’m sorry, sir, I couldn’t stop her,” a young private says apologetically to Captain Andrews as Gwen pushes past him and in to the clinic, followed by Andy and Lois.
Gwen’s eyes widen as she sees Ianto, “How?”
“Long story.” Ianto smiles tiredly at her, the relief that she’s arrived too late to get caught up in any of the gunfire blocking out the question of why she’s here. “Just glad to see you.”
“You too,” Gwen says tearfully, walking over to Ianto and taking hold of his hand. “I thought we’d lost you.”
“Can’t get rid of me that easily,” Ianto says, his voice wavering slightly. He hopes that Gwen doesn’t start crying, as he’s sure that if she does he’ll join her; not something that he wants to do in front of strangers.
Lying back down, Gwen still holding his hand, Ianto smiles, knowing that it’s finally over, and that he’ll soon be able to contact Jack.
part 9
Characters/pairings: Ianto, Jack, Gwen, Rhys, various other characters introduced in CoE. Jack/Ianto and Gwen/Rhys
Rating: PG, maybe pg13ish in places.
Genre: Happy ended angst, hurt/comfort.
Summary: As Torchwood rebuilds following the events of CoE the government is still keeping secrets and it's up to Ianto to reveal the truth.
Spoilers: Children of Earth days 4 and 5.
Authors note: A CoE fix-it fic. I will try to update once a week, but a new baby means my posting schedule could be a bit erratic.
part one
part two
part three
part four
part five
part six
part seven
Part eight:
Sitting with Martha in the officer’s mess, the UNIT personnel having eaten sometime before, Ianto picks at the food in front of him, trying to avoid the inevitable questions about how he is that Martha will have for him now that they are alone.
So far Ianto knows that he has been lucky to keep the conversation to business, the drive to Northampton filled with telling Martha about the research that the Audley Clinic is carrying out, and the level of security at the facility.
Getting to the UNIT base had taken longer than expected, the traffic on the motorway barely moving in places due to road works, and it had been late afternoon by the time they’d arrived and the meeting had actually started.
The meeting with Colonel Mace has been everything that Ianto had expected it to be: long, repetitive as the various experts that Colonel Mace had brought with him each seemed to ask the same questions just in slightly different way, and eventually frustrating, as while they do believe him, getting them to agree to a prompt course of action had seemed, at times, to be impossible.
Although this apparent indecision still annoys him, Ianto knows that going into a situation like this properly prepared usually leads to a better outcome - he just wishes that they'd been able arrange the attack on the Audley Clinic sooner than the eventually decided time of just before dawn the following morning.
Knowing that he can’t avoid talking any longer Ianto asks, “How is everyone?” Hoping that if he’s the one who starts the conversation he’ll be able to keep it away from topics he’s really not ready to talk about yet.
“You mean how's Jack.” Martha gives him a knowing look, before her expression turns sad. “Last time I saw him he was still blaming himself for everything.”
“He always does,” Ianto says unable to keep the worry from his voice. He knows that Jack doesn’t normally let anyone see how heavily the guilt and grief associated with out living everybody he loves weighs on his mind. "Losing his grandson must have hit him hard."
"So did losing you," Martha says gently.
Ianto closes his eyes, feeling tears threatening. He hadn’t wanted to think about how much his apparent death would have hurt Jack, not when he’d been unable to go to him and reassure him that he’s alright; it would have made his own captivity all the more unbearable.
When Ianto speaks his voice isn’t entirely steady, “Do you know where he is?”
“No.” Martha looks down, “I'm not sure how to tell you this, but he's gone.”
“Left Torchwood. I know,” Ianto says, not wanting to make the conversation any harder or more awkward for either of them. “I accessed the Hub's computer system before I phoned you.”
“Not just Torchwood,” Martha says sadly, “I got his vortex manipulator fixed, I don't even know what planet he's on.”
“He left Earth?” Ianto asks hollowly, the hope that he'd had of seeing Jack as soon as this is over spiralling away from him.
“I'm sorry. I can contact him, well Gwen can, I had the communications part of it linked to the Hub's computer system, just in case we ever needed to call him.”
“It's not your fault.” Ianto hears little of what Martha says after her apology. Getting up, Ianto ignores his half finished meal, saying absently, “I should get some sleep, it's an early start tomorrow.”
“Ianto-”
“Goodnight, Martha.” Ianto walks quickly away, not stopping until he's outside.
Leaning against the side of one of the buildings, Ianto takes several deep breaths, trying to get his emotions back under control. Seeing Jack again, knowing that there’s nothing that could take Jack from him had been the one thing that he’d been able to cling to while he was at the Audley Clinic, and now he’s gone.
Looking up at the stars, clear in the frosty night sky, Ianto says, “I’ll find you, Jack. Just be okay.”
He wipes his eyes, adding softly, “Please. I need you.”
* * *
It’s the loud, insistent ringing of his mobile that wakes Andy in the early hours of the morning.
“Something’s happening. Something big.” Johnson doesn’t give Andy time to say hello as he answer the phone. “I’ve been keeping watch on UNIT and there’s definite activity, troop movement, increased use of their secure lines. It seems to be centred on a private medical facility that’s just outside Henley-in-Arden in Warwickshire. They’re getting ready to attack it, I’m sure of it.”
“Don’t you ever sleep?” Andy asks irritably, only having gone to bed a couple of hours earlier. “Anyway what’s this got to do with us? I mean they’re dealing with whatever it is, aren’t they?”
“Because one of the communications that I managed to intercept mentioned Thames House survivors.”
Andy frowns, “But there weren’t any, well not apart from Jack.”
“I know. The level of activity suggests a retrieval mission for multiple individuals.”
“They’re rescuing people?” Andy says switching on his bedside light, realising that going back to sleep is now unlikely to be an option.
“Rescue or they could just be tying up loose ends.”
“You mean killing people,” Andy says with obvious distaste.
“Sometimes these things have to be done. I’ve notified Gwen and Lois, they’ll meet you at the Hub, I’ll meet you Henley.” Johnson hangs up before Andy can ask any further questions.
Andy is almost dressed when Gwen phones, telling him, “I’m heading over to the Hub now, I'll meet you there. You'll need to get the guns and hazmat suits ready, we’re not taking any chances. I’ve called Lois she’s finding us the quickest route, I’m still trying to get hold of Martha to find out if she knows any more about this.”
“You know what's going on then?”
“I don't, but we’re not going to be left in the dark, not this time,” Gwen says firmly.
“Do we at least have a plan?” Andy asks, grabbing his car keys and leaving his house.
“No, but we can think of one on the way. I’m not wasting any time. I’ll see you in fifteen minutes.”
“Brilliant,” Andy says to himself as Gwen ends the calls. “Just brilliant.”
* * *
The early morning air is cold, and a damp mist hangs over the estate surrounding the Audley Clinic as the UNIT vehicles arrive, parking out of sight of any security that might be watching.
Sitting in the back of one of the transports dressed in borrowed UNIT military fatigues Ianto can’t help but wonder if Jack would approve of his current look. The red beret had certainly been a success, and he suspects that the whole uniform would probably be as well.
Closing his eyes Ianto lets memories of Jack wash over him. Memories of Jack kissing him, of large, warm hands against his skin and of nights spent together touching and talking, cntent that neither of them are alone.
“It’ll be over soon.”
“What?” Ianto opens his eyes, and stares at Martha, confused and wondering how long she’s been talking to him. Sleep hadn’t come easy the previous night, despite the lack of rest the day before, and when it had the dreams that accompanied had made Ianto wish that it hadn’t.
“The attack.”
“Oh right.” Ianto rubs his eyes, lack of sleep making them feel gritty and sore.
“I still don’t understand why you won’t let me contact Gwen, Torchwood should be here.”
“It is here,” Ianto says sharply, tiredness making him irritable. “I’m here, aren’t I?”
“Gwen should still know about this.”
“No, because if Gwen knew about this she’d want to be part of the attack, and while I’m not familiar with the things that should and shouldn’t be done while pregnant I’m sure that storming an armed medical facility wouldn’t be considered advisable.”
Martha smiles, despite the fact that she still not convinced that Ianto is right about not telling Gwen. “All right. What about Jack? He’d want to be a part of this, he’d want to know you’re alive.”
“And that’s why he can’t be here. I can’t let him know, not until this is over.”
“Why not?”
“Because if this goes wrong and I die.” Ianto looks down at the floor, some of the disturbing images of his dreams playing on his mind. “I’m not putting Jack through that again, it’s too cruel.”
“Ianto-”
“No,” Ianto says sharply. “You told me how upset he was, I’m not dragging him back here to find another corpse.”
Martha stares at him, shocked, “Are you sure you’re okay? You know don’t have to take part in this, not if you worried it might go wrong.”
“I have to do this. I have to shut down this place down.” Ianto’s hand strays to the gun he’s been given, the cold metal more reassuring than it ever used to be. “I’ll be all right. When this is over I’ll be all right.”
Before Martha can question Ianto’s logic, or ask him who he’s trying to convince, Captain Andrews appears at the back of the transport. Nodding to the sergeant, he says, “Be ready to move out in five.”
“Yes, sir.” The sergeant drops the back of the transport, and the UNIT soldiers travelling with Martha and Ianto get out.
“Last chance to back out.” Captain Andrews looks at Ianto, “Nobody going to think less of you if you do. It’s likely to get rough in there.”
“Rougher than the explosions in Cardiff last year? or the Daleks? What about what happened at Canary Wharf? I lived through all of those.” Ianto thinks that there’s probably something wrong in dragging up memories that were awful for all those involved, but he’s tired of people underestimating him, and he wants the attack to be over.
Captain Andrews shakes his head, looking at Ianto with an expression of surprise.
“I didn’t think so.” Ianto smiles grimly. “These people took six months of my life and put the people I love through hell, I’m not sitting this one out.”
Seeing that he’s not going to win the argument, Captain Andrews says, “We’ll be glad to have you along.”
“Thank you.” Ianto nods to the captain, and gets out, walking over to one the groups who are ready to move out before either Captain Andrews or Martha can ask him any more questions.
The captain’s order to begin the attack comes only a couple of minutes later, and the UNIT soldiers, split into four groups, approach the clinic.
The group Ianto is with move quickly and quietly towards one of the side entrances of the clinic. They have nearly reached the door when there is the sound of gunfire from the other side of the building as the group taking out the security on the main entrance engage their opposition.
The element of surprise is lost, and as two armed security guards open the door the sergeant motions to his men to shield their eyes, and he throws a stun grenade to land in the doorway.
When Ianto uncovers his eyes the two guards are on the ground, disorientated, having dropped their weapons. Securing them, hands and feet immobilised with ziplock ties, UNIT leave two men to guard them before continuing into the clinic.
Although Ianto is glad he’s armed, he’s also relieved that so far he hasn’t had to use it, and that the security guards will suffer nothing worse than a headache. He’s seen enough death in his life that he doesn’t want to be the cause of it unless it’s his only and last option.
There’s no sign of Doctor Munro or Ruth as they clear the first floor of the building, the labs, treatment rooms and operating theatres deserted due to the early hour. Ianto doesn’t know if this is due to it being a day when neither of them are on a nightshift or if it’s something else.
Leaving some of the troops to guard the exits, and the one soldier injured in taking out the security on the door in Martha’s care, Captain Andrews regroups the rest to start the clearance of the second floor.
Working in pairs the soldiers start to clear the second floor where the people are being held. The realisation that it’s not only people from Thames House that are being held, sickens Ianto; six months here had been hell, that some of the people have been imprisoned here for years is a horror he doesn’t even want to contemplate.
The look of confusion and relief on their faces as they are released from their rooms is after the first half dozen rooms, more than Ianto finds he can take. He knows it shouldn’t surprise him that there were more people than the fourteen from Thames House being kept there, or that some of them had been there for so long, the Audley Clinic was, after all, a large and well organised facility that had been opperating for some time.
Reassuring the sergeant that he won’t shoot anybody without provocation and that he’s able to take care of himself, Ianto goes to join the soldiers who have moved up to clear the offices on the third floor.
Doctor Munro’s office is empty as Ianto passes it, the desk lamp is still on though, and the one of filing cabinets open and empty. Further down the corridor Ianto can hear the sound of doors opening and closing as UNIT continue their search.
Ianto has almost reached them when he hears a faint whirring from behind a closed door. Stopping, Ianto draws his gun before listening at the door.
The whirring stops after a moment and is replaced by the sound of rustling paper. Combined with the missing files from Doctor Munro’s office, Ianto thinks that there’s only one likely scenario, and he opens the door.
“Stop right there.” Ianto points his gun at Doctor Munro who is about to feed more paperwork into a shredder.
“You.” Doctor Munro looks annoyed, and puts down the patient files that he’s in the process of destroying. “Why am I not surprised?”
“Lack of imagination?” Keeping his gun trained on Doctor Munro Ianto moves closer. “There’s enough evidence here that destroying a few records isn’t going to make any difference. I thought you’d be better prepared.”
“You think so?” Munro smiles and puts down the file.
“You’d only just started to shred those,” Ianto points out, before motioning with his gun for Doctor Munro to step out from behind the shredder.
Doctor Munro doesn’t move. “I though that you of all the people here would understand that sometime things have to be done. We were on the same side once.”
“The same side?”
“Keeping Britain safe. You signed up to protect Queen and Country just as I did.”
“And I suppose that you think that the end always justifies the means?” Ianto asks, angry at hearing the same justification that Yvonne had so often used back in London before her desire for power and recognition had brought chaos to his and countless other lives.
“Of course.”
Ianto’s radio crackles for a moment, the silence that UNIT had observed on the approach to the clinic abandoned now that they are inside, then Martha speaks. “Captain Andrews says to tell you that the building is secure and the incendiary device has been defused.”
“Thank you, Martha,” Ianto says trying not to sound too shocked at the fact that the clinic had been rigged to burn down. “I’ve just found Doctor Munro, I’ll bring him down, put him with the rest of the staff.”
“See you soon,” Martha says, ending the call.
The annoyance on Doctor Munro’s face at the fact that the clinic isn’t going to burst into flames is clear and Ianto can’t keep the disgust from his voice, his finger tightening on the trigger as he moves closer to Doctor Munro. “You were going to kill them, let them burn to death. Why?”
“The research was mostly complete, the results forwards. They’d served their purpose,” Munro says calmly, although he’s taken a few steps back away from Ianto. “You must realise that they could never be released, the work here is too sensitive, people would never understand.”
“Are you surprised? You took peoples lives, told their families they were dead, experimented on them.”
“Yet they’ll still use the research,” Munro says smugly, “People are squeamish, they don’t want to know how the results were obtained, they just want the benefits. I just do what has to be done.”
Ianto wants to argue, but he knows it’s true, so many medical discoveries have had their origins in research that people would rather forget. “And I have to stop you.”
“You’re going to shoot me?” Munro sounds amused, “You don’t have it in you; if you had you’d have done it by now.”
As angry as Ianto is he knows, on this at least, Doctor Munro is right, he won’t kill an unarmed and ultimately powerless, now that the clinic has been shut down, man. Ianto also has the suspicion that Munro is actually trying to goad him into shooting, seeing death as a better option than spending the rest of his life in a UNIT prison. “Maybe I don’t, maybe I’m not a killer.”
“Then you’re a fool.” Munro reaches down behind the shredder and draws a gun.
Wondering why he hadn’t considered the possibility of Munro being armed, although he’d never seen him carry a gun in the months that he’d been at the clinic, Ianto says, “It doesn’t have to end like this, nobody has to die.”
“Don’t they?” Munro removes the safety.
“No.” Ianto looks steadily at him, hoping he looks more in control than he feels. “There are a dozen UNIT soldiers just down the corridor, if you shoot me you won’t get out of here alive.”
Munro shakes his head, and raises his gun, “I never intended to.”
There’s no time to think and Ianto fires first, his bullet hitting Munro in the chest, knocking off his aim as he shoots back.
For a second Ianto thinks that Munro has missed him then his leg gives way, the pain, sharp and fierce, starting as he hits the floor.
Ianto’s hand is shaking as he places it over the wound, trying to stop the bleeding, barely aware of the sound of running footsteps in the corridor outside as the UNIT troops checking the other offices come to investigate.
Feeling cold and shivery, Ianto closes his eyes, hoping that this isn’t it, but thinking that knowing his luck it will be.
“You came back.”
Ianto opens his eyes to see Ruth kneel down on the floor beside him, and open a first aid kit the one of the soldiers has handed to her.
“Said I would.” Ianto grits his teeth as a soldier raises his legs slightly to help reduce the blood flow. “Promised.”
“I know. I’m just glad I got you enough time.” Ruth gets out a bandage. “I told Munro that you’d taken my car, they spent half a day looking for it before they realised I hadn’t arrived in it that morning. He locked me in my office after that, said he had more important things to deal with.”
Ianto nods. He knows that Ruth is only telling him this now as a way to help keep his mind off the pain.
“I’m sorry, this is going to hurt,” Ruth says, pressing a pad down on Ianto’s thigh, blood welling up through her fingers.
* * *
Fifteen minutes later, with his leg securely bandaged and an IV in, Ianto is lying on a hospital trolley, being pushed to the clinic entrance. The idea of another stay at a medical facility, even if it’s a UNIT hospital rather than secret government run clinic is unappealing, although Ianto knows he’s really not got any choice about it.
They’re nearly at the door when there is a commotion outside. It hurts to move, although the painkillers are starting to work, but Ianto struggles to sit up as he hears a familiar voice say, “You listen to me, we’re Torchwood, and I’m not taken no for an answer.”
“I’m sorry, sir, I couldn’t stop her,” a young private says apologetically to Captain Andrews as Gwen pushes past him and in to the clinic, followed by Andy and Lois.
Gwen’s eyes widen as she sees Ianto, “How?”
“Long story.” Ianto smiles tiredly at her, the relief that she’s arrived too late to get caught up in any of the gunfire blocking out the question of why she’s here. “Just glad to see you.”
“You too,” Gwen says tearfully, walking over to Ianto and taking hold of his hand. “I thought we’d lost you.”
“Can’t get rid of me that easily,” Ianto says, his voice wavering slightly. He hopes that Gwen doesn’t start crying, as he’s sure that if she does he’ll join her; not something that he wants to do in front of strangers.
Lying back down, Gwen still holding his hand, Ianto smiles, knowing that it’s finally over, and that he’ll soon be able to contact Jack.
part 9