Bounty

by sky.guinalie

Jack was never in Torchwood, and he never met the Doctor. But instead of being a con-man, he's a bounty hunter. Jack's travelling through space to get to his target, and along the way, he picks up knowledge that suggests, just perhaps, that he was being played. That perhaps, Ianto Jones, his target, is in the right. Review!

1. Chapter 1

A/N- Completely AU. It's a lot in the future, like Earth has contact and all that- kind of set in Star Trek time! This first chapter's rather short and sort of just a prologue, but bear with me. I hope you guys enjoy it! And my future slang for bounty hunter is lead chucker.

"Half now, half later," said the man.

Jack nodded. "That's usually how things work, sir." He didn't mention that no, it actually wasn't, and that almost always, the payment was given after the job was done. He just smirked, accepting the credits given him. "Before I go, sir, I have one question."

"Yes, Mr. Harkness?" asked the man.

"Is it usual nowadays for the government - or at least for government officials like yourself - to use a lead chucker like me to, lets say, get the job done?" Jack asked, leaning against the desk.

"Quite usual," said the official, shifting nervously in his seat.

Jack nodded again. "Right. I'll be off now. Next time we meet, this-" he checked the note the man had given him. "This Jones guy'll be safe and sound in government hands." He turned and left, chuckling all the way out the door.

Jack went straight to his ship, not even stopping at a bar this time around. He had a job to do. But once he got everything straightened out and a course off-world set to autopilot, he found that he couldn't relax.

He paced back and forth, disassembled, cleaned, and reassembled his many guns, and checked the course seven times. Finally, he went into his bedroom on the ship and reviewed all of the information on the target.

The guy was named Ianto Jones. Jack couldn't help but think what a weird name it was, and wondered who in the galaxy would name their kid Ianto.

He was around 5' 11", and he was twenty-seven. A bit young to get mixed up in the whole business called 'being illegal', but whatever. Jack didn't really care. However, he couldn't seem to tear his eyes away from the target's - Ianto's - face.

And that night, Jack couldn't sleep. Thoughts swirled around in his head. Thoughts wondering, in particular, what someone who looked as kind as Ianto Jones could have done to get himself wanted. To get himself hunted.