1
The alarm sounded, people ran and Ianto watched intently as the vehicle slowed.
"What we got?" Jack demanded as he came to stand beyond Ianto, looking at the screen "Shit."
"Yeah, it's gonna stop right at the entrance to the driveway" Ianto muttered, "If they don't know we are here, its one hell of a coincidence they are stopping here."
"Your gut feeling?"
"They know we are here and are trying to find how to get in" Ianto sighed, Crypto running from the room, changing as he exited the house and headed for the driveway with the other dogs. Ianto became silent, his head bowed and after a moment Jack realised he was somehow communing with Crypto, out there with him seeing what was to be seen. He sat in a chair and watched Ianto's face as Tosh changed camera angles and tried to get some audio.
Five. Four men and a woman, all dressed in army fatigues but that didn't mean much these days. Could have ransacked an army surplus store…the side arms however, screamed military. Either they were soldiers or had 'taken' some stuff. The question was … were they entitled to not.
Tosh could only get snippets of conversation between them, being too far from a mic but she did catch 'school' and 'food' a few times then one of them said something that had everyone leaning forward. 'women.'
Crypto had wriggled under the fence and sat watching them silently on the grass as one of the other dogs approached and looked at the vehicle. The five people were so busy talking they didn't' know the dogs were even there, Crypto rising to walk around to the other side of the vehicle and peer in, then Ianto grunted.
"Babe?" Jack whispered, "What's he see?"
"Two, tied and gagged. I recognise one … an ex-student." Ianto hissed like they might hear him, his eyes springing open, "They mean harm. Crypto return!"
He rose from the chair and everyone watched as Jack stepped into Ianto's personal space, their faces inches apart, "Ianto. Talk to me."
Ianto's eyes focused and then looked into Jack's "Two hostages, one is badly beaten but the other one is the student. I think they injured his mate so he would tell. He's not told all though, even with that threat he's tried to be vague, tried to protect. He's a Grup, wouldn't know it was school break, would be hoping the children were all here safe I think, so he's not told them all, just enough for the pain to stop."
"Right" Jack sighed, "So?"
"So … We go get them" Ianto smiled, "Crypto is waiting behind the hedgerow for us to join him. Bring your ego, I wanna see their faces when you step out before I kill them. They are soldiers, I am not sure but they may be Unit. If they show recognition, we know they are and this this might not be a random thing."
"Right, let's go" Owen said, the shotgun on his hip, "Time to smile"
"Why Grandma, what big shells you have" Ianto said softly and Owen grinned.
"All the better to spatter you with my dear"
They ran to the perimeter and slid over to the hedgerow where Crypto turned to look at them, "I do not like this."
"Me neither friend" Ianto replied as he removed his shoes and socks, Owen frowning at him like he had gone mad but Jack knew why and turned to Owen, "If the shit hits the fan, give Ianto room."
"Huh?"
"X-Men remember?"
Owen's face cleared as he finally remembered that Ianto was not all he seemed and grinned, excited now that he thought he might finally see some real Ianto magic, turning to aim the shotgun.
Jack walked to the gate and slid out, breaking the invisibility force field and walked over to stand to one side as the five continued to look at the map on the bonnet of their vehicle, talking softly, Ianto stepping to his right as always, slightly behind but alert.
"Well, maybe we shouldn't have gone over the bridge" the woman said.
"bullshit, he had said bridge. He said bridge then a big hedge. This is the biggest motherfucking hedge I ever seen!" a man snarled as he used his hand to flatten the map more "The fucking school has to be here somewhere. It's not fucking Hogwarts ya know!"
Jack took a deep breath and said "But it has the same principles of invisibility."
They all spun to gape at the man standing there in the WWII Great Coat, his hands in his pockets and his head cocked to one side like he was about to tell a joke, the man behind him in the black clothing more like a ninja these days, but ramrod straight as he stared back.
Moment of truth.
"Can I help you?" Jack asked in a posh voice.
"Captain Jack Harkness" one of the men snorted, "Shit. We found it."
Ianto's head canted now as Crypto slid around the vehicle and reached for the back door, his intent to release the other two clear.
"Yes" Jack said happily, "You sure did. Welcome to it."
They all blinked at him as he opened his arms wide, then behind him Ianto did the same, but he was not smiling as his toes scrunched in the grass.
Jack felt it in the soles of his feet thought the boots and grinned, "Welcome to hell."