Hello? Is it me you're looking for?
Jack thought it would be another predictable day. Nothing special ever happens anymore. With a soft hum he tripped up the steps of Torchwood 3 headquarters, again lamenting the lost hub, and into the front office.
Gwen looked up from her terminal and rolled her eyes "Her nibs wants to see you"
"Eh?" Jack grunted as he winked at her, still a handsome woman, "That sister of yours?"
"Jack! I'm well into my late sixties and my daughter may look like the "me" you once knew but there is no way I could pass for her sister!" Gwen scolded as she blushed anyway.
Jack slipped through the door with a parting leer and wandered to the office Anwen would be working in.
"Hey cutie" he said jovially and she looked up with a smile.
"Hey Uncle Jack. Got a weird ping here" she looked back at the screen.
"Oh?" Jack leaned over and started to read the Unit Memo that Anwen had caught through one of Tosh's programs.
It scanned for anything running through the Unit servers with Torchwood in the title. This memo had "Torchwood Agent" in the wording and Jack frowned. Gwen was right out there. There was no other … shit. Rex?
Jack rolled Anwen out of the way and began reading it more seriously. This one said the "subject in their long term care was showing signs of stress as he did every year at this time" Jack frowned. So he means a male. This time of year? Jack wondered about it and ran the date through his mind. July? August? Just … maybe still Rex? Must be Rex.
.
.
.
The retrieval was going to be a cake walk. Not only was the team champing at the bit to show the Captain that they were worthy of his attention but this would be the first real attack against UNIT who were the bane of their lives.
As the small but enthusiastic team ransacked the building with the Unit guards glowering from the floor with their hands behind their head, Jack looked for Rex. The room wasn't hidden, just boring like all the rest. Jack paused at the door and took a deep breath before pushing forward into the room.
Two things hit him. Hard. One - UNIT were being too well treated out there and needed a good beating. Two – the hand visible through the restraints and filth was white.
Jack opened his mouth to call out when Spike entered the room. He had Martha's lithe physique but his father's brash mouth. Jack smiled at his much loved godson and watched as he approached the bed. Rearing back in true Jones-Smith style, Spike let loose a mouthful of ugly.
He turned to Jack with wide eyes and shook his head. As Jack slowly approached the bed Spike brushed past him and when Jack stopped at the foot of the bed the first cries of pain were heard faintly from the main room as Spike wailed into one of the nearest bastards in a red cap.
Jack pulled at the disgusting sheet that had been thrown over the prisoner and as it slowly slid off to pool at his feet he blanched at the smell. Shit, piss and other body fluids soiled the once white cotton and Jack looked up expecting the worst.
The worst? Oh Gods.
Jack shook as he took a step closer and a sob escaped. Emaciated, beaten and bloody, damaged yet still recognisable. Ianto Jones lay chained to the bed.