Of Mortal Men

It was a dark, February night, as the four members of Torchwood Three moved carefully around the corner. There was a flash of light and a single sound of a gun of some kind, before Captain Jack Harkness hit the ground, mortally wounded.

"No! Jack!" Shouted Ianto, getting off a shot of his own.

"Ianto, stay put!" Owen's voice came from somewhere off to the left of the Welshman.

"Jack!"

"Forget about him, he'll be fine in a few minutes," called the medic. "Get that bastard first!"

Ianto considered this for a moment, before looking in the direction the flash of light came from. "Shit!" he muttered to himself, then, "I can't see anything." He called out.

"There!" shouted Gwen. "By that garage to you right, Ianto. I'm sure I saw something move."

Ianto edged closer, away from Jack's lifeless body. "Well, it's gotta come passed us."

"Thanks for that," called Owen. "You've made my evening." He shrugged, as if cold.

Ianto frowned, edged forward a little more and raised his gun.

The Blowfish knew he had nowhere to go, but decided to take his chances, as he ran from the safety of the garage into Ianto's line of fire. A bullet caught him high in the right shoulder and he dropped his weapon. Another bullet to the left thigh knocked him off his feet.

Ianto left Gwen and Owen to take care of the Blowfish, while he knelt beside the dead Torchwood leader. The Welshman looked at his lover, touching his cheek gently. He waited until the Captain gasped for breath, holding his hand tightly, as he came back to life again. A smile touched the corners of Ianto's mouth, as aqua blue eyes looked back at him, the familiar sparkle returning to them.

"Need a hand up?" asked the Welshman.

"Mmm," came the sober reply.

Once back on their feet, Ianto pulled his lover into a hug.

"I hate when you do that." He whispered.

"I know. Sorry."

They parted.

"Did you get him?"

Ianto nodded. "Owen and Gwen are with him."

"He's alive, I hope."

Another nod. "Just winged."

"Good. I have a few questions I need answering."

Jack looked at the Blowfish as Gwen and Owen marched him by, hobbling.

"I wanna know how they became so intelligent," Jack continued. "They didn't talk or drive on their planet when I first went there."

"How long do you think they've been on Earth?" asked Ianto.

"A long time," came the reply.

They began to follow the other members of the team back to the SUV.

"He'll need looking at before you start interrogating him," said Owen, once back in the SUV. "Ianto shot him…twice."

Jack looked back at him from the front passenger seat. "He's got til morning."

Ianto started the engine and drove off toward Cardiff Bay and the Hub. Once there, Ianto helped Owen with the Blowfish, while Jack went to his office to change his shirt.

Gwen and Tosh looked down into the autopsy bay, as Owen sedated the Blowfish.

"He'll be out til morning. I better get these bullets out of him." He frowned at Ianto. "Two bullets?"

Ianto rolled his eyes.

"Time to go home then," said Gwen.

Ianto raised an eyebrow. "I was about to make coffee."

"No thanks, Ianto. Rhys is waitin' for me," she grinned.

Owen put the second of the two bullets into a kidney dish. "Lucky you," he said with a grin.

Tosh shook her head.

Jack appeared on the gantry outside his office. "I'll see you all in the morning," he nodded to Ianto. "That includes you." Then he turned, went back into his office and closed the door.

Ianto looked up at it, a puzzeled look on his face and then at Owen.

"You two have a falling out?" Owen enquired.

Ianto shrugged. "No." He moved toward his workstation. "I'll get my coat."

TBC