"Torchwood, Gwen Cooper speaking. Who's calling please? And what's your UNIT code? Okay, that's verified. Now, how can I help you? The Bank of Cardiff? Yes, I know where it is. We'll be there. Anything we need to know? Frozen? Okay, we're on our way."
As she hung up, Gwen shouted to the rest of her team. "We've got a situation guys! In the garage in two minutes!"
The role of leader still felt uneasy on her shoulders, but after Jack had run after that odd noise, one of them had to step into his place. Gwen seemed to be the one most comfortable, and so the others deferred to her. Some did it quickly, and others were Owen.
As she stepped into the garage, holstering her pistol, Ianto was just loading the standard kit into the boot, and Owen was relegating Tosh to the back of the car. Gwen slipped into the passenger seat next to him, and tried to quell the argument by getting them focused on the job at hand.
"Set a course for the Bank of Cardiff Tosh. Get moving Owen."
"What are we going to?" Owen asked, "Something fun?"
"Bank robbery," Gwen replied.
"What, can't the police do their own job anymore? Is Andy so useless that he needs us all the time?"
"It's not just an ordinary bank robbery. There are reports of frozen people. It's a little confused, but it seems like we're looking at some sort of alien weaponry."
"That seems right," Toshiko broke in. "I'm getting rift spikes all round the bank. There's something big in there, and it wasn't made on earth."
"Makes you wish Jack was here," mumbled Ianto. He'd been taking the disappearance hard, but Gwen needed him with her.
"Yeah, he'd just swagger in there and shoot them down with a look. But he's not here at the minute Ianto, and you are. So can we get a swagger from you?"
"Depends" replied Ianto. "Is it a sort of coffee?"
The joke was cheesy, but it helped lift the tension that appeared every time Jack was mentioned. He'd been gone three weeks, but they all still expected him to reappear through the door, greatcoat swaying, with a smile on his face and a drink in his hand. But he hadn't. They'd waited, and waited, and it was only after the first 24 hours that they began to suspect he wasn't coming back. Ianto took longer of course. It didn't matter how many times Gwen told him he needed more sleep, she knew he was still spending most of his nights watch the scanner, the rift monitor, and even Jack's old CB radio. She hoped it would get easier with time.
As they neared the bank, plans were made. "Tosh, get onto the COMSAT network, and give me the chatter on the ground. Ianto, you and I will take the direct approach. Front door, left and right. Usual pattern. Owen, the reports of frozen people is a bit weird. I'm sure you know what to do."
"Keep cool?"
"Very funny. I need to know what we can do about this weapon, and whether its effects are reversible."
"Yes ma'am!" his reply was still sarcastic, but he seemed to be taking it a little more seriously.
I only hope I can hold us together, thought Gwen. Where are you Jack?
As they pulled up in front of the bank, a UNIT soldier greeted them. He looked a little familiar, though Gwen couldn't immediately place him.
"Ah good, you're here. We've cordoned off the area, and nobody's come in or out."
"Any demands?"
"Nothing yet", he replied. "We did send a negotiator in, but they froze him at the door."
"I'd better have a look", interrupted Owen. "Show me to him."
Gwen directed her attention elsewhere, trusting Owen to report anything he found immediately.
"Tosh, can we get schematics of the Bank? Maybe a point of entry?"
"Already on it", she replied. "Best bet is probably straight through the front doors. They should be mainly in the back if they're pulling a bank job."
"Okay, thanks. Ianto, you're with me. I'll go left, you right. Scan the room and find some cover. No playing the hero."
"Fine by me. I leave that to Jack, as he does it so very well. Anyway, I'm right behind you."
The two of them headed up the steps and burst through the door, instantly throwing themselves behind two conveniently placed pillars. A quick look round the room showed no-one obviously present, but there was an ominous hum in the air.
"Gwen, come in," a voice piped into her ear.
"I'm here Owen, what have you found?"
"I'm not sure. There's no life signs coming from the negotiator, but he doesn't seem to have suffered any trauma. I can't take samples, or even move him to get a better look. He seems to be fixed in position. It's definitely not caused by anything we've got on earth. Or at least, not caused by anything we should have on earth. In other words, be careful."
"Alright, thanks. Keep me posted."
"Sounds nasty", said Ianto. "I know I've taken enough bullets to no longer be worried about the odd flesh wound, but we don't know how we need to be hit by this thing to be affected. Best take it slow."
"Yeah. I'm going to head round this side, you take that. I'll keep you covered while you head towards the inner door."
As Ianto crept forward, Gwen moved with him, her eyes constantly flicking round the room. As Ianto reached the door further into the bank, her guts tightened. Taking a deep breath, she watched as he kicked the door open, swung his gun through first, and followed it straight into the path of the oncoming beam. He made no noise as he hit the ground.