1
Ianto was sliding in the wet grass as he moved to the left and he cursed softly, wondering yet again why he hadn't changed his shoes from oxfords to running shoes before leaving the hub.
Just a little recon, Jack said
Just a breath of fresh air, he said.
Take ten minutes, he said.
Then came the, 'You guys busy?'
Followed by the, 'Can you jut check to your left for a sec?'
Then followed by Jack's soft curse as Tosh calls out 'Rift alert in the area'.
Really?
Ianto was well and truly drenched as he watched Gwen flanking the other side of the anomaly, her hair in long strips that she kept brushing back from her face.
They were supposed to be getting a bloody pizza order.
He slipped again, cursing again as his knee contacted with the mud and immediately soaked up the mire.
Gwen looked over and grinned.
He found himself grinning back as Ford started to shine though the façade.
Gwen removed her jacket and threw it down, giving it up as ruined and started to walk again.
Ford now stretched and removed his shoes, leaving them as well.
The entity seemed to flex and grow as they circled it and as they came close enough to speak, Gwen chose to, "Any idea?"
"Well, it's not a hairdryer" Ford quipped.
"No. Or a sex toy, before you chip in Jack!" Gwen snorted.
"I don't … it seems to be pulsing" Tosh was saying.
Owen was talking but it was just static to Ford.
Whatever was said next, was totally lost as Ford tuned out to what was in his immediate vicinity.
Something was approaching.
Fast.
A beacon?
He turned in the direction he felt the heat coming towards him and let out a small whine as he recognized the scent wafting ahead of it, coming to him as he stood downwind.
"Cariad" he whispered, fear washing over him as it turned a corner.
It was large, crouching over as it ran towards him with itsfangs exposed.
The Halderguard was heading straight for them.
Ford had only one thought as he crouched and started to transform out in the open.
In front of witnesses.
In front of cameras.
It was heading for Gwen.