Prologue
She was beautiful, even in death.
The body was strung up at the top of a tall cross-shaped post, arms held out at her sides like some sort of grotesque scarecrow. Morning sunlight lit her pale hair with a halo of gold, breeze tugging at its long coils as well as the remnants of her red silk dress, torn apart at the chest. Her breasts were left bare, and between them weaved the remnants of trickled blood. It stained her torso in a wave down to her waist.
Tears streaked her cheeks. Jagged red gashes tore open her throat. But even still, she was beautiful.
Silhouetted against the morning sun like that, he thought she looked like an angel.
"Talk to me, Ianto."
Captain Jack Harkness stood at the top of a ravine, long coat billowing out behind him as he gazed out into the distance. A fine mist dusted around him from the waterfall at his back, a raging torrent that plunged down and into a vast river which weaved between the trees, visible for miles before it disappeared into the cloak of foliage on the horizon. He'd gotten his tip to come here from an anonymous source, but even if the case lead nowhere, it would be nice to be out here.
Out in the middle of nowhere, away from everything he wasn't ready to confront.
"Ianto, can you hear me?" Jack repeated. He reached up to tap the com in his ear, which crackled briefly before Ianto Jones' voice finally greeted him in familiar welsh tones.
"Did you have a nice trip?" Ianto said, with just a hint of amusement in his voice. Jack opened his mouth to respond, but found he didn't really have an answer. There was something unsettling about the question, but he quickly dismissed the feeling, writing it off as a stomachache from something he'd eaten the night before.
"What can you tell me about my location?" Jack asked, brushing it off.
"The town is called Redwood Valley," Ianto responded, straight to the point. He spoke as if reading off a list. "It has a population of under 5,000. There was a brief boom in the lumber industry some years before, but the mill has been shut down, and the town is funded mostly on private investments now."
"That's not shady at all," Jack said, with a crooked grin that no one could see.
"…Jack," Ianto said, his tone shifting to one of concern. "Are you sure you're alright being out there alone?"
"Ah, but I'm not alone," Jack said cheerily, tapping his earpiece. "I still have you."
Jack could almost swear he felt eyes following him as he took the long journey around the forest path to the entrance of town. He could imagine the wind carried breath, and that the crackle of fallen leaves was that of talons digging into the ground.
The town of Redwood Valley was surrounded entirely by forest. Though the temperature was warm and the season still summer, the valley's trees held their autumn tint throughout the year, creating a literal red woods. The sun filtering through golden orange and scarlet leaves gave the scenery an odd, almost unnerving tone to it.
There was a heavy shuffle of leaves behind him, making Jack's skin crawl. His hand twitched, almost going for his holster before thinking better of it. Instead he turned with a dramatic swoop and met the eyes of a young man, mid-twenties with short, dark hair. The man surveyed him distrustfully, eyes narrowed to slits through which he could see only slivers of very light, grey-blue eyes.
"Good morning, officer!" Jack greeted, noting the uniform.
"Good morning, Mr. Harkness," the officer said, in patient tones.
"It's Captain," said Jack, "But you can call me Jack. Are you the one I'm scheduled to meet?"
The man shook his head. "Sheriff Stiff will be joining us shortly. I'm the Deputy, Victor Ames."
"Nice to meet you, Vicky," Jack said, shaking his hand firmly. "I'm sure we'll be great friends."
Victor's palms were sweaty, Jack noticed as he took his hand away. Was he nervous about something? Increased perspiration, racing heart, and yes- slightly dilated eyes.
Jack pressed his hand up to his ear, over his com.
"I think he likes me, Ianto," Jack said with a smirk. The Deputy watched him impatiently, raising an eyebrow.
A second set of footsteps joined them from the same direction as the first, and another man appeared from out of the trees. The Sheriff was a short man with a grizzled complexion and a very fine moustache. Jack met his scowl with a charming grin. It was amazing how much he looked every bit the small-town Hollywood Sheriff, only minus two feet in height. Small town indeed. Judging from his demeanor, Jack doubted he had anything below the waist to make up for it, either. Still, he might be good with his hands.
"We're sorry for the inconvenience," Stiff grumbled, "But you might as well go home. We can handle our own problems, Agent Harkness."
"It's Captain, but please, call me Jack." Jack's grin held strong. "You don't have to worry about inconveniencing me. I can carry out the investigation myself."
"That isn't what I meant, and you know it. You don't have the authority to-"
"I have the authority to do just about anything I want." Jack shrugged. "With or without your assistance, or permission. But I wouldn't mind a ride into town."
Jack shot the Deputy a knowing glance over the Sheriff's shoulder, and winked.
Victor cleared his throat. "We'd be happy to provide a vehicle, but how exactly did you get here, if you don't mind my asking?"
There it was again, that subtle twitch of unease at the back of Jack's mind.
"It's been quite the hike," Jack said dismissively.
The Deputy paused to examine his face searchingly, but there were no hidden cues to be found there. He sighed, then said finally, "We're parked half a mile out from here. Follow me."
Victor gave a flourish of his hand and turned. Jack noticed to his satisfaction that the man had an excellent bottom.
"Ianto, look at the way he walks," Jack whispered.
"Don't think of this as an invitation to stick your nose into things, Agent," Stiff said, obviously wrangling for the last word. "Redwood's hospitality doesn't extend to pushy foreigners worming their way into places they don't belong."
Jack smiled, staring challengingly into his dark eyes. "Duly noted."
As Jack drove to his hotel, he found himself longing painfully for the old Torchwood SUV. The vehicle he'd been lent at the station was decidedly less stylish, just a standard-regulation white police car. It would have taken more than a paint job and some flashy lights to fix the thing up, never mind all the gear it was missing.
"Bet we could still strap some rocket boosters to it, though," Jack said, thinking aloud.
"I think you'll be waving your rocket around town plenty without," came Ianto's voice into his ear.
"Spoil all my fun, why don't you?"
It felt like a ridiculously long drive, even worse so than the drive into town. Redwood Valley really wasn't built for tourists. This thought sprung to mind again as he entered the parking lot of the "Redwood Inn." It was a small building, well kempt, but with only a few dozen rooms. Jack had to wonder if a hotel like this was really built for guests at all, or if it was made exclusively to house the urges of Redwood's roving spouses.
"Looks cozy," Jack said, leaning against the car.
"That's one word for it," said Ianto.
Jack laughed and closed his eyes, basking in the warmth of the setting sun and the scent of the trees. He let himself hope that maybe this case had nothing to do with aliens after all, and he could just relax and enjoy the setting. Pretty town. Pretty local boys who had never seen anything like him. It could be fun. Jack couldn't remember the last time he'd had fun.
The bushes behind him rustled, and he heard the sound of snapping twigs. Jack immediately had his gun out of its holster and aimed, hands steady, eyes searching. He wasn't here on a joy ride. There had been a murder here, one of probable alien origin.
Jack scanned the edge of the forest carefully, eyes and ears straining. Whatever it was had sounded big, larger than an animal. He had a split second thought that it might be a jungle cat, maybe a tiger, perfectly camouflaged in the flamboyant scenery.
He saw a flash of catlike eyes among the branches.
And then nothing. With a breath like a sigh, Jack lowered his gun and turned back to the hotel.
Jack lay in his bed with his eyes open, staring at the ceiling. He imagined he could see constellations in the plaster relief, galaxies and stars hosting far-off worlds. The universe had once seemed so inviting and full of life, but lately it had become dull for him. He'd roamed among the stars and planets, and found in them nothing where there had once been so much light.
Jack couldn't remember when that spark had gone out.
"-Ianto," Jack said suddenly. He was covered in a cold sweat, his eyes unfocused and his breathing ragged. Jack staggered to his feet and pressed his hand to his ear, panic curling in his stomach.
"Jack?" Ianto answered. He sounded groggy.
Jack laughed as relief rushed through him in a wave.
"Jack," Ianto repeated, sounding mildly annoyed this time.
"Sorry," Jack said, still laughing. "Bad dream, or something. Never try Blowfish goulash."
"Try and get some sleep, Jack," Ianto said with a yawn. "If anything happens, I'll be here."
Jack nodded and crawled back under the sheets. The bed was far too cold.
He was kneeling in the center of an empty room, stark white walls almost blinding in their brightness. It felt like his head was being split in two, his whole body littered with piercing needles. He felt himself screaming, but couldn't hear it.
"-d, I'm so sorry," came a bleary voice. He could feel hands stroking his hair with thin, delicate fingers. He drew in breath to scream again, but the hands forced his mouth closed and clamped over his lips. "Shh, if anyone hears you, we'll all be dead."
Jack squinted to try and see anything through the blinding light.
He could see nothing but long, dark eyelashes and transparent eyes.
Jack was awoken by a cascade of glass, the shatter still echoing in his ears like the remnants of a dream. Jack rolled out of bed for the second time that night, this time instantly alert and scrambling for his gun. The plastic shutters on the window had been torn off, and shards of glass stuck from the window frame at odd angles.
There was a thump from the opposite end of the room. The nightstand crashed to the ground, and then suddenly he could see it, looming up over the side of the bed. Scythe-like talons slashed out toward him, long black nails protruding from humanoid hands. He caught the flash of moonlight on long needle-like teeth as he staggered back.
The creature dodged the first shot. Cheap plaster broke from the wall as the bullet ricocheted, kicking up dust. Long quilled spines rippled on the creature's back, and it hissed. Jack got his first good look at it as he aimed his second shot. Anthropoid, with pale skin, dark hair, and glinting silver eyes. It snarled and leapt again, but this time the bullet connected. It flung the creature back against the bedframe with a thunk. Blood spattered the wall. Jack leveled his gun for another shot.
But the creature was fleeing. It leapt through the window and back into the night, taloned feet clacking on concrete. Jack flung open his door and moved to follow it, but already it was out of sight. There was a red splattered trail leading into the trees. He followed it, but beyond the tree line the trail disappeared, impossible to keep track of.
"So much for a good night's sleep," Jack said, laughing dryly.
"The sun will be up in about an hour," said Ianto. "Call it an early morning?"
"My thoughts exactly," Jack said, trying fruitlessly to dust the plaster from his hair.
"Well then," said Ianto, "You take a shower, and I'll make the coffee."
"You know I love it when you talk dirty," said Jack.
Prologue: CLEARED
TOTAL Number of Days: 1
TOTAL Enemies Defeated: 1
TOTAL Number of Continues: 0