Chapter 1
Aoibhinn Garvin could feel it. She was sitting at a long table in the ballroom of the Alexandra Hotel in Dublin. She should have been feeling joyous, full of hope and aspirations. A few moments ago, she had been dancing with all her friends, her fellow newly qualified teachers. The last time they would all be together at their annual ball. The band was playing "Don't Stop Believing'" by Journey, and she was swept away in one of her favourite classic songs.
"I'm just going to sit down for a minute" she mouthed to Ally, one of her friends, still gyrating on the frenetic dance floor.
Slowly she weaved her way towards where she had left her bag, and silently rued ever buying her gorgeous, but painful shoes.
That was when she felt it. Suddenly, like a sharp pain that made her gasp for air, and seemed to take with it…hope. Leaving her chilled to her core. Something was wrong, very wrong.
She looked back towards Ally and the others, still dancing, this time to Estelle's "American Boy".
They didn't feel anything. She thought. Aoibhinn couldn't shake the feeling. She always trusted her instincts.
A few streets away Captain Jack Harkness could feel it too. Something felt seriously wrong, and he didn't know what.
He had come over to Dublin, from Cardiff to escape for a few days. The sudden loss of Toshiko and Owen had affected them all.
Gwen had decided she needed some time alone with her husband Rhys, and Ianto had agreed he would look after things at the Hub. They all needed headspace. They all needed time to grieve for their friends.
Earlier that evening he had decided to walk around the city, for air more than anything else, and was coming up near Merrion Square, when he felt it. His great coat flapped in the mild breeze. He gasped.
He flicked on his intercom, "Ianto?" he intoned. "Jack." Ianto replied. "Something's not right in Dublin Ianto. I don't know what. But I feel it. Can you get a read on anything?"
Ianto sounded sleepy, but within seconds he had something. "Jack, there's a disturbance a couple of streets away from you. The computer's can't pick it up clearly. High molecular energy…" He was about to continue when Jack stopped him. He had spotted something.
"Thanks Ianto." He flicked his phone off, and swapped it for his webley. Silently, he crept among the shadows, following the creature who was walking towards the nearby Alexandra Hotel.
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