Ianto took his seat at the board room table just as Jack began to explain the newest alien threat, "So it's a shape shifter?"

"Yes," Jack looked affectionately at the man farthest away from him, "Though, not usually described by others that way. Most just think of them as a race without a defined body. They've had very different names throughout the universe."

"So did they come through the rift or did they come to concur?" Gwen thought aloud, as per usual.

Tosh squinted at her hand held, "Rift activity was deffinately present in the area surrounding the attacks last night. Though, the more I look at it, I see more of those negative rift spikes all around as well."

"What does this mean Tosh?" Jack said, knowing the answer.

Toshiko stared still, "While the shape shifter or shifters, plural, came into our world...something else was taken into the rift and to god knows where."

Owen reached over and squeezed her hand affectionately, hoping to calm her ever apparent nerves, "What do we do, Jack?"

"Well there really is no way of figuring out where and when they ended up," Jack stated.

Ianto butted in, "So no rescue mission. Still, what are the shape shifters doing? What would make them kill?"

"That's what I don't understand.. They're usually a very peaceful species," Jack rubbed his face.

"So the victims must have been antagonizing them. Maybe because of whatever appearance they had when they came out of the rift?" Gwen added.

Jack nodded, "Possibly but we also have another problem. They usually take up the form of those on the planet they inhabit or visit."

"Wait, so your saying they don't have their own planet? They live amongst others?" Tosh asked curiously looking up at their fearless leader.

"Yes, they are a essentially a genetic mutation of multiple species interbreeding. Think of it as species A, B, C and D. A and B mate. Then AB meets C. Then ABC mates with D. Then ABCD mates with Z. Then it continued until eventually they became so unrecognizable to other species that they became their own," Jack explained to his team.

"Fascinating," Tosh pushed her glasses up more.

Owen scuffed, "So how do we kill them?"

"Fire should do it," Jack responded on point, "Let's hope it doesn't get to that."

"How will we know it's them?" Gwen leaned forward.

Tosh responded, "They give off a sort of chemical aura around themselves, it should be easy to create a program to visualize it within camera and video feed. I can come up with a hand held version for the field. It shouldn't be that difficult to work out."

"Good. Get on that Tosh. Owen, I need a cause of death and anything else of importance about our two houseguests downstairs," Jack nodded toward each member as he addressed them, "Gwen, go scope out the scene of the murders. Try and decipher if we're dealing with more than one. Ianto, get me everything on our house guests. Addresses to type of personality."

As everyone began their way out to do their jobs, Jack spoke once more, "Ianto."

The man in question turned to see an apprehensive Jack with his hands behind his back. This was a new look for him, Ianto thought as he took his usual all bussiness and no play stance opposite his boss at the table. Jack stared at him, waiting for a response but also deciding his next words. Neither man said anything. Neither knew how.

Ianto stepped around the table and soon Jack was facing him with only half a meter between them, "Sir?"

"Meet me outside the tourist office around nine o'clock tonight?" Jack asked. He was never nervous, yet there was something about his relationship with the man in front of him that simply made things new and exciting. Certainly not as new as it all was for Ianto, though Jack felt a hundred years lighter. He no longer felt the weight of every death on his back. No, when he was with Ianto, it was as if he was whole again.

Ianto's stature never wavered, "What for, sir?"

"That's a secret," Jack sent his signature smile to the younger man.

Ianto's smouth snagged at the corners, "I don't like secrets. Why do you think I know everything?"

Jack chuckled and put his hands in his front pockets, "You'll like this one."

"I highly doubt that, sir," Ianto rebutted.

"I'd like to disagree," Their smiles were soft and playful. Each with a sparkle in their eyes.

Ianto shook his head, "If you don't mind, sir, I've got a job to do."

"Not if I say you don't," The older man stepped severely close to the other.

Ianto turned to leave, "We've got a peaceful creature to go ketch and possibly even kill. I think I'd better get on it."

The conversation took a cold turn. Jack backed up, "Do you think I want it to come to that, Ianto?"

Ianto looked sideways at his boss, he was already half way back around the table, "Honestly. Sometimes I do. And I'm not always wrong either."

Jack stood stunned as Ianto Jones walked out of the room. The guy had a real hold on Jack Harkness and sometimes Jack might not like it, he knew it was worth it. Ianto smiling, laughing or just simply listening with a hand on his chin was a good enough reward for Captain Jack Harkness. So as Jack ascended the metal steps, his mind was lost within his actions and decisions over the years. Comparing them all to the words his dear Ianto had said about him. He paid no attention to Gwens faint goodbye as she left or Tosh pecking Owen on the cheek as she finished the blueprints of her invention. He only thought of how cold he was at times and how to improve.

Anything for his Ianto.