SPOOKS 3: GRIPES AND GRIEVANCES
Owen did nothing but complain all the way to Ianto's flat.
"What the fuck has tea boy done now? I bet he's been shagging the PMs daughter on the sly, so she's sent the Spooks to hassel him. I always said he was a dodgy sod, typical, and bloody Harkness dragging us all the way out here just because his play thing has got angst!"
Tosh was patiently tapping her fingers on the steering wheel of her Vauxhall Corsa as Owen continued to rant. "I mean so what if MI5 want to snoop, maybe we should sell them Ianto and use the money to buy a decent medical bay..... or better still a holiday...."
Gwen's sigh from the back seat interrupted him. "Owen you'd be the first to complain when one of us is making your coffee, especially if it's you. Personally I think it's creepy. I mean what if they've been watching Ianto in the bathroom, or in bed or something."
Owen clamped his hands over his ears. "La la la la la ......way too much fucking information Welshy!"
Gwen was frowning indignantly. "I'm only saying. They better not be bloody spying on me as well, I mean God how do I explain THAT to Rhys?"
Tosh still listened with extreme calm and serenity as her colleagues continued their rather heated discussion, she was, however, very pleased to arrive at Ianto's flat. She hadn't been in Ianto's new flat since the young man first moved in and a bit of voyeurism was always a good distraction. She parked behind Ianto's Lexus..... that man was always so damn stylish..... and unbuckled her seat belt. Owen and Gwen didn't seem to notice the fact they had arrived until she pointed it out to them.
Ianto greeted his team mates rather reluctantly. He was hoping only Tosh would come out to his flat, but Jack had insisted on involving everyone in the inspection of his tidy home. Ianto knew full well it would be a tip by the time Owen was done poking through his draws. His shoulders sagged when he noted that Gwen and Owen were mid argument as they stepped over the threshold and he was half tempted to go and lock himself in the bathroom to escape. He was silently thanking God he hadn't indulged in purchasing any weird sex toys or porn magazines, his only dirty secret being his James Bond collection. Still even that would be a source of entertainment for Owen as he was soon to discover. The worse thing about it being the fact that Jack joined in with the teasing as well.... until they found the first camera hidden in a screw fitting on the cabinet in his bathroom. The mood became very serious and deathly quiet after that. Ianto's gut had tightened so much he had to kick the others out of his bathroom and throw up in the toilet. After the first discovery the search became much more intense, nothing in the flat was unexamined, even the buttons on all of his clothes were inspected. Ianto was miserable and humiliated and even Owen was understanding enough to clap him the shoulder and apologise for what they were having to do. Six hours and eight cameras later the search was taken outside by Tosh, Owen and Gwen to Ianto's car whilst Ianto and Jack put his flat back in order. Jack watched as Ianto neatly folded his clothes that had been piled haphazardly on the bed.
"You ok?"
Ianto wouldn't meet his gaze. "No. This is a violation of my rights, they had no legal recourse for this. I can't stay here Jack. I feel like I've been raped."
Jack froze, putting down the books in his hands and striding to Ianto's side. He took the things from Ianto's grasp and tossed them aside. Ianto glared at him but Jack just pulled him into a tight hug. Ianto's body was rigid with tension and he didn't reciprocate the embrace.
"They had no right Jack. This is the only space I have that doesn't have Torchwood stamped all over it I was able to be myself here and now I will never be able to."
Jack just held him sickened by the fact that there was probably very little he could do about the situation. It took him a moment to realise that the rest of the team were standing there watching them. Ianto was already gently pushing him away.
"The car was bugged too, so is mine and the SUV." Toshiko announced.
Jack clenched his fists at his sides and nodded. "Ok, so we'll check the rest of your apartments too. Ianto and I will head back to the Hub and do a sweep there, the rest of you check the other's homes and bring everything you find back to the Hub. I need to make some phone calls to the PM."
Gwen was looking absolutely scandalised. "Can we do my place first, before Rhys gets home?"
They all agreed and the three of them left.
Jack and Ianto gathered their coats and Ianto grabbed his house keys, keen to get out. Jack watched as Ianto pointedly locked the front door behind them, realising that he'd never convince Ianto stay the night there ever again. Jack bit back his fury and tried to offer up a comforting smile, but Ianto really wasn't in the mood to receive it. He drove them back to the Hub in the SUV in silence, Ianto spending the journey with his head against the window staring into space.
The Torchwood team congregated in the boardroom some hours later, all of them looking tired and annoyed. Ianto handed each person a mug of their favourite coffee and sat down at Jack's left side. Jack rested his hand comfortingly on his thigh under the table. Ianto was grateful for the discrete display and finally felt able to smile, as much an apology as a thanks. Jack indicated that he understood.
"Ok, the Hub is clean, unless they've gotten through our fire walls.... Tosh that'll be your next job, to check. So?"
"All our flats were clean too, just the vehicles have been bugged with mics and trackers." Tosh answered, relieved.
Jack sighed at least it confirmed his theory that it was him they were watching and not anyone else. Ianto just happened to be the person he spent most of his time with..... unless of course, they really were watching Ianto.
"So, it's just me then?" Ianto questioned probably wondering the same thing as Jack. "What now?"
"I can look at the devices a bit more closely. It may help tell us who put them there. You've only been in the flat for a few months, so at least we have time frame to work with." Tosh said trying to sound hopeful.
Jack nodded. "I spoke to MI5 and 6 and both branches deny having anything to do with it and the PM, backed them up....."
Ianto's eyebrows shot up. "So who the hell is doing it?"
Jack had no idea, it could be any one of a number organisations. "I don't know. Tosh get to your analysis. Gwen I want you to go over the CCTV footage of Ianto's street for the past few months, see if anything shows up, random parked up vans or something..... anything. Ianto you can help her in a minute. Owen, you have an autopsy to complete."
Owen was up out of his seat. "On it boss."
Tosh and Gwen followed him out of the boardroom.
Ianto sat there, hands clasped in front of him on the table. As soon as the others were gone and the door was closed Jack placed his left hand over Ianto's.
"We'll move you to the safe house, just to be sure."
Ianto met his look and nodded. "I won't stay at the other place again anyway. It feels contaminated."
Jack understood only too well. "It is. We'll sort this Ianto. I promise you."
Ianto was not convinced. "Don't promise me something you can't be sure of. Just so long as Tosh and Gwen are safe, even Owen for God's sake."
Jack touched his face. "Always looking after us."
"That's my job Jack."
"And mine is protecting you, just let me do that ok?"
"Yes, ok. So why are they spying on me?"
"There can only be two reasons, either you have something they want, or I do."
Ianto chuckled humourlessly. "Probably my Mam's coffee recipes."
