City of the Damned- Part Three: Mechasaurus Rex

Gwen's Flat, Cardiff: Same Day

As Gwen tried to respond, Faith's earpiece started beeping.

"Excuse me," she muttered, tapping the earpiece. "Harkness."

Jack's voice sounded strained. "Hey Harkness. Other Harkness here. There's some major rift activity coming your way. Sarah Jane and I are in transit, but you need to be careful."

Gwen stared at the girl in concern. "Faith? What's going on?"

"Rift activity headed this way."

"Gotcha." She headed for the bedroom and grabbed her guns.

When she returned, she tossed one to the girl. "Ok. Now be careful, Faith. You know the drill."

Faith nodded.

The roof suddenly was ripped off the building as if by a massive wind. They looked up to see a very large dinosaur glaring down at them.

Gwen sighed. "Dinosaurs. Again?"

Faith rolled her eyes. "You have got to be kidding me."

Gwen pulled the girl back. "Faith, stay behind me. It looks hungry."

She began shooting at the dinosaur, but it appeared completely unfazed.

"Hungry for fire, you mean!" cried Jack as he and Sarah Jane dashed through the door.

Jack was armed with a massive flamethrower, and began spraying the beast with liquid flame.

Faith moved slightly behind Gwen, as asked. Keeping her eyes on the Dinosaur…she noticed something is horribly wrong…and not just because of what time period the Dinosaur was in.

Sarah Jane stared up at the huge creature, then down at her pistol. "Well, this isn't going to do much good…" She took aim anyway.

Jack's flame attack continued. "Die, you ugly lizard!" he screamed.

As the dinosaur began to become slightly crispy, Gwen noticed something odd as well.

"Jack?"

"Little busy here, Gwen," he muttered in annoyance.

"But Jack!" she cried, "Doesn't it seem a little. . . metallic to you?"

Sarah stopped firing and glanced over, then back at the dinosaur… "It…. it DOES look metallic, what the hell?"

"Shit! It's a robot!" exclaimed Jack

Faith looked harder at the beast. Why a robotic dinosaur?

Jack turned to Gwen. "How's the water pressure in here?"

She stared at him in confusion. "Uh. . . It's pretty decent. Why?"

He ran to the sink, grabbed the sprayer, and hooked it up to his gun. "And that should do it. Gotta love this technology. Stand back!"

He used the converted water cannon to spray down the robot. Sparks flew as it began to smoke and wobble. With a final cry, it toppled on the apartment.

Jack grabbed Gwen and ran for the door. "Sarah! Faith! Hurry up!"

Faith grabbed Sarah's hand and dashed out of the house.

Sarah laughed in slight shock. "Just… a robot... who would do something like that?"

Faith shook her head. "No idea."

She frowned to herself. Why Gwen's apartment? Why would it open there?

Once they were all clear, Jack laughed for the first time in months. "That was so. . . I don't know what the hell that was."

Gwen laughed too, just out of the sheer relief of being alive. They looked at each other, suddenly getting quiet.

Jack smiled sadly. "I'm –"

Gwen coughed. "I'm sorry, Jack. I really am. But. . ."

He sighed. "I was just going to apologize for destroying your flat, but that's ok I guess."

He walked over to Faith. "Why does everyone assume I'm trying to make them forget what happened? if I wanted that, I'd just retcon you lot."

Sarah snorted, remembering something. "Well, it wouldn't work on me, so you'd have to think of something different…"

She looked over the wreckage, shaking her head.

Faith lifted an eyebrow at Jack. "Why are you asking me?"

He stared at her in hurt. She sighed, touching his arm gently.

"I'm sorry. That was a stupid question. They, well, all of us are still suffering from what happened, Jack. They are being human."

As soon as Jack mentioned it, Gwen realized that her flat was gone. Completely gone.

"Fuck. Now where the hell am I supposed to live?"

She looked around. Sarah lived in a tiny apartment. There was no room there. Faith lived with. . .

"Oh, hell no. I'm moving into the warehouse."

Faith looked at Gwen, amused, with a slight smile on her lips. Then she turned to Jack.

"We should go back."

Sarah frowned, and walked over to Gwen. "I'm sorry. I wish my place were bigger… I know the warehouse is the last place you want to be. Oh hey, I know, I could stay there, and you could take my place for a bit?"

She tried to smile at the other woman, wishing she could help her more.

Gwen smiled back warmly. "That's ok. It's about time I come back to work anyway. I can't just sit around moping all the time, now can I? Or, I suppose, if I'm going to, I might as well be doing it with you people."

She turned to Jack. "Time and space, Jack. That's all I need."

He nodded. "I know the feeling."

He looked around. "Well, can't see that you have much packing to do. How about we take you back to base?"

Gwen sighed. Sarah grinned, nodding.

"Good to have you back, Gwen."

Faith smiled too, for once actually looking like the twelve year old she appeared to be, and not someone much, much older.

Part Four: The Tango Time Agent

A Nightclub, Cardiff: Evening of June 6, 2011

As Susie and Mira teleported into the club, a press of people forced the two Time Agents apart. Mira elobowed her way to the bar, hoping to get a vantage point over the crowd.

"Damn, but there's a lot of people here."

As she turned to look around, she bumped into a familiar figure. He cried out in alarm and spilled his drink all over her.

"Oh, God," croaked Ianto. "I am so sorry!"

Mira rolled her eyes, trying to hide her annoyance. "No, it's fine. Don't worry about it."

He stared at her, eyes glazed with alcohol. "Don't I know you from somewhere?"

She smiled, trying to think of a good lie.

She was not fast enough. His eyes went wide in recognition. "No! It's you! The one from the flats! I didn't know you were from around here."

Mira shook her head. "I'm not. Just looking for a friend."

He drunkenly tapped on the bar. "Least I can do is buy you a drink. What's your name, anyway?"

Mira thought about what alias to use before settling on her real first name.

No one calls me that anyway.

"Heather," she replied.

"One scotch on the rocks for Heather, please."

She stared at him in amazement. It was her very favorite drink. "How did you. . ."

He smiled warmly at her. "Oh, I'm good with that sort of thing."

As the two of them continued to talk, neither noticed their mutual enemy John Hart slinking through the crowd. But he noticed them. And Susie.

"Oh, look," he mused. "There's one all by herself."

He walked over to her. "Care for a dance, Time Agent?"

Susan looked him over in amusement. She didn't appear surprised that he recognized her.

"Oh I do believe we already are, nut bunny. Question is, are you leading the dance?"

Mira was now several drinks in, but she was still far behind her acquaintance.

"So, what were you doing in that hovel anyway?" she asked, genuinely curious.

Ianto sighed. "It's a long story. And it never would have happened if it weren't for that selfish, arrogant bastard."

Mira's eyes widened. "You mean John Hart?"

He scoffed. "No. My ex. I doubt you know him. But that's all over now."

Mira looked at him questioningly. "So, he got you into trouble, you broke up, and now you're marinating in vodka and other people's sweat? That's harsh, my friend."

Hart smirked at the Australian. "Oh, wouldn't you like to know?"

He grabbed her arms. "Ooh. A fast song. Seems to be matching your heartbeat, Aussie."

She leaned forward and kissed him on the nose. "Well, as cheesy pick up lines go… that was crap." She leaned back and tilted her head up at him, smiling cheekily. "You gotta be better than that to turn this girl's head!"

Then, without effort she broke free from his grip, grabbed his hand and dragged him onto the dancefloor where she proceeded to dance with him, if dance was the right word.

Ianto threw a drunken arm around Mira's shoulder. "So we're friends then? Friends. I don't have many of those left these days. Everyone's gone."

She threw his arm off, giggling. "You, my good man, are drunk."

"And you're not drunk enough."

Mira stared at the young Welshman, laughing in surprise. "Why, I do believe you're trying to get me pissed, sir! And then what's the plan?"

Ianto smirked lasciviously. "I don't know, Heather. Why don't you tell me?"

She chuckled. "Oh, how very cheeky. But I don't even know your name."

"Ianto Jones. Jack of all trades. All around upstanding citizen. Miserable drunk."

Hart smirked. "My my. Seems not everyone in the Time Agency has it in for me. Or is this a. . . oh, how cute. A trap."

He leaned in close and grabbed her from behind, whispering into her ear. She squirmed as his breath tickled the hairs on her neck.

"Now, then. We can do this the hard way or the fun way. Actually, never mind. Both ways are fun. And by the way, yes, that is actually a particle gun."

Susie stretched her arms up and around the back of Hart's head, still dancing in front of him

"Well that's a relief. I'd hate to have to lie about its size, mate."

She turned in his arms, drawing herself into his body so that the gun was completely hidden from view. Her arms, still around his neck, drew his head down until his ear was right next to her lips.

"Now honey, that's no way to treat a lady! And if you kill me now, you'll never find it, will you?"

Mira leaned over and kissed Ianto on the cheek, whispering in his ear. "Now, come on. Cheer up, Ianto. I'm here, aren't I?"

He stares at her, his face unreadable. "Yes. Yes you are."

She was pulling away when he suddenly leaned forward and kissed her sloppily on the lips. Mira was surprised, but not displeased. She couldn't imagine what could get a man who seemed so kindhearted so bitter, but she wanted it to stop, no matter what. . .

"Mmmgh!" she protested.

He pulled back. "Sorry, what?"

"I'm not sure this is the pla. . ."

He grabbed her hand and headed for the door.

She followed in surprise. "O-ok. . . that works."

Hart froze. "And what exactly do you think I'm trying to find, luv?"

It was Susie's turn to smirk. "Oh you're not looking for it yet mate, but soon. Soon you will be. And wouldn't you hate to find out you'd killed the only person who could help you? Of course you could return and find me before I die but I'm thinking that won't help you a whole hell of a lot. Choice is yours however."

Hart cooed softly at her. "Oh,. I do love it when you people play dirty."

He gently nipped at her neck. "Now. What is it you're going to help me find?"

Susie leaned back in and returned the favour, biting Hart's ear hard enough to taste blood. He flinched, then groaned quietly into her neck as she licked the wound clean. Susie turned her head until their foreheads were pressed together, their lips barely touching. She looked deep into his eyes, and then yanked herself backwards out of his embrace as he realized what she had just done.

"Why, I'm gonna help you find the antidote, mate!"

She grabbed her wrist and teleported away before he had time to react. The last thing he heard was her chuckling at the expression on his face. The last thing he saw was the strap of a vortex manipulator dangling from her fingers. He looked in horror at his wrist.

"Oh you miserable. . ."

He crumpled to the floor.