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Moments later Jack and Alonso arrived in Cardiff, they landed with a thud and some slight knee buckling and Jack considered that acceptable, but the burning sensation on his arm was not, he faned his arm wildly as the manipulator smoldered.
Jack blew on his wrist and tapped at the device as he spoke. " I knew that would probably happen, blew a few circuits, but looks like most everything else still works. Are you alright? "
Alonso opened his eyes and realized he had a death grip on Jacks arm. He let go. " Yes, I am fine, at least I think I am.
Jack stood back a little and looked him over from head to toe. " Well from here you look mighty fine." He grinned and winked.
Alonso laughed. " Where are we?
Jack looked at his wrist strap pushed a few buttons then spoke. " We are in Cardiff, precisely on Ship Lane just off of James Street, and if I remember correctly we should walk this way." He began walking quickly. " Then turn here, and if I am correct we should arrive at the Roald Dahl Plass." He stopped in his tracks as he glanced over to where the Wales Millenniun Centre once stood, and beneath it Torchwood. He was silent as the emotions came flooding in. Pictures flashed in his mind he could see them standing there waving at him all smiles. There was Gwen and Rhys, Tosh, Owen, and finally Ianto. They were there waiting for him waving him over. His heart filled with regret his eyes flooded then slowly spilled over on to his cheeks. His was barely aware of someone tugging on his arm until they spoke.
" Jack, someone is calling you, Jack !" Alonso was worried. There were two people running towards them.
Jack hearing his name was dragged back to the present, he looked ahead and saw someone running towards him waving their arms and calling his name then looked to his side to see Alonso patiently standing there a look of confusion mixed with concern. He put on his best smile then spoke. " It's alright Alonso I know these people we should go and greet them. Come on !" He took long strides towards them and met them in the plass. The girl jumped into his waiting arms and hugged him tightly. He hugged her back and spun her. The other one stood back looking on.
" Hey hey hey, nough a that." Mickey spoke in a very annoyed voice. " You dunt hug me like that when I come home."
Martha laughed as she spoke still not letting go of Jack. " Well you haven't been gone as long as he has." Jack eased her to the ground." Jack I am so glad you are back," Martha spoke quickly sounding almost like an auctioneer."We really need you Unit has been trying to take over Torchwood and you know as well as I do they aren't capable of running it. Unit does some great things but they could never be Torchwood. I mean they have done okay with the rebuild, but sometimes they just don't get it. "
" You do realize you are talking 'bout the people we work for." Mickey looked at Martha as Jack stepped back.
Martha snapped back at Mickey. " Yes dear I am very aware of who we work for I just meant they aren't as qualified as Jack is."
"Hold on there no need for a family squabble." He reached out and shook Mickey's hand then hugged him.
"Jack you barmy bastard it has been awhile." Mickey patted Jack on the shoulder.
" Look who's talking you cheeky little monkey !" Jack smiled and punched him in the arm." I have missed you both."
Alonso is standing quietly just a bit behind Jack listening to the conversation, trying to understand what was going on. Jack was in the middle of saying something else when he remembered Alonso was there and he pulled him in front of him. " I am so sorry in all the excitement I almost forgot Martha Jones-Smith, Mickey Smith, this is my friend," Jack hesitated," My very good friend Alonso Frame." Alonso beamed and nodded at each of them though he was actually happy at the thought of being someone's good friend, he'd never had many friends before so he kept smiling as Jack continued." I met Alonso during my travels."
" It's very nice to meet you Alonso." Martha wore an ear to ear grin as she spoke.
"It's nice to meet some friends of Jacks as well."
" You look like a pretty smart bloke, why you hangin' around whid 'em?" Mickey smiled and offered his hand. Alonso smiled back as he shook it.
There was an odd silence that Martha took advantage of as she jumped right back into the conversation. "Well Jack as you can see we are still in the rebuilding stage. " She gestured behind her at the plass where there was scaffolding everywhere and a huge black tarp covering the area where the Wales Millennium Centre once stood." They decided to rebuild centre as it was except for one addition. There are creating a monument to the children lost to the 456." She watched as Jack turned white with fright. " Don't worry Jack there will be no mention of you or even Torchwood just the children." Jack relaxed and Alonso made a mental note to ask him about all this later." Under all that, she points to the construction going on, Torchwood is also being rebuilt."
Jack isn't really paying attention to what she is saying, he is remembering how the plass used to look. The waterfall the lights the beautiful centre with the letters lit up. "Creu Gwir Fel Gwydr O Ffwrnais Awen/In These Stones Horizons Sing ." It meant so much more to him then he had realized suddenly he remembered something very important what about the rift he'd forgotten about the rift. He sped back to the present. " Martha what about the rift is it still active?"
" Yes Jack it is, Unit has been keeping people working in the area to catch what they can't, but they just don't know what they are doing. One other thing Jack," She took a deep breath before continuing," the rift manipulator that was in the hub, well it wasn't destroyed. It somehow created a force field around it no one has been able to access it so the rebuild has continued leaving it where it stands. Of course the main computer managed to survive as well and has been adapting to the new conditions."
"How much of the hub has been rebuilt?" Jack asked tentatively.
" Come on I will show you. We will have to go down to the wharf the lift hasn't been activated yet. The chameleon circuit is still functioning we just haven't redone the lift platform. We had create a new entrance. Won't be the old dank office anymore but once completed it will be much more secure. Oh by the way Jack most of the archives in the holding area survived. We never realized how expansive the archive area was. I believe there are still areas we have not yet discovered."
Jack nodded his head in agreement and remained uncharacteristically quiet. They all followed her as she led them down to the bay and underneath the bridge to a newly constructed building. As she approached the door Jack could read the sign on the building.
Jack read out loud, "Jia and Grot rare book dealers. This is our new front?" He looked at Martha confused.
" Yes Jack come on in." She walked to the front door, opened it and went inside. The others followed close behind. Once inside they saw old bookcases filled with dirty smelly books seated behind the counter was an old man in his 70's. Martha gestured towards him. " This is Russell he will be working here, see to it things are a bit more secure, like when you decide to have pizza delivered."
Jack blushed," I can't help it I love the pizza here."
"Well from now on Russell will be here for any deliveries, Russell I want you to meet Captain Jack Harkness and his friend Alonso Frame."
Russell stood to greet them and held out his hand." So you are the infamous Captain Jack Harkness."
Jack shakes his hand and smiles , " Guilty as charged."
Russell then turned to Alonso and shook his hand. " Nice to meet you young man."
Alonso still beaming from being called Jacks good friend shook Russell's hand." Thank you sir."
Jack's body shivered as the word Sir echoed in his mind. He was glad no one noticed as he looked at Alonso, who seemed to be taking all this in without question he supposed later he would need to have a long talk with him..
" This way everyone." Martha lead them behind the counter through some bookcases and to a door. "Right this way." They followed her as she reached the large rolling doors, similar to what was at the old entrance, she stepped into a circle of light a red beam scanned her body and the door hummed and slowly rolled to the side. As she approached a huge metal wall another beam scanned her and the wall parted. Then she came to the final door, very ordinary looking, nothing special about it, so they thought. Once Jack and Alonso got closer, alarms sounded and weapons grew out of the walls." Sorry about that, the system doesn't recognize you fellahs yet." She walked over to the wall touched a panel and a keypad appeared." If you will just step over here, she pointed to a lighted circle." Don't worry it's perfectly safe. It will scan you and record your signatures. This is just one of the new security protocols that have been put in place."
As they are both being scanned Jack asks a few questions." You mean from now on to enter we just walk up or if we are in a hurry run up, it scans us and we just waltz right in?"
" Yes Jack that's basically it. It will be much more difficult to enter, plus part of the reason for the scan is to look for foreign objects. Anything found that isn't cataloged and your admittance will be denied."
Jack scowled and spoke mockingly. " In other words I can't blow the place up again."
Martha stared at him. " That's not the only reason Jack, it's also so no one can remove any alien devices without permission seems that rule had been a little lax before." Though still feeling a bit angry Jack tilted his head and nodded in agreement.
The scans were completed and the men were registered, the door in front of them silently opened. Jack was a little anxious, Alonso was excited at finally seeing something of Torchwood. Mickey who had been quiet all this time urged Jack through the door. Jack nervously stuck his hands in his pants pocket and slowly walked into the hub. He had no idea what to expect, and thats a feeling he didn't like.
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