"Jack!" Gwen called, watching the rift readings go off the chart. She tried to get the computer to go to the CCTV that was nearest to where the rift activity was. Something was coming through the rift and she had no clue what or who it was.
"What?" Jack asked as he came over to where Gwen was. It was only the two of them in the hub for the evening. Ianto had drawn the short straw for street patrol, something new they were trying with only the three of them now. Jack was waiting until Martha got back from her honeymoon before asking her about the transfer. It would do well for her to have some normal time before her life got truly crazy. Besides, they could hold down everything by themselves for the time being.
"Rift activity," she replied as she typed something into the computer before cursing. "And I can't get a good angle from any of the CCTVs. We need a computer expert before I shoot the computers, Jack. I have no clue who or what is coming through."
"I already made Mickey the offer," he replied. "He needs to decide on the answer. You know that. Plus, most of the time we can't tell exactly who or what is coming through," he said as he reached over and typed something in. "It's not going to show everything, but that's the best angle you're going to get. Can you be happy with that?"
"I guess I'm going to have to be," she replied and reached for a headset. She put it in her ear and said "Ianto?" She waited for the reply, trying to move the cameras so she could see better.
*~*~*~*
"Yes Gwen?" Ianto asked. He was nearly done with his sweep, just having the west side of the city to do. It was a calm night, which he was happy for once in his life. The last few months had been crazy, considering the fact that Jack brought him back to life and the questions by UNIT about the entire thing. They had only been able to get back to running Torchwood a few weeks ago, but it was good to be home. Jack was more protective of him and more declarative of his love, but those were both things he could deal with. They still couldn't fully get past the idea of being a couple, but it would come in time.
"You got rift activity five blocks from where you are," Gwen replied. "Can you get there? CCTV is only going so far tonight. I can't really get a read on what is coming through, so be careful."
"I'll be there in twenty. I'm always careful," was Ianto's response as he got back into the SUV. He turned it on and drove to the spot, parking out of the way. He could see the rift activity crackling in the air like lightening. He kept out of sight behind a dumpster. He took out his phone, calling into the Hub as he pointed the camera at what was happening.
"Excellent idea," Jack said quietly as he looked at what was happening. "It's huge, whatever it is. Ianto, be prepared to get out of there."
"Yes sir," Ianto replied as he continued to watch. "Jack – I can see a bit into the rift. It looks like a human figure, possibly female."
"That's more than what we have here," Jack sais.
"I'm trying my best," Gwen replied.
"I know you are," Jack said back as he looked to what Ianto was streaming them. "Can you see anything else?" He asked.
"Yes – she's coming out of the rift now. She's wearing all black, save for her trenchcoat. Her trench is a reddish brown sort of color."
"I'll be there in twenty. I'm always careful," was Ianto's response as he got back into the SUV. He turned it on and drove to the spot, parking out of the way. He could see the rift activity crackling in the air like lightening. He kept out of sight behind a dumpster. He took out his phone, calling into the Hub as he pointed the camera at what was happening.
"Excellent idea," Jack said quietly as he looked at what was happening. "It's huge, whatever it is. Ianto, be prepared to get out of there."
"Yes sir," Ianto replied as he continued to watch. "Jack – I can see a bit into the rift. It looks like a human figure, possibly female."
"That's more than what we have here," Jack sais.
"I'm trying my best," Gwen replied.
"I know you are," Jack said back as he looked to what Ianto was streaming them. "Can you see anything else?" He asked.
"Yes – she's coming out of the rift now. She's wearing all black, save for her trenchcoat. Her trench is a reddish brown sort of color," Ianto replied, lowering his voice so he wouldn't be heard. "She looks human, but that could just be the fact that they're able to change their shape. She's got something on her wrist, but I can't tell what it is. It looks black."
"That could be anything though," Gwen said as she looked up at Jack.
"Ianto, are you close enough to do a scan?" Jack asked.
"Yes," Ianto said as he pulled a device out of his pocket. It was Tosh's device and he carried it around for luck when he had to go out alone. Along with the fact that he would then be able to tell when different things were happening. He pointed it at the creature and pressed the right buttons, waiting for the readout to say who or what she was. There was a beep, which made Ianto jump in his skin, but he looked. "Jack – she's human from the 51st century. She's from your time and it looks like she has a purpose."
"I'll be right there. Stay out of sight," Jack ordered as he got up, grabbed his coat and put it on. "Gwen, keep on giving him back up support. Ianto, I'll be there as fast as I can. Just stay out of sight. Can you see what is on her wrist yet?" He was quickly moving through the easiest exit out of the hub and to one of the cars that would still be there.
"No – wait," Ianto said as he kept out of sight but moved closer to her. He squinted his eyes, trying to figure out what it was. "It looks like some sort of watch but I can't tell much more," he replied in a whisper. He kept his eyes on the woman, making sure that she didn't see him. He didn't need to bring down the wraith of someone that Jack was making him hide from.
The woman looked towards where she thought she heard something, taking out her gun and pointing it towards where the sound was. She fired off one warning shot before speaking. "If you come out now, I won't shoot again," she said. "I'm just looking for two people and you're not one of them."
"Jack," Ianto said into the ear piece. His next sentence was going to be asking for advice.
"Keep out of sight," Jack ordered. "I'm nearly there. Just keep out of sight."
"Right," Ianto whispered as he looked towards the woman again. In that split second of asking Jack what to do; he had lost where she went to. However, the gun to the back of his head gave the big clue on where she went to.
"Up," she commanded as Ianto rose, his hands held up in surrender. She took the device from him. She looked it over and chuckled. "You primitives do have some good technology. Not that it'll save you tonight."
"What do you want?" He asked. "And why are you here?"
She chuckled. "You're a bit green around the ears. Good to look at though – too bad I also know that a bunch of you are prudes in this time era. It's quite sad, really."
He rolled his eyes at that. He had heard something like that before from Hart and it didn't faze him at all. "What do you want?"
"Jack Harkness and John Hart. Where are there?" She asked of him. "Surely you know something, considering you're out here watching me instead of doing something else. Ooo – are you with that bloody Torchwood group? I've heard such funny things about them."
"I don't know where they are," he replied as that was a half truth. "What do you want with them though?"
"For me to know and you to find out," she said as she looked to a car coming up. "Speak of the devil himself," she said as she moved her gun off of Ianto's head and aimed for Jack.
"He's better than the devil," Ianto replied as he moved, throwing her arm up so she just fired into the air. He turned and punched her in the gut as he grabbed the scanner and ran quickly towards the car.
Jack stopped the car and got out, pulling out his gun as he did. "Ianto, get down!" He yelled as he saw the woman aim for him. He shot at her, watching the bullets bounce off of the building as she moved out of the way. He ran over to Ianto, shooting again as he noticed her take aim again.
Ianto got down to the ground, moving as quickly as he could towards another bit of shelter in order to help Jack. He turned and fired from the ground, hoping to hit her but watched as the bullets missed. "Damnit," he muttered himself as he tried to get up in order to get out of the way faster.
"Down," Jack said as he pulled Ianto back down. He fired at the woman again and then pulled Ianto to his feet, making sure Ianto was ahead of him so that he didn't get hurt. They were able to get over to the car and use it for protection.
"Jack, who is she?" Ianto asked.
"Someone from the Time Agency who doubles as their assassin," Jack replied. "What did she say to you?"
"She's looking for you and Hart," Ianto replied. "And since she's an assassin, to kill the both of you, it looks like. What did you do to piss them off?"
"That's a very good question," Jack said as he fired back at the woman. "We're not going to get anywhere with this. Gwen!"
"You don't have to shout," Gwen replied in his ear.
"We can't have the local police here trying to figure out what's going on," Jack said.
"Already taken care of. Considering the way she's firing, stay put until she runs out and then get on the main street. It would be best if you ran," Gwen said.
"We were thinking of a leisurely walk," Ianto quipped.
"Very funny," Gwen said to Ianto.
"Thanks Gwen!" Jack said as he fired off another few shots at the woman. "Cover me," he said to Ianto.
Ianto took out his gun and started to fire to cover Jack. He couldn't get a good angle where he was, so he stood and fired. What he didn't expect was to get hit in the chest. He fell quickly but not before getting out one last shot before dying.
"Ianto!" Jack yelled as he saw Ianto fall. He could see the hole in Ianto's chest that went through to his back. He stood up and shot at the woman but she dodged every bullet. She fired back and watched as Jack dodged each time, moving closer to where she was. He moved behind a dumpster to reload his gun.
"Damnit," she said and punched a button on her wrist strap. "Target one exterminated," she said into the comm. "Working on Target two."
"What about the Doctor?" A mechanical voice asked of her.
"Not seen yet," she responded. "Have to cut – under fire from Target two." She made sure her gun was loaded before she stood up in the alley and fired at Jack Harkness.
Jack shot at her again and was able to get her in the leg. He quickly made his way over to her, his gun pointed at her. "Who are you?!" He yelled.
"Your worst nightmare," she replied as she moved her gun and shot him in the chest. Jack's face never moved as he fell over dead. "Target two exterminated," she said into her comm.
*~*~*~*
Ianto slowly opened his eyes, looking around at where he was. It was black – all black – something Jack had told him about. He wasn't afraid of the fact that it was empty and hollow. He was prepared for that, again thanks to Jack. Maybe that's the reason I haven't gone insane on the fact that there's nothing after, he thought as he slowly got to his feet. As he did, he realized he wasn't alone. "Jack," he whispered as he moved over to him, taking his hand.
Jack opened his eyes at the touch and smiled at him. "Hi," he said quietly. "I'm sorry," he whispered.
"What for? We didn't think that would happen," Ianto said quietly as he sat down next to Jack.
Jack slowly sat up and wrapped his arms around Ianto. "It's my fault. I should have gone with you. Gwen could have handled the hub by herself. I should have done something rather than be so careless with your life after just getting you back. Ianto, I'm so sorry. I love you and I'm so sorry. I don't want to live after this. I'm going to have to but I don't want to."
"Jack – it is .fault," Ianto repeated and kissed Jack's cheek. "It was my turn to go out and check on Cardiff. You did have things you needed to do back at the Hub. And Gwen is pregnant, so it is best that someone was with her. Also, I've known I was going to die at a young age for a while now."
"How am I going to tell Gwen? Or your sister?" Jack asked quietly, still blaming himself inside.
"You'll find a way. And you can't tell my sister – protocols, remember?" Ianto gently reminded him.
"Somehow I think this is outside of the realm of protocols," Jack responded quietly, looking up at Ianto. "I love you so much."
"And I love you," Ianto whispered. "I was always so scared to say it, but I'm not now."
"I hope you are able to stay here, so that I can visit you," Jack said with a bit of a smile.
"I hope so too. For I'm glad to spend the time you'll have in this void with you," Ianto said with a grin as he moved and kissed Jack's lips.
Jack kissed Ianto back, putting all the passion he felt for him into the kiss. He knew his might be the last time he would ever be with the man he loved. The one that he tried to protect to the best of his ability, even when he didn't know he was doing it. The one he wanted to be by his side for as long as Ianto could be there, even though he knew it would end in death. He needed Ianto, he knew that now, even though he couldn't say so in the past and argued about the use of the word couple. He broke the kiss and looked at Ianto. "I love you," he whispered. "And one more thing I'm sorry for – I shouldn't have made it so uncomfortable for the word couple to be used about us. I should have just let it go and I couldn't. I wish I could have and that will always be a last regret I have about our time together. If I could go back in time and change it, I would."
"Save for the fact that you can't cross your own timeline, remember?" Ianto whispered.
Jack looked at Ianto questionably, not sure when he told Ianto about the rules of time travel. "How did you know that?"
"Jack, do you still have my stop watch?" Ianto asked quietly.
"Yes," Jack replied. "It is at the hub on my desk. Why?"
"When you can, when it's just you and you're alone with my body, you need to open that stop watch. Promise me you will. You need to promise me," Ianto begged quietly as he realized that Jack was appearing more like a ghost. "You need to do it soon. You only have fifteen minutes, twenty at the outside."
"I promise," he replied quietly. "I swear, I will."
"Go love," Ianto whispered as he let Jack go, curling up on himself in the darkness of death.
*~*~*~*
Jack woke up to the sound of gunfire above his head. He couldn't think of who it was before he started firing from where he was. He could see the woman and her shocked expression of Jack being alive. He fired from where he lay, getting her in one of her legs. "John, bring her down but keep her alive!" Jack yelled as he rolled and got over to Ianto. He checked for a vital sign even though he knew Ianto was dead.
"Gladly," John replied as he hit her in the stomach. He moved over to the woman who went down, kicking her gun away from her. "I wouldn't try anything if I were you, Kala."
"John, so good to see you again," Kala said with a smirk. "You really think I'm going to let you just take me?"
"If you were going to kill yourself, you'd done so already," John replied as he kneeled down and took away her tablets. "You're in a shit load of trouble."
"Would be best if you'd let me go, John. They'd take kindly to that, the new bosses," Kala said.
"I never did take kindly to authority," John said as he pulled twine out of somewhere, binding her wrists together. "Up," he said as he pulled her up as she grunted in pain. He got her over to Jack, who was picking up Ianto. "We're ready," he replied.
Jack didn't say anything as he got Ianto into the car. He just threw the keys to the SUV and got into the driver's seat of the car. The last thing that John saw before getting Kala to the SUV was Jack speeding back to Torchwood.
/lj-cut