Chapter 2
"Owen, let's go!" Gwen screamed.
"What's wrong?" asked Jack.
"Men shooting at us." answered Owen.
Tosh looked at Ianto, frowning. There was nothing the three of them could do to help their team-mates.
They heard Gwen breathing heavily. They knew no sound would come from Owen, until he was sure he wouldn't be overheard by the men.
"Owen, the pool!"
They heard a body hitting water.
Ianto told Jack and Tosh, "Owen's communicator is down. He must have jumped in the pool."
Gwen's breathing was still clear.
"No, no!"
Ianto's voice cracked as he added, "Hers, too".
"We're going." Jack was running towards the secret exit, where their SUV was parked.
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It took them fifteen minutes to reach the coordinates that Ianto had entered into the GPS. Jack stopped the car. Houses all around. It was a residential area.
From the little they knew Owen might be in a pool, and Gwen …,? Anyone's guess.
"Tosh, stay by the SUV! Ianto?"
Both men began to run, their long legs taking them quickly across a lawn. They went straight into the back garden of the house, reaching the beach. They jumped the fence in unison, then another one, then a third one. That's when Jack saw Owen first, laying face down in the pool.
Jack jumped in, feet first. Ianto looked in the pool house and found a long pole.
Jack had turned Owen over, and was bringing him up.
Ianto went towards the edge of the pool, avoiding getting wet, lending a hand to Jack who was lifting an unconscious Owen out.
"Why is he …," began Ianto.
"Don't know, Ianto," answered Jack. "Let's leave him for now, we must find Gwen!"
Jack started running over the next fence, checking the ground. Ianto followed him as he called Tosh with the latest news.
It took them another ten minutes and a few more houses. Housewives and children, sometimes screaming at them. Police sirens were heard in the distance.
Gwen laid on the ground on a deserted part of the beach.
Jack carried Gwen back to the SUV, lifting her easily, as he would a child. Ianto took Owen's lifeless wet body in a fireman's hold. Policemen surrounded them as soon as they approached their vehicles; patrolmen had followed their progress as they trekked back from the beach's path, alongside the backyards of the residential homes.
Ianto deposited Owen down on the ground, lifting his left hand in the air as if surrendering to the police forces. He removed his Torchwood identification card with the other. He had signalled Tosh to call the proper authorities to get them out of Sully fast and quick.
A black car arrived on the street as Jack was starting to speak.
Ianto took the opportunity to open the SUV's passenger back door. He sat Owen in the seat and secured him in place. He then picked Gwen gently out of Jack's arms and did the same to her, on the other side.
"We're ready to go!" said Jack, loudly, yet calmly.
Ianto took the wheel, as Jack got Tosh to have George Simon come to the hub. Dr. Simon was working for Torchwood on a part-time basis.
Jack was sitting in the back between Owen and Gwen, checking on her vitals. She was not wounded; she was breathing freely. Owen wasn't. Both were unconscious.
Ianto got them back to the secret entrance in record time. Tosh and Dr. Simon were waiting for them.
Jack got Gwen to Owen's medical bay, where Dr. Simon started to hook her up to the various equipment Torchwood medical had. Ianto laid Owen down on the couch, and Tosh sat by him, holding his hand after spreading a blanket over him. Owen could not feel the warmth or the cold but it made her feel better.
Jack took Gwen's jacket from Dr. Simon, and as he went to hook it up, something fell from the pocket.
A small piece of rock, deep orange, fiery hot to the touch.