7

Ianto came down to find Suzie and Owen were already moving the bodies, Owen autopsying them by the large hole Jack had dug.

"I would rather burn than bury" Ianto said and Owen looked up from the grave.

"Smoke brought us, might bring others. This is not over the water table according to that map on the wall in there, best we sty to stay invisible mate. It was a solid idea when you didn't know how it was spread but now we know we are immune we don't need to sterilize like that." Owen seemed calm, even gleeful as he rose and lifted up the brain in the roasting pan.

Definitely no more roasts for a while.

Jack followed Ianto inside and watched him clear away nonexistent clutter in the kitchen, "You like things shipshape don't you."

"Used to being in small spaces" Ianto replied without looking back at him, "Like things where they are supposed to be."

"Easily grabbed without thinking about it" Jack nodded as he sat at the table "My bunker under my office is like that, some people thing it's like a little army pod."

"Pod" Ianto repeated softly, "That was they call them in space? You spent a lot of time in pods. Owen needs proper boots."

"Yeah" Jack was amazed how quickly Ianto seized on something and then let it go as he continued to move about the kitchen.

"So, Owen is shagging Suzie but likes Tosh who has no idea?" Ianto asked conversationally and Jack snorted. "Or him that she likes him too?"

"Yeah"

"Bummer Suzie knows then" Ianto added and Jack laughed this time, agreeing again then watching the mug swing in his direction.

"Ahhhh….nectar of the gods" Jack sighed happily as he drank the coffee and Ianto settled to watch with his own mug, the smell calling the others who happily collected mugs waiting.

"Not at my table" Ianto said with that same gentle voice and Owen swung the dish he was about to put down away to find space on the top of the fridge.

"Just a quick look, wanna freeze it so it's easier to cross section, wish I could" he explained and Ianto hummed.

"Ice box works, told you remember?" Ianto pointed to a small white cupboard and Owen knelt to open it revealing a state of the art battery powered bar freezer. He looked at Ianto who shrugged.

"They liked their creature comforts, careful of the ice-cream, I might kill someone who contaminates that" Ianto smiled.

"Right, now we are all here…huh…I was gonna say staff meeting but it sounds a bit dumb. How about group meeting" Jack said and they all settled, Tosh happy with the perimeter sensors she had already set up.

"I think this is our best spot to wait this out" Jack began and waited for complaints, Ianto first to speak.

"I agree"

They all turned to look at him.

"This is far from a town or village that might entice pillagers, also far enough from homesteads that passing …gods we need a name for them… things… will be less and maybe easier to control. Fences or something? Toshiko and her sensors are brilliant, I have some old security cameras here somewhere in the attic that were solar powered, Grandy never put them up." Ianto pointed up, making Jack smile.

"If we keep to ourselves, there might still be some hard times ahead but until we know what the situation is I suggest we wait" Toshiko said as she smiled at Ianto and Ianto noted Owen's scowl as someone else took her attention. "We need to recover from the suprise and take time to work out some sort of answer to what happened, a plan for movig forward."

"I want to explore more, see who and what we still have around us" Suzie added and Ianto nodded as did Jack.

"I would suggest the farmstead to the north first, it has horses" Ianto flicked a thumb over his shoulder as he spoke to Suzie, "Can you ride? Those things hear pretty good so an engine might be a death knoll. A horse will still be faster than one … I guess. We've not really seen one in action, not in daylight. Have no idea what their true speed might be, they might have poor night vision too, why they were containable."

"Shit he is right there" Owen nodded "Maybe if we do see some, test that theory, see if the fuckers can run."

"As long as I run faster" Suzie agreed and Ianto let his eyes move to Jack who was thinking the same thing.

Faster than what?

Or who?

"Explore now" Owen said as he rose from the table, "Can I go to the attic and look for those cameras?"

"Look to the corner near the chimney. Explore away. Only room off limits is mine, it has the cat inside who is still getting over his snatch and grab" Ianto nodded, "My Castle is your Castle."

Jack leaned forward as the team started to move around them, "Are you OK with this?"

"Yes Jack" Ianto nodded trying out the name and noting the pleasure in the man's eyes when he did "I say we dig in."

Jack rose and was almost out the door when he caught the soft, "Until your Doctor comes."

.

.

.

.

So ends this part.

Next part will be…. "Incoming" …take of it what you will.