7.
Ianto's limousine is parked opposite the small Second hand shop. It's a decidedly downscale area. A little way off, a group of unemployed youths hang around, eyeing the limo with interest. Henry sits at the wheel. Tony stands by the open window, leaning against the car.
"I wish Ianto didn't keep coming here. It makes me nervous." Henry mutters.
"Me too. 'Cept I'm not nervous 'cos I got you with me." Tony answers ad he checks his watch again.
Ianto is shopping for bargains, moving along racks of discarded clothing.
"Louise, you've got too much great stuff." He enthuses as he plucks another waistcoat our and checks the size on the tag.
Jack leans casually against a wall, not watching Ianto, but watching the shop, watching the street outside.
Ianto finds something he likes. "Wooo! Let me try this on."
He flicks a glance to Jack; he's not looking at him. He pulls back the curtain of the makeshift changing booth, then stops dramatically.
"Harkness, do you want to come in here with me? Just to be safe?" he asks with a dry humour that Jack has come to recognise as hidden annoyance.
Jack glances at him, and then resumes his surveillance of the shop. Ianto's head bobs up and down above the curtain as he changes.
"You probably won't believe this, but I have a reputation for being a bitch." Ianto says conversationally as he pulls on the waistcoat.
Jack says nothing. He gazes outside through the front window and sees Henry and Tony horsing around next to the limo. A few small boys stand around the car. One of them is climbing onto the hood.
"I didn't used to be. But you get known for being a certain way -a way people think you are – and pretty soon you get like that." Ianto says as he glances at Jack, then turns back to the mirror, "Can't help it."
Jack smiles knowingly. Ianto notices.
"You don't think so? You're such an expert on famous people?"
"I've seen a few." Jack shrugs.
"And you disagree?" Ianto snorts.
"You can be as you choose to be." Jack says with finality, "It's an act of discipline sometimes, but it can be done."
Ianto stops in his tracks... then opens the curtains and looks at himself in the mirror. Also reflected in the mirror is Jack.
"That why you never stay with one of your clients? They too undisciplined for you? Or is it you're afraid you'll start to care about them?" Ianto stares at Jack in the glass.
"That's right." Jack says as he checks the vehicle again.
Ianto turns to Jack. "Can't you answer straight just once? Why don't you talk to me? I'm not such a bad boy."
You're too clever for me. I can't keep up." Jack sighs, tiring of th conversation. Jack continues to search the shop and street with his
gaze. Ianto steps closer to him.
"Look at me, Harkness!"
Jack turns and looks at him.
"You don't approve of me, do you?" Ianto demands, pulling off the waistcoat.
"Disapproval's a luxury I can't afford. Gets in the way."
"Don't like emotions getting to you, huh? Never mix business with pleasure?" Ianto lets his arms fall as he stares at Jack.
"That's right."
It's a stand-off. After a moment, Ianto motions to an outfit on a rack just behind him. "Grab that would you?"
Jack takes a beat. Looks out the window. "I'm here to keep you alive... not to help you shop."
Fuming, Ianto sizes things up, then grabs it himself, whipping the curtain shut behind him with a diva snort.
A smile plays across Jack's face, he was beginning to like this one.
.
.
.
We see a man's hands remove a video cube from its box. The cover reads "IANTOJONES - THE #1 HITS." The cube is gently eased onto the slot of the video player.
Ianto's image appears on the screen, singing softly, intensely, passionately into the camera.
.
.
.
Jack sits alone in his room, lit by the glow of the TV, dressed in a business-style blue suit and tie. He's watching Ianto's vid-cubes. Scattered around the player are a collection of other Ianto Jones cubes, and holo-pics. Jack has been noting down lyrics on the yellow legal pad on his lap. Some of the phrases are circled.
As he watches, we see a subtle change in his expression. It is as if he really were looking at Ianto for the first time, here, watching him sing. For a second, he seems to be singing to him alone, passionate and vulnerable.
He opens a small box and removes a tiny enamelled Russian pocket watch. He fastens the clasp, checking that it holds, then looks back to the screen.
The room Ianto is standing in is surprisingly bare and simple, almost empty apart from Ianto's collection of old and faded Teddy Bears on the shelves and on the bed. Ianto is getting dressed for the evening. A hairdresser stands behind him, fussing with his hair. Ianto hears the music coming
from outside and moves to the window. Gazing across the garden, he sees the light in Jack's room and hears his own voice singing out from there too.
He ponders this as he rolls the glass in his hand.
.
.
.
Jack is showing Henry how to check the underside of the limo with an angled mirror on a stick. Both are crouched beside the vehicle. A noise makes them look up. Ianto, dressed to the nines and looking very sexy, emerges from the house with Spector and Smith. Spector's carrying a vid-cube that he throws into the air, then catches. Tony follows as they head for the car, where Jack and Henry are waiting. Flynn stands in the doorway, flanked by uniformed security guards. He waves at Jack.
"I thought it was dinner." Jack hisses to Henry as he waves back at the child.
Henry shrugs.
"Are we going somewhere else?"
"The Mayan, Jack." Spector informs him as Ianto folds gracefully into the vehicle.
"What's the Mayan?" Jack asks as Spector starts to climb into the limo with Ianto climbing back out.
"It's a club, Jack. Come on, Henry, let's go."
"Spector, you've got to tell me about these things." Jack growls ignoring Ianto.
"I just did." He disappears inside the limo.
Ianto tugs at Jack's lapels, looks him up and down, brushing something off his shoulder. Jack's annoyed.
"Nice suit, Jack." Ianto is about to get in.
"Ianto." He removes something from his pocket, a small enamelled pocket watch. "I want you to keep this."
Ianto looks at it, both flattered and confused. "For me? It's beautiful."
"It's fitted with a radio transmitter. When you close the clasp, it sends a signal. If there's ever a problem and we're separated, just press it and I'll know you need me." Jack shrugs as he demonstrates and Ianto notices his strong fingers as they deftly manipulate the catch.
Ianto doesn't know how to respond. He's lost for words.
Spector pokes his head out impatiently. "Okay, he knows how it works, let's get going."
Ianto manages a quick smile to Jack as he gets in the back. Jack gets in the front beside Tony. The limo pulls out.
You're listening to K.R.O.K., the rock of L.A. and yes we have. We told you we'd crack the case of the mystery guest... and if you are one of the few who hasn't heard, it's Ianto at the Mayan.
Jack turns up the volume.
Ianto Jones, tonight, appearing Billy Thomas' very special guest. But if you don't have a ticket, you can forget going down there. Police are asking
us to ask you to stay away. So everybody, please stay cool, stay tuned and we'll try to get you some interviews after the show. Remember, you heard it
here on K.R.O.K. - the station that delivers.
Jack looks back at Spector who silently mouths -It wasn't me.
The car turns a corner and there it is, The Mayan only fifty yards ahead, a mob of fans spilling out of the club, off the sidewalk and into the street.
"Fuckin' a." Tony huffs.
Spector whoops with uncontrolled delight from the back of the limo. Jack stares ahead in disbelief. The roar of the crowd can be heard as they pull up front.
The mob reacts to the sight of the approaching limo which turns into the parking area and heads for the backstage. Faces of the fans are at the windows leering at Ianto.
Many are grotesquely painted. Some go into a wild frenzy as Ianto's limo pulls up. There is a punch-up and a man is beaten back. Someone has a video camera. Its quartz light shines in through the limo windows. Everybody squints at the glare.
As Ianto's car pulls up, the beaten man dances at the curb with blood streaming from his nose. A pair of security guards try to hold them back. As his limo stops, a chant begins.
"Ianto! Ianto! We want Ianto!"
Others join in as the mob presses forward.
The instant he exits the car, his expression goes public - a wide, showbiz smile. Sandwiched between Spector and Smith, with Tony in front and Jack at the rear, Ianto makes his entrance.
A young woman breaks the barrier moving toward Ianto.
Jack grabs her by one of her belt loops, gracefully guides her all the way across and slips her under the opposite cordon into the arms of a security guard.
Ianto steps into a room set for a star's arrival.
Flowers are on every surface that will hold them. One huge arrangement is so big it has to be placed on the floor. Jack checks them all with a PDA before letting Ianto sit down. He goes out, closing the door, watchful.
Ianto sits in front of the mirror putting on the silver headpiece he was shown earlier. He notices a small spray of lilies-of-the-valley among the floral arrangements. An envelope marked "Ianto" is attached to it. He reaches forward and opens it.
We see the note as he unfolds it.
JONES BITCH - YOU HAVE EVERYTHING
I HAVE NOTHING - PREPARE YOUR SOUL
FOR DEATH - THE TIME TO DIE IS...
We see the shock in his face.