A/N: Helloooooo! We told you we'd try to update on Fridays! Well, keep in mind that we live in California, so it's still Friday for us. . . . Anyway, please read, review, and enjoy! Thanks so much! :)
P.S. This chapter title is a reference to the song (cover?) on Nashville "Don't Put Dirt on my Grave Just Yet", which is an amazing song from an amazing show. The title was too long to put on the scroll list (lol) but here it is!
Warning: There is definitely some violence in this chapter, at the beginning.
Disclaimer: Torchwood and BBC is quite obviously not ours, or we would have had John Barrowman on our payroll. XD
Chapter 7: Don't Put Dirt on my Grave Just Yet
I screamed out in agony as the knife dove in and out of my stomach but I knew perfectly well there was no around to hear me but my attacker. Just like every assault before, the gaping, burning knife wound in my stomach slowly but steadily healed up until it was like it never existed. I panted in exhaustion.
"So, are you going to give me the artifact yet?" he sneered, twirling the bloody knife around his fingers. My cheeks were wet with the tears I just couldn't blink away but I absolutely refused to give in.
"You'll have to kill me first," I taunted. It meant especially much because, with this artifact around my wrist, not only did my wounds rapidly heal, but it wouldn't let me die. There were a few times, like the last, where his stabbings were so deep that it would have killed anyone else, but the spontaneous regeneration saved me every time.
The one thing the artifact didn't help me with was the blinding and overwhelming pain. No, I felt everything.
He had tried just about everything to get the artifact away from me, even stooping so low to sawing off my hand. That excruciating pain had almost pushed me over the edge but the warm grasp of unconsciousness I desperately coveted couldn't save me, because as my hand painfully grew back and the device that had been sliced off along with it reattached to my new hand, I stayed alert as ever. I vomited all over the ground, but I was unfortunately awake.
The thing was, he deduced the only way I could actually give it to him was by literally ordering it off my hand and flatout handing it to him like a gift. It turns out, he had been hiding in my lab, just waiting for me to discover how to open it before he pounced. He hadn't known, he only knew "from legend" what it did. He even, as I screamed in pain, explained to me why he murdered the John Doe. Apparently, he didn't even care about the John Doe's other artifacts, though he stole them only to cover up for the artifact he truly wanted.
The horrible man had planned it all out. He knew the artifact was in the John Doe's boot (the John Doe hadn't known how to open it either) and was waiting for someone intelligent enough to figure it out. So, he pulled strings and the body (which normally would be examined by the nearest PD) was given to us, Cam and I. He knew if anyone could figure it out, it would be me. And I did. I figured out how to open it, and thus it revealed how to rid myself of it, presumably asking it to detach from myself.
I refused to give it up. No, he was evil and if given such invulnerability, who knows what more crimes and horrible deeds he could commit? So I just let him torture me.
I refused to beg, though. I couldn't help but cry, but I wouldn't give him the satisfaction of begging him to stop.
He was staring at me in shock and something similar to awe, perhaps. "Most people I've tortured like this have snapped a while back, but not you. Why?"
I wiped the sticky blood out of my face from when he had sliced open my forehead. "I'm sorry I'm disappointing you and your sadistic needs, you sick bastard, but I'm not like other people," I spat with as much venom as I could possibly summon up. As brave and tough I was endeavoring to be, I still couldn't stifle my endless sobs.
I wanted my sister and mommy so bad, so, so, so bad. . . .
"Why won't you just give me the damn artifact?" he demanded harshly. I smirked as best I could through my crying-I was smug, in a way, because this was the only way in this awful, awful situation that I most certainly did have the upperhand.
"Haven't we gone through this already?" I sang, pretending I wasn't essentially delirious. "You know what's something I wasn't planning on doing today? Handing over an endlessly powerful object to a psychopathic megalomaniac. That just wasn't on my to-do list, sorry."
He angrily gauged the knife into my side again and cried out in pain, slumping against the wall. Squeezing my eyes shut, I waited for the agony to dissipate into numbness as the wound healed.
My most desperate wish was no longer to be with my family . . . it was to die. I couldn't take it any longer, I just couldn't. The pain had to stop. I wanted to die.
"You aren't going to break, are you?" he asked almost thoughtfully.
"You just figured that out?" I groaned into the dusty floor. My tears pooled into the dirt and I struggled to pull myself to a sitting position.
The man pondered it over and suddenly reached down and grabbed me from underneath my armpits, hauling me up to my feet. Even though I was all healed and dandy, my energy was completely depleted and my knees nearly buckled from beneath me. Black spots danced before my eyes.
"I have a better idea for you to give it over," he informed me. "And it will work this time."
I didn't dignify that with an answer. He dragged me to the back of his SUV and tossed me in like a sack of potatoes and I flinched as I met the back of the seat. He slammed the door shut and I was met with a resounding blackness.
As the SUV zoomed forward, I put every effort into stifling my tears but I found that I couldn't. Everytime I closed my eyes I felt the knife stabbing, carving into me, I saw my limb, detached hand lying near me as I screamed my head off at the indescribable agony. He threw the hand away after a different, foreign one grew in its place. I kept seeing the blood pour out of me. . . . So, no, I couldn't stop crying.
My clothes were caked with layers upon layers of blood, and almost every inch of my skin was stained with it. I found myself wondering how I would ever put this torture behind me, live a normal life . . . if I made it through the night. But if I did survive, I couldn't see how it wouldn't haunt me every minute of every hour of every day. . . .
It wasn't fair! It wasn't fair that my mom noticed early on how intelligent Cam and I were, and forced us into this astonishingly high-paced life, how I had to be a forensic scientist at the young age of fourteen instead of just finishing up middle school. It was almost summer now. I should've been off hanging out with my friends, which I didn't have because I had no time to make any.
I should have had a childhood.
So, I wept my pain and bitterness and fear and regret over the injustice of it all. I didn't even know why it all suddenly came rushing forward, maybe the horrible experience of the last few hours made my life flash before my eyes.
Before I knew it, the man had the trunk open and my heart sunk into my stomach when I took in my house. If he was here, then he wanted to hurt my family. I wouldn't let that happen.
"Get out here," he growled but I fiercely shook my head.
"Go to hell," I snarled. He wouldn't hurt my family. His lips curled up to reveal his canine-like teeth and he snatched me by the collar of my jacket, yanking me out of the SUV. The cool touch of metal pressed against my throat; the knife. "Do you think that bothers me?" I asked bravely, trying to push my fear away. "You can't hurt me."
I cringed as he dug the knife into my neck just enough for me to feel warm blood trickle down. "C'mon, kid, we're going to take a walk." He began to drag me over to the house, but I refused to budge my feet so I made it that much more difficult.
"If you hurt my family, I'll kill you," I threatened.
"Are you really in the place to be making threats?" Then it occurred to me. He couldn't kill me, so what leverage did he have by holding me at knifepoint? None, none at all.
I jerked my elbow backwards into his ribcage and shimmied out of his hold, spinning on my heel to sprint the other way-away from my house. However healed I may have been, though, I was still exhausted and he easily caught up with me. He held me in a tight chokehold, removing all room for me to escape. "Not a good idea, kid."
"Had to try," I croaked out, which was difficult considered his arm was crushing my throat. He lead me toward my house once more.
He kicked open my front door and threw me through the doorway onto the hardwood floor. Roughly picking me up, he yet again held me at knifepoint and shouted, "I'm baaaaack! Get down here!"
After a short moment, the first of the footsteps began pounding upstairs. The first person that appeared was quite possibly the sexiest man I had ever seen in my life, despite the trench coat and suspenders.
Next, a rather scrawny man followed and then a pretty dark-haired woman, and then . . . my mom and sister. "Mom, Cam!" I cried and the man covered my mouth with his hand.
They skidded to a stop when they saw me, their eyes stretched as wide as they could go in horror. "What did you do to my daughter?!" my mom screamed and the sexy, trench coat man had to hold her back.
Jack's Perspective
A few hours before . . .
Jasmine's face was one of shock and unfathomable joy as Cameron came into view. Jack knew he was going to have to explain it to his team but for now he was still processing the fact that he not only had a daughter but she regenerated just like him. He didn't know how strong it was but she definitely had it.
"Oh God, please tell me I'm not dreaming," Jasmine cried, floating over to them. Fresh tears of happiness rolled down her face.
Gwen and Owen were both stunned and Jack knew that they had questions. Gwen mouthed How? but he decided to leave it alone until Cameron was out of the room and they could figure out the situation with Lulu without freaking out Cameron. Her mind must have backtracked a bit to compensate for the grief and pain she was feeling on top of the trauma her body had endured. Jack needed to tell everyone to leave it alone for now, until they could break it to her slowly.
"I'm really here, Mom," Cameron choked out, smiling widely. Jack could tell her body was weak because even when she tried to sit up in his arms she had winced and fallen back.
Her mom came up to her slowly and help her face between her hands, it was a sweet sight. Jasmine's smile was blinding. "My baby," she murmured passionately. "My baby girl."
Both girls were crying and even Gwen could be seen out of the corner of his eyes with misty eyes.
She gave her daughter a tender kiss and looked up at Jack with immeasurable gratitude. "How did you save her, Jack?"
"We should discuss this after we get her down to rest." Jack looked at her with a Soon look and then directed his attention to his team. "Owen, come take Cam here up to her room and check her over please, I would like to make sure she is all right."
Cam cleared her throat, grabbing everyone's attention, "Wait, where is Lulu? I need to tell her I'm okay, and I don't need to rest, I need answers. Put me down."
"Cameron, I truly don't believe you are strong enough to stand yet, just let me lay you down in the other room and then Owen will come and make sure nothing else is wrong." Jack was trying to keep her from noticing the full absence of her sister.
"Your body language is tense and you are trying to be rid of me, which are clear signs you are either lying to me, or not telling me something, so I recommend you tell me the truth now, and trust me, I will know if you are lying." Her eyes were tired yet determined. She then rolled her eyes and barked, "Put me down!"
Jack let Cam down gently. He knew she wouldn't be able to stand but she was his kid so she wouldn't have relented. The second she stood on her own she fell forward right into Owen-only half-accidentally.
"Hey, hot stuff." She batted her eyelashes seductively.
Owen, a little surprised at first, smiled at her and simpered, "Well hello, sweetheart."
"Owen, I swear to God, stay away from her or I will end you," Jack growled. He was still a bit overwhelmed with everything and the last thing he needed was Owen fucking his daughter.
"Bloody hell, Jack," Owen complained, lifting an unbalanced Cameron into his arms.
"Wait, however I am enjoying being carried off to my bedroom by a handsome young man, you never answered my question," Cameron intervened. Jack inwardly groaned. She was very much his daughter.
"Jack, did I tell you she is the second biggest flirt on the planet?" her mom mentioned, still crying. "Lulu's in the top twenty."
"And who would be the first?" Jack asked, raising an eyebrow.
"You," all but Cameron said in unison.
"However much I like a good laugh, where the hell is my sister?" Cameron demanded, scanning all faces around her for answers.
"Hold that thought," Jack said holding up a single finger. With his back turned to his daughter, he mouthed to Owen the single word, 'Sedative.' Owen minutely nodded and passed Cam over to Jack.
"What's going on?" Cam asked suspiciously as Owen rummaged vigorously through his med pack. He expertly prepped a needle and pulled it out. Before Cam could protest, he jammed the needle into her thigh and her eyelids quickly fluttered closed.
"Did you just drug my daughter?" Jasmine asked, looking at Owen with wild eyes.
"We had no choice," Jack said unapologetically. "We need to discuss the other kid, uninterrupted. Owen, go lay her down in the living room then come in here for a briefing. Gwen, what do we have on the other girl?"
"Well according to Mrs. Bennett, the girls were downstairs working when she heard the bullet and screams. When she came down to investigate, a man was holding her daughter, Lulu, at gunpoint and threatening to shoot her if Mrs. Bennett didn't lock herself in the basement." Gwen was putting a lot of effort into sounding calm and methodical, but it was easy to observe how bothered she was.
"So, in sum, without Cam, we really don't know anything." Jack ran his hand, frustrated, through his dark hair. The one person who could give them answers didn't remember and was now unconscious to boot. "Shit," he muttered under his breath.
"I'm sorry I can't give you more information," Jasmine sniffled. Tears were again filling her eyes and she looked horrified beyond belief.
"It's not your fault, we will find her," Gwen soothed, giving her hand a compassionate squeeze. That was one reason he had hired her, she was the only one (from what he could tell from her so far) who took the time to actually talk and empathize with the victims.
Right then Owen came back with an incredulous look slapped across his face. "So what the hell, Jack? Ten minutes ago that girl was dead and now she doesn't even have a scratch on her."
"Well . . ."
Much to Jack's surprise, Cameron came walking in with an irate expression in place. "If you would have given me a second and let me remember before you sedated me, I could've given you some information. Luckily, my baby sister is smarter than you people."
"Bloody hell, how are you awake? That sedative should have kept you under for at least six hours," Owen said in awe.
"Shut it, pretty boy." She gave him a rude look before turning to everyone and explaining, "Lulu invented a solution that when injected, fights sedatives in the blood. It is still in development but we managed to get enough of a prototype to use and we were the test subjects." Jack arched his eyebrows and let out a low whistle.
"Amazing," Owen breathed, highly impressed. She ignored him profusely, evidently still angry with him for injecting the sedative within her in the first place.
"The man was tall, light-haired with a navy-green hood. Like the Green Arrow, sort of. He had brown eyes," she said, thoughtfully going over all she could remember. "He had a muscular build, strong, apparent when he grabbed her. . . ." Fierce realization flared in her eyes and she gasped, "He took Lulu! Oh God, he kidnapped my baby sister! Where is my baby sister?!"
Jack, remaining cool and collected as possible, replied, "That's what we are trying to figure out."
Her posture stiffened aggressively and her eyes gained this wild, almost rabid light. "You've got to find her, Jack! You lied to me! YOU'VE GOT TO FIND HER!"
"Do you know of any reason he would want to take her?" Gwen asked, taking on her police persona.
"Who the fuck are you?" she lashed out, turning to face Gwen.
"I'm Gwen Cooper, I work with Captain Jack Harkness and Owen Harper. We picked up strange signals from here, do you know of anything that could have gave off those signals?" Gwen was attempting to remain calm because the girl was livid but there was still a trace of annoyance within her. She remained professional and carefully unbothered, though.
Cameron rubbed her eyes and placed a hand on a corner table to support herself. She was exhausted and everyone could see it. "I apologise for my brash behavior but keep in mind it is justified, you have lied to me and my sister is in danger. Now, I believe I know what you may be looking for, the files are in my office with a more thorough report, but basically a victim we had recently examined had this object hidden in his boot. The artifact was ovalular, chrome-colored, and had a single crack down the center. It was nothing we had ever seen before, its compound structure amounted to nothing known to our world and there was nothing that even resembled it in the database. Lulu was enticed with the object and brought it here-stole it."
"Jack doesn't like when people do that," Owen muttered under his breath and Jack glared at him.
"Where is it now?" Jack interrogated, searching his mind for anything that could give them answers.
"That's the thing, it is on my sister. When she brought it here, I don't know how, but it attached to her and when I tried to yank it off her it threw me against the wall. It was like it was protecting her. I think it may have been what the man wanted, I don't think he had any information about us, I don't even think he knows our names, so I am rather sure it wasn't a planned attack on us specifically. Plus, the only variable in our lives that adjusted at all recently was that object," Cameron explained.
"Okay, thank you for your information. Gwen, go grab those files and have Jasmine show you where they are," Jack ordered, moving his hand to his earpiece, not bothering to acknowledge Jasmine's glare. "Tosh, look for signs of alien tech in this area. Owen, go make sure Cameron lays down and rests."
"Fuck no, I am helping," Cameron argued.
"Truly, there is nothing you can do but lay down," Owen said, pulling on her arm gently.
"I have a doctorate in pathology and an IQ of 180. I am pretty damn sure I could do something." Cameron was glaring at him. She was scared, assuredly so, and she was using her work to combat the idea of losing her sister.
"You know what you can do? Go get cleaned off so your mom doesn't have to see you covered in blood." Jack had to use her emotions against her to get her out of the way to do his job, and although he didn't feel good about it, it worked. With a final frown, she nodded and moved upstairs.
Owen stopped before following. "How to hell did she survive?"
Jack was surprised Owen wasn't even more questioning than that (after all, he did confirm she was dead) but didn't comment. "I believe it had something to do with the artifact they found. If it is what I think it is, the girl is alive but if the person who kidnapped her wanted it by any means necessary. . . . Well, let's just hope this is about something else."
Owen said no more, though he clearly wanted to, and followed Cameron upstairs, leaving Gwen, Jasmine, and Jack to find Lulu. Gwen worked on the police side of things (any sightings, where the SUV might have gone, etc.) and Toshiko worked by finding the girl through technology.
They were hoping they could find the girl through the artifact using the software they used to find it in the first place to find the artifact but the person who had Lulu had managed to run interference. Pretty much, they had nothing, leaving Jack to think and comfort the weeping mother and hope something would come to light.
