Author's Note: Wow, I never do these, but if you're still reading this, I applaud you because it has been so long since I updated. All I have to say is that I'm really sorry! Unfortunately, exams are coming up so my time will be taken up for a few weeks, but I'll still try when I can. I guess it depends on whether I think it's worth taking the time to update. (*coughs* reviews help!)
Anyway, enjoy this next chapter!
Chapter 8: Bad Wolf
'Where are we?' Ianto asked.
'This is where the message originated,' River answered. She and Ianto stepped out of the TARDIS and into echoey darkness. 'Doctor?' she called over her shoulder. The Time Lord stepped out on cue. 'Have you been here before?' Jack stepped out silently and brushed past Ianto without a word. Ianto watched him with a sense of dread. That was a face he'd seen before; reluctant, dreadful recognition, disbelief, dawning comprehension all wrapped up with just a smidge of horror.
'No, I don't think so,' the Doctor said casually from behind. 'You must have got the coordinates wrong.'
'I assure you, I didn't,' River retorted. 'Maybe you're wrong.'
'Or maybe we're both right?' the Doctor suggested. 'It has been known to happen... on occasion.'
'Oh, sure, sweetie.'
'Doctor?' Jack called, gazing up at something Ianto couldn't see. He was standing near one wall, looking out into a cavernous metal space. He typed something into his vortex manipulator and reached down, never taking his eyes off the darkness in front of him. With one hand he grasped something and pulled down. 'I'm afraid you're very wrong.' Slowly, lights began to flicker on and Ianto's eyes widened as he read the words in front of them.
Bad Wolf Corporation.
Jack turned back and his eyes met Ianto's with such a deep sadness that Ianto reached out a hand to comfort him across the room involuntarily. 'This is where it all began.'
'Step aside,' Gwen ordered. She nudged one of the soldiers out of the way and took his place in front of the computer. 'I am no Toshiko,' she said, typing as she spoke. 'But I may be able to find where the clip was uploaded.'
'How long will it take?' Martha asked. Gwen looked up at her.
'God knows. I haven't done this for a while and if I'm right, we're trying to track Torchwood technology which is designed to be difficult to trace.'
'But can you do it?' Rhys asked. Gwen's gaze shifted to her husband.
'I certainly hope so,' she sighed.
Martha frowned. 'The timestamp puts the recording as the day Ianto walked out of here,' she pointed out. 'The longer we wait, the less likely he'll still be there when we do find where he uploaded the video.'
'But it'll give us somewhere to start looking,' Gwen insisted and set to work.
While Gwen typed furiously, Martha turned to the two UNIT soliders. 'What's been happening since the video was released?' she asked them.
'It's everywhere, Ma'am,' the soldier replied. 'Riot squad has been put on alert, but so far the small group of protesters outside Downing Street are peaceful.'
'They won't stay small for long though,' Martha sighed. 'Oh well, that's for the government to deal with. Anymore news regarding Ianto Jones?'
The soldier shook his head. 'Sorry, ma'am, Jones seems to have fallen off the face of the earth.'
'If I didn't know that was possible, I wouldn't be so worried,' Martha muttered.
'Gwen, love?' said Rhys. Gwen didn't look up from the computer, but she 'hmmm'ed a response. 'Did it ever occur to you that maybe Ianto doesn't want to be found?'
At this, Gwen did look up. 'I don't care,' she said, eyes steely hard. Rhys rested a hand on her shoulder and said nothing more on the matter. Still, he was getting ansty.
'You wouldn't mind showing me where I could get a cuppa around here, would you?' he asked one of the soldiers.
'Right this way, sir,' the younger looking one said and lead him out of the gymnasium and down the hall.
Once he was gone, Martha said, 'You have thought about it, haven't you?'
Gwen stilled for a moment. 'Jack's gone, Toshiko is gone, Owen is gone, Andy is... Well, he's my mate, but he doesn't get it. Rhys doesn't even really get this stuff. Who else is there, Martha?'
Martha sighed. 'I know,' she said. 'It was the same after I left the Doctor. There was no one I could talk to about all the things I'd seen. There were so many worlds running around my head and I couldn't really share it with anyone because there was no way I could make them truly understand. My family knew about it, knew where I'd been and about the Doctor, but after what they went through with the Master - Harold Saxon - I couldn't talk about all the good things because all they knew was the bad.'
Gwen looked up at Martha, wide eyes making her look far younger than she was. 'How did you cope?'
Martha smiled. 'What do you think? I joined UNIT. They needed a Doctor - and not just a medical one. They needed the Doctor's expertise, his experience and his attitudes. I provide what I can.' Her smile turned sly and she added, 'The pay's good, too.'
Gwen laughed, but it didn't last long. 'I'm not sure that will work for me, Martha,' she admitted.
Martha nodded. 'Lets find Ianto.'
River walked the entire perimeter of the cavernous room, taking every detail with an expression of awe.
'Such a momentous moment in your history, Doctor,' she wondered. 'I had always been curious. An entire Dalek fleet - including the emperor - gone in just seconds!'
The Doctor said nothing. She turned and saw him standing where she had left him, practically in the doorway of the TARDIS, staring at his shoes.
'Sweetie,' River said softly, taking a few steps towards him. 'Sweetie, we can go if you want to.'
'No, we can't,' the Doctor replied, voice steady, but his brown eyes were sad. 'Jack and Ianto are scoping out the other floors and we need to find out who sent the message.'
'Why?' River countered, concerned. 'What does it matter? A list of three names and coordinates, so what? You've ignored more important things.'
The Doctor's eyes turned hard. 'You know why.'
River looked up to the writing on the wall.
'Bad Wolf,' she said.
'Bad Wolf,' the Doctor agreed.
Bad Wolf, chimed the TARDIS. In perfect synchronisation, the Doctor and River spun around in shock. River glanced at the Time Lord and raised an eyebrow.
'Did you hear that?' she asked.
'Yes,' the Doctor answered, but his voice was slightly hoarse and doing the thing it did when he was taken totally by surprise.
River took a step towards the TARDIS. 'Why did you say that, girl?' she murmured, hands stroking the blue panels with all the care and attention of a scientist. The cloister bell donged. River turned her head to face the Doctor. He answered her unasked question with a step forward.
Together, they stepped inside.
With a creak the doors slammed shut.
