10 – Reset
"Really, it isn't funny."
"So you keep saying, but I can't seem to stop laughing!"
"Well it's the only t-shirt I have clean!"
"Didn't you think to chuck some clothes in with mine last night?"
"You kind of distracted me."
"I didn't do anything!"
"You bent over to fill the washing machine. My mind wandered a little on what I could do, by which point you'd already set the machine and turned it on," moaned Owen.
"So you're blaming me now?"
"Yes-no, maybe."
"You'll have to borrow one of my shirts."
Owen pulled his tongue out behind Ianto's back.
"I saw that!" said Ianto without turning.
"How-"
"Mirror!"
"Ah. Sorry."
"Hurry up. We'll be late for work."
Ianto and Owen's phones beep simultaneously. Ianto picked his phone up off the top of the dresser and read the message.
"It's from Jack. He needs you to go to a warehouse a few miles outside of town and help Tosh out with a rogue weevil. "
"What about you?"
"I'll walk to work, its fine."
"You got your gun?"
"Yeah it's in the kitchen drawer near the sink."
Owen and Tosh split up as they entered the warehouse, they could hear the heavy breathing of the wild animal, moving through the dank, dark open space. As they thought they were closing on the Weevil there was a male body lying on a green plastic tarp. Owen moved in to check for vital signs.
"He's dead."
The Weevil was left alone to escape as they dealt with the dead body. They would find the Weevil again some other time. On returning to the Hub the body was transferred to the autopsy table, Owen struggled to find any cause of death, though he had only gotten started when the rest of the team crowded round him to find any information he had on the death.
Meanwhile upstairs a stranger opened the door of the fake tourist office and stepped into the warmth closing the door behind her.
"Sorry we're closing," said Ianto flippantly as he flicked through a magazine. The person who entered did not say a word but, instead, took out her ID and flashed it at Ianto.
Ianto straightened immediately from his slouched position behind the desk.
"Erm..excuse me ma'am." He rushed to show her where she needed to go. He touched the hidden door panel switch and showed her through the concealed opening.
Ianto touched his comm as he breathed deeply to calm himself. Jack had mentioned the other day that they were receiving a visitor from UNIT and that he needed to be on the lookout because she was a VIP guest.
"Jack, your VIP visitor is here," then he proceeded to follow her down the corridor and steps leading to the Hub.
A mile below sea level Jack flew from his position in the autopsy bay to welcome his guest.
"Suddenly in an underground mortuary on a wet night in Cardiff, I hear the song of a nightingale... Miss Martha Jones."
Jack made the introductions between Martha and his team. Martha was keen to get straight to work.
"So what about this pattern then Dr Jones?" said Owen.
"They were being written off as suicides or accidents. Look! Puncture mark," she said as she pried he victims eyelid apart to expose the bottom of his eyeball, "Hypodermic needle. You'll find his blood stream was pumped full of ammonium hydroxide."
"Yeah...bloodstream. That was the thing I was going to do next."
"Have you checked his medical records?"
"Erm no," reply Owen, flustered. He wasn't used to being questioned about his job.
"Then let's give it a go. You never know Owen, you might learn something!" stated Martha with a slight sarcastic slant to her voice.
It turned out the victim NHS information had been deliberately wiped. There was some kind of conspiracy going on. While tests were being run Jack and Gwen gave Martha a tour of the facility. Near the end of the tour they came across a stand while held a piece of alien technology. Martha was astonished at some of the artifacts they had on display.
Owen showed off his new toy – the singularity scalpel. It had been Ianto's idea for the name. He explained what he'd managed to get it to do while setting up a demonstration with a polystyrene cup and a screwed-up piece of paper. He calibrated the machine, and ignoring Gwen's advice about not messing with it after what happened the last time, it missed its intended target hitting the wall only inches from Ianto's head as he was coming to deliver a message to Jack.
Ianto was shocked and embarrassed in front of company for shouting out like a girl, and more than a little bit angry at Owen for attempting to play with the machine without extensive knowledge of what it was used for, and not notifying people he was using it.
Gwen and Jack laughed, Martha looked sympathetic and Owen cringed inside knowing he'd have to pay for it later. Ianto got himself under control before relaying his message about another body being found, but this time it was alive.
Owen, Jack and Martha went away to speak to the woman who had survived the attack. As they waited for news there was another call from the Cardiff police stated that a male dead body had been found, which sounded like a similar death to their first victim. Gwen and Ianto went out to investigate.
As they received some vital information from the victim that had survived the hypodermic attack it became apparent that a company was involved in these attacks. Jack organised a meeting with the rest of the team and they soon realised that Owen knew the most about the owner of the company, called Professor Aaron Copley, so he would accompany Jack as they paid him a visit.
Before they left, Ianto managed to pull Owen away for a few minutes so they could talk.
"You like her."
"I do not."
"Do too! You tried to astound her with medical terminology and she knocked you back. Now you're going out of your way to impress her. You like her."
"Okay," said Owen guiltily, "so maybe she reminded of what real life medicine is like. It's nice to bounce ideas off someone with a similar background. I've...I've missed it. I seem to be getting very proficient with autopsies, but that wasn't really what I trained to do. I'm just enjoying having her around, even under the circumstances."
"Well she seems to be under the impressions that Jack and I used to be an item."
When Owen raised an eyebrow questioning Ianto's statement Ianto had to continue, "Martha asked Gwen about Jack and if there'd ever been anything between any of us and him. Obviously Gwen couldn't keep her mouth shut so she said that I'd been out on a date with him, and she immediately assumed that we – as in me and him, were a couple, but I'll have to set her straight later on. Apparently she seemed genuinely shocked that Jack and I weren't a couple."
"Did she say why?"
"Not sure, but I'll ask her later."
Not long later, Jack and Owen loaded up the SUV and headed to the Pharm. Jack waited until they got onto a main stretch of road before Owen started to talk about what Ianto had spoken about.
"Can I ask you something?" asked Owen quietly, keeping his eyes directed on the passing traffic as Jack drove.
"Sure."
"Ianto was speaking to Gwen earlier about Martha, and it seems Martha was under the impression that you and Ianto are an item."
"What?"
"Yeah! Ianto's going to speak to her about it later. Any idea why she'd think that?"
"Honestly?"
"Yes, of course."
"You have to promise not to get angry or tell Ianto."
"But if it concerns or endangers him-"
"It doesn't. I promise. Swear you won' tell Ianto!"
"Alright! Alright, I swear."
"Well...," thinking of the right words Jack thought for a minute and then continued, "When I disappeared I spent some time with Martha and her family, mostly with her family. I was t-tortured and became a bit delusional. I don't remember much, but Martha's mother and sister claim I called Ianto's name while I slept and hallucinated in chains from the drugs I was given. When I saw something happen to someone that looked like him I broke down physically and emotionally. I was inconsolable for months, but it wasn't real, none of it was. Martha's family are the only other people who remember it, and I was in no fit state to tell them he wasn't my boyfriend. I'd built him up in my head, he was – is someone I love."
"I'm sorry Jack. For what you went through. I'm not angry. You clung onto one person you knew extremely well, and created a life in your head. It's common with trauma victims especially during torture and periods of isolation. That's why you asked him out on a date when you came back to Torchwood isn't it? And why you never talk about why you were away for so long "
"And I never will. Not to any of you. You don't need to know, but you can't say anything to him about what I've just said. He can never know. Not now that he's with you. He loves you, that's all there is to it."
"But you don't just come out of something like that feeling normal Jack."
"Ha! I'm as 'normal' as I'll ever be. Can we drop this? I'm sorry Martha brought this whole thing up. I'll speak to her."
"No harm done. It led to a little excitement and laughter, but I can see now it was inappropriate given what you've gone through. I'll keep this to myself, but Ianto is going to be curious about it. Maybe you should tell him yourself."
"No!"
"Okay, but if you ever want to talk about it I'm here."
"Thank you."
"We're coming up to the compound."
Jack slowed the SUV down as he approached the main guard of the facility. On a quick glance Jack noted that the guards were heavily armed, a bit of overkill but Jack had been expecting it from the state of their computer system security.
Jack touched the electric switch to lower the driver window and told them who he was.
"Torchwood!"
The guards seemed to know that they should be allowed entrance even though Jack and Owen both knew they weren't on any list.
After the discussion with Professor Copley they headed back to the Hub in silence, they didn't even have the radio on to drown out the silence. Both needed time to think about their current situation and also what they had talked about before meeting with the professor.
An impromptu meeting was held where it was decided, mostly by Martha, that there should be an undercover mission to the Pharm and that Martha should be the one doing it. Owen got a little over protective about sending Martha on a risky mission like this and spoke to Jack about it. Meanwhile Ianto got the chance to speak to Martha alone while he handed her fake ID for the assignment.
"These are the plans for the Pharms buildings. From what Jack and Owen saw they reckon the main house contains Copley's office, medical research suites and the accommodation for the clinical trail subjects."
"What about the buildings at the rear?"
"Restricted area. Fenced off, armed security. Jack thinks that's where the readings of alien life forms came from."
"Cool!"
"But you don't need to go anywhere near there."
"Spoilsport."
"First thing you need to do is get yourself accepted as a clinical trial subject. Don't try too hard, don't draw too much attention to yourself."
"Be invisible. I can do that."
"Once you're in we need you to gain access to the Pharms IT system, close down the system firewalls and security protocols. That way Tosh can gain access to the files and see what they're really up to."
"Industrial espionage. It's very civilised."
"Once you've done that get out! Don't take any unnecessary risks."
"Understood."
"Cool!"
"So...Jack asked me if I could get you a Unit cap to wear."
"Did he?" Why would Jack say something like that to Martha? Martha nodded to Ianto's question.
"Well red is my colour, but you know I'm with Owen. I have a question about your conversation with Gwen earlier."
"Okay, fire away."
"Why did you assume Jack and I-I mean me and Jack were a couple? You've spent some time with Jack, but Jack and I have never been a couple. We're friends, but that's it."
"I obviously had the wrong end of the stick, but if Jack wants you to know about it then he's the one to tell you, not me. It isn't my story to tell."
"Should I be worried?"
"No, no. It was a long time ago, but if you really want to know ask Jack."
Then they got down to business.
"Alright. Could you get hold of that UNIT cap then? I think it would be a nice treat for Owen some time."
"I'll let you know, but I don't see why not. As long as you don't lend it to Jack we're all safe."
Both of them laughed then carried on with the rest of their set up.
Later Ianto sought out Owen again to speak to him about his conversation with Martha. He found him in the Archives, digging through some old information they had on Aaron Copley and the rift.
"What are you doing down here?"
"Research, though I don't think it'll help. What's up?"
"I spoke to Martha and she wouldn't tell me why she thought Jack and I were a couple. She said I should ask Jack."
"Oh I wouldn't worry about it. I'm sure he'll speak to you soon."
"How can you know that?"
"Not sure..."
"You're rubbish at lying, but I can't be bothered to push you at the minute. You'd tell me if I needed to know. Anyway Martha did give me a good idea for a present for you."
"Oh really? Care to share?"
"I think I'll let you guess, but you'll find it out when it arrives."
With that Ianto turned on his heel, threw a smirk over his shoulder and strutted out of the Archives.
TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW
It was a long time into the night, when Martha had gone out of communication range with their special contact lenses. Tosh was pleased that Martha had been able to get her remote access to the Pharm's computer server, but as she'd tried to escape she had dropped off their radar. Due to the access they had for the computer's Gwen was able to track down the next victim of a hit man employed by the Pharm to kill medical volunteers, but no one seemed to know the reason why.
Gwen and Ianto headed to the home of the final victim on the Pharms hit list, in the SUV, before she was assassinated. They arrived in time to save the young woman, and managed to capture the hit-man, securing him and bringing him back to the Hub for questioning.
Owen, Jack and Ianto worked as a team to frighten and fake torture the hit-man when he started to complain of stomach pains and started vomiting blood. Owen picked up the singularity scalpel and tried to save the man's life, but due to the calibrations being off the hit-man and the contents of his stomach exploded quite violently all over the three of them.
They had a quick shower to clean themselves up, before setting a plan together to infiltrate the Pharm with the hit-man's dead body, courtesy of Tosh's wicked mind.
Tosh, Gwen and Ianto were grouped as one team working through the warehouses on the Pharm's land, which all contained captured aliens from the rift which were farmed for their toxins, used on humans for medical purposes. Each individual was shocked and horrified by what they saw, the way innocent aliens were being held, tortured and used while being kept alive.
Jack and Owen made team two whose job was to penetrate the main building they had visited earlier in the day. They burst through the doors to find Aaron Copley and his assistant monitoring Martha, who was unconscious strapped to a table with needles and wires entering her body. Jack entered into a heated argument with the professor when Martha started to take a turn for the worst.
He called Jack over to help and Professor Copley took that time to escape. Owen, having thought to bring the singularity scalpel, set about rushing to calibrate the machine. Jack was scared that the machine wouldn't work and kill Martha like it did the hitman, but Owen presented a good argument and Jack let him proceed.
Ianto let Jack know over the comm what they had found in the warehouses. Jack requested Ianto give Tosh permission to crash the computer systems of the Pharm.
At zero hour when Martha was struggling to fight off the growing may fly larvae in her stomach. Owen was forced to use the singularity scalpel. She raised off the bed into a seated position gasping for breath, before falling quickly back down. Her heart stopped, the machine she was strapped to beeped one continuous noise indicating her heart had stopped beating, stopped pumping vital oxygen and nutrients to her brain and muscles.
After three seconds the beeping changed to a steady rhythm, and her heart restarted in a normal rhythm. She started to breathe on her own too. Jack and Owen hauled her to her feet and carried her between them outside the building.
Jack met up with the rest of his team in front of the building, ready to load into the SUV at a moment's notice. Jack nodded to Tosh to shut the whole operation down.
Suddenly out of nowhere Aaron Copley stepped out of the building brandishing a gun at the group.
"Did you really think I was going to let you walk away? You ruined everything I've worked for." He stepped closer.
Owen, being at the back of the group, closest to Copley, pushed Martha behind him in a protective gesture and stepped forward to deal with Copley, he raised his hands before he spoke.
"Now let's not be stupid, okay? We're both rational men, scientists...I know you don't want to shoot her."
As he finished the last word in his sentence Owen was felled to the floor as he took a bullet from Copley's gun, at almost point blank range in the middle of the chest. Everybody jolted with shock and disbelief. Ianto couldn't move. He couldn't remember his own name as his heart pushed up into his mouth.
Copley raised the gun a second time calling, "You're next," in Martha's direction, swinging the gun towards her head.
Jack aimed carefully, trying to avoid hitting Martha who was stood directly in front of him. He fired once and hit bull's eye. Direct shot in Copley's forehead, dead centre.
Tosh was the first to rush to Owen's aid, followed by Jack. Gwen stood their aiming her gun at Copley making sure that he nor any of his guards tried to attack them while they tried to help Owen.
"Can you hear me Owen?" shouted Martha.
"You've got to help him!" wailed Tosh.
"Owen? Stay with me! Owen. Owen, look at me, look at me. Owen, look right at me. Stay with me, Owen. Stay with me, stay with me buddy. Come on, come on," chanted Jack as he held Owen's hand.
Gwen passed the first aid kit from the SUV to Martha's waiting hands and she injected him with some adrenaline and special blood clotting agent to stop the bleeding.
"Owen, speak to me," cried Martha, but there was nothing they could do. Owen stopped breathing, his life force passed out of him and everything and everyone in that single minute stopped.
Martha checked his pulse and declared, "He's dead."
Jack, devastated, called Owen's name one final time.
But where was Ianto in all this? Ianto was broken. Ianto stood on the edge of the crowd that were his friends and mourned, weeping inside. Not one single tear escaped his eyes as he heard the team trying to save Owen's life. Ianto spent a lot of time in those first minutes trying to remember to inhale and exhale as he stood, waiting for the good news that was never going to come.
As Jack whispered Owen's name for the last time Ianto turned away from the sight of his lover's body and crumpled to the floor. He almost went unnoticed except for Gwen who had also stood away from the people surrounding Owen. Gwen released the Pharm assistant she had restrained and moved quickly to Ianto's side. Ianto's eyes were closed, but he appeared to be breathing. Gwen took the gun out of his hand and rolled him into the recovery position.
Martha glanced up and saw Gwen huddled over Ianto's body.
"Ianto! My God! Gwen was he hit as well? Did we miss something?"
"No. He just collapsed. He's breathing and there's no sign of blood. Its shock or grief...or both!"
"We need to get him into the SUV and keep him warm with a blanket."
Jack took up the task of gently lifting, carrying and placing first Ianto's, then Owen's body into the SUV. Ianto in the front passenger's seat and Owen lied out in the boot. Ianto remained unconscious for the whole drive back to the Hub. The journey was subdued and not one person's eyes were tearless. Jack drove, and the three girls were sat in the back.
Copley's assistant and the other members of the Pharm were passed onto the Cardiff City Police Department to be dealt with for kidnapping and holding illegal aliens, indecent prison living conditions for aliens and the murder of dozens of medical trial volunteers.