JUPITER PART TEN

Owen sighed as he made his way up to Jack's office, print out in hand. To his surprise he found that Jack was actually doing his paperwork. He closed the door at his back and sat down at the same time that Jack looked up.

"We have a problem boss."

Owen tossed the folder onto Jack's desk. "Ianto's test results confirm the presence of a secondary bacterial infection in the wounds."

Jack slid the folder towards himself and opened it up.

"Secondary?"

"Yeah, he has also contracted a viral infection, definitely alien or at least its not on my database. The antibiotics are doing fine with the bacterial problem but the virus... I don't think I have anything in my stock that will cut it. I've sent blood and tissue samples to UNIT and have already started Ianto on a broad spectrum anti viral, but I am not optimistic. His core temperature has gone up to 39.3 celcius and a rash has developed across his abdomen and upper back which he tells me is like a stinging pain. It looks to be tracking along the nerves."

"Is this as serious as I think it is?"

Owen shrugged. "I don't think anyone else is at risk. Everyone that has handled Ianto has been wearing gloves and masks, even the medics in AnE. Having had a look at our dead weevil friend it seems likely that whatever it had clawed to death before it got Ianto is the likely source. We're pretty sure that weevil had come from the rift within hours of your encounter with it, Tosh's readings verified that. It's not a weevil virus so I don't think there's a risk to the weevil population or the potential for it being spread by them. I'll be running extensive tests on all of us, but I am relatively certain that Ianto is the only person infected. I will recommend a week long quarantine for all of us though, just to be sure."

Jack ran a hand through his hair. "Shit."

"Yeah...Shit."

"What about Ianto?"

"He's very ill Jack. I won't to lie you all I can do is give him pain relief and try to keep his temperature down. Hopefully UNIT will come up with something."

"And if they don't?"

"We could lose him Jack. If I can't get him stabelised soon he's just going to burn up and as I have no real idea what this virus is gonna do... Eitherway he's going to need to go into the iso containment lab for the duration and I shall be enforcing hazmat protocols."

Jack stood up. "We'd best get on with it then, get him settled as quickly as possible."

"Tosh is setting up things in the lab, I'm going to transfer some equipment down there, and I should be ready to move Ianto in about an hour." Owen got to his feet and reached over the desk and grasped Jack's arm.

"He doesn't know Jack."

Jack's shoulders slumped. "You want me to tell him?"

Owen nodded. "I think it would be better coming from you."

"Yeah, you're probably right. You do what you have to do. I'll talk to Ianto."

"Gloves and gown Jack and no kissing him or anything."

Jack sucked in a sharp breath and met Owen's stern look with one of his own. "I know the drill."

"I also know how you feel about Tea Boy."

Jack looked away. "Point made. Shall we?"

AN: This is a short link piece because I am off to Cardiff for a few days of frolicks and Sex, Wales and Anarchy 3...I think Gareth owes me a pint anyway. I am sure I will see some of you there even if I don't know who you are...

THANK YOU FOR SUCH WONDERFUL FEEDBACK... Next chapter will be a cat fest... because what would we be without them?