A/N. Thank you for all the reviews for the last chapter. I seem to be on a roll at the moment so here's the next chapter, i think being stuck at home with a cold is agreeing with me lol. :)

Chapter 10.

Jack stood at the head of the table, in front of him was the device that had come through the Rift, and next to it, the other half which Alex had brought in with him.

'We need to run some tests on this now that we have both parts to see if we can work out what it does.' said Jack.

'Does UNIT not have any idea what it is.' Gwen asked Alex.

'No, not really. Some of my colleagues in the research lab did detect some kind of energy coming from it, but were not able to narrow down what it was. With the second half it should be easier.'

'That's kind of dangerous then isn't it.' said Jamie, 'For all we know when you put the two parts together it explodes.'

'True, but we didn't detect anything about it that seemed combustible. The theories we have is that it controls something, or possibly summons something.'

'Well that's comforting.' said Ianto, thinking that summoning something unknown would not be the best idea.

'Controls what though,' Molly said finally finding her voice, but looking at the wall over Alex's head and not directly at him. 'There's a lot of variables with that theory.'

'Yeah, but it might be useful.'

Molly shook her head, she was finding her confidence again, 'Typical, you want to know if it does something you can use. Harness it's power in some way.'

'What's wrong with that if it helps fight against an enemy that could have technology we don't know about.' Alex said staring at Molly.

Jamie answered this, 'Molly has a point, what if it's, I don't know, mind control or something.'

'I would call that useful.' Alex said still looking in Molly's direction.

'Really, I would call that highly dangerous. It would be one of those things that started out with good intentions, then it falls into the wrong hands and before you know it the whole world's being controlled by some maniac.' Jamie replied.

'Ok, enough with the debate,' said Jack. 'Before we talk about what we are going to do with it, we need to work out what it does. Molly I want you to run what tests you can on it without putting it together first, if you can be certain it won't explode then put it together and see what you get from it then. Alex, you can help, Jamie too just in case.'

Molly knew that Jack was going to make her work with Alex, and she was thankful that he had made Jamie help them too.

'Ianto, I want you to see if you can dig up anything in the archives, Gwen I want you to help with the research.'

They all headed their separate ways with Gwen grumbling slightly under her breath, because she knew if she so much as looked at something the wrong way in the archives, Ianto would get mad with her. She resigned herself to working on the computer down there, thinking it was the safest option. Jack went up into his office, and the others went down to Molly's work area.

Molly hooked the two parts of the device up to her computer and started to run a programme that checked for any known explosives, she was very aware of Alex's presence, but she tried not to focus on it. Anytime she wanted to say something she spoke directly to Jamie. 'I'm pretty sure it's not going to explode if we put it together.'

'Ok then do it.' Jamie said, although there was some wariness in his voice.

Molly gently put the two pieces of the device together, so that it formed a cylinder that had three buttons on it. It was still hooked up to her computer and spikes began to appear showing it was emitting some kind of energy.

'Well, it's not a signal summoning something.' Molly was relieved at this as she didn't really want aliens in the Hub again.

'Any idea what it is Moll?' Alex asked and he put his hand on her shoulder as he looked at the screen.

Molly carefully moved so that Alex wasn't touching her anymore, then said. 'I'm not sure, and it's Molly.'

'Sorry' said Alex, and then he looked at Jamie who was looking slightly puzzled. 'Old habits die hard, I always used to call her Moll.'

Jamie made a mental note never to call her that, as the look Molly had in her eye now was not one he ever wanted directed at him. 'Maybe we could try one of the buttons?.'

'Here goes.' Molly pushed the first button on the cylinder and everything around them went black.

'Ok, so who turned out the lights.' came Jack's voice from somewhere above them.

'Sorry.' Molly pushed the button again and the lights returned. 'Well we know one thing it does.'

'What just happened?' came Gwen's voice over the comms, 'Everything just went black.'

'Let's just say we've found one use this device has.' Jack said, 'Can you both come up here.'

'Do you want me to try the next one?' Molly asked.

'Yeah, but wait for Gwen and Ianto to get here first.'

They arrived a couple of minutes later and Molly pressed the next button. Everything went silent, there was always a lot of noise in the Hub, but it all stopped. She looked up at Jack who was obviously saying something, but she had no idea what it was. She pushed the button again and the noise resumed.

'Interesting.' said Alex. 'The signal coming from that can cancel out any sound, this is a criminals dream, think of the possibilities.'

There was a pause while they contemplated what the third button on the device did. Molly pushed it, but nothing happened.

'That was an anti climax.' said Alex.

'I think there's a loose connection.' Molly said looking at it closely. 'I can see a wire that looks disconnected. It's going to take some time though to try and fix it.'

'Right, well I think it can wait until tomorrow, it's late.' said Jack.

Gwen was first out after saying goodbye to everyone, but then she had the most to go home for. Molly picked up her bag and started walking towards the door, wishing she wasn't going home alone, but she wasn't going to say anything to Ianto as this would raise too many questions. As she got near the door Alex was at her side.

'So what are you doing this evening?' He asked her.

'I'm going home.' Molly said.

'I was hoping we could do something.'

Molly looked at him incredulously, 'What! No. I'm not doing anything with you.'

'Come on you have to admit there were times we were great together.' Alex said leaning in closer to her.

'Maybe, but the bad far outweighs the good.'

'I'm sure you'll change your mind eventually. I tend to get what I want.' He said smirking at her. He then turned to the others and said, 'Goodnight then, I'll see you all tomorrow.' As he walked passed Molly he winked at her and she shuddered.

As Jamie came over to the door she said, 'Would you mind giving me a lift home? I.. I'm just really tired and can't face the walk.' This was lie, but she didn't want to risk Alex following her.

'Sure, I don't mind at all.'

As she was about to leave Ianto walked over to her. 'I'll see you tomorrow,' she said smiling at him.

Ianto looked at her, the smile she was giving did not reach her eyes, they had a haunted look. 'Are you ok?'

'I'm fine, just really tired. I think I need an early night.'

'If you're sure,' Ianto then gave her a hug. 'You know where I am.'

Molly smiled again and then left with Jamie.

Ianto then went over to the sofa where Jack was and sat down. He couldn't stop thinking about Molly and the look she had in her eye. She seemed frightened and vulnerable and it wasn't a side to her he was used to seeing and it worried him. Jacks voice cut into his thought.

'Hello, did you hear a word I just said?' asked Jack.

'What, oh sorry, my mind was elsewhere.'

'I did notice you were distracted, what were you thinking about?

'Molly.' replied Ianto, 'I'm worried about her.'

'Yeah, she did seem quiet today. Do you think it's something to do with Alex?'

'It seems that way. I've just never seen her like that, so quiet and nervous. Look I'm going to have to go and see her. I don't like the thought that something's going on and she's in the flat alone worrying about whatever it is. Sorry.' he said looking at Jack.

'Don't be, I love the fact you care about your friends so much. If there's anything I can do tell me.'

'Sure.' Ianto said getting up off the sofa. As he did he leaned over to Jack and kissed him gently. 'I also promise that I will make it up to you sometime.'

'I'll hold you to that.' said Jack.

Ianto smiled and then grabbed his jacket and headed out of the door. He just hoped that he could get Molly to talk to him.