CHAPTER 10: Day Five
The room that we were moved to was white and grey, tables scattered around with red chairs. There was a kitchen along one wall, and more bodies of the dead were laid under blankets and tarpaulin down the corridor opposite. We, Jack, Gwen and me, were sat at a table with Frobisher and his assistant, Bridget Spears. There was a long pause, which I filled by glaring at the pair, before anyone spoke.
"The threat still stands." Gwen started.
"Haven't we gone past that-" Frobisher sighed, before she interrupted.
"-My husband is still out there with everything you've done recorded on his laptop. One word from me and he will release that information to the public."
"What do you think Torchwood is now? Do you think you're still players?" Frobisher said harshly.
"We can try." Gwen snapped back just as hard.
"We're at a tipping point right now," he retorted. "Civilisation's about to fall into hell. You want to start that descent a little earlier, go ahead." We paused.
"He's right. Look what happened," Jack said to us quietly. I looked at him quickly, shocked, because Jack wouldn't normally give in. Even after everything. "Phone Rhys. Tell him we've lost." He directed at Gwen. She looked incredibly hurt and disappointed, pausing before walking away from the table and putting her phone to her ear. I moved my chair closer to Jack's.
"What about Lois?" I asked Frobisher. It was the first thing I'd said since waking up in the hall.
"I'm afraid Miss Habiba is in police custody charged with espionage." Frobisher replied.
"Then what about my daughter and her son?" Jack asked.
"They're free to go."
"Ianto Jones, he's got family back in South Wales, a sister. Has she been told?" Jack continued with a deep breath.
"We're not releasing any of the names, not yet." Frobisher said.
"Then let Gwen tell her," said Jack. Frobisher looked reluctant. "You said yourself, the world is going to hell any second. Before it does, give us a moment of grace. Just take Gwen home, please." We turned to look at the broken woman. She was curled up against the wall, phone in her hands, sobbing uncontrollably.
"I can't look at her anymore." Jack stammered.
-~oOo~-
An hour later, we had been taken outside where a helicopter was preparing to take Gwen and Rhys back to Cardiff. The blades were starting to spin loudly as I hugged the couple tight. I had a feeling that I wouldn't see them for a while.
"It's not over, Gwen," I whispered over her shoulder. "We won't let it happen." She smiled weakly at me, and I stepped back for Jack to say his goodbyes. He held her for a couple of seconds in silence, then pulled away with tears in his eyes. Gwen and Rhys climbed into the helicopter as Jack and me were put into handcuffs by a couple of soldiers. We didn't struggle or object. The helicopter took off fast and I saw Gwen looking down at us sadly as it continued to rise into the sky. Immediately afterwards, the soldiers marched us away towards a car and sat us on the back seats. The journey took ten minutes, and we were taken to a holding facility. Inside was a long stone corridor with several metal doors along both sides. A policeman unlocked two cells.
"Cell M-2, Annie Smith, 9:50a.m. Cell M-3, Captain Jack Harkness, 9:50a.m."
I was put into the first one and my handcuffs were removed. They shut the door behind me with a bang. The cell was small and dull, only one bench along a wall.
"Captain, is that you?" I heard a woman shout. "Captain Harkness, Annie, it's me, Lois! It's Lois!" I heard Jack's door clang shut.
"It's OK, Lois." I called back to her.
"Annie! What are they doing, what's happening out there?" She continued. I didn't reply. How would I explain?
"Can you hear me?" Lois called desperately. "What do we do? Captain?" I sank on to the bench. Jack was quiet, and I had a feeling he wouldn't reply to her, in which case, neither would I. Lois continued to shout for around fifteen more minutes, her voice getting quieter as time went on. I was lost in my thoughts again. How were we going to get out of this? How would we stop them handing over the children now? How would I find Dad from inside a cell? I would just have to hope he would find me. Would he be disappointed that I'd got myself arrested? No, we were both jailed on Messaline. He would understand. Hold on, maybe I could get out of here the same way I did on my birth planet? Then, I seduced Cline and put a gun on him to make him open the gates. But here, I didn't have a weapon or grating to poke my head through and get a guard's attention. I sighed, and my thoughts went back to Ianto. As well as him and all the other people killed in Thames House, Gwen told us that Clem had also been killed by the 456 in the warehouse.
"Visitor for Lois Habiba, cell M-14. Bridget Spears." I heard someone say outside. I jumped up and peered through the small circular window in the cell door. I spotted the back of the woman walking inside a cell opposite, Lois stood up. The door closed quickly behind them, and the guard stood protectively in front of it. I sat back down on my bench. I couldn't hear any conversation between Lois and Bridget, so there was no point trying, but I did keep an ear out for when the door opened again. It took around twenty minutes, and I heard Bridget saying goodbye to Lois before she walked out of the corridor.
-~oOo~-
The day was uneventful for the next couple of hours. I was sat cross-legged on the bench, examining my finger nails, when I heard a commotion outside.
"On the floor! On the floor!"
"Stay down!"
I leapt up to the door immediately. There were five soldiers, one bent over the guard pointing a gun in his face. The others were fiddling with the locks on mine and Jack's cell doors.
"What's happening?" I shouted. Two of the soldiers yanked my door open and pulled me out, whilst another two did the same to Jack next to me.
"What's going on?" He yelled. "Hey!"
"Jack!" I screamed.
"Move!" The soldiers said repeatedly. We were dragged unwillingly down the corridor, the soldiers and Lois shouting behind us. We were taken through several different halls, eventually joined by the grey man in the lab coat from Thames House. He was also being escorted by soldiers. We reached one lighter corridor afterwards, a woman following behind Jack. In front of the scientist, I could see Alice sat with Steven. They both stood up.
"Uncle Jack!" Steven called, running and hugging his grandfather's legs.
"Hey soldier!" Jack replied enthusiastically.
"We haven't got time." The woman, dressed all in black leather, said. I recognised her from somewhere.
"Listen, stay with your Mum, OK?" Jack said to Steven. The boy ran back to Alice, and we continued our march down the corridor. I smiled slightly at Alice as I passed. At the end of the hall, we were led into a large dark room. There was equipment everywhere, arranged in a kind of semi-circle, and we were stopped in the centre. Our handcuffs were removed.
"Oh, finally!" I chuckled, rubbing my wrists.
"This should be everything you need. And if it's not, we'll find it." The leather-clad woman said.
"For what?" Jack and me asked simultaneously.
"Wavelengths," she replied. "The 456 are named after a wavelength, and that's got to be the key to fighting back."
"You're wasting your time, there's nothing you can do," the scientist said behind me. "I've analysed those transmissions for forty years and never broke them." I was about to reply, when the woman drew her gun and shot at the man, who quickly fell to the floor and screamed in pain. She turned back to Jack.
"What do you think, Captain? She told me you were good," she said, indicating Alice. "Was she right?" Jack paused, turning to look at his daughter. They smiled at each other just a little.
"Let's get to work." Jack strode over to the equipment, throwing off his coat and getting started.
"Jenny, get me access to the Torchwood software." He ordered.
"Doing it now," I replied, rushing to his side and starting on the computers. "Log on to the servers, and…" A computerised sound rang out, indicating that we were in.
"Welcome back." Jack said.
"It still won't work. There's nothing on there, it's useless." The man said. He was slumped on a crate behind us, breathing heavily from the shot he'd received. I turned to him.
"What's your name?" I asked.
"Dekker."
"Mr Dekker. We're time travellers. We've seen technology that you couldn't even dream of."
"And Torchwood has technology way beyond you already." Jack added.
"We hacked into Torchwood years ago, you idiots. There's nothing." Dekker retorted.
"Bring him over here." The woman shouted, and a couple of soldiers lifted Dekker away.
"Dad, come look at this." Alice called from another laptop, and Jack quickly stepped over to her. "It's some sort of pirate station. They're trying to get the story out to the public, but they're taking the kids." I continued working where I was, but listened to Alice. I groaned with disappointment; even though deep down I knew the politician's plans would take effect, something in me wished they wouldn't.
"Hey Jenny!" Jack called over to me, walking back. "If we cycle the wavelength back at them-"
"I know what you're trying to do," Dekker interrupted. "A constructive wave."
"That could work." I said.
"Don't you think people are already working on that all over the world?" He argued. "But it's never gonna work. The effect would be like shouting at the 456, that's all. Just shouting."
"Why did Clem die?" Jack asked himself, leaning against some equipment.
"It was the 456." I answered.
"But how did they do it? Why did they do it?"
"We've got the recording here." The woman said, opening a window on a laptop. It showed the 456's wavelengths.
"His mind must have synced to the 456 when he was a child." Jack continued.
"But they didn't need to kill him, he wasn't any threat, was he?" I added.
"Unless maybe that connection hurt them."
"This is the 456 at the moment of his death," the woman said, indicating the screen. "We've lifted the sound from the Thames House link." A horrible screeching sound played through the room. It was pained and pitiful, yet I didn't feel any sympathy.
"What's that sound, Mr Dekker?" I asked.
"I don't know. It's new."
"Exactly," I said, turning to Jack with a smile. "It's new." He grinned back hopefully.
"We don't have to analyse the wavelength, just copy it." Jack started.
"Turn it into a constructive wave." I added.
"But we've got no way of transmitting." Jack said, the hope faltering.
"Of course you have." Dekker said. I would have agreed with him ordinarily, but I knew what his arrogant smile meant.
"Shut up." Jack snapped after a second, not looking up.
"Same way as them." Dekker continued.
"We'll find something else." I barked.
"What does he mean?" The woman asked.
"Don't listen to him." Jack told her.
"Dekker, tell me." She said.
"The 456 used children to establish the resonance." He replied.
"Meaning what?"
"We need a child."
"What do you mean?" Alice asked, confused.
"Centre of the resonance," Dekker said, his smugness disgustingly overwhelming. "Hoo! That child's gonna fry." Everyone went silent as Dekker chuckled sickeningly. Jack was looking down, and Alice was staring at him frantically, her eyes wide. She had realised what they were thinking.
"No, Dad. No, tell them no." She said quietly.
"One child or millions." The woman urged Jack.
"There must be another way." I said.
"Dad, no. Dad, tell them no!" Alice continued, her voice becoming more erratic.
"We're running out of time."
"Dad, no! No, Dad!"
"Captain!"
"Jack." I muttered, leaning forwards to his eye line. He was staring emptily, the choice terrible yet inevitable. I didn't want it either. I didn't want anyone else to die, but time wasn't on our side. It had to be a quick, heart breaking decision. Either that, or someone had to come up with another solution immediately. I desperately sought for one in my head, but nothing was coming to mind. Everything was flawed. This awful plan was the only way. I continued looking into Jack's eyes as he avoided mine. Eventually he blinked, and nodded slightly, the grief already clear on his face. Alice ran as soon as Jack moved, towards the doors, screaming desperately for her son. The shrieks continued down the hall outside, and they were horrendous. There was a lump in my throat as we got to work, fiddling with the equipment, nobody looking at each other. In a couple of minutes, Steven was brought in and placed in the centre of the circle. I could hear Alice screaming outside still.
"What are we doing, Uncle Jack?" Steven asked innocently. He didn't reply.
"What's happening? What do you want me to do?" The boy continued. We carried on working, not looking at the child, trying not to listen to Alice's terrible cries. We'd almost completed the job, there was just one more button to press, then there was no going back. Jack's fingers were poised, shaking, above the key. His eyes were swimming with yet unshed tears. He was staring at his grandson, and I could tell he was desperate not to press down. I walked quietly over to him and gripped his other hand in support. I took a deep breath, just as Jack gained enough courage to hit the key. I watched as Steven's face lost his scared expression and went blank. His arms dropped and his mouth opened, a high-pitched scream emitting out. He stayed still for a few seconds, before his limbs began to twitch. It got more agitated and frantic, the jerking getting stronger and more violent. His convulsions became blurred, and blood started dripping from his nose. The shaking was getting fiercer every second. The blood was dark and thick, running down his face and shirt. Tears were trickling from my eyes, and I had to look away. I pressed my face against Jack's arm and squeezed his hand. Then, abruptly, it stopped. The screaming stopped, and I heard the child's body fall to the floor. I slowly looked back to the centre of the room. Steven was slumped down, blood dried underneath his nose and ears. His eyes were open but empty.
"Let her in." The woman muttered, and Alice was allowed into the room. She ran straight to her son and held him in her arms, tears and screams mixing with anguish.
"No, no, no, no, no!" She looked up at Jack, her eyes gushing.
"No! No! Somebody help him! Help him!" Jack was crying now, his face freshly tear-stained. Alice began rocking her dead child back and forth.
"No, please, no. Why? Why? Oh, please!" All I could do was stand with Jack, holding his hand whilst we watched his daughter cradle his grandson's body, letting our own tears fall freely. Eventually, soldiers filed into the room and removed the boy, leaving Alice alone on the floor. We were led out into the corridor and dropped down on to the bench. I was still gripping Jack's hand tightly. A little later, the double doors next to us opened and Alice stood there, no longer crying, but her eyes were puffy. She stopped walking when she spotted Jack, and her eyes became dark. I looked sadly at her. She glanced between the both of us, then stepped backwards through the doors again. Jack turned his head forwards, his face torn. I watched him intently. After a few seconds he sighed deeply and stood up, dropped my hand, and marched down the corridor and out of the building.
"Jack!" I called, following him out. I had to run to catch up with him. "Jack! Captain, talk to me!" He carried on walking, not speaking or even acknowledging me. I knew he wouldn't, and couldn't speak right now, and I didn't blame him. But I still needed someone's help. I needed Jack to just tell me one more thing. So, I did the only thing I could think of, and tried desperately to get inside his head.
"Jack, I'm sorry." He stopped walking abruptly.
"It's no one's fault. He was a beautiful boy." He gazed down at me.
"Do whatever you need to do, Jack."
"Take a cab back to the Bay," Jack started thinking. "Find the Doctor. He's your family; don't ever let him go." I nodded. Jack looked at me for a couple more seconds, then turned and wandered away into the city.
-~oOo~-
I got the driver to drop me outside the Millennium Centre on the Bay, just as Jack told me to. I hadn't been there since the bomb. Much of the area was cleared, but still a few bricks were lying around. I kicked one with my Converse, which were definitely less spotless now than when they were first given to me. A few feet away, people had laid flowers in a row against a wall: red and pink and yellow, white and purple wrappings. I walked slowly over to them and started reading the cards placed amongst the petals:
'My beautiful son'
'Dear Mum'
'Taken too soon'
'For all killed and affected by the Cardiff Bay bomb'
Obviously, Torchwood were not the only people around the Hub four days ago. And that made me angrier than ever at those few human beings who sat in those offices, around those tables, deciding the fate of strangers. My fingers curled into small fists as I struggled not to scream or cry, and my hearts started beating faster. I felt an overwhelming sense of disgust at the 'important' humans, and it was that moment when I realised that everyone starts special. Everyone has the potential to be brilliant, but some go wrong and lose their credibility. The Prime Minister and his associates were those people. They weren't special anymore. I squeezed my eyes shut and stepped backwards, treading on a piece of remaining rubble. My eyelids shot up and I looked down to steady myself. I gazed at the brick, not important to anyone. It was just a brick. But those bricks were the ones left over, the ones being kicked around by me and random people, kids playing. They were still being hurt after the trauma of the bomb. The bricks were Ianto. And they were Gwen and Rhys and Clem. Alice and her son. Rhiannon and Johnny, Mica and David, Ianto's family. Jack. All hurt in ways never to be truly fixed again, just like the Hub's debris, destined to be thrown around the Bay and eventually chucked into a dump somewhere.
I had stood thinking for some time. I started to notice people glancing strangely at me as they rushed past, going on with their normal daily lives. Not knowing that without the bravery of a grandfather and the sacrifice of an innocent child, they probably wouldn't be fine.
Suddenly I started walking. I didn't know exactly why or where I was going, but my legs were moving quickly and with intent. I turned abruptly into a shop after a couple of minutes and headed straight for the flower section, picking up the biggest and most ordered bunch. They were red and pale purple, wrapped in pure white paper. I paid with the last of the change I had from the pickpocketing, and headed straight back to the Bay.
A few minutes later I found myself carefully placing down my own addition to the pretty floral display. I put them directly in the centre, but they weren't showy or over the top. They were subtly beautiful. On the cream card, I wrote:
'You showed me the best of humanity. Forever in my hearts, and his. JS."
I stood up straight and admired all the colours and pretty petal shapes. I felt a smile creep on to my lips, and it lingered there as I remembered the good parts of the last five days I'd spent on Earth, and the new friends I had. I turned, walking away, not knowing where to go next. Jack said to keep searching for Dad, but now I was alone. Where to start? I paused in front of the big gold building to think. I remembered that this was where I was when it happened, and then an idea hit me. I ran around the corner to find the alley where the TARDIS landed before, but it wasn't there. It was empty, sitting dirtily as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened that week.
"Oh well," I sighed. "Retracing my steps now, then." I twisted reluctantly to walk back to the docks, when a familiar sound whirred behind me. I span to face the alley again. A strong breeze was picking up just in that spot, and a white light began to flash slowly a few feet above my head. A box was appearing from the air. It was getting louder. It was getting bluer. It was getting real. When the TARDIS had landed completely, and its beautiful straining sound stopped, I grinned. It was a huge one, spreading right across my face from ear to ear. The doors opened, and there right in front of me was my Dad: tall, skinny, pinstriped suit, spiky hair, old brown eyes, Converse on his feet.
"Jen, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," he said, pulling me into his arms and hugging me tight. "I thought you were still in the wardrobe, so I took off and it wasn't till then I realised." I giggled over his shoulder, and my eyes began to well up.
"I thought you didn't want me anymore." I said, giving him a watery smile.
"Oh Jen, never," he grinned back. "It's only been a couple of minutes."
"A couple of minutes?" I laughed. "Try five days, Dad."
"Five days! What?" He exclaimed, looking down at me in shock. "I came back straightaway!"
"Maybe for you," I paused. "But why did the TARDIS land here and not then? Something to do with the 456 blocking it? They didn't seem too worried when I said you were my Dad."
"What?"
"I thought they were just a bit stupid, but I suppose to control all the children on Earth…"
"Jen, what have you been doing here?" Dad asked me with genuine concern in his eyes. I smiled weakly, and began the story of the children of Earth as we walked back into the TARDIS control room. I told him about being left in Cardiff and finding Jack, meeting his family, going back to the Hub. The bomb, going on the run with Gwen and Rhys, dropping the concrete cell into the quarry (I laughed at Dad's face when it dawned on him that Jack would have been naked). Becoming a member of Torchwood, fighting back, everything about Frobisher and Lois and Clem and the 456. Ianto. Steven. And Jack. I struggled with tears during parts of the retelling, but Dad held me and said that I could tell him anything. So I did, and he hugged me even tighter, especially as I described the poison air in Thames House that killed everyone, and that I thought it got me, too. His brow furrowed at this point.
"Did I die, Dad?" I asked him quietly.
"I think so," he replied. His voice sounded strained. "But you've got two hearts, you're Time Lord, so you came back. Not like a normal regeneration, though, because you look the same. Reborn maybe? Perhaps you regenerate back into yourself."
"What's the gold stuff?"
"Regeneration energy."
When I eventually reached the end of the story, Dad looked at me with a mixed expression. His eyes were big and sad, but he was also smiling timidly with apparent pride.
"Jenny," he started quietly. "Where do you want to go next?" I smiled across the room.
"Barcelona." I replied.
LunaRoseDiCaprio: Another emotional chapter, I know.. back to Who territory next! Will be lighter for a while :) Read & Review! xx