Chapter 10
"Ok" Owen said "You don't know me yet".
"What?"
"We meet next year".
"Ok… Thank you for helping me escape, but perhaps I'd better make my own way now". Toshiko offered, slightly weary of Owen.
"Where are you going to go?"
"I…I don't know".
"You think I'm a nutter don't you?"
"Well…"
"I'm not, I'm from the future and I know you".
"Of course", she said without sounding like she meant it.
"Don't just humour me, it's true. You where born 18th September 1978, your parents were in the RAF, your granddad worked at Bletchley park and you favourite kind of sandwich is smoked salmon".
Toshiko looked at him open mouthed for a second. "Ok", she said thinking. "Say I believe you, how can you suddenly appear in what you think is my past?"
"I'm not sure. You see we work for…"
"Torchwood, you've said".
"We deal with some really strange things".
"Like what?"
"Aliens, people stranded in time, time shifts, to mention just a few".
"So this is normal".
"Well no I wouldn't call it that", Owen said wrinkling his brow. "But no more strange than any thing else".
"So when do I join Torchwood?"
"Round about now I think. I never knew you were imprisoned at U.N.I.T.s pleasure though".
"I don't suppose I wanted to shout about it".
"True", Owen said looking at Toshiko, she blushed and looked away. "We need to find Jack".
"Who's Jack?" She asked.
"He runs Torchwood Cardiff".
Gwen was only a little out of breath and her nose was running slightly, but she felt a lot better now than what she had done a couple of days ago. She arrived at Torchwood and put her hand on the scanner panel. But instead of turning green and the door unlocking, it trued red. She muttered, wiped her hand on her jeans and tried again, but she still got the same response. She tied a third time, but it was still no good. This time it flashed up;
Unknown Personnel Access Denied
Gwen banged on the door, "It's Gwen, let me in, this stupid thing is playing up".
The door clicked open and she went in.
"Guys it's strange the door didn't recognise me".
She heard the cocking of guns before she saw them. There they were four strangers standing in front of her. Behind them she could see the hub, but she didn't really recognise it, it was sleek and clinical.
"Who are you?" Gwen asked
"We could ask you the same question", a tall angular woman said. "I am Abigail Harvey, I'm in charge of things around here".
"But where's Jack?"
"Jack who?"
"Jack Harkness, he's in charge of Torchwood Three".
"Not here he's not".
A skinny Asian man put his gun away and sat down at one of the computers. "Jack Harkness Torchwood employee…"
"See", Gwen said
"From the 1890s until 1914, there is only one mention of him after that time".
"I think you may be a little confused my dear", Abigail said with a patronising tone to her voice.
"No that's not right", Gwen pleaded.
"Now you don't look early twentieth century to me, sweet heart".
"What about Tosh".
"What is a Tosh?"
"Toshiko Sato she works here too".
"Rav". Abigail instructed the young man to look again.
"No, no Torchwood personnel by that name", he said
"Try Owen Harper", Gwen said panicking.
Rav, typed again, "No nothing on him either".
"What about Ianto Jones?" Gwen asked but Rav didn't move. "Well aren't you going to try?"
"We knew an Ianto Jones". One of the other women who hadn't spoken before said quietly.
"Knew? What do you mean by knew?" Gwen asked worried.
"There was a problem involving his girlfriend". Abigail said without any emotion.
"Oh my god, you killed him didn't you?" Gwen said in realisation.
"It was necessary".
Gwen put her hand to her mouth in shock and to try and stop herself being sick.
"So who are you?"
"Gwen Williams".
Rav typed away yet again. "Nee Copper, Police officer".
"Now what would a Police Officer want with us?" Abigail said, her voice threatening.