Getting Even
Chapter Nine
Owen grinned as he slewed the SUV across the pedestrianised plaza blocking in a couple of police cars. The manoeuvre was as good as any Jack could do, possibly better. Heads turned to stare at them as he, Gwen and Toshiko exited the vehicle. They swaggered to the police tape and the lowly constable raised it immediately to let them pass. Intimidation was the Torchwood way and they had mastered it during the months of Jack's unexplained absence.
"Who's in charge?" demanded Gwen.
Inspector Pugh, busy briefing uniformed officers and checking maps, groaned. Without looking up, he asked, "What do you lot want?"
"Same as you. Wallswell." Gwen planted herself in front of the inspector. As planned in the SUV, Toshiko hung back scanning the area with her PDA while Owen ran an expert eye over the police preparations.
"Why?" Tim Pugh was surprised. He stopped what he was doing and stared at them.
"He's got hold of advanced weapons. We want them."
"How advanced? What are they?" asked an officer in full riot gear. Gwen correctly assumed he was leading the Armed Response Team and noted his name, clearly shown on his uniform; Roberts.
"That's need to know, and you don't need to know. Just be aware they're ten times more powerful than that peashooter." She gestured to the Heckler and Koch G36C he was holding. "What's the latest on Wallswell?" she asked Pugh.
Standing a few feet away, Owen had completed his 360 degree visual sweep of the plaza. Groups of uniformed officers were being briefed and sent off in different directions to search the shops and other businesses in this and surrounding streets. First, to evacuate civilians and second to check the premises for John Wallswell. They were all decked out in Kevlar vests to protect them from bullets but wore orange high-visibility jackets over the top making them easier targets. Owen shook his head at the stupidity of the police mind. The Armed Response Team had made no such errors. They were in black and held their Heckler and Koch semi-automatics across their chests even while being briefed to accompany the uniforms. Behind the large police presence, and not far from the SUV, stood a couple of ambulances, both with their back doors open ready for business.
"I'm going back to the SUV," said Toshiko.
"I'll walk with you. Want to see what's going on over there." He had spotted someone being treated by a paramedic. Must have been involved in the initial shooting to need attention so soon.
Owen caught Gwen's eye and gestured to the SUV. She nodded and went back to the discussion with Pugh. He was one of the more sympathetic police officers, willing to let Torchwood in without too much moaning, and she was getting a lot of good information. The shooting had taken place in the next street over. After the initial shots were fired, everyone had scattered in panic. Shops had closed and locked their doors and those that could had also brought down shutters to protect plate glass windows. It was these premises that the uniformed officers, with cover from the Armed Response Team, were checking now. CCTV from the area was being checked for Wallswell but he had gone into a blind spot by HMV and they hadn't been able to locate him coming out of it. Clearly at that point he had only used a hand gun. Pugh and Roberts had assumed that was all he had until Gwen told them otherwise.
While Pugh spoke urgently into his radio, she stepped back and raised Toshiko on the comms. Speaking quietly, she said, "Tosh, check the CCTV around HMV. Wallswell was lost around there."
"Will do. Scans are pretty useless at the moment, there are too many police around. Any chance you can get them to withdraw?"
"Not yet. Maybe when the civilians are all clear."
Gwen closed the comms. Where was Wallswell? He must have stashed the other weapons somewhere, had he gone back for them? An idea occurred and she was about to raise Toshiko again when her mobile rang. Rhys.
"Bit busy, love," she told him.
"You heard about Andy? He was shot." Rhys spoke fast, knowing from experience that Gwen was likely to end the call if he didn't.
"Shot?" Her head whipped round until she could see the ambulances.
"In the city centre. Some mad man opened up and gunned him down. Police are everywhere, that's what they're saying on the radio."
"Thanks for telling me. I'll find out how he is. Gotta go now. Love you."
She put away her mobile and turned to face Pugh. "The reports say a policeman was shot. Who was it?"
Inspector Pugh opened his mouth to reply and the back of his head exploded. The whine of the high velocity bullet came a fraction of a second later as Gwen was rolling across the open space. She reached the safety of a police van and rolled underneath it. Lying flat, she recovered her breath and peered out at the scene. Pugh was down. Roberts had found cover as had those members of his team still nearby. The rest of the police officers were slower and one young woman constable was hit in the back as she tried to get away.
"Gwen! You okay?" shouted Owen into the comms.
"Still breathing. Where did that come from? It must be Wallswell."
"I'm triangulating now," put in Toshiko. She was lying across the back seat of the SUV even though the doors and windows were bulletproof. "He's up on a roof somewhere."
"I'll take a look around," said Owen.
"Be careful!" warned Gwen sharply. He was only carrying his Glock at the moment, like her; the heavy weaponry was still in the SUV. "Who was in the ambulance?"
"Some stupid copper who fell over his own feet."
-ooOoo-
The ploinine energy sweep was a beautiful construction. It was like watching a kaleidoscope as it bent round itself, covering a small area each time but in such a way that it moved over the city continuously. Not for the first time, Ianto looked in awe at Toshiko's handiwork. What had been a mechanical scan was now complex and sophisticated. He made sure to leave it alone, scared of interfering with it and destroying her work. Dragging his gaze away from the patterns, he checked the other screens. He was still in the medical bay but was surrounded by laptops all doing different things so he could monitor it all. As well as keeping an eye on the scan for the Krittenack, he had access to Cardiff Police communications and records, local news websites and the Torchwood records. He turned to the last one now and went back to reading about the Jizm'll Horde. He kept in touch with the team through the comms in his ear and started when they came under fire. Relieved to hear all their voices, he relaxed again.
"They're okay, Jack. Doing a good job, just like you trained them."
Jack was awake again but lying fairly quietly. The jerking of his limbs had diminished but Ianto left the restraints on. Better to be safe especially as they were alone. Jack's eyes still rolled around and the grunts and moans were distressing. As was the almost constant stream of saliva coming out of his mouth.
"Let's wipe you up again. You're a mucky pup, sir. A very mucky pup." He gently removed the latest offering. "This better not be your way of getting my attention. You should know you have that anyway. It's very hard to ignore you, you know. I have to steel myself to look away when you're in the room. I do."
He threw away the tissue and sat back on the stool. There didn't seem to be any improvement in Jack's condition. He was quieter when Ianto was near, which was why he had set himself up in the medical bay, but there wasn't any intelligence behind the beautiful blue eyes. Was he going to stay like this forever? Should they try killing him? No, not yet, resolved Ianto. If they did that and Jack revived just the same as he was now it would be the end of all hope. That had to be the very last resort.
"I wish we knew more about how you work, Jack. This gift of yours, why isn't it mending you, huh? Can it? Do you know? Have you been through this before?" Ianto sighed and ran a hand through Jack's hair. "Owen wants to contact The Doctor. Thinks he might be able to help. Can he, Jack? Can he bring you out of this? Because if he can, I'll tear the universe apart to find him and force him to do it. I will."
In the ensuing silence, Jack's wandering gaze actually met Ianto's and held it for a second or two before the eyes moved on. Saliva dribbled out of his open mouth and Ianto wiped it away mechanically. Despite all the good things Jack had said about The Doctor, Ianto found it hard to let go of his fear of the Time Lord. Torchwood One had drummed the initial distrust into him but it was now compounded with rivalry for Jack's affections. Jack may say he had come back to Cardiff to be with him, Ianto, but it was hard to believe.
"Better get back to work, I suppose. Mustn't slack off just because the boss can't do anything about it. Must be boring for you, just lying there. I wonder …" He went back to one of the laptops. A few minutes later he turned to Jack again. "There, what do you think of that? Your own light show, sir." A changing pattern of coloured lights played all over the ceiling and top of the walls. "You look at that while I get on here."
-ooOoo-
Back at his nest on the rooftops, Wally Wallswell was humming a tune from his favourite musical, Annie Get Your Gun. He loved all the old shows and had been delighted when Becky had followed … Becky? He sat still, the AK47 lying across his knee, and explored this new memory. He had a daughter who liked singing and dancing. She had been a Munchkin and Annie and …
Shaking his head, he took a long swig of whisky. This must be some Jizm'll trick, telepathy or something. They were trying to mess with his mind because he had taken down two of them. He grinned. It had been good shooting given his position and the wind veering east to west. Karen couldn't criticise his marksmanship though she found plenty of other things to complain about. He took some more whisky. Drinking was one of them. According to her, he drank too much which made him unreliable and intolerant. Why shouldn't he drink? He had nothing else in his life. No family, no friends. He frowned. So who was Becky?
-ooOoo-
Moving sideways, Gwen eased out from under the van. She crouched behind the front wing and surveyed the scene. The police officers had found shelter where they could – behind vehicles, benches, a telephone box – with some breaking into a vacant shop. Two bodies lay on the paved street. Pugh was clearly dead but the woman officer appeared to be moving an arm. She was some ten metres away from Gwen.
Raising her gaze, Gwen spotted Roberts across the street about twenty metres beyond the woman. He was standing with his back to a wall. Using universal gestures, he pointed to the woman and motioned Gwen dragging her to safety while he provided cover. They'd be taking a hell of a risk but the woman would die if she was left there. Gwen nodded her agreement and prepared to move. Roberts counted down using his fingers and they both sprang forward. Ten metres had never seemed as far before. Every moment, Gwen expected a bullet to smash into her head like it had Pugh's. She was amazed to reach the woman unscathed. Gripping her under the armpits, Gwen raised her slightly and dragged her backwards. After a few metres, Roberts reached down and took some of the weight keeping his machine gun in the other hand. They reached the safety of the van and Roberts gestured to other officers to take the injured woman to the paramedics.
"He's moved." Roberts was scanning the rooftops. "We were too good a target not to try for us."
"He's got to be on a roof somewhere." Gwen leant against the van and took in deep breaths. Her palms felt gritty and she rubbed them on her jeans. "Call in a helicopter."
"Being done. ETA three minutes."
"Good. You in charge now?"
He smiled. "No chance. DCI is on his way. That was an AK, nothing fancy. You sure he's got your special weapons?"
"Positive." She looked to the SUV. "Let's see what my colleague has found out."
Being careful, they slipped from cover to cover and made the far side of the SUV. Toshiko had moved to the left hand - safer - side of the backseat and was sitting up again working the computer. She opened the window as Gwen approached.
"Well done," she said with a brief smile. "Wallswell's moved."
"We realised. Can you pinpoint him?"
"Not yet. Should be able to do more when the helicopter gets here."
"How do you know about that?" asked Roberts. He was alternating looking up at the roofs and peering into the SUV at the technology on display.
Toshiko looked at him pityingly and spoke to Gwen. "Getting better scan results now the area has been cleared."
"Good." said Gwen. "Looks like the DCI has arrived." She gestured to a car which had stopped near the ambulances.
Recognising the dismissal, Roberts jogged away. Gwen opened the comms. "Ianto, need you to do two things. Find out the status of the officer in the original shooting. And where Wallswell was positioned during that last operation in 1982."
"On it."
"It'll take a few minutes to find Wallswell. He's moving about," said Toshiko.
"Just hope it's before he starts using the blasters." She scanned the area again and spotted a familiar figure further down the street hiding behind a pillar. "What the heck!" She sprinted off.
Who has Gwen seen? Will Wallswell fire again? Is Andy really dead? Find out in the next chapter ...