Chapter 11: Jack revives
With a gasp and a great intake of breath Jack returned to life. He thrashed around as he tried to get his bearings, to remember where he had been and why and how he had died. He felt his hand being taken and focussed on Owen who was kneeling beside him. He gazed up and recognised the Hub which reassured him, as did the presence of Owen; he was not alone amongst aliens.
"Take it easy, Jack," soothed Owen, trying to keep him still. "That chest wound's only just healed." If Jack moved around too wildly he was likely to open it again.
"What happened?" Jack gasped.
"There was an explosion, you took the full force of it. Opened up your chest."
Jack looked down at his tattered shirt and T-shirt both of which were liberally blood splattered. He also saw the wound which was mending even as he watched. "How long?"
"Nearly 20 minutes," put in Toshiko.
Jack looked up at her and nodded. He was feeling better by the minute. He made to get up and with Owen's help managed to get to his feet. His legs felt weak and he could not stand unaided. Owen sat him on the couch. Jack looked around and realised it was rather more crowded than usual. He saw Gwen and Toshiko but his eyes widened at the sight of Jacks 2, 3 and 4.
"Did I knock my head?" he asked.
"Nope. They're all real, all from different times." Owen was gleefully watching Jack's confusion. Let him deal with this weird situation.
"We were brought here in answer to your emergency button," said Jack 2, indicating the wrist strap. "Seems to have been activated by the blast. I'm from 1934, the colourful one is from 1969 and this one says he's from 4693."
Jack looked around him again. "Right." He could think of nothing else to say. The blast, he remembered that better now. A grenade had gone off. A grenade which Ianto had been holding. Ianto! "Where's Ianto?!" he demanded.
"He's wasn't injured by the blast," soothed Owen. "He's up in the Tourist Office, responding to an alert."
"The same kind of alert that brought us here," put in Jack 4. He saw the alarm on Jack's face. "Better hope that the Jack he's meeting is from your past and not your future," he smirked.