Jack stared down at his team, he watched Owen run around trying to revive 'Ianto.' A stab of guilt hit him, he should have realised something was wrong, he'd noticed Ianto had been acting differently, but had let himself get caught up in Gwen's mess. He sighed, thinking back to it, he was sure now the device and two iantos linked to it somehow, he just wasn't sure how. Tosh was working on the device, he reminded himself, she was sure to find something.
"Hey," the voice made him jump, glimpsing sideways he saw Gwen had come to join him. He offered her a small smile,
"Alright Gwen?"
She nodded, "I think so, it's just so strange, isn't it? I mean, two Iantos?"
He nodded, "I was just thinking about that."
She frowned at him, "How are you holding up Jack? It must be hard, not knowing which one he is, and knowing your Ianto could be that one." She waved towards the unconscious Ianto.
Jack sighed, looking down, trying to hide his pain.
She placed a hand on his shoulder,
"We'll figure it out jack."
He smiled at her, "I know we will," before turning to head down to Owen.
Jack walked over to Owen's station slowly, trying not to look at the bloody unconscious man in front of him.
"How is he?"
Owen looked up, "Not good Jack, he is dehydrated and malnourished, both his arms where dislocated, he is covered in bruises, and it looked like he sustained some pretty nasty blows to the head."
"Will he live?"
Owen hesitated, "he should." He said carefully.
"Should?" Jack forced out.
"I... I won't be certain until he wakes up, it's possible..."
Jack grasped the edge of the table to steady himself. He remembered how he felt thinking Gwen was dead, imaging if Ianto died. He shook slightly, no, he couldn't loose Ianto.
"Jack..." Owen said cautiously, "he might not even be Ianto."
Jack straightened up. "Right, well do your be-"
A scream from Toshiko cut him off. Both men's heads snapped up to Tosh's area.
The device had lifted up, it was flouting a few meters off the ground.
A strange werring noise filled the Hub, then a sudden bright light flashed out of the device, moving through the Hub. Jack felt it go through him, it hit him in the chest, he was surprised at how cold it was, freezing him as it passed through his body. The device pulsed once more, this time the light was a warm blue, it shot through, Jack barley felt it. The device pulsed once more, sending out a dull grey light, it was warm to touch, and moved slowly, like smoke. At the last of the light passed through the walls the noise stopped and the device dropped down, onto Toshiko's desk.
Everyone stood still for a minute, waiting to see if anything else would happen.
"What the bloody hell was that?!" Owen finally broke the silence.
Tosh just shook her head, moving away from her desk.
"What's going on?"
Owen and Jack looked down in surprise at Ianto. His eyes where open and he was slowly sitting up. Owen grabbed his arm, searching for a sign of the bruises that had covered it only moments ago.
"What the hell?" He exclaimed, examining Ianto.
Ianto watched him frowning.
"What's going on?" He repeated, looking around. "Jack? How did I get to the Hub? Where is he?"
"Where's who?"
"The thing... He, he looks like me, but he's not, he was Gwen first, but now he looks like me, I... I think..." A look of horror came over his face, "I think he's been pretending to be me."
Jack was caught, he wanted to grab the young man in front of him and tell him everything was going to be okay, but part of him held back, remembering the desperate pleading face of the young man he locked down in a cell.
Jack gulped. "Owen... Owen put him in a cell, then let the other one out, I want to have a talk with him."
Owen hesitated for a second before nodding and grabbing Ianto's shoulder to guide him down to the cells.
"Jack-" Ianto said, looking at him sadly.
Jack held up his hand to stop him.
"No, listen, I don't know if you are Ianto, but if you are, then please, just listen, I'm going to work this out. I just need you to do as I say, alright? I'll figure it out." He paused, "And if your not Ianto, and you've done anything to hurt him, I'll kill you."
Ianto nodded, "Alright, I trust you."
Jack felt part of his chest burst with yearning to comfort the young man, but he swallowed it down, and motioned for Owen to continue.
The creature felt the light hit him, finding all the wounds on the body, quickly repairing them, leaving it as good as new. A smile formed on his lips, the device was fully charged, quickly the smile disintegrated as he remembered that he had no way of reaching the device. He cursed, leaning back against the cell wall. He felt so hopeless and trapped, it was horrible. Footsteps echoed down the corridor, he watched in interest as Owen pushed Ianto into the cell next to his.
Grumbling Owen opened his cell and motioned for him to step out. Frowning slightly he obliged.
"What's going on Owen?" He asked as Owen clasped hand cuffs around his wrists.
"Jack wants to speak with you," Owen replied.
"What's with theses?" He lifted his hands.
"Incase your not Ianto," Owen spoke gruffly, pushing him down the corridor. As he walked The creature fought with his body to stay calm, he felt the fear struggle to take over. His hands bargain to shake, he rammed them deep in his pockets, ignoring the fact the rest of him was now trembling. Cold sweat dripped down his face, he took a deep breath, hating human form more and more, praying the walk up would give him enough time to calm down.
To his surprise Owen did not lead him up to the Hub, but rather to a small concrete room below. The room was empty except for two chairs and a table, Owen motioned for him to sit. Gingerly he lowered himself into one of the chairs, jumping when Owen shut the door and left. He sat in silence, noticing a cctv camera on one wall, he offered it a small smile.
The door on the other side of the room swung open and Jack stepped in, his face grim.