Early Morning - Reston Secure Holding Facility and Cadogan Gardens
The SUV drew up outside the main gate of Reston and Jack left it blocking them. He really didn't care who he annoyed in this place. "How do we play this?" he asked Jane who was sitting in the seat beside him.
"We present the warrant and take possession of Owen. They know we're coming, they'll have been informed when the warrant was issued." She looked across at Jack. "I don't expect any trouble but there's no point antagonising them. Let me take the lead. Please?"
"Okay, I'll be on my best behaviour." He grinned ruefully then glanced at the young man in the back seat; he still looked half asleep. "What about him?"
"He stays here. You hear that, Tom? Stay in the vehicle, we won't be long."
"Okay. Wake me up when you get back." He closed his eyes, resting his head on the large bag he'd brought with him.
Jack and Jane left the SUV and crossed to the small, door in the steel wall. Their every move was being watched so they were not surprised that the door opened as they approached. They stepped through and were escorted to the main reception. Jack glared at Commander Brown, the head of the place and the man who had sat and denied any knowledge of Owen when all the time he had been in the cells here. Jane laid a restraining hand on Jack's arm and it was only this that stopped him launching into a verbal tirade.
"Commander, I believe you're expecting this." She handed over the warrant which the policeman scanned.
"Indeed. I wasn't expecting you quite so soon, Ma'am. We need a little time to process the prisoner …"
"He's not a prisoner," growled Jack, "that's what that bit of paper means."
"My apologies. But it will take a little time for Dr Harper to be processed." Commander Brown was smooth and plausible but Jack was having none of it.
"Bullshit! Get him up here. Now." He moved to stand bare inches from the policeman who was a match for him in height and weight. They looked like bare-knuckle fighters squaring up before a match.
Jane, a good six inches shorter than both men and slighter, inserted herself between them. "Now, now, gentlemen no need for a pissing contest today." She felt Jack relax and Commander Brown took a step back. "While Captain Harkness may lack finesse, Commander, he is nevertheless correct. We want Dr Harper brought here immediately." Her tone was firm and unequivocal.
The Commander looked embarrassed. "I'm not trying to delay you for no reason. The doctor is with him and needs to ensure he's fit to be moved."
Jack stepped forward, as close to the man as before. "Get him. Now." His voice was low and the threat obvious.
"Captain, Commander, please!" said Jane. If this was Jack on his best behaviour she dreaded to think what he'd be like when he wasn't! "Commander Brown, I suggest that one of your men escorts Captain Harkness to Dr Harper where he can make his own assessment of the situation. While he's doing that, you can bring me Dr Harper's laptop, personal papers and any other of his effects you have in your possession. We also want his car."
"I'm happy with that," nodded the policeman. "There's just one problem, the car is not in a state to be driven at the moment."
"Then put it back together," said Jack, "with no hidden extras."
"As the Captain says," agreed Jane. "I'll have someone here at nine o'clock to collect it."
The policeman nodded again and gestured for a colleague to take Jack to Owen. Jane watched him go, pleased she would have a chance to mend fences with the Commander. She didn't like the man but he was only doing his job, perhaps over-zealously, nevertheless it was his job. She took a seat while Owen's possessions were brought to her.
Jack's first sight of Owen made his blood run cold. He was lying in a heap on the floor of a damp cell. He had obviously received some medical attention – there was an IV bag dripping something into his veins – and he was swathed in a blanket. Jack dropped to his knees beside Owen, pushing aside the man he assumed to be the medic.
"Owen? Owen, it's okay. I'm here. You'll be out of this soon." He stroked a hand over his hair and saw the eyes open and try to focus on him.
"Jack?" The voice was low and wavering, as if Owen did not quite believe his boss was in the room with him.
"Yeah, it's me. I'm really here." His hand kept stroking the hair and Owen's eyes gradually settled on Jack's face.
"What took … so long?"
Jack chuckled, relief bubbling up inside him. "Sorry about that. You ready to leave?"
"He shouldn't be moved," said the medic from Jack's side. "He's dehydrated and in considerable pain. I also believe he has a punctured lung, moving him could be fatal."
Jack did not give the man a glance. He kept his eyes on Owen who had obviously heard as well. "Owen? Your call."
"Get me … out … of here," he murmured. "But take … it carefully."
That was all Jack needed to hear. "Okay." He saw that Owen was naked underneath the blanket and considered that trying to dress him would cause more pain and delay. He stood and shrugged off his greatcoat. "Help me sit him up," he said to the medic.
"This is against my medical advice," the man said immediately, covering his back.
"Well, forgive me if I don't think much of your advice," snarled Jack suddenly, making the man take a step backwards. "You let him get in this state. Now help!"
The two men raised Owen to a sitting position and pulled the blanket down. Jack swallowed when he saw the abused body but it only strengthened his resolve to remove Owen from this place as soon as possible. Jack eased the coat round Owen's shoulders, not bothering to put his arms in the sleeves, buttoning it up at the front. This pinned Owen's arms to his sides and helped support the ribcage which had already been bound. The line from the IV was threaded through the collar of the coat and the medic held it up while Jack, as gently as possible, reached round Owen and lifted him into his arms. Owen groaned softly, the pain killers deadening some of the agony, and then settled into a comfortable carrying position. The medic draped the blanket over him for added warmth.
Jane stood when the doors opened and Jack stepped through, Owen in his arms; she had never doubted that he would insist on removing the doctor immediately. She gathered together Owen's personal effects, said goodbye to Commander Brown and led the way to the SUV.
Tom jumped out of the vehicle and helped ease Owen into the back seat, propping him up in as comfortable a position as they could manage. The blanket was put over his legs and the IV bag hung on the coat hook above the door. Tom was in the back with Owen, expertly assessing his condition. He was a junior doctor who had liaised with Jane on an exercise and they'd become friends. He hadn't hesitated to help when she'd asked.
"He needs attention," he said laconically. "Drive fast but smooth, Captain. No throwing us round corners like on the way here."
Jack nodded, jumped in the driver's seat and fastened his seat belt. Jane was already in the seat beside him, the laptop, attaché case, bag of clothes and the contents of Owen pockets either on her knee or at her feet. They drove off and Jack took Tom's instructions to heart and gave his passengers the smoothest ride of his life. They arrived at Cadogan Gardens and Jack carefully backed into the drive, which already held a UNIT Land Rover as well as Jane's Aston Martin, and stopped as close to the front door as he could.
It was 3.39 in the morning.
For the next hour Jack watched as others took over - again. He sat on the bottom steps of the stairs, banished from the room set aside for Owen's care. UNIT had unloaded the equipment and efficiently and quickly set it up in the front downstairs room, opposite the drawing room, and departed. Jack had carried Owen into the room and then Tom, with a colleague who had arrived just as UNIT left, had pushed him out of the way as they assessed and treated Owen. Jack had been told to wait somewhere else and the door of the room firmly closed against him. Jane had made some more phone calls and then gone to her room for a couple of hours sleep.
Jack had wandered to the kitchen and phoned the troops in Cardiff with the good news. There had been many congratulations but tinged with concern for their injured colleague. Promising to phone with more news when it was available, Jack had taken a bottle of water and found his perch on the stairs, just a few steps from the door to Owen's room.
Phew, at least Owen is safe. But what about his injuries?
