Chapter 12

"Well, Ianto?" Jack prompted, fixing a narrow eyed and fervent stare upon the Welshman. "Your silence isn't very reassuring..."

"I... I'm sorry, Jack. Right now, I'm trying to process what you've told me," he said as the shimmering tears slid down his face. "I know Lisa horribly betrayed and used me... but, I did care about her."

Jack reached out to squeeze Ianto's hand, gratified when he didn't recoil from the touch. "I know you did. You have a beautiful and strong heart. I honestly admire that in you."

Ianto looked up at the heartfelt emotion that he could clearly detect in Jack's voice, knowing this wasn't standard Jack Harkness. This on the surface hard, cold and controlling man did have a caring heart. Perhaps it didn't display to the world often, but it did exist. That it was now being expressed in regards to him made Ianto's heart skip a beat or two faster. Flushing slightly as he lifted his free hand to brush away his tears, his eyes probed Jack's deeply. Ianto smiled softly, before whispering, "I'm onto you, Mr. Jack Harkness."

"Oh really, Jones. How so?" Jack queried, smirking at the warmth he could view rekindling in Ianto's eyes.

"The world sees you as a man of stone. No softer feelings... but, you do have them. Jack Harkness does have a heart," Ianto mused aloud.

Jack scowled, before turning away, but not quickly enough for Ianto to miss the smile that crossed his lips. Turning back, attempting to appear fierce and foreboding, Jack grumbled, "That's utter rubbish."

Ianto leaned forward, kissing Jack briefly across the lips, the slight contact causing the older man to groan in response. Pulling back, he whispered, "It's okay, Sir. Your secret is safe with me."

"There is no secret," Jack growled, punctuating his words by giving Ianto a hard and thorough kiss that was enough to drive all thoughts of teasing clear from the younger man's mind. Jack was precious moments away from forgetting about their impending company and laying him out on the couch, when he heard the chiming of the bells signaling their arrival. Jack reluctantly pulled free, telling his young lover in no uncertain terms, "This will continue later, dear boy."

"If you're lucky," Ianto retorted cheekily.

Jack growled anew at his teasing Welshman as he moved to welcome his guests. "Brave now, aren't you? We'll see how you feel later when I have you solely at my mercy."

"Promises, promises," Ianto quipped, smiling half heartedly as he watched Jack saunter out of the room to answer the door. His lightness only in existence when he'd been in Jack's arms. Out of them all he could feel was the pain and destruction that seemingly had been evoked by a man that was still obviously obsessed with him. He knew Jack was a commanding and powerful presence... but could he stop the maniacal mind of John Hart? He truly hoped so... for he knew alone he would be powerless to stand against such evil.


John Hart paced back and forth in his office, his rage swelling like never before. He hadn't counted on Owen finding the cameras and microphones so quickly. Of course, he knew he didn't implement that search on his own. He knew exactly who to blame for that development.

Jack fucking Harkness. How he hated that man. If he could get his hands on him right now he would surely kill him slowly and painfully. Interfering, beautiful prick. He knew Jack had already taken what had been his to take. All the more reason to despise Jack. He already had enough reason years ago when he had cruelly spurned his advances... but now to have taken what he wanted most – that was unforgivable. Jack would pay for this outrage... as would the gorgeous Welshman in granting his submission.

Gritting his teeth, in his mind's eye he could see the two of them writhing upon Jack's bed, mocking him as they fucked like animals. Clenching his fists, John snarled in savage fury, "The last laugh won't be on me, Jackie boy. I will get Ianto away from you. He will be my captive... and when I'm ready I will allow you to find him completely under my influence. Drugged and begging for me to use him. When you beg me to end the torment, I will fuck him one last time before I kill him before your eyes. Then, I will kill you." Laughing in an evil crazed hysteria, John ran his fingers over the drugs he would use to make Ianto submit. "Soon, my beauty... I will have you, and then it will be over for you and your lover."

Picking up the phone he called his main enforcer. "Bruce, listen closely. I want you to stake out Harkness' home. What I want is simple. When he leaves I want you to incapacitate him. You are NOT to kill him. If he leaves I think he'll have Ianto with him. Ianto is to be brought to me untouched and unharmed. Any questions?"

"No, Sir..." A brief pause and he asked, "You said not to kill Harkness. What am I do to with him?"

"Beat him within an inch of his life... but, leave him breathing and able to find help. That is not how I want his death to come." His eyes alight with evil menace, he whispered, "His death will be when he is emotionally crushed and it will be delivered solely by my hand."

"Yes, Sir. I'll be in touch," Bruce vowed, slipping into his car to discreetly follow his orders.

"Remember, this is to be outside of Jack Harkness' home. You cannot breach his security system. That will alert the police immediately."

"I understand, Sir. Don't worry. I'll have Ianto back where he belongs soon," he promised, his fear of his employer more than apparent in his voice.

John smiled coldly. "See that you do."


The four of them listened to the message on Ianto's cell phone together. Jack and Owen locked eyes, while Toshiko kept her sympathetic gaze fixed firmly on Ianto's tear streaked face. She had just met Ianto, but they had formed an instant connection. His pain and compassion was so raw and real, it was impossible for anyone not to be affected by it.

Jack pulled his eyes to Ianto slowly, before he hesitantly said, "I'd like to listen to it again, Ianto. If it's too much for you I can take Tosh with me to listen privately. We need to make certain no background noises can be identified."

"It's fine, Jack. Go ahead. I want this over..." Ianto barely whispered, keeping his eyes downcast.

Tosh continued to look at Ianto in concern. "Are you sure, Ianto? You don't have to put yourself through this."

"Yes, I do. Please, play it again, Jack..." Ianto said, locking his reddened eyes to Jack's that were filled with obvious concern and regret.

Jack nodded, before he pushed the button. "Ianto... I hope this message reaches you in time. I treated you horribly. I will regret that until I take my last breath. I only hope one day you will forgive me. For the sake of the time you once loved and believed in me, do this for me now, Ianto... You must get away from Jack Harkness. I know he's found me. There is no escape for me now. There is hope for you." Screams of terror filled the room as pounding was heard on her down. She could be heard running through the room, as she gasped shallowly, "Run Ianto. Go back home. Seek refuge with your employer. He is a good man. He will protect you from him. Don't wait, Ianto... go now." The call ended with shots echoing into the room, and clearly heard to be tearing into Lisa's body. A dull thump of the phone falling to the floor, before the call abruptly disconnected.

Tosh looked at Ianto, unshed tears in her eyes. "I'm so sorry, Ianto. I understand you loved her once. No matter what she has done... no one deserves this."

Ianto looked up, wiping fresh tears from his cheeks. "You're right. She didn't. Now what happens?"

"Now, I use my contacts to see if there has been a missing person report or a body matching Lisa's description. My gut tells me we won't find anything. Nor the phone she called you on," Tosh answered, as she begin typing rapidly on her laptop, her eyes transfixed to the screen in front of her.

Owen nodded in agreement. "Don't worry, Jack. She'll find something... she always does."

"I know that, Owen. I haven't done anything wrong. I have been here with Ianto... and I haven't assigned anyone to move in on Lisa Hallett. This is John Hart... pure and simple," Jack growled in menacing fury.

Ianto swallowed slowly, before he spoke in a quiet raspy voice, "Jack?"

"Yes, Ianto?" Jack asked, watching Ianto closely.

"It doesn't matter what Tosh finds out. I know you didn't do this," Ianto said, looking deeply into the older man's eyes.

Owen's eyes widened as he viewed the sigh of relief that passed through Jack's lips... and the surprising light that fell into his eyes. He smiled slowly to himself. Jack bloody Harkness actually cares about someone. There might be a silver lining in this entire mess, he continued to think.

"Thank you, Ianto," Jack responded simply, still trying to hold himself aloof... knowing he was failing miserably.

At once they all turned towards Tosh when she suddenly stopped clicking and scrolling, her eyes lifting to them in question. Jack moved behind her, asking curtly, "Find something?"

"I think I have, Jack. I pulled up Lisa's phone records. She received a call a short time before what I believe to be her time of death. Do you recognize it?"

Jack looked closely, a cold smile forming on his lips. "Indeed I do. John Hart's private number."

Owen snorted in derision. "What a stupid son-of-a-bitch. He planned this out well. Dumbass mother fucker used his own phone line."

Ianto's eyes widened at Owen's colorful phrasing. "Well, it doesn't prove he killed Lisa. He had offered to help me find her, being my boss he could say he was tracking her down – for me."

Jack swore under his breath. "Good point, Ianto. It's a good defense. May or may not hold up. However, if we can turn up the shooter... things can change."

Owen looked towards his wife. "What about a body? Find that yet?"

Tosh looked up in a mock scowl at her husband. "Relax, darling. I'm trying. Remember, I'm hacking here... I am not actually on a police computer."

Owen grunted. "Semantics. It's the same when you are at the keyboard."

Jack grinned as he watched Tosh pause to stick her tongue out at her husband, all of the men smiling when Owen embarrassed her by muttering out his response. "Later, my love."

Her attention once more back on the screen, she looked up after exhausting every search in each possible county her body could have been recovered. "There's nothing. Her body has most definitely not been found."

Jack nodded. "I suspected as much. John didn't have anything to pin me to it. He did this to get Lisa out of his way, along with attempting to place doubt in Ianto's mind. It's all text book John Hart mind games."

"Well, he failed miserably," Ianto observed.

"It's not over yet, Ianto. John Hart isn't one to give up. He went to all this trouble to both eliminate your girlfriend and discredit me. He won't give up," Jack told him bluntly.

"So, what's the plan, Jack?" Owen asked sharply.

Jack frowned in deep thought for several moments. "My hunch is that he's going to try to grab Ianto outside of my impenetrable gates. That is the one thing I won't allow to happen."

Ianto groaned, his gut churning with thoughts that this would never be over. "I can't stay here forever, Jack."

"You will stay here until I decide it's safe for you to leave," Jack clipped out in commanding fashion. Looking towards Owen and Tosh, he said, "You will be our eyes on the outside. I want you to keep digging, and alert me to the smallest detail found."

Tosh stood, moving to hug Jack tightly. "Don't you worry, Jack. If something is there... I will find it."

Jack kissed her on the cheek, before growling at Owen. "You take care of this lady."

Owen smiled lovingly at his wife. "Don't you worry about that, Jack."

Jack walked them to the door, stopping only to assure they were safely off the grounds and the security system was fully intact, before he rejoined a trembling Ianto. He stepped forward, pulling the younger man into his arms. Cradling him closely to his chest, he stroked the back of his head, whispering softly, "It's okay, Ianto. We're just going to lay low for awhile. John will get desperate and make his move... and then I will make sure he is out of your life forever." He kissed Ianto softly on the side of his neck, his eyes cold and filled with a murderous rage burning with the death of John Hart. Ice pooling in his veins, he said, "It will be over soon, gorgeous. John Hart will never get close to what's mine again."

TBC