Recommend you read We Worked Together (the story can be accessed through my profile - socalrose) before reading this story because it's a sequel to We worked Together.
This chapter is PG-13.
Story Summary: Jack and Ianto continue to define their relationship and deal with the Rift while Tosh nutures her blossoming relationship with Roddy. No one said it would be easy.
In this chapter: "Fine, but you stay behind us and if either of us tells you to run, then you run – got it?" Tosh said.
It's in the Bank
Tosh tweaked the computer program until she was satisfied. "There – all done," she said.
"So what exactly did you do?" Gwen asked as she handed Tosh her dinner. Jack had arranged for Nurse Janet to get dinner for everyone since she had planned on bringing Ianto some non-hospital food like she had promised him she would. Janet brought in baked chicken with rice pilaf, fresh fruit, and sticky toffee pudding for afters.
"I've programmed everyone's PDA to detect any alien power sources in the hospital," Tosh replied before eating some chicken. It was nice to eat a regular dinner for a change instead of takeout food. The team ate and made small talk. Percy was extremely interested in Ianto's dinner before Roddy scooped the ferret up and placed him on the floor. Roddy sat down on the floor and opened a container of fresh diced chicken. Percy got all excited when he smelled the chicken and started jumping about making dooking sounds until Roddy placed the container on the floor. The ferret pounced on the container with glee and gobbled up his own dinner. Ianto and the others laughed at Percy's antics.
The remnants of dinner were stowed away in the takeout bags and Jack briefed the team on the plan. "The plan's simple; in teams of two armed with your PDAs you'll scan every floor for an alien power source. Bullets and tasers will slow the plasmavore down, but it won't kill it."
"What will kill it Jack? Wooden stakes?" Gwen asked half joking. A nervous chuckle ran through the team.
"Unfortunately not," Jack replied. "You can kill a plasmavore by decapitation or by shooting it with one of these." Jack opened a case Roddy had brought back from the Hub. Inside three pistol-like weapons lay in their fitted slots. "These are, for want of a better term laser guns. You activate them by pressing this green button and fire the weapon the same way you fire your guns," he explained. "Remember they have a finite power supply, so use them only when you've got the plasmavore in your sights." He looked at Ianto and then at the rest of the team. "We don't know if this plasmavore is young or old; if it's young it will be physically strong. I'm inclined to think it's old, because it's using a cloaking device and some sort of weapon which prevents its victim from screaming and fighting back. Don't get separated from your partner and keep your comms on at all times. I know I should be out there helping you find,"
"No, Jack, you need to stay here and protect Ianto," Gwen countered.
"She's right," Owen agreed. "You won't be able to focus on the job properly; you'd be worrying about Ianto the whole time. Right here is where you need to be."
They all nodded in agreement. Jack was overwhelmed by their concern and understanding. His voice was rough when he said, "I can't say it often enough, Ianto and I appreciate everything you've all done to help us since the incident at the clinic – it means a lot to both of us. Please be careful out there; the job's not done until everyone goes home safe, alright?"
"Works for me," Owen said. "Come on Gwen; let's go get us a Plasmavore. We'll start on the ground floor and work up."
"Fine, but I get the laser pistol," replied Gwen grabbing one from the case.
"Why do you get the laser pistol?" Owen complained.
Gwen smiled; "because I'm not trigger happy like you, plus I'm a better shot," she replied.
"Pushy Welsh woman," Owen muttered stalking out of the room followed by Gwen.
"I guess we should start on the top floor and work our way down," Tosh said to Roddy.
"Here," Jack said handing one pistol to Tosh. He tried to hand the other one to Roddy, but Roddy refused.
"Keep one for yourself, Jack; you may need it," Roddy said.
"You're right, thanks," Jack replied attaching the holster to his belt.
"Is it alright to leave Percy here or do you want me to take him with us?" Roddy asked. Hearing his name Percy raised his head briefly from Ianto's lap, yawned and snuggled closer to Ianto.
Ianto smiled at Percy and stroked his pink fur. "I think Percy and I are both ready for a nap," he said yawning too.
"That's settled then," Tosh said smiling. "We'll check in with you every 30 minutes Jack," she added. She and Roddy left the room leaving Ianto, Jack and Percy behind.
"Napping in the chair is not good for you so let's get you and Percy back to bed," Jack said. He picked Percy up and helped Ianto get settled into bed and placed Percy down on the bed. Percy immediately made himself comfortable by Ianto's side and went to sleep. Jack leaned over and kissed Ianto. "Get some rest, love," he said.
"I will," Ianto replied his eyes already closing. Jack turned most of the lights off and pulled the privacy curtain around Ianto's bed. He sat down by the computers and started monitoring the team's progress as they searched for one invisible Plasmavore.
"Gwen, Owen, find anything yet?" Jack asked over the comms. He'd been checking in with both teams practically every 10 minutes which was starting to irritate some team members.
Rolling his eyes, Owen replied, "Jack you're worse than a little kid; any minute I expect you to start chanting 'Are we there yet? Are we there yet?' I'm tired and I have one nerve left and you're standing on it!"
There was silence for only a moment before Jack said, "So that's a 'No?'"
Before Owen said something he'd regret Gwen answered, "I'm afraid so Jack. We're finding trace amounts from an alien power source, but it's not getting any stronger than that. It's like the plasmavore came through here at some point, but it was a while ago."
"Alright," Jack replied with a frustrated sigh. "Let me know if the readings get stronger."
"You'll know the moment we find something," Gwen promised.
Nurse Janet dropped off the medical charts in the medical records department, turned off the lights and headed back to the lift. Walking down the corridor she turned the corner and ran into Roddy and Tosh. "Bloody hell – you damn near gave me a heart attack!" Janet said once she got her breath back.
"Sorry," gasped Roddy just as frightened as Janet. "We didn't expect anyone up here this evening."
"Obviously," she replied, "Mind pointing your weapons in some other direction?"
Roddy and Tosh pointed their weapons away from Janet. "And sorry about that as well," Roddy added. "Let us escort you to the lift and then we'll finish searching this floor."
The three of them headed to the lift. "Hold up, Roddy," Tosh said stopping and looking at the readings on her PDA. "I'm getting a stronger reading on an alien power source, coming from that direction," she said pointing down another corridor.
"Janet, what's down that corridor?" Roddy asked.
"Just the blood bank; why would it go there now when it's already attacked Jarrod?" Janet asked.
"I don't know; hiding out perhaps?" Roddy countered. He tapped his comms; "Jack, we're on the seventh floor and Tosh is getting stronger readings on an alien power source coming from the blood bank. We're going to check it out."
"Keep your comms open; I want to hear everything. Be careful," Jack replied.
"Will do," Roddy replied. Looking back at Janet he said, "We'll wait for you to get in the lift and then Tosh and I will go investigate."
"You don't know for certain the alien is in there, it could just be a power source left behind. No, I'm safer staying with you two," Janet argued.
"Fine, but you stay behind us and if either of us tells you to run, then you run – got it?" Tosh said. Nurse Janet nodded in agreement.
They all quietly walked down the corridor to the double doors marked with the sign Blood Bank.
"I'll go in first," Roddy said "and then you follow me in Tosh since you've got the laser gun."
"But you could get attacked," Tosh argued.
"Yes I could, which is exactly why you follow me with the weapon which can kill the creature," Roddy countered. "Trust me Tosh; I'm not playing the hero or the sacrificial lamb here. I fully expect you to come in and save my arse, alright?"
Tosh hesitated for a moment before saying, "Alright, but I don't like it."
Roddy smiled and kissed her. "I know – wish me luck," he replied before going in. The lights were on in the room. Refrigeration units with glass doors displaying rows of blood bags lined the walls of the room in addition to a counter in the center of the room with a computer terminal and some other equipment sitting on top of it. Roddy had his gun in his left hand pointed at the room and his PDA in the other. He couldn't get a lock on the power source. Looking around the room he saw no movement, but that wasn't surprising. He noticed some empty blood bags on the floor in front of a refrigeration unit. "I can't tell if the plasmavore is still in the room, but it must have been here; there's some empty blood bags on the floor," he reported over his comms.
"Are you able to lock onto the power source?" Tosh asked. She heard no reply. "Talk to me Roddy – what's going on?" A chill of fear ran down her spine. Briefly glancing at the nurse behind her she said, "Janet – run." Tosh turned back to the double door in front of her. "Jack, Roddy's not responding – I'm going in."
"Owen and Gwen, get up to the seventh floor blood bank Tosh needs back up now!" Jack shouted into their comms.
"On our way," Owen replied.
Tosh burst through the double doors and found Roddy sprawled on the floor his face full of pain and fear, but unable to make a sound or move his arms or legs. She couldn't see his assailant. Was the creature in front of Roddy or beside Roddy? If she fired the weapon now she couldn't be certain she'd hit the creature or Roddy. Tosh hesitated.
Suddenly from behind her a weapon fired and two metal prongs from a taser embedded into something invisible in front of Roddy. Sparks flew and with something akin to a strobe light effect a humanoid form appeared in front of Tosh's eyes finally giving her a target and she fired.
AN: Thanks for reading! Comments and questions are lovely and always welcome!! For those of you who want to see what a pink ferret looks like, check out my LJ account (socalrose)