Chapter twenty-one: A ghost to slay

Gwen, Jackie and Owen all started in surprise, as did Jackie. "Sorry?" Gwen stated. "Why her?"

Jackie nodded. It was Gwen's idea.

"Well, I chose Jackie because she is the best possible candidate." He turned to Owen. "It's a powerful glove, addicting. Jackie, believes that God has the power of life and death.

Owen nodded in agreement. "I see. Her innocence and her 'faith' will protect her from surrendering to the influence of the glove. Good point."

Jackie shook her head. I can't. I cannot take part in bringing someone back to life.

"Jackie," Gwen protested. "it's to save a life."

She shook her head. No, when you're dead, you're supposed to stay dead.

"Normally, that happens." Jack points out, but there are all kinds of alien tech out there that we don't understand. And pardon me for throwing this out at you, but your God has a way of wiping things out that are offensive to him." Jackie turned and gave him her full attention. "The tower of Babel would a good example. They wanted to get to the Heaven's and he caused them to fight amongst each other. This glove, brings the dead back to life, yet it's still here. It must be here for a reason."

Jackie was silent for a moment. You have several good points Jack, valid even. But I'm going to say this, I don't like being manipulated Jack, nor do I like the bible being manipulated to suit your own purposes.

"I'm simply saying that if ever there was something evil, He'd destroy it." he exhaled. "Will you do it?" she bit her lip and thought for a moment before nodding her head in agreement. "I'll get the glove."

But only this once. I still believe that it's wrong.

"And it will be your belief that keeps you strong in resisting whatever evil pull it has on it."

Everyone moved from the conference room to Jack's office. Owen leaned over the rail. "Tosh, Ianto, Jackie's going to try the glove on the murder victims."

Tosh dropped her data pad in shock and Ianto sloshed his coffee. He shook his head. "You can't be serious, not after what it did to Suzie."

What did happen to Suzie?

Gwen cleared her throat. "She started killing people to see if she could bring them back to life permanently. She wound up committing suicide, shot herself through the head, after trying to kill me."

Jackie stared at her. I wish I had known this before I agreed to this.

Ianto and Tosh hurried up the stairs. "Jack," Ianto asked. "are you sure this is a good idea? Shouldn't one of us try it first? Gwen hasn't given it a go yet."

"Besides," Tosh said. "we don't want what happened to Suzie happening to Gwen."

Jack paused. "I'm aware of the danger." He turned and explained. "The glove relies on empathy and compassion, both qualities Jackie possesses. However, Jackie has faith in God, who she believes, will protect her from evil. I personally, do not believe in God, but as she does, her faith should protect her from the curse." He exhaled. "I know it's risky, but she is, the best candidate for the glove."

No one offered any more protests. Jack continued to his office and moved to the wall safe. After opening it, he pulled out a metal box, possibly containing the glove. As he set the box down on the ground, a shudder ripped down her spine. Gwen noticed this. "You alright?"

Jackie nodded. Fine. Jack glanced up at her and she asked. The history behind the glove is what?

"It fell through the Rift about forty years ago." He explained as he began unlocking the case. "Lay at the bottom of the Bay till we dredged it up. I always figured this wasn't just lost." He reached into the case and pulled it out. "Whoever made it wanted rid of it."

Jackie stared at it. It looked more like a gauntlet than a glove. "You know," Owen pointed out. "we never gave it a cool name."

"I thought we called it the Resurrection gauntlet." Tosh replied.

Owen glowered at Tosh. "Cool name." he rolled his eyes.

"What about the Risen Mitten?" Ianto offered. Jack's brow went up slightly. Jackie smiled brightly; with Ianto's Welsh accent, it sounded hysterical. However, she actually liked it. Everyone else shot Ianto a look of disbelief. "I think it's catchy."

Jackie clapped her hands together, drawing his attention. I love it! I think it's great!

"What'd she say?" Owen asked.

"It wouldn't make your day." Ianto said before turning to Jack. "Do you want us to go prepare the body?"

Jack nodded. "Yes."

Tosh followed Ianto and Owen out of the room. "I'll go set up my station."

Gwen leaned on the table and said. "If she gets hurt Jack, I'm holding you responsible."

Jackie coughed. Blame yourself Gwen, it was your idea. Jack made changes to the original idea and I accepted it. My choice. Not yours, not his, now go on.

Gwen frowned. "What's the matter with you? Mom said you've been acting funny. Not returning her messages, sniping at her and you supposedly quit work."

Jackie nodded. Need to keep up Gwen; I quit my job after that incident in the country. She exhaled and turned towards the door. Shall we go?

Gwen looked at her for a moment before going towards the door. She would have followed her, had Jack not stopped her. "Are you sure you want to do this? I can have Gwen do this."

Jackie shook her head. You made too good a case Jack. It's obvious I'm the only one for the job.

His face was serious. "There is a risk."

She smiled as she reached up and stroked his cheek. Considering you have feelings for me, you wouldn't put me through this unless you had complete confidence in me.

Jack nodded. "I do." He then asked. "Have you made a decision?"

She hesitated and dropped her hand. Not yet, but, I'll tell you tomorrow. I promise.

He didn't question her any further, but fell in step beside her as they walked to the autopsy room. That cold, dead, sick and shiverish type of feeling, like a knife in the lower of her back, would not leave her. She came down to the autopsy table to look at the victim. It was a man, not the one from today, so she guessed, it was the first victim.

Jack handed her the glove. "Here." She took it and all the hair on the back of her neck stood up. She slid her hand into it and let out a hiss at its coldness. "It'll warm up. Now the maximum resurrection time is two minutes. That's only because Suzie had practice. The most we're likely to get is thirty seconds, okay?" She nodded and walked around the table. "Tosh, you ready?"

Tosh nods after typing in a few final things. "Ready. And recording. This man was victim number one. Name, Alex Arwyn."

She glances at Jack questioningly. He steps towards her. "Put your hands on his head and just reach out."

She nodded and did as he said. Jackie relaxed and exhaled, closing her eyes for a moment. Suddenly, a huge surge of energy struck her head and flowed downwards from above, down through her arm, to her heart, to the victim. In the corner of her mind, she heard Ianto clicking the stopwatch.

At that moment, Alex's body jumped, signaling that he'd come back to life. The man inhaled sharply. "Somebody help me." He cried out. "Oh, my God. Help me, help me, help me!"

Jackie shushed him as Jack leaned over him. "Alex, I need you to listen to me."

However, the poor man was hysterical and inconsolable. "Somebody help me. Help me!"

"That's what we're doing." Alex began to cough in panic. Jack gripped his shoulders and asserted a strong note in his voice. "Alex, you were attacked. Do you know who it was? Who attacked you?"

Alex then seemed to notice Jack for the first time. "Who are you?"

"How long?"

"Where am I?"

"Fifteen seconds." Ianto interjected quietly into the conversation.

Desperate to help the man calm down, Jackie grabbed his hand. Alex then looked up at her. "Who are you?"

For some reason, words floated up through her heart and out her mouth. "Jackie," she almost started at the sound of her own voice coming out of her mouth. Jack's head jerked up and he stared at you. "It's alright, you'll be fine." She cooed in somewhat of a dry voice. "It's alright."

"I want my mum. Please, let me see my mum."

"In time." She said softly. "But we need to help you. Can you tell us who hurt you?"

Alex stared at her for a moment. "It was-

Suddenly, his shoulders dropped and the machine flat lined. Jackie felt as if someone had tied a rope to her stomach and then gave it a sharp pull. She gasped and stepped away from Alex's body, wiping her forehead.

"He's gone." Owen stated.

She looked at Jack. Do I try the glove again?

He shook his head. "No, the glove only works once." She nodded understandingly. "Tosh, afterwards, let me know how the glove enabled Jackie to talk."

"Sure thing."

"Amazing." Ianto crowed. "She's a natural. Thirty-four seconds."

Jack arched a brow at her as Owen mumbled. "Give Ianto a stopwatch and he's happy."

Ianto gave him a serious look before responding dryly. "It's the button on the top." He then flashed her a crooked smile, which she returned.

Jack placed a hand on her shoulder. "What do you think, Jackie? Do you want to stop?"

She shook her head. People have been murdered, we need to stop the murderer and I don't want to put this glove back on again after questioning the departed.

So, they moved on to victim number two, Mark Brisco and Jackie hoped that he didn't ask about his wife. Jack glanced at her as she placed her hand on the man's head. "It'll be alright." Mark awoke, in a far calmer mood than Alex did. She glanced at Jack as he leaned over mark's body. "Hey, there." His tone was soft. "Just look at me. Look me in the eye." Mark obeyed, his breathing ragged. "That's it."

"Where am I?" he questioned.

"You've been hurt." Jack still maintained that gentle tone of voice. "We don't have long. We need to know who attacked you."

Mark looked towards her. "Is my wife all right?"

Jack fortunately answered that question for her. "We're looking after her. Now, Mark, who was it?"

Mark frowned for a moment before speaking in a hushed whisper. "It was that man." she glanced at Jack. "He belonged to Pilgrim. He went to Pilgrim."

"What's Pilgrim?"

"Oh my God," mark gasped out, his face distorting as he began to remember the whole thing before he passed. "he had a knife."

"No, Mark, he's gone." Jack assured him quickly, his tone losing some of the gentleness it had earlier. "We don't have long. Quickly, what was his name?"

"Thirty five seconds." Ianto reported.

Mark thought for a moment. "Max. Never knew his surname."

"Trying Pilgrim and Max." Tosh said. "Get a description."

"You've got to give us something more so we can catch him." Jack said.

"A description." She said. "What did he look like?"

"There was, there was someone who knew him better." His eyes widened. "That woman. She was always talking to him."

"He's going." Owen said. Jackie searched out with her heart, trying to hold onto the man tighter and for a few moments, the vitals stayed normal.

"What was her name?" Jack asked desperately.

"Where's my wife?" mark said.

"She's fine." Jackie assured him. "She'll be with you soon."

Mark smiled gratefully at her as Jack demanded. "Her name!"

"Suzie." Jackie felt her control slipping through her fingers. "Suzie Costello." And with those words spoken, Mark died.

"One minute and fifteen seconds." Ianto said with a smile. "Good job."

Jackie bobbed her head and pulled the gauntlet off. Her skin was warm and pink, as if her body had tried to fight against that cursed metal ever touching her skin. "Jack?" Tosh asked. "Did I hear that right?"

Jack was silent for a moment before stating. "We've been talking to the wrong corpse. Conference room now." Jackie set the gauntlet down on the table before rubbing her arm. Jack noticed. "Your arm is red."

The glove was hot. She walked past him and headed to where she'd left her purse, by Tosh's station earlier. She picked up her purse and pulled out the lotion. She squirted some on her arm and exhaled as the cool lotion made contact with her arm. Jackie began to work it into her skin, moaning slightly with pleasure at the way the lotion made her fingers feel.

"Do you," Jack murmured in her ear as he passed by. "have any idea, how erotic you make that look?"

Jackie stiffened and turned to look at him, but, he was already gone. She shook her head dismissing his comments. Jack was so ridiculous at times. After working it into her arm really good, she went to go get some glasses of ice water for everyone. She couldn't wait to get home and take a shower, she felt dirty. After getting the glasses of water, she poured a bag of potato chips into a bowl, grabbed a spinach dip she'd made earlier, and then carried the tray upstairs.

Nobody had eaten much of anything today, and while she preferred not to buy chips, she'd have a craving and she'd bought them yesterday. Now, she hoped that she could not pig out of them. If she were a horrid person, she'd ask Jack to bring the man back to life for inventing potato chips, then punch him in the nose for all the weight gain that had been cast upon thousands of people because these chips were addicting.

As she came up the stairs, Ianto noticed her and stood up to open the door for her. She mouthed thank you and set the tray down just as Tosh came into the room with some papers. "Pilgrim." She began handing them out. "A religious support group, more like a debating society. Meaning of life, does God exist, all that stuff."

Owen glanced at her as he took the paper from Tosh. "Right up your alley Jackie."

"The point is," Tosh pointed out. "it was tiny, more like a hobby, run by Mark Brisco's wife, Sarah. She had all that stashed in the wardrobe. Handwritten and photocopied. That's why we couldn't find any records. She wasn't even online."

Jack set his flier down on the table. "No mention of Suzie or Max?"

"Not a word." Tosh reached for a chip and dipped it in the dip. "She didn't even keep a register." She nodded approvingly. "This is good."

"It wouldn't be our Suzie, though." Owen said with an exhaled as he tossed the flier to the table before leaning back in his chair. "She wouldn't go to that support group bollocks."

"How do you know?" Gwen asked her voice pointedly curious. "I mean, were you friends? Any of you? Who was her best friend in this place?"

"She sort of," Owen explained slowly. "kept herself to herself."

"Well, then," Gwen said with a bob of her head. "if she needed to talk, maybe that's exactly where she'd go. A group of complete strangers."

Jack nodded his head in agreement. "Could be. You've got a point, Gwen." He glanced down at the table before inhaling deeply. "Time we got to know our deceased colleague a little better." He grabbed a handful of chips. "Owen, Gwen, Jackie, with me. We're going to go search through Suzie's belongings."

For some reason, Jackie just felt drained, she didn't want to go. It was like, something, was holding her back. She shook her head and Jack's brown arched in curiosity. Do you really need me? I'm not feeling so good. Jack stepped towards her. I feel cold.

Jack touched her head and she jumped. "You do feel cold. Owen."

Owen walked over and reached for her pulse before feeling her forehead. "She seems cool, but then, it is drafty down here and she's not wearing a jacket. Her pulse is normal. Do you feel any other symptoms, like nausea?" she shook her head as he glanced at Jack before glancing back to her. "Is there anything else I need to know that you're feeling?"

I have a slight headache and I'm tired, outside of that, nothing else.

"She has a headache and she's tired."

Owen nodded. "Did you sleep well last night?" Jackie shook her head. "What time did you go to sleep last night?" Jackie held up 3 fingers. "Three in the morning?" She nodded. "No wonder you're feeling a bit run down. So, take an aspirin, and find a place to take a nap for a bit." He turned to Ianto. "If she starts to feel bad, or if there are any changes, call us."

Jackie stood up from the chair and wobbled a bit. Jack steadied her and she bobbed her head. "You can sleep in my bed, you know where it is."

She glowered. You didn't need to say that out loud.

"How does she know where your bed is Jack?" Gwen questioned casually.

"She slept over once." Everyone jumped and looked at her. "I had the couch and she had the bed. Nothing happened, end of story." He stepped towards the door. "Let's get going, we've got to slay a ghost."