Ianto quickly made his way back towards London, hoping that he wouldn't be too late, though there was a part of him that hoped he missed whatever happened. He felt so conflicted, and there was a part of him that really related to how Alice was feeling. But in the end, he knew that the only thing that mattered was that this worked, and that Jack's sacrifice would be worth the pain he went through to achieve it. He drove on, hoping that this would end the battle once and for all.
The helicopter touched down on the building next to Thames House, since it very well couldn't land on the glass atrium that capped that building. Johnson stepped out as the rotors started to die down, followed by Jack. He moved about with his usual great strides and the soldiers surrounding him gave him a wide berth, as if he was going to blow up by walking around. Considering the fact that two large explosive devices were rattling around inside him, it was highly likely they were right, Johnson decided. Of course, avoiding him wasn't going to help if he took the top of the building with him.
They went below to a floor where they could cross over to the Thames House before heading up to the thirteenth floor. Just outside the lift, they met Dekker and Johnson stared at him for a long moment before making a hand gesture which her men interpreted as "secure subject" for later interrogation. Jack paused and turned to look at her.
"Get everyone out of the building," Jack said.
Johnson shook her head. "Can't do that. Under orders to in no way give our position away. For all we know, that alien can sense the number of warm bodies in the building. We can't get them think anything is different than normal at the moment." Jack sighed, but saw what she meant. He nodded.
"Okay, if I can get inside the tank, chances are the damages will be minimal," he told her. She was going to monitor operations from the secure basement bunker. Close enough to trigger the explosives and send the video when he asked, but far enough away to keep people safe. She didn't wish him luck. His mission wasn't one that required luck, only good timing. He watched as she took the lift with her men down to the basement. He paced restlessly, wanting to give her time to set up. The signal was that one of the men would send the lift up to his floor when they were ready. A few minutes later, there was the ding and the doors to the lift open. Jack gave her points for efficiency, since he had to wait very little for her to get into position.
Stepping inside, he pressed the thirteenth floor and ascended for his conversation with the 456.
~*~
At the Hub 2 the group sat and waited for something to happen. The Gold Command leadership team had reconvened, so they knew Jack was probably in position. Gwen watched as the politicians discussed contingency plans if this didn't work. She narrowed her eyes, annoyed that they were so willing to sit back and let someone else take the bullet to save their hides.
"I'm never voting for any of this lot," she muttered. Rhys nodded. He was standing behind her watching all the fat cat politicians trying to make sure that there would be no blood on their hands. He was never more proud of the work his wife did than when he found out they were recording all of these discussions. It was scary that their own representatives could just write off people in such a cavalier fashion.
Second Jack sat at the computer he had been working at all day, working on other plans in case his, or at least his other self's plan didn't work. While he didn't want to consider that alternative, he had to be practical. He looked up as the door opened and was surprised to see Ianto walk through the door.
"Not too late, am I?" Ianto asked. He could see the question on Jack's face as he strode across the warehouse. "They're safe at home."
"Thought you were going to stay there," Jack commented. Ianto shook his head and from his rueful expression, Jack got the impression that he had probably had a run in with Alice. Gwen turned around to watch the two men and she shamelessly eavesdropped on their conversation. "How'd it go?"
"She's a bit…" Ianto paused as he tried to describe what happened. He was at a loss for words.
"Caustic?" Jack asked with a grin. Ianto chuckled and nodded. "How was she?" Ianto knew that he meant how her reaction was.
"Mixed, but she asked me to ring and her and let her know how it goes," he said. Jack nodded. "I thought she took it pretty well, considering."
"Yeah," Jack said. He dropped his gaze back onto the keyboard here his hands were still resting from typing. "Thank you."
"You're welcome," Ianto said. "Steven is quite the charmer." Jack smiled up at him.
"Yeah, he is," Jack said. He let out a sigh.
Rhys drew Gwen's attention back to the laptop. "Something's happening." Everyone turned at the sound of his voice and Ianto moved over to watch. First Jack had given the transmission number to Dekker to send the feed directly to them and the second computer that he had been using was now showing the same display that the cabinet was watching. Ianto bit his lip as he watched Jack stride into the large, empty room and address the 456.
"My name is Captain Jack Harkness. We've dealt with each other before," he said. The alien could be seen writhing around in the misty fog of the tank but otherwise it said nothing. "I have a proposition for you." He waited, legs braced for their response.
"Speak," the unearthly voice echoed through the room after a moment's pause.
"Let's make this conversation a little more private," Jack said conversationally. He nodded off to the side and the Torchwood team could see static on the monitors that the cabinet was watching. Their own display remained up, and Ianto knew that he had had Dekker or someone kill the video feed to the politicians. On Gwen's laptop they could see people scuttling about trying to re-establish the feed. Ianto was disappointed to see that they must have had a secondary feed, because the displays flickered to life after a short period of time. Second Jack sighed.
"Oh well, no more secrets, I guess," he said with a tired grin. Ianto gave him a slight smile, and returned his attention to the display in front of him. First Jack was addressing the 456 and telling them his history.
"Let me tell you a little bit about myself. I was not born on this planet. I grew up in a colony known as the Boeshane Peninsula in the 51st century. I used to work for the Time Agency," Jack said. He paused while the alien reacted to the information he had to tell them. "There's only a select group of people who know this information. But I'm telling you this because it's important.
"I have traveled with a Time Lord of Gallifrey," he continued.
"Impossible," the alien hissed. "They are long dead."
"Not all," Jack said. "I've traveled in his TARDIS through time and space and it is because of him and his companion that I am now immortal." Silence met his comment and he waited for a beat before continuing. "I can't die. I regenerate. I've lived on this earth for centuries, helping the people of this planet."
"Why?" The voice echoed through the speakers. Jack paused and waited for them to elucidate further. "Why tell us this?"
Jack lifted his chin at the challenge. "Because I have an offer for you. Instead of the children of this world, I offer you something else in trade."
"Speak," the voice said.
"I offer myself," Jack said, spreading his hands out to either side. "A renewable resource. Each cell in my body regenerates. I don't age, and I can't die, well, not for long. I represent chemicals new to you. I carry within my body the power of the Heart of the TARDIS, that of the Time Vortex, which brought me back to life after a battle with the Daleks." He had to pause while the alien let out a violent splat of goo and screamed at the name. "I speak the truth to you."
"Proof," the voice said. "What proof have you?"
"I give you the proof in the form of a signal transmission on your frequency," Jack said confidently. "I was killed not too long ago. This video represents proof of my regenerating abilities." He waited as the silence stretched out. He could almost hear the tick of the clock on the wall as the hands crept slowly along. When he felt that enough time had passed, he spoke again.
"I speak the truth. I offer myself freely to you in the form of a renewable chemical source that will last you lifetimes. In exchange, you agree not to harvest the children of this world." Jack waited for a response.
The speakers cracked with odd noises as the alien thrashed within its tank. Eventually, all was quiet and a single word came through the speakers. "Why?"
Jack cocked his head to one side. "Why what? Why do I make this offer?"
"Yes," came the reply.
"To save the children of this world," Jack replied.
"At the cost of your own life?" The alien's voice sounded almost mocking. Jack stared at the tank.
"Yes," he said.
"Are the children of this planet worth that sacrifice?" The question echoed. "These are the children that your government was willing to give to us."
"No, that's not true. You are coercing the governments of this world," Jack said. He waited for the alien to thrash about in anger, but there was no response. "They do not want to give up their children."
"Even the starving, the poor, and the ones who will not live?" The alien voice asked. "We offer eternal life."
"You offer life without choice or autonomous will," Jack countered.
"Yet you offer yourself in exchange," the alien said.
"Yes," Jack replied. "I am using my free will to do so."
"In exchange for children," the voice said. It had an almost musing tone, as if he had surprised it. "And what if we do not accept your offer?"
Jack smiled. "What? Walk away from a sure deal? Now why would you do that?"