37
Ken lay gasping for air, knowing his lung was punctured and feeling murderous. He was trying to raise his weapon despite the pain, wanting to fire into the tress out of sheer temper and Mickey was talking softly as he touched him but he couldn't really hear.
The screaming was pretty horrible and he let his head loll as he watched men explode from the trees, running towards them with their arms flailing and mouths wide open as they cried out with fear.
The sight of the huge beast lumbering after them like a cat chasing a mouse was strangely satisfying and he laughed even as blood bubbled up into his throat.
"Go wolfy" he choked as he watched a man's head torn off with animistic rage.
He last conscious thought was of the children, hoping they hadn't seen him fall.
.
.
.
Logan had worked feverishly to save the big man, relieved once he had managed to insert a shunt to allow air back into the lung re-inflating it.
Kev's rattling breath soothing as Ianto stood nearby dressing and cursing a storm.
"Ianto, we have to get him to Owen, I can't do a proper triage here" Logan called out, "I can drain the lung and keep allowing air through the shunt but this is short term."
"We load him into RT and go like the fucking wind" the growl was still Wolfling and several people shuddered at the rage oozing from the man's pores.
"He needs Owen, he needs Holdfast" Logan repeated, "The Welcome House…"
"Is not acceptable, yeah I get it" Ianto sighed, "We roll straight into the side tunnel of Stronghold and Owen meets us there with one of the carts. We transport him up to Holdfast or keep him in Stronghold if they have the medical bay rebuild yet. I doubt it, it was totally washed away so I think it will be a run up to Owen's place up top."
"Agreed" Sean slapped his brother on the shoulder and felt the heat, rubbing it as he tried to soothe his ruffled invisible fur.
They drove like maniacs, Ianto now in the jump seat as RT took the lead of the convoy with the bikes scouting ahead then falling back at intervals to report.
Once close enough to SH Ianto contacted Tosh and explained the situation, those listening in all agreeing and Ianto knew the village was in total combat readiness as they swept through the valley and headed for the rock face.
Kev blinked blearily as he rolled his head to look at Logan, "Whea we?"
"Hush, try not to talk" Logan soothed, "We are home. Just have faith a little longer friend."
Kev looked out the window and his eyes widened as they drove straight towards a cliff face, then …through it.
"Hologram" Logan whispered as he rubbed Kev's arm, "We're home. Thank the gods, we made it back."
RT disappeared into the moss and stone followed by the two refrigerated trucks, the Double Decker bus, Land Rover and Vehicle Transporter. As the tail lights blinked out of existence the rock face solidified again and a lone Mara swung from an exposed tree root sticking out of the rock face back into the bushes beside the tracks as he followed his kin back to the safety of the trees.
A tunnel system.
Kev watched lights flashing past and realised with shock that there was something powering the lighting, they had power? They seemed to travel downwards and his weary mind whispered that he couldn't see a ceiling and the transporter he could hear changing gear behind then was taller than the bus.
Holy shit.
Then came the huge cavern and Ianto slipped from the seat, kneeling and saying something he couldn't make out into the coms as the doors swung open.
A small man clambered in, reaching for Ianto and hugging him. His husband? Kevin expected someone …I don't know…bigger.
Then the man turned to face him and glared at him like he had just farted in his face.
"Right, what fucking mess have you brought me?" Owen demanded and as Owen moved Kev saw another man entering and this time there was a kiss and a clutch for the handsome man who was openly relieved to see him.
Ah. Right.
Looked familiar.
Kev's last thought as he drifted out was that he looked just like that Harkness fella from Torchwood Cardiff.