45
Stephen was sitting next to John, his eyes drinking in the room as people moved about and finally they had a little space in the corner to themselves. Stephen began to talk. Slowly, softly and without any emption as John's hands stayed their motion, listening intently to the one speaking to him. When done, Stephen cleared his throat and took a bite of the sandwich on the plate in his lap, like nothing had happened but John remained still as a statue computing the conversation.
He then rose and turned to look down at the child, nod and move off.
Stephen took another bite.
John found Jack outside.
He and Ianto were standing in the trees with some thin wire, creating a trip hazard.
"Good idea" he began "I didn't know we had any of that."
"Ianto found it in a music cupboard. Apparently they had puzzles and games in there too. Things to occupy them between shifts, these strings will do the trick." Jack said as he knelt "We found some bells too .. will attach those for a warning system to the smallest trees that might get pushed at."
"Ok" John said, Ianto stopping to listen and look up at him, the interest on his face rare. John was again reminded that this man was intelligent.
"The boy just had a word with me" John said, looking at Ianto who rose and seemed to be the one interested as Jack kept working on wire as he knelt between them "The thing in his head and he have been having a little talk and came up with an idea."
Jack's hands froze.
"Yes?" Ianto said softly "Please tell us John?"
So polite. So calm. "Well … Tosh. Great, you are part of this conversation. Get over here where the others can't hear."
Toshiko blinked but complied, glancing back at the door to the bunker "Yes?"
"OK, your idea to get a piece of mining equipment up to spec for an x-ray scanner thing… how's it panning out?" John said softly.
"Will not work. I've looked at everything we have and I can't work it out" she sighed "too old and degraded."
"But have you told anyone that?"
"No?" she canted her head and looked at him with interest "What's this about?"
"Can you find one that makes a noise when you push a button, but does nothing else?" John asked and she nodded slowly "You see. Stephen's idea is … well him and his worm… we say it does work. It detects worms. We try it on him, it goes off as you push the button. We try the dog … same right? Try me. Nothing. Jack. Nothing. Ianto here … nothing. They will all be watching. Then turn to them and advance. Those that turn their heads to expose their necks are Clean Skin and the one hiding here that is still broadcasting to Buckley will not. Right? She will give herself away with some reson why we cnat scan."
"Brilliant" Toshiko grinned "Stephan thought this up?"
"Yes" Ianto said before john cold admit the symbiote probably had "Can you make it a go?"
"Yes. Found a piece that makes a loud alarm noise, scared the hell out of me. Yeah. We do the boy. Then we do a couple of you, then the dog so it really hits home that the worms cause the noise. It will also reassure them Ianto is clean as he is freakishly clever. Then whoever she is …" she looked at Ianto so she knew he had worked out who even if he was not saying "… she will have to step away from me or risk detection."
"She could call our bluff" John sighed.
"Yes, but she is not clever" Ianto finally spoke "I mean ... she is loud. I hear her and I don't have one in me. She is not thinking clearly, not hiding at all. Not to me. Not to Fen and Janet."
"Fen" Jack whispered "My wife called him that."
"Did she?" Ianto smiled "He asked me to."
The two men shared a moment, John huffing as he said "Get a fucking room."
Blushing now as Ianto looked down and John grinned "We have one and use it ta."
Ianto's blush deepened as Jack laughed happily.
"Right. Toshiko, go make a show of 'fixing' the piece of tech and we will finish these security wires" John said as he turned to look at Ianto again "And you … hold these pliers for me."
Ianto accepted them and watched John start to move for another gap I the tree line, then followed.
Jack sat back on his haunches and watched them working together, surprised by John's decision to accept Ianto and stop needling him. Seems he finally got it. Finally sees. They were destined.
Back in the bunker Toshiko set her tools out on the table and made a show of taking off panels, poking at wires with her tools and making little noises in her throat as she waited for the signal for the fun to begin. She did wonder why Ianto was not happy about this, nervously frowning as he had listened to the idea but surely he knew that had to know. Had to oust her, right?
It was almost like he was saddened that they had to.
He really doesn't like confrontation, does he.
