Strange Encounter

Chapter Fifty Three

The Hub was quiet as the other three got on with the tasks I'd assigned them. I'd delayed going to Suzie's flat until I was sure they were settled and after half an hour I could still sense their unease. I couldn't leave them like this. Ianto had made us coffee and I put my now empty mug on the desk and stared out of the glass wall. Toshiko and Owen were sat at their desks using their PCs to get on with their work. They were unnaturally quiet and I missed the chat and banter that would normally be the background to such activity. No one had put any music on either. Turning my head, I saw Ianto at Suzie's desk methodically taking all the items and placing them in boxes according to type; artefacts in one, paperwork in another and personal possessions in yet another. I'd remembered where I'd found him when I'd come back to the Hub and decided to start with him.

He looked up and noticed me staring at him, raising his eyebrows in silent question. I beckoned him to join me and he left his task – with some relief, I think – and entered the office the back way. "You wanted me, sir?" he asked.

"Sit down." He sat. "Ianto, what were you doing earlier, when I came in?" I gestured towards the pile of Cyber-equipment that still awaited sorting.

He ran a finger over the crease in his trousers, not looking at me. "Facing my fears. I can't keep running away." He glanced up then and met my gaze. "I was only looking."

"Did it help?"

"A bit. I'd only just started when you came back with …" his voice tailed off and he took a deep breath.

"And how are you feeling about that, about Suzie?"

"I can't believe it. I mean, I believe you but … It seems so incredible. She helped me settle in here. I liked her."

"We all liked her. I still do." I did. She had been the first one I'd recruited to join me when I'd been left on my own and she had helped build the team. I had depended on her for so much and I was already missing her.

"Jack," he looked round and lowered his voice when he saw the office door was open, "did you die tonight?"

"No," I replied, smiling. "Just got slashed. And wet!"

"I wondered." He paused and smiled at me. Maybe that had been preying on his mind as much as Suzie's aberrant behaviour. "I'd better get on."

"One thing, I don't want you in the cells alone with her. Ask me before you go down there." He nodded agreement. "Right, you carry on. Would you ask Owen to come in?"

"Of course." He stood up, took my coffee mug and went out into the work area. He spoke to Owen as he collected his empty mug.

"What is it, Jack?" asked Owen, coming into the office.

"I just wanted to check how you were. It's a lot to take in." I watched him. Owen was hard to predict and I wasn't sure whether he'd tell me to go to hell, punch the wall or sit down and talk. Probably all three.

"Playing shrink, are we? I don't need it, Jack. Suzie's a murderer. Got it." He stood defiantly, arms crossed.

"You were close to her, had an affair. I thought it might …"

"You slept with her too! And were closer to her than the rest of us! It's you that ought to be seeing a shrink!"

"I'm going to." That shut him up, quite took the wind out of his sails. Duncan Strachan was coming in a couple of days to see Ianto and I planned to get him to talk to all of us as well as help us with Suzie. "Now, how are you really feeling about all this?" I leant forward, arms resting on the desk.

He didn't say anything for a moment or two, staring at a spot above my head, then let out a deep breath. "Angry. Like Tosh said, this job's fucking bad enough, things we see, things we have to do, without stuff like this!" He turned suddenly and punched the side of the four drawer filing cabinet leaving a fist-sized dent.

"Feel better?"

"Yeah." He smiled a little before grimacing, rubbing his knuckles and sitting down. "You going to talk to Strachan?"

"Uh huh. I'll call him in the morning." It was coming up to midnight on Sunday and I didn't think Duncan would appreciate being woken up. "I thought he could advise us about Suzie too."

"Good idea. I suppose you're going to make us all talk to him?" He waited as I nodded. "Thought so. Maybe it's not such a bad idea." This was quite an admission from Owen who rarely talked to anyone about his feelings.

"I'll set it up. And Owen," I fixed him with a stare, wanting him to understand how serious I was, "I'm going to be relying on you. We're down to three operatives, and Ianto as backup. It's not a lot if we have another week like this last one. I need to know you'll be there for me and the team."

"I will be." I believed him and smiled in acknowledgement and thanks as he stood to leave. "One thing. I've been watching … her. She must be freezing down there. Can't we at least give her some clothes?"

I followed his gaze to the PC screen which I had open. It showed Suzie Costello sitting on the shelf-bed with her legs curled up underneath her. The blankets can't have been keeping her very warm, especially as she'd been soaking wet when I'd put her in there. "All right. Grab some stuff from her locker, in fact you might as well empty it, and then we'll go down together."

"I can manage - "

"I'm sure you can," I cut in, "but no one goes to see her without my permission. And no one goes alone."

"Yeah. Right."

"Ask Tosh to come in," I called after him as he left the office.

After passing on the message to Toshiko, Owen headed down to the bathroom where the others had lockers with spare clothes. I was thinking that we ought to take Suzie a drink and maybe some food, a bit surprised Ianto hadn't already suggested it, and realised I was hungry myself. I stood up as Toshiko entered the office.

"You wanted me, Jack?" she asked.

"Yeah, take a seat. You hungry?"

"Umm, maybe a little. And as this is going to an all nighter …"

I went out and called across the Hub. "Ianto, how about getting some food? Something hot."

He looked up and thought for a moment. "I could do soup and sandwiches. Or would you prefer pizza?"

"Soup sounds great. I'd like to eat in … twenty minutes or so? And make enough for Suzie." He nodded and headed to the kitchen while I went back into the office. "Sorry, Tosh. I just wanted a word, to check how you were doing." I perched on the desk beside her and smiled encouragingly.

"I've cancelled all Suzie's access," she replied, "and started a diagnostic on her computer usage. I'm part way through changing all the other security codes; I did the ones in the vaults first."

"That's good, but it's not what I meant. How are you feeling, Tosh?"

She looked down at her hands which were clasped tight in her lap. "Let down." Her voice trembled. "How could she do this, Jack? How could she kill people?" She was gazing at me, tears in her eyes.

Reaching a hand to her shoulder, I squeezed reassuringly. "I'm certain it was the Glove. Something, I don't know what, affected her when she used it. I was so busy with other things I didn't notice. Not in time. She wouldn't have done it otherwise."

"I don't know. I feel like I never knew her, not if she could do this. I thought she was my friend, Jack. Well, as good a friend as you can have in this place."

"Hey, we're all your friends. Look, I'm going to get Duncan Strachan to come in. You remember him? I think it would help if we all talked to him. I know I'm going to and Owen and Ianto have signed up as well. How about it?"

"Yes, I'd like that. Thanks." She smiled then, a bit weakly but it was a start. "I suppose my day off tomorrow is cancelled."

"Oh God, I'd forgotten about that. Do you mind?"

"No. I was only going to do some shopping and clean the oven. Not sure why, I hardly ever cook." She smiled more widely before it faded. "We're going to be a bit pushed, aren't we? Without her."

"Yes, we are. And a lot of the extra will fall on your shoulders, all the computer analyses and the artefacts. I'll do what I can but we'll just have to muddle through for now."

"I don't mind. I'd rather be busy, less time to think about … about it. And you can't take on everything; you need a break sometimes too."

"You could always give me dinner one night, use that oven of yours," I joked.

"Okay. You and Ianto. And Owen if he wants. It's a date for the first night we're free."

"Looking forward to it." I saw Owen come back to his desk carrying a large box with a bundle of clothing on top. "One more thing. I'll tell you the same as I've told the others. I don't want you going to see Suzie without clearing it with me first, and you're not to go on your own. Understood?"

"I have no intention of going down there!" she snapped back, a sign of how upset she was. "Sorry."

"It's all right." I stood, ready to go and join Owen and make my first visit to see Suzie. I was not looking forward to it but it had to be done. Toshiko stood as well and hesitated before leaving. "What is it?" I asked.

"Much as I hate what she's done to us, and I do, I hope you won't give her to UNIT. I wouldn't want anyone to … to go through that."

I grabbed her in a rough hug. Toshiko's own experiences of the UNIT detention centres had put me off using them for any but the most undeserving. "I hadn't thought that far ahead, Tosh, but I promise I won't do that."

"Thanks."

I let her go and followed her to the work area. Owen looked up and stood, ready to go down to the cells. Ianto was putting out cutlery and bottles of water on the coffee table ready for our supper.

"Owen and I are going to take some clothes to Suzie," I announced. "Tosh, keep an eye on the CCTV. Anything untoward happens, lock them down until it's safe. Ianto, come down in five minutes with some water and food but don't include cutlery or anything else sharp. Wait in the corridor until Owen comes out. Okay, everyone?"

"Do you think she's that dangerous?" asked Toshiko.

"I'm taking no chances. Until all the security protocols are changed, none of you do either. Just remember that Suzie knows everything we do about how this place works and, more importantly, about us. She knows how to press all our buttons."

They seemed to understand the seriousness of the position, thank goodness. It's always a problem when one of our own turns rogue. Petroch Sullivan had been one of those. A lovely guy until he'd decided to use a Sycorax blaster to take out an armoured car and help himself to the half a million pounds inside. It had been a bitch to catch him and even worse to have him in the cells for weeks. I made my mind up there and then that Suzie was not going to be with us that long. A few days at most. Any longer and she'd undermine what little morale we had left. I hoped we'd be able to find out what had caused her changed behaviour and rectify it. I'd not have her back on the team, of course, but at least we could then Retcon her and let her loose.

The walk down to the cells was conducted in silence. I was armed with my Webley, the new security codes and a new swipe card. Owen was unarmed, carrying just the bundle of clothes which we had gone through to make sure they held nothing that she could use to hurt us or herself. We paused outside the door to the block before entering the code.

"Remember, don't get drawn into conversation. You just give her the clothes and a visual check for injuries. Once she's dressed, you get the food from Ianto." I didn't want the boy in the cells with her; Owen and I had had a lot more experience of this sort of thing. "Okay?"

"Let's just get on with it," he growled.

I punched in the new code and the door opened. Suzie was in the middle cell and looked up as we approached. She was still huddled in the blankets. Her hair was damp but otherwise it looked like she was dry enough. Her discarded clothes were by the door.

"Well, if it isn't fearless Jack and his sidekick, Owen. Come to stare at the caged beast, have you, boys?" she taunted, glaring at us.

"We've got some clothes for you. Stand up and get to the back of the cell and Owen will bring them in," I said, refusing to be drawn into debate. "Are you hurt?"

"Sure I am. Hurt that you could get things so wrong, Jack. I've done nothing, I don't deserve to be treated like this." She had swung her long, shapely legs to the ground and stood up.

"You're a bloody murderer!" hissed Owen, unable to contain himself.

"Owen," I warned and he bit his lip, looking away from her.

"Who says so, Owen? Jack?" She had moved to the front of the cell and was standing just the other side of the door. "It's all lies, Owen. You know me, how can you possibly think that I'd do anything like that?" I have to admit, it sounded convincing. "I'm not a murderer."

"Move back, Suzie," I said, keeping my voice level and flat. It was the only way to deal with her.

"Well, Owen?" she continued, taking three paces backwards until she was at the rear of the cell. "Who are you going to believe?"

"Jack every time," he snarled.

"Owen!" I made the one word an order. I was reluctant to let him in the cell but I didn't trust him to shoot if she threatened us whereas I would have no such hesitation. She was my friend and colleague, an ex-lover, but I would kill her if she gave me cause. "Drop the blankets, Suzie, and stand with arms outstretched then turn right round, slowly." I wanted to be sure she hadn't got a weapon from somewhere.

With a flourish, she let the blankets fall to the floor and stood in bra and pants as ordered. There was wicked grin on her face. "Remember this, boys? Remember what it was like to fuck me?" As she turned round on the spot I was reminded of the many times we'd shagged and the pleasure it had given me. I suspect Owen was too.

I drew the Webley before stepping forward and using the new swipe card to open the door. It swung open and I stood and aimed the gun at her, keeping a clear field of fire as Owen stepped in and put the clothes on the shelf-bed. He stooped and picked up the discarded ones, chucking them out.

Suzie was not quiet during this. She continued to protest her innocence but I shut my ears to it. Owen retreated back out of the cell after assuring himself she was not injured and I locked the door. He went into the corridor and brought in a tray of food: soup in a polystyrene cup, a round of sandwiches on a paper plate and a bottle of water. No cutlery, nothing she could use as a weapon. He pushed it through the slot.

"Don't I get any coffee?" she demanded. She had made no move to get dressed.

"No." I stepped up to the cell door. "You get nothing, Suzie, because you betrayed my trust. You betrayed us all."

"It was the Glove, Jack," she said, her voice ringing with emotion. "That's why I did it. I needed the practice so I could understand it. It was the only good thing to ever come through the Rift." She was standing closer and I could see the tears in her eyes. "Shit, that's all that ever lands on Cardiff, but it didn't matter if once, just once in a while, something good like the Glove came through. Say you understand, Jack. Say it, please!"

"I can't because I don't. You murdered innocent people, Suzie, people who had done you no harm. I'll never understand how you could do that." Motioning Owen before me, I turned and left the cells making sure the block was secure behind me.

That had been even worse than I had expected.