Lisa took his hand hesitantly. "And what does Ali have to do with any of this?"

Evan's eyes twinkled and his reassuring smile put Lisa at ease. "We should take refuge in that coffee shop across the street. I promise to answer any questions you might have."

Minutes later, they sat with their coffees and Lisa took a sip of something strong and bitter from the Turkish section. Her apple croissant was a welcome respite. "So, you haven't told me what Ali's connection is to this."

Evan's eyebrow's furrowed. "I'm surprised you haven't figured it out. After all, with your performance against the Dune comet, I would have thought you would understand."

"Is that what that thing was called? And what did Ali tell you? There was no reporting about it as I suspected there should have been."

"Well, yes. We like to put a label on much of what we can, for archiving purposes. Ali told me enough that my department was able to curtail any real investigation."

"Excuse me, did you say we?" Lisa leaned in across the table.

"Of course I did. You don't think that the code you cracked was just something of a coincidence, did you?"

Lisa leaned back in her chair. "I was afraid it wasn't. It was too clean. I knew that when I found the doctored files in my encoded history files that someone was onto me. I was just glad to keep Ianto from getting involved."

"Young Mr. Jones is involved though. But that's important at another time."

"How do you know about my boyfriend?"

"We know a great deal about you and your connections, Ms. Hallett. In fact, barring your first field test, we'd like to offer a task of employment to you. There are not a great many benefit, however the Queen would be quite indebted to you for the service."

"The Queen? An underground position of protection of sorts?"

Evan nodded, passing Lisa a card. "Read this just once. Afterwards, the information will recede in such a way that only a special light from the building can read it. You'll need to find that address within a few hours. Your test will be there."

Lisa cocked her head, not yet reading the information. "Is it worth the risk?"

Evan smiled. "If you're the type of person I believe you to be, it will be."

"Is this just a spy job then?"

"No, Lisa. You'll become the code writer for the news across online London, working in my department. This test is more of a mere formality than anything else."

"And why should I trust you?"

"Because a lesser agent might have poisoned your coffee from jealousy."

Lisa's eyes turned from the card back to Evan as her voice went up an octave. "Poison? You've poisoned me?"

Evan shook his head. "This poison is just more of a sleeping draught. If you decline to join Torchwood One, you'll forget both the meeting and the code you've discovered. And you know that I have the ability to wipe any files that I must."

"Is Ianto in danger?" Lisa internally gripped herself tight.

"No. Not if you don't put him in that kind of danger. Ms. Hallett, we don't choose hastily. You're the right person for this if you'll just trust yourself. Go to the address. You won't be disappointed."

Lisa took a cab from the coffee shop, turning the blank card in her hands. Lisa fumbled with her purse and the miscellaneous contents therein. She was nervous; having dialed Ianto's number once after getting in the cab. She had hung up just as quickly and ignored him. No, I have to keep him away from this. I set out on this quest. Now I have to find where it leads. Lisa tuned out the driver and the radio from Bangladesh. The taxi couldn't move quickly enough, the world seemed to stop around her. What was Torchwood? What was she getting herself into?

The building looked incredibly normal from the outside. Another of the cookie cutter and unexpressive towers of commerce and trade in the center of the business district, and yet, a sense of foreboding hit Lisa as the cab driver screeched to a halt. She would have to trust her instincts and her own quick thinking. If this were a bad situation, Lisa would have to trust in herself and her own capabilities. Wait a minute, Lisa thought. I'm not weak or insecure. I'm smart, attractive, and capable. This is my life and I will not lose control.

Lisa's back straightened as she moved from the cab to the door. The building seemed locked at every entrance and most of the guards ignored her impatient pounding. She didn't want to fall faint here on the street from whatever sleeping drug had gone into her coffee. There was a small slot near a stone proclaiming the creation date of the building. She shrugged and slid the card through, thinking that it might be like one of the hotel keys she wasn't so fond of.

There was a click as one of the doors swung open under her grip. She stepped through the clear entrance and was met by a nonchalant guard flipping through several television cameras placed throughout the building.

"My name is Lisa Hallett. Will you direct me where I need to go?"

"Do you have an appointment with Ms. Lennox?" His voice was incredibly bored and monotone. Neither did he make any attempt to look at her.

"No. I was sent here by an Evan Martin."

"Never heard of him."

"Well… he works for…Torchwood One." Lisa hesitated, moving through her memory.

The guard finally took a moment to look at Lisa and then blinked. "Never heard of it. Someone's yanking your chain miss. Best to head home."

Lisa's own fear was building into a fire of impatience. "I will not go home. I demand to know why Evan Martin would send me here and why a card would allow me entrance if this was not the place to go?" Even Lisa was surprised by the harshness in her own voice.

"Now just calm down ma'am. Here, I'll send you up to Ms. Lennox's secretary if it will make you feel any better. You'll just have to go through that security clearance metal detector. Is that alright?"

Lisa felt herself calming down as progress began in the journey once again. "Yes. I believe that would be quite helpful."

"Alright then. If you'll just please step through."

Lisa followed the direction of the guard's arm. She noticed a slight charge to the air as she came upon the metal detector. There was a brief and sudden spark that shot through the air while she was in the midst of the detector. Before she blacked out, Lisa knew the place had been a trap and she had fallen for it. Each volt that coursed through her body before her eyes closed and her breath shortened reminded her as such.

Prompt 68: Lightning

Sub-Title: Torchwood 4 (Chapter 11)