8
Ianto, driving through traffic on the kid's motorcycle, flips open the cell phone. Punches numbers.
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F.B.I. OFFICE - CHEMICAL/BIOLOGICAL DIVISION, MARYLAND
Owen is enjoying another thrilling day. he grabs for the ringing phone "Chem weapons."
"Owen. " Ianto yells "bring up Wolfburg Federal Pen. The inmate is Jack Harkness."
Owen gets on the computer. Starts tapping... "Wolfburg, got it. Hasconi, Hagrane, Hasterg. No JACK Harkness in Wolfburg Ianto, is this a relative of yours... ?"
"Not now Owen. Go to February 1976. Who was transferred to Wolfburg from San Quentin that year?" Ianto replies.
"Two guys. Joseph Wainwright, and a... they don't have a name, just "inmate 1313?"
"Hit 1313."
Owen is now confused "This is weird. They got medical records, place of birth - Glasgow? But no name. Wait a minute, there's a next of kin. Alice Carter of 32 Stenson Drive, San Francisco. Ianto did you, like, fuck something up? Ianto? Ianto?"
Ianto roars off on the motorcycle.
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SAN FRANCISCO - 32 STENSON DRIVE
A single family house. Across the street -Ianto watches the house. The door opens. Alice Carter exits. She's 39, tall, pretty, purposeful.
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PIAZZA DES ARTES
Jack stands next to a massive column, writing on a piece of paper: "ST. MICHAEL'S CHURCH, FORT WALTON, KANSAS. FRONT PEW. RIGHT LEG. HOLLOW."
Across the park Alice Carter enters a city park with a rotunda of classical design. A walk-way under massive Corinthian columns. She moves through the rotunda. Jack sees her. He steps behind the column as she passes. There is a moment of indecision. Jack looks at the piece of paper in his hand.
"Alice."
Alice Carter stops cold. Slow-ly turns. And regards Jack.
Across the rotunda Ianto sees Jack and Alice. He stealthily moves toward them. Alice approaches Jack tentatively. He is stunned by her. By her beauty, her bearing, her likeness to him. "Hello. Yes. It's me. Alice. I uhm... I'm not quite sure what to say. This is all a bit much ..."
Several Police cars roar past, sirens blaring. Jack pockets the piece of paper "Let's uhm... let's walk a ways."
They walk off next to a Tall hedge. Ianto follows on the other side of the hedge. Ianto pulls out his cellular phone, begins punching numbers.
"So how long have you been out?" Alice asks.
"A while"
"A while. And you didn't call? You are free now, right?" she frowns as she regards him.
"I'm here with you, aren't I?" Jack tries to sound flippant.
"Why now? I mean why today."
"I was driving through San Francisco. I decided it was time." Jack is nervous now as he watches her frown deepen.
"Well there's not a lot I know about you other than you escaped from San Quentin, had a four day affair with my mother, and I'm the result." She sighs "You can imagine I'm pretty confused."
"I tried to explain in my letters."
"Ahh. Your letters. They weren't very easy to follow." She fishes in her pocket. Pulls out a letter. Whole sections of the letter have been scissored out.
Jack frowns. "I see. (grumbles) Bloody prison censors."
Alice tries for interest "How about explaining now?"
In the background they can hear police sirens. Jack looks around. "Maybe this isn't the best time... (off her look) Alice. Here sit down."
Jack and Alice sit on a bench. More sirens. Jack looks off nervously. "All will be explained. You must trust me on this. Someday very soon, after I get a few things settled, I will come back for you. What I need to know is: do you want me in your life?"
"How can I answer that? I don't know if we can... after 39 years, just start like that. Look at us, we look like siblings … why is that?"
"We are the same blood."
"But I don't know you."
"Where to begin." Jack sighs "My name is Jack Harkness. I'm Scottish. I attended Dartmouth Naval College. My favourite colour is blue. I like books. I like a good joke. At one time I shot a pretty fair round of golf. I'm in my …well … I am older than I look… and I've been in jail half my life. (Alice looks away) Maybe it's better I go."
She smiles. Puts her hands on his. "No. You're doing okay."
Police sirens blare. And the entire park is suddenly surrounded by F.B.I. and police vehicles.
"You lied to me" Alice accuses angrily. Ianto approaches. Jack makes no attempt to move. Alice turns to him.
Ianto flashes his I.D. "F.B.I. miss. Your father is working with us. He's helping us resolve a... (looks at Jack) ... dangerous situation."
"He is?" Alice glances at Jack, then back to the man in the immaculate suit, albeit a slightly tousled look.
"Yes ma'am. We've got to go, Jack."
Jack extends his hand to Alice. She takes it. "Alice - remember what I said."
They hug. Then Jack walks off with Ianto.
Across the park - F.B.I. Agents Star and Cord run up. Ianto barks sharply "No cuffs until we get to the cars"
They continue toward the waiting cars.
"You surprise me, Ianto. Now I'm going to surprise myself: thank you, you could have handled that differently" Jack finally speaks.
Ianto snarls softly "You almost got me killed. Twice."
"How's your jaw?"
Ianto wheels on Jack and swings. SNATCH. Jack catches Ianto's fist. Three inches from his face.
"It hurts." Ianto growls and Jack feels something inside him twist. Damn. How inconvenient … how… delectable.
Sancjez, Director Hartman and the F.B.I. Agents approach. Hartman's arm is in a sling; she's in a volcanic rage. "You cocksucker you dislocated my shoulder and cost the city of San Francisco ten million dollars. You try to escape again and Agent Chaney here will break your legs."
Agent Chaney large and mean, comes to Jack's side.
Jack grins "Pleased to meet you."
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PIER 39 - F.B.I. COMMAND CENTER
Night is falling. A large warehouse room with windows looking out to Alcatraz Island. Looks like N.A.S.A. at a large table. Jack sits at the head of the table in front of a scale model of ALCATRAZ. Commander Anderson and ten Navy S.E.A.L.s look toward Jack.
Anderson is agitated, staring at Jack. "Okay, one more time: down this second fork fifty-seven paces to a septic chamber. Turn left at the water pump, then forty-two paces to the prison showers ..."
"No. Forty-two paces to the septic chamber. Fifty-seven to the showers"
Commander Anderson says pointedly "That's not what you said three minutes ago."
Jack smiles innocently "It's not?"
Commander Anderson has a dagger stare at Jack "Excuse me. (rises) Hartman."
Hartman follows Anderson aside. They confer heatedly. "I ask for someone with knowledge of the island's tunnels. you give me a fuckin, convict who wants to play "twenty questions" like it's a fucking joke"
"He knows every inch of those tunnels, Commander."
"Then he's keeping it to himself. He's fucking with me and I don't have the time." The Commander snarls "At his age? Has he really ever been there? He looks younger than me!"
A pause as she thinks "What if he went with you?"
"Out of the question. He'll endanger the mission he'll endanger my men. He's a security risk." The Commander snorts "Who says he won't bolt as soon as we turn our backs on him?"
"I'll handle that. Chaney." The hulking Chaney escorts Jack over. "You're not cooperating, John. Maybe this will help. I'm sure you're curious about what's happening on Alcatraz. (no response) Twelve United States Marines - a terrorist rogue force - have seized it. They've aimed fifteen poison gas rockets at the city. Enough poison gas to kill every man, woman and child in San Francisco. (smiles) Yes, Jack, including your daughter."
"You bitch daughter-of-fucking-Satan."
"Jack has a strong incentive to help us, Commander Anderson."
Jack boils. Then springs at Hartman. Chaney grabs Jack, head locking him. So Jack knees Hartman in her crotch. Hartman doubles over. Recovers, coughing.
"Get him some gear." Hartman screams with rage "He's going to the Rock. Ianto!"
Ianto looks up from a computer screen generating images of different angles of a V.X. Rocket. He walks over to the table. Anderson and the other S.E.A.L.s stare at him.
"The goal is to take out the launchers and neutralize the V. rounds, Ianto." The Commander asks calmly "Tell us what you know."
"Well, the thermal imaging photos picked up the poison gas. Here. The prison morgue. (points) It's probably being kept refrigerated. makes sense. V.X. gas begins to lose its toxicity at higher temperatures."
"Have you ever actually seen one of these devices?" the Commander asks.
"No sir, but I've studied them ..."
The Commander replies in a sarcastic tone "That's great, Ianto. You're in the Bureau, so you've had weapons training."
"A little, sir."
"So you've never been in a combat situation."
"No sir." Ianto replies then after a beat asks "Should I begin the briefing on diffusing and detoxification sir?"
"Won't be necessary."
Ianto splutters "Sir, these are very complicated devices..."
"I know they are, Ianto. That's why you're going with us."
