Chapter 7:

"Storage facility?" Rex exited the police car. "What are we doing here, Jack?"

"Getting answers." Jack grabbed Lia by the arm and led her over to a storage unit.

"Jack, can I have a word?"

"Now?" Jack looked at Rex. "I'm a little busy, Rex."

"Now, Jack. It's important."

"Andy, watch her." Jack pushed Lia towards Andy. "She likes to run."

"From you? Yeah, I do," Lia said.

"I can't fault her on that, Jack."

"Just watch her, Andy." Jack followed Rex a short distance away. "What? We don't have much time."

"First off, stop being rough with her. She's scared out of her mind, and you are not helping."

"Anything else?" Jack crossed his arms over his chest.

"Yeah. When she woke up, she couldn't remember things. She didn't remember me."

"So," Jack asked.

"You remember what her twin said."

"It wasn't her twin speaking."

"You remember what it said. It was hurting her to talk to us, so how do you plan on getting answers, Jack without hurting her?"

"Let me worry about that." Jack walked away.

"Jack."

"What, Rex? What do you want from me?"

"That beard off your face," Rex replied.

"Seriously?"

"I'm serious, Jack. You're not doing anything to her until that beard comes off your face."

"Are you kidding me, Rex? The world is ending, and you want me to shave my beard off?"

"I need the real Jack back."

"You're looking at him," Jack said.

"No. I'm staring at the guy that fell apart after we lost Gwen."

"Gwen is not dead."

"Careful, Jack. Don't take that dangerous tone with me. I need you to be you. You get it?"

"I have a razor in the car," Andy said. He watched Rex and Jack stare at him. "Sorry. Not to eavesdrop or anything."

"Go get it," Jack said.

"And her?"

"I'm watching her." Jack moved toward Lia.

"I got it." Rex stepped in front of him and walked Lia away from Jack.

"Don't get too attached, Rex."

"She's a human being, Jack."

"You don't know what she is." Jack looked at Andy and then at the razor in his hand.

"I pull double shifts," Andy said.

"Mind if I shave in the car?"

"Actually, I do. There's a bathroom over there, Jack." Andy pointed in that direction.

"Keep an eye on them." Jack stepped away.

"Do you really think that she's dangerous?"

"We're going to find out."

…

Rex opened a storage unit. Boxes were piled on top of boxes. There were letters tied together. Photographs of Gwen, Jack and two others. There was a chair in the back. He led Lia over to the chair, and she sat down. He picked up a picture of Gwen and Jack.

"It's what's left of Torchwood."

Jack walked into the storage unit. His blue eyes shined against the dark. His face clean-shaven. He grinned, looking at the picture in Rex's hands. "Good times." His grin disappeared. "But they don't last."

"You said that Torchwood was gone," Lia said.

"It is," Jack replied, taking the picture away from Rex. He put it back in the box. "It should never have come back."

"We saved the world, Jack. A few times."

"And where did that get us, Rex? It doesn't work because we're right back to where we started from."

"We'll get through this, Jack."

"We'll see, Rex."

"Andy, you coming in?"

"No, Rex. I think I'll stay outside. Thank you. I don't like small spaces."

"Okay, Jack. How do you want to play this?"

"You wait outside with Andy."

"No, Jack. I'm not leaving her. Now, what's your plan?"

Jack sighed. He reached into his coat pocket. He pulled out a metallic ball. Blue and green lights softly glowed around its surface. He looked at Rex.

"No, Jack. Absolutely not. That's the device that put Gwen into the coma."

"Because she went into the mind of an alien. Lia is human. Right?"

"Yes," Lia whispered, looking at Rex for help.

"Don't even bother, Lia. He's not going to help you. Neither am I until you start being honest with us. Why do the aliens want you?"

"Why do they want you, Jack?"

Jack walked over to Lia. He knelt down toward her. His face was an inch away from hers. "I have a pretty good idea. Now, answer the question. Why do they want you?"

"I don't know," Lia yelled in his face. "Get away from me, you crazy bastard."

"You haven't seen crazy yet."

Jack spun around and shot Rex in the chest. He watched Rex stumble back, falling to the ground. He turned the gun on Lia. "You stay right there, or I'll shoot you next," he said.

"Jesus, Jack. Are you crazy?"

"He'll be fine, Andy. Trust me. Just help me get him outside."

"Jack." Rex grabbed him by the arm. "Don't do this. You don't know what that device is going to do to you or to her."

Jack pushed Rex and Andy outside. "I'm sorry, Rex." He grabbed the storage door. "I really am."

"Jack!" Rex watched Jack slam the door shut. "Damn it!" He looked at his bullet hole. It disappeared.

"What the hell," Andy said.

"Long story," Rex replied. "You don't need to hold me, Andy." He watched him move away. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. What's he going to do to her?"

"Nothing good, and I'll be waiting for him when he comes out."

…

Jack threw the metallic ball up into the air like he would a baseball. He caught it with one hand. The blue and green lights grew brighter. "Ready," he asked Lia.

"Jack, please. Please, don't."

"Don't beg or cry. It's not flattering."

"Why are you doing this to me?"

"You went looking for me. Remember?"

"Yeah, for help. I need you to help me not hurt me or whatever that is."

"Well, for me to help you, I need to know what you're hiding. Last chance. Why do the aliens want you?"

"You know what? You can go to hell, Jack."

"You first."

Jack threw the metallic ball up into the air. It froze mid-way. A humming filled the storage unit. Green light shot through Lia's head. Blue light zapped through Jack. Lia screamed. Jack fell to his knees. Everything went black.