Ianto did his usual evening routine, calling Myfanwy into the bedroom and settling in the bed, waiting for a while to match the time he usually spent reading before turning off the light to try and catch a few hours sleep before the madness began.
His heart was pounding in his chest, even with Jack waiting downstairs, it was still a scary thought that someone was doing this. He still didn't know why.
Right on cue, the first of the banging that had Myfanwy sitting up and growling softly. Ianto did as he was asked and waited in the room as the dog started to bark now. Ianto waited and finally heard the first boom of the gun, jumping with fright and then he heard a high pitched scream.
OK.
Now he couldn't' help it, opening the door and letting the dog out. An enraged German shepherd took off with a deep roar of anger, heading done the stairs and Ianto stood on the landing listening as the sound of a dog attack started to waft up, Jack yelling at whoever it was to lay still and for Myfanwy to release her prey.
Ianto felt a surge of relief as he knew Jack was OK then he felt more than saw something to his left, turning his head to find someone standing at the end of the landing watching him. Horns on its head and a menacing feeling to its hunched posture.
Ianto roared as he took off, running for it in a low crouch like a good rugby player of old and before the person tripping over a little black and white cat could register tht heir 'prey' was attacking, Ianto had him around the waist picking him up and slamming him down over the banister to the floor below.
Ianto roared again, running down the stairs as the man now on the ground floor started to yell with pain, no doubt the angle of the leg under him not that comfortable. Ianto launched himself on top of him and the lights came on as Jack appeared, pulling Ianto off to laugh and hug him against him "Easy there slugger. It's OK. Andy is on the way."
"Bastard" Ianto kicked at the man who was now moaning and rocking with pain as the broken leg was really looking bad.
"The other one is handcuffed to the table. Calm down" Jack laughed then Ianto swung to face him with wide eyes.
Are you OK?" Ianto asked, his hands on Jack's shoulders "I heard the shot and…"
"I am fine. A bit of a scuffle but…." Jack's words were silenced as Ianto kissed him, deep and passionate before stepping back with alarm.
"Sorry.. I had to taste you at least once" Ianto finally said "God… I feel like superman!"
"You taste like how I imagine a super hero might taste too" Jack laughed, kissing Ianto with vigor.
"Knock knock" Andy said in the doorway with amusement.
"Sorry Andy… so excited" Ianto said then blushed furiously as the other two men roared with mirth.
"Right, come on. I worked it out" Jack said, clapping his hands and they followed him down to the basement as the man handcuffed to the table begged them to get the dog back with feeble whinging. Myf continued to stand on guard, her head down and teeth bared.
The men entered the basement stood there.
"Right. I worked out from stomping on the floor upstairs that this room is half the size it should be. Somewhere on this wall here.. is a hidden door." Jack said as he started yanking at shelving and after a while Andy called out. A shelf moved.
They looked into the room and Jack looked at Ianto with glee, and then stepped into the largest hydroponics set up they had ever seen. Jack walked the length of it and then turned to the men "And here is how they are getting in."
He pulled back a plastic sheeting and they stared at the tunnel entrance.
"A tunnel." Andy said calmly.
"Yes. If we take this, it will go back to the other house behind us, right? This is why they wanted us out of here, why they were using scare tactics. These mature plants are ready to harvest. God, the smell."
"That's what I could smell? I thought it was a sewer backed up … ewww" Ianto huffed "well… OK. This is why they made life hell for the Carters and scare off any potential buyers for the place. They want to keep doing this as long as they can. So what now?"
"Now you come home with me and we let Andy do his thing with his friends" Jack said with a grin "And maybe be discuss that kissing a little more? After all… we may need to negotiate some more… what?"
"Gwen fucking Cooper. Related to them. She told them about my Pagan heritage. Why else would they chose Herne to scare me?" Ianto was enraged "bitch"
"We can talk to her about that" Andy nodded.
"No. Don't. No… I have a better idea. Don't you worry… she will get hers!" Ianto snarled, fed up with this shit but now he was on the offensive. No more running. Nope. Superman does not run.
Gwen was going to learn one way or another that this was the wrong man to fuck with.