27

They headed out as the last light started to fade and Ray watched them go with a heavy heart, the piece of tech for the defenses Toshiko had handed him all he had left now and as the people settled to watch the darkness fold in around them.

As the team drove off Ianto glanced in the side mirror to watch the village fade "They even had power."

"I know, but if they had hydro power… the next place might too. you seem to remember it having it. The water races here are so lush for power… at least we gave them some weaponry" Jack assured him, reaching out to pat his thigh gently "We can't force them."

"You can lead a horse to water" Ianto sighed, knowing Jack was right.

They were at least half an hour away when Tosh came over the radio from the other SUV "They lit the first lot up."

They stopped the vehicles and got out, looking back as they listened to the faint noise of booming fire, the landmines set up going off as the Greys left the tree-line thinking the village ripe or the picking.

It had worked, their decision to booby-trap the village worked.

The radio crackled then Ralf's voice came over "Got the bastards. Six of them… mince meat now."

"Be careful, they might not be alone" Jack advised "But any others will think twice before trying again."

After the team found comfort from the village's defenses working they got back in the vehicles and continued to drive, leaving the village behind.

Deep down, Jack and Ianto both knew the village would fall. Sooner or later they would run out of landmines… bullets… strength. There were too any Greys.

.

.

They stopped to stretch their legs and reshuffle bums. Jack, Ianto, Toshiko, Owen, Alice and Stephen were in the front SUV, Myfanwy on Ianto's lap once more.

Rhys and Gwen followed with Andy in the back, sullenly going over the extra stuff they had packed in this second vehicle as the front one had no room now. The stock truck behind them had the mother load though, those animals important.

Leaving an SUV at the village had been a no brainier, communications between them still there and the weapons left behind were helpful too.

Mathew had explained how the larger group was picked off, the small ones ignored. This was what their usual method was, to go big, then recalibrate for smaller, then smaller… as long as large towns were still getting hit, they had time to hustle.

It was almost dawn when disaster struck, the large bang and sudden jerk of the wheel making Jack yelp as the SUV's tire blew and he fought for control.

Then the SUV behind them did the same making Ianto grab the radio "STOP… MATHEW ….. STOP THE ROAD IS SPIKED!"

Luckily the truck had time to power down before the disaster of it's tires as well, the stock inside likely not surviving the truck loosing wheels at speed. The truck might have capsized killing all on board including the man and child in the cab.

Jack was both impressed and pissed at the brainwave of the village they were approaching to have booby trapped their road like this but … damn… a little heads-up might be nice for humans? They stood surveying the damage.

"Greys can read as well as we can" Ianto said softly as he caught Jack's annoyance "This was a good idea."

Jack was about to say something else when Ianto suddenly froze, looking over Jack's shoulder, then he let out a yell "MIMI!"

Jack turned to see a small child running along the road, her arms out reaching as a woman ran after her calling to her with open terror.

"UNCLE!" the child screamed, the woman stopping her pursuit to watch as Ianto broke from the pack to run to Mica, dropping to his knees as he sobbed, clutching her to him.

He had been right.

His brain was functioning after all. He was a Harbinger… it was in his blood… of course he inherited it… in the blood… "Good girl."

"Things came and tried to grab us so I bit them!" she said with glee "I turned into a big growly thing and I gnashed my teeth! Mama and David didn't… he is a bit pissy about that!"

Ianto cuddled her with his heart pounding. Second born. So the second born? Ok, made sense. The first born to protect and help hide. He looked over her curls to his sister who stood close enough to recognize him, her face streaked with tears as he rose and opened his free arm.

"Oh Ianto… oh god!" she sobbed burying her face in his chest "These grey things were all over the street, shooting people with these things and Mica she… god... she … chased them away and we ran"

"David?"

"Back at the village, I hoped… I hoped you would come... would remember this place" Rhiannon stepped back, wiping her face as her hands shook "These thoughts, memories and voices whispering in my head… the dreams… what is this?"

"We are an alien race here to protect the human race against the Grey Men. Looks like the second born of each generation can transform into beasts, the first born their… I don't know… handlers?" Ianto frowned. "When we were put here I guess there were less people, smaller groups to protect. How could they know what a virus mankind is, spreading as it does."

"As if anyone could ever handle you" Rhiannon laughed weakly, tears still falling.

"Hi" Jack stepped around her "Captain Jack Harkness. I like to handle any part of him I can get."

"Oh Jack" Ianto smiled widely as he turned to him "Behave!"