14

Ianto felt uneasy as he got out of the SUV, wishing his Grandfather had been able to come with him but not to this one. Not this family. The blood here was bad between then unfortunately and he knew his Grandfather would only exasperate things.

A man led a horse along with a foal following. As well as a few little kids. It seemed… so … normal.

"What do you want!" someone snarled and Ianto turned to face the snarler.

"Cousin Jed. I come seeking an audience with the old man" Ianto said gently, motioning with his hand for Jack to stop posturing.

"We don't need you here!"

"Then let me see him, speak with him and leave" Ianto shrugged "The sooner we speak, the sooner I am gone again."

Jed snorted as he glared Ianto down and then a soft grunt at them both turning to find Jack clutching another man by his throat in a murderous rage as he snarled "Do NOT touch me again piss-ant!"

"Jack, put him down Cariad" Ianto sighed softly "bad Jack. Bad… bad Jack."

"He tired to frisk me like a criminal!" Jack released the man who crumbled to the ground to choke and clutch at his throat theatrically. Jack snorted "Oh please. Nothing popped!"

Ianto shrugged and they were lead to a house where an old woman sat on the porch shelling peas. It was something out of one of those old westerns complete with a dog sleep at her feet and Jack wondered how the hell places like this could still exist.

Inside an old man sat at the kitchen table with the newspaper, folding it slowly like he had all the time in the world. An old technique to put his visitors on the back foot. Jack knew this one, he used it as well and didn't' care for it, pulling out a chair and plonking in it to pick up a piece of paper that had been cut to and read the coupon for two dollars off the next purchase.

The old man stared at him with shod "Where were you born to have such manners!"

"Boeshane… a little planet that way" Jack pointed straight up, still reading the coupons like he didn't care.

Ianto cleared his throat and slid into a chair, then placed the folder he had carried in with him "on the table Uncle Dev. I need a few…"

"I don't' care what you need. I have none to spare" the old man huffed.

"OK" Ianto rose spilling the folder out so the photos were visible then he motioned Jack "Come on Cariad. They don't need us."

Jack rose and they started to leave as the old man leaned over the table to stare at the still face then rise with alarm "Wait! That is Gerald!"

Ianto turned at the door to look back at him "Then I shall have his body released to you. Good day Uncle."

Ianto continued to walk and Jack struggled to keep up as Ianto almost glided across the ground with anger. One thing Ianto could not stand is rudeness. Manners are law. He was to the SUV and pausing to let Jack catch up enough to open the door for him as he likes to do when he finally turned to see the old man struggling to catch up to them, the photograph of the dead teenager in his hands.

"Boy! Gerald... he's dead?" the old man yelled and several people froze, one of them dropping the bucket of milk they had been carrying to cry out with horror, turning to Ianto for confirmation.

"Yes. He is one of three so far, killed in the city" Ianto replied calmly, "Three of our kind."

"Come back inside… we need to talk."

"You were too busy for me a moment ago, why should I have time for you now!" Ianto was ice cold "I will get the body released. Count your heads and see if you have another gone…then call them all in … or maybe the next one we find will be yours too."

Ianto got in the SUV, his arms folded and his anger raw.

Jack got in and turned the key as Ianto stared resolutely ahead, still not looking at those now starting to form a huddle around the old man with growing alarm.

"That was a little harsh" Jack finally spoke once they were on the road once more.

"He is my mother's uncle. Not mine. One of the trainers of our kind, known to taking children from families and placing them in his training camps for the betterment of our futures… blah… blah… He was always cruel, nasty and when she died… he came to the funeral to demand more land as he pointed out they had lost their only child and deserved less now" Ianto muttered "Me and Rhiannon standing there like we were ghosts too."

"Christ. And now?"

"He has no idea of my powers or their strength. He decided early on that I was not worth investing time or training in, left me to the Grandys which I should be grateful for I guess. I grew up better than most without his fussing." Ianto sighed "I really… really hate him."

"Really? I would never have known" Jack said with a straight face, then they laughed as Ianto let it go.

Not right to take that level of anger home to the littles.

Nope.

.

.

For anyone wondering a piss-aunt is the opposite of a puissant.. a puissant is someone of power.. a piss ant is that... piss from an ant