26
Ianto wanted to make one last ditch effort to appeal to the Lurkers … for their children… but he stood there at one of the entrances watching one slither forward and knew he was not going to get anywhere as it sneered and told him they would piss in his skull and drink from it.
"Drink your own piss?"
The sneer faded monetarily then retuned "You will suffer."
"And your children? The innocents?" Ianto asked.
"Children?" it seemed genuinely confused, and then started a deep gravelly laugh "Offspring. Oh no… they are not here. The womenfolk with young are sent to the other side of this planet where they are safe… the breeders. Not here… we are here to conquer. We are here to destroy… not breed. We are soldiers, you are our targets. Your top lot are weak. Coddling them to you… if you kept them safe we would not be here. Eh? You are all…"
Whatever else it was going to say was lost as Jack calmly fired over Ianto's shoulder from behind, hitting it in the face with open malice.
"Sorry" Jack said after a few beats "Thought you were finished."
"Yes. I think I was" Ianto agreed.
They walked back to the waiting Plum where no one commented on the conversation had. The Cover Crew waiting to close in and close that tunnel entrance. Soon this side of the planet would be off limits to the scum who would learn the hard way that this was also their food source… the other side of the planet as unpleasant as themselves.
They had decided their own fate.
Hopefully they would call for their own to come get them and leave the planet all together, find another to pillage.
..
.
They flew for another hour until they reached the checkpoint for the other section of the planet, finding it eerily silent as they skimmed over what had been the roof of the facility, long since rendered useless now. Another hour and jack would see his ex-wife once more.
He looked down at the roof under the water with a wake caused by the vessel flying so low making it all shimmer, imagined all those vessels that crossed under that roof, the people inside said vessels on their way to meetings, holidays… lives.
He wondered how many had perished.
.
.
They landed without much fanfare, the people waiting seemingly to be polite and calm, if a little insistent that they go already. Apparently they did not like this little spot of isolation and to be sure, Jack could not blame them.
On the edge of the wastelands, bogs and quicksand. Nasty creatures that were held off from invading their metropolis by the water… the Lurker Land now.
Lucia had been happy to see him, even a weirdly uncomfortable hug between them as her husband glowered at Jack like this was all his fault. Maybe the timeout together had not been good for them. Shame. Alice was happy with things as they were and Jack really hoped that in time they might calm dowe once more.
Ianto appeared from the left of their huddle, Jack instantly moving to let him step into his personal space and Lucia noticed, looking over the handsome man with suspire "Oh… hello."
"Hello Madame" Ianto answered softly.
She looked him up and down openly now "Well now, I thought I knew all of Jack's friends and .. there you are. Interesting and new, tell me… what do you make of this entire Lurker thing?"
"Not much. A problem best not spoken of and soonest forgotten" Ianto replied. "Done with."
"And this treaty with the Dwellers" her husband cut in "I don't know. Can they be trusted do you think?"
Jack was struck dumb with the stupidly on display but before he could warn them Ianto answered "Who can you really trust if not your own judgment in these things, hmmm?"
"Well, at least Jack has found someone with some brains" the man snorted, then turned to his wife "Lucy? What do you think?"
She had been watching Ianto and the way Jack had sort of… cringed… her brain clicking over as Ianto spoke again "perhaps we should go. Alice messes you and will be champing at the bit to see you."
"Can we trust them?" Lucia blurted out "Can we trust the Dwellers?"
"Yes" Ianto replied "You can."
"Still… Dwellers. They have to want something from us" the idiot was still taking as Jack blinked, then looked at Ianto in silent apology.
"The soul of your firstborn" Ianto said in a droll tone and Jack started to laugh, pushing his shoulder.
"Stop it!"
"What!" Ianto said with wide eyes "Scary old Dwellers coming up to suck your brains out though your left nostril… everyone knows that!"
"I mean it… stop it. I am gonna wet myself" Jack laughed shoving him again and Ianto smiled, leaning in to steal a kiss before walking to the vessel.
"Come on… it's only early and I have so many souls to suck before bedtime" he yelled back cover his shoulder as Jack sighed happily.
"You know… he already has mine… my soul. Heart and soul. So… be careful" Jack said under his breath to his ex "Alice likes him too. If your fella pisses him off again HE will be the one under the ground, you understand? No more Dweller comments."
Finally she got it and her eyes widened as Ianto turned at the vessel's gangplank to wait for them. So handsome, dapper and clearly intelligent. And look at him, dressed so fine Who even dresses like that any….. more…. Oh shit.
They were being rescued by Dwellers?