32
Tommy chugged along the track towards the hills and everyone settled to keep watch like they were really out in the world. They travelled at half speed so the time would be longer, more similar to the time to the track blockage and repair needed on the way to Scotland. As they moved along Kev and Jack talked about possible areas to check like tree lines etc as Frank and Gill looked with glee, Dean already lopping along by the train as his Taddy exploded from the trees every now and then to startle everyone.
Gill was loving it, holding his rifle with ease as he scanned the terrain and more than once started with shock as something moved only to see a deer Ianto flushed out or a lone cow wandering about.
"This is seriously cool" he finally said to Dean who simply grunted as he kept up his own scanning Wolfling style. Frank made a squeaking noise and pointed, all heads turning to look and Jack sat up with a jolt "I don't believe it. Is that a bloody Z?"
Ianto was following it was ease as it seemed to be ignoring him as it teetered and struggled towards the train.
"Remains of a backpack is still attached, must have been hiking. Trying to get away from the large populated areas maybe" Kev surmised "Or just trying to keep ahead of the storms. Been dead a while judging from the decay. Pre-winter?"
"Maybe" Jack replied calmly "Or early days of. Might have died from exposure, not much clothing."
Ianto had grown weary if it and swiped, the head coming clean off as a huge paw showed something Jack had never seen before. Claws. Retractable claws. He made a mental note to ask Ianto if they had always been an optional extra.
Gill had gone quiet as he stared at it then whimpered "I remember those now. We were stuck in the car and that … those were all around us. Mama was freaking out ever so quietly as Dad kept saying he couldn't believe the village was so close yet a million steps away from the ditch the cat was stuck in."
"I found you" Ianto answered gently as he came along side the train and looked up at him, ignoring the Weevil that leapt onto his back with glee "You are rescued. You are safe and now look, all these yeas later you are the one out on a patrol and maybe finding a lost soul."
"Not very likely though" Rhys huffed "More of them, less of us. Natural order."
"Nothing natural about it" Ianto answered as he leapt on board and Frank laughed as he slid off to let Ianto transform to man mode, the black clothing shimmering into being with ease.
Ianto hugged the Weevil who was now happily checking Dean's weapons, then turned to his son "I am going to check things out in the direction it wandered from. You and Frank stay by Dad. OK?"
"Yes Taddy" Dean smiled as Frank raised a finger in acknowledgement.
Ianto half hoped for more, a little Z Snarl might have been a good indicator of Gill's moxie but the tracks were clear all the way back through the valley and Ianto returned to the train as it chugged past the halfway point, more than two hours passing since they left.
"OK, in the Real Word we can't just stop for a picnic so we eat as we go. Come on people. Let's do this right, fifteen minute shifts at the controls so we all get a turn to drive and then eat." Jack said happily, watching Ianto lope off again, still unsettled by the Z.
He didn't like one that close, even if it was still far from either village it was still far to fucking close for him. It told him several things.
First. They were still roaming out there.
Secondly. Tosh had not called a warning so unless she was on break and whoever was watching the security grid didn't pick up a warning light or the sensor was broken to detect movement in this sector.
Third. Gill was easily startled.
He wasn't ready. The boy was too young. It had nothing to do with age and everything to do with mindset and given the fact this young man remembered Zs eating people in the beginning, it made him more likely to freeze or flee. Some of his friends had never even seen one, or did not remember the early days as small children.
Gill did.
Ianto suspected he may have an edidic memory like him or close to it.
If so … he was a threat s well out there in the Real World.
Ianto was torn between helping the lad over his fear or benching him.
One way or another … the lad would not survive if he didn't learn to swallow that fear down.
Ianto considered the conversation he would have to have.