47
They settle for a bite to eat, Ianto watching intently as Jack and Archie shoot the breeze. They are laughing as Ianto watches Frank move behind the two, sniffing them with interest before moving away and they do not seem alarmed at all by the Weevil moving freely.
He considers things. This Archie looks like the first hologram, not the last tired one. Ianto thinks some more.
Frank walks over to look at Ianto and Dean then asks in sign BEST I DON'T TALK?
YES Ianto replied THEY BEST NOT KNOW YOU CAN
THEY SMELL FUNNY
YES Ianto considered then signed to Dean AND WE NOT GO WOLFY
WHY?
THEY NOT THEM Ianto finally decided what is bothering him so much, able to say as those in the team 'listened' to him explain to the Weevil SMELL NOT HUMAN. NOT REAL ARCHIE. HER NOT REAL. LIKE…COPIES OR SOMETHING. ALIEN !
Jack watches the communication from across the room and nods, sending affirmation in the bond that he also knows who or what these are…they are not the people they are pretending to be.
"So" he says calmly "Any other inmates on the loose? Or just you two left?"
Silence. They did not expect this question and look at each other before the male decided to keep up the pretence, unaware that they have been rumbled, were the moment Ianto smelt them.
"We sealed ourselves in here, don't know what is happening below us" the not-Archie says with his eyes moving between people. Ianto now knows for sure they are some sort of shape shifter. If they are here … where is the real Archie?
He asks.
DEAD Jack signs with a sad sigh in the bond THEY EAT THEM TO BECOME THEM
Ianto knows. A sudden flash in the bond tells him these are creatures are called Nostrovites and they really want to get closer to him. They can sense he is different. The fact they knew about his father, something Archie had no idea about shows they have been getting into secured archives and are more intelligent than they are letting on.
Mind you … they have never met Ianto.
Whatever they have read, think they know … they do not know what he has become with Jack and the Mara joining forces with the Golden Goddess … that Bad Wolf. Oh no. They think they have them trapped, have no idea. Ianto considers as Jack lets everyone have a break before moving forward. He nods to the youngsters who can take point and scan the area while the others rest.
Ianto and Dean are comfortable as Frank moves off to explore, not afraid now as he understands Ianto and Jack know what they are doing. Frank does not need to know anything else, the smells so interesting to his advanced nose.
"The Dobermans. We met one, any idea where the other two are?" Jack asks and they shrug at him then admit they have no idea. There are six. Not three. Jack is playing with them now.
Ianto doesn't have time for this, none of them do and he leans forward "Can I see the manifest?"
They look at him with confusion.
"The last shipment, got the paperwork? Might help me see what is down there" he repeats, then before anyone can react he strikes. He seizes the head of the female remembering somewhere in the deep recesses of his mind that the female of this species is dangerous, ripping it cleanly from her shoulders as the others cry out with alarm.
Jack simply empties the Webley into the other one. The male jumps in the chair and a high pitched scream echoes as it dies, it's hand swiping at Jack with claws elongating from the withered hand that was now nothing like that of Archie's.
"Are they dead?" Ianto asks.
"They might be Nostrovites, but yeah. Pretty dead" Jack nods.
"Are you insane? Did you just kill the very person you came for?" Abner is in shock. He never learnt 'Weevil Sign' so had no idea what the conversation was.
"They were not real. These are alien life forms that can mimic other creatures. Archie and the woman that one was copying are long gone. She was his cleaner I think. There is no mate waiting for Ianto. He is one of a kind. These have been living the high life, no doubt eating other things down here and gleaning what they could in the event of a rescue." Jack pants with adrenaline. "Really thought we would let them loose up there."
Ianto sighs as he rubs his face "We are wasting time. If they are up in this level … we need to go down to the secure level. Shit, what is down there Cariad?"
"So … maybe just me and Ianto should go down, Dean and Frank stay up here to protect and wait for us to clear the level?" Jack asks even as he knows the answer.
"No time. We have to move. Eighteen hours left" Ianto reaches out to pat Jack's arm.
He's right.
Time to go.