TITLE: Distantly in Love
AUTHORS: Gillian Taylor(Dark Aegis) & NNWest
DISCLAIMER: Don't own them. We just like playing with them...a lot.
Chapter Thirteen
"Jack! Well, maybe it wasn't the margaritas," the Doctor snarked as he moved around the table to examine Jack.
A moment later, he felt Rose tug at his arm. He looked up to find they'd been surrounded by three men with weapons drawn. Appropriately uniformed and armed, they were doing a passable impression of the police. The fact that they weren't actually the local authorities would have escaped notice if the Doctor had not caught a glimpse of what he recognised to be a wristcomm strap under one man's sleeve.
"Who called the cops?" Rose whispered to the Doctor, her eyes focused on the gun nearest her.
At the abrupt appearance of the 'Policia Mexicana', the closest tables' occupants had retreated to the far side of the cantina. Within this newly depopulated zone around the trio and their escorts, one couple remained in their seats. And like the 'police', nothing in their appearance marked them as being out of place among the tourists. The woman, the Doctor noted, was watching Jack's inert form, deep regret written on her elegant features.
Ignoring his companion, the man stood and approached the Doctor and Rose, carefully staying behind the armed men and out of the line of fire. His overall manner had a distinctly military quality and he appeared quite practised at handling this sort of situation.
"They aren't really the police." To the man who was obviously in charge despite his civilian clothes, the Doctor said, "Hello, I'm the Doctor. This is Rose Tyler, and our friend on the table is Jack Harkness." His eyes narrowed. "But, I suspect you already know that. Tell me, what does the Time Agency want with him?"
Slight surprise showed on the man's face. "Well spotted, Doctor," he said conversationally before he ordered, "Secure them." The Doctor and Rose found their hands being none too gently dragged behind their backs and cuffed. Two more men approached from the back of the establishment to lift Jack who showed no sign of regaining consciousness anytime soon. "Really, you shouldn't have gone to all the trouble," the Doctor commented airily. "All these people just for us?"
"After what it took to detain you last time, we thought you were worth the extra effort. And, thank you for reminding me. Check him for the sonic device," he directed the officer closest to the Time Lord. A quick search of the Doctor's pockets revealed the sonic screwdriver, which the Agent handed to his leader.
The Doctor's expression turned dangerous as he realised the implication of the commanding Agent's words. "You'll forgive me if you have to remind me of the incident."
Rose, who had been watching the proceedings with a stony glare, now understood as well. "This is the guy who messed with my head?" She was appalled.
The Doctor nodded. "No doubt to protect their little operation here. We must have gotten too close to the truth." "You are partially correct. You got too close, but that was expected. Your main function, however, was to get Captain Harkness here." "What have you done to him?" the Doctor growled. "Oh, I assure you it's nothing we've done to him. In fact, we're quite hoping that his sudden loss of consciousness is an indicator that his missing memories have been restored to him. Now, I think we should find someplace quiet to talk." With a nod of his head, the men guarding them prodded the Doctor and Rose towards the back of the room, away from the small crowd of remaining onlookers. "I know just the place."
As the group approached rear of the restaurant, one disguised Agent moved ahead of them and entered the men's room. The Doctor snorted. "Is this really the time?"
A few moments later, a rather inebriated man was expelled through the door by the Agent who motioned him towards the front of the bar. The drunk stumblingly wandered in the direction indicated and the Doctor and Rose were pushed forward again.
"You want to talk about it in the guy's loo?" Rose asked incredulously. "'Cause I'm not that kind of girl."
"And I'm not that kind of bloke," the Doctor added.
"You are now," one of the armed men murmured derisively as they were hustled through the door.
Inside, Rose crinkled her nose in distaste as the rest of their escort followed. "Thought it'd be cleaner," she opined to no one in particular.
"Won't be here long," the commanding Agent assured her. When the door finally swung shut behind the two Agents who carried Jack, he activated a small device he'd taken from his pocket.
Suddenly, they were somewhere else.
Chapter Fourteen
When he finally came around, the first thing out of Jack's mouth was an obscenity. This was followed closely by, "What the hell happened to my head?" as he pressed the palms of his hands against his eyes. He realised belatedly that his wrists were bound together in a set of handcuffs. Blearily staring at his wrists, he noticed the wall beyond them. Another obscenity escaped his lips. He would recognise that shade of industrial grey anywhere; he was a prisoner of the Time Agency.
He searched his memory, trying to figure out how he had ended up in this cell. The last thing he could remember was being at the bar with the Doctor and Rose. He glanced around the cell. No sign of them. He hoped that was a good thing - that they had escaped.
Still clueless, Jack prodded at his brain a bit more. Suddenly, remembrance washed icily over him and he felt as if his stomach had dropped to the floor. "Emmy," he breathed.
At that moment, the cell door clanged open and a tall, dignified man in Time Agency fatigues entered. Jack recognised him immediately. "Klein," he greeted the German dismissively. "Was hoping I'd never have to see you again."
Looking beyond the officer, Jack studied the man who had entered after him. The blond man was dressed in civilian clothing, but his military bearing was easy to see in the way he stood and moved. A predatory intelligence glinted in his blue eyes. Klein may have been imposing, but this man was dangerous.
"Harkness." Klein's voice dripped with venom.
Jack nodded to the blond man. "Who's your friend, Klein? No, wait. Let me guess. He's one of the Agency's shadow figures. Clearance level so high, he's off the chart." He dragged his gaze over the man again. "No rank, just a code name."
When Jack fell silent, the blond man spoke, "You have a rather high opinion of your importance, Captain Harkness."
"But I'm right, aren't I?" He locked his steely glare with other man's. "You know my name. What do I call you?"
"You may call me Danninger." He clicked his fingers and two broad shouldered Agents entered from the corridor. "Take him to the interrogation room," Danninger ordered as they approached Jack.
"Now boys, your interest in me is flattering, really," Jack started as he was dragged up from the cell's cot. "But I'm not the kind to jump into anything - alright I am, but what do you say we talk about it over a couple of drinks first?" He tried to squirm free of their grasp. They only held him tighter between them, their grip bruising his upper arms. Grudgingly conceding that he could not escape them, Jack allowed himself to be marched out of the cell.
"What do you want from me?" he spat out at Danninger over his shoulder. He'd decided to play dumb, hoping they would tell him what they already knew. He dreaded it was too much. "I quit. Isn't that enough?"
Jack was rewarded with a sneer from Klein that said, 'no', but the older man remained silent.
"I think you know exactly what we want. You have your full memory back thanks to the information provided by your former partner." Danninger's mouth twisted in a parody of a smile. "Ingenious of you to use a song lyric from a back-water century as the key."
Jack's heart fell. "You got to Janette." Guilt pricked at him. He knew he shouldn't have endangered her by giving her his memory trigger. He should have completely wiped his sister from his memories, left no trace with no way for them to be recovered. "Since when does the management allow the use of torture on active Agents?"
"I'll admit Captain Fischer was reluctant, but such a crude extraction method was not required."
Jack's escorts forced him through a door and into another grey room, this one empty save for a chair. He struggled again to no avail and was forced into the chair; sturdy restraint bands were settled and cinched around his chest. The cuffs were removed and his wrists were strapped tightly to the chair arms, his palms up. "She made captain, good for her," he said as he fought against the bonds. "So you blackmailed her. What'd you have over her?"
"That is between Fischer and the Agency. She provided her cooperation in this matter; we will abide by our part of the bargain and forget the information ever existed."
"Until you want something else."
The blond man tisked. "Such a cynic you are Captain Harkness." He motioned forward a mousy woman in a white coat, in her hands a syringe of clear fluid. Jack's eyes widened and he renewed his effort against the straps. "Please Captain, do try to be still. We don't want to do any more damage than is absolutely necessary," Danninger purred as the technician slid the needle into Jack's arm.
Chapter Fifteen
He watched her. As she strained against her bonds, her body vibrated with tension and he felt an echoing tension within himself. The Doctor's eyes grew dark with each movement of her body. His hands ached to reach out to her though he was no less bound than she. Rose had told him that they 'did not do this.' It was a forbidden taste, a longing etched across his soul. One touch of her lips against his own, no matter how stolen that moment was, was not enough for him. He had lost his memories, but he knew from the bottom of his hearts that if there was one truth in the world it was this. He wanted her. He wanted Jack. But at this moment, in this room, he wanted her. So, he continued to watch her with longing in his eyes.
The bonds were far too tight, and she groaned in frustration as all she managed to do in her struggles was to scrape her skin. Sighing, Rose turned towards the Doctor to ask a question before she felt herself frozen under the power of his gaze. He wanted her. It was written in his eyes, his very expression, and in how he held his too tense body oh so casually against the wall. She felt desire pool within her from the sheer lust within his eyes and she swallowed nervously.
In his eyes, they made love. He touched her, stroked her, and loved her with his entire being. She was caught, a moth to his flame, and she felt their connection crackle through the air between them. She might not remember her life before, but she knew this. She wanted him. She wanted Jack. But at this moment, in this room, she wanted him. In their eyes, they made love.
"Doctor?" she asked, wondering when her voice had become so husky.
"Rose." The Doctor blinked and suddenly the moment was gone. Clearing his throat, the Doctor glanced at the floor, avoiding the trapping brown eyes of Rose Tyler. "I'm sorry."
"Sorry?" she asked, incredulous. "Sorry for what?"
"For looking at you like that. We, we don't do this."
"How do you know?" she challenged, stepping closer to him. "You lost your memories."
"You told me."
"Oh," Rose's disappointed voice echoed through the room. "How can we not do something that feels so right?"
He shrugged. "I can't answer that, Rose. I don't know. But, I'll tell you what I do know."
"What?"
"I know how to get out of here." The Time Lord stepped closer to her, towering over her shorter frame. His body was tense, as if he were holding himself in check by willpower alone.
"How?" she asked in a breathless squeak.
"I'm sorry," he said, before he turned and slid his hand into her pocket. Once his hand grasped the sonic screwdriver, he slowly maneuvered it out of the confines of her hoodie mumbling apologies along the way as he mistakenly, or perhaps not so mistakenly, brushed against her breasts. Her breath hitched with every movement of his hand until he freed the device from her clothing.
"Doctor?"
"You told me, before you lost your memories, that you carried my spare sonic screwdriver. I hoped that the Agents wouldn't think to search you for it." He deftly fingered the device into its proper setting. With a soft click, he was free. "Turn around, Rose. I'll get you next."
A moment later, she too was freed from her bonds. Her breathing was rapid as she looked at him and he felt another apology come to his lips, an apology that she silenced with the press of her lips against his own. "Damn the 'we don't do this,' Doctor." She pulled away after a few seconds and smiled brilliantly at him. "But this is not the place. We need to get out of here and find Jack."
The Doctor grinned and moved to the door, sonic screwdriver still at hand. "One escape coming right up."
"Where is your sister?"
Jack smiled cockily, his split lip bleeding freely down his chin from the last punch, his head spinning from the drugs he'd been given. He recalled one of the special training sessions he had attended concerning what to do if captured by the enemy. The instructor's advice was simple, to lie and lie frequently, with a bit of the truth thrown in occasionally. "Mardi Gras."
The interrogator punched him again, causing his head to loll to the side from the force of the impact. "Where is your sister?" he asked again, turning towards the tools of his trade that were laid out in loving precision next to him.
"Atlantis," Jack said, eyeing the implements with trepidation. He had never been a big fan of pain, but for his sister he would do what was necessary.
"If you do not start telling me the truth, Captain Harkness, this will get much more unpleasant for you." The interrogator, a man simply known as Sayid, lifted a knife and admired its lustre in the harsh electric lighting of the room. "The human body has such an immense capacity for pain. There is certain artistry in producing the most pain without inflicting permanent damage, or causing death you know. After all, we still want you to be able to talk.
"Take this knife, for example. If I cut you here." With a flick of the knife, a razor thin cut appeared just under his chin. "Here." Flick. "Here." Another flick. "And here, it stimulates your pain centres in such a way that there is a continuous level of agony. Fascinating isn't it?"
Jack's brow broke out in sweat as he clenched his lips to prevent the groan of pain from escaping. He had no intention of letting his interrogator, or Danninger who watched from the corner, know just how this was affecting him.
"Where is your sister?"
"Timbuktu," he broke out through clenched teeth.
Sayid selected another tool, a long rod with a sharply curved end. "Where is your sister?"
"Barcelona."
"Where is your sister?"
Two minutes later, Jack was not capable of much more than screaming. When the word "Dinami" escaped his lips in a pain wracked sob, Danninger smiled. Sayid twisted the rod in his hands and with a final scream, Jack slumped forward spinelessly against his restraints. He'd lost consciousness.
Danninger crossed to his prisoner and pushed his head back, checking under one of Jack's eyelids. "Send for Doctor Alvarez. I want this man revived and ready to start again in thirty minutes," he said calmly. He was unhappy with the rate at which they had been able to draw information out of Captain Harkness, though he did not let it show in his demeanor. Danninger did have to admit he was slightly impressed by the other man's strength of will, but he was far from concerned; he'd broken stronger.
To another Agent who was standing by, he commanded, "Tell intel services to start their research using the partial information we've collected, starting with the Dinami and their homeworld. Emily Harkness is somewhere on that planet in some time zone. It may be possible to find her without any more of Captain Harkness' assistance."
One way or another, Danninger would find the woman he sought and the secret she carried. If the answer could not be gleaned from the Time Agency's extensive records and pain would not convince Harkness to part with the complete details of his sister's whereabouts, there were still options available. The copies taken when his associates' memories were erased may also hold clues - if not to finding Emily Harkness, perhaps to breaking her brother. Failing that, the blonde girl and dark man themselves might prove to be useful tools.