Torchwood: Divergence
Book Two: Adferiad
Chapter 3
"Jack!"
It was utter terror-laced panic that surged through the young Welshman, giving him the strength to tear away from the creature with the sound of ripping cloth. He scrambled awkwardly away from it, even as the overwhelming fear and horror threatened to throw him into a seizure.
"Ianto?!"
Harkness was suddenly beside him, trying to help him, hold him, support him. The American quickly followed the hyperventilating Changeling's terrified gaze to the Rift opening about twenty metres away, to see… the side of the head and jerkily groping arm of a Cyberman.
"Turlough! Rifle, now!" Jack shouted, pleased that the redhead responded without question and hurried to their position with the sonic weapon he'd been tossed a moment before when their Archivist had made his panicked retreat. "Shoot it!"
Turlough recognised what was trying to drag itself out of the Rift, understood Ianto's extreme reaction in that instant. Jones had been one of only twenty-seven survivors of the Battle of Canary Wharf, no wonder he was in such a state. The young alien aimed for the visible part of the Cyberman's body and fired the concussion rifle. The concentrated sonic force caved in the metal there, then started pushing the entity farther and farther into the centre of the breach. Turlough kept his finger tight on the trigger until the last hint of silver faded from sight and the glowing rip in the air disappeared, taking the mechanical menace as well as the gaff and cable with it. Only then did he shut down the rifle and turn to see if his teammates needed his help.
Jack was holding Ianto against his chest and murmuring words of comfort, apparently having restrained the younger man through a minor seizure. Turlough came to crouch close by, carefully reached out to shift the Changeling's coat. He exposed a large ragged hole in the heavy fabric as well as the shirt beneath, deep oozing gouges marring the Welshman's flesh where the Cyberman had grabbed him.
"Why didn't that thing register as a life form?" Harkness demanded angrily.
"Cobalt radiation," the exiled Trion royal facing him stated with a frown. "Technically it was already dead, or at least any of its organic parts were. Its central power core had been ruptured, that's where the radiation came from. It was just acting on its last conscious impulse while the cybernetics went into terminal shutdown. Nasty… and better lost in the Rift than lying around Cardiff."
"I…" Ianto panted, obviously still upset and disoriented. "I'm sorry… I just… I saw the headgear… and suddenly I… I could hear screams… the roar of flames… Lisa crying my name… I panicked…"
"You're the only survivor of Canary Wharf other than the Doctor who was inside the Torchwood Tower when everything came apart because you helped evacuate the rest before going back after Lisa," Jack reminded, pulling a clean white cotton handkerchief from a pocket of his great coat and using it to cover the wounds on his partner's chest. "The single living human soul to actually see the carnage of the Cyberman's so called conversion process while it was happening… not just its aftermath. If that doesn't entitle you to a major dose of panic, I don't know what would. Come on, let's get you up and back to the Hub."
Turlough helpfully stowed the sonic rifle back in the carryall while their leader got the third member of the team over to the SUV so he could regain his composure.
[What the hell was that?] Gwen's voice queried over the earcomms. [Nothing was clear on the CCTV. Did it grab Ianto?]
"Semi-functional remains of a Cyberman," Jack responded, silently encouraging the Changeling he'd helped into the front passenger seat to take deep breaths. "Hopefully the Rift will destroy it and it won't make a reappearance. We'll be heading back shortly. Tell Martha we won't need the radiation treatment, but Ianto's got some ugly gouges that'll want disinfecting."
"Bloody, sodding, mechanical bastard," Ianto growled viciously, looking down at the handkerchief covered wounds his partner had mentioned. "It destroyed my coat. I liked this coat."
"I liked that coat," Harkness agreed with a frown, then reached over to ruffle the younger immortal's hair and caress his cheek. "Just means we'll have to go shopping later, yeah?"
"Once I stop feeling like a hung-over idiot," Ianto sighed, giving the American an apologetic look.
"Come 'ere," the Captain half-smiled, gently pulling his lover over and down far enough to manage a decent snog. "Now get settled and I'll close the door. Hop in and buckle up, Turlough. Torchwood is about to leave the building site."
The named redhead stowed the gear and climbed into the back seat, even as the other man circled the SUV to take the driver's position and start the engine. Within minutes, they were on their way back to Millennium Square, another Rift related incident averted.
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AN: A special post, because today is my birthday and I want to.
So, a short chapter, but the lead in to more juicy bits. Things are going to get somewhat heavy soon.
Special "Thank you!" to Awatere11 for the wonderful cover photo for this Book. (Sorry… meant to say that sooner.)
Thank you to those reading the story. And thank you to those who have followed, favourited, and reviewed. NM