9
Ianto knew they would keep coming. Wave after wave until they finally got to him. They finally killed him and eliminated the last of the… but he wasn't the last….was he! Hunter was. Ianto knew he had to do this. For his Da… for his son. And for himself.
Jack made it a picnic kinda thing like it was no big deal and as the kids rampaged about, John and Jack watched over them and Rhiannon sat in the shade with a book… Ianto took a casual walk with his Da's hat on.
He slipped behind the waterfall with ease and entered the tunnel system once more. This time he knew where he was going, knew where his sister had died and the means of her demise. He knew his Da had stopped here to carve….. carve… infinity.
Ianto stopped as he considered this. Then he reached out to let his hand trace the symbol his father had used as an easily recognizable marker. Infinity. Like an eight. Like…. Ianto glanced over at the other tunnel. The old, spider web encased one that had not been touched or explored in decades. The one with a circle pattern carved above it like some other sections had been.
Ianto reached out and let his finger roll around the circle. A circle. A never-ending line… another form of endlessness…. infinity.
OH FUCK.
Ianto peered into the dark, reaching up to touch the medallion around his neck. A circle. Infinity?
Ianto took a deep breath and grumbled to himself "I fucking hate spiders."
Then… he grinned and added "And snakes. Indiana Jones hates snakes."
Ianto used a stock to wave about it in the hopes of removing the webs as he went then in a moment's inspiration he lifted the lighter from his pocket and simply… set fire to the world. The spider webs exploded and the light filled the tunnel. He used a rag on that stick to light the way now… old style. Why not. Da had done this… right? He preferred this to battery power.
Ianto ran along it, a hand on the wall and every now and then he felt another circle, turning and chasing, then stopping to hunt back to the last one, then find another way… he was on a mission and his heart pounded in his chest as he came to a dead end.
Ianto stood there and swore softly.
He reached out and touched it, overcome with sorrow that this was yet another…. Ianto's torch smoke rose in a plume…. Ianto looked up. He reached up to the ceilng and pushed against the moss.
It gave.
Son of a bitch… another tunnel running above this one? Really?
Ianto climbed up and crawled on his hands and knees along the narrower one that was totally hidden. He found another dead end and this time he pushed… it gave. Ianto grinned as he remembered those old movies about Indiana Jones and he hoped like hell there was no snake pit ahead. He gigged to himself as he went.
Maybe going a bit insane now.
He shuffled along as he held his torch out and finally he found himself in an enlarged area where he could stand again. Another wall.. this one had symbols carved into it that he reached out to touch lovingly.
"Da" he whispered "Hey."
Ianto removed the medallion from around his neck and gently placed it in to the carved out circle, then with his fingers pressed against it, he turned it.
The wall moved.
Ianto held his breath while dust and time worn air rushed out to greet him as it sucked the good air in and his hair felt the rush of exchange. Ianto slowly dropped to his knees and pulled forward the small box that was inside the cavity.
He considered opening it then and there but felt it better to do in daylight, so he rose and stuffed it inside his zipped up jacket and he then followed his route back out outside with what every hunter would love to have.. an edidic memory …. No need for breadcrumbs or markers or any kind when you know the way by heart.
And his heart was so damned heavy.
.
.
Ianto didn't know how long he sat there watching the kids play, his little one awake and fussing in Jack's arms as Jack stood in deep conversation with Owen about something, even as John stood guard with a weapon loosely against his hip as he scanned the place his eyes finding Ianto approaching with ease.
"Look at you… roll about in the dirt for a while, did ya?" he laughed as he called out to him and Ianto found his responding grin automatically.
Ianto took a seat and sat back, letting himself just…. Be.
He had it. The thing that was sought after… the treasure… whatever it was. Jack sat and handed the baby off to Rhiannon who gleefully took him for a squash, unaware of what was happening even as Jack reached out to pull the dirty jacket off his love. The little box within falling to their feet.
Jack pretended not to notice it as he pulled off the jacket and removed the Stetson as well, looking into Ianto's face. Owen approached with a cloth he had dipped in the water, kneeling to wash Ianto's face "look at you ya messy bugger, worse than the kids."
Jack looked out over the water to the waterfall and let the world turn around them. It seemed surreal somehow… whatever this was. After a while Ianto reached down and nonchalantly picked up the box that was roughly the size of a bar of soap and with a deep breath, he opened it.
John was behind him now, Jack beside him and Owen kneeling at his feet. The four or them all touching as John's hand was on his shoulder, Jack's arm around him and Owen's hand on his knee. They all looked into the box with wonder.
"What is it?" John finally asked.
"A … a beacon" Jack finally replied "Oh shit…. Ianto…it's a homing device."
"Yes but what does it do? Will it lead us to the treasure… or someone straight to us?" Owen asked as he closed the box and kept his hand over the lid like it might fly open again.
"I think… both. The royal crest on the box means it's something to do with the bloodline. Turn it on… let them know someone on this planet exists" John said as he tightened his grip on Ianto "And at the same time… anything here tuned in to it will go crazy."
"Well… either I touch it and turn it on… or I don't" Ianto said shakily as he opened the box to look at the contents again and Owen took a deep breath and then before anyone could stop him… he snatched the small device up and turned it over in his hands.
"It does not respond to me. I bet it's Ianto needed to turn it on. Anyone without the strong Royal blood will not be able to activate it" Owen surmised.
"Makes sense. A last failsafe" John agreed.
Jack watched Ianto's face as he stared at Owen's hands, then slowly turned his head so their eyes met. What to do… what to do.
"Ianto…. I am with you all the way" Jack said softly.
Ianto held out his hand.
Owen dropped the device into it.
Nothing happened.
They laughed with relief and …maybe… a little disappointment.
