13

It all happened so fast. Jack would go over it several times in his head as he tried to even reason it out as Ianto simply fired, cutting through the child into the man without hesitation and Jack cried out as the child fell, Ianto stalking forward to fire point blank into the writhing body of the man.

A Medic brushed past Jack to help the child and began slapping patches on the Childs'arm as Ianto leaned over at them "Will he live?"

"Flesh wound to the shoulder… yeah you savage fucker… you know he will live. Good spin shot" the medic replied angrily. "Perfect placement as per usual."

"What! A hit at that close range made it impossible for the fucker to keep a hold of him, the power of the impact spun the child from his grip to one side freeing up my shot. The boy is young Healthy... he will live." Ianto's voice was flat. Almost… disappointed.

"Sir! We have control of the facility sir!" someone shouted and Ianto sighed as he looked around the room.

"Seems today is not my day" he said softly as he dropped the gun and raised his good hand to rub at his face "Is there no one that can put me out of this fucking misery? Why are the Gods so fucking fickle? I HATE THIS PLANET!"

"Maybe the fact of the matter is… you scare the fuck out of them Sir, they are not ready to run from your wrath on the other side!" someone shouted faintly "Do you think they want you on their side of the veil? You are a fucking maniac, sir."

"Stop sweet talking me… you know I don't give out for anything less than chocolates and fucking flowers! No." Ianto said softly, looking down at the body at his feet "Just a Meatstick. Take the head for the Agency's Containment Box. They will want it to crow over."

"Sir, yes Sir."

"Gather our dead and let's get out of here." Ianto turned to leave and looked directly into Jack's face, the two men standing there for a moment before Ianto's face changed to one of pure anger "What the fuck are you doing here. You don't have clearance for this! Get him out of here!"

Hands seized Jack and he fought, kicking and bucking, shaking them off, trying to get to Ianto who turned on his heel and stormed off, shouting over his shoulder "Get him back to the House. I don't have time for this shit. I am going to cleanse with the others. Maybe I can find someone back in the labyrinth that can kill me. All these weak as shit pussies are such a letdown!"

Laughter as his men watched him head off toward distant sounds of gunfire, the last of the resistance holed up somewhere.

Jack head butted the man holding him and scoped a gun from the floor, running after the madman, his own anger flowing now.

.

.

They skimmed back in silence. Ianto's blood splattered face unreadable as he sat with the containment box full of The Snake's head between his feet, his gaze on Jack almost predatory. Jack sat cuffed to this seat, the two guards next to him bloody and torn from fighting him into that seat along with three other guards who preferred to sit anywhere not next to him now. Only seeing Ianto sit opposite had stopped Jack's snarling and thrashing like an animal in his restraints.

"You know…" Ianto finally said to break the silence "We could stop for ice-cream at the Mess House on the way back… I am dying for something cold. Maybe junior here might like an icy pop to lick? He's being a good little fucker now."

Laughter as people yelled, threw things and let the tension bleed away.

"What!" Ianto said with wide eyes "No drive though here? Damn… they should do drive through ice creams. Hell of a hot day today!"

More laughter as Ianto settled back and looked away, focusing on the way ahead and Jack felt the loss.

.

.

Owen knew Jack was there but was ignoring him as he used the special tool to cut off the body armour that could withstand bullets but not this sonic blade. The entire thing was wet, the water Owen had poured over Ianto to cool him down welcome and Ianto sat dripping on the floor, red water poling at his feet that was a mixture of blood and dust.

Ianto was still talking to one of his men, the de-brief about to start at the Agency and they were going over key phrases to use that might please them, things to leave out that would only be focused on as important when they did not want to waste time on them.

"Everyone's full reports on my desk by tomorrow lunchtime" Ianto said, then yelled, slapping at Owen "Fucker, that was skin. Tell everyone… tell them to go home and fuck someone. Sleep and then write their reports with fresh strength. I will not chase them, anyone who does not report their efforts to me will be hunted down with a big fucking stick tomorrow and…oww fuck… given to the doctor here… guck!"

The man grinned as he nodded to Owen as well and assured Ianto that they were already writing their reports, knowing how badly he would need them. Not a single surviving team member would leave until they had done their last piece of duty to Ianto. Not the Agency… fuck the Agency… to their Commanding Officer.

Finally Owen rose and declared "Not pretty but you do like gathering scars you fucking maniac."

"Thanks to you brother" Ianto said softly "Go help someone else now. I told you I didn't matter."

"Bleeding all over my floor" Owen muttered as he stormed off and Ianto sat back with a grimace of pain, focusing on Jack.

"What the hell were you thinking out there? In the middle of a classified operation, you could have endangered my entire team!"

"You… you were a maniac… you… I have not been in a fire fight like that for years" Jack finally said, sitting next to Ianto and ignoring the look of alarm in this decision to do so "So… High Captain is it?"

"Yes. I never lost my rank, it was better to let them think so. Better for trying to infiltrate the underground… we all had to take a little hit here and there to appear beaten and wanting to hurt the Agency. Only way to get in… get close enough to find The Snake and take him down. After all... it was not big of a stretch to show hatred."

"Determined little shit, aren't you!"

"He killed your brother. Did you know that? His men are the ones who disengaged the Reliant's shields. The Agency knew, covered it up like they do with anything one of their pets do." Ianto sighed softy as Jack spun to face him "The Snake was a Meatstick … just like me. One grown wrong, his brain not right. Broke out of his training facility taking those loyal with him, they killed all those who did not choose to go with him. Killed their own."

"Gods."

"Yeah… now you know." Ianto rose and clutched at his side, growling softly "I have to go."

"OK" Jack rose "Let's go."

Ianto looked at him with confusion.

"What. You don't think I am letting you out of my fucking sight do you?" Jack demanded "no way. You don't get to shit without me in the room. I can't trust you not to do something fucking stupid like walk through a hail of bullets without even shielding your head… oh wait…"

"They never aim for the head" Ianto huffed defiantly "Trained for body shots. I should know... I was trained the same."

"Yet each shot of yours was a headshot" Jack argued back.

"Trained the same… not the same at all" Ianto replied as he turned to face Jack "The Snake was not the only one grown wrong. I am not a typical Meatstick ether!"

"Really?" Jack asked with syrupy sweetness, the sarcasm dripping from every word "I would never have known!"

Ianto snorted as he swaggered off… again.