19

Ianto entered the room and chose a chair in the far corner, giving her the chance to escape if she needed to, then he settled back to watch her as she warily watched him, the children milling around with giggles.

"I thought Jack might be back by now" Gwen said as she lifted Emilie to her little feet.

"He is outside, wanting to show the kids the Flertil he found in the landing bay" Ianto replied "Came from a cargo hauler."

The kids gasped and went to race off as Ianto laughed and called out to them "What about Emilie?"

The boy tined to snatch his sister and then followed his other sister outside to see the strange butterfly the size of a small dog that Jack had to show them. It was a pet the landing crew had kept for a few weeks actually, but it was needed to create space and a child free room.

"Well… that was well done" she said with a sort, rising to follow the kids.

"Actually, I would say it was necessary if I am to have a conversation without the children in the room" Ianto replied as the door swung shut and John stood with his back to it, his arms folded as he stared her down "I suggest you settle back here and we have us a conversation."

Gwen blinked as she looked around the room with confusion and fear. She swallowed as Ianto folded his legs and picked at his trouser leg.

"Well now… you are clever." She said "for a Meatstick."

"Yes. I appear so."

"You are not like the others… what cell are you?"

"Fifth."

She snorted as she folded her arms "Right. So you were sent to hunt us down, the fourth cell to devour the third for our disobedience but failed as we killed those we could not turn… the next one bred with bigger teeth."

"Disobedience?" Ianto laughed softly as he canted his head "you killed… you destroyed and you ran. Deserted. There is something I have never told another living soul… well… we are Meatsticks, supposedly without souls but we both know we have them. To have loved so deep you could die, kill … you must have a soul. Correct?"

She nodded.

"Cell 3, your cell… had the DNA that gave Snake the advantage over the previous cells. They determined that this DNA strain is what caused the … anomaly… that gave him free will." Ianto flipped his hand over, "the thing that was never disclosed is that they used that same DNA again… for only a select few in the next cell. Three were born of the same DNA, clones almost.. but the other DNA mixed in hid their ability to think outside the box. This strain that helped Snake not only think three steps ahead of his enemies but also see several variations in real time was passed to these three. Of the three, one survived past the incubation stage. Added to the Cell Five infants. Grew with them, aged with them… lived in their space and like a sleeper agent, waited his time."

"He's dead then" she said softly, her horror crossing her face before it resumed it's disinterested air "So, the Snake has fallen. We shall endure, the other sub-cells will…"

"They are all dead" Ianto cut her off, "Only two remain of the entire cell. I have had it confirmed, all the sub-cells are gone. All of them, the entire Cell 3 is now gone… except for you."

She blinked as she stared at him.

"You see…" he settled in the chair as he stared into her eyes "I am that child. I am of Snake's DNA. I am the fox in the hen house, the sleeper here to hunt down my brothers and sisters, to end their tyranny. Me. I share his thoughts, his mind and unlike him… another DNA added to the mix ensured my desire to protect, not kill."

"You can hear me" she said with growing horror, rising from the floor to turn and stare at John, then she turned to Ianto "You know … you hear my thoughts like he could."

"Why he liked you. So tame, so pliable. Yes. I hear the rats scrabbling in the back of your mind, the screaming of those you killed haunt you… I know it is you. I see you. Cherry."

She made a move towards the door and John reached for his gun but Gwen was faster, slamming the heavy wooden train down on the Nanny's head with a scream of rage and despair.

"He's gone" she sobbed as she dropped the toy "Finally… finally… I am free. Free."

"Yes Gwen. He cannot control you anymore, neither can his sister Cherry." Ianto agreed as he watched the Nanny die, feeling nothing for the Meatstick that deserved it.

Gwen was finally able to let go of the fear she had felt since a teenager in the shadow of her terrifying Cell.