4
Jack heard movement in the stables below and he glanced at the darkness descending outside before he headed down to see if it was one of the stock dogs sniffing around or… The Suited One, ah … Jones, right? He was talking softly to a horse as he fed it an apple, turning to face Jack as he approached.
"Dusk, I just wanted to make sure you are settled in before the darkness releases the … Others. I sense that you are not one to complain but I do hope you will tell me if you see a weakness or a way to enhance our security" Jones said softly and Jack nodded, pointing at the huge bank of screens that was able to be seen from the mezzanine second level over the stalls.
"The cameras are amazing" he said as he looked at the night vision showing the now empty fields, "Anything moves and it sets of the sensors. I will know if anything moves long before it is anywhere near the stock."
"Or us"
"Yes" Jack smiled, "Or us. You should head in. It's getting chilly and the night air alone can be dangerous this time of year."
Jones nodded and allowed Jack a rare smile then he slid out into the dark like a wraith, Jack moving to watch the screens as the man strode with confidence the short distance between the house and the stables. Jack saw a place for improvement right there. Tomorrow he would ask to speak to the Master and tell him a closed walkway would eliminate danger for someone moving between house and stables.
Jones stopped walking, swinging to look directly at the camera then he was gone.
Jack headed up to settle in the large comfy chair seated by the rails obviously to watch the screens before sleep.
Jack was surprised to find himself more invested in this than he thought he would be.
This is just a cover.
Right?
.
.
.
.
.
Jack found Rhys at the back door skinning a rabbit and he walked over with a grin, "Hey. Did you get that?"
"In me bloody lettuces" Rhys grinned, "Got him dead bang."
"I never heard the shot" Jack said with surprise.
"Nah" Rhys held up a slingshot and Jack laughed at the childish glee, then produced one from his own back pocket. Soon both men were playing like five year olds, two children joining in.
"I was thinking" Jack said after a while "A closed walkway between the stable and the house means I can move between the two safely, if there is danger I can secure the barn and come in to protect the kids."
Rhys swung to look behind him and Jack turned to find Jones sitting on the wood pile like he was in an old stately chair. It looked so strange yet … refined.
"What do you think?" Rhys asked "We had talked about it, right?"
"Yes, we needed to sort the materials. I thought that as well, it is only the width of a carriage" then Jones canted his head in a cute way, "Why not just use one? I mean, we have that one with the broken axel that is enclosed. Why not just drag it over and take the canopy off the wheels? Then it is a good size and we know it is water proof."
"You think the Master will approve it?" Jack asked and Rhys made a noise in his throat as Jones rose to his feet.
"Rhys, why not take him to have a look and I will go see if Owen will come help" Ianto said as he turned to head inside.
"Owen?"
"They were not at the table last night" Rhys nodded, "Owen is a Doctor who came to rest with a lung condition, his wife Toshiko thought they might stay a week or two. She set up the cameras. This was a Bed and Breakfast you see, before the children started coming. First three children arrived and … well … the Harpers never left. He was abed early with a cough."
"Well, maybe he shouldn't help" Jack frowned.
"He didn't mean physically, he meant fussing and getting in the way and feeling like one of the men" Rhys laughed, "Owen is a nice guy, a bit septic at times and totally unrel … hey. I was just telling Jack we need you to help measure the distance as we go."
Jack turned to find a little rat faced man with fuzzy black hair sticking out on his head like something had attacked it. He was looking intently at Jack then snorted, "He said you were big, I thought he meant physically."
"What other kind is there?" Jack asked and Owen snorted again.
"He meant your personality" Owen corrected, "He meant you were larger than life."
"Well, I know he is something else as well" Jack snorted as they began to walk towards a barn, "He is sex in a suit."
He didn't see Owen's start, or Rhys' glance behind them towards the house with alarm.
Ianto moved away from the window and sat to contemplate the new soul sent to be saved.
He was going to be hard work.