14
They were travelling, Ianto driving like a thing possessed and Jack was impressed as he reloaded the guns. He had also chosen a few more, again glad Ianto was organised.
Jenifer was in the back, a child either side of her as Joseph sat in the middle seats, the cat carrier beside him as he hugged it possessively.
"Where are we going?" Jack finally asked.
"To a friend" Ianto replied, glancing at him before adding "for fucksake, do NOT tell them you were a cop. Stick to the military part."
"Hoodlum" Jack guessed immediately.
"That's what you think of me? Right."
Nothing much else to say really.
.
.
.
They turned off the main road about midnight, moving up the dirt road now as Ianto checked his mirrors constantly. "I don't think we are being followed."
"I agree" Jack nodded, leaning back out the window then asking quietly "So... what was your Hoodlum name?"
Ianto glanced at him with something akin to amusement and Jack wondered why. Then they came to a stop and …women… exploding from everywhere in flowing white gowns as they ran towards the van, all calling Ianto's name with delight.
"OK. We took a wrong turn and drove to heaven?" Jack asked with shock.
"Ianto?" a woman stopped with her hands on her hips, smiling with such affection. Then from the back came a cry of delight.
"Mama!"
"Shamus!" She yelled, her arms waving and Jack turned to stare at Ianto.
"Mama?"
"Yes. That is Shae's mother. Welcome to the Torchwood Retreat" Ianto smiled softly "Hoodlums! Really? What the hell do you think of me? I am not a Hoodlum ya twat. This is a sanctuary for women. I worked here one summer and found myself…well… spoilt for choice. I was the only one who was with her so clearly it was my child. She didn't want to be a mother, didn't want to have an abortion so… that is how I became a single father."
"All this time I thought she was dead or something" Jennifer said as she clambered out to be greeted with equal enthusiasm.
"Just… look at you… what you are eating… or smoking" Ianto whispered and Jack now knew why he was not allowed to be a cop here. Holly shit. This was an old fashioned hippy commune complete with some first class pot growing in the woods out back.
Oh god.
Jack knew for certain it was heaven now.
.
.
.
.
The kids were asleep, all three of them cuddling in a huge beanbag, complete with kittens. Jennifer was sitting with warm robe on watching as Ianto calmly talked things over with the women like they were some sort of swat team.
The smoke wafted about outside as laughter wafted back through the open window and Ianto leaned over "OI! Kids in here… move further way!"
"Sorry Ianto love" came a faint reply and giggling as the women moved back more.
"Right. So the maniac is dead?"
"We don't know. We sort of took off without really knowing" Jack settled back at the table with Ianto's…er.. Shae's mother. "I think so."
"And your friends that were coming to help you are probably there? So... ring them an ask"
"Helena … we don't know how secure things are" Ianto sighed as he patted her hand in a far to affectionate way for Jack's liking and he fought the urge to move closer to him.
"So, you ring the old biddy" Helena rolled her eyes and Jack face palmed.
"Well… it had been a long night" he muttered as he picked up the phone and called. He learned that the police were EVERYWHERE and there was a DEAD BODY at Jenny's house and THREE MEN arrested with one bleeding EVERYWHERE… Estelle no doubt had binoculars to watch with glee.
"God. I think we are all good" Jack settled back with a sigh.
"Wait. HE is dead. The two in the house arrested and the two chasing me?" Ianto frowned as he looked at Jack "That makes … four still alive… not three!"
"So one is still out there" Jack rose to face Ianto and the had the conversation like they were the only ones in the room. Something everyone noted as they two men smiled at one another.
"But with HIM dead will any left not.. leave?" Ianto frowned "After all... it's over right?"
"Well… depends. Who were they working for? What was the order? Dead or alive? OR dead no matter what?" Jack knew he was scaring Ianto but he had to ask "Jennifer. What does your husband look like?"
"Tall, thin and bald" she said with confusion.
Ianto looked at Jack who screwed his face up and asked "So… not a big redheaded monster?"
"No. That was his right hand man" she nodded "My husband was…."
"The one up the hill!" Ianto rose from the table with alarm. The Mud Monster "The one that tried to grab us and I slashed at him, cutting the rope. He's not dead. Oh great!"
And if he was still out there they were not safe.