2

Ianto and Jack walked slowly along the street, Owen behind them breathing deeply as he glanced first to the left, then the right is slow sweeping motions with the gun.

Crawlers.

The rotting ones were scratching at the dirt, dragging themselves along as they tried to keep pace alongside the new … well … fresh meat. They kept to the shadows of the buildings, their soft, weird sighing unnerving. Some were fresher, still able to be upright as they cling to the buildings for support, hissing and scuttling along, one or two brave ones even breaking cover to reach the next building then resuming the slow slide of companionship.

"This is the weirdest thing. Out in the light alone must cause pain but they are determined." Jack whispered, "They seem to want to engage but know the sun will harm them, yet … they will not go away."

"Like they are guarding something" Crypto agreed sagely, "Or … containing something."

Everyone stopped moving as Ianto hummed and considered the comment, "Yes. Containing. They have something … or someone trapped maybe?"

"Could be" Owen looked around, this time up at windows, "Think there might be someone in a building here? Look for one with a denser Crawler population?"

"Yeah" Crypto started to trot off and Ianto called after him gently "Don't go where I can't find you sweetie! There's a good boy."

Crypto wagged his tail in response so anyone who might be watching them from a window would not know he was anything more than a dog hunting for something. Something he was scenting in the light snow.

Humans.

Living.

Ianto grunted, then whispered to Jack, "He has found a spot where someone is dumping waste. A latrine."

"Excellent" Jack replied calmly, "can he tell how many?"

"He is checking the area" Ianto assured him, their hands squeezing lightly. "He detects only one scent marking … doesn't mean just one person. It means just one person it braving the light of day to empty the potty"

"Is this good or bad" Jack muttered softly as he kept Owen in the loop, "Either we have some survivors to safe or some potential hostile who do not want us in their patch."

"Only one way to find out" Ianto replied and he released Jack's hand to let him walk ahead, the Great Coat fanning out across the snow like wings.

"HELLO" Jack called out "Anybody home?"

Silence.

He turned to shrug at Ianto then frowned, looking at Owen who was studying a Crawler that was reaching out to touch a patch of sunlight. "Owen? Where's Ianto gone?"

Owen turned to point and frowned, "Huh?"

Then the snow around them moved, Jack barking a warning to Owen to run as he struggled with the two men that had materialised from under the soft snow in arctic fatigues. They had been invisible, damn they had almost walked on them and as Jack struggled he suddenly had the thought that they already had Ianto and he roared with anger, seizing the nearest one by the throat as he sent the warning to Crypto to seek Ianto.

Jack felt the bullet before he heard the shot and he cried out again, this time with desperation as he watched Owen run for the wagon, the turret gun waiting on the back and he fell to his knees as one of the men swung at him.

The clatter of the automatic gun stopping the butt of the man's riffle as he screamed and died.

Jack's last thought as he fell into the snow was that Ianto was sure gonna be pissed about this.

He had foretold more dangers ahead.

.

.

.

.

Ianto stood silently looking at the man who was examining him like he was a piece of meat.

"And the other two?"

"One has a feckin Tommy gun thing, can't get near him and the other one is dead weight now he's expired. No way to get him back without first sidetracking the little prick with the gun" came a snarled reply.

"Then do it" the leader rolled his eyes, "Put this one in the pit."

The man holding Ianto's' arm hesitated and Ianto saw confusion on his face "sir? He's a good catch."

"Yes but he is also a healthy well fed one. I want to know where they came from, how to get there too. For that, he needs the pit to think about his options. Then he will tell us rather than go back in again."

"Ah" the henchman smiled softly "Why we pay you the big bucks."

"Yes Rob, now dump him in and remember to tie a fucking rope to this one"

As he was dragged away Ianto looked back, he didn't like the sound of that. Part of him wanted to fight back but he didn't know if he was strong enough, if they were weak enough and if he failed … Owen and Jack were still out there.

The dog sliding along the shadows was a comfort though.

Crypto had found him.