6
He woke to Tish's shrill shriek and sat up, blinking furiously.
The Predator stood calmly waiting and Ianto cleared his throat as he rose, smiling to greet him.
"Nice of you to call by" he said automatically, "How can I help you?"
"You have progressed" the Predator said pointing at him.
"Yes!" Ianto dropped to a knee and went though the black bag he had carried in to sit next to him, drawing out a small furry hunk of metal.
"We never had a name for these, Suzie and Tosh were working on them but Owen had such a negative reaction once the fur was added for cloaking reasons that they stopped. I call them Spider Mice."
He placed it on the coffee table and tapped it, making it stand on eight little legs and a small red light beamed out.
"Camera" Ianto explained as he pointed at it, "We can see, Tosh?"
The window turned into a video screen as the small machine turned to look around the room and the Predator canted his head, "You are a more advanced species than first thought. This is some serious AI."
Ianto realized it was Tosh he was looking at and she stepped off the screen to show her discomfort.
"Alien tech helps, she's mine and I do not share. She is special" Ianto clarified. "She was my friend, a good hunter, a worthy warrior. Her death saved many. I honor her."
"Yes. Your kind do not all work for reward" his head swiveled to regard the tall, thin man, "You work for the betterment of your people. You died for them."
"Yes." Ianto said simply, unable to add anything of worth to this species.
"I am pleased" he was told and Ianto bowed as the Predator walked off.
"That was fucking scary!" Tish said softly, her phone hanging limply in her hand.
"You think they are scary" Ianto snorted, "Wait until you see an Alien."
"Aren't they aliens?" she asked with a frown.
"No .. I mean, like Ripley's Alien" he clarified, "they are real too."
"Oh god" she sat with horror.
"So, this little guy can get through the air ducts, down to where we need to be, taking Tosh with him." Ianto was talking, "We can …."
He stopped talking as an envelope was slipped under the door and he rose with a look of alarm.
Tish walked over and he made a small noise.
"Gloves" he hissed, "Some on the counter. I had a bad experience with a piece of paper once."
He shivered as he remembered the Undertaker's Gift and his hands slid to his stomach and the small pocked scars that were the only evidence of the things Gwen had plucked from his body.
He wondered about Gwen but didn't really want to ask.
He hoped she was safe and well, that if anyone had survived Jack and Torchwood it was her.
"It's an invitation to an exhibition" Tish said as she held it out for Ianto to read.
"I didn't give this address at the school" his eyes arrowed as he looked at her again.
"Your phone. They must have traced it" he sighed as he slapped a hand on his face.
"So? Trap?"
"Yeah. Trap." He sighed.
"So, what do we do?"
"We go" he shrugged as he checked his Glock.
"First you need to eat" she pointed out and he grunted as she started to sort some food.
He had a quick shower and stood under the water remembering Jack's smell on that boat.
God he missed him.
Probably never crosses Jack's mind.
Maybe it's for the best.
Not exactly memorable, right?
Ianto sloped back out in fresh clothes to find a salad and pizza waiting.
He sat and looked at it, recalling Jack's repeated complaints that he didn't eat enough salad and felt the first traitorous tear.
"Ianto?" Tish said softly, reaching out to take his hand.
"It's OK" he said sadly, "Just being stupid. Jack always got me salad."
"I know. He calls salad 'Ianto Food' all the time" she smiled.
"He does?" Ianto said with surprise as he chose a cherry tomato, reveling in the explosion of it in his mouth.
If that's how he kept his memory alive ….
He could live with that.