14
Ianto looked around the homestead with interest, opening the oven doors and humming, then moving over to stare at the large pantry with interest.
"The door in the back, hidden behind the shelving is for the underground bunker" the real estate agent said and Jack stepped in to see, pulling the shelving back to reveal a staircase already lighting up.
"Is this on the grid?" Jack took over as they moved down and it let Ianto and Martha head to the areas they wanted to look at without being too obvious.
They already knew it was off the grid, solar panels and a wind turbine powering the entire place, with more than enough space for other means. The generator in the old hub might be salvageable, it was of alien origin but a good fit.
Ianto knew where there was another endless supply of energy but he didn't want to think of that just now, the thought of what they might need to do too much when his stomach was doing flip flops.
"Jack?"
"Yeah?" Jack looked up as Mike bounced in, followed by Tish, "What do you think of it all out there?"
"Prefect" Mickey enthused, "The barn had been for a tractor and horse float, seems they had horses here."
"Yes, they did" the woman smiled, "Horses and … lamas I think."
"Horses are a good prepping tool" Jack said confidently, "IF an electromagnetic pulse kills technology we still have transport and horse meat is OK to eat."
"Really?" Martha screwed her face up.
"Goat is better" he frowned, "Camel isn't bad."
"Jack, do you want me to hurl?" Ianto scolded and Jack laughed as he let it drop.
"You OK? Not too tired?" Jack asked as he noticed Ianto flagging, and he had slept all the way in the SUV as it was.
"Lots of stairs" he sighed, "Need a fucking elevator."
"There is one, just not enough power now it's all off grid" she woman said eagerly, "See? The elevator shaft goes quite far down."
Jack looked at the open shaft, just gated to protect someone from wandering over the edge and leaned in, noting it went deeper than just three levels.
"Need to secure that!" Ianto muttered, "Not safe if we have a wee one about. Martha and Tish have a little niece and nephew, so do I."
He looked away as Micha and David sprang to mind, were they OK?
Jack pondered the shaft's depth.
Well, well, well.
Another hidden level?
He smiled to himself as he decided he had REALLY liked this old couple.
"Right, we'll buy it if they include ALL the blueprints, including the fourth level" he said calmly as he helped Ianto to the porch steps and the woman stalled out to stare at him.
"You are the first to have realized it" she said softly, "I was not to sell to anyone who didn't twig. They were so insistent about it."
"Who were they?"
"An old couple. Anna and Ifan something" she frowned, "Wanted it for their grandchildren but … they don't have any living this side of the ditch anymore. They decided to sell up and move when the 456 thing happened. Apparently they decided zombies are the least of their problems."
"Well, Ifan is a good strong name" Jack said softly, "Isn't it Ianto."
Ianto grunted and the woman frowned.
"Ifan. Ianto. Like William, Billy." Jack said to her and she slapped her head, red hair bouncing.
God she was funny and definitely absent minded given the forgetting the seller's surname. Jack knew it was Jones, he had checked.
Another good omen.
Good.
She was clearly not going to remember them either.
"Right then … what next?" Jack asked.
"Um, I go back to the sellers and we see" she grinned, "My first sale. I'm a Temp see, the best little Temp in Brunswick, me!"
"Definitely" Jack smiled, "I know you are Miss Noble."
"Weeeeeelll!" she clapped her hands together, "Come on you lot! Alsony!"
Jack blinked and then snorted as he grinned.
He looked at Ianto who was curled up on the back seat, asleep already and his smile faded.
Whatever the Predators had done to him, his body was taking longer to adjust than he would have liked.
He wondered again about the DNA splicing that must have occurred and climbed in to gather him into his lap.
Let it go Jaxton.
He had him back, all that mattered.
Right?
Right?