13
The ship moves gracefully over the mountains.
"We're about seventy miles from the Training house. And nobody on radar... if the Agency is about, they're laying low." Martha says as she flips some switches, Mickey in the other seat checking screens.
"They're about. Find us a home." Jax says calmly, "I'll take the shuttle in closer. Martha, ship is yours."
He starts out, turns back to Martha. "Remember: if anything happens to me, or you don't hear from me within the hour... you take this ship and you come and rescue me."
"What? And risk my ship?"
"Your ship?I mean it. It's cold out there." Jax is suddenly serious, "I don't wanna get left."
Torchwood is nestled in a gorge, overhanging rocks all but burying her from view. The shuttle on the right lifts off from the side of the ship and glides off, keeping low.
.
.
.
A line of young trainees files by in robes and red shawls pulled over their heads - one trainee a good deal larger than the others.
Rose is in her chambers still.
She is kneeling in front of a statue of Buddha, lighting a few incense sticks.
The room is sparsely lush - not as opulent as the shuttle where she entertained men, but still beautifully furnished and draped. A lace curtain hangs in front of the light, casting its pattern in shadow over everything. Including the rather large figure in a red shawl who kneels beside Rose.
"Dear Buddha, please send me a pony, and a plastic rocket, and –"
Rose blinks as Jax talks in a silly falsetto voice behind the shawl "Jax! What are you doing here?"
"You invited me."
"I never thought for a second you'd be stupid enough to come!" she hisses.
"Well that makes you kind of a tease, doesn't it?" Jax says with mock horror.
"You knew my invitation wasn't on the level"
"Which led me to the conclusion that you must be in some trouble." Jax replies in a sing-song voice.
"I'm fine! I'm. giddy."
"For a woman schooled in telling men what they wanna hear, you ain't much of a liar." He snorts.
"Jax, you cannot handle this man."
"I have to say, I'm impressed that you would come for her yourself." A voice says behind them as the Agent steps onto the prayer mat, "And that you would make it this far in that outfit."
"I can be very graceful when I need to." Jax defends with pride.
"I've no doubt." The Agent shows rare amusement at this strange man's display.
Jax sheds his shawl and robe. Rose kneels at the alter, picks out another incense stick.
"What are you doing?" Jax asks her.
"I'm praying for you, Jax."
"That's very thoughtful." The Agent croons, "But I mean it when I say you're not in any danger."
"Speak your piece." Jax demands.
"I think you're beginning to understand how dangerous Ianto Jones is." The Agent points out and Jax nods.
"He is a mite unpredictable. Mood swings, of a sort." He agrees.
"It's worse than you know." The Agent sighs.
"It usually is." Jax says agreeably.
"That boy will rain destruction down on you and your ship. He's an albatross, Captain."
"Way I remember it, albatross was a ship's good luck... til some idiot killed it." Jax says, turning to Rose, "Yes, I've read a poem. Try not to faint."
The Agent moves further into the room. Whenever he moves, Jax counters.
"I've seen your war record. I know how you must feel about the Agency." The Agent intones.
Jax grimaces "You really don't."
"Fair to say. But I have to hope you understand you can't beat us." The Agent moves closer.
"I got no need to beat you. I just wanna go my way." Jax sighs.
"And you can do that, once you let me take the boy back home. Give me the opportunity to help you." The Agent offers as if he is helping.
"All I gotta do is let you take one more thing away from me. I've had a lot of things taken in my time. And it may just be that this is one too many." Jax whispers.
"This psychotic, potentially murderous boy who can't have the slightest awareness of your protection. This is where you "draw the line"." The Agent scoffs with surprise.
"Well I'm a whimsical soul." Jax shrugs as if surprised at himself as well.
"There's a number of lives that hang in the balance here. Lives under your care. Are they as whimsical as yourself?"
"I got no notion that I'm being heroical at all. Any more than I think you're really just a harmless bureaucrat come to help me out. You move like a killer." Jax replies in a bored tone.
The Agent is stopped by this. Unhappily, he warns Jax "I have a warship in deep orbit, Captain. We locked on to Torchwood's pulse beacon the moment you hit atmo. I can speak a word and send a missile to that exact location inside of three minutes."
Jax pulls a small device, clipped wires sticking out all around it, and tosses it to The Agent. "You do that, best make peace with your dear and fluffy lord."
"Pulse beacon." The Agent says with admiration.
"Advice from an old tracker: you wanna find someone, use your eyes." Jax smiles.
"How long do you think you can really run from us?"
"Oh, a Jax-rabbit, me? Jax snorts, "Sides, I never credited the Agency with an over-abundance of brains. And if you're the best they got..."
"Captain Harkness, I should tell you so that you don't waste your time: You can't make me angry." The Agent smiles angelically.
"Oh please. Spend an hour with him." Rose mutters.
Jax smiles - then glares at Rose, mouthing "Hey!"
"I need him, Captain. Ianto is...my purpose and I will gather him to me. The brother as well. Whatever else happens is incidental. In the greater scheme."
"Why is it that the greater scheme always makes everything not that great?" Jax asks. "What if I need him too?"
"I want to resolve this like civilized men. I'm not threatening you. I'm unarmed." The Agent throws his arms wide to prove it.
"Great!" Jax smiles then he draws and shoots The Agent in the chest. The Operative goes down as Jax grabs Rose, moves for the-doorway.
The Agent is on him in a second, choke-hold from behind as he snarls, "I am of course wearing full body armour. I'm not a moron."
He tosses Jax hard against a wall, spinning and blocking a blow from Rose - she is clearly trained in martial arts, but he flat-heels her to the ground within seconds.
Jax is going for his gun again, turning, and The Agent kicks him in the face, sends him back, gun flying. Jax gets to his feet and they square off. Jax breathing hard, nose dripping blood. The Agent perfectly poised, waiting.
"No back up? We're making an awful ruckus..." Jax frowns as he cants his head as if listening.
"They'll come when they're needed." The Agent assures him.
"I'd start whistling." Jax advises as he stretches like he is about to wrestle.
"Captain, what do you think is going to happen here?"
They come at each other. The Agent seems the much better trained - he's fluid, his blows sparse and deadly.
Jax is more bluster and determination, and The Agent's precision is wearing Jax down.
Jax punches wild - The Agent counters with a spin-kick to the head that sends Jax to the ground not far from Rose, breathing hard. He tries to rise again, painfully, but Rose places her hand on his arm.
The Agent goes to his briefcase by the door, pulls out his sword. His face has taken on that remote kind of fascination as he looks at it.
"Nothing here is what it seems." The Agent says in a dreamlike voice.
"I know." Rose answers.
"He's not the plucky hero. The Agency isn't some evil empire. This isn't the grand arena." The Agent looks down at her.
Rose smiles back "And that's not incense."
He turns to look: the incense stick burns away - rather like a fuse - and FLASHES in an explosion of light and sound.
It's a flash-bomb: The Agent sails back as everything goes smoky white and the sound dies to a tiny buzz.
The Agent tries to get his bearings - and four armoured soldiers are in his face, asking him for orders...Jax and Rose are gone.