Chapter 10: Two plus Three plus Four
Toshiko and Owen looked round when they heard footsteps crossing the floor of the Hub. They saw Jack, well another version of Jack, striding towards them followed by Gwen looking confused. As well she might, thought Owen.
Jack 4 surveyed the scene. He nodded at Jack 2, took in Jack 3 who was pacing near the office door muttering to himself, and finally looked at Toshiko and Owen. His gaze softened. "I hoped you'd be here," he said, almost to himself, and stepped forward to take a surprised Toshiko in a heart-felt hug. "Tosh, it's so good to see you again. Solved the puzzle of our arrival yet?" He smiled down at her.
"Not yet, but we have some theories."
"I always trusted your theories," he said, releasing her and stepping towards Owen. "It's good to see you too, Owen," he held out his hand. Owen took it and was pulled into a hug himself. "You're feeling nice and warm." Owen ignored the comment, thinking it yet another of Jack's enigmatic statements.
Gwen looked on, feeling just a bit put out. Jack 4 had not hugged her, nor had he indicated he was pleased to see her. What did these two have that she didn't? She looked at a Jack who was standing smiling at her. He was dressed in an old-fashioned grey suit that looked like something her great-grandfather had worn in photographs she'd seen. She then transferred her gaze to the remaining living Jack and her eyes grew round as she took in his colourful costume.
"He's from 1969," said Jack 2 conspiratorially, moving across to her, "weird fashion but good music in that decade." He smiled. "I'm from 1934; Tosh is calling me Jack 2. And who are you?"
Gwen smiled back, she liked this Jack better than the one she had found. "Gwen Cooper. I'm second in command here."
"Umm, and I bet we work well together. Lots of late night conferences, maybe all night ones," he smirked.
Jack 4 looked across, "Leave her be. She's about to get married. Why don't you tell her what its like? After all, you've been married to Angela for, oh, three years is it now?" The three Torchwood team members exchanged incredulous glances: Jack married?!
Jack 2 did not look at all put out. "I'd be happy to tell her. Marriage is great, I recommend it." He smiled at Gwen as he said this then turned back to Jack 4. "When are you from?"
"4693, so I have a good few years on you." Jack 4 looked down at Jack where he lay on the floor. "How long's it been?" he asked of no-one in particular.
"About 15 minutes," said Toshiko. She felt a stab of guilt that she had not been more concerned about her 'dead' leader. The arrival of these three other Jacks was rather distracting.
Jack 4 looked across at Jack 3. "Hey," he called, "what's the matter with you?"
"They just told me that I'm going to lead this benighted organisation. How could you do that? How could you head up Torchwood? You know what they do." He was genuinely angry.
"We had no choice, the job was bequeathed to us. Besides, you think it stayed the same with us in charge? Shooting aliens on sight is not our style. We change Torchwood, not the other way around. And Gwen here brought some real heart to what we do. I know how you're feeling now – I've been there – but in another couple of decades things'll change."
"Really?"
"Would I bull-shit you?"
"If it suited your purposes? Yeah. I don't think a couple of thousand years will change me that much."