Chapter twenty-one:
Jack and Ianto emerge from the holding cells into the main room to be greeted by Colonel Matthews stood in the centre of the room flanked by Private Dane Vincent and Private Eleanor Founders.
Sat down at the front left desk are Jorden Fellows and Private Robert Hengraves looking sheepish but unable to hide the smugness under the surface.
Gathered by the front right desk stands Felicity Jenkins, Kennedy Kirk, Jessica Miles and Gwen Cooper. The CCTV from the now empty holding cells is displayed on every screen in the room.
Ianto looks down at the ground colour in his cheeks from the kiss, Jack's face is stern as he puts his hands in his coat pockets making his coat flare out behind him.
"You told me that you didn't make him" Colonel Matthews states nodding from Jack to Ianto.
One corner of Jack's mouth twitches "Someone wasn't listening closely enough, I didn't…" he says in an American drawl.
"Yet" Ianto adds looking up and meeting Colonel Matthew's hard stare.
"Yet" the Colonel repeats "But let's put aside everything we have just heard about your creation Ianto Jones, I've been thinking overnight and we have been doing a lot of talk about the rift and its increased activity" he pauses taking a few steps forwards so he was only a few feet from Ianto and Jack "You've opened the rift twice since being back on Earth, to make your mysterious 'phone calls'".
This gains the attention of all the eyes in the room which point directly at Ianto. Jorden Fellows is the only one not looking at Ianto "He can just reach through the rift he's not actually opening it. He can connect to any piece of technology. His mind reaches through the rift and connects to whatever is on the other side" Jorden's words ring loud in the room.
And he gets the rooms attention "How do you know that?" Ianto splutters, Jorden looks surprised "You told me" He says uncertainly "When you gave me the earpiece".
Ianto shakes his head "I didn't mention all of that, just that I could connect to nearly any technology"
Robert Hengraves looks from Ianto to Jorden "You better tell the class what's going on, Fellows"
Kennedy leans towards Jessica's ears "Exactly, why are those two best buds suddenly?" Jessica shushes him.
Jorden is scowling at Robert, Robert rolls his eyes and turns back to face Ianto, Jack and Colonel Matthews "You've done something to his head. He feels connected to you and it's how he knew that you were ready to tell Jack the truth about his creator" Robert points to himself and then to Jorden "It's why we tricked Dane and Eleanor to leave their posts to leave you two alone together".
Ianto is frowning "What do you mean by connected to me?" he walks closer to Jorden who stands up looking uncomfortable.
"I'm not sure I can explain…it's like I know things I shouldn't or have feelings that aren't my own".
Ianto frowns moving towards the back left desk and sits down behind the computer "Not sure I like the sound of that" all the screens in the room start flashing with different pieces of text and information.
"Don't think you can google this one" Jorden remarks taking a seat at the front right desk to be closer to his Torchwood team.
Colonel Matthews strides towards Ianto "Stop that" Ianto looks up and all the screens go blank.
He holds his hands up "Yes, sir" Jack moves away from the side of the room to stand behind Ianto. Private Robert Hengraves gets up and goes to stand with Private Vincent and Private Founders in the centre of the room.
"Jorden, I'm guessing it started when I gave you the earpiece?" Jorden nods his agreement Ianto nods back "I'm not really sure exactly how it works but it sounds like I've left a kind of echo in your head…when I project my thoughts it's possible that those thoughts leave an imprint like a footprint of my mind left in yours" he shrugs "but that's a guess at best".
Jorden raises an eyebrow "Will it go away?".
Ianto shrugs again glancing back at Jack before looking at Jorden again "Don't know" he admits.
Colonel Matthews stares at Ianto "I've been saying this since I arrived why shouldn't I see you as threat to this planet?"
Ianto sighs "I'm here to help, it may seem like I'm the one causing the problems but that's only because you can't see the bigger picture. All any of you can see is the strange dead bloke with computers in his head" he looks around the room before focusing his eyes on the word Torchwood spray painted onto the wall. "Weevils are essentially like vermin, space vermin they love staying in dark places feeding off whatever they can find. They survive nearly anywhere, so why would they leave their nice little life hiding in sewers? Because they know something we don't…"
Ianto turns to Jack "Other worlds are noticing things too and those that are able to trace the issues all trace them back to the rift here on Earth" he points around the room "Even this shamble of a team can work out that it all comes back to the rift…no offence" he adds looking from Jessica to Kennedy to Jorden and finally to Felicity "Although, you picked up on something else Miss. Jenkins she accused me of 'casing' the place. You were right because I noticed something because this little house with its secret underground basement is the centre of major rift energy spikes but of course, you already knew Felicity that it's why you picked it as your base. Correct?"
Felicity nods earning a small smile from Ianto. "Jessica, you think someone is controlling the rift because it seems scheduled?" Jessica opens her mouth to respond "Ye-"
"You still haven't convinced me that is not you responsible" Colonel Matthews interrupts "Who are you talking to through the rift?"
"That's…" Ianto is cut off by the Colonel moving forward his soldiers moving to join him.
"If you say classified or that you are not permitted to say I will get these soldiers to neutralise you and we will drive you to a UNIT base without back-up"
Ianto stands up meeting the Colonel face to face only a few inches separating them "Try it, Colonel. I think you'll find I have back up".
Within a moment Jack, Gwen, Kennedy, Jessica, Felicity and Jorden move so they are standing behind Ianto.
"You forget Ianto Jones, what you see in front of you is just a small group from a much larger organisation. UNIT will stop you if we feel we need too"
Ianto rolls his eyes "I don't think you will, you see I answer to a much higher authority then UNIT"
Behind Ianto, Jorden meets Private Robert Hengraves eyes, Robert is stood behind the rest of the UNIT soldiers but sneaks around them and joins Jorden to stand behind Ianto.
"Deserting your post Private" Colonel Matthews barks.
Private Hengraves salutes "Yes, sir" then to Felicity "You hiring I did notice there was a spare bedroom upstairs?"
Felicity glares "Maybe not the time"
"Not a no" Hengraves responds patting Jorden on the arm and giving him a thumbs up.
Ianto is smiling "Eight against three, not great odds Colonel"
Colonel Matthews waves this comment away "What higher authority?"
Ianto's smile widens "That's classified"