For my Ianto Jones Happy Birthday! Sorry I wanted to put this up on your birthday but I could not get the internet to work, so here is a slightly delayed birthday present! For you!
Chapter Seven – Admission
"What is Torchwood anyway?" questioned Clara. The welsh woman looked back at her companions looking for confirmation but the American continued with certainty "We're a secret organisation that hunts down aliens and protects the planet against them." The girls looked at each other dumbfounded "So aliens really exist!" exclaimed Clara, "Yes they really do and they are even here in the Welsh countryside." Added the intelligent woman with towering high heels, she seemed to be as excited as the girls at the prospect of there being aliens. Now the girls had stepped around the bush and the Dalmatian now known as Fifi had calmed down and had given them a thorough checking out, the man introduced themselves "This wonderful lady here is Gwen Cooper." He said indicating the welsh woman "And this is Isabel Sato my favourite lawyer, Dr Maria Harper, the doctor obviously and finally Dr. Issy Jones our surgeon!" as he said all of this very proudly the lady in high heels and skirt stepped forward first followed by the woman in the lab coat and then the girl who was dressed differently nodded glumly as her name was mentioned. "And I am Captain Jack Harkness" the man exclaimed gleefully handing out his large hand to shake, Clara took the handshake happily and smiled into his face, she felt she had been admitted into his whirlwind of a life.
The skinny girl with the waistcoat stepped forward and stated "Now if you don't mind we're on an important mission here and we must get on!" the Captain nodded as he slipped his hand out of Clara's grasp and added "I'm afraid so, work to do." Katya and Clara particularly felt down immediately as they had become enwrapped in the life of this team already. But as they prepared to leave a dark creature glided across the clearing, they all froze as the creature crawled forwards its fangs snarling and its bright yellow beady eyes staring at its dinner. As the monster came closer and closer the girls remained frozen to the ground in a state of panic. However Jack was hopping from foot to foot bounding with energy and then in a sudden fit of panic he grabbed two of the nearest hands one in each of his and sprinted down a narrow parting in the trees.
The two girls behind him were Katya and Clara and they held on tightly, their own small hands clasped in the large old looking hands of their hero. They smiled faintly at each other in the thrill of the chase. Their legs stretching to keep up with the long legs of the Captain but they were hurtled along with his speed anyway. He ran in a peculiar fashion with his knees up high and his face all contorted but he managed to maintain speed even without the use of his arms as they were held behind him holding on to the girls and could not pump him along. However his lungs did not seem to fail him as he covered the forest in what seemed a matter of minutes. The pace slowed down as they came to a steady halt, the girls faces were flushed red and they bent over hands on knees now Jack had let go of their hold, failing to catch their breath. Meanwhile Jack still maintained the same pallor and was pacing around on his spot instead, running obviously came under his job description.
But before they had another minute to catch their breath there was movement in the bushes. An unrecognisable animal raced through them in a blur but rather than waiting to see what it was Jack was off again with Katya and Clara clinging to his sides as he headed further into the wood dodging the trees skilfully. Katya was having trouble keeping her jeans on they were moving so fast and Jack lost hold of Clara as she tripped and fell to the ground in a thump. As Clara lay heavy on the dusty ground, light blinded her as it seeped through the trees heavy with leaves. Her blood was pounding in her ears and her lungs heaving but she could hear the creature in the bushes coming closer and closer. Jack changed direction swiftly as soon as he felt the weight go from his left arm. He hoisted Katya over his shoulder and charged back for Clara.
All at once Clara was confronted with the Dalmatian, Fifi putting its slobber all over her face as her hero came to scoop her up and away from the creature. A happy friendly laugh escaped from the Captain's tense mouth and the girls laughed with him. His gleeful chuckle was infectious but all the happiness soon came to a sudden halt as they realised in this entire adventure story Alice had been left behind. Clara exploded into a gasp of sudden shock, how she could have left her best friend behind she thought as she darted back towards the clearing. However as her first sneaker trod back down the path a firm grip pulled her back around. "No, you can't go back!" Jack barked into her face. Clara felt a little turndown by this but soon came to a conclusion that he was probably right.
They stayed in the trees for a while and the Jack clicked on his earpiece and spoke clearly "Isabel have you got the other girl?" and the he continued "Alright, good, keep safe we don't know what we are dealing with here" Jack finished his conversation and walked back to Katya and Clara who were fussing over Fifi. As Jack turned back to face them Katya and Clara had a shared look of panic. His lanky legs stretched out casually as he came towards them and he reassured their worried faces by explaining Alice was safely in the car with the others. "It's alright we can go back now" He said this so calmly that the girls believed nothing was wrong. Jack revealed a spare lead from his belt and clipped it on to the excited Fifi. The three of them and the dog trudged down the muddy path in silence only accompanied by the rushed panting from the hanging hot pink tongue from Fifi's mouth. As they neared a soft bend Fifi stalled and stood in a defensive position revealing her shiny white fangs from under her pink fleshy gums. Without waiting a further second Jack whipped out his well trusted Webley with one hand as it slipped neatly out of its holster and with the other hand he indicated for the girls to get behind him.
Meanwhile Alice had been bundled into the Land Rover by the doctor in the lab coat and was sitting in the back seat mesmerised and rubbing her hands across the cool smooth leather seats. Maria sat in the passenger seat in front of her and was frantically searching for something. From the glove compartment she retrieved a small automatic and a syringe which she filled up with a cloudy liquid and stashed it in her pocket as if it was a lethal injection of something. The girl mumbled hastily "Stay here, ok!" and Alice nodded glumly as she curled tighter into the corner. Suddenly there was a gush of cold air as Isabel opened the boot and claimed an animal trap from the special compartments. As Maria left slamming the side door and the boot closed heavily Alice thought about Clara and Katya.
Alice's mind reached out to them and hoped they were alright. Cowering in the back of this amazing car she wondered what was going on outside the protection of the tin walls, she could hear the others screaming commands and a few gun shots ricochets in the distance. Soon the commotion outside came to a stop and then with another sudden gush of cold air the boot reopened and Issy placed the trap back in the boot, but it looked considerably heavier than before. Once the boot closed once again the girl came around and opened the door Alice readied herself to climb out. "It's alright, you can come out now." She said sweetly holding the door open. Alice slid gingerly across the seats and stepped out. The other girl, Isabel was talking into her earpiece and confirming everything was under control.
Fifi continued to make a fuss about whatever it was lurking behind the curb and now Jack edged forward cautiously his gun raised above his head his feet striding out in front of him, a seriousness spread across his face as he disappeared around the corner with his faithful dog but Katya and Clara remained huddled together. They could no longer see Jack's stern face and Fifi's raised hackles. There was silence until a shot rang out and there were scrabbling noises. But soon Jack returned with Fifi at his heel and a gleeful trot as in her mouth she held a prize badger, black and white as her spots. Blood drooled from the beast's bite wounds and gunshot wound and therefore the girls no longer felt the urge to cuddle Fifi and congratulate her. Jack returned his gun still smoking back into his leather holster and tapped it affirmatively as if he was proud of its duty and the three of them with Fifi following close behind walked back towards the car with pride in their step.