Chapter 2

Jack's footsteps were uncomfortably loud in the echoy hallway. He walked with his hands in his pockets, whistling, and becoming increasingly more and more lost. All the signs read like gibberish, and the anatomy posters looked more like a time lord's than a human's. Small town, one doctor, and no wifi.

"You wouldn't happen to have blueprints you could pull up for me, would you, Ianto?" Jack asked, sighing as he rounded another corner into another indistinguishable hallway.

"Not a single thing in the database."

Jack trudged on. It couldn't be possible to get lost forever in a hospital basement. As he walked, though, the lights were getting dimmer. Some of them were flickering, making his shadow jump on the walls. Jack braced himself for another headache, the hair on the back of his neck prickling with an eerie chill. But the headache never came.

Instead, it appeared as if the walls were cracking. Dark lines snaked across them, darting toward him, and suddenly Jack realized they weren't cracks at all. They were thin, dark tendrils, curling around each other and squishing between the tiles, moving and throbbing like they were alive and maybe breathing.

Jack pulled his gun from its holster, but there was nowhere to aim. He stepped backward as the vines pulsed toward him, darting like vipers. Jack took a shot at the thickest of them and it recoiled back, showering Jack in a torrent of blood. It writhed on the floor, but the rest of them were still coming at him.

Before he could turn and run, there was a hiss from around the corner and suddenly something else was charging at him from down the hall. Several somethings, a few feet tall, lanky, with pale flesh fading into black rubbery skin. Their heads and bodies were covered in spines, and they were on all fours, charging at him at top speed.

Jack unloaded five shots, flinging creatures back with every hit. Blood poured in spurts from their wounds as they collapsed. Something oily and viscous bubbled out of their mouths and down their chins, staining black trials through the pools of red like chocolate sauce in melted ice cream. One of them reached him, claws slashing out. They caught on his shirt and tore it open in a single jagged line above his nipples. Jack pistol-whipped it off of him and fired the last bullet straight into its skull.

He reloaded quickly, and braced himself for a second attack. But it never came. The creatures were still pouring into the hallway, but they seemed to have lost interest in him. Instead they were prodding at their companions, long tongues lolling out to lick the wounds and the blood from the ground. They nudged at the corpses and nipped at raw flesh, peeling meat away from bone in long strips with their needle-like teeth.

Jack covered his mouth. It was time to go.

He turned, but something caught on the leg of his pants. He looked down to see a pair of silver eyes glaring back at him, a creature with its rib cage blasted open, but its long taloned claws clamped around his legs. It opened its mouth and spit a gooey paste up into his face.

Immediately his skin was burning. It sizzled and stung like acid, in his eye and over one side of his face. Jack screamed and crushed the creature's head with the heel of his other boot.

He wiped the goo with his sleeve as he ran, but it was sticky and only clung to the cloth as well. The smell of his own flesh burning was sickening. But he'd survived worse. The hard part would be finding his way out of here now, with one eye and still no idea of where he was going.

Then suddenly he was standing in front of an elevator. He mashed the button, gun hand still pointed down the hall. He could hear their nails clicking on the tile floor, but he couldn't tell if they were moving toward him.

The door opened and Jack staggered inside, jamming the button for the first floor, then easing back against the elevator wall. He rummaged in his pocket for a handkerchief, wiping roughly at his face. The wounds would heal; the important thing was getting it off before it caused more damage.

The elevator sang at him in soothing jazz while he wiped away as much of the blood as he could, before slipping the cloth back into a pocket.

"Well that was fun," he said.

The elevator door slid open.

In the reception room, everything was exactly the same as it had been when he came in. Welcoming and hospital sterile, not a twitching black tentacle in sight.

"Get in a fight with a door knob?" Victor said, rising up from one of the posh, clean chairs. "You look like you've just run a marathon."

Jack looked down at his clothing, still splattered in monster blood, and with a hole in the sleeve where the acid had burned through. Leisure sports wasn't the first thing he would have jumped to.

Jack grinned at him. "You'd be surprised at how many places you can find a good physical activity."

Victor leaned in close, squinting at his face. "You've got a blister, or a bruise or something on your cheek. Wait, no… no, it's gone. Must've just been a shadow."

Jack laughed. Victor's lips were tantalizingly close to his, something a man with less self-control than him would have taken advantage of. Ianto wouldn't approve.

Victor cleared his throat and took a step back. "Say, Captain, isn't it getting a little bit late for a house call? How about we save our visit to Mr. Falls for tomorrow, and tonight you- you have dinner with me."

Slowly, Jack grinned. "Are you asking me out on a date?"

"To discuss the case, of course," Victor said, ears turning faintly red.

"Of course," Jack said, smirking. "Your place, or mine?"

"There's a diner not far from here," Victor said, avoiding his eyes. "It's the place where Nim used to work. You might be able to get a lead talking to some of her old coworkers."

"Ianto?" said Jack.

"It's up to you, Jack," Ianto said. "I'm not going to hold you back."

"Who's-" Victor tried to interrupt. Jack was glad it didn't give him time to contemplate the wording.

"Please don't ask me about Ianto," Jack said, looking him straight in the eye. "That's a… private matter."

"Whatever you say," Victor shrugged.

"Now about that date." Jack opened the double doors with a flourish, and waved for Victor to go out first. Victor hesitated in the doorway, and it took Jack a moment to understand why. "Oh come on, it's just a little rain."

"I'm sorry," Victor said, eyes wide. "We don't actually… go out in the rain."

"You don't go outside when it's raining?" Jack said dubiously. "Why don't you just get an umbrella, or wear a raincoat?"

"We don't wear raincoats," Victor shifted awkwardly. "It's just- there's an old superstition about a killer who comes out in the rain, wearing a red rain coat. It's just a myth, but it's part of the town's history, so nobody goes out when it's raining. All the shops close, school gets cancelled, and people just stay home. That's just the way it is here."

"That's why he's so uncomfortable. I'm making him wet," Jack whispered to Ianto, trying hard not to laugh at his own joke. "I understand. I'll meet you there after the rain stops."

Jack quirked a smile at him, and then let the door close.

There might be a rational reason not to go out in the rain, Jack thought as he fought his way through the downpour. The windshield wipers were probably working harder now than they ever had before in their life, and still it was difficult to see more than a few feet ahead. It didn't really matter, though. If Victor was right, no one else would be on the road.

Then, as if just to spite him, something rammed into Jack's car with a massive thunk. The car swerved in a full circle, breaks screeching. Jack was thrown roughly into the door.

It slammed into him again, and this time the car flipped over, the roof skidding on the asphalt. This never would have happened in the SUV, Jack thought. Blood was dripping down from his hairline and he felt insanely dizzy, but the next blow to the car might crush it entirely, and he didn't want to be inside when it happened.

It wasn't until he was rolling on the grass that he thought that maybe it would be better to stay in the car and get crushed to death. The eyes of the beast were looming over him, 20 feet in the air, saliva dripping profusely from a stout maw.

"Hey now, Fluffy," Jack said, taking a step back. The creature looked like a cross between a toad and a rottweiler, but ten times the size. It lurched toward him, mouth gaping open, teeth each as long as his forearm. "How about we talk this out? You can have the car, and I'll take a hike. Sound good?"

A low echo rumbled in the creature's throat, and Jack didn't think it sounded like an agreement. Then it made a choking sound, head bowed, and knocked him into the air, over a fence, and into a field. The air left Jack's lungs in a gust, his body seizing up.

And then suddenly he was in agony. Something other than the rain was drenching him, something slimy and yellow-green. Pain prickled sharply through every part of his body. Then it was upon him, jaws sinking into his torso. Jack groped for his gun, but he could barely see. He aimed, pulled the trigger, and heard it connect- but the beast didn't even recoil.

Jack screamed as it pulled sharply, pain rippling through his middle, a weight lifting off of him. He squinted through the rain to see his own intestines spilling out of the beast's mouth. He screamed again, but already he could feel his head growing foggy and his limbs cold as the blood poured from his body. He couldn't move, not to shoot or even to scramble pointlessly away. It didn't even hurt anymore.

Silver eyes.

Looking into silver eyes, Jack died.

With a gasp like breathing razorblades Jack woke again, sprawled in a field with his clothes torn open and his blood staining the grass and mud around him.

"Ianto?" he said, clamping his hand over his ear.

"I'm here," Ianto said, though his voice sounded fuzzy and far away.

"Ianto, please," Jack choked.

"I'm here, Jack, it's going to be okay," Ianto said, and this time his voice was clearer.

Jack gave a ragged sigh, and forced himself to sit up. He felt like he'd been hit by a train, but at least he was in one piece. Now. He holstered his gun, and crawled to his feet. Most of his shirt was gone, his pant leg torn, blood and slime staining most of his body.

The rain had stopped. It was time for his date.

"Oh gosh, I'm going to be late for the prom!" Jack said, shambling back to the road. No car. No means to contact anyone.

But then, ten minutes down the road, he was rescued by a prince riding a majestic white steed.

"Agent Harkness, are you okay?" Sheriff Stiff said, pulling over to the side of the road and rolling his window down.

"Fine and dandy, thanks for asking," Jack said, grinning at him.

"You look tired," Stiff said, raising an eyebrow. "Where's your car?"

"I'd like to borrow yours, if you don't mind," Jack said, leaning nonchalantly against a fence post.

"This is ridiculous!" Stiff said, throwing his hands into the air.

"Don't worry, I'll drop you off at the station," Jack said, patiently tapping his chest.

Stiff pursed his lips for a long minute, before he finally opened his door and got out, leaving it open for Jack.

Jack stopped at his hotel room, thinking that at the very least he should take a shower. Inside it was just as he'd left it- blood on the walls, glass on the floor. But curiously, the blankets on the bed had been changed, and a fresh set of clothes had been laid out for him. Stranger still, there was a wad of money placed delicately in the center with a note pinned to it that said plainly, "Headshot Reward + $200."

Jack didn't question it.

Fifteen minutes later he was once again clean and pristine, sporting fresh clothes except for the coat. Without Ianto here to dry clean it, he wouldn't be able to get out the stains, but he decided it didn't matter. It was crucial to his 'look,' and besides, nobody else seemed to notice it.

He arrived at the diner with no idea how long he'd been out, but was pleased to find that Victor was still there, waiting for him.

"Miss me?" Jack chimed, sliding onto the seat next to him.

"Not too much," Victor said, with a small smile. "I knew a gentleman like you would never stand me up."

"A gentleman indeed!" said Jack. "I'll pay for dinner. You go ahead and order whatever you like."

"In that case I'll order the steak dinner," Victor said with a wink. "Kidding, I'm a vegetarian."

"They always are. Into musical theater?"

"Haha, gay jokes," said Victor. "I love it. Also, yes. Hey, Noel, I'd like to order the usual, and this man here would like the steak dinner and a couple of beers."

A person of questionable gender with shaggy dark hair, and pants on under a polkadot dress nodded at them from behind a counter, leaning over to write down their orders. Jack got an excellent view down the front of her dress, and noticed that Victor was checking out her funbags as well.

"Would you like to sample the new jelly biscuits?" Noel offered.

"I'd love to sample your jelly biscuit," Jack said with a smile.

"I'd love to sample your penis," said Noel, "But I'm working. Noel Feathering. You?"

Jack looked at her, whistled, and then winked. "Captain Jack Harkness. What time do you get off?"

"We're actually on a case right now," Victor reminded him.

"Look what you've done, Jack, you've made him pout," said Ianto.

Jack grinned and leaned forward with his elbows on the counter. "Actually, he's right. What can you tell me about Miss Nim Sudo? Vicky tells me she worked here before her death."

"I dunno," Noel said, "She was really pretty, and friendly. Everyone liked her."

"So I hear," said Jack. "Tell me, did you notice anything strange during say, the week before she died? Was she acting strangely, or hanging around people she wouldn't normally associate with?"

"I don't spy on my coworkers, man," Noel shrugged. "It's a small town. She could have been seeing anyone that night."

"Seeing?" Jack pressed.

"Listen, I'm not saying Nim was a slut. I'm saying she was sexually liberated with a whole bunch of people."

Noel smiled. From the other side of the room, a bell chimed as someone else entered the diner. Jack looked up to see what could have been one girl holding a mirror. They were twins, with long, perfect blond hair parted on opposite sides, and matching suits, one with a blue tie, the other a green one.

"That's Charlotte and Adelaide Strait," Victor explained quickly. "Their father used to own half the town, and after he passed away it was the two of them that inherited it. They stay out of other peoples' business for the most part. Not very social."

"I bet they'd socialize with me," Jack said. He could almost feel Victor's eyes boring into him, and so he quickly added, "If I wasn't on a date, I mean."

"As part of an investigation," Victor insisted.

"You keep saying that," said Jack. "It's like you don't want me to kiss you tonight."

Victor was blushing in his ears again. "Well, I mean, after the investigating's over…"

"I could investigate you," Jack said. He put a hand on Victor's cheek, leaned over, and kissed him. Jack could feel the heat radiating off his face.

From the corner booth, one of the twins spoke up. "We'd like to order our meal, now. Two turkey, strawberry jam, and cereal sandwiches."

"That sounds horrible!" Victor said, grimacing.

"It's not that weird," said Jack. "I eat cranberry sauce on my turkey. Don't you?"

"Well, when you put it that way," Victor shrugged.

From across the room the other twin looked up and smiled at Jack.

"We'll talk to you later, Captain Harkness," she said. "Once you are ready."

"What does she mean, ready?" Ianto said in his ear. "If they know something, they should just tell us."

"Everything in its time, Ianto," said Jack.

Noel disappeared into the kitchen, then returned a couple minutes later with Jack and Victor's meals. Jack noticed Victor's salad smelled a little fishy, but he didn't question it. Weird, but whatever, though.

"So what do you think," Jack said, to Victor. "My place, or yours?"

"I think you need to rest for tomorrow," said Victor. "You look tired."

Jack ended up driving back to his hotel alone, despite the night's chemistry. He recounted the day's events in his head, trying to fit it all into some sort of order. Jack strongly doubted that all the attacks had been coincidence. He was realizing this was so much bigger than that. There was something going on underground and it needed to be dug up now, before any more people died.

Lying in a bed surrounded by bits of window and wall and furniture, Jack wished he wasn't sleeping alone tonight. It had actually been a while since he'd died, and though the memory of it never faded, he wished someone had been there to help him stand when he woke up. He missed his team. He missed…

"Ianto."

"Hm?" Ianto said. Jack could hear the weariness in the single sound, and could see him in his mind's eye, half asleep and worrying himself awake. Jack was the only one Ianto had ever told about the weight he carried on his shoulders, and even so, Jack knew there was still so much more he hadn't told him.

"Go to sleep," said Jack. "I'll be with you when you wake up."

"Listen to me, I need your help."

The voice weaved into his subconsciousness, belonging to a person that he couldn't see. Too bright, he thought. He opened his mouth to say so, but nothing came out.

"I'm sorry, but I need you to listen."

Jack nodded soundlessly.

"You have to kill them all, Jack."

Chapter 2: CLEARED

TOTAL Number of Days: 2

TOTAL Number of Snogs: 1

TOTAL Enemies Defeated: 8

TOTAL Number of Continues: 1