"Let me be no nearer in Death's dream kingdom." (T.S.Elliot)

PARADOXOSIS PT 2

Points of Divergence: Route One:

Ianto carefully lowered the receiver down and placed it back on the phone on Jack's desk. His face was white and Gwen stood in the doorway looking at him expectantly. Ianto chose to ignore her as he digested the content of the conversation he'd just had with Prime Minister Saxon. His gut had tightened so badly that cramp set in painfully bringing him back to his senses. Something was seriously amiss and he knew somehow that Jack was at the centre of it. Unfortunately Jack was still missing and after chasing up a number of false leads the others had all given up on him, banning further talk about their errant and absent leader. Gwen, Owen and Tosh were all convinced that he was gone for good. Ianto refused to believe it for a moment, but doubt gnawed at his innards none the less. The unease in him had grown on a daily basis, just a thing in the pit of his stomach telling him that something far worse than Abbadon was on it's way and he just couldn't figure out what. It was tied in with Saxon that much he was certain of. His own private research was enough to convince him that Saxon was not what he seemed. He had kept his concerns to himself, the others had all voted to put Saxon in power, even Jack. Ianto hadn't voted at all……

"Ianto?" Gwen was looking rather unhappy with her younger colleague. He was the only one who hadn't towed the line when she took command. Ianto would only take instructions from Owen. Gwen was insulted by his attitude but Ianto didn't care that much.

"Gwen. That was the PM. He wants us to investigate a crashed alien spacecraft out in Asia. The details have been sent to your email account." He knew she wouldn't see through the lie. Ianto was good like that.

"The PM?" Her eyes widening. "You're kidding?"

"He believes it is connected to Jack's disappearance but also a matter of National security. It was more by way of an order actually. The documents will be arriving from Downing Street by courier in a few hours." He'd already organised the forged papers and got an old mate from his school to act as courier. Ianto stood up. "It looks like a trip to the Himalyas."

"Shit. I thought we were above the law, beyond the government, or whatever it was Jack spouts."

Ianto glared at her. "It's your decision of course."

She appeared to think about it, still standing in the threshold of Jack's office, which was most definitely Ianto's territory. He was the only one who went in there, or used the space. That annoyed Gwen enormously Ianto had no business being in there, she was in command after all.

"Well we can't all go."

"Quite right. I can't fly anyway. Owen's already made that quite clear given my current condition, so I may as well stay here and man the fort. I'm practically living here anyway."

Gwen huffed, she felt like saying something really bitchy about him getting off on Jack's bed sheets but she kept her mouth closed. In truth it wasn't Ianto she was angry with, it was Jack for deserting her.

"Well, we'll have a look at he intel and then make a decision. Would you do a pot of coffee while I print off the documents?"

Ianto inclined his head. He needed more painkillers anyway, the coffee would help him wash them down. The pounding in his head had come back with avengence over the last couple of weeks and the incessant drumming in his ears had gone from it's back ground annoyance into a full grown percussion party piece, the same rhythm over and over, never ceasing for a moment. It was murder trying to move without his stride falling into the pace of it.

The meeting in the board room was loud and highly charged. The documents arrived, signed for by Owen who had wanted to go top side to get some air anyway. Another two hours of heated debate and Ianto was booking flights for his three colleagues to take them to Nepal from Heathrow later that same night on a private charter. Ianto had cleaned out his bank account and all his savings to pay for it. He knew he had to send his friends away. He just didn't know why or what was coming. By 11pm that night he was helping Tosh load their gear on to the small jet and hugging her good bye. He shook hands with Owen and pulled him aside as the girls boarded the plane.

"Be careful out there. Take care of them, they will need you."

Owen was frowning at him. "Ianto the only thing we are likely to find is a bunch of lamas."

Ianto gripped his arm. "I mean it Owen. Be careful."

"You too mate, and remember to keep taking the meds. See you in a couple weeks."

Owen didn't see him in a couple of weeks, in fact he never saw Ianto again.

Ianto drove back to Cardiff relieved that he had managed to get his friends out of the country. When he got back to the Hub and turned on the BBC evening news there was a report regarding three fugitives; The Doctor, a Miss Martha Jones and Captain Jack Harkness. Ianto immediately dialled Jack's number on his mobile but the line was dead. He tried a second time. The bloody archangel network, it was useless, he'd never had a problem with Vodaphone. Ianto cursed, then it occur to him that any friend of Jack's was likely to be picked up as well. Shit. He had to hide. Ianto's mobile rang, making him jump. It was Jack, but as soon as he answered the line went dead again. That wasn't a coincidence some one had to be blocking the calls. Ianto glared at his mobile and tossed it aside. Ok, what to do.

He released Myfanwy and Janet. Found an old army kit bag from the archives and packed a few cloths, some meds a first aid kit, two handguns and a pile of ammo clips, a torch…..what else…what else. A rift scanner, could be useful. Hub keys. Fake passport. Ok time to get out. He locked down the Hub and disappeared into the Cardiff night.

Four weeks later he surrendered himself to Harold Saxon in exchange for Rhys Williams. As soon as he had done this Saxon put a bullet in Rhy's head, right in front of Ianto. The young Welshman had stared down at the body with a degree of dispassion because he knew now he was fucked.

Ianto wasn't certain how long he'd been on board the Valiant. His days there passed in a blur of pain, fear, hunger and thirst. Harold Saxon had tortured him and to give the man credit he was imaginative. It was never enough to kill, or even come close to killing, but Ianto had come to learn where every single nerve in body was. He spent his waking hours screaming and his sleeping ones locked in nightmares, screaming even more. Saxon had wanted to know where the rest of the team were, the faithful torchwood lackies that belonged to the freak who couldn't die. Ianto never told and by the end of it he was so blinded by pain that he wasn't even certain of his own name anymore. Then one day he was taken to a spacious room with windows and a big table. Ianto stood there, between two men in UNIT uniforms, there was Harold Saxon, there was an old man in a wheel chair, and three black people (two middle aged, one younger, his own age maybe). They looked as terrified as he felt. Then there was Jack, his hands manacled with razor wire. Ianto wanted to stare at him but was afraid of giving him away. Rather pointless really.

Harold Saxon swaggered about the room with a gleeful expression his face.

"Freak. I brought you a friend." He was addressing Jack and Ianto knew that this was not going to go well. The man in the wheel chair was watching the tragedy unfold with enormous sadness. Ianto was more afraid than ever. Suddenly Saxon was there right in front of him proffering a hand gun.

"There's one bullet in there, Mr Jones, the freak's little sex toy, come secret agent. You are so quaint. One bullet, one shot. Shoot freak over there and he just comes back, so you're not allowed to kill him. Shoot wheel chair boy over there and I will torture the freak. Shoot me and those three over there…."He pointed to the three black people. "Will die very slowly and you know how much I enjoy pain. So chose one of them to kill and you get to live. I think that is a good deal, don't you?"

He forced the weapon into Ianto's grasp. "Whose it to be Ianto Jones? Mum, Dad or Tish?"

Ianto looked down at the gun in his violently shaking hand. He looked across at Jack, then at the family that Saxon had lined up. His eyes went back to Jack's and he cried, because he was afraid and didn't want to hurt anyone. He knew he could never hurt anyone like that and he could see that Jack knew it too. Jack was shaking his head.

"No Ianto, don't please…..please don't"

Saxon was clapping his hands. "Wow, let the games begin. Come on Jones. Make a choice."

Ianto kept his eyes on Jack, steadfastly ignoring his torturer.

"I have to Jack you know I do. The others are safe……"

Ianto could see from the edge of his vision that the old man hunched in the chair was watching him intently. Every one was watching him.

"I can't do it Jack." Ianto was shaking so much he nearly dropped the gun as he unclipped the safety catch.

"Ianto. Don't please….Shoot me for Gods sakes shoot me." Jack was crying now throwing himself against the restraints that held him.

Ianto wiped the tears off his face and sucked in a deep breath. He focussed every once of his will on Jack and smiled.

"Bye Jack." He jammed the gun barrel into his temple and pulled the trigger. The last thing he heard was Jack's scream.