Because I Said So

The SUV screeched to a halt on a Cardiff street. Jack catapults outs of the car and runs down a flight of stairs before banging hard on a locked wooden door. The door opens slowly revealing an elderly man in a 19th century suit standing on the other side. Jack pushes past him ignoring his feeble attempts to take his coat. A long narrow hallway confronts him but Jack heads straight down to the end room. Once inside the room, he looks about him. There's the usual crowd of people in different clothes, sitting down or hanging around the walls.

Where is she?

'Got you!' Jack whispers under his breath as he eyes up a little girl sitting comfortably behind a table, consulting her cards.

Jack marches over to her and slams the card he was given down on the table. The action stung the palm of his hand but he was too angry to notice. The little girl looked up at him, without even the slightest hint of emotion on her face, she stares into his eyes. Jack looked deep into her brown ones as he pushed the card forward. The girl looked down at his hand as he lifted it off the card to reveal a picture of a man in a suit of silver amour brandishing a sword.

'I've been expecting you Captain.' The little girl said in a cool, even voice.

'Who is she?' Jack he said quietly, too angry to speak any louder.

He was passed annoyed and angry; he just wanted answers and fast.

The little girl looked up smiling sweetly ignoring the fury on Jack's face.

'She, Captain?'

'Yeah. Adeline Gowper. Why did you send her to me?'

'I didn't. She came to me.'

'What?'

Jack felt every muscle in his body melt, and he had to sit down in the opposite chair to stop himself from falling over. His face was drained of all his anger; he just stared at the girl.

'She was rather rude about it. She just sat down in front of me and told me to read her cards.' The girl watched as Jack's face slowly formed into a frown. 'I was amazed by what I saw but it happens sometimes.'

'What do you mean by what you saw? What did you see?!' Jack could feel the anger coming back but he was still in shock and that was the most powerful emotion in him at the present time.

'You need her Captain.'

'But why? Why do I need her?' He said .

'Because I said so!'

'That's not an answer.' The Captain said angrily.

'Do you really want to know the answer?' The little girl was wary of Jack's growing anger as she answered his many questions.

'Would I have come here if I didn't?"

The girl took the top card off the deck that lay to her left and handed it to Jack. He flipped it over this time confused.

In his hand he held the Three of Swords. The picture on the front was a red heart with three swords imbedded into it.

'And?' Jack asked ignorant of its meaning.

'You know what this means.' The little girl. 'Mr. Hopkins saw it, and it was the death of him and his team.'

Realisation hit Jack as the memory of that horrific night. He nodded slowly, not taking his eyes off the haunting card he held.

'How will she stop this?' He said slowly and calmly.

'I cannot see.'

'But I need her regardless.' Jack sighed defeated.

He stood up from his seat, leaving the card on the table and began to walk away when he was called back.

'She's powerful Captain, don't underestimate her. Oh and by the way, I don't know an Adeline Gowper. But I do know one Adeline Guppy. Why don't you concentrate on her?'

What?

What was she on about? Jack had no idea. She was always talking about things that never made sense. He frowned at her smiling face. Think, what did her say again? Not Adeline Gowper, Adeline . . . Guppy?

GUPPY!

Jack snapped to attention every nerve in his body became alert as he was struck by what was said. Jack stared at the girl open mouthed, and she smiled back at him. Her lamp-like eyes churned his stomach like snakes writhing deep in his gut. When the shock had subsided enough for Jack to move again, he tore back to the SUV.

'Ianto!' He said over the coms slightly out of breath from running.

'Jack what's wrong? What happened?' Came the Welsh man's worried voice from the other end.

'I need you to look someone up for me.'

'Adeline Gowper?'

'No not Gowper. Guppy, Adeline Guppy.'

'I'm on to it Jack. You on your way back?'

Jack hesitated for a second.

Should he go back to the Hub or go after Addie?

'Jack I know what you're thinking . . . don't. We don't know what she's capable of. True you can't die but that's not the point at the moment.'

Ah, Ianto Jones! He was right; he was always right when it came to reason. Jack was distressed and scared, and reason just wasn't a priority at the moment.

'Okay, Ianto. I'm coming back.'

please let me know what you think . . . thanks for reading