Chapter 2

"Daleks fear the Malum Vox!" A third cried. "They will destroy all that live!"

"What are they?" Jack demanded.

"Malum Vox," Gwen repeated silently. "Malum Vox." She involuntarily shuddered. The two words sent a chill up her spine that made every nerve in her body quiver with some unknown fear.

"They are powerful creatures that seek to control the universe." One of the Daleks explained. "There has always been a balance, a balance between Malum Vox and the Nocens Lupus."

"But we cannot find the Nocens Lupus!" The leader interjected. "She destroyed our emperor, she is powerful, but she is in another world which no one can access! The balance is off!" It cried. "The universe is doomed!"

"Are you getting any of this?" Jack asked into the com.

"Yes," Tosh replied. "There are no records of a Malum Vox or Nocens Lupus in any of the files—but there is a very loose translation."

"Which is?"

"Evil Power and Bad Wolf." Bad Wolf.

She destroyed our Emperor.

Two words following us through the universe. Bad Wolf.

"Bad Wolf," he murmured to himself. "You're looking for the Bad Wolf."

"Yes!" The leader exclaimed. "Centuries ago a Bad Wolf defeated the Malum Vox! His offspring destroyed our Emperor! But she is trapped!" Jack frowned, eyebrows knitting together in confusion.

"What's this Bad Wolf?" Owen asked, standing up next to Jack. Gwen pushed herself off the ground, swaying slightly. "Easy there." Owen reached out steadying her. "Ok?"

"Fine," she nodded. Fine? Far from it. She felt as though something were crawling into the back of her head. At first it was almost unnoticeable—a tiny little pinprick. Now however, the pin had become a ragining ice pick—steadily chipping away at the back of her skull. "Gwen?"

The ground beneath them began to shake, tossing them down to the ground where a heavy wind swirled around them.

"Retreat!" The Daleks cried. "Retreat!" Jack watched as the Daleks exploded into three fiery balls of metal before disappearing from sight.

"What the hell was that!?" Owen shouted over the roaring winds. The ground shook again, this time, the Torchwood crew was able to make out figures in the distance.

They were of human form, but their skin was slimy and dark green. Their eyes were mere slits through which a glowing red light was emitted. Their mouths held rows upon rows of jagged teeth that made a shark's look dull. They snarled and chomped while they ran, and with each step they took the ground shook below.

"Who's willing to bet those are Malum Vox?" Owen squeaked.

"I don't take sucker bets." Jack leapt to his feet, drew his gun and fired. The bullet soared through the air and hit one of the creatures in the arm; but instead of injuring it, the bullet continued through the slimy skin to the other side.

"Holy shit," Gwen cursed. "It went right through him!"

"Did anyone bring an atom ray?" He asked casually.

"Oh, yeah, let me check my back pocket!" Gwen deadpanned.

"There's one in the SUV," Tosh said.

"Owen! Go get it!" Jack ordered. The medic ran back to the car, skidding to a stop. The door flew open and Tosh handed him a large metallic box. Owen raced back and passed it off to Jack.

"Alright," Jack took a deep breath and opened the case. "A bullet may not hurt them, but there's no way they could be able to survive a little molecular rearrangement." He grinned, assembling the small ray gun. "A nice little jolt to their insides should do the trick." He leveled the beam and shot one of the creatures. It cried out in pain and sank to the ground." Jack turned back to Gwen and Owen. "See? Nothing to it!" Their relief was short lived.

"Jack!" Gwen pointed ahead of them where the hideous monster rose up from the ground, it's red eyes blazing.

"Everyone to the car!" Jack ordered. "Come on!" The three of them sprinted towards the car. "Tosh! Start it up!" Gwen looked over her shoulder, fear consuming her as the monstrous aliens seemingly flew towards them. "Go!" Jack ordered, shoving her towards the SUV. One of the creatures reached out, wrapping a long, slimy hand around Jack's ankle.

"Jack!"

"Keep running" He ordered. With a sickening scream, two of the creatures leapt forward, soaring over her and landing on the hood of the SUV. Panic set in as the others grasped her about her arms. An icy chill seeped through her leather jacket, spreading through her arms to her entire body.

She watched in horror as they pried the doors off the SUV, dragging the frightened occupants out as they kicked in screamed. They were all dragged over towards the rift, their captors letting out a series of hisses and clicks as they went; as if they were communicating to one another. The ice pick in the back of Gwen's skull hit overdrive, making her snap her eyes shut. Golden specks flickered across the back of her eyelids and she found herself consumed by ancient words long forgotten. She growled low in her throat.

The Malum Vox holding her dropped her arms, staring at their hands as if they'd been burned. Gwen's eyes snapped open, flashing a brilliant gold color. She looked around at their captors, eyes narrowed, and flicked her hands forward. The same gold light from her eyes flowed out and swirled around the two in front of her. They cried out in pain before disappearing.

The other Vox began to panic—dropping their prey before running to the gap in the rift. Only one remained. It opened its mouth and emitted a series of hisses and clicks. Gwen let out a bark of laughter.

"You think you can stop me?" She asked mockingly. "My ancestors battled your kind for eons. They nearly wiped you out—a job which I intend to finish! I am the Bad Wolf!" She flicked her hands forward again. The creature disappeared, its cries echoing through the air. The team watched Gwen carefully.

"Gwen?" Jack asked, voice low. "Gwen can you hear me?" Her eyes fluttered shut and she collapsed to the ground. Jack knelt beside her, feeling for a pulse.

"Well, she's alive," he assured the others.

"I thought the Daleks said the Bad Wolf was trapped in another world," Tosh said quietly. Jack nodded, recalling the story the Doctor had told him of Rose's ill-fate.

"She is. But apparently, there's one in this world." Sighing, he looked down at Gwen. "Alright, we need to get her back to the Hub," he decided. He scooped her up off the ground and carried her towards the battered SUV. "Someone call Ianto and ask if he's picked Martha Jones up yet." Tosh nodded, pulling out her mobile.

"Why don't we just use the coms?" Owen asked. "Don't jostle her around too much! She's probably in shock. Put her down and I'll get my kit."

"We don't have time for that Owen. Tosh, have him ask Martha to call the Doctor."

"I'm the medic," Owen snapped. "Or did you forget that."

"Not a doctor. The Doctor. Ask if Malum Vox means anything to him."