"OK everyone there has been another Portolax attack so I need everyone in the cars, now. Owen, don't forget the medical gear. Ianto, bring the car around. Tosh, technology is your responsibility. Gwen, get your police buddies on the phone, tell them to clear the area for us to do our thing. GO everyone!"
"What about us, what can we do?" asked Martha
"Get in the TARDIS and meet us ok? We don't have much time. Doctor, bring that sonic screwdriver of yours, we'll need it. Everyone ready? Let's go!"
Simultaneously, the Torchwood team and the Doctor and Martha ran to the door, out of the building and sped off towards the crime scene.
Meanwhile, Stevie was still making tea and coffee in the unfortunately soundproof kitchen. Five minutes after everyone's departure, she went downstairs, carrying a tray full of mugs and a pot of coffee.
"Guys could you give me a hand, this tray is really he-"
She stopped as soon as she saw the room, which was previously filled with people, completely empty. Stevie was puzzled as to where everyone was. She wandered around the room, still utterly confused, until she saw the computer that Tosh had been working on. On the screen were details of the Portolax attack. Stevie was still slightly puzzled. She wandered around the room a bit more, until it finally clicked – they had left without her. They had forgotten about her! Well, she thought, she had two choices. One, stay here and snoop around for a bit, have a look at their software, see what she could find; Two, take a taxi to the crime scene. I should probably go to the crime scene, she thought. She was about to head out when she saw Jack's office. A little snoop couldn't hurt, could it? She opened the door to the room and walked inside. There wasn't much decoration around the room, there were a lot of files and folders scattered everywhere, and a computer on his desk. Stevie went and sat in his chair and rocked back and forth. She looked at the computer screen and was immediately offended with what she saw – a file on her. Jack Harkness had been researching her, checking up on her! Well, seeing as I'm here I may as well have a look at…well, me. Stevie looked at the folder more closely. It had everything on her – a photo, information on her family, friends, even some of her deepest secrets which she had only told to a few people. Who was this guy, and how did he know this? She heard a creaking noise, one that made her think she was not entirely alone, and with that grabbed her jacket and headed out the door to hail a taxi.
Stevie arrived at the crime scene in no time. She rushed up to the police tape and went to duck under it, but was stopped by a large policeman.
"Sorry ma'am, but this is a restricted area. No commoners allowed".
"No, you
don't understand, I'm with Torchwood. They are here, aren't
they?"
The man looked her up and down, his eyes lingering on her
breasts. Stevie rolled her eyes and put her jacket on. The man
sniffed indignantly.
"One moment ma'am"
He ducked off towards a large tent. He was in there for about two minutes, after which he came out, ducked around the side of the tent and threw up. Oh God, I don't think I want to go in there now, Stevie thought, but it was too late for that. She was already being whisked towards the tent.
Jack came up to her immediately.
"I am so sorry for leaving you behind, we were all in a rush to get here and…I'm sorry, Stevie".
"Oh, don't worry about it Jack, anyway I found some interesting reading."
Stevie gave him a pointed look, and Jack immediately understood what she meant by "interesting reading". Jack steered her towards the group, apologising profusely – but Stevie suspected it wasn't for leaving her behind.
"Look Stevie, this one is particularly bad, so if it gets too much, just leave the tent and wait in the car for us, OK?"
"Don't worry Jack, I'm a big girl, I'll be fine!"
Stevie pushed through the crowd, and saw the body lying on the ground. She finally understood why the big, manly police officer had thrown up after seeing this. Lying on the ground was a woman's body, which was discoloured blue, green and yellow, as if her entire body was covered in bruises. Her abdomen was flat as a tack, as if there was nothing inside it, and Stevie realised there wasn't, as she looked towards the woman's face. Half of her intestines her hanging out of her mouth, as if they had been sucked out of her body. Stevie rushed past the Torchwood crew, past Jack, who had a pained look on his face and ran outside and threw up. She could feel someone holding back her hair, and once she had finished they pulled her into a strong embrace. "That's the worst we have had on a Portolax attack, I'm truly sorry you had to see that"
Jack Harkness' voice was surprisingly soothing, Stevie thought, as she wiped the tears from her eyes and he held her tighter.
A/N: I hope you liked that chapter, it didn't give much on the relationship front but I didn't really think romance would bloom over a disfigured body. Next chapter there will be developments relationship wise, mostly Martha/Ianto, a bit of Stevie/Jack and possibly a romance for good ol' Doc. Info about the Portolaxes in the next chapter. Review, please!