AN: Since you begged, pleaded and cried to know what happens in the next chappie…I'm going to do the next chappie. Aren't I lovely!!
This is another chapter for that guy I like, who…ignores my affections. Since I now have two dvd's of Torchwood (I need the last four or five eps to be released!!!) I can refer back to it. I have watched countrycide three times now and I really wanted to cry when Ianto was beaten to a pulp!
So here you go!!
Ianto covered Ella with his arm, ready to take the bullets from the gun that was visible from the debris. Ianto then heard a voice that made his blood run cold.
"Thought you could get away boy?" Ianto was staring down the double barrel of a very familiar shotgun and listening to the blood curdling voice that had haunted him ever since that fateful 24 hours in the country.
"And you, we trusted you. Bit sleepy are we? Awww, poor thing." Cooed the disgruntled voice. It was then that Ianto saw the face that had joined his nightmares. He was the person that had kicked him to the floor, bound him and gagged him. Held that meat cleaver to his throat while Ianto muttered a Welsh prayer.
"Piss off. You're monsters that's what you are!" Shouted Ella, her voice was garbled from her concussion.
"Maybe I should shoot your mouth off girlie! They want a harvest…and they will get a harvest." Grumbled the villager.
"Who are 'they'. You mean that someone is controlling you?" Asked Ianto. He was curious at what kind of person…or thing could control an entire village.
The villager's expression changed. He became limp and unresponsive for a little while, and then he lowered the shotgun and began to speak in a dull tone.
"They crave the meat. That's all we are in the end…meat."
Ianto recognised what the villager said. He said the same thing in the country.
"They come back every 10 years for more. It fuels them…keeps them going. They threaten our children. Did you ever wonder why we had no children in the village?"
Ianto shook his head. The thought rang bells in his head; he shifted Ella slightly on his shoulder. Her head lolled slightly, she was weak and needed help.
"They take the children and hold them hostage. We don't want to do it, they make us." The villager bowed his head and shuddered. It was like he was trying to fight off…whatever it was that had control over him. He shifted on his feet then continued to speak.
"When we have gathered enough bodies…they let them go. We then get a reward. A feeling…a feeling of happiness. It makes me happy. That woman that you know will understand. I told her that it made me happy, she gave me a funny look. Like it was shocking." He snorted in laughter.
Then the villager relaxed, he then pulled the shotgun up to Ianto's face.
"Too bad I'll have to blow that face off yours onto that wall. And you girlie."
Ianto prepared for the inevitable. But it never came. He heard the shot…but nothing happened.
It was then that Ianto decided that life was strange like that.
Tosh and Gwen had made their way up the corridors, following the route that Jack and Owen (but mainly Jack) had made through the warehouse. They came upon a CCTV room.
On the floor Gwen could see splintered wood on the floor.
"I think Jack and Owen have been in here. And from the way that the splinters are scattered on the floor. Jack saw something that made him want to run." Gwen looked up at the screens as she spoke. Gwen then saw two wooden chairs in a room, rope on the floor and splintered wood littering the floor.
"I think Ianto has escaped…Jack's gone to help him. C'mon!"
Tosh and Gwen pelted down the corridor until they heard a deafening bang.
"I know that sound." Muttered Tosh. "That's Jack's gun…isn't it?"
Ianto was amazed at how death felt. It was like life really…hang on! He was alive!
He opened his eyes and looked at where the shotgun had been aimed at his head. Instead he saw a strong jaw and bright eyes that made his heart jump.
"Jack?" Ianto seemed to have lost his voice. It cracked slightly as he spoke. Ianto was then aware that Ella was slipping more on his shoulder. He gently lowered her to the floor and attempted to speak to her.
"Ella? Can you hear me?"
Owen walked forwards and checked her over.
"They really did a number on your ribs, didn't they. And this concussion has just got to be a pain?"
"Wanna find out mate. One swift punch and I could make you see stars." Ella lengthened the last word even though she was struggling with a massive headache. Owen smiled.
"Why do I always go for the feisty ones?" He asked to no one in particular. Ella grinned slightly; she shifted uncomfortable and sighed in pain. Owen reacted to this and pulled out a threatening hypodermic needle. Ella stared at the needle with wide eyes and started to back away.
"Oh c'mon! Its only a tiny needle, wont 'urt." Chided Owen.
"I can stare down the barrel of a gun, run through fire and all that brave stuff. But there is one thing I cannot stand and that is needles." Ella shuddered as Owen edged closer with the threatening point. Ella stopped moving as her ribs cried out in protest.
She nodded to have the needle, but her hand flew out and found Ianto's shoulder. She grasped it firmly as Owen slipped the needle into her arm. She breathed out heavily as Owen pulled back.
"Don't ever, ever, EVER do that again! Or so help me I will shove all your medical gear where the sun don't shine!" Ella growled as she rubbed her arm.
"Glad to hear you feel better. You'll be thanking me later." Chortled Owen.
All the while Jack had been running tests on the dead villager with his wrist device. It seemed that there was something controlling the body.
"Ianto, did this guy seem…strange to you? 'Cause it looks like this guy has been dead for four hours…at least."
"What? He spoke to Ella and me. He said that something had been holding the village's children for human meat." Replied Ianto, with a puzzled look.
"Well I think we're dealin' with some old friends. Eh Owen."
"What do you mean? I've never heard of an alien that posses bodies, let alone dead ones." Ianto asked. He had been with Torchwood a year and had never seen a report on any alien like the description in the archives.
"It was way back. Owen had been with Torchwood 3 weeks, when we got a report of people acting out of character for two days, going on a killing spree, stripping the bodies, then keeling over. We had a look into it and low and behold we found a breed of alien that planted devices in humans to make them get human meat and give it to them. Sadly the control slowly kills the body, this is what has happened to Mr Cannibal."
Ianto looked at Jack with the same puzzled look, to be honest his expression hadn't changed.
Ella looked at the three men and shook her head.
"Hold on! Aliens! What the fuck are you on about?" No one paid attention to her.
"But I have looked through all the records in the archives from 50 years ago. Nothing is in there about anything like this. What happened?" Asked Ianto.
Owen stood up and walked away from Ella. He sighed and turned to look at Ianto.
"The records were destroyed when the Canary wharf thing happened. I was posted at Torchwood London for my first 3 months, then I moved to Cardiff when I got promoted. It was when I was a trainee doctor. I went to London to train up. When I was fully qualified Jack asked me to join and I jumped for the chance to be in control of my own…'department', as Jack put it."
Suddenly there was a loud band and the warehouse shook.
"Ok party's over guys lets move." Cried Jack over the din of the warehouse shaking.
"What about the cannibals? It's my mission to get them back to a federal prison and kept there!" Cried Ella as Owen and Ianto pulled her to her feet.
"Fine! You can stay here and get blown to bits if you want! Me, I feel like getting' outa here and seeing daylight!" Roared Jack over the rumbling.
Ella stared at Jack with determination, but she stood down and attempted to walk. Her legs gave way and she slumped on Ianto's shoulder. Jack thought fast, with one swift movement she was slung over his shoulder in the most unceremonious fashion. She clung to Jack with all her strength as he pelted back towards the exit.
"I hope Tosh and Gwen have the sense to get out of this place." Called Owen as they rounded another corner. His question was answered as he passed the two women clinging to the walls.
"MOVE! NOW!" Shouted Jack as he swept by the figures. Gwen and Tosh looked at each other as he passed; they joined the others through the corridors. As they rounded the final corner they all saw the daylight and ran faster.
Jack made the mistake of looking behind him; he saw the creatures that had controlled the cannibals. They were chasing them.
They were thin and black, like the shadows that you see in summer. They clung to the walls and scurried like insects towards the team with such speed that they were gaining fast.
Jack was the first to burst into the light, closely followed by Ianto and Owen with Toshiko and Gwen pulling up the rear.
Jack turned back to the approaching figures, he smiled menacingly. Owen had pulled his gun and was prepared to fire. Jack put his hand on the barrel and pushed it away while shaking his head, still smiling that smile that made Owen's blood run cold.
Owen then realised what was happening and smiled the same smile.
As the creatures burst from the warehouse they exploded into wisps of smoke as they hit the air.
"What happened to them Jack? Why did they do that?" Asked Gwen panting slightly.
Jack turned to her; his menacing smile was replaced with that American smile that made her blush.
"They hate UV rays, that's why they chose to attack in low light or darkness. This bright light disagrees with them." He chuckled and walked over to Ianto.
He had slumped to the floor, exhausted from the effort of escaping. Jack knelt down and enveloped him in an embrace that made Ianto feel so much better.
"We missed you Y'know. Couldn't cope without your coffee…or that witty banter of yours."
Ianto smiled into Jack's chest at this. He wrapped his arms around Jack and willed him to never let go.
Ella had been sent on her way, she had done her job and was off on her next adventure. Sadly Ianto had to wipe her memory of himself and the others because of the alien incident. She had happily left the warehouse without a second glance. This had upset Ianto because he really did like her; she would have done well in Torchwood. Owen also seemed upset that a girl like her would have to go back to London.
At the Hub Owen had said that Ianto had a slight concussion, the cuts on his wrists would go and a good long sleep wouldn't go amiss. Gwen and Tosh had both hugged Ianto tightly when he had escaped from the wrath of Owen Harper and slumped into the couch nearby.
He smiled at the fact that they had said that if he promised to never go walkabouts again they would clean up the Hub everyday for a week. Owen agreed with this, he had advised a week of relaxation to aid with the injuries to his wrists.
Ianto had simply said that a good night's sleep would be all he needed and he would be right as rain in the morning.
As the others said their goodbyes at the end of the day, Jack sauntered down from the boardroom and smiled at Ianto.
It was then that Ianto had the revelation that he was just as important to Torchwood as all the other members.
And as Jack drove Ianto home he felt at peace with the world, he no longer felt distant…but he knew he was in for a long night with nightmares, but he would look forward to the next morning and those shining faces glad that he was still alive.
There. END. Look out for a new story this coming weekend!!!!!!! R&R