It was five o'clock in the morning, and the sun was creeping over the horizon, casting its rays over awakening London. There weren't many people about, but those that were bustled along the near-empty streets, glugging coffee and trying not to drop their briefcase, newspaper and paper cup when they yawned.
For Jackie Tyler, this was not a good time of day. As if being six months pregnant wasn't enough, she woke up each morning so early the sun hadn't had a chance to reach the house, and today was no exception. To top it all, Rose and Mickey hadn't arrived back yet, and she just knew they were up to something…Doctorish. She could feel it.
Jackie vented her anger and frustration on the kitchen in general, banging things down on the counters and slamming cupboard doors as hard as she could, to remind Pete, two floors and seven rooms away, that she was not a morning person. It was working. After ten minutes of making nothing except a lot of noise, her bleary-eyed husband appeared at ther doorway, wearing pyjama bottoms a dressing gown and slippers. He yawned.
"You took your time," she snapped, plonking a bowl down and tipping Cornflakes in the same rough direction. Flakes of golden corn scattered across the floor.
"Sorry Jacks, but I don't really need to get up for another -"
"Don't expect me to make you breakfast, either. Honestly, you men are all the same!"
"I didn't ask for -" Pete tried to derail her, but his wife had got into her stride.
"Mickey's just as bad. You know he's had our daughter out all night, without so much as a phone call?"
"Our daughter." Pete smiled as he sidled up behind Jackie and put his arms round her. "I'm never gonna get used to hearing that."
"Believe me, you will after twenty years of -"
"Hang on," Pete interrupted. "You mean they didn't get back last night."
"That's what I'm saying. If you ask me -"
"But the Mini's in the garage."
"What? It can't be. I'm telling you, they aren't here."
Five minutes later they were standing at the door leading to the garage from the main house, opposite the unmistakable blue Mini. There was no sign of anything amiss; none of the locks or windows were broken, and the key was hanging innocently on the rack of hooks next to the door.
"I'll try Rose's mobile." Jackie decided after a moment. She fished her phone out of the pocket of her pink dressing gown. After punching in a number, they held the phone between them and waited for their daughter to answer. It rang a dozen times, then went to the answerphone. Jackie hung up in despair, and tried Mickey instead. A few seconds later, the car started ringing.
Pete swore, grabbed the key from next to him and unlocked the car. Mickey's mobile lay on the floor underneath the driver's seat. He bent to retrieve it, and his hand brushed against something else beneath the seat. Shoving the mobile into his pocket, Pete grabbed the other object and pulled it out.
It was a gun.
"Oh my God!" Jackie exclaimed, grabbing his elbow.
"Careful!" Pete jerked the gun out of danger. He had never really handled one before, preferring the business side of running Torchwood, and even the sight of firearms made Pete nervous. To actually hold a gun made him feel slightly queasy. He carefully laid the gun on the driver's seat and backed away, slamming the car door. Jackie put her arms round him and buried her head in his shoulder. He hugged her absentmindedly, feeling sick with fear.
"They're in trouble, aren't they?" said Jackie into Pete's shoulder.
"Yeah,"he replied.