3

Owen did the stride thing, loudly counting as he went and Ianto silently walked behind him with a wheel on a stick counting the rotations of the white mark on the tyre in his head. Ianto knew they would get two different measurements but didn't care, he let Owen have his moment to be the one in charge. Seems the wee man needed it.

They settled back at the house for lunch and Micha had indeed found the walkie-talkies, playing with Andy who seemed to be a bit of a big kid himself. Ianto now felt better about leaving her, the afternoon going to be full of wire.

"Uncle? Can you look for flowers for me?" she called over the table and he realised he had been wool gathering, looking at his now cold food before rising his head to look at her with raised eyebrows.

"Flowers. Can you pick some flowers? The ones here are all goat eaten" she frowned and Ianto smiled as he nodded, pushing his plate back.

"Yes love, if I see any they are coming home for you" he promised with affection, then he glanced at Owen, "ready?"

"We gonna take a snack?" Owen asked, Rhys already pointing at a basket, "Ahhhh….wonderful man."

Ianto walked out to the four wheeler and the empty trailer behind it, Owen clambering onto the trailer to sit cradling the basket like a child, "Tally ho!"

Ianto turned to Jack who was already laughing, "Is he always a twat?"

"But he is our twat" Jack spluttered, Ianto walking around to climb into the jump seat and Jack fired it up, careening out of the yard, Micha and Suzie at the gates to close them once they were through and Ianto glanced back to see Owen laughing as he enjoyed the ride, Micha already running for the barn and Tosh who was waving from the doors as Suzie followed sedately. Then something went through his head.

"Owen? The little biter. Not where she will find it, yeah?" he called.

"Nah, in the tack room" Owen yelled back, "Door has that high bolt. The little one can't even see the cage from the window"

Ianto nodded, then wondered how long Owen planned on keeping it, the thought of one so close unnerving even if it was fully contained.

"It's started to mutate" Owen said suddenly as they slowed for a bend, "On all fours now."

Ianto turned to face Owen, his back to the road as Jack expertly drove, "How long before it mutates again do you think? Is it possible the process is retarded due to time? Like…those closer to the event might have turned quicker and as it spread it slowed…like a lesser strain?"

"Might account for it" Owen agreed, "The further from the event, the less severe the effects at first. It also means there might be more out there we've not seen yet, if they are turning at different rates."

"Also it might mutate again" Jack said as he brought the vehicle to a halt, "we have no idea what they look like at the epicentre."

"Wouldn't want to" Ianto grimaced.

"Wish I had a drone" Owen sighed again.

"We could go get one at the town shop" Ianto said with surprise that they hadn't thought of it before, "If we want to run the gauntlet of a town full of crawlers. It might have lots of good things at the local corner store."

"It has one?" Owen said.

"I remember a remote control chopper last time I was in there was gonna get it for David, also…they sold food and supplies. Might be a good place to pillage if it hasn't been already." Ianto said and Jack sat back with his hands on his thighs.

"You know, that is a good idea. Might be good to see some up close" Jack said as he considered, "But we think about that tomorrow, today is not for plans, it's about preparing for a night of the feels and things."

"Suzie will be up for it…the town not the feels" Owen said with glee, "how far is it?"

"An hour's drive" Ianto said after considering, "We take an hour to pillage and then another hour back."

"Add another half hour to ogle" Owen supplied, "I will want to make faces and noises at them."

"Owen…"

Jack started to laugh as Ianto flared up and then he realised Owen was baiting him, "You cheeky bastard."

"You know, you are a soft bastard at twat" Owen grinned.

"And you are simply soft"

Owen squawked as Crypto moved from the back of the trailer and Owen saw him for the first time, "Fucking hell, where the fuck were you?"

"He was there the whole time" Ianto laughed softly, "He was just being invisible."

"What?"

"Shielding." Jack said as he stood and face Owen, "Crypto can use his chameleon ways to mimic his surroundings and disappear. Literally. Why I didn't see Ianto in the ditch."

Owen stared at Crypto and grinned.

"Cool"