Three
Ianto Jones was growing impatient. Jack had smiled suggestively at him - a usual sign for some 'naked hide and seek' or something involving a stopwatch...but it had been twenty minutes and Jack had still not shown up. Have I misread the smile? Ianto wondered to himself, absentmindedly tidying up Jack's office.
Has he tired of me already? I'll have to quit. I couldn't stand seeing him everyday after he tossed me aside for someone else, especially since the whole team knows about it now. Ianto's mind was going frantic. Ianto knew for a fact that he loved Jack, but he didn't know for a fact that Jack loved him, not in the same way anyway. Jack wasn't really the monogamous type, and while Ianto could see the fun of a little fling, he wanted Jack all to himself. Was that too much to ask?
Jack entered the office and spotted Ianto, who continued to straighten the papers on Jack's desk. "Ianto, just the man I wanted to see." Jack said, coming up to stand behind Ianto and putting a hand on his shoulder. Ianto shrugged Jack's hand off of his shoulder and continued his task. Surprised, and a little hurt, Jack asked "What's wrong Ianto?"
"Nothing, sir." Ianto replied coldly, still not looking at Jack.
"So I'm sir again now. I can work with that." Jack joked, hoping to lighten the mood.
Ianto finished straightening Jack's desk and turned to leave. "Ianto wait. Please, just tell me what I did." Jack said, pleading with Ianto.
"It's just...I thought what we had was special that's all. Obviously you just wanted a little bit of fun." Ianto said, eyes downcast.
"Well, yeah, I wanted a bit of fun, but I care about you Ianto." Jack replied, walking over to Ianto and wrapping his arms around him.
Ianto was powerless against Jack's charms and smiled. "I know. I'm just a little moody today, I didn't get much sleep last night." he said.
"I remember." Jack said, flashing his heart melting smile.
Suddenly, the door to Jack's office opened and Gwen walked in. "Sorry to interrupt boys, but there's been a murder in the city centre." she said, coat on and ready to go.
"All right, we'll be right there." Jack said, and Gwen nodded and headed towards the invisible lift. "Are we cool?" Jack asked Ianto, wanting to resolve the issue before they left.
"Yes Jack." Ianto replied, giving Jack a peck on the cheek before leading him out to where Gwen was waiting.
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The Torchwood SUV pulled up the crime scene. Thankfully, the sun was shining and the evidence of the previous night's storms had been cleared away. The team exited the vehicle and walked toward the body, which was surrounded by police officers. Gwen was shocked to see that her old partner Andy Davidson was not present at the scene of crime.
"Torchwood, clear the scene." Jack said, knowing that the police would grudgingly oblige. As the scene was cleared, Owen opened up his equipment case and began to examine the body. "What do we know?" Jack asked.
"The body is male, age approximately thirty-two years old. Death appears to be caused by a severe blow to the head." Owen diagnosed, glad that he could still practice medicine in his current state.
"Jack you should see this." Toshiko said nervously, tapping Jack on the shoulder.
What Jack saw cooled his blood. Around the corner from the body written in blood were the words 'Eye for an eye Captain Jack Harkness.'
"Who could've done that?" Toshiko asked, aware that the enemy list of Torchwood was extremely long. Strangely, the note was for Jack specifically, not Torchwood.
"I don't know Tosh." Jack replied, staring at the words. Was this a payback for something Torchwood had done? Or was this a personal vendetta against Jack himself?
Gwen rounded the corner and noticed the message. "Eye for an eye Captain Jack Harkness. What does that mean Jack?" she asked, hoping that Jack would have at least an inkling as to what was happening.
"He doesn't know." Toshiko replied, so that Jack wouldn't have to repeat himself.
"What are we going to do?" Gwen asked, begging Jack to take charge.
"Owen, pack the body up. We're going back to the Hub." Jack ordered, even more confused than he'd been earlier.
"On it boss." Owen replied.
"Jack, tell me what's going on!" Gwen insisted.
"I can't!" Jack replied angrily.
" Yes you can!" Gwen persisted.
"I can't, because I have no idea!" Jack confessed.
Speechless, Gwen stared at Jack for a long time. Jack always had an answer when they were in trouble, and the fact that he was clueless in this case utterly shocked Gwen. What would they do? We're fucked without Jack. Gwen thought, heaving a heavy sigh.
The team got back into the SUV, but Jack did not start the vehicle right away.
He was lost in thought, trying the remember. It was driving him insane! He felt like he should know what was happening, but he couldn't. For once in his very, very long life, Jack Harkness was completely helpless - and the didn't like it one bit.
Owen, sitting in the passenger seat, suggested that someone else drive back to the Hub. "Can I drive?" Toshiko piped up from the back, pleading with her eyes.
"We've been over this Tosh, you will never drive as long I have a say." Owen replied drily, getting out of the car.
Jack moved over to the passenger side and Owen got into the driver's seat. Without another moments hesitation, Owen started the vehicle and put it in drive.
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Back at the Hub, Owen examined the corpse further. The victim had indeed died as a result of a severe head wound, exactly as he had thought. Upon inspecting the cadaver's clothes, Owen found a driver's license that identified the body as that of Bryan Myles, 32 years old.
Gwen watched Owen work from above, her mind busy at work trying to figure out who could have done such a thing. Torchwood had an infinite number of enemies, but Jack had even more. If only he'd open up to her! Just then, Gwen's mobile went off. "Hello." She said, hoping that it was Rhys and not her mother calling to nag her about when she'd pop by for a visit.
"Hello love." Rhys answered, and Gwen could hear the smile in his voice.
"What's up?" Gwen asked, trepidation already setting in.
"Well, I thought maybe we could order in a pizza tonight, I know how much you love it." Rhys replied.
"We'll see. There's been a murder and I don't know if I can leave early. Let me talk to Jack and I'll phone you right back, okay?" Gwen said, hoping beyond hope that Rhys would forgive her once again.
"Oh."
"Rhys, I said let my talk to Jack and I'll phone you right back. Please don't make me feel worse that I already do." Gwen pleaded.
"All right love, call me back."
"I will. Love you."
"Love you too."
Gwen hung up the phone and walked back into the main Hub area. Toshiko was working hard at her computer, and Ianto was off feeding Myfanwy, the pteranodon. She made to her way to Jack's office and found him staring off into space. Concernedly, Gwen was about to put her hand on his shoulder, when Jack said "I'm not keeping anything from you Gwen."
Surprised, Gwen looked at Jack for several moments before replying. "Then why don't you tell me who did this?"
"Because I can't remember."
"What?" Gwen asked, incredulously.
"It must be something that occurred during the two years that the Time Agency erased from my memory." Jack answered bitterly.
"I see." Gwen replied, wishing she could think of something better to say.
"Look, I don't want to talk about this anymore tonight. Why don't you go home to Rhys and eat your pizza." Jack said.
"How?-"
"Just go." Jack said with finality.
Grateful for the opportunity to leave work early and spend some time with her husband, Gwen thanked Jack and exited Jack's office. On her way out, she called goodnight to Toshiko, Ianto, and Owen, and exited the Hub.
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The dead body had been planted by the Mystics to get into Torchwood and to warn Jack Harkness. They had been watching from inside the corpse when the Torchwood team and had been shocked when Jack claimed to have no idea who had killed the boy. Of course he knew who'd done it! The Mystics made sure that he would have no doubt about the identity of the culprits. Well, he would surely know soon enough.