Chapter Sixteen

It was a few minutes before last period would begin. Trace headed over to her locker and got out her backpack. After checking to make sure nothing was missing, she casually walked to the end of the hall, towards an exit door. Once she was sure no-one was watching, the girl snuck out the door and made her way off campus.

As soon as the cold air hit her face, Trace grinned. She thought about how amazing it felt to be taking her life back. After walking a couple of blocks, the teen suddenly came to a stop.

She realized that there were cameras all around town and that Jack's team could easily look up the footage to find out where she was. Being a quick thinker, she studied the few cameras in the area while pretending to search her bag for something.

When she figured out what angles could not be captured on film, the girl casually wandered over the closest area that was out of the cameras' line of sight. For the rest of the afternoon Trace was on guard, watching where she was walking while checking around for any Torchwood member.

By the time it was six, the teen had reached the other side of town. Realizing how hungry she was, Trace entered the nearest food establishment and ordered some chips. Within minutes, she was sitting down at a secluded table trying to picture Jack's reaction to her "disappearance" while enjoying her small meal.

Back at the Hub, Jack was getting antsy waiting for his daughter to get back. Trying to distract himself, the Captain recalled the day's events.

While finishing up at Trace's school, he had gotten a call from his team about something coming through the rift. He met up with Owen and Gwen shortly after, only to find a small, empty, harmless container.

When he got back to the Hub, he discovered that Ianto had already placed the order with the furniture store and that the papers he had to fill out would arrive soon (Jack had grumbled at that, to which Ianto replied, "You must do this the legal way, sir; no shortcuts.")

That afternoon had been spent completing the aforementioned forms and flirting with the "tea-boy."

With a frustrated sigh, the immortal checked his watch. He jumped up when he read six-thirty. He was now feeling a combination of anger, concern, and disbelief. After everything that's gone on, the girl still had the nerve to run off.

Jack stomped slightly down the stairs to the main area before ordering Tosh to bring up this afternoon's CCTV around the school. The woman followed his orders silently, and the two began to watch.

The Captain soon spotted his daughter sneak out of school and wander off. Without either of them saying a word, Toshiko followed her until the girl disappeared from sight. Jack let out a frustrated groan before saying, "She's too damn smart for her own good."

Turning and heading towards the cog door, he continued, "Toshiko, keep a lookout for Trace; everyone else, keep doing what you're doing. I think I know where she's heading," before leaving.

Meanwhile, Trace had finished eating and was wondering where she should go when she realized that she shouldn't be forced to stay in a town she doesn't want to live in. With that, she stood up and headed out, weary of any cameras.

After another forty-five minutes of walking through the still-unfamiliar town (which goes to show how well she usually pays attention to her surroundings), the teen finally reached her destination. The train station. Looking around, she decided it would be best to just hurry across the street and inside. It was pretty dark out, anyway.

Once inside, she spotted the ticket counter and grinned to herself before walking across the room. About half-way there, Trace felt someone grab her upper arm.

"I hear London's wonderful this time of year."

The girl resisted the urge to groan. She knew without looking exactly who it was that dared grab her.

Turning to her left, Trace came face to face with Captain Jack Harkness. "Oh, it is! You should definitely visit when you get some time off," she told him sarcastically.

He just gave her this disappointed look and shook his head before pulling her out to the SUV. When he opened the passenger door, the teen just shook her head and said, "No thanks. I've already got a ride," while pointing back at the station.

Jack was not amused in the slightest. Instead of doing anything rash, as his daughter had somehow been able to really annoy him, the man gently shoved her into the SUV, secured the seat belt for her and locked the door before shutting it.

Taking a deep breath, he walked over to the driver's side and got in. The drive back to the Hub was filled with a tense silence. Trace was mad that he had known exactly where to find and Jack was already tired of her attitude. Trying to think back, he couldn't remember ever being that way as a kid.

Then again, my years as a con could count as rebellion, he thought.

After what felt like forever, Jack finally parked the car, went over to let his daughter out, and marched her inside, all the way to his office where he shut the door and sat her down.

Leaning against his desk, the two regarded each other for a few minutes before Jack spoke.

"You have only been here one day and I am already sick of your attitude and your behavior. We are going to set a few ground rules right here, right now."

Trace narrowed her eyes.

"Rule one: you will be allowed to walk to and from school on your own provided that you promise to never pull this stunt again. Rule two: you will be allowed out after school and on weekends as long as you notify me or a member of my team where you are going and are back by ten, eleven on the weekend."

Trace's eyes widened slightly and she opened her mouth to retaliate.

"Rule three," Jack continued without pause, "If I or my team tell you to do anything, you will listen; we don't want to see you get hurt by anything Torchwood-related or not. Rule four: you will stay out of any and all kinds of trouble. If you do find yourself in any you will call me or one of the others right away and not do anything stupid."

Trace resumed glaring at the man and asked sarcastically, "Is that all?"

"For now," he replied, his face completely blank.

The girl looked him straight in the eyes and asked, "And if I refuse?"

Taking a deep breath, crossing his arms, and meeting her gaze, the Captain said, "If you should refuse, your consolation prize will be an escort to and from school, Hub arrest, and a nifty little tracking device that I know Toshiko would be thrilled to make for you."

Trace just stared at him for a second before she snapped, "You know what? You can take your little rules and regulations and shove them!" She then stood up and ran out of the office. Realizing that the chances of getting out of the Hub were very slim, the teen turned at the bottom of the stairs and ran down a hallway, heading unknowingly towards the archives.

Gwen, Tosh, and Owen watched her go, the latter shaking his head hoping that she doesn't run into Ianto as he really wants some coffee later.

A few seconds later, the three jumped at a loud bang from the office.

Jack, upset that no matter what angle he took he couldn't seem to get through to the kid, didn't even notice his bleeding hand or the crack on the desk.