A/N: I've had some troubles uploading this chapter. I seem to time it at the exact time the site is having maintenance. Not much happens in this one. Frankly, a lot of it is only here to set up the sequel and bridge the gap to the final few chapters.

Chapter 18 – Smooth Operator

Ianto arrived at Dylan's a little late and explained he was delayed at work. In truth, he was late because the Rift was quiet and Ianto was beginning to suspect a direct correlation between Jack being bored and Ianto getting laid.

"Hello," Ianto said cheerfully walking into the backroom of the barber shop.

"Jaunty boy," Tom said gleefully, "I'm glad you could make it! Between Dave and Mick, I feel like I'm being hustled!"

"Don't worry," Ianto said. "I brought cash and I'm wearing my lucky tie tack." He put a small black bag on the counter and pulled out a scanner.

"What's that, Jaunty," Dylan said looking at the device.

"Didn't your friends have one of those earlier," Dave asked. Ianto wasn't surprised that Dave had noticed them. Even without the energy boost he was as sharp as ever.

"Yep. After our little adventure, the boss suggested being a little more proactive with security." Ianto turned on the device and scanned the room. Other than the residual traces, Dave was the only source in the room. Changing the display, Ianto showed it to Dylan. "This should detect any listening devices the police might have planted." He went through the motion of scanning the room again. "Looks like it's all clear. Feel free to plot the overthrow of the French government." Everyone laughed.

"That is a handy gizmo," Dylan said. "What did that copper call him? Capo Jack?" Ianto nodded. "Capo Jack has some good ideas."

"He's always teaching me new tricks," Ianto said thinking how startled his friends would be if they knew the nature of those tricks. Ianto put the scanner away, grabbed a beer, and took a place at the table. "Deal me in next hand. Still full of vim and vigor, Dave?"

"I surely am, Jaunty! In fact, I'm feeling so good, I've come to a decision. You all know how I've been debating moving to Swansea to be closer to the grandkids?" Everyone nodded. "Well, part of the reason I was thinking about it was because I've been feeling so tired lately. I've felt old."

"Nonsense," Tom said. "You're doing great for a man your age."

"Yes, but I've been feeling my age," Dave replied. "Truth be told, if I moved closer, it doesn't mean my son or his kids would spend more time with me. It would just rob them of their favorite excuse not to see me."

Ianto thought that was one of the saddest things he'd ever heard. He and his father had never gotten along, but if he was alive Ianto didn't think he'd avoid him. Then again, he mentally amended, he would probably spend as little time as possible with him. He certainly avoided his remaining family. It wasn't personal. It was difficult to find the time and he never had anything to say. He couldn't exactly make small talk about his gay lover, alien encounters, or recent unexpected arrest.

"But now that I'm feeling better, I feel like I can stay here. I've been spending too much time worried about what I would do if I couldn't take care of myself. Like I told you earlier, Jaunty, live in the moment and throw caution to the wind! Live in the now and don't concentrate on the end."

"I for one am relieved you're staying," Mick said. "I'd feel horrible if I didn't have a chance to win back some of my money I've lost to you over the last 30 years."

"And that won't be happening tonight," Dave said turning over his three cards that were face down. Mick and Ice Cream both groaned and tossed their cards down.

"Alright," Tom said gathering the cards, "dealer's choice. Let's stick with Follow the Queen. I have a good feeling about this one." Ianto had to chuckle with his friends. Tom always had a good feeling and Ianto had let to see him win a hand. The group had joked during the Friday night game that on the rare occasions Tom did win a hand they all said a silent prayer in case it was the first sign of the apocalypse.

Twenty minutes later there was a knock at the back door. Ianto had just folded his hand so he jumped up to get it. He was hoping it wouldn't be the police, but even more than that he was silently pleading for it to not be Jack.

"Mr. Jaunty Jones! It's always good to see you," said the friendly tailor.

"Sid! Nice to see you out of the shop," Ianto said stepping aside so he could enter.

"I think since Amy came to help me out, I have barely left the building! Who knew having extra help would be so much work? I wasn't going to come tonight, but I kept thinking about how much fun Tom said you had at Friday's game and I decided to give myself the evening off."

"Good for you," Tom said. "You need to take it easier."

"Absolutely," Ianto said, but quickly added, "as long as my suit gets done."

"Consider it done," Sid said. "Can you make it in Thursday morning? You might even be able to wear it home." Everyone laughed as Ianto's eyes lit up and he clasped his hands together.

"I will circle the date on my calendar. This is a special occasion well worth celebrating," Ianto said still beaming.

"Oh, speaking of special occasion and celebrating," Dylan began dealing a new hand, "we've picked the date for our 50th anniversary party. It's the 20th of next month. After we got arrested, Erzsi decided we shouldn't wait until August for the actual anniversary in case something happens. I know," he said throwing his hands in the air, "it doesn't make sense to me either, but I just do what I'm told. That's how I've survived 50 years with that woman."

"Is she going to get a medal for putting up with you for all these years," Tom asked chuckling.

"Maybe we could have a whip round and send her on a nice vacation...alone," Ianto said.

"Don't even joke," Dylan said. "Part of the reason we're still together is I convinced her she can't go anywhere without me! I'm expecting all of you to be there. It's not going to be a fancy do."

"You're a lucky man," Sid said, "but not at cards. I'll raise you 5."

"Too rich for me," Dylan said. "Think you can make it, Jaunty?"

"As long as nothing comes up at work," Jaunty said. "I always have to preface accepting any invitation with that."

"Wonderful," Dylan said smiling.

"That reminds me of Billy the Stick," Dave said. "Have I told you how he missed his wedding?"

Ianto shook his head and smiled as Dave launched into a hilarious tale that demonstrated the difficulties of mixing organized crime and domestics. He was struck again by the similarities between their secret organization and his. The motives were different, but the difficulties in maintaining a personal life, the violence, and the unspoken fears were the same. Well, maybe not exactly the same. There were the battles for territory with UNIT, but he didn't really think the Brigadier would put a hit out on Jack. Then again, Ianto thought, I should remind him to be a little more polite on the next conference call.

Several hours later, Ianto left Dylan's with a light hearted feeling he hadn't felt in years. He'd had a fun, relaxing evening. Dave was doing fine. Better than fine, he was doing great. It gave Ianto a measure of hope that something useful came through the Rift. It was easy to forget that with all the horrible things they saw.

He was absent mindedly whistling when he spotted the man leaning against his car. Ianto only paused momentarily then continued on his way.

"I wasn't expecting to see you here," Ianto said trying hard not to convey the sudden dread he felt.

"No, you lot never do," replied the bushy mustached detective. "Looks like an early evening for you, 'Jaun-ty'. No luck at the table?" He leaned against Ianto's car door.

Ianto assumed the casual air the detective was trying to project was supposed to convey something specific to him, but it only made him think the man was trying too hard and had a generally sloppy appearance. Ianto also noted how short the man was. He hadn't noticed that when he was in the interrogation room at the police station. Ianto found the man was more annoying than intimidating.

"I'm walking away only down 20 quid. That's the same as winning against those guys. I've got to be at the tourist office first thing in the morning. I'd hate all those tourists seeing me without my beauty sleep."

"How thick do you think I am, Jones? You're as much a tourist office clerk as I am a talking monkey."

Ianto smiled patiently assuming the man was feeding him a straight line in an attempt to trick Ianto into saying something he could later claim instigated a fight. Ianto had worked around Owen too long to fall for that.

"Was there something I can do for you Detective...Eisenmann, wasn't it? It seems like quite the coincidence for you to be here." Ianto was more concerned with the detective accidentally scratching his paint job than his motives for leaning against his car.

Detective Eisenmann twitched his mustache. Ianto resisted the urge to recommend he come back in the morning when Dylan's was open for business to get his soup strainer trimmed.

"I wanted to remind you that you are still a person of interest. Somebody doesn't want me investigating you and the Nostalgia Boys, but to me that just means this is bigger than I thought. I know even a smooth operator like you will make a mistake sooner or later and I wanted to make sure you know I'll be there for it."

Ianto sighed. Not only was he annoying, he know planted Sade's "Smooth Operator" in his ear. He wondered how much Retcon it would take to make the song go away.

"It's comforting to know there will always be someone there for me," Ianto deadpanned while thinking "Coast to coast, LA to Chicago – Western male..." Yep. Definitely Retcon.

They stared at each other for a moment, long enough for Ianto's multi-tasking mind to reach the chorus for a second time. The detective pushed away from the car.

"Remember, you ain't above the law," he said turning as he walked away.

No, thought Ianto, just beyond it as Jack likes to say.

Ianto started to drive home, but something Eisenmann said bothered him. He wasn't worried about himself. He would admit to a small concern for his friends. His friends didn't need his protection, at least they didn't under normal conditions, but Ianto's presence had brought the authorities attention to them. The least he could do was find out about this detective. He turned around and headed to the Hub.

The Hub was empty. Even Myfawny was out for the night. Ianto was pleasantly surprised. Usually the Rift was more active at night and Torchwood 3 certainly wasn't the 9 to 5 sort of place Torchwood 1 had been. There were no shifts unless you counted everybody as being on the swing shift. With no one to ask him questions about his personal life he didn't want to answer or ask him to make coffee, Ianto was able to sit down at Tosh's computer and begin his hunt for information on Detective Eisenmann.

The problem with investigating people when you have access to hundreds of government databases and hundreds more private ones is the sheer amount of information you receive. The other problem was knowing what was important in that deluge of data.

Was it important that Eisenmann bought four tubes of toothpaste in the month of March? He'd gotten double loyalty reward points for it so Ianto doubted it. What about his car payment being overdue? It probably meant nothing. He set up an alert to add any new information to his mound of data about the detective.

He was lost in the random information, unconsciously looking for patterns, when he heard the invisible lift activate. Ianto glanced up briefly to make sure it was Jack and not some poor drunk stumbling home across the Plass who happened onto the wrong paving stone and accidentally engaged the lowering mechanism. He knew the chances were slim, but he was sure it would happen one day.

"I thought you'd be out playing with your new chums," Jack said crossing the Hub to Ianto.

"When we realized there wasn't going to be another raid we decided to call it a night," Ianto said not looking up. Jack grabbed his triceps from behind and pulled Ianto and the office chair back against him.

"What are you working on," Jack asked before nuzzling Ianto's ear.

"Detective Eisenmann was waiting for me outside Dylan's. Thought I'd take a look to see who he is." Ianto leaned his head back slightly then stopped abruptly when he caught the lingering scent of perfume. It was the kind of perfume he thought, unkindly, women like Gwen wore – women who thought if it was a little expensive at a department store and came with a free loofah and pedicure set it must be quality, would wear. Judging by how it seemed to linger on Jack, Ianto assumed the woman also thought 'the more the merrier'. Either that or Jack had been attacked by an alien from the Estee Lauder galaxy.

"I thought I got rid of that guy! I'll make a few calls in the morning," Jack said sounding a little peeved.

"Don't bother. He's already been told to drop it. The louder he's told the more convinced he is that there is something afoot."

Jack grunted and kissed the side of Ianto's neck. Ianto pulled away and swiveled around in his chair to face Jack.

"Jack," Ianto began looking up at him with a slight frown on his face.

"Before you say anything, Ianto," Jack said before Ianto could say anything, "I didn't think you'd be available tonight."

"Jack," Ianto huffed trying to get a word in edgewise.

"Believe me, I'd much rather be with you," Jack said keeping Ianto's words from pushing in edgewise, longwise, or otherwise.

"Okay, but..."

"It isn't like we're dating..."

"Jack!"

Jack looked down at Ianto, his face the picture of apologetic misery.

"I was going to say," Ianto said putting a hand on Jack's arm, "you should take a shower while I close up here. You smell like a French prostitute during a water shortage."

Jack laughed then pulled his shirt up to his nose. He made a gagging sound.

"I'll burn these clothes," Jack said.

"Leave the burning to me. I don't trust you with matches!" Ianto dug in his pocket then held up his hand. "You, get hosed down. You have ten minutes." He clicked the stopwatch in his hand and showed it to Jack. He made a shooing motion with his hands then turned back to the computer.

Jack hesitated for a moment then jogged towards his office. He stopped at the door and turned around to say something.

"9 minutes 25 seconds," Ianto said without looking up. "There will be consequences for missing the deadline." He looked at Jack and unsuccessfully struggled not to smile causing a lopsided twist to his lips. Jack turned quickly and disappeared into his office. Ianto hated being Jack's second choice, well, he thought, fourth choice really, but it was better than being fifth or sixth. He saved his search results and slowly headed to Jack's bunker bedroom intent on living in the moment.