Hughes Flats; Cardiff, Wales

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Jack Harkness stared at the ceiling, an outdoor security light dim illuminating the bedroom through window facing the backyard. Ianto's head was on his shoulder and had an arm extended across Jack's chest. Jack lightly ran his fingers down Ianto's arm.

At some point, he needed to collect the bedding off the floor. A single sheet covered them. The room's chill was noticeable after the heat wore off.

"Whose Corey?" Ianto sounded sleepy and worried.

"A former lover. Why?"

"Another letter arrived in the post." Ianto hesitated. "There's a box of them in the office."

"Its an invitation to an art gallery showing." A beat. "He's an event planner."

"Does he know about me?"

"Yes." Jack kissed the top of Ianto's head. "We're just friends. Corey likes older men in positions of power. Conservative. Closeted. He keeps their secrets and they buy him presents."

"I'm sorry."

"No." Jack turned on his side and lightly pushed Ianto back. "I would have opened your mail." Jack kissed him.

They were wrapped around each other when his mobile rang. Reluctantly, he reached for the phone. "Harkness."

"Jack." Gwen sounded like she'd been woken up. "I've gotten three phone calls in the last twenty minutes. Liverpool, Sheffield and Birmingham law enforcement. Controlled detonations of three buildings with unusual religious connections. All three were occupied. The explosion in Liverpool leveled a city block."

Jack sat up.

"Colin Doyle had messages sent to all three police departments with lists of crimes and outstanding warrants. He said they were in league with a false prophet and he purified them. Major media outlets reported receiving a manifesto about demons, eternal beings and divine retribution."

Near Hughes Flats; Cardiff, Wales

A mainframe wrist-strap notification woke him. John Hart leaned across the bed and kissed Ken lightly. "Go back to sleep."

He grabbed his tablet dedicated to the mainframe and headed for the kitchen. He started the coffee pot, and sat at the kitchen table. A seismic oddity triggered one of his mainframe's presets. He quickly read the details. It sounded more like a bomb than an earthquake.

The media reported three simultaneous explosions in different cities. The targets were religious and seemingly unconnected. Terrorism was being tossed around, but no one could explain why the terrorists with the ability to level a square block would focus on such a small number of people. First the contaminated water and then explosions. Someone was making a statement, and he doubted it was simple terrorism.

He quickly programmed the mainframe for searches. There had to be a connection among the buildings. Jack asked if Oliveira had any connection to religion. John added a search for a Nigeria connection. The he added a Moss-Probert search just to be safe.

His mobile rang. "Hart."

"Where are you?"

He should have known Jack would call. As far as he knew, he was the last person to blow up multiple United Kingdom targets in one night.

"In my kitchen drinking coffee." And doing your job.

"A dead man blew up three buildings tonight."

John then remembered Chas, and explained. "Oliveira thinks I'm a threat. Which makes no sense."

Ken wandered into the kitchen wearing only his pant. He yawned. "What time is it?"

"0200."

"Whose with you?" Jack asked.

"A friend."

Ken glanced over after pouring a cup of coffee.

"Are you sober?"

"Not that its your business." Jack's self-righteousness annoyed him. "But yes."

Ken carried his mug over to the table. John reached out and lightly rubbed his leg.

"Fourteen people died tonight. I need to know how many you recognize."

"In exchange for what?" He couldn't help the tone. Jack pushed his buttons.

"You claim to work for Torchwood."

"I do. Different office. Different boss."

"John." Jack sounded exasperated. "Your boss is ten years old."

"You call me at in the middle of the night, insult me and make demands. You want to give me orders, I want back in."

"No."

John ended the call.

"Everything okay?"

"Yeah." John leaned over and kissed him. "Come back to bed."

Hughes Flats; Cardiff, Wales

Jack wondered if he'd resolved Ianto's concerns. Ianto said nothing during a quick shared shower or as they got dressed. Cory reminded him of Ianto during the lost years. They both wore perfect suits and had an eye for details. The similarity ended there. Cory manipulated everyone around him. Ianto took care of people.

After the conversation with John ended badly, he headed for the kitchen. Ianto was assembling meals to go on the counter. The situation might mean hours of work and no break time.

"Are you all right?"

"Just tired."

Jack set a hand on his back and leaned on the counter. "I love you. I'm not leaving you."

"I know." Ianto sighed. "The paranoia triggers the fear."

"Do you want to stay here?"

Ianto shook his head slightly. "And let you leave with Gwen unchaperoned in the middle of the night." He tone said he wasn't serious.

Jack laughed and mused his hair.

Gwen knocked and let herself into the flat with a key. "No new information. Andy has an update on the drug raid near Anwen's school. It failed. Someone tipped them off. They found enough to suggest magic mushrooms." A beat. "999 received a call about the location from an anonymous caller around the time John was out there."

"Do they know who?"

"No. An adult male with an unusual accent." A beat. "Did you contact Hart?"

"Yeah." Jack explained.

"Explain this to me, Jack." Gwen rubbed her face. "Anwen calls and Hart comes running. You call and he tells you to sod off."

"Anwen's nice to him," Ianto said.

Jack suspected there was a lot more to it. Best case scenario, John was trying to hold on to a better time in his life. From experience, John could be obsessive when stressed. Or emotionally involved.

"Liverpool has the most damage. We need to start there." Jack grabbed his coat from the table. "Gwen focus on law enforcement. Find out if anything else happened tonight that could be connected." He grabbed his keys from the candy dish on the kitchen counter where Ianto insisted on keeping them. "Ianto I need you to connect with Torchwood and check John's whereabouts for the last several days."