Disclaimer: Don't own it. Never will
A/N: Hey here's the next chapter. Hope you guys like it. :)
Smooth lips plundered my own making me feel dizzy. The momentum of his swooping down to kiss me forced me to grip onto his shoulder to keep my balance. The strong arm around my waist seemed to warm my whole body. I closed my eyes and moaned, finally starting to respond to the kiss-
"God this is boring" Owen moaned.
I looked up chuckling slightly. This was one of the rare few times that Torchwood had absolutely nothing to do. The rift was quiet, paperwork was done, new objects documented and Owen had even found a common factor that had stopped Hinode and the three other victims being affected by the poison of the alien that had bitten them.
Blood type. AB negative. Very rare. Very lucky.
So with nothing to do we had all congregated in the conference room. Coffee cups scattered over the table and Gwen had some trash T.V. show playing. Owen was playing a Game Boy and Tosh was quietly reading a crime novel.
I hadn't looked at Jack.
How could I? Less than 12 hours ago I had run away from him after he had rendered me speechless with that kiss.
I bit the inside of my cheek as I remembered the way he had held me. His strong arms, commanding touch and smooth lips. He had effortlessly coaxed me into responding to him. I had threaded my fingers into his hair, tugging slightly, and I had allowed my tongue to enter a duel with his after he used my sigh of pleasure as an opportunity to deepen the kiss...
After we had split apart I could do nothing except gape in disbelief...and run.
What else was I supposed to do? I was in shock. I'm not naive enough to think Jack returns my feeling to the extent I have for him but for him to kiss me must means there's...something?
Instead of making things clearer he had only confused me even more so than before.
What the hell had he been thinking?
I sighed softly shaking my head and going back to my drawing.
"You ok Anna?" I looked up at Tosh.
Since yesterday's incident she appeared to be a lot more relaxed. She had a sense of freedom about her. Maybe a good cry, a pep talk and a decent night's sleep had done her good.
"Yeah I'm fine" I said smiling. I hoped I didn't look too tired. It had been difficult to get to sleep.
"What are you drawing?" she asked.
"Nothing" I replied quickly covering the work, "I mean... it's not finished"
"That doesn't sound like nothing" Owen said smirking and making his way round the conference table.
Typical Owen, just because someone hides their work he annoys them till he finds out what it is.
"It's just a project" I said keeping the paper hugged protectively to me glaring warningly at Owen.
"I thought you'd finished all your school work" Tosh mused.
"I have" I mumbled, suddenly feeling like Tosh was acting like my mum, "This is personal"
"What is it?" asked Gwen starting to take an interest.
Geez just cause work was slow everyone decided this was interesting?
I sighed and was about to place the book on the table face up. I knew they wouldn't let it go so might as well give up.
... Then Jack's phone went off.
Saved by the bell.
I packed the book away and slipped my boots back on as Jack was talking.
"Alright we've got a murder case. Police are already there so let's hurry before they find anything they shouldn't" he said snapping his phone shut.
"Wait they haven't already?" I asked looking at him for the first time, "then why are we being called in?"
"I guess we'll find out when we get there," he replied sweeping out the room.
I shrugged at Owen, grabbed my sunglasses and went down to the garage.
Sure enough when the SUV pulled up in the street the place was swarming with police cars. I noticed the usual glances of distaste at the SUV as the engine was cut.
"You think they'll ever get used to us?" I asked to a quick answering "no" from Owen.
Getting out the car and walking down to the house that was being surrounded I knew we looked an intimidating sight. I knew we gave off an arrogant air towards the police and went over their head more times than they would have liked...still... in my experience the police don't do a lot until they are challenged...and that was a lesson I learned before Torchwood.
I shook of the distant memory and walked next to Owen, a couple of steps behind Jack. The blinding hot sun beat down on us. For mid June it was actually very warm...which was kind of a bugger when you're usual dress code colours were dark. I was thankful for the large sunglasses I had because I could feel a heat induced headache making an appearance.
"At last. You must be Torchwood? My team bitch about you all the time" a woman said distastefully as we approached, clearly the one with authority.
"And you are?" Jack asked.
"Detective Swanson" she replied with a matter of fact tone of voice.
Watching quietly from behind my dark lenses something was bothering me about the way she was speaking. She seemed to know something. Something she blamed us for. Something that she knew we weren't aware of yet.
"I'm Captain Jack Harkness" Jack introduced himself, holding his hand out to shake hers
"So I've heard" she replied, accepting the handshake, "tell me something, are you always this dressy for a murder investigation?"
"What, you'd rather me naked?" came the quick reply from the captain as he whipped off his sunglasses to look at her properly.
Although his tone was more sarcastic than flirtatious I honestly couldn't stop my mind having a brief flashback. I had felt the muscles under those clothes. I shook it off quickly with a quick eye roll and shared a look with Owen and although I couldn't see his eyes behind his shades I knew he was thinking exactly the same thing I was.
'Time and a place Jack, there's a time and a place"
"God help me, the stories are true" Detective Swanson replied dryly. Well at least she handled it well...even if it did involve a brief glance up and down at Jacks form. This seemed to be enough for Jack as he put his sunglasses back on and said no more.
"So who's the victim?" Gwen asked getting us back to the point.
"That's victims, plural. Yesterday, a man was murdered at 96 Oakham Street, Alex Arwyn - 28, single, estate agent," as she spoke an officer handed her a file, which she then gave over to Jack, "here we go, that's from the scene of the crime"
I looked over Jack's arm to see photo's of an extremely bloody crime scene.
"Today, in here, we get two more, Mark and Sarah Briscoe, both 33, married. He's a surveyor, she works in education"
The bodies of Mark and Sarah Briscoe were the most disturbing things in the photograph. Not the fact they were dead. Not the fact they were covered in blood. But the fact that Sarah Briscoe's eyes were open... and a look of sheer abject terror filled them.
What the hell had she seen?
Then something else caught my attention. The blood on the walls weren't just spatters. Long streak of blood made them seem like...words?
"What about the smears of blood? Is that writing?" asked Jack. Sometimes I swear to God that guy has mind reading powers.
"Work in progress" Swanson replied with what looked like...a smirk? "Come inside and see the finished thing"
As we headed for the house my stomach dropped. This was it. This was what she knew about that we didn't. This was going to be something she blamed on us...and knew it was a blame we'd have to accept.
I wanted to say something to Jack but I couldn't. Swanson was too close.
As we entered the scene of crime the SOCO officers we snapping photo's left right and centre. Gwen went in the room first with Jack and Swanson following her. I saw Gwen stop and her eyes widened
"Oh, my God..."
I slipped past her, Jack and Swanson to get into the room.
Blood was everywhere. The victims hadn't been moved. Their throats were slashed with the red stains dripping onto the white bed covers...the red anger maiming the white innocence.
My eyes caught onto the drips of blood above the wall. My gaze trailed up the wall slowly with my heart pounding. Then I froze. My breath caught and my blood ran cold as I stared at the word
"Looks like somebody wants your attention," Swanson stated coldly.
This time I didn't blame her. It's hard to justify our innocence when the gleaming red letters spelled out our name like a glowing beacon of blame glinting softly in the morning sun that filtered into the room through the lace curtains:
TORCHWOOD
I barely heard Jack's cold, hard response.
"They've got it"
I was only half listening as Jack and Swanson were talking. I vaguely heard her mention about the finding some hairs from the killer.
I was kneeling down beside the bed looking at Sarah Briscoe. I watched the blood congealing on her skin. The dark red substance staining the white outfit she was wearing along with her pale skin. Darkness eating away at the light. She looked so frightened. The attack must have been brutal. I couldn't help but wonder which of them had died first. Had she been made to watch her husband die or was she attacked first?
"It was only a matter of time," that sentence cut though my thought process as Swanson turn to leave with the SOCO team.
"What was?" Jack demanded coldly.
"Torchwood walks all over this city, like you own it," she snapped rounding on Jack with a self righteous air, "now these people are paying the price - ordinary people, ripped apart, with your name written in their own blood. From where I'm standing, you did this, Captain Jack Harkness. You did it"
I stood up glaring at her. How dare she! From my experience the police had blood on their hands as well. And that came from pure laziness.
"Well from where I'm standing that really is the pot calling the kettle black" I growled. I tried to ignore the hand next to my knife twitching in temptation.
"And just what is that supposed to mean?" She asked rounding on me.
How dare she...how could she say that about Torchwood when the police didn't even help-
"Leave it Anna" Jack commanded softly cutting me off before I could open my mouth to retort.
I growled low in the back of my throat glaring at Swanson but I backed down. I crouched back down to Sarah looking over the body again.
I heard Swanson leave and Owen got up to close the door.
"Still, at least we've got a head start. If it's someone we've pissed off, that narrows it down to ... ooh, four or five million," he said snapping on his gloves.
"And that's just the humans" Jack sighed in resignation, "Tosh, how we doing?" he asked into his earpiece.
As they were talking I focus on the injuries I was seeing before me. I slowly started to piece together what had happened.
The husbands eyes were closed and there were fewer marks on his body...he was killed first. Sarah on the other hand had more wounds on her.
"Owen" I beckoned over.
"What is it?" he asked crouching down beside me.
"Look at her arms" I said, hoping he wouldn't see what I was seeing.
"Cuts from the knife over her arms, bruising on the shoulder from what looks like a hand print" he said listing it off.
"Defensive wounds" I clarified, looking up to see Jack and Gwen on the other side of the bed looking at us, "Mark was killed first, probably quickly. She woke up, saw the attacker and tried to fight him off. She fought back...and lost"
I placed my hand along the outline of the bruise...my hand looked tiny compared to the mark.
I sighed and raised my hand to her eyes, closing them.
Tosh's voice came over the earpieces.
"Jack? They've got the results on the killer's hair."
They started packing up the equipment and filling out the room.
"Anna, you coming?" I looked up to see Jack watching me with concern. I didn't blame him...I hadn't moved from the bodies.
"I'll catch up" I promised.
"Anna come on" he said firmly, "we can't do any more here. We'll get the bodies to Torchwood"
I sighed and rounded the bed to the door walking past Jack.
"Jack...you don't really think that... this was because of us...do you?" I asked hesitantly.
"Tosh says the victims are not on our database" he said, walking beside me.
"So they could just be random victims...picked out purely to make us look like the bad guys?" I asked.
Out of the corner of my eye I saw him pause. I looked up at him to see his head bowed and turned slightly...glancing back over his shoulder to the room where the bodies were... the light in his eyes was smothered by blame.
"It's possible" he replied quietly.
I said nothing more as we joined the others back outside and we all approached Detective Swanson who was reading the file. She started speaking without properly looking up at us.
"Initial findings say, Caucasian male, early 40s, smoker, drinks tequila. Doesn't match any DNA profiles" she took a brief glance up at us seemingly reluctant to tell us the next thing, "only thing of interest is a compound we've never seen before."
Owen looked over Swanson shoulder "Recognize it?" she asked.
He clearly did because he snatched it out of her hands looking in disbelief at what he was reading.
"Uh-Oh, we're in trouble" he said looking up at us.
"What is it?" Gwen asked.
"Compound B67" Owen replied.
I swore colourfully under my breath.
"You're kidding?" Jack said.
"Retcon," Owen confirmed, "he's got Retcon in his blood"
Maybe we were to blame after all.
An hour later we were sat in the conference room once again. The only difference was that this atmosphere wasn't quite so relaxed as it had been this morning. I drummed my fingers on the table in agitation waiting for Owen to start the brief.
Gwen sat beside me while Jack and Tosh resided in the seats opposite us. Everyone was quiet, the only noise being the machinery in the hub and the rhythmic drumming of my fingers. It sounded so loud that I became self conscious and ceased the movement.
Finally Owen cleared his throat to get our attention.
"B67, aka Retcon, aka the magic ingredient of the amnesia pill" he started. He wasn't facing us, preferring to watch the animation on the screen of the effect the retcon has on the human system... or the known effects it has on the human system.
"And this belongs to us. This killer is somebody we gave the amnesia pill to" Gwen carried on.
"Is he remembering that he's a serial killer? Or is he becoming a serial killer because of the Retcon?"
"Well, there's a pleasant thought" I muttered.
"Wait a minute. I've taken Retcon" Gwen suddenly piped up worry lacing her voice.
Jack and Tosh shared a look.
"Then better stay away from sharp objects" Jack deadpanned.
Tosh and I rolled our eyes. Seriously? That was the best answer he came up with? Could he not just tell Gwen that one little pill that barely had an effect for 12 hours was unlikely to turn her into a deranged psycho killer?
"Ianto, how many people have we given amnesia pills to?" Jack asked getting back to business.
"2,008" He replied with only a little hesitation in his thought process. How could he know numbers like that off the bat? Did he live in the archives?
"Hey, what if they all become psychotic?" Owen exclaimed excitedly, practically bouncing up and down.
"Do you have to sound so happy?" Tosh asked looking at him incredulously.
"Yeah, I'm just saying. Mean Streets!" he said with a devious smirk of his own.
"Not exactly the thing to be focusing on in this case Owen," I reminded him, "the murders that have already happened are bad enough without worrying about the rest of the 2,008 turning as well"
"Tosh, narrow the list down to fit Swanson's profile, start checking them out as fast as you can" Jack ordered Tosh who quickly starting tapping away at her portable computer.
"You two," he then said, addressing Gwen and Owen, "there's got to be a link between the victims; find the link, find the killer. Anna I want you to assess the victim's wounds and recreate what happened. See if you can determine a physical profile of the killer. Get to it!"
As Tosh Owen and I headed for the door Gwen's voice made us turn to see she had stayed seated.
"Jack? If there is a link, why don't we just ask the victims ourselves?" she asked leaning over the table, hands spread, palm down as she spoke.
"Not the right time for a séance, thank you very much" Jack replied leaning back over the table for a brief second to address her.
"The first time I met Torchwood," She persisted and I felt my stomach drop "you had that glove" she finished.
Yep. I bloody knew that's where she had been heading. Jack shared a look with Owen and they both shook their heads.
"No way!" Jack said firmly with a humourless chuckle.
"Not after what it did to Suzie" Owen justified.
"It's too dangerous" I confirmed.
The glove had been found a few months before we met Gwen. Jack, for some unknown reason, had decided to place Suzie and me in the same task of studying the glove. Maybe he had been hoping to bring us closer together as a team. Maybe he was trying to let us see we could work together without arguing.
Whatever his motives things didn't go as planned. That thing messed with people's heads big time. I hated working with it before and I sure as hell wasn't about to put myself through that again.
"It brings people back to life. Just for two minutes, we could question the murder victims" she insisted.
"That's exactly what she said," snapped Owen, "She was one of us, we trusted her and now she's dead cos of that thing"
I cast my eyes down. I regretted Torchwood ever finding the glove. I hadn't liked Suzie very much but no one deserves what that glove did to her. Maybe if I'd done something different I could've stopped her falling so far.
"The glove stays in the safe where it belongs" Jack said with a tone of finality.
"These murders are happening because of Torchwood" Gwen said raising out of her chair in defiance, "so Torchwood has got to do something" she insisted.
"Leave it Gwen!" I barked, "The glove is staying locked up. We'll work things out the old fashioned way. We will not look for a quick escape. Right Jack?" I asked looking at him for support. We hadn't talked fully about the findings of the glove that I personally had found but after Suzie died I made it clear how dangerous it was. Surely Jack wouldn't allow the thing to be brought back out.
To my horror he looked like he was actually considering it.
"Jack?" I asked. I could hear my voice quake with a tint of fear and caution.
He looked at me. I tried to read his expression but he was keeping it carefully blank. After a minute I saw it. The brief flicker of change that told me his decision.
"Jack you can't!" I cried.
He said nothing... he just turned and walked away.
I slumped back in my seat staring in shock at the table.
He was going to do it.
He was going to allow the resurrection gauntlet out to play.
I had been in Torchwood 7 months when Jack gave Suzie the task of researching the glove. When it became obvious to her that the glove relied on some sort of emotion I had gotten involved...after all part of the reason I got this job was my ability to read emotions and be open to them.
Suzie and I had worked closely together over the next two months to work out everything we could about the glove. It had been the cause of rows, heated debates and bad temper between us. Suzie and I had never been particularly friendly. She thought I was too young for this job and that Jack had made a mistake in hiring me. As my time at Torchwood had progressed she had become more and more resentful with each passing month. Like the more the rest of the team trusted me, the more of a threat I was becoming... I supposed in a way I was a threat...After all I got her job when she passed away.
The research on the glove we managed to accumulate between us wasn't as much as we would have liked. It appeared to feed of emotion to enhance its power. Empathy for the deceased was the easiest emotion it latched onto but further research indicated that it wasn't the only emotion that could make the glove work.
This was the research I had conducted after Suzie had killed herself. It hadn't made sense to me. She hadn't felt sorry for her victims that she murdered so why had the glove worked with her?
I shot out of my seat following the rest of them down to Jack's office. As we filed in I stood at the doorway watching as Jack looked through his desk finding the notebook that had the code for the safe and the reference number that would bring the glove up to us.
"Jack please," I was aware I was begging but I was willing to put away my pride this time, "please don't do this. It's dangerous. There are other ways to find out what happened...we don't have to bring that thing out...Please"
He said something as he crossed to the safe opening it and punching in a few number on the keypad.
"Where did we even get it anyway?" Gwen asked.
I wanted to scream as Jack completely ignored my plea and answered Gwen as he pulled the now deposited box out from the depths of the safe.
"It fell through the Rift about forty years ago. Lay at the bottom of the Bay till we dredged it up," he explained as he unlocked the box and flipped open the lid, "I always figured, this wasn't just lost. Whoever made it, wanted rid of it" he finished as he pulled out the glove for us all to see.
"Exactly" I agreed, annoyance and desperation leaking into my voice "so how about we follow by example and put it away?"
Once again I was ignored.
"You know, we never gave it a cool name" Owen muttered thoughtfully as he scrutinised the glove.
"I thought we called it the Resurrection Gauntlet?" Tosh asked confused.
"COOL name" Owen reiterated looking pointedly at Tosh before shaking his head in disbelief at the thought of the Resurrection Gauntlet being a cool name.
"What about..." Ianto spoke up clearly thinking about what to call it "...the Risen Mitten?"
I huffed in disbelief at that, a sound that was echoed by Owen, the same sound but for two very different reasons.
"I think it's catchy" Ianto said shrugging, unfazed.
"Well I've got a few" I piped up sarcasm taking over my system in defensiveness from the fear, "what about Mistake? Dangerous? Unstable? Mental bloody mind fuck? Any of those do?" I asked, my Scottish accent was very clear now, becoming broader as I got more emotional.
"All of you out!" Jack snapped looking at me sternly, "Owen get one of the victims up to the Autopsy Room. Anna I want a word, now!" He commanded.
I was silent as the others filed out Owen was the last one out and he gently shoved me inside so he could shut the door behind him.
I stood still glaring defiantly at my captain. I didn't want to act like this around him. I was being childish but Jack was preparing to use the glove in the next few minutes. He didn't have all the facts, didn't understand just how much information he didn't have. It would take days to explain it all to him. It was time I didn't have... so I had to resort to other methods to try and get him to listen.
"You've been hanging around with Owen for too long" he commented, watching me with hard eyes.
I sighed and my shoulders slumped. His cool, calm tone wasn't going to give me anything to fight against so there was no point in trying. Besides he was right, my attitude had been similar to the way Owen acted if he was denied something.
"I sorry" I apologised, "I shouldn't have been so snappy. I should handle this better" I sat down in the seat opposite his desk, leaning forward imploring him to understand, "please Jack, in all seriousness listen to me. This is a mistake"
"Gwen's right Anna. This is the quickest way to find out what they have in common" he reasoned. I hated the fact his voice had changed to one of soft cajoling to bring me round to the idea. I was convinced Jack could make jumping of a bridge sound like a good idea if he tried.
"We can find out a connection without the glove. We've done it before, you know the old fashion way?" I said before allowing a small smirk to show "Surely someone with your fashion sense can respect the value of the old fashion ways?"
Even he had to smirk a bit at that.
"Anna it'll be alright. We're aware of the dangers this time. Trust me this won't be a repeat of Suzie" he assured me.
"But Jack you don't know everything. We never talked about the glove after what happened with Suzie. The experiments I conducted before it got locked up gave some disturbing results. This thing messes with the emotions in ways that we can't even imagine. It'll take days to explain it all to you and that's time we don't have" I pleaded one last time.
He took his time looking at me. Taking in the fear in my eyes and my nervous disposition. I knew I was putting him in a difficult situation but he had to know that this wasn't just as black and white as Gwen seemed to think it was.
"Alright Anna," Jack said coming to a decision, "I'm not going to put the glove back but I want you overseeing everything. If you see it getting into dangerous territory you stop it alright?"
"Jack it's already in dangerous territory. Emotions are running high. We all have strong emotions when it comes to that glove because of what happened last time. That's what it's going to feed off of" I explained.
"Anna, we're doing this" Jack said with a tone of finality. It was the tone that told me he was going to be immoveable on the subject.
I sat back slumped in the chair staring at the glove on Jack desk.
"...fine." I sighed heavily "...you're the boss."
Jack snatched up the glove from the desk and walked around it heading for the door behind us. I didn't look up until I felt his hand on my shoulder. Only at that moment did I move my gaze upwards to look at his face. His eyes were a soft cornflower blue trying to reassure me that we were doing the right thing.
He didn't say anything, just cupped my chin softly and ran his thumb lightly over my bottom lip. I knew my eyes were betraying the tirade of confusion and fear inside me. At his touch the feeling of confusion increased tenfold and I averted my gaze down to the floor. He simply moved his hand to cup along the side of my neck. I closed my eyes comforted ever so slightly by the soothing warmth of his hand. I was so focused on that comforting heat that I barely felt the brief press of his lips touching my hair. I knew what it was. I heard the unspoken words.
'Trust me'
He turned and left the office leaving me feeling more mystified than ever. I sighed and got up heading towards the autopsy room. With each step I felt the fear increase in my stomach. I felt sick, I wanted to run away...but I couldn't... This was my job. My task was to make sure that glove didn't take the life of another member of the team. This felt wrong... but if they felt it was necessary... I could do nothing but watch...and try to protect them.
I move to the steps on the far side of the autopsy room. I sat down and waited watching them all as they bustled around trying to get ready. The body of the first victim, Alex Arwyn lay on the table. His skin had turned the bluish hue that made him look like he was turning to stone. I knew if I was to touch the body it would be as cold as stone as well.
Clearly it had been decided amongst the team that I was to be left mostly alone unless my knowledge on the glove was needed.
Ianto stood next to Owen at the heart monitor, stop watch at the ready. I took a breath in as Jack picked up the glove and slid it on his hand.
"Jack? You okay?" Gwen asked. What NOW she was getting concerned?
Jack didn't answer her.
"Don't forget, the maximum resurrection time is two minutes, and that was only cos Suzie had practice. The most we're likely to get is thirty seconds, okay?" he instructed.
"Why doesn't Anna do it?" Owen asked turning to me, "you spent as much time with the glove as Suzie"
"Because I'd rather stick my knife in my stomach and drag out my insides before touching that thing again" I said shortly.
"Believe me Anna that's not as fun as it sounds" Jack commented before shouting back to Tosh at the computer on the workstations, "Tosh, you ready?"
"Ready...and recording," she shouted back, "This man was victim number one. Name: Alex Arwyn."
Jack nodded and placed the glove covered hand on Alex Arwyn's head. He closed his eyes trying to make the connection and pull Alex back from the dark.
"Come on, Alex. Come back," he muttered softly attempting to use his voice to give Alex something to latch onto.
I glanced to the foot of the table where Owen was taking readings of the monitor. He nodded to show it was still safe.
"How does it work?" Gwen asked watching Jack intently from her position opposite his, across the table.
"Gwen quiet!" I hissed. If Jack slipped up I wasn't sure what could happen. He however answered her anyway.
"You just sort of feel. Like reaching into the dark. Finding the dead,"
He seemed to be struggling, something was wrong. I stood up hurrying down next to him "I can't... I don't ... Ah" he was shaking his head in protest like he was trying to fight away something only he could hear.
"Jack stop!" I ordered, "Stop before-"
I was cut off as he wrenched his hand away from Alex and tearing the glove off like it had burnt him.
"- it makes you" I finished.
"Damn! Ah! Ah! Nothing! Sorry," He said to rest of them, raising his hand in defeat, "never was very good with this thing. Owen?" He offered it to Owen who shook his head.
"I tried last time. We all had a go, it only responded to Suzie and Anna, and we all know Anna's position on this" Owen said glancing at me.
"I'm not going to apologise if that's what you want" I said moving back to the stairs, "I still think this whole thing is wrong"
"Well, I never had a go" Gwen offered.
We all glanced at each other. I bit my lip as Gwen held out her hand for the glove and Jack handed it over. They switched places at the table so Gwen could comfortably place her hand on Alex's head.
Gwen slid the glove on her hand and gasped in shock.
"It's cold!" She exclaimed.
"It warms up," Jack said quietly, "The glove relies on some sort of empathy. Maybe compassion and..." He paused, not really sure how to explain it "...just be yourself"
"Gwen" I said getting her attention, "Be careful, don't let your concentration slip. The glove feeds off your emotions so make sure you know what you want to happen. Don't allow the glove to control your emotions. Don't get mixed up about what you want to happen"
"Why what could happen?" She asked fear creeping into her voice. I sighed knowing the others didn't know this information.
"During the last few weeks of research Suzie and I started to realise that if the glove connected so strongly with someone then it could bring them back permanently. While that sounds like a medical marvel we didn't manage to research what consequences could be produced from that path. The glove was designed to bring people back to life... so don't mix up what you want and what it wants" I warned.
"We never knew that" Owen said.
"Well after what happened the glove was a taboo subject wasn't it," I said, "Suzie and I found out more than you were aware of. Hence why I said this was a bad idea. Just keep in control of your emotions and concentrate Gwen. No distractions and you should be fine"
Gwen nodded and put her hand on top of Alex's head. It was an instant connection. The air crackled and Gwen gasps as the glove wrapped a fist around her heart and started to absorb the power in her emotions, drawing them down her arm and into Alex.
I heard Ianto click the stopwatch to start the timer seconds before Alex convulsed and opens his eyes. He started screaming still lost in the horror of his attack.
"Somebody help me! Oh, my God, help me, help me, help me!" He begged seemingly not seeing us he choked slightly as his screaming irritated his dry throat.
"Alex! I need you to listen to me" Jack said trying to get him to focus but it was no good.
"Somebody help! HELP ME!"
"That's what we're doing!" Jack insisted raising his voice to cut through the panic. It worked as Alex's eyes suddenly focused on him "Alex, you were attacked. Do you know who it was? Who attacked you!" Jack asked.
"Who are you?" Alex demanded, confused and scared.
"How long?" Owen demanded of Ianto.
"Where am I?" Alex sobbed and I felt my heart clench in pity for him.
"Fifteen seconds." Ianto answered.
"Who are you?" Alex asked Gwen this time.
"I'm just-I'm just trying to help, sweetheart," she insisted. I could see her face but her voice told me she was upset at how the event was unfolding, "I'm just trying to help" she trailed off not knowing what else to say.
"I want my mum. Please! Let me see my mum..." Alex begged chocking and sobbing before taking in one last gasp of air and falling back into the dark. The monitor by Owen flat lined.
"He's gone," Owen confirmed.
"Let me keep trying" Gwen insisted getting panicked and desperate.
"Gwen, he's dead," Owen maintained firmly.
"But I can bring him back" she insisted not listening to him.
"The glove only works once" Jack told her.
"But I can do it, just let me try" she cried out her voice rising hysterically.
"Gwen. Look at me," Jack ordered and she snapped her head up to look at him.
"He's gone," he said quietly.
She stared at him for a moment before the air crackled with the connection being broken. She turned from the table and wiped a tear from her eye.
"That was amazing. She's a natural. Twenty-four seconds!" Ianto said, impressed.
"Give Ianto a stopwatch, and he's happy," Owen snarked.
"It's the button on the top," Ianto replied with a small smile.
"Gwen that was dangerous," I said coming down to stand next to her, "I told you to keep control of your emotions. It nearly got out of control"
"Anna this is the only chance we've got" she said snappily.
"No its not it's the quickest chance we've got, but putting that aside that was way too close to the danger line"
"We are not stopping this Anna," Gwen insisted.
"I know Gwen you've made yourselves clear on that but right now go get a drink, clear your head and calm down before this causes any more damage"
"No I want to carry on," she insisted. I didn't like the way she seemed to be cradling the glove against her. Although I was loathed to touch it I tested out a theory.
"Gwen give me the glove," I asked holding out my hand.
She paused looking hesitant. She clearly didn't want to let go of it.
"Gwen give me the glove now!" I ordered.
It took a few more seconds but eventually she handed it over. It felt strange having the glove in my hand again. It seemed to hum in recognition at its new holder.
"Go and calm down!" I ordered pointing out of the autopsy room.
She glared at me for a few seconds before casting a glance back around the room and slowly leaving. Before she got out of sight I saw her give the glove, still held in my hand, one last look. I sighed as she moved out of sight.
I felt a hand on my arm and turned to see Jack standing behind me. His eyes alone told me to follow him. We left Ianto and Owen and went up the stairs into Jack office. He shut the door behind us and turned to look at me.
"Come on Jack you can't look at that and tell me the way Gwen acted wasn't dangerous. She didn't want to let the thing go," I said tossing the glove onto his desk. Honestly I was half hoping it would break on impact... no such luck.
"I know Anna, I saw" he said.
Something about his voice made me stop and look at him. He was quiet. It was a strange quiet and not one I was used to associating with Jack. It was hesitant.
"What is it Jack?" I asked.
He didn't answer. He just kept on looking at the looking at the glove lying on his desk. He watched it for some time before finally raising his gaze to me. I was silent and so was he. However, I felt the panic raising in my chest at each passing moment of stillness as my brain clicked together what he was going to ask me to do.
"Oh no, Jack!" I cried stepping back from him shaking my head violently in protest "No, no, no, no absolutely not!"
"Anna you're clearly the only one with the right amount of control," he said stepping towards me, hands outstretched palms up. It was like he was approaching a wild animal getting ready to run. In all honesty I was trying to figure out the quickest way out.
"Jack, come on this is so unfair. I don't even want that glove out here but now you want me to use it?" I was aware I was getting hysterical.
"Anna...either do it willingly... or I'll order you to do it. We need to talk to these victims" he said firmly.
I paused at the threat of the order. Would he really do that?
I didn't even need to answer that question.
I stood my ground and faced him. If he wanted me to do this he was going to have to order me to do it.
He heaved a sigh.
"Alright. Anna I'm ordering you to use the glove to help aid us in this investigation" he said.
I bowed my head.
"As you wish, Captain"
I walked past him out to the hub and sat down at my desk. Pulling my legs into the half lotus position on my chair I closed my eyes and started deep breathing mediation.
I was going to need all the control I could muster.
I ignored the sounds around me. I heard Gwen and Jack arguing over his decision to take her off the responsibility of the glove. I heard Owen coming towards me but Jack called him away telling him to leave me be.
I could see Jacks logic in putting me in charge of it. I knew more about it, I had worked with it before but I didn't want it here which reduced the chances of me becoming attached. There was another reason too... I didn't know if Jack was aware of it... but it was there.
If Jack ordered me to stop... I would. I would listen to him.
I didn't like the word control but if anyone did have a certain amount of power of me...It was Jack.
I wasn't aware of how much time had passed but I eventually felt Tosh's hand on my shoulder pulling me out of the meditation.
"We're ready" she said softly.
I nodded not saying a word. I made my way down to the autopsy table where Jack, Gwen, Owen and Ianto were waiting.
Jack held out the glove and I took it off him wordlessly not even looking at him.
"Anna, are you ok?" Owen asked in a soft manner.
"Let's just get it over with," I said shortly. I wasn't going to lie and say I was ok about this.
Tosh followed my request and began the recording equipment.
"Recording. Victim number two: Mark Briscoe" she said in her cool professional voice.
I slipped the glove onto my right hand flexing my fingers trying to keep my blood flow going to keep them warm while the glove warmed up. I regulated my breathing to a slow steady rhythm searching through my emotions.
What I hadn't told them yet was the glove worked with pretty much any emotion. If it was a driving force in the life of the wearer of the glove that's what would make it work. Since I didn't really want to be doing this empathy wouldn't work with me. The only reason I was doing it?
Jack.
I concentrated on pulling all my feelings for Jack to the surface. I felt the goose bumps rising over my skin and my heart started beating faster. I had to work hard to keep my breathing slow. Although my feeling for Jack wasn't the smartest to think about when we were being watched so closely I felt it was the safest. Maybe it would help me pull back if I needed to...if he told me to.
I felt the glove start to heat up feeding off the emotions and sensations I was bring to the surface. I replayed the kiss in my head conjuring up the same feeling but being careful not to show too many outward signs. Although no amount of control could stop the blush I could feel spreading over my skin as the glove got warmer.
When I felt the tell tale tug on my heart I knew the glove had fully made the connection with me. I placed my hand on Mark's scalp and carefully channelled my emotions down it. I felt the pull from glove as it tried to grab more energy from me but I stubbornly held on thanking my spirit I had studied meditation so diligently.
I reach into the dark feeling for the last vestiges of Mark's soul. I called out to him in my mind using the connection to bring him back.
It was quiet this time around. No screaming, no shouting... just a small surprised gasp for air as Mark opened his eyes. His gaze darted around in confusion.
"Hey, there," Jack said in a soft voice which drew marks gaze to him, "just look at me. Look me in the eye. That's it"
"Where am I?" Mark asked in a small panicked whisper.
"You've been hurt," Jack told him in a comforting but matter of fact way, "we don't have long. We need to know who attacked you"
"Is my wife all right?" Mark asked ignoring Jack question and I suppressed the wave of sympathy.
Even when he's been hurt his wife was his first thought. I felt glove try and tug on the feeling but I took another deep breath fighting off its hold.
"We're looking after her," Jack assured him with a soft smile before bringing him back round to the subject at hand, "Now Mark, who was it?"
This time Mark answered the question.
"It was that man. He belonged to Pilgrim, he went to Pilgrim" he answered his eyes regaining the terror as he started to remember the attack. So he had been awake for the attack. He still must've been attacked first if he didn't know what happened to Sarah.
"What's Pilgrim?" Jack asked encouraging him but Mark had already remembered what he had been put through.
"Oh my God," he whispered, "he had a knife." He sounded so small and scared.
"No, Mark, he's gone," Jack assured him although he speech pattern was speeding up as time moved on, "We don't have long. Quickly, what was his name?"
"Thirty-five seconds" Ianto warned.
"Max," Mark answered Jack "never knew his surname"
"Trying Pilgrim and Max. Get a description" Tosh called.
I decided to try something new. I focused on the end to the connection that was Marks mind and I searched through the dark for the memories of the attack.
"You gotta give us something more so we can catch him," I heard Jack say frantically.
I searched harder trying to tap into Mark's own emotions. I saw a white barrier that oozed terror and I attacked it. With a lot of effort the barrier broke but I couldn't anything more than flashes.
Blood spattering.
A knife glinting as it slashed through the air.
Terrified screaming.
A woman crying.
A tattoo on a thick muscled arm.
I was flung back from the barrier as it closed up again. I gasped for breath as it became harder to concentrate. I closed my eyes trying to regain focus.
"He's going," Owen said softly.
"There was... There was someone who knew him better," Mark said suddenly "...That woman...She was always talking to him..."
"What was her name?" Jack asked.
"Where's my wife?" he asked, his voice breaking into almost sobs.
"Her name!" Jack insisted.
"...Suzie"
My eyes snapped open.
The room suddenly went ice cold.
We could do nothing but staring in shock as Mark took one last breath and died without knowing where his wife was.
The stopwatch clicked off.
"One minute five seconds" Ianto recorded in a stunned voice.
I breathed a sigh as the glove let go of its hold on me. I slipped the glove off and laid it down on the table nursing the once again cold hand.
"Jack?" Tosh called, bewildered, "did I hear that right?"
"Could be anyone" Owen insisted "There must be lots of women called Suzie"
"Not connected to this case," Jack said folding his arms looking down at Mark's motionless form.
I shuddered realising his eyes were still open. I place my hand over them and gently slid his eyes shut.
"We've been talking to the wrong corpse," Jack finished.
My stomach dropped.
I sat in the conference room twirling my dagger on its point.
"Anna, you're marking the-" Owen started but silenced when I shot him a glare.
"This is ridiculous." I sighed before looking at Jack who was standing at the glass window looking out over the hub. I was trying to gage his mood. He wasn't tense per say...but I could think of any other way to describe what I felt from him... maybe uneasy was the term I was looking for?
"Jack?" I started softly laying down the dagger. He turned to look at me.
"Suzie can't be it. She's only connected because WE decided to take the glove out. The glove wasn't part of the original plan" I said keeping my voice soft.
Jack watched me with calculating eyes.
I found myself wishing that I could read his mind. Even for a second. After what happened to Tosh I should have known better but... if I could just hear what he thought when he looked at me like that... I could get the answers I was looking for.
... Or it could destroy me.
Jack was always saying about the wonderful, different and impossible things he had seen. To me, he was an enigma on a whole new level.
"We'll see Anna" he said before turning back.
I sighed and slumped back in the chair.
At that moment Tosh walked in with a folder filled with paper work. She laid it down on the table and opened it to reveal yellow flyers with the title -
"Pilgrim" Tosh started drawing everyone's attention to her findings, "a religious support group, more like a debating society, meaning of life, does God exist? All that stuff. The point is, it was tiny, more like a hobby, run by Mark Briscoe's wife, Sarah. She had all that stashed in the wardrobe. Handwritten and photocopied, that's why we couldn't find any records, she wasn't even online"
I almost chuckled at the way Tosh said the last sentence. Like somebody who couldn't understand why a person didn't have the latest phone model or fashion accessory.
"No mention of Suzie, or Max?" Jack asked.
"Not a word. She didn't even keep a register," Tosh answered.
A thought struck me. I had seen this Max guys tattoo in Mark's mind. If I could concentrate enough I could recreated it. I slid my bag out from under the table and got my drawing pad out turning it to a black page and starting to sketch.
"It wouldn't be our Suzie, though. She wouldn't go to that support group bollocks," Owen said slapping the papers down on the table.
"How do you know?" Gwen challenged "I mean, were you friends? Any of you? Who was her best friend in this place?"
"She sort of kept herself to herself," Owen said avoiding the point that no one ever really spoke to Suzie.
Well unless you counted Owen sleeping with her. But I wasn't sure that was the best point to bring up, although it could be entertaining to watch Gwen's reaction to the news.
"Well, then. If she needed to talk, maybe that's exactly where she'd go; to a group of complete strangers" Gwen said reasonably.
"Could be," Jack said nodding, "you've got a point, Gwen. Time we got to know our deceased colleague a little better"
I was stubbornly quiet as they packed away getting ready to go to the locker where ll Suzie's things had been stored when she died.
"Anna" I looked up at Jack realising we were the only two left in the room.
"What?" I asked. He looked at me silently.
"I'm not coming Jack," I said simply, "I'm not going to look for reasons to bring her into this"
"Anna that's not what we're doing" he insisted leaning over the table bracing his hands on the wood, "Come on Anna. Doesn't you're instinct say this is the right road? That this is the right Suzie that the victim was talking about?"
"His name was Mark" I said sharply.
"Anna" Jack sighed, "You know the deal. You can't get so emotional over this"
"Well tough," I said, "he was a person. He had a name, a quiet happy life... and if you are right and Suzie was connected... and she caused his death... I'll never forgive her"
"You know for someone who claims to hate humanity you sure seem to care an awful lot" Jack said crossing his arms and watching me.
"I care about those that have been wronged" I justified.
I got up and walked round the table to stand in front of him. I looked up at his face, trying to figure out the best way to approach this.
"Jack... you know we don't need the gloves help. What if... what if Suzie figured out something about the glove that she never told us... What if this was planned?"
"You think Suzie knew she was going to die like that?" he asked.
"She was acting really weird those last few weeks. I spoke to you about it remember? Three days before we met Gwen.," I said and a light of recognition sparked in his eyes.
"Maybe ... But even so it'll be better to hear it from her" he said.
I sighed heavily and looked down at the floor. My waves of loose hair fell down around my face distorting my vision with the colour of burnt cinnamon.
"Can't I say anything to make you change your mind?" I asked softly.
I saw his hand move as he raised it, tucking the strands of hair behind my left ear. His hand continues its journey through my hair till he had coaxed my head high enough to look at him again. His eyes glinted a pacific blue as he grasped my shoulders in his warm hand holding me in place with his stare.
"Trust me" he said softly.
He pulled back and turned, walking away to met the rest of the team who were no doubt already waiting in the SUV.
I sighed and sat back down continuing to sketch out the tattoo image I had taken from Mark's mind.
The best word I could think to describe the way Jack was making me feel was confused. Jack did not do relationships...That was fact. Well, at least not long term ones. So why had he kissed me? He had definitely kissed me first. Granted I didn't stop it, quite the opposite.
But why after things had been so awkward between us...
That thought made me pause. He hadn't made anything awkward. I was the one who ran away. I avoided him. I couldn't speak properly too him...He on the other hand did no such thing. He had actively tired to get me closer to him. He constantly found ways to touch me now. Holding me at the roof's edge, touching my hair, cheek, neck, back, shoulders... What was the point of it?
Showing me he wasn't something to avoid? That he could be trusted?
Maybe the policy of "don't look a gift horse in the mouth" applied here. Maybe just sitting back and seeing how things went was the safest way to go. I wouldn't push to far. Let him call the shots.
I was roused from my thoughts by the table buzzing...no wait.
My phone was vibrating. I picked it up and looked at the caller ID.
Hinode... I pressed accept.
"Hey" I answered.
"Hey. I'm on my break. Have you got a few minutes to talk to your best friend?" she asked.
"Always" I chuckled, "what's up?"
"Oh my god you would not believe the morning I've had" she sighed.
I thought back to my own eventful morning and couldn't help but smile.
"Why what happened?" I asked.
"I've had three patients all with the same injuries. One guy nearly had his throat ripped out by what looks like some form of animal, and then this couple came in not long after who were attacked by the same thing. The man had claw and bite marks all over his back, and she had her arm torn up," she said rapidly
It had clearly been stressful, if the speed she was talking at was anything to judge by.
"I hope someone's been alerted that there's a wild dog on the loose... I can't take much more of this. But the patients keep insisting that it was a huge guy in a boiler suit that attacked them. But the bites are clearly animalistic. Poor things, they must be so traumatised,"
That last sentence caught my attention. More weevil attacks? They had been rapidly increasing at an alarming rate lately.
"Are they alright?" I asked.
"Yeah. The first guy nearly died from blood loss but we pulled him back," she said clearly pleased with the result she had managed to accomplish.
"Well done"
"Thank you," she accepted with a happy sigh, "so, anyway what are you up to?"
"Not much. Right now works pretty quite. I'm the only one here,"
"Why have they left you alone?" she asked.
"Differences of opinion." I answered.
There was a moment of silence during which I could hear the background noise of the area outside the hospital. I could hear the rain hitting off the pavement. It had turned into a miserable day. Actually by now it would be dark.
"So..." Hinode started before going silent again.
I wondered what she was doing before she rushed out in one breath.
"...Were you doing anything last night?"
I froze. Hinode's voice had taken on that slightly higher pitched tone of when she was approaching a subject she wasn't sure she should be talking about.
"No" I said making sure I didn't answer too quickly.
"Really?" she answered and I didn't like the way her voice seemed to get a lot more confidence in the subject she was steering towards, "because I was walking home from work at about 2:30 in the morning... and I could have sworn I saw you near the Millennium Centre... with a very attractive man. Now are you sure that wasn't you? 'Cause it sure looked like you"
I was quiet for a long time.
She had seen me with Jack.
But how much had she seen?
"Well... supposing I say it was me, " I answered hesitantly. Honestly a part of me was curious as to what Hinode would make of Jack.
"Well I saw these two people arguing with each other. It sounded like it was getting really heated and then the girl raised her hand to slap him and THEN..."
I silently begged to any God that was listening that Hinode had decided to walk away at that point.
"... He kissed her"
No such luck.
"And she kissed him back"
...Shite.
I didn't know what to say. Hinode had clearly seen everything that had gone on between Jack and I.
"Care to explain?" She asked smugness in every inch of her voice.
"Not really..." I mumbled glad that no one was around to see my blush.
"Mmmm..." she sighed in an infuriatingly condescending tone, "...you look like you really enjoyed it too"
I greeted her with a stony silence before mumbling:
"... Did not"
"You sure? Because I swear I saw you lean into him, almost like..." she paused for a moment before continuing, a smirk etched into her voice, "you were wanting more..."
...Silence.
"I mean, it looked like you were going to slap him then all of a sudden he was kissing you. And you definitely kissed him back without complaint. He pulled you toward him like he owned you or something. I watched you grab onto him to deepen the kiss, I watched you hold onto him as though you were trying to hold smoke with your bare hands," her voice picked up the pace as she grew more confident, "your hands were in his hair, his hands were tightly clutching your waist, your bodies were touching and it was getting pretty heated if you ask me. Then you pushed him back, like you were realising what you were doing, and all he had was this smug look on his face. And...you ran from him. So, who exactly was he? Please tell me you've met him before or you at least know him from somewhere. He certainly smirked after you left like he knew you. So spill"
By the end of her description my cheeks were flaming red. Had I really reacted like that? Honestly hearing it being described back to me was getting me very warm under the collar.
I might have known he would be smirking after I ran.
"...Well...Em ... Yes I know him" I started hesitantly, "He's...Eh... A guy from work,"
"Just a guy...?"
"Yeah" I confirmed, wondering how little I could get away with saying, "isn't that enough?"
"His trench coat says otherwise. You sure he's just a guy? He looks kinda...oh I dunno...like an authority figure, you know?" she said hinting heavily at the information she was looking for.
"Well..." I started trying to keep cool, "I guess he has a bit of authority around here"
"He's not police, is he?"
"No no," I assured her quickly, "we're not connected with the police...it's... a very small group"
"...Uh-huh? No more beating around the bush tomodachi, who is he exactly?"
Uh-oh, she was slipping into Japanese. When Hinode slipped into her native language it meant one of two things:
Her emotions are so intense she forgets to consciously speak English.
Or
She means business.
...This was the latter.
"...He's..." I started cringing, the battle in my head fighting over telling her the truth or not. I took a breath and jumped.
"...He's my boss" I mumbled.
"Boss? As in...the guy you work for in this secret job you have? Whoah Anna, I think you hit the jackpot. He was really handsome from where I was standing. But doesn't make it..difficult to work with him when you've kissed each other like last night?"
"He is really handsome," I said trying to stop a smile creeping onto my face, "...But yeah...I don't know what's going on really...And I've been working alongside him while being completely besotted with him for the last six months so I think I can handle-" I cut myself off from my developing rant.
Shite I hadn't meant to reveal that.
"Oh? You've had a crush on Mr. Mysterious Man for six months? Oh my God, Anna that's...so KAWAII!"
I cringed away from the phone as her voice went supersonic before I spoke again.
"Cute? CUTE? ... What about this is cute? All that's happened is that I am successfully confused and frustrated!"
"Aw c'mon Anna, this is so adorable. Besides, from the looks of him, that's probably what he wanted to happen. His smirk when you legged it wasn't an ordinary one my friend, that was like a 'Mission Accomplished' sort of smirk"
"Yeah I KNOW what smirk would have been plastered over his face...I've seen it often enough"
"So tell me, why are you confused and frustrated?...Hey wait, are you sleeping with him?"
I nearly choked on air.
"WHAT? No of course I'm not!" I strongly denied, shaking my head although she couldn't see it.
"Then why are you frustrated and confused? Is it getting complicated or something?"
"Complicated isn't the word," I muttered, "I thought he was going to ignore it. Everything's changed since he found out about my feelings for him. I avoided him mainly but he keeps on finding excuses that force us to be near each other"
As I was speaking I couldn't help but feel like a huge weight was being lifted. It felt so good to actually talk about this to an outsider.
"What do you mean everything's changed? The fact he knows and he's doing something about it?"
"But I don't know what he's doing about it. Jack doesn't do relationships" I bit my lip. I had said his name. God why was I doing this to myself.
"What if this time is different? What if he wants something like a relationship? What would you do then?"
"It's not different. Trust me. He's more into...open relationships. I don't think he could tie himself to one person, it's not his style"
"Then...is this all worth it? I'm worried that I'm going to hear you're so upset because of this guy in the near future, and I really don't want that to happen. Is this Jack guy worth this massive risk? I know how in tune you are to your emotions, and I'm concerned this may upset you for ages afterward if anything goes wrong. I'm sorry...I'm just worried about you Imoto"
"Honestly Hinode... I'm not sure what this is going to come to. What you saw was...well...our first kiss. He's so... intense, complicated... magnetizing..."
I glanced up at the sound of the hub alarm go off. They were back. They filed in and I could hear Jack's strong accented voice barking orders...It didn't sound good.
"Is that him?"
"Yeah that's him. They're back." I said standing at the glass window overlooking the centre of the hub, watching as they scattered to various work stations... I saw Jack heading towards the stairs...he was coming to find me.
"I guess this means he wants you to resume your secret job then?"
"I'm always working Hinode you know that... although it does look like I'm needed now. I'll call you later ok? We can arrange a girly night at some point"
"Yeah sure, that sounds nice. Let me know when you're free. I should probably head back in as well, a couple of emergencies have rushed in I think and they're going to need all the help they can get. Talk later Anna,"
"Bye Hinode," I slid the phone closed and slipped it into my pocket just as I heard Jack reach the door to the conference room.
I didn't turn and look at him.
"You found something didn't you?" I asked, trying to keep the defeated tone out of my voice.
I heard his footsteps move across the room till he was standing right behind me. I glanced to my right as a sheet of yellow paper came into my peripheral vision. I took it off him and looked at it feeling my heart getting heavier with each passing second.
The Pilgrim leaflet.
"We found it in her possessions," he said. I felt him place one hand on my shoulder. It was comforting.
"No choice then," I muttered, "is Owen going to get her?"
"No. I'm just going to go down to cold storage" he said, "I should do it"
"Just you're not to blame for what happened," I said.
I knew Jack had a tendency to blame himself if anything happens to the team. I couldn't imagine the mount of guilt he carried on his shoulders. All those years where he couldn't die... the amount of team mates he'd seen die in the line of duty and he couldn't do anything about it.
"Are you ready for this?" he asked.
He wasn't ignoring my comment... he just didn't agree with it.
"No," I said simply, but I turned around to face him anyway, "still might as well get it over with right? It's only a few minutes"
"Right" he said, nodding slightly. I saw a small attempt at a smile but it couldn't quite make it.
"I'll wait in the autopsy room" I said.
As I passed him, I gently put my hand on his arm in a gesture of comfort. It wasn't often I got to comfort Jack but when I didn't... those small touches of concern and comfort I could give him... they made me feel important. In front of the team he was usually cool, calm and in control... but I wouldn't be doing my job right if I couldn't see the emotions in him that he kept hidden.
I didn't think even Jack was aware how easy he was to read for someone who's looking closely enough.
I made my way down to the autopsy room. Owen was there getting everything set up.
"Good news right?" he said sarcasm dripping in every inch of his voice.
"You gonna say anything to her?" I asked sitting down on the stairs furthest away from the door.
"Why would I do that?" he asked check the monitors, "the bitch scares the shit out of me"
"I don't know," I said, "I noticed towards the end that Suzie was acting strange... I just thought you might have too. After all, you were the one sleeping with her..." I said the last part quietly.
He paused at that and looked at me.
"How do you know about that?" he asked.
"It wasn't hard," I shrugged with a gentle voice, "you both started acting differently with each other"
"You're scary" he said turning back to the equipment.
"It's my job to notice things Owen" I said simply.
He was silent. He clearly didn't want to talk about it anymore. I briefly wondered if Suzie hadn't died would he have started things up with Gwen...
...Probably.
I leant my head against the cool stone tiles. Tiredness was slowly seeping its way into my system. After a night of very little sleep and the energy drain the glove pulls it was hard to keep concentrating. The tiles felt soothing against my warm skin.
My eyes slid closed. I listen to them getting everything ready. I heard the clang of the dumbwaiter telling me that Suzie's body had been sent up from cold storage. I heard Owen and Ianto move the body onto the autopsy table. I heard the dull sound of Jack's boots and the click of Tosh's heels as they descended the stairs. I sensed Gwen taking refuge on the viewing area above us all.
Very slowly the noises started to dwindle as my mind got calmer. The cool tiles energising my skin allowing me to gather strength.
What felt like seconds later I felt a hand on my knee.
I jumped and snapped my eyes open. I saw Jack in front of me. He looked at me with serious eyes.
"It's time,"
I sighed and stood up. Ianto held out the glove to me and I took it silently trying to offer him a smile of thanks.
I turned to look at the table.
Suzie lay there dressed in the white medical gown Owen had put her in after her post mortem. Her hair mane of unkempt, curly, dark hair was still crusted with tiny icicles. The blue pallor of her skin made her look ill. Her veins showed a dark purple through her skin.
"Do we all get frozen?" I heard Gwen asked, "Torchwood staff; when we die, do we all get kept?"
"Rules and regulations," Jack answered.
"How long for?" She asked.
"Forever,"
"It's funny," I murmured still looking at Suzie, "I always said when I died I wanted to be burned. I wanted my ashes scattered on the farm back in Scotland, next to the stables"
"You had a farm?" Gwen asked.
"Yeah," I looked up at her, "the only place I could practise. Private land,"
"God, you really are a country girl" Owen groaned.
"How old were you when you said that you wanted to be cremated?" Gwen frowned.
"Seven," I said shortly, looking back at Suzie.
Gwen didn't know the full story of my illness. Very few people did.
"Recording" Tosh said cutting off Gwen's reply to knowledge that I had my funeral planned at such a young age. I knew it sounded morbid.
"Have you got your stopwatch?" Owen asked Ianto.
"Always" he replied.
"I'll record from my station," Tosh said apologetically, "I'm sorry, but I don't want to look her in
the eye. Sorry," she ran up to the workstations.
Jack watched her go silently.
"Anyone else?" he asked.
The silence was loud enough. Owen barely turned but it was clear he didn't want to be there either. I knew the invitation didn't extend to me.
"Ready Anna?" he asked.
I nodded and slid the glove on, wincing at the feeling of plunging my hand into ice cold water. The glove seemed to hum in delight. I focused on slowing my breathing and I placed my hand on Suzie's head. The glove crackled with the initial connection.
Again I focused on my feelings. Using my strong emotions for Jack to tap into the glove and drill through into Suzie's subconscious to try and bring her back. I fought through the dark until I was suddenly a white light crashed through my mind.
I gasped at the impact until the light cleared. Suddenly it was like a movie was playing in my head.
I flinched as I heard a gun go off. I saw an image of Jack in front of the water tower as he fell to the ground with a bullet wound in his head.
Another gunshot as Suzie held the gun under her chin. I cried out as I felt the flash of pain when the bullet had gone through her skull.
Jack holding his hand out to her.
Gwen sobbing.
Suzie holding the gun trained on Gwen
Gwen falling to her knees while Suzie lay dead. Jack standing over them both
"Uh, no! It's gone..." I heard Owen shout.
The glove reacted sending what felt like a bolt of electricity through my arm and I stumbled back opening my eyes as then images faded. I held onto the table trying to catch my breath, beads of cold sweat dampened my forehead.
I had never known what had happened that night.
I felt Jack's hand pushing my hair back over my shoulder and laying his hand over the side of my neck. His other hand rose up and his thumb wiped the skin under my eyes... Had I been crying?
"It was just images," I said breathlessly looking up and catching his concerned eyes, "memories of her last moments before her consciousness left her. I think it's been too long. She's too far away to bring her back,"
"What do we do now?" I heard Tosh ask from her work station.
"Nothing we can do," Jack replied as I went to sit on the stairs. My legs were shaking, "that's it. We're out of options"
I sighed and gratefully accepted the bottle of water Ianto seemed to have conjured from nowhere.
"There's always the knife," I heard Owen venture and I snapped my head round to look at him, "when she killed all those people, she always used the knife, it's made out of the same metal as the glove"
I groaned... Just when I thought we would get out of this.
Bloody Owen... He picks NOW to have a brainwave.
"We've seen it before; metallic resonance. Like the glove works better if the knife's part of the process, like closing a circuit," Tosh explained sounded almost frantic to get the rationalization out.
"Then let's use it," Gwen encouraged.
"Small detail," Jack intercepted calling everyone's attention, "the knife was used to kill people. She's already dead"
Thank God, some sense at last.
"All right. So we kill her again," Gwen said, being deadly serious.
I groaned quietly. Could this day get any worse?
I didn't go with them to get the knife. I just sat on the stairs sipping my water.
I hated everything about this. The glove drained me so easily. I felt fragile and faint. Was it because the glove knew me? Knew how to get to me and draw my strength out of me?
It wasn't long before they were back and I was standing behind Suzie's head once again trawling through the black trying to find a piece of her to bring to the surface.
I saw the flash of life for the 7th time but it was gone in a millisecond.
"Jack! For the third time it's too quick it's not enough to grab onto. I'm sorry but you're going to have to stab her," I said looking at him exasperatedly.
He's looked at Owen for an instant who nodded his support.
"What the hell" he said holding the knife with both hands and raising it above Suzie chest. I closed my eyes and concentrated again.
The light was blinding and the connection was instantaneous.
The electricity fizzed into life as Suzie gasped and her body arched with new life as her eyes shot open. I cried out with the power surging through me.
Suzie started panicking as her last feelings before her death started coming back to her, blinding her to her present situation. Jack tried to get her to listen but she kept on crying about how she had to go and run away.
"Think back, try to remember" Jack coaxed "... Suzie! Suzie!" he called before his voice raised into command mode, "Look at me!"
It worked as her gaze focused on him then she noticed the knife.
"Jack! Oh, my God. There's a knife in my chest, did you kill me?" she asked frantically.
"You killed yourself, remember?" he answered quickly shaking his head.
It was getting harder to keep control with all the panic tumbling through her mind and I tried to keep hold.
"But ... Oh my God, I shot myself" she wailed.
"We've got to ask you about Pilgrim," Jack asked trying to get her to focus.
"No. Wait a minute...Didn't I kill you?" she said as she looked at Jack in confusion.
"Never mind that," he expertly skimmed over her question, "we need names and details"
"Who's using the glove?" she demanded.
"Someone who would like you to answer the bloody questions" I growled.
"You got a cheek Anastasia Nixon!" she snapped back.
"Thirty seconds" Ianto warned.
"When you were in Pilgrim you gave the amnesia pill to a man, Max, do you remember?" Jack asked, quickly sensing we were losing control of the situation.
"What? You brought me all the way back, just for Max?" she screeched in indignation.
"We need to find him," Jack insisted, "who is he? What's his surname?"
"He was...Some loser..." she said struggling to speak. She was slipping back.
"We're losing her!" Owen confirmed.
"Stay here. Damn you!" Gwen growled.
I blinked, startled. When the fuck did she move next to me?
"Don't force it, Gwen. Anna concentrate" Jack warned.
"She's not getting away this time, stay here! Don't let her get away,"
The confusion and the numerous people around me shouting didn't help. I felt my control slip and the gloves energy surged through me gleefully shooting towards its target. I tried to regain control but I was thrown back as I felt like I was punched in the gut. I felt my back connect with the wall and I slid down to the floor.
"I said don't force it!" I heard Jack say angrily.
I felt the glove being tugged off my hand and then a pair of arms were around me. The scent of cinnamon and vanilla combined with the faint tang of disinfectant told me it was Owen.
"It's all right, I've got her, I've got her ... Hold on ..." He muttered lifting my limp wrist that I couldn't seem to keep control of. I leant into Owen as he checked my pulse "Okay, pulse. She's fine. We need to get her out of here. Can you come and give me a hand?"
"It's the glove; I told you they get hooked," Jack barked.
"All right, don't make a fuss, it's over now" Owen said, trying to keep him calm.
I felt Jack move to my other side.
"I'll get her." I heard him say and I felt my weight being briefly lifted from the floor until Ianto interrupted.
"Um, excuse me. I'm still counting"
"There's not much point, Suzie's dead" Owen snapped.
"No," he contradicted making me try to open my eyes and focus, "according to the equipment, she's just unconscious"
"What the hell's going on?" I heard Jack say through gritted teeth clearly talking to Owen.
Owen left my side and I was forced to lean most of my weight of Jack. I was barely aware of the weak, trembling grip I had on his wrist until he twisted his hand to take mine in a strong, solid grip. He sat me back against the wall in a more comfortable position.
"Oh, my God." I heard Owen breath in disbelief "He's right. She's alive! Suzie's still alive. Look at her, she's bloody breathing!"
Jack left my side to rush over and look at Suzie. The horror and confusion on his face was enough to tell me the truth.
"She can't be ..." he insisted violently pulling the knife out of her chest.
"Nope," Owen shook his head, "still breathing. No stopping her. She won't die,"
"One minute thirty and counting," Ianto said looking around at everyone.
We all looked at each other quietly. The only sounds was the heart monitor beeping steadily in the shocked, uneasy silence.
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