Two: Involvement in Various Matters

"What now?"

A file was handed over to him and he searched through it. "The Mara? I know that Jack and the others involved themselves in trying to stop them from getting a Chosen One, but they gave her up to them. The threat of a global freezing saw to that."

The small fairy shook it's head and pointed. Marius frowned and looked at the next page. "You want to give them all something for what they did?"

Another point and he blinked before saying, "I guess failing to rescue someone does count, but that doesn't mean they'll want roses all over their houses. Plus you apparently scared Gwen Cooper too much, and she's rather pissed at the Mara and at Jack for letting the little girl go."

A twinkle and that caused Marius a small smile. "She's Human, and as much as she might whine, I do enjoy her. She does what she can to justify things from the point of view of someone who's job was to protect people. A part of her understands why Jack let the girl go, but the rest of her wanted to be able to save the child."

A hum and Marius glared at the small being now. "I enjoy them. For all their faults."

Another low hum before Marius looked down and blinked. "What? Why would you want someone to investigate that area?"

A quick look at the paper directed told him. A Chosen One, only recently Chosen about thirty years back, had gone on a vacation with her family to that area. She had never returned, and while both Mara and their Caseworkers had looked, no information on the missing people or child could be found.

"I'll ask the Earth-Human office about it. What little both Torchwood and we know about the Rift is that it could expand that far, so I'll do what I can." He checked another file then said, "Yvenda is there looking into something too." A small smile. "She might piss off Miss Lilith, but she's a good Field Agent. She should find something, don't worry."

--

Yvenda sighed as she stopped the car. "So this is the place. This is under Caretaker Kellin's jurisdiction, isn't it? He takes care of this place...Brecon Beacons, Welsh national park." Yvenda sighed and pulled out the small phone before dialing it, a sense of unease filling her as she examined what appeared to be the abandoned pub. "This isn't natural."

"Yvenda? It's Marius."

"I'm here, and I think Serenia was right. This place isn't all that nice."

"We've been searching for information, but Kellin's reports about the area suggest that they're the only ones really there. A few tourists and...and you realize your phone shouldn't work in that area, right?"

Yvenda stalled her desire to snap at the newbie. "I know. But this is for records, isn't it? Besides, all of us what to know what's going on. I found a few more reports of people disappearing." She paused as she walked towards the cellar door. "Are you sure that Rift would extend out this far?"

The sound of paper shuffling nearly stopped her from hearing something else and she whispered, "Marius?"

"What's wrong?"

He was at least perceptive, that one. "I don't think I'm alone...and for that matter...I really don't think that anything good is here with me."

There was a sudden beeping from her phone and then Marius said, "Something's blocking the signals! Yvenda, get--"

The phone (a Sidra phone!) went dead as Yvenda felt something grab her from behind and she let out a scream.

--

"I don't know what to tell you," Killen told Marius, "I do watch over Brecon Beacons on Earth, but nothing that odd has happened since I've been Caretaker."

"Odd enough things have been reported, but ignored one way or another," Marius informed him, "and now not only is Yvenda missing, but another girl as well. My group is going to investigate because it's close enough that the Rift could affect the area. I came to ask for help, not for you to stonewall me the minute I ask!"

Killen glared at him before saying, "There is a small community there, but they are peaceful and no complaints have been filed."

Marius shook his head. "No, but then again there are still missing people. It's a ten-year gap, but there are, and most are within a 20-mile radius of your town. So far, including Yvenda, seventeen people have disappeared."

Killen's glare grew harder. "It's nothing more then a coincidence. I monitor my Clients very closely, and I know they are perfectly innocent."

"Well," Marius placed his hands on the desk and leaned into Killen's personal space, "I watch mine closely as well. They've tasked themselves with going in, so I'm going to be watching and making sure that it's something supernatural, and not your villagers, who are responsible. If it is, and you've been turning a blind eye, make no mistake. You will pay for it."

Marius stormed out of the office, trying hard to calm himself down as he rubbed his hands together. Just being in that man's presence made him feel...he wasn't sure. It wasn't that great, though, and he knew that by the end of the day he would have to see what would happen with his clients.

And after the final phone call with Yvenda, and no sign of her anywhere, I might even have to go down there myself.

--

The fact that Yvenda had disappeared on Earth and there was no signs of her anywhere, as well as the fact that she had disappeared while in Brecon Beacon area, had been enough to authorize Marius the ability to 'go down, but not interfere'. Having done the same thing with Miss Lilith on their first assignment together, Marius was glad to abandon his hormone-ridden shell and drift into the area where his clients were making camp.

A part of him wondered at how quickly he had become possessive of the group, with all their odd natures and tendencies, as well as just their ways of acting. Gwen was trying, as usual, to lighten the mood and play peacemaker. Owen wasn't comfortable in the country and showed it by being pissed at everyone around him, including a tent he was trying to put up that obviously didn't think highly of him. Toshiko joined in Gwen's want to have fun, while Ianto and Jack both seemed preoccupied.

Ianto probably doesn't want to deal with games like that, and is a little out of his element with the group. Jack...it' s probably because of that lady that died. He's still out of it because of it.

Great.

Trying to calm himself with the knowledge that the Doctor was all of these problems and feelings wrapped into one accident and trouble-prone bundle, he felt himself start when he felt another presence around them.

But they're human! Why are they...what are they doing?

He noted Gwen and Owen leaving the area for 'firewood', though from the feelings of confusion, anger, and the need to pound in Owen's head for an earlier comment he had missed (probably about who 'snogged' who and he honestly didn't want to know that), Marius could guess that it wasn't going to end the way Owen planned it.

He drifted a little off, trying to feel his way for the others that might be around when he heard Jack, who had walked over near his invisible area, say, "Okay, who are you and why are you following us?"

Marius would've jumped had he been in a body, but in his natural state he did pretty much the same thing. Realizing that he should've known, after he had rummaged in Jack's mind, that he would know about him, Marius touched Jack's again to speak.

"You've met my kind before, on Satellite Five. Lilith, remember?"

Jack frowned but gave only the ghost of a nod.

"Well, I'm in charge of the Rift, and thus you lot. Something is going on here, and it's not good. One of our Field Agents came in and has disappeared. I'm here to investigate."

Why not be human, or at least humanish? Lilith was. She was quite nice as a human too.

Marius paused at this and the mental image of Lilith, or at least of how she must have once looked, came into Jack's head for him to see. This was getting him nowhere. "As nice and interesting as you are, Jack, I will make your life about as bad as the Doctor's if you don't focus. And I'm not in Human form because the last person who came here like that was taken, remember? I'm here to observe, and I do it better this way. Now leave me alone and let me do my job, I'll let you do yours."

Fair enough, but a little touchy. Do I detect some jealousy on your part?

Marius headed away from Jack, not bothering to give him a straight answer as the comms went off, signaling that Owen and Gwen had found something.

--

Jack noted with some annoyance as they hiked towards the only town nearby that was more then likely a trap that he should've known someone was watching them and setting up a trap. Hell, that was one of the easiest things in the book to do!

The next was that, had the odd invisible being that obviously couldn't touch or do much in his current form been human, this might not have happened.

"Stop blaming me."

Why are you in my head again?

"I needed a quick look for a background, and I didn't want to go into anyone else's head. I could talk to them too but they'd get easily distracted."

Such confidence. You were the one in my head during that Cyberman incident, weren't you?

"Guilty. I had to find things out. Our policy isn't to interfere but to assess and watch. We can't interfere, not unless it's a special case. I'm not interfering if I tell you that this isn't good."

Nothing more specific?

An annoyed sound. "I only got here because a Field Agent went missing and the Caretaker of this area isn't admitting to anything. But things have been going on for far longer then just the five months and seventeen people...and if he knew about it, he could easily lose his job. Like me, he can't interfere, but if he does have a way of warning the people here..." there was what felt like a worried feeling from the being. "It's my job to watch over you lot, and I'll do my best. While I'm here, I'll try to make sure they're fine."

Jack paused then thought, Ianto has a way to track down the SUV. I'll send him and Tosh one way, and keep with Gwen and Owen here. You go with them, and if anything happens that might need my help, give me a ring. That way we're safe.

A long pause from the alien mind, long enough for Jack to start worrying if he hadn't left before the small note of "Deal," came through and the being was gone.

--

It was the humans...and what the hell was Killen thinking now?

Marius stewed as he felt Ianto slowly waken. He had taken Jack's advice and gone with the duo to find the SUV, but after they had passed around a locked building, Toshiko had disappeared. Being in Ianto's head had not helped Marius, as he had felt the man who had only trained in simulations, who had seen too much death as it was, shake while he went to look for his colleague.

Then they had been attacked, and before Marius could jump out to find Jack and explain, he had felt something, akin to what Chronometrics used to hold people in their physical bodies when transporting them, blanked over him, trapping him in Ianto's body.

He knew it had to be Killen that was doing it...but if he blanketed the area, or somewhere close to it, with that, did that mean that Yvenda was...

Marius shoved that to the corner of his own mind as Ianto slowly stood, checking quickly on Toshiko before patting himself down, scared to find that the weapons and items were gone. The area was dark, and when he spoke it echoed, smelling musty, like they were underground.

He touched the first thing he could and came up with a large meat hook. Scared, but not about to let anything happen to his unconscious coworker, Ianto found a box of sorts and sat, trying to keep his shaking down.

Marius looked for a way out, a way to speak to Jack and warn him of the danger without harming Ianto. If he stayed in too long, he'd create a link, and the last thing he needed was a link.

Yet another part of his heritage, and one that helped to strengthen the relationship with their chosen wife or husband, but also helped to get them kicked out of being a Caretaker or Field Agent, was the unlucky ability to, should they be connected to a person's mind for too long, create a type of 'link' between the two, allowing for them to see through the other's eyes or communicate as necessary. If Marius made a link with one of his Clients...

Deciding to not think too hard on the consequences of it or on how it would affect his mental state, Marius instead tried to get into Toshiko's mind.

Nothing. Closeness didn't work...perhaps touch would? He just needed Ianto to touch Toshiko and he would—be in danger of making a link with Toshiko.

There's no win-win situation here.

"We're screwed."

Not literally, there's just no win-win situation here.

"Like I said, screwed."

Marius cursed himself when he realized Ianto could hear him.

And talking to yourself is going to show off really well should anyone hear you.

Ianto fell silent, obviously thinking it was his own thought as Marius touched and probed for a way to get himself out and find Jack or the others and warn them. If Jack didn't hear from them, would he think they were fine? Would he come after them?

Not likely. Bastard.

He does what he has to.

He killed Lisa.

Because she was about to kill you and others. So far all that he's done that involves attacking or hurting others is if we're in danger. Wouldn't that mean that he cares? Sure he sucks at showing it...but how much do you know about the REAL Jack Harkness? How sure can you be that he doesn't do this because he's somehow made these mistakes before, or seen them made?

Ianto sighed at the argument that Marius cursed himself for having with him. If he was anymore of an idiot, he would just tell Ianto--

Toshiko stirred, getting Ianto's attention as Marius waited to try out the idea of touch-transference. Because if this worked, then that meant that Yvenda had a chance of surviving.

--

Despite the fact that she wanted to transfer into someone else's head and use them to get out of the area, Yvenda had spent too much time helping Kieren escape his psychopathic relatives and survive.

And now they had gone and shot someone who could help. Great.

What can I do? Should I tell them? If I tell them they...they'll...

Calm down, Kieren. We'll think of something, then we'll get out of here and I'll be able to report all of this and make the person responsible pay for it. But if they're here, then that means Marius is here too.

He's your friend?

Yvenda gave the psychic equivalent of a nod. That's right, and his job is to watch over them. He's going to have my hide when he finds out one's been injured.

But wouldn't he be stuck like you are?

The thought hadn't occurred to Yvenda, and she let out a good amount of Sidra cursing at it.

Do I want to know?

No, you don't. Yvenda sighed within his mind. Stay with the group, though. They might need your help, and in the very least, they'll be able to protect you as much as possible. If anything, they'll help us stop your family. She came upon a thought that she hadn't brought up to him before. Kieren, why don't you...do what your family does?

He lay down on one of the booth and closed his eyes as he replied, I left and lived with relatives for a long while. I never joined in it, and when I came here early, they decided if I wouldn't join them, I'd be meat. So I ran. That was right when they killed you, right?

Had to be. Still...this is getting weird. Why would Killen allow this to happen for so long? I can only guess he somehow got a way of trapping us Sidra into bodies, but only if we're within the village, and only touch-transfers are available.

Doesn't help you?

Kieren, I worked a while on that body, and one of your relatives ate it. I'm not happy with them and while touch-transfers could help me getting out, as long as we're stuck here I'm stuck here as well.

Which was probably what that bastard Killen wanted. Sidra who went to check on his precious people trapped and stuck inside of the village...and inside of the village...

She sighed. We'll get out of this, Kieren. I promise.

--

The minute they were upstairs and he saw, through Ianto's eyes, the bodies and instruments, Marius knew that nothing good was going to come out of this unless they somehow all lived and caught the ones doing this.

Ianto, brave person that he was, got hit and Marius felt the pain of being gut-hit with such force flow through him as well. He'd had his chance to transfer to Toshiko, but his own worry for Ianto's safety and sanity forced him to stay within the Welshman.

Now, when he saw the idea forming, the one to save Toshiko in the very least, Marius slowly asserted a small part of him over Ianto's body. In the very least, it would help him should anymore physical trauma happen to him.

Which probably will, Marius thought with grave determination as Ianto and he whispered to Toshiko, "Get ready to run."

--

It was like all of his worries were gone. Like someone had wrapped something around him that would protect him as much as possible, and Ianto didn't think much into this as he slammed his head down into the villager's face, not thinking that it probably should've hurt him more as he yelled to Tosh, "Run, get the others!" before he was hit once more, kicked and then allowed to roll and look over at the boy.

Something seemed to be around him too, and as he looked back up to see the butt of the shotgun descending on him, he felt something else, a strange presence in his mind, shove him backwards and the fullness of the protective state take the blunt of it before his body fell into darkness.

But his mind was still active, and he found that the strange being was distorted, something having splintered into many small, web-like areas as it struggled to stay alert.

What happened?

I took it for you. Go to sleep, Ianto. Help should be on the way.

Toshiko got out?

Yes...a sudden cry, as if their head was being split in two. I hope she comes soon...

The image of woodlands, of a strange voice, and the feeling of fear...

Get away from there!

Ianto retreated as he felt his body being dragged backwards, something being wrapped in his mouth and another thing put over his head. What was that?

Just...just stay there. Just wait. I made sure you weren't as hurt as they'd want you to be, but if they decide—the being inside his head stopped, then said, they have us both.

Both? Me and you?

No...another. There was another...the being obviously was fading, whatever power it had diminishing. That hurt...and they have us both so...so he'll...

You need to rest.

I have to--

I can protect myself. The others will be there, and they can save us. You're obviously out of it.

No protest came from the being as Ianto felt himself return to control of his body, though still unconscious, and the other being in his head seem to be completely out of reach.

I hope I'm right.

--

The minute they were out of the area, Marius threw himself into his own body, knowing it was the only way to get back without exerting himself anymore then he already had, and grateful for Jack's timely, if violent, arrival. With the villagers caught, it seemed like the blanket over the area was gone, and he wasn't sure if Yvenda had stayed to make sure the boy she had shared a body with would be okay or not.

The minute he was in his own body, though, all the aches, bruises, and hurts he'd gained while in Ianto's body flared up full force, and it was by luck he toppled over as what appeared to be a letter opener neatly went at the place where his neck would've been a couple of seconds earlier.

"You ruined it!" Killen's voice cut through the dense fog of what was most likely a concussion and the pain of the rest of his body. "I worked so long to ensure they would survive, that my experiment would prove successful and you ruined it!"

Trust him to be of a one-track mind, Marius thought as he struggled to rise only to find Killen's foot neatly planted on his chest, causing a dulled hurt to flare up again. Marius moaned as more pressure was applied and spots began to blink in front of him while Killen leaned in, looking a good deal like the leader of that little village. "All of your fault, but no one will believe you."

Then Killen was off of Marius, and a disembodied voice calmly said, "Just him, no. But two Sidra against one, both of whom were there to check on Clients and both who were nearly killed because of some unauthorized use of a Chronometrics blanket that trapped us in bodies? I'd say that's a good case. Especially since all of Marius' wounds coincide with that of one of his clients, whose body he was sharing. But must especially since some of the body parts retrieved, including one found by Marius' Client Gwen Cooper up above the pub once belonged to me...I'd say you're on your way to being one of the most wanted Sidra in history for what you allowed to happen, Killen."

Marius struggled to right himself as he saw Killen, between two Chronometrics men, and the small cloud of gas that signaled Yvenda's timely entrance.

"Hi," he muttered to her as Killen was dragged away.

"You don't look too good. Why did you have to insist on protecting that guy?"

Marius felt his world tilt and blinked at her, trying to focus. "He's a Client. I have to."

There was a sigh. "You stay awake, I'm going to get Avery. You need some looking after."

Marius didn't complain as Yvenda disappeared from view, and after what felt like only a few seconds Avery reappeared, helping him to stand.

"I think I'll be able to give you those painkillers now."

--

Yvenda should be making a new body, but her worry over Marius forced her to go and check on him, seeing him asleep on the table as Avery looked over her readings.

"He okay?"

Avery looked at her before muttering, "A broken rib, various bruises along his stomach and chest, and a concussion. Not to mention the mental trauma he put himself into. I honestly don't understand why his family continues to try and be Caretakers."

Yvenda frowned at the statement. "Why?"

Avery looked over at her before saying, "You do know that our family, mine and Lilith's, are descendants of the Elder Vensha, and thus have some connection for seeing possible futures. My niece is far better at it then I am, but then again, I don't normally get into the types of situations she does.

"This one, though," Avery pointed at the still-sleeping Marius, "is a descendant of Elder Seidra."

"Seidra? The one who could find nearly anyone in any universe with her mind? That Seidra?"

Avery nodded. "Her descendants get that lovely ability to telepathically link to anyone at any time or dimension as they see fit. They also feel the strongest emotions, past or present, within the room. Basically, like my lovely niece, they're psychic fly-paper."

Yvenda bit back a retort about said niece and her abilities, as well as where they came from. "What's that got to do with them not being good Caretakers?"

Avery gave Yvenda a look that clearly said the younger Sidra didn't know anything. "If he forms a connection with any of his Clients, the only way to break that connection is if they die. And he'll feel it."

Yvenda felt terribly dense as suddenly all the conversation and what she had been talking about feel into place. Marius had gone into one of his Client's heads and used his powers to take the blunt of physical damage for him. He had also suffered head-trauma, meaning...

"He has a connection!"

"Several, actually," Avery confirmed, "Five, to be exact, and all of them his clients."

"But he was only in one of them!"

"Which one?"

"How the bloody hell should I know?"

Avery put the paper down and motioned for Yvenda to keep her voice down. "He's got enough of a headache as it is. Can you describe him, then I'll pull up what I can for him."

"Um...tall, dark hair, blue eyes...Kieren said he was Welsh by his accent, and the others called him...oh...Ianto! They called him Ianto!"

Avery put a hand up to Yvenda. "Again, keep it down. Ianto...here, Ianto Jones, 26, Earth Human, from Wales, worked for Torchwood One, now works for Torchwood Three, and the one that, according to Marius, needs the most therapy."

Yvenda felt confused as Avery told her, "Ianto is the 'tea boy' of the group; he's a gofer, he goes and gets what's needed and cleans up for everyone. He knows what each person likes and doesn't like, knows their needs, and is basically the best person for any job. This was his first mission, his first time away from that, but it doesn't change who he is in the Hub."

"So..."

"So when Ianto was hit, with Marius taking the blunt of it, the link he was creating with Ianto splintered into the others as well, because Ianto knows them so well, or at least has that connection of being a part of the Hub and thus knowing each of them through that area."

"But wouldn't he have to go through Ianto to get to the others then?"

Avery shook her head. "No."

"No?"

Avery looked up to the ceiling, obviously not wanting to have this conversation. "Ianto was the one that started the link, but when it splintered everyone else got a link as well. Therefore everyone has their own personal link. Ianto and the circumstances were just the catalyst for it. I'm fairly sure that if Ianto were to die suddenly, the links would either be badly damaged or disappear all together, but if one of the others did, then it would only affect him like any normal link closing would."

Yvenda, now worried, asked, "What's 'normal'?"

Avery looked at her, then said, "My first case was one of his family. They made a connection with one of their Clients, another Earth-Human, when they were very young, and began to talk to her. The person seemed to think they were a deity that's prevalent there, and took it as a reason to wage war on an invading country. Not wanting her to be disappointed, and caring for her cause, he did what he could for her until she was captured, tried, and executed as a witch." Avery paused before saying, "The minute she started burning, he left the office and locked himself up. When we found him, after the fact, he wouldn't speak to anyone. Still doesn't in fact, and is terrified of light, and extremely terrified of fire. The only thing that gets him to respond is her name, Joan."

Knowing her Earth history, Yvenda looked over at Marius. "Will he?"

"As long as all the connections are there, he's fine. But the more that shut down, the more likely he is to start slipping. I guess I should be glad that Jack Harkness is one of his Clients. The man can be killed, but doesn't die. That connection will have to be his only link to sanity if the others meet untimely ends."

--

Marius woke with a groan as Avery looked over at him. "Good, you're awake and better now."

"Ouch..."

"That too."

Marius sighed as he slowly sat up from the table, rubbing the back of his neck to try and get a crink out. "How long have I been out?"

"About two hours. Enough time for me to fix everything. By the way, Yvenda wanted to know what you were thinking, doing something as silly as protecting one of your Clients and taking most of the hits."

"My job," Marius muttered as he turned to try walking. As the world didn't spin and the ground stayed flat under him, he looked back up at Avery, who was watching over him. "and she's one to talk, getting killed like that and staying in the body of another human. How are they, by the way?"

Avery sighed and handed over the file she knew he would want. "Two of them were getting a little...what's the word?"

"Does it matter? They're doing something they probably shouldn't be doing, and I have to add it in as a footnote, in case anything else comes from it."

"Did you see it coming?"

"With Owen, yes. Gwen? Not so much. This is going to be hell for Toshiko, though."

Avery smiled, then said, "Well, now that our little soap opera is coming to an interesting goal, I officially clear you from being under my tender care. Go home."

With a sigh, Marius nodded, taking the file and dropping it off in his office before heading back to his house to think on things.

His main thought, of course, was simple.

I am not going to survive this.