Twenty: Exit Wounds
Over a Year Ago
"What do you mean, 'it was an accident?'"
"There's some part of that you don't understand, Mextli? It. Was. An. Accident. I didn't mean to have him get hit by a rifle butt, or that I was protecting him and he happened to create connections with everyone, I don't know why!" Marius sighed, running a hand through his short hair. "Listen, I just need a friend, and I need you to not tell my parents just yet, not until I've looked into it further. The group's out for a little while, so I don't need to worry about them being overly-active or sappy about anything...unless you count the two currently engaging in an affair and I didn't need that image in my mind..."
Mextli looked at his cousin with concern. Mextli was younger but only by a few years, making him and Marius close. Unlike Marius, though, he had gone into Enforcement, and held up the rules that had been set after Tristian's death because of Ulamo and the final Hub dying.
No Hubs, connections, or anything of the sort. The family was adamant about it, and his favorite cousin had just broken that rule.
"I'll do my best, but Marius, this is dangerous! You know--."
"I know. I've heard it all my life, so yes, I know. But I can't cut them loose."
"You could...I mean, sure it would be a minor discomfort."
"I talked to the one in the psychiatric ward. 'Mild' is not the word for it, and he only had a minor connection to that Human when they put her on the pyre. He can't stand light now, never mind fire."
"Still--."
"I'm not going to kill Torchwood just so I can get rid of them! Besides, one of them can't die. He dies, then he wakes up again! That's going to be a pain in a half when it happens, I know it."
Mextli nodded, his own longer, dark brown hair tied back in a small ponytail. Mextli had taken most of his looks from some rugged action hero that Earth Humans enjoyed watching, though he was well-cut and didn't look like he had just been in a jungle for years or whatever the premise had been at the time. He had liked Marius' old look before this one, and still seemed to dislike it. Marius had the idea it was because, like most Enforcers (and Sidra in general), they felt Marius was being influenced by the bad egg called Lilith, Curator of the Time Lords.
"I mean it, Mextli. They can't know."
Mextli held up his hand, "I promise, I won't tell them."
--
Having the group as connections, even with an Immortal Hub and another...accidental...Hub like Ianto Jones, Marius knew that they were in desperate need of therapy. He knew this before, of course, but Toshiko's dalliance into a homosexual relationship with what later became an alien that enjoyed ripping hearts out of people's chests just to keep the human body she was inhabiting alive...well...
Things got awkward.
With another grateful sigh at having finished the paperwork, Marius stood up, checking his messages briefly as he paced and frowning at the one he had gotten from his cousin. Mextli hadn't really spoken to him for a week, not after Marius had confessed to him what happened, as well as made him promise not to tell anyone else. On top of that, Marius had looked into the business of connections and found, like he and his family had known for a very long time, there was no way to break them without massive trauma to both sides. He had kept his one-way, though with Ianto's that had caused him a small amount of trouble doing it, but even with that, the other side would feel it unless they were dying, which was the most common way a connection between a Seidra line and a Client was broken.
Marius looked again at the letter. Mextli said he needed to talk to him about something. What could it be? Whatever it was, it was important enough that he had bothered to talk to him about it, and that he had even made a minor mention of 'finding a way that wouldn't hurt'. Marius sighed.
Trust him to get a one-track mind on the matter.
With another glance back to make sure all of his work was done, and to see that it was time for him to get off of work anyway, Marius headed to see what his cousin would want.
--
"What's the big, urgent thing you wanted to talk to me about?" Marius frowned as they walked into the room, looking around as Mextli said, "Just about...you know..."
"No, you left me a message. Seriously, what is this about?"
Mextli smiled. "I found a way to break those connections you have!"
"You mean aside from killing or a good amount of psychological trauma? There's no way, Mextli. You and I know that. Everyone knows that."
Mextli waved it off, "But there's got to be a way! I know it. Maybe if we find Seidra..."
"All the way back to Seidra, with all the records we keep, it's been found that only after a connection dies does the connection get broken. I looked it all up, Mex, there's no way to be rid of them."
A familiar voice caused Marius to freeze. "Then you admit that you have a connection?"
Marius felt himself freeze, turning slowly and then closing his eyes when he saw the one who had spoken, as well as the people behind him.
"Hello Dad."
"Marius? Is it true?"
He looked back at Mextli with murder in his eyes. "Yes. Did he tell you?"
"Your cousin did the right thing..."
Marius rounded on his father, "He promised! I was going to tell you in time, when I knew if it was permanent or not, when I knew if I could get rid of it without dealing with being a burden, or in a ward. I told him it in confidence because he was my friend and family!"
His mother stepped forward, saying simply, "Mextli did the right thing. He told us, and said you would admit it, in front of us."
"He didn't tell me you'd be here. He didn't tell me anything but that it was urgent!"
"He..."
"I don't want to hear it!" Marius yelled, taking a deep breath as Mextli walked over to stand beside his mom and dad. Marius looked over at his dad, waiting. Knowing what would happen next.
"You are no longer our son. Not until you remove these impurities from yourself."
"I won't kill them."
"If that's the only way, then that is what you must do."
"I won't."
"Then I don't have a son named Marius, and you are not part of this family anymore."
They all turned, Marius stumbling as he felt the push away from all that had been--
--
"Marius!"
He awoke with a start, his arm hurting and his head spinning, though he was able to steady himself when he saw Gwen and Rhys.
"What's wrong?"
"Someone...hit me...the others are inside..."
He looked up and cursed upon seeing the small amount of damage shown from the outside, though it was obvious the inside had been blown all to hell. The four signs had been explosives...and...
Marius came up short, looking down at the arm band where a new symbol glowed, almost above the band so it wasn't part of it, and then he realized what that feeling was.
"Marius?"
"I...something marked me. I can't feel my connection to you all."
"WHAT?" Gwen asked, looking at him as he attempted to use his power, reaching out to the easiest one, only to bend over, holding his head against the pain. "I can't get through. I can't use any of it..." Marius shuddered, wondering if this lonely feeling was how all Humans felt before looking up at Gwen, standing straight. "I can't feel them, but everything else works. Come on, let's find them."
--
Jack was easy to find, but not as easy to dig out of the rubble that had buried him and taken one of his lives. Jack woke up, scaring Rhys who had checked for a pulse and found none.
"What's he doing here?"
"Lovely words to start off with," Marius said as they moved more of the items off of him.
"Toshiko, she went to the other side..."
Marius nodded, "We'll get her, you hold on okay?"
"No, get her now...What's wrong?"
"Someone knocked me out and gave me a new symbol. I can't use my telepathic or telekinetic powers. Now, can we stop the questions and find Toshiko and the others?"
--
Toshiko had been found by Gwen and Rhys, Marius and Jack heading upstairs to search for Ianto and Owen, though the way things were caving in all over the area, Marius refused to split up and search for Owen, instead heading over to see what he could do about getting Ianto out of the rubble before helping to pull him out, not liking the way he shouted as they got him up, Jack helping to put his shoulder back in place while Gwen headed over to find Owen, Marius helping Ianto downstairs as he looked at him oddly.
"You lost it..."
"I know."
"How long?"
Marius looked down at the band and the still-glowing item. "I don't know. But hopefully not long."
They headed over to where Toshiko was, the four helping to remove the larger pillar and happily noting as they got out that building that Owen and Gwen were coming out as well.
"Where's the SUV?"
Marius began to feel himself panic with the others as Jack clicked on his beeping wristband, the leftover of the Time Agency, and out if came the holograph of John Hart.
"Everything you love, everything you treasure, is going to die...starting now."
Marius felt himself shiver at the words before he and the others began to move, heading instead for Gwen's car so they could begin to deal with the problems that John could cause. It was problems as well that Gray was there, and now they had three crisis and a few other problems to deal with.
"I'll go with Owen," Marius said, "Help him out. I only wrote up on John, I never dealt with him."
Everyone piled in, cramped and trying to watch Toshiko's broken arm and bruised ribs as they were quickly dropped off in their areas, heading in to find the problems.
--
"They're in."
"Good. I take it you'll deal with Jack?"
A glare. "I've been waiting too long."
A smirk. "Of course. Then I'll deal with the others, as it were. After all, it's their fault he's still here."
--
Not being able to tell how everyone was at a quick check hurt Marius, but he got over it as he moved with Owen to the basement, checking to see what it was.
The alien inside was a Hoix, Owen going in while Marius waited on the other side of the door with the doctor while Owen dealt with it before moving to help him out as they received words from the others that everything was taken care of as the comms opened and John spoke, everyone heading up to their respective rooftops just as explosions rocked the city, hitting around them and causing a sudden realization.
Everyone was going to do what they could, and had to do what they could, but they had no call from Jack.
Marius helped Owen in the hospital, doing what he could to help with the hospital that had no power as he heard the nuclear power plant was crippled, the police unsure...
They would do what they could, and they would pull through this.
They had to.
--
He watched as Gray dealt with Jack, forcing John to help and bury his former lover, hoping that the former Time Agent would allow himself to be blown up, but instead it didn't happen.
A bad end to that day.
Gray headed through the Rift and back to Torchwood, deciding to make things even worse while John disappeared to who-cared-where.
He smiled, heading over to where Gray would be. All he'd have to do is wait for Torchwood to bring him Marius.
Then he would work on getting him back.
--
Marius was sent by Owen to the Hub, stating he could help there more then he could at the hospital, walking in as John stood on the business end of Gwen's gun, speaking about Gray.
Marius didn't need to be psychic to realize the man was speaking the truth, though pulling off the bomb was gross.
"He's telling the truth," Marius told her, walking up and realizing he could be of some help.
John quickly got on the coms, trying to find Jack with the tracer signals as a sound caused them all to wince as Marius realized what this was.
"Ah crap."
--
Of course he'd release the Weevils...but they could still hurt Marius.
That would not do. Maybe he should remind Gray of that...
The arrival of his major nuisance caused him to smile. Never mind that then. He could use the Weevils later, couldn't he?
--
"You did WHAT?"
"Ianto!" Gwen and Marius yelled, Marius pushing his Weevil into the cell before heading out as John yelled, "I didn't have a choice."
"You always have a choice!" Ianto yelled back while they drug in the Weevils and Marius headed over to where the block's trigger for release was as he heard Ianto yell more at John.
"If we don't find him, I'll kill you...very slowly!"
The doors suddenly closed, Marius looking over and silently cursing as he started to go for the controls and felt someone grab him.
"Marius!" Gwen yelled, trying to get to him as his arm was twisted behind him.
"Gwen," John's calm voice made Marius pause as he heard a new voice come in.
"I let you go. I gave you one trip. You could've gone anywhere."
"Question of honor."
"So they keep saying, don't they Marius?" the voice behind him made him freeze as a few pieces fell into place.
"Shall we go to see your Problems?"
"They're not my problems," Marius muttered as he was pulled upward. "What are you doing, Mextli? Do you realize how many codes you're violating?"
"I do what I can for my cousin, Marius, even if you don't. Come on."
Marius was pushed into the aisle as he passed John, looking over at the former Time Agent while Gwen yelled, "Marius!"
"I'm okay," he muttered, looking over at her and hoping that she wouldn't do anything stupid.
"You're far from that," Mextli said, pausing before he smiled. "Well, that's one going down."
Marius moved briefly against the hold, knowing there wasn't anyway for him to get loose. Mextli was built like an action hero and a trained Enforcer that had his full powers. Marius was trapped in one form, his main powers restricted by the band and the other one that overlapped the old one. That didn't mean he still couldn't fight, or try to get away in order to help everyone.
"What did you mean? Hey, what did you mean?" Gwen yelled out as Marius was dragged to the last cell, where Ianto stood near the glass looking out as Mextli forced Marius to stop again.
"This, though, is my biggest Problem, isn't he?" Mextli growled as he finally pushed Marius forward, forcing him to stop at the glass barrier while Ianto nearly moved away. The two exchanged glances before Ianto looked over at Mextli. "What do you want me to do?"
"Ianto!" Gwen and Marius once more voiced their annoyance at the impulsiveness that came up when those Ianto cared for were in danger. Marius winced and was silent when Mextli twisted his wrist a little more.
Ianto looked over at him before back to Mextli, "What do I have to do to make it right, to make you leave us alone?"
Mextli answer came in a growl, "You need to die...to give up your life. If you do that...then I'll exchange your life for the life of the pretty little girl about to die upstairs."
Marius shoved against Mextli, realizing who he meant. "Let me go, don't you dare let her die!"
"I won't, if he does what I say and give up his life," Mextli shoved back roughly, forcing Marius up so he and Ianto were face-to-face. "Who do you value most? Who will you give up?"
There was no hesitation as he muttered, "Neither. Now let me go!" Marius shoved hard, finding himself free as he turned and lashed out, hitting Mextli back while Ianto and Gwen yelled at him, or for him, he wasn't sure.
The right cross floored him, sending him to his knees as he tasted blood in his mouth yet again and then felt himself pushed against the wall to Ianto's cell.
"If you won't rid yourself them, then I'll show you how much they can hurt you, my dear cousin," Mextli said, looking up with anger at Ianto before saying, "I'll show them what they do to you."
"no," Marius muttered before he felt the secondary band removed and a day's worth of mental anguish, hurt, and the feel of a bullet tearing through Toshiko, hit him hard and he hardly had the time to throw up the shields to Gwen before he could--
--
Ianto felt himself hit the ground, his knees aching as he struggled and closed the doorway between himself as Marius, realizing that he had little choice if he wanted to remain sane, or at least because the minute it started, Marius yelled for him to close the door. He felt, briefly, a strange cold through him from another side and the pain of a gut-shot.
Toshiko, he thought, realizing she was in trouble and they could hurt her all the more. He saw briefly the Hub, where he was connected in a sense to everyone and where Marius shared his connection, and on one side...a section of wall was burning, slowly being destroyed from the inside and--
He shoved the mental door closed, stumbling to his feet as he looked over to see Mextli watching him, looking down at where Marius lay curled on his side, shaking and trying to stay silent.
"You're one sick fuck, you know that?" John's voice reminded Ianto of where they were, and he continued to glare at the man.
"Give up your insignificant life, and I'll save that girl's. Trade places, and maybe, just maybe, I'll let the others live as well. It's your fault, mainly, but it's theirs as well."
A thought hit him, clearing Ianto's mind quicker then anything else he had ever encountered. "Then it doesn't matter if I agree or not. You'll kill all of us..."
Mextli hit the glass, a telekinetic wave sending Ianto stumbling. "I'll kill you slowly before I even touch those other scum. It's because of you that all this is happening, and I will bring my cousin back from this madness."
Everyone suddenly stopped, blinking as a loud, rhythmic banging started. Casting another glare at Ianto, Mextli headed off while John said, "I have an idea."
--
A hand on her shoulder stopped Toshiko's slow advance to where the communicator was, Owen's voice worried and still in her ear.
"You're hurt."
"help me save him. It's going to melt down if I don't."
If Toshiko ever believed in angels, this person had to be one, though her presence felt more like the one Lilith had given off, truthfully. Her hair was snow-white, almost blinding, and her eyes were calm and a cool blue color that seemed to regard her before she nodded, helping Toshiko up as she saw the black outfit the woman wore, a strange wooden practice sword on her hip.
"Who are you?" Toshiko whispered, not wanting Owen to hear as she was helped down to the autopsy room and given a painkiller as well as something to help stop most of the bleeding.
"My name is Tesni. I'm here to help."
--
Mextli growled as he watched Jack release the Problem and the other two, a quick hug for everyone but John as the group headed over to help Marius up. What right did they think they had? Did they really believe they were helping his cousin?
There was a mild touch on his shoulder and he felt himself freeze at it.
"Found you," Tesni's voice was cold and more then a little angry as Mextli started to move forward only to be grabbed, the wooden sword coming down hard on his head as he fell into darkness.
--
Tesni walked over to where the group stood around the dead Toshiko Sato, the monitor on the wall showing the nuclear reactor and where Owen Harper's body had been only a little while ago, but now was gone.
Two in one day, and a city to help rebuild.
Ianto Jones was the first to look at her, obviously worried about Marius from the way he put himself between her and him, Marius partly out of it from the not-sudden but just as violent death that he had experienced.
"I'm not here to take him away," Tesni told the group, taking them all in as she looked at them. John Hart, as he was called, looked warily at her, possibly because she and Mextli wore much the same uniform, though she had a sword with her and he hadn't. Gwen Cooper-Williams also looked at her oddly, a hand on her gun, while Jack Harkness seemed upset at seeing her as well as confused and wary.
That's right...the first time they encountered this uniform was against Ulamo. Next was with Mextli. I must remember to get a colorful outfit for later dealings with this group.
"Who are you?" Jack Harkness asked, causing her to look at him. She had never dealt with Clients, only with Sidra, so how to introduce herself? She had only told Toshiko Sato a small bit before going off to arrest Mextli for his interference in this group, as well as his illegal usage of a Chronometrics restraint on his own cousin.
Direct worked, so she straightened a little before saying, "My name is Tesni, of the Kalea line. I came here to deal with Mextli, and to assess if his interference caused undo harm upon the group as well as changed the outcome of events."
Gwen Cooper-William's eyes narrowed at the pronouncement as John Hart snorted. "A bloody temp?"
"I'm not a temp," Tesni retorted, feeling herself bristle. Really!
"She's an Enforcer," Ianto Jones told him, contempt equally distributed between herself and John Hart, "like Mextli is."
"Was," Tesni corrected, "I filed my claim before I arrested him. His presence caused unwanted and unnecessary interference within a group already under great emotional and physical stress, cumulating in the death of two valued members. It also caused emotional and psychological stress, as well as physical endangerment, of one of the Sidra Caseworkers assigned to this group, which you have been watching over with great care, and the same stress and endangerment to one of the Clients themselves," she nodded to Ianto Jones, "due to his connec--"
"Cut the red-tape, please," John Hart asked, obviously annoyed.
Tesni looked over at him before saying, "He broke the law, our law, and since he had been entrusted to Enforce that law, it makes him no longer an Enforcer. I was asked, as my final assignment, to return him to our area for trial and punishment."
"Anything else?" Jack Harkness asked.
"Yes," Tesni told him, looking over the group again before saying, "in two days time, I will be your new Caretaker. I need to speak with a few of the management staff as well as file some paperwork regarding Marius until that time, but I fully expect him to be here when I return." She gave a small smile. "It's nothing bad. I don't want him to leave this area anymore then you do. But in the meantime, I wouldn't worry about these things. Bury your dead, help rebuild your city. I promise, I won't take Marius from you."
Gwen Cooper-Williams gave a small sound of annoyance, "Sure, don't worry when you said you'll be back in two days to 'deal' with poor Marius. Hasn't he been through enough this year, without you havin' a go at him too?"
Tesni looked at the concerned woman and told her, "I'm not about to 'have a go' at him. I just need to make sure the paperwork is correct before I give him any news, good or bad. But I will attempt to make sure he gets good news."
Not wanting to speak to the group any longer, and realizing she would only cause them to worry all the more, Tesni quickly disappeared in a flash of gold.
--
It was hard to put the items away. Marius hadn't had to experience it when Suzie's items were packed up, but that was because he hadn't been part of the team at that point. On top of that, Suzie had been the 'new girl' and not completely liked or adored by the others. Owen had been killed then brought back, having to go through everyone's feelings and help to get himself 'right' again. Toshiko had been shy until everyone warmed up all the more to her, helping her as she helped them. Toshiko, who had been Jack's first pick for the new Torchwood and who had come so far from the person she had been. She had been the other girl who helped Gwen adjust to life, she had been one of the first to really open up to Ianto, even before the necklace, and she had always carried that torch for Owen, even if he was too stupid to see it and then things became too late.
Marius looked over at where Jack was placing his brother in suspended animation until...even Jack wasn't sure, and Marius was close behind John on the fact that Gray might never be reformed, or able to live a normal life. Marius wasn't sure if he could deal with the memories that Gray held, or even help to set him right after nearly a lifetime of resentment towards his older brother, though the way he acted Marius was partly certain that only some of that was genuine; the rest stemmed from the want to lash out and hurt someone because they hurt him first, a childish way of doing things but the again Gray wasn't really a full adult...he was still a child, and angry that Jack had forgotten him.
"Why can't he...I dunno, go in and tell Gray the truth?" John asked.
"Marius has enough trauma without having to deal with that," Jack said, looking over at Marius from where he stood, partly watching John for a sign that he was going to leave, and partly standing guard so that Ianto didn't come to force John to leave. Ianto could agree all day, every day, that John was a changed man but that wouldn't stop the Welshman from shooting John for what happened to Jack.
"Is he always going to come between me and Eye Candy?"
Marius rolled his eyes. "Keep calling him that, see if I don't forget to step in one day."
John raised his eyebrows as Jack asked him where he would go next, John saying he decided to take a tour of the Earth and see 'what Jack liked about it so much' before heading up, stopping to look at Marius as Ianto's eyes bored into his skull then asked, "Would you, if he asked you?"
"I might."
"And?"
"And it's all up to Gray to accept it, not me. I don't want to change someone's head just because others would be better for it. It's against the rules."
John shrugged, "What if you could get away with it?"
"I still wouldn't. It's a rule for a reason, John, not just because someone decided it was moral or immoral. I change his ideas, I change who he is. Something in me says it's wrong, and that I'll be a hypocrite if I do it, so I'm not going to."
John looked up, then nodded. "Fair enough. Well, I'd best be going. A whole world to see. You take care of them, especially Jack. I don't need him disappearing on me."
Marius nodded, watching John leave before hearing Ianto mutter something unflattering under his breath.
"I'd agree, but I only just met him."
Ianto let out a breath and moved to the computers, letting out another as he began to deal with the personnel files involving Toshiko and Owen. In the end, there was just them, the four, and an uncertain future in two days time.
--
Marius slowly traced the palm of his hand as he waited, knowing that he probably should've asked someone to stay out with him when Tesni returned but not trusting himself to ask anyway. He could tell that Ianto was nearby, Jack near him as well, and Gwen was waiting home with Rhys, watching the report and taking comfort in his presence. That Rhys and Andy had to work together during the crisis and also deal with the Weevils that had come from the sewers and nearly attacked everyone in the city as well had caused the two to become a little more like friends then mild rivals, and for that Marius was happy.
"Marius," the voice caused him to stiffen but he didn't turn around, not wanting to look at his replacement just yet.
A small paper announcement was placed on the desk in front of him, Marius looking over when he noticed that Tesni was no longer in the black outfit of an Enforcer, but rather in a bright yellow shirt and light pair of slacks, making her hair and eyes all the lighter.
"Congratulations on your advancement," she told him, "after all, you can't return and I see no reason why you can't be a Field Agent. Being a Torchwood employee is the best cover for being over the Rift I could see, and the Exarch agreed." She smiled at him. "I expect detailed reports from you, Field Agent Marius. Until later." She paused a moment, touching the band on his arm and slowly seeming to take a piece of it off as she moved it down, the rest of it slide down until it reached his wrist and stayed, joining again while she looked at it before saying, "I have a friend or two in Chronometrics who can look into this. Maybe they'll figure out how to make it work again. Now, get some rest please. You look dead on your feet."
Marius blinked as she disappeared and looked down at the band now encircling his wrist before picking up the paper, sensing Ianto's presence behind him as he read through it.
"What does it say?"
Marius looked over at him, then back at the paper before saying, "It says I can stay. I'm a part of the team now...officially, as long as I go along with the rules. I'm a Field Agent now."
Author's End Notes: Yay, that's the end for Series Two of Torchwood! Yes, I hated the ending too, and I wanted to hurt the writers. Then I saw the ending for Doctor Who and...well, bad things.
Thanks to my reviewers of Judy and that new girl. I'm glad you enjoy what's happening, for all the emo I'm throwing at poor Marius, and everything bad I did here too. I cannot say it'll get better either: that'd be lying. More to come, and of course a quick merging of Who and Torchwood again for the finale of Series Four in Doctor Who. That's it!
And the rest of you who read but don't review can still get writers block for eternity...