Chapter 12: Rage of the Minotaur

Ianto had been tracking the deadly Minotaur around the city all night, or at least that's what it felt like. He hasn't had a moments rest since he left the hub. He almost had the Minotaur about an hour ago, but he lost it during the second earthquake. He had to find it again soon. Ianto was tired, but he had a job to do. Torchwood was counting on him.

While Ianto was running through the dark Cardiff streets, he suddenly heard a loud roar somewhere in the distance. This sound was very unique. Ianto had heard it before. It was the Minotaur. Ianto remembered the sound of the roars from hours earlier when the Minotaur was chasing him and the rest of the Torchwood team around the hub.

The crucial artifact in capturing the Minotaur was the Hypnosis Charm. The Hypnosis Charm was a small purple circle with great power. Torchwood discovered this artifact so long ago. Jack had it before Ianto even started working at Torchwood. He'd seen it in use only once before. Jack used it to hypnotize a lizard alien that tried to destroy the planet. This was years ago in Ianto's early days before Gwen joined the team. Ianto watched as Jack hypnotized the alien. The Hypnosis Charm had dark power to it. It took someone with a dark side to truly control it. Jack was able to hypnotize the alien into killing itself and Ianto was horrified.

What scared him most was not the Minotaur, but the power of the Hypnosis Charm. Ianto didn't have a "dark side". Jack had a long and mysterious past. Surely he must have done some dark things. That must be why Jack was able to command the device with such authority. The Hypnosis Charm was a dark object and Jack was a dark man. The Hypnosis Charm obeyed Jack because it respected him. How would it be able to Ianto? The darkest thing he'd ever done was lie to the Torchwood team by keeping his girlfriend alive within the hub with a cyber-converter. Because if this, she became a Cyberman (or Cyberwoman) and almost killed everyone. Jack had years of bad deeds under his belt. Ianto barely even had a day under his. If Ianto can't stop the Minotaur, then it will continue killing and destroying people and things around the city. More people will die if he doesn't stop them.

Suddenly, Ianto heard the roars of the Minotaur again. They were getting closer. The Minotaur was coming closer. He didn't have time to think. He didn't have time to plan. He only had time to act. The Minotaur was fast. It would be at his location in mere minutes. It was now or never. Ianto had to get control of the Hypnosis Charm, or he would surely die.

The Minotaur had finally arrived. It stared at Ianto with its dark eyes from farther down the road. They were blacker than night itself. It's eyes seemed to be staring into Ianto's soul. He felt a chill go down his spine. The fear was trying to come out, but Ianto was determined to suppress it and stay focused. He had to be focused if he wanted to stay alive.

The Minotaur was preparing to charge at Ianto. So, Ianto took out the Hypnosis Charm from his pocket and held it in his hand. He tried to clear his mind and focus on the beast. How hard could hypnotizing a mythical monster be? Next, the magical beast started charging at him. The fear Ianto had tried so desperately to suppress had come out. He couldn't focus anymore. He was too frightened. He completely forgot about the welfare of the human race and reverted to his natural instincts. He jumped out of the way of the Minotaur to protect himself.

Ianto turned around to see the beast keep running. It was slowing down, but still running. Slower and slower the Minotaur kept running until it came to a complete stop. Eventually the monster turned around and stared at Ianto again with those cold, black eyes. It was going to charge again. This time it was more determined to kill the Torchwood agent. Ianto found that he had no fear left inside of him to suppress. It was all on the outside now. He froze. The Minotaur was charging again. Ianto stood still. He couldn't move. He tried to, but he just couldn't. The Minotaur was charging again with such speed.

Suddenly, while the Minotaur was still running, it exploded. The mythical creature spontaneously burst into flames. It was a miracle. Ianto suddenly felt the fear leave him. He must have done it. He must have gotten the Hypnosis Charm to work. Although he didn't recall hypnotizing the Minotaur into self destructing. Then, when the flames and smoke cleared, Ianto saw Captain Jack Harkness holding his laser gun behind where the Minotaur previously stood. Jack had shot the Minotaur. It made sense. A laser gun with that much power would easily be able to make the Minotaur explode. Ianto smiled at Jack, but the Captain did not smile back. Ianto could tell by Jack's expression that he was mad, perhaps even furious. Ianto also noticed that there was a girl next to him that he had never seen before. She had brown hair. Curiously, Ianto ran towards them.

"Jack!" Ianto said happily upon reaching him.

"What the hell was that?" Jack asked sternly.

Ianto only stared at Jack in confusion.

"I told you to use the Hypnosis Charm!" Jack yelled. "I saw you jump out of the way. Were you even thinking about everyone else in this city? Did you even try?"

"I'm sorry." Ianto responded. "I tried. I honestly did, but it wouldn't work. Why would you ever ask me to use such a device? I've never had any practice with it. Did you just expect that I would get it right the first time around in a dangerous and stressful situation?"

Jack paused for a moment to consider.

"You're right. I'm sorry." Jack responded.

Ianto then, turned his attention towards the girl that was with Jack.

"Hello." He said to her.

"Hello." The girl replied with a smile.

"Who's this." He asked Jack.

"This is Clara." Jack responded.

Ianto couldn't help but noticed that Clara was very pretty. It seemed a bit random that Jack would just show up with her. He knew that Jack had a very specific reputation. He was famous for his flirting and his way with words. He could convince an elephant to kiss him. Ianto assumed that this girl was yet another one of Jack's one night stands. This got him a little angry.

"Do you really think this is the time to be picking up girls Jack?" Ianto asked.

"Oh no. He's not picking me up!" Clara interjected.

"As much as I'd like to disagree, she's right." Jack said. "Clara's here with the Doctor."

"The Doctor is here?" Ianto said curiously.

"Yes." Jack responded.

"Well where is he?" Ianto asked.

"His TARDIS was flying around in the air and then it was shot down by the Dalek. Don't worry I killed the Dalek." Jack said.

Of course he was lying about the first part, but Ianto didn't need to know that in fact it was Jack who shot the TARDIS down.

"What Jack means to say is that he shot the TARDIS." Clara said.

She felt that Ianto should know the truth.

"So you shot the TARDIS. Does that mean it's crashed and the Doctor is dead?" Ianto asked.

"We don't know." Jack said.

"We're trying to find it." Clara said.

Suddenly, the three people heard a noise. It was a very familiar noise. Jack and Clara had heard this noise numerous times, while Ianto had only heard it a few times. The noise was a distinct loud wheezing type of sound. It was the Doctor's TARDIS. The ancient machine was materializing a few yards from where Jack, Clara, and Ianto were standing. They watched as the TARDIS became visible. The noise then stopped. The TARDIS had arrived. This reassured Jack, Clara, and Ianto that not only was the Doctor alive, he was safe.

Suddenly, the TARDIS doors opened. Then, Martha Jones stepped out with a big smile. She then ran towards Jack and gave him a big hug. Ianto was smiling too. He was happy that Martha was safe. Clara was confused. She'd no idea who this woman was or why she had emerged from the TARDIS. Then, the Doctor stepped out strutting his eleventh incarnation. Clara then ran up to him and gave him a long, tight hug.

"Who's this?" Jack asked Clara.

He did not recognize this man. The last time Jack and Ianto saw the Doctor was during his tenth incarnation. Could this be the same man?

"Jack it's me. The Doctor. It's been a long time. How's Alonso?" The Doctor asked.

"Who's Alonso?" Jack asked.

"Ya who's Alonso?" Ianto asked.

"Oh right. The future." The Doctor remembered. "Sorry. You know how time is all wibbly and wobbly. Can't always keep it straight. Martha tells me there's a magical Minotaur somewhere."

"I took care of it." Jack said. He then turned to Martha.

"What about the Angel?" He asked.

"We took care of it." Martha responded.

"So the city is finally safe?" Clara asked.

"Not quite." Jack said. "We left Regina in the hub with Gwen and Mickey. I hope they stopped her from doing whatever it is she wanted to do."

"Mickey's here!" The Doctor exclaimed. "I haven't seen the Mickey boy in ages. Quite literally it's been centuries."

"Well let's go check on them." Ianto said.

The Doctor agreed.

So, they all boarded the TARDIS. Bystanders watched from the streets as the big blue box disappeared. The TARDIS was heading towards the Torchwood hub, where The Doctor, Clara, Jack, Martha, and Ianto would surely be shocked by what they would see.