68
Ianto looked to the south and felt it, that cold rush of ice water up the spine. He tapped his coms and spoke softly, then took another long deep breath. He stepped back into the tunnel and headed down to the Control Room where he found Toshiko swinging in the chair that was so clearly hers with the bedazzled arms, thanks to the kids.
"It's coming" he said to her as he settled in his own chair, another Dracula throne but with casters. Yes, the kids have a wicked sense of humor, what can ya do?
"Yeah, the outer sensors have dropped by five degrees in the last hour" Toshiko agreed "its coming."
"Did you give the order like I asked?"
"Oh yes, everyone is doing the 'drill' with eye rolls and grumbling, only a handful have ignored the pings." She replied "Within the next two hours we will be locked down and the Dome strength will deepen by another fifteen percent to protect against storms."
"The Shitheads?"
"well… you aren't going to like this" she grimaced "They are settling up camp in the Wolf Caves."
"What?" Ianto spluttered with horror, rising from the chair "where are my wolves?"
"Well, that's the weird thing. I don't know. They've disappeared completely." She frowned "we've looked, believe me. Owen and Frank have searched everywhere, no tracks either. Maybe once the snows settle we can find tracks."
Ianto leaned back as he settled once more, feeling in his gut that they were still close, like all things in this valley that belong to him, they would not wander far.
"And the Snarl?"
"Still there, they seem to be moving in a circle, like… a slow march in a spiral. It's weird" she frowned, making a motion with her finger on the desk to show what she meant.
"They'll freeze"
"Will they?" she canted her head "Or will they survive. What will cold really do to them? Not like they will feel it, right?"
"We've never really studied them over the wintertime… maybe this is a good time to see if we are going to be lucky." Ianto agreed.
"And what do you think?"
"That luck and Zs do NOT go together sweetheart" Ianto rose and kissed her forehead.
And Ianto went to check the security detail and their 'drill' to prepare for a sudden snap.
.
.
Jessica watched Ianto enter the Metal Room where Pip was sharpening a knife of hers and as he entered Pip seemed to shudder as if cold air had entered, swinging to look at his father with in intense stare.
"It's early" the now teen finally said. Well eleven is almost a teen… right?
"But it's here. I need a sticker for one of the kids" Ianto replied while picking up a small blade and as Ianto left, Jessica looked back to Pip.
"what's coming?" she asked "the Snarl?"
"No. Winter. A cold snap is approaching fast, why some people are moving around up there getting stock inside the Dome and making sure the outer families are inside the Dome drop area."
"That's what that pinging thing was?"
"Yes, better than scaring people. We let them think it's another drill. When it is almost here Toshiko will sound the alarm and the klaxons will sound, and then you will see some panic as people realize it is not a drill at all and they were caught slipping."
"Oh lordly" she laughed.
"Yeah. Since you two are still new, you have all you need, I suggest you just hang back a bit and if anyone asked for help then jump in, bit really…it's a well oiled machine and there will… hopefully… be no problems."
"The others."
"The Shitheads? Don't worry, they are on the other side of the alley and we are going to be out of reach" he assured her.
Jessica found Stan I the Farm Room, the huge cavern that seemed like an entire world underground, the quiet mooing of cows and the bleats of the goats comforting. She walked along the open ace seeing no huge cumbersome fences, no separation of stock, just love as a very insane young ram raced past with a bucket over one horn, children chasing it with roars of glee.
"Hey Patty" she called out, finding her little sister in one of the few pens with the mare and new foal. Stan watching over them all.
"Hey" came the reply "This is Hoppy."
"Hoppy. Well, let's hope he is a steeplechaser then" Jessica laughed, then groaned as her sister gave her a blank look and she had to explain what a jumper was.
"Oh yeah… I remember. Like… jumping over those hedge things. I remember the photos in that book"
"Well, maybe one day your horse will jump over things too, like a good hunting mount" Stan assured her, pulling her close in a fatherly way.
Jessica had lamented the fact they had no child of their own, the hardship of raising Pricilla had been hard enough but now she wondered… if this was really where they might find sanctuary.
And even if no baby came, there were kids everywhere and clearly you were allowed to just fuss on them all.
Like one huge mental family.
Jessica knew she was home.