Chapter 9 - Answers and Intrigue
Cardiff, Wales, 2015
Jack grunted as he pulled the Weevil back. With an air of drilled precision Gene Hunt drew a spray can and hosed the snarling creature.
It collapsed, docile. Jack pushed it into the adjacent cell and hit the electronic lock. He turned back to Harry, who lay curled into a defensive ball.
"Again? I don't think it touched you that time."
Harry shook his head, plaintively. Jack grinned.
"Let's answer some questions then."
There was a buzz in his ear. He tapped the earpiece.
"Jack here."
"It's Tom," the voice crackled. "You'd better get up here."
Jack looked at the wizard curled up in the cell and frowned. "Urgent?"
"Very," the voice warned. Jack nodded.
"We'll leave you to catch your thoughts. Gene, with me."
"What's the situation?"
The man stood by the glowing computer station looked up.
"It looks like L, Jack."
"Ah," Jack grinned. "About time. It's been awhile since he interrupted us."
The computer display flickered from a fluidic mass of blue to plain white. A small, nondescript letter stood squat in the centre of the screen. L. Jack crossed his arms.
"Are you there, Torchwood?" the garbled voice asked, calmly.
"We're listening," Jack said, looking around the Hub. Torchwood's underground lair. There was a clatter as Gene shifted machinery from a table to lean against. A nervous sideways glance from Tom Jackman. It'd been a blessing finding him. The last of Dr. Jekyll's descendants...technically one of Hyde's bastard descendants, but Jack wasn't one to quibble. Both unassumingly brilliant as Jackman, and terrifyingly destructive as Hyde.
His eyes fell on the last of his team. Elijah Baley, a homicide detective from the future, who'd found himself sucked through the Rift like all the other detritus and junk that came through. He exhaled, blowing a ribbon of smoke into the air, and met Jack's eyes.
A detective from the future was never without demand. Jack knew his value to Torchwood. His forced exile from his own time, his wife and friends, was one Jack could almost empathise with. Almost. He wasn't out of his own time. He made his own time.
His team. His Torchwood. The last time L had contacted him, he'd threatened all Jack's team, put their lives on the line to help in the Kira case. Torchwood had been prominent in the exploration of paranormal explanations. They'd gone so far as capturing a Shinigami. It had been dangerous, and it had been costly, but Jack had done it.
Now L was back in touch. What price would Jack pay this time? What risk would L make them take, for the preservation of humanity, for the defeat of Kira?
"As you may be aware, Kira has returned."
Tom's eyebrows raised. Jack sighed. Gene looked blank. He had been drafted in after the last Kira case. After he'd been found washed up by the Rift. The same went for Elijah.
"I'm aware," Jack admitted. Thirty-three deaths, all with the trademark signs of the Death Note. All centred on Cardiff. "What is your plan, L?"
"There has been a steady death rate since the thirty-three based around the Cardiff area. This new death rate has returned to Kira's usual habit, killing criminals worldwide. As of yet, no demands have been made."
Jack nodded. "The deaths in Cardiff weren't based on criminal activity. There was no justice behind them. It was mostly local authority, politicians, heads of police. Someone wants to leave Cardiff open."
"Agreed. There is clearly an intention of taking control of an asset Cardiff possesses," the distorted voice agreed.
There was a silence in the Hub. Jack cleared his throat. "The Rift."
"Indeed," L confirmed. "It would appear the more Kira-like justice killings are simply an attempt to cover this motive."
"They haven't reached Torchwood," Tom said, looking to Jack.
"That's because Torchwood maintains secrecy," the voice said, calmly. "A policy I would advise you to maintain."
"Whoever has the Death Note must be aware of us, though," Jack said, quietly. "Otherwise they'd have taken the Rift already."
"They don't know your names, or your strength, but they are aware of you, yes," the voice acknowledged. "They are attempting to draw you out."
Jack frowned. "You sound pretty sure."
"That's because I know who has the Death Note," the voice said, quietly.
There was a silence. Jack leant over the workstation, the black letter burning into his eyes.
"Who has it?"
"A company known as the East India Trading Company," L said, coldly. "I am aware of this because they, through a variety of proxy organisations, made steps as to discovering the location of the Death Note I possess some time last year."
"I thought you said you burnt the Death Note you recovered," Jack said, slowly. His grip on the workstation tightened.
The voice hesitated. "I lied."
Jack closed his eyes. "Did this company succeed in finding your Death Note?"
"No," L admitted. "but I believe they attracted the attention of a Shinigami in their search."
"So they now have a Death Note," Jack sighed. "I take it yours is in a secure location?"
"Yes. It will never be used."
"Fine," Jack straightened. "I take it you can organise a raid on this company. You have the connections, L."
"The company does not work like that. It works through proxies, fronts and agents who have no idea who they are exactly working for. There is no central base of operations to take. This is why I have contacted you."
"You think we can do something?" Jack said, slowly. He could guess where this was leading, and he didn't like it.
"Yes. This is a different game to the one played earlier. The goal is no longer to reveal Kira's identity. It is a matter of unravelling the Company, and terminating their possession of the Death Note."
Jack nodded. "What do you want us to do?"
"Stay in the Hub. We can assume the Company have the Shinigami Eyes. They have the authority and manpower to halve one subordinate's lifespan."
"We need to guard the Rift," Jack intoned, firmly. "If the wrong people try to control it, it means everyone's in danger. And not just in our world, or in our time. Everyone."
"Indeed. This is also your priority. You will not be receiving help from your government, unfortunately. The Company has already used its Kira persona to threaten select figures of authority as to how military deployment around the Rift would be punished. You are alone in this, Torchwood."
"We've gotten used to that," Jack grinned. The rest of the team watched in silence.
"I am working with other contacts as to unravelling the Company and removing the threat. If I have need of you..."
"You'll call," Jack interrupted. "Are we done, L? I have preparations to make."
There was a silence.
"Yes," L agreed. "We are done."
The screen flickered to the default fluidic blue. Jack looked up at his team. At Torchwood.
"Let's save everyone," Jack grinned. "Again."