7
"Jack, I think we are in a spot of bother" Ianto said as he entered the room with a burst of energy, slamming it behind him and locking it securely. Then he leaned against it staring at the man who had risen from the ledge to approach the glass, his concern clear on his face.
Ianto took a few cleansing breaths then walked towards the glass "Herself was in the elevator this morning. At first I thought she was waiting for me but soon I saw that she was distracted and excited. This Ghost Shift Project is about to kick off and she is so bloody excited to find out what it does. I don't like it at all."
Jack had never heard of this Ghost Shift Project and he lifted his hand to stop Ianto talking then made a circular motion… anti-clockwise.
Go back.
"what. Ghost Shift? Right. It's some fucking thing she has been working on for months.. well… over a year actually. I don't' know the full story because it's hush hush and Lisa's bestie Adeola is working up there and apparently it is some sort of… dimensional gun or something stupid. Like… she thinks Hartman is hopeful of connecting with another race or something from another dimension. The plans were sent anonymously from 'somewhere in space' and it all sounds like a stupid B Grade sci-fi movie but she is determined." Ianto stopped and took a breath "Any-who… as I was saying. She was excited, the first trial is today and she was talking a lot. A realllllly lot. And she was asking about you. Are you talking? Can we communicate? Do you like me? Stuff like that. My radar went off the scale and I told her you still don't really like me, just the food I bring and sometimes you try to get close but I think you are scheming a way out… lied through me teeth. I think she want to gauge how much I mean to you and then use me at leverage."
Jack nodded solemnly as he had been pondering the same thing. He would. Knew sooner or later she would too.
"So. We showed our hand with you and me cleaning up that… issue. Now she knows I will fight for you and you for me. I think once this Ghost Shift thing is over, she is going to come for a look at you to see how we are. She is scheming." Ianto wagged a finger at the man and added "You might want to get into the old clothes if you wind up throwing shit at the glass mister. I am NOT cleaning that up."
Jack' smile split his face as he watched Ianto fake scold and he held his hands up in surrender like the finger was a gun. Ianto was about to say something else when the lights flickered and he looked up "what the fuck… she's started."
Jack looked up too, both men with their hands on the glass, almost touching as they looked up at the lights as they dimmed, then grew so bright…. Than a bulb blew and Ianto yelped before roaring with mirth at himself.
Then Ianto went to speak and saw Jack's face. Slowly he turned to see what Jack was looking at over his shoulder and there was… something… a presence there. Ianto backed against the glass as Jack looked for a way to get out, Ianto's fear raw as he slid along towards the pane that might release Jack.
Then… it was gone.
The lights returned to normal brightness and Ianto found himself on the floor in Jack's arms as he panted, clinging to him.
"what was it… it felt so…so… evil. Jack… it felt… otherworldly and… malevolent. Shit… shit… this is bad isn't it" Ianto let his head fall to Jack's shoulder, shuddering as the psychic charge in the air slowly dissipated and finally Jack could lighten his grip too.
He had felt it too.
Evil.
Yes.
What the hell was Hartman up to.
.
.
Ianto found Adeola in the staffroom and slid in behind her to hiss "What the fuck was that Adie?"
She spun and grinned at him "I know. Fucking crazy, right?"
"I did not like it one bit. Did those things show up everywhere?"
"reports are comoing in that they were in the streets, people's homes… one at the palace even. Mandems" she replied "I don't' know Cuz. It's scary."
People did not know they were related, Adeola using her father' s name of course, but her mother was a Jones. Adeola and her cousin Martha were almost like twins to look at and many times Ianto had found them in the dance halls and danced with them until dawn, the handsome buck with the two pretty does on his arm making everyone jealous.
Adeola would never lie to him.
"She's looking for footage of you.. and him. She's reviewing it over and over in her office on the big screen. We can all see it from our desks. He masacured them." She hissed.
"I know… she's getting too close to working out our bond."
Adeola swung to stare at him and repeated "bond?"
Ianto nodded. "The Doctor has run with both of us."
She sighed as she turned back around. She knew what that meant and now they were all in hot water.
"We need to talk to Martha."