Chapter 8. Interrogation

Ianto's blood boiled as he tried to maintain a hold on his temper, he softened his voice before asking gently.

'Why do you think it was Grey, Jack?' he knew he probably sounded like he didn't believe Jack but he needed to know.

'well it was like before, at first, it must have been the Alzheimer's because I thought he was my dad, but I recognized him quicker this time, I just wish I hadn't.' he stopped.

'Why would he…?'

'You mean..?' Jack looked into Ianto's eyes.

'Of course I believe you Jack, but I don't get it, its not like he's a psycho, I mean, he's part of the team,' Ianto sighed as the information raced around his mind and a strange thought hit him. 'Jack?' he bit his lip. 'I know you're hurt but would you mind if I got Owen to run a couple of tests?' he asked carefully.

'Why, we already know I'm going senile Ianto, no need to try and deny it.'

'That's the thing though Jack, I don't think you've got Alzheimer's, I think something else is going on.'

Jack just stared for a few seconds before nodding.

'Nothing ventured, nothing gained.'

'What the hell is that Owen?' Gwen asked incredulously.

'That Gwen is, I have absolutely no idea.' He admitted reluctantly. 'All I know is this is what's behind the mutations in your brain Jack.'

'How?' Ianto asked from where he was stood next to Gwen above the med-centre

'Well you remember the posters on busses about 2 years ago, your brain before and after long term cocaine use?'

'You mean someone's been slopping my brother drugs?' Grey asked warily, Ianto shot a look at him but bit his tongue to stop some sarcastic comment escaping.

'No, its more subtle than that, anything more and we would have noticed, like there's traces of retcon, but just enough to make a person forget the date or where their keys are nothing more-but that doesn't mean nothings been absorbed.' He said the last part quickly.

'Ok, the retcon is making me forget my past and relive my childhood?' Jack asked

'Yes but that doesn't explain the hallucinations unless you had them as a kid and you're getting them again, like nightmares but during the day, nor does it explain the mutations of the brain unless you've been overdosed,'

'Alright, so how about this for a theory, someone's been slipping Jack retcon, just enough to make him forget but not enough to put him to sleep, he's absorbed most of it, but its tripping causing the episodes' Ianto asked suddenly.

'It's possible but I don't know any of his med history from when he was a kid, I could really use his psyche files right now.' Owen answered

'Psyche files, what?' Gwen butted in.

'Medical term means Psychological files, you know, never mind.' Owen said.

'You know it's rude to talk about someone in the third person when they're in the room. And to set the record straight you could just ask.' Jack said with a smirk.

'Alright,' Owen shrugged, 'first: in the past you suffered from any psychological illnesses?'

'anxiety, slight depression, PTSD, OCD but that lasted for quite a few years and when I was about thirty I had two years of my memories stolen, that's it.'

'What was the OCD?' Owen asked ever the consummate professional.

'Finding things didn't matter what, as long as I didn't know it was there before I clapped eyes on it.' Jack answered slowly.

'Why?'

'I lost some, hum, someone, drove me mad, sorted it though, saw a shrink, sectioned six months, discharged with a clean bill of health to carry on searching.'

'And the PTS?'

'I found my fathers corpse, still warm after an invasion, couldn't get over it, shrink thought that day was what kicked off the OCD as well.'

'So, what you lost your dad?' Owen was getting confused.

'No, I lost my brother, My father was killed, unidentified trauma later confirmed as single fatal stab wound to the heart, he died quickly though, they didn't torture him so that was something at least, then again they were known for hurting kids, drawing it out, driving them insane.' Jack didn't look anywhere except his arm that was beginning to heal as he spoke.

Grey spoke up suddenly.

'Yes, that was me.'

There was collective confusion from everyone but Ianto and Jack at this statement. Ianto decided to test his theory.

'Jack, you said they drove these kids insane right?' he asked.

Jack nodded slightly, his heart hammering.

'So what's your psychological health like Grey?' Ianto asked innocently.

'I'm perfectly sane thanks.' He almost hissed the last word.

'If they took you, how did you get out?' Ianto asked quickly.

'Rescued.' Grey didn't elaborate but Jack finally looked up.

'By John, but that doesn't explain what you're doing here, I know him, always one for a pet project, he wouldn't have let you out of his sight.' He said flippantly.

'The John you know wouldn't hurt anyone, yet he shot Owen, poisoned Gwen, threatened Tosh and Ianto, and pushed you off a high rise.' Grey shot back.

Ianto had him.

'How did you know that?'

First rule of interrogation. Never ask the suspect a question if you don't already know/ or have at least an inkling to the answer.

'One of you must have mentioned it.' Grey covered smoothly.

'Oh, alright.' Ianto answered.

Second rule. Any idiot can act clever, but it takes brains to act stupid.

The corners of Grey's mouth twitched upwards.

'But who mentioned it?'

Third rule. A false sense of security is the best way to make someone think they've got away with something.

Grey stared at Ianto his eyes narrow.

'It wasn't me,' Gwen said quickly

'Or me, I didn't even file a report for it,' Tosh replied

'Like I said, reminder of my past, I had no reason to mention it, I'd rather it was forgotten.' Jack had to put his tuppence worth into the fountain.

'I've barley spoken to you Grey. I would have said the report thing too, but I don't do any paperwork if I can help it.' Owen finished.

'I'm must have read the main case file when I was going through,' Grey answered quickly. Too quickly.

Ianto watched and prayed Jack would speak up.

'But there wasn't a case file, no record at all.'

Rule number four. Let them dig their own grave.

Grey shook his head.

'How did you…' he had given up, there was no escape and he knew it.

'I was a junior researcher, at Torchwood in London.'

'Ianto Jones, born 19 august 1983, one minor conviction for shoplifting in you teens, quite a few jobs but mainly a drifter until you joined the torchwood institute in London for two years etcetera, etcetera.' Jack supplied.

'I still don't get it.' Grey said obviously confused.

'Let's play a game,' Ianto smirked. 'Word association.'

'Torchwood'

'Aliens'

'Weapons'

'War'

'Research'

'Technology'

'Research'

'Technology'

Ianto shook his head.

'Research'

'…'

'Research'

'Interrogation'

'Now were getting somewhere, ok, two more, Torchwood London.'

'If it's alien, it's ours.'

'Interrogation'

'Inter-species relations.'

'Right, do you get it now?' Ianto asked, for some unknown reason he was speaking civilly and hadn't even moved to take Grey on.

'I think so.'

'Go on then.'

'You were a researcher, interrogating prisoners from other planets or dimensions that fell through the breach?'

'Pretty much.'

Make my day, press the button and review.

To all those who have/will review/d- you're awesome!