"So, are the stories about you true?" The general asked, curious.
"Which stories would those be?" Jack asked with a grin. "I seem to generate quite a few of them, just by breathing." Ianto coughed from where he walked in front of the pair, Major Seales at his side. Gwen was up ahead, talking firearms with two of the soldiers.
"Oh, that you're immortal; an alien from another planet; you've helped save the world, multiple times, if the stories are true and that you are a maverick," General Maddock said, just listing a few of the choicer items from the dossier. They had reached the central Hub by this point and he shook his head as he saw the pterodactyl perched high above them.
"Ah, those stories," Jack said, nodding sagely. "What do you think, General?" Without giving the other man time to answer he looked above them. "Ianto, have you fed Myfanwy yet?"
"Just getting around to it now, sir," Ianto said. He removed his jacket and rolled up his sleeves. He ducked under one of the arches off to the side and retrieved a large bag which he hauled up some stairs away from the group and closer to Myfanwy's nest. The group paused to watch. Climbing a ladder above the hothouse, he approached the pterodactyl on the scaffolding, walking carefully to where she stood. She squawked a greeting as he reached into the bag and retrieved a large fish. Reaching delicately with her beak, she plucked it out of his hand and swallowed it whole, then tilted her head at him.
"I don't believe it," one of the soldiers murmured as they watched the display above them.
"How exactly did you end up having a pterodactyl as a pet?" Major Seales asked, transfixed by the sight.
"She came through the rift," Jack said, a gleam in his eye as he watched the effectively distracting scene above him. "Whether from Earth's past or another planet, who knows? Ianto and I caught her several years ago. She's rather partial to him, and usually will only feed out of his hand. She makes a good guard dog, though."
"Amazing," the General said. He had a newfound respect for this team and everything they did. The creature screeched, and he winced at the sound. It must have been much louder up where Jones was. He didn't seem to be bothered by it and they could hear him talking to her in a low voice as she continued to feed from his hand. Eventually he folded the bag, left with only a large bar of chocolate. He unwrapped it and held it out enticingly. She made an odd crooning sound, and then sidled along the metal support so that she was closer to him. Laughing, he held it out again, saying something in Welsh. Butting his hand, she accepted the treat. He had to steady himself on a wire that ran along the wall and stayed with her until she was finished. Once she was, he lightly stroked her beak in farewell before making his way back along the beam and down the ladder.
Moments later, he appeared on the stairs from the hothouse with an absentminded smile on his face. The aide that had asked him all the questions earlier in the day eagerly waited for him so she could ask some more.
"General, it's getting late," Jack said with a smile. "If you and your team would like to stay in Cardiff overnight I'm sure we could arrange for hotel rooms for you." While he certainly didn't want to answer any more of the general's questions, he had grown to appreciate the gruff man standing beside him.
"No, kind of you to offer, Jack, but we should be on our way. Duty calls," the general said. "We should be off."
"Then let me personally escort you upstairs," Jack said. He gestured towards the large metal gates.
"Oh, Captain," Ianto said, as he came back towards the group, the woman trailing behind him. "I was able to get the lift repaired when I came back earlier."
"Excellent," Jack said, one eyebrow raised. "You never cease to amaze me, Mr. Jones." The twinkle in his eyes was unmistakable as he turned to look at the group before them. Gwen suppressed a smile as she stood off to the side. As the group made their way through the gate and now open cog wheel, she went back to her workstation to pull up the CCTV cameras to watch. Ianto led the soldiers up the stairs, leaving the lift to Jack, the general, the major and the two aides. The latter lingered as they continued to chat, leaving Ianto to lead the way back up the stairs. They reached the top just as the group emerged from the elevator doors. Touching a button on the inside wall, Ianto made the wall retract, allowing the group to emerge back into the tourist center entrance.
"Truly remarkable," the general said, gazing about the innocuous looking room. "Quite the set up you have, Jack."
"Thank you, Grant. I'm proud of it," Jack said, clasping the general's hand in a handshake. "Thanks for the visit. Stan," he said, extending his hand to the major, who shook it with a smile. The two men nodded to Ianto, silently thanking him as well. Ianto unlocked the door and allowed the group to leave. He stood in the doorway with Jack, watching them walk across the Plass and off to wherever they had parked their vehicles. Once they were out of sight, Ianto closed and locked the door. Jack leaned against the counter an amused expression on his face.
"What?" Ianto asked, turning to look at him.
"You still owe me," Jack said. Ianto rolled his eyes.
"What do you have in mind?" He asked turning off the lights to the room so that the only illumination came from the open doorway leading down to the Hub.
"Oh, I don't know," Jack said, pushing away from the counter and walking past Ianto to the wall entrance. "I'm sure I can come up with something suitable, though."
~*~
