A/N. Thank you for everyone who reviewed the last chapter. I didn't think i would get the next one up so quick, but here it is. It is also a slightly longer chapter. Reviews as always are much appreciated. :)
Chapter 19.
Gwen and Molly both stepped back around the corner as quietly as they could, before either the dogs or the girls had noticed them.
'Ok,' said Gwen. 'Our first priority is to get those girls out of here.' Molly nodded in agreement.
'Diversion?' Molly asked.
'Yeah, problem is we have no where to go. We don't want the animals following us back towards the front, I don't want an audience when we take the shifter down.'
'We need to get those girls into the screen room.' said Molly. 'Think about, all those screens have to have fire exits, if we can divert the dogs attention for long enough, they can escape that way.'
'Good idea, and those doors pull open so the dogs won't be able to follow them.'
'What about the shifter?'
Gwen thought for a moment. 'I suppose it's entirely possible that it can follow us in there, but at least it will separated from the rest of the dogs. Ok, so we get those girls into that room and out of the fire exit. If the shifter follows us, we'll have it trapped in there and can kill it. If not we can come back out here once they've got out.'
Or it will have us trapped, Molly thought to herself. 'Well it sounds good in theory.'
Gwen smiled, 'Come on'.
Both of them rounded the corner again, guns raised. Molly had the tranquiliser gun, but she knew she would only manage to get one of the dogs if she was lucky. This time one of the girls saw them and let out a small gasp when she did. This made the dogs turn and look at the two women who had come around, they started to growl and the girls huddled as far into the corner as they could get. Gwen took a tentative step forward, maintaining eye contact with the girls and trying not to look at the dogs. 'It's going to be ok. We are going to get you out of here. My names Gwen, and this is Molly.'
Before Gwen had any more time to explain what they wanted to do, the dogs moved in on her and Molly. Molly fired the tranquiliser gun, knocking out one of the approaching animals. Gwen quickly moved to the side out of the way of one that leapt at her. 'Get in there' she yelled to the girls as she pointed at the door to the screen room. Although they were all scared they got up and one of them pulled the door open allowing the others to get through. While they were getting through the door, Gwen and Molly realised that the dogs had stopped attacking.
Gwen gasped. 'Molly look, there's only four dogs now, plus the one you've knocked out. There were six.'
Mollys eyes widened as she took in Gwens words. 'Damn, it must have changed and gone through the door.'
'Well we knew it was a risk, come on.'
Gwen and Molly pulled open the doors that the girls had gone through and walked into the darkened room. It was eerily silent, except for muffled sounds coming from the back row of seats. Gwen looked around and saw a shadow pass over the wall. 'It's definitely in here, we need to get them out.'
Molly walked over to the girls and bent down so that she was on the same level as them. 'Hey, I know you're all scared, but we are going to get out of here. We are going to use that fire exit down there ok.'
'I..I..I think one of those dogs followed us in here.' said one of the girls.
Molly sighed, it would be no good to lie, not that she was going to tell them the whole truth. 'Yeah, one did come in, but Gwen and I, we won't let it get any of you.'
'Are you with the police?' asked another of the girls.
'Something like that. Come on, I want you to follow Gwen to the door, and I will be right behind.'
The girls filed out from where they were hiding and followed Gwen, while Molly stayed at the back. Both Gwen and Molly keeping alert for any movement. Just as they reached the door and started to push it open, a shadow crossed the white screen and Gwen was knocked off her feet. The girls let out a scream. Molly was torn at what to do, she turned to the girl who was stood next to her as she was relatively calm compared to the others, and said urgently. 'I need you to get everyone out, run as fast as you can back around the front of the building, and don't look back.'
The girl grabbed her arm. 'What about you?'
'I have to go and help my friend, but we will be right behind you. Just remember, don't look back.'
Molly ran over to where Gwen had fallen and could see her struggling with an unseen force, she took her other gun out of her jacket and fired in its direction.
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Jack reached the cinema in record time. He pulled up in the SUV and marched through the cordon, with Ianto and Jamie following close behind. He hadn't given the police officer at the cordon any time to say anything as he went through saying 'Torchwood.' As soon as he got to the front of the cinema, he started towards Sergeant Walker who was in charge, but Andy intercepted him.
'Captain Harkness.' he said and gestured for him to move out of Sergeant Walkers line of sight. 'Best not disturb Sergeant Walker, he's still getting over the ear bashing Gwen gave him.'
Jack smiled, that sounded like Gwen. 'What's going on here, where are Gwen and Molly?'
'They went inside about fifteen minutes ago.'
'Have you heard anything going on in there?'
'No. Which is strange considering there are supposed to be six large dogs in there. I told them they should wait for back up from the dog handlers, but they wouldn't listen once they knew there were kids still in there.'
'How many kids?'
'Not sure, it was a party of them, some got out, but they couldn't tell us how many were left behind.'
Jack thought for a moment, they had to get in there. The odds had been bad back at the University, but this seemed worse as there were others involved. He turned to the others, 'Jamie, you and I are going in.'
'Hey what about me?' Ianto said somewhat disgruntled.
'You are having trouble walking, there's no way you can run if things go bad. I am not putting you in that situation.'
'So what I stay out here and do nothing.'
Jack put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. 'Look, someone needs to stay out here and deal with the police. I'm sure you will be far more successful than I ever would be.'
'Fine.' He could see Jacks point, but that didn't mean he had to like it.
Before they could move though, they heard something from around the side of the cinema. Jack, Ianto and Jamie all put their hands over their guns, but were all secretly praying they weren't about to have to use them with so many people about. To their surprise though, it wasn't the animals that came round the corner, but seven girls, who all looked very relieved at the site of the policemen. One of them though stopped and looked in their direction. 'Dad' she said, and then ran straight at Jamie, literally throwing herself at him.
'Jess.' said Jamie in confusion. He bent down and hugged her tight. 'What are you doing here, I thought you were spending the day at the zoo.'
'We did, but then we came here after.'
It then clicked in Jamies mind that she had told him this. He then realised the irony of the fact that he'd been so worried that something could happen at the zoo, he hadn't even contemplated the fact that the cinema would be the dangerous place to go. He was actually a little pleased that he had forgot she had told him she would be here, or else he would have gone crazy with worry.
'Are you hurt?' he asked her.
Jess shook her head, 'I'm ok, but you have to go and help the two ladies that helped us.'
At this Jack and Ianto both came closer so that they could hear what she had to say. Ianto bent down to speak to her. 'Hi, Jess right.' She nodded again. 'Hi, I'm Ianto, this is Jack,' he said pointing behind him. 'We work with your dad, can you tell us what happened in there.'
Jamie took her hand and said 'It's ok. Tell us what happened.'
Jess then proceeded to tell them how they had got separated from the others in the group when the dogs had appeared, and that they couldn't run away from them. She then told them about how Gwen and Molly had got them to the fire exit. 'Molly then told me that I needed to get everyone out of the door, and that we were not to look back. She said she had to help Gwen, and then they would be right out.' Jess looked around fearfully, 'but I can't see them.'
'It's ok,' said Jack. 'We are going to go and get them.'
Jamie turned to his daughter, 'I have to go and help Jack, but you are safe now. I will be right back. I want you to stay here with Ianto, if that's ok?' he said looking at Ianto.
'That's fine, we will wait right here.' He held out his to her. Jess looked between her dad and Ianto for a moment, then let go of Jamies hand and took Iantos.
Jack and Jamie then headed up to the cinema and were let in through the main doors.
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When Molly had fired at the shadow that was attacking Gwen, it diverted its attention to her. She saw it as it crossed over the screen again, and although she tried to move it hit her back and she fell forward. The only small consolation was that as she fell she saw the last of the girls going out of the fire exit and the door closing behind, at least they would be safe. Molly felt the shifter swipe sharp claws across her face, making her cry out. Gwen had managed to pull herself up and although her arm was injured she raised her gun and fired as fast as she could at the shadow. There was a bright flash of light and then it was gone. Molly rolled over as she felt the weight lift off her, and saw scattered by her side a fine dust. Gwen came over to her and helped her up. Just as they were about to make a move to leave, the door had they had entered in through earlier burst open, and there stood Jack and Jamie.
'Typical,' said Gwen, 'the men always show up when the hard work is over.'
Molly laughed. Jack and Jamie walked down toward them. When they got there Jamie pulled Molly into a fierce hug, taking her a little by surprise.
'What was that for?' she asked.
'Two things. The first I'm glad you are ok, and second is to thank you.'
Molly looked at him confused. 'Thank me?'
'Yeah, Gwen too.' Jamie then gave her a hug too, although not in quite the same way he had hugged Molly. 'Jess was one of the girls that you helped get out of here.'
Molly wasn't sure what to say to this so she just pulled him into another hug.
'Come on.' said Jack 'We need to get going. The police can handle the animals that are left. We need to get back to the Hub so everyone can be patched up properly.'
They walked out of the cinema together. Jack went over to Sergeant Walker to tell him that the scene was now all his. Jamie went over to where Ianto was sitting with Jess, Gwen and Molly going with him. Then when Jess had been reunited with the rest of the group she had been with, and Jamie had been reassured that all the girls were going to be taken straight home, he joined the others and they headed back to the Hub.
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A/N. I think i might give the various couples some quality time together in the next chapter, but then that might depend on how nice i'm feeling. :)
