A/N. Sorry i'm a little later than i said, but as this chapter is quite a long one i'm hoping you'll forgive me. :) My Christmas party was great though, i just had to recover from it. Thank you for the reviews for the last chapter and to those who have added it to their favourite lists, i do appreciate it. Enjoy the next chapter.
Chapter 32.
The SUV pulled up to the little dirt track that led up to the farm, five minutes before the deadline was up. The meeting place was one of the farms that the Wallace brothers owned. It was about half a mile out of the city and the small track was the only access road up to it. At the end there was a farmhouse and a large barn. The five team members all climbed out of the SUV and stood at the rear of the vehicle finalising what they were about to do.
'I don't like this plan' said Jamie.
'We got that the first three times you told us.' muttered Ianto.
'Well, I'm sorry, but I just really don't like the idea of Molly going in there, unarmed and alone.'
'I'll be fine, as long as you are all doing your part nothing is going to happen.' Molly said, trying to soothe Jamie's nerves.
'This is the best way,' said Jack, 'We have to take a more subtle approach.' As he said this Jack noticed the others exchanged amused grins. 'What?'
'It's just you and subtle aren't usually two things you'd put together.' said Gwen trying not to laugh.
Jack tried to look insulted by what Gwen said, but he knew she had a point. 'Yeah, that maybe true, but if we go in with the all guns blazing approach, all we are going to succeed in doing is getting ourselves and Jess killed. If they sense some kind of ambush coming they will not hesitate to open fire.'
'I'd better start going, I don't want to be late.' said Molly.
'You remember everything we talked about on the way?' asked Jack.
'Yes.'
'We'll be right behind you.'
'I know.' Molly smiled and picked up her bag before turning to walk up the track. She had only gone a few steps when she felt a hand on her arm. She turned around to finding herself face to face with Jamie. Without saying anything he leant in and kissed her. When they broke apart, Molly blushed slightly knowing the others were watching. 'What was that for?' she asked. Molly noticed that Jamie had a hint of fear in his eyes. 'It better had been for good luck'.
'It was for luck.' said Jamie, although there was a part of him that was worried how this was going to turn out. Molly smiled at him and then carried on walking along the track. Jamie went back to join the others.
'Ok, we don't have long to try and get into position. Hopefully Molly can buy us enough time.' started Jack. 'Any idea how many people there are up there?'
Gwen tapped at her PDA, 'I can make out five people on the perimeter, but they must have something blocking the buildings, as I can't make out how many are in there at all.'
'There's probably at least as many inside,' mused Jack. 'Let's get going, Ianto and Gwen, you know what you have to do.'
They both nodded and turned to walk in the same direction Molly had a few minutes earlier, although they ducked into the trees that lined the route for cover.
Jack turned to Jamie. 'Before we go there's something I need to say. I know this difficult for you, they have your daughter and Molly's going in there too, but you have to keep calm and do exactly what we've planned. I can't have you going in there and letting your emotions get the better of you or else you will put everyone at risk.'
'I know what's at stake here, Jack'.
'Good, because if you don't think you're going to be able to handle this, then you can stay here.'
'I'll be fine.'
'Ok, let's go.'
X
Molly got to the end of the track and was met by a large built man holding a gun. He gestured that she should follow him, which she did, the feeling of apprehension growing inside her stomach. Molly was led into the barn building and couldn't help but let her mouth drop slightly at the sight that greeted her. From the outside the barn had looked like any barn you would find on a farm, but the inside reminded her a little of the Hub. There were computers set up, strange looking gadgets and artefacts lying around that definitely did not originate on earth. There were two other men in there too, all working with one of the pieces of technology. On some of the wooden pillars that held the building up, were different types of weaponary. As she stood in the middle of the room, the man who bought her in behind her, she saw the door at the other end open and in walked Toby Wallace. Molly shivered slightly at this, remembering what had been said about him being the violent one when they had been looking at the pictures in the Hub.
'So, you came alone,' he started. 'Although I'm sure your team are somewhere nearby.' Molly just stared at him, not saying anything. 'So shall we get this over with, hopefully without bloodshed.' Toby smirked a little when he said this, almost as if he was hoping for some kind of fight. 'You have the device.'
'Of course.' said Molly handing over the bag she was carrying to him. Toby opened the bag up and pulled out what was in there.
'Is this some kind of trick? This is only half the device. And where is the other stuff we asked for?'
'No it's not a trick, it is only half the device. Did you really think I was just going to walk in here and hand the whole thing straight over to you.'
'If you had had any sense you would. Maybe now I should just kill the girl.' Toby stepped up close to Molly as he said this, his face not that far away from hers.
Molly smiled at him, 'You're not going to do that.'
'What makes you so sure, you broke our deal.'
'Because if you kill her, I won't tell you where the other half is, and without it that part is useless.'
'Then maybe I should just kill both of you.'
'You obviously don't want that device as badly as I thought then.' Molly was portraying a lot more confidence than she was feeling. She knew that she was playing a dangerous game, but they needed to get the power balance in their favour, or at least on equal terms. If she was honest with herself, she was more scared than she thought possible. 'I need to know Jess is fine before I let you have the other half, and the retcon you wanted. One of my colleagues has them, and as soon as they have confirmation that both me and Jess are ok, they will bring them.'
Toby seemed to consider this for a moment before whispering something to the man behind Molly. This man then nodded and walked away out of the building by the same door Toby had just entered. He then gestured for one of the men working at a computer to come over and take the first half of the device he had off him.
'You have quite a collection of things here.' Molly said.
'They come in handy, and we make a lot of money selling them.'
'I bet. Do you even care about the consequences of what happens after you sell them?'
'That's not my concern, I'm a businessman. I give people what they want, they can do what they want with it.'
Molly couldn't believe the arrogance of the man standing with her. He really didn't care. The door at the other end of the room opened again, and the big man back walked back in, followed by Toby's brother Greg, and Jess. Molly instinctively stepped forward towards her, but was stopped when Toby grabbed hold of her arm and pulled it behind her. Molly winced slightly, but stopped where she was.
'Jess, are you ok?' she called across.
'I'm ok. Am I going to be able to go home soon?'
'Yeah, soon.'
'Ok' interrupted Toby. 'How about we…' He trailed off when he heard a shout coming from outside and the unmistakable sound of gun fire. 'Looks like your friends are going to be joining us.' Toby said, his grip on Molly's arm tightening, while on with his free hand he took his gun out of his jacket.
X
Ianto and Gwen were stood behind a tree, just a little way from the barn. There were two men patrolling the outside and they were just waiting for the right moment to make their move.
'I still get shivers when I'm near a place like this.' whispered Gwen. 'Normally I stay as far away from the country as possible.'
'Yeah I can understand that.' Ianto whispered back. They both knew what the other meant.
They both looked over to the barn, the two men were having a conversation. Gwen nodded at Ianto and they both started to move forward, stun guns at the ready, the plan was to take out the men on the outside as quietly as possible so that those inside wouldn't be alerted to their presence until it was too late. They went over as quietly as they could, the man with his back to them was taken out quickly as Ianto stunned him before he had chance to realise their presence. The second man saw them and moved to the side as Gwen went in to stun him. He knocked her off balance slightly, but she steadied herself enough to stop him from hitting her with his gun. She raised her arm and pushed the gun into his side, and stunned him. With both men down, Ianto and Gwen made their way to the door of the barn.
X
Jack and Jamie had taken the other side of the building, making their way up as carefully as they could. They didn't have quite as much cover as Ianto and Gwen had so they had to keep ducking down behind the vehicles that were parked up near to the farm house. They were crouched behind a Land Rover when they spotted Jess being led out of the farm house and into the barn by Greg Wallace. Jamie's instinct was to rush over to her, but he stayed where he was, remembering what Jack had said earlier about following the plan. He knew Molly was inside the building and one wrong move out here could end in disaster for her in there. He silently took a deep breath and then let it out slowly. There were three men on this side of the building, which meant it was going to be tricky to take them out without them being able to alert those inside. Jack leant over to Jamie and whispered, 'we go on three, stay low and we can hopefully take out the nearest two before the third guy realises what's going on ok?' Jamie nodded, then Jack counted, '1...2...3'. Jack went to the left and Jamie to the right of the vehicle they were behind. They moved as fast as they could, both keeping low, they weren't quite as lucky as Ianto and Gwen had been though. One of the men noticed them just as they were getting close and shouted out to the other two to look out. Jamie managed to stun one of them. Another of the men tried to punch Jack, but his reflexes were too quick and he dodged the blow, the man swaying slightly as he missed giving Jack the time to stun him. The third man pulled a gun from his pocket and opened fire on them, forcing Jack and Jamie to take cover at the side of the farmhouse.
'Can you keep him distracted?' Jack asked Jamie.
'Yeah, why?' Jamie said wondering what Jack was about to do. Jack just grinned and started to run up the side of the house disappearing round the corner. Jamie took his gun out of his pocket and fired around the corner causing the other man to take cover behind a bin that was by the house. As Jamie stopped firing he saw Jack appear at the other side of the house, he snuck up behind the man firing at Jamie and stunned him. Jamie rounded the corner and went up to the door of the barn, Jack quickly catching up with him.
X
Inside the barn Molly had heard the gunfire and prayed that nothing bad had happened to any of the team. She was still in the middle of the barn with Toby Wallace holding on to her arm tightly. Jess had been moved away from the door and was stood by one of the computer tables, Greg Wallace still with her. The door by which Jess had been bought in by opened first, Jack and Jamie entering with their guns raised. A moment later Ianto and Gwen came in through the other door, their guns raised too.
'The rest of the Torchwood team,' said Toby. 'So predictable that you would come too.'
'Let Molly and Jess go now, or this is not going to end well for you.' answered Jack.
'Not until I get what I want, and you're not exactly in a position to give me demands. I don't believe you want to risk anyone's life unnecessarily.' To emphasize his point he increased his grip again on Molly's arm and raised his gun so it was pointing at her head. 'I want the rest of the device.'
'Ok,' said Jack. 'It's in my pocket.' Jack slowly reached into the pocket of his great coat with his free hand and pulled out the other half of the device. He moved carefully toward where Toby and Molly were and then shouted 'Catch!' and he threw the device in their direction. Toby instinctively released his grip on Molly and reached out to catch it, but he missed and it clattered to the floor breaking into pieces. Molly took this opportunity to get out of the way and ran over to the side of the room Ianto and Gwen were standing. Gwen handed Molly her weapon. Toby was infuriated and shouted 'Shoot them!'
The other men in the room, who up until this point had stayed where they were, as if awaiting this instruction moved into action. So did Greg Wallace who went to help his brother, this left Jess standing on her own and she ducked down behind the computer table trying to hide from what was going on. Ianto and Molly stood behind one of the barns pillars, as did Gwen, looking round briefly to try and get a shot at the two men shooting at them. Jack and Jamie were behind a table on the other side of the room, the large man and the Wallace's shooting at them.
Gwen fired a shot into the computer that one of the men was crouching behind. The sparks that flew out of it when it was hit caused the man to raise his hands in front of his eyes, this gave Gwen the opportunity to get over to him and she hit him on the back of the head with her gun, making him fall unconscious to the floor. She went and stood behind the second man, who then realised he was outnumbered as Ianto and Molly moved from around their pillar. He dropped his weapon and put his hands in the air as he had no desire to get shot. Gwen moved him over to where the first man was lying and stood by them, gun still pointed at them. 'Go and get Jess, I'll watch these two.' she said. Ianto and Molly started over to where Jess was to make sure she was ok, and to try and get her out of the building.
On the other side of the barn Jack and Jamie were pinned down behind a large table by the Wallace's and the large man.
'It seems we have reached a stalemate.' Greg sneered. 'Neither of us seems to be winning.'
'Then put your weapons down, we'll call it a draw and all walk out of here.' Jack called over.
'I don't think so,' said Toby. 'It just needs a change in tactics. We can't seem to shoot you, but maybe we can get one of them, and then the day won't be a total loss.'
Jack and Jamie looked up over the table in horror as they saw Toby and Greg turn and point their guns over to where Ianto and Molly were helping Jess towards the exit of the building. Jack and Jamie didn't have enough time to react before the Wallace's fired, the gunshots ringing out in the building, and seemingly moving in slow motion as they headed towards there targets.
