Jack hadn't expected to be bargaining for possession of the Doctor's body, so the statement had caught him off-guard, but he knew what his answer would be, knew what the Doctor would want... so do the opposite.
"Why would I choose that over my own planet, he's an alien, why should I care?"
The Chaos, he called it the Chaos now blinked, as if the answer was unexpected. "You care not for the one that occupied this body?"
"Why would I care, he's nothing but trouble, you wouldn't have come here if he wasn't here. He's been nothing but a pain the ass since I met him."
The Chaos seemed to stop for a second as if digesting the words that had come from Jack's mouth.
Jack narrowed his eyes, if he was right and he prayed he was, then things could get very interesting.
The Chaos looked at the human in front of it; it hadn't been expecting that answer. It had seen the memories stored in this body's mind...this did not feel right...a ruse!
"Liar!" it suddenly hissed. "You would do anything to save this body. If you insist on laying games, then let us play."
Jack stepped back as the world around him seemed to shift and change. He could see shapes forming and with increasing horror he could see where he was...Game Station Five.
Ianto was helping Martha into one of the seats when the shuttle lurched. They both tumbled to the floor and they both quickly scrambled up and rushed to the front of the shuttle.
"We're heading towards Earth, we shouldn't be heading towards Earth," Ianto said.
Martha looked out of the window. "Never mind Earth, what the hell is that!"
Ianto looked in the direction she was pointing. Looming large was what looked like something out of a science fiction film.
"That wasn't there before," he said, sitting down in the pilot's seat. "This thing was on automatic, it shouldn't have changed."
"Well it has now, look," Martha said.
Something was opening on the side of the object and the shuttle was heading towards it.
"Perhaps this is where it's supposed to go," Ianto said hopefully as the shuttle was swallowed by the blackness of the inside of the object.
"Wherever this is, I don't think we have a choice," Martha said. "I think it's here or nowhere."
As if in answer to her statement the shuttle landed with a soft bump and the doors hissed open.
They both turned when Gwen groaned.
"We need to get her somewhere more comfortable, then we can think about where we are."
They had just stepped out of the shuttle and were moving Gwen when a voice rang out that made Martha's blood freeze.
"Search all level, find the humans, find and exterminate!"
"No, this isn't real!" Jack breathed as he turned round in a circle.
The Chaos stood a few feet away an amused expression on its hosts' face. "This place, this time, it has meaning for you and this body does it not. This is the place where you became immortal, where he changed. So many needless deaths, I know you are lying. You would do anything to save this body from me. Perhaps I can persuade you...all this can be erased, all those lives can be spared, and the enemy can be erased from existence. All this I can give you, and all it takes is for you to be truthful and let me take this body."
Jack took a step closer to the Chaos. "Why is it so important that you have my permission? If you're powerful enough to stop all this, why do you need my say so?"
Then it struck him, could it have something to do with the link between himself, the Doctor and the TARDIS? Was it possible that the link was stopping the Chaos? Or was the link between them giving the Doctor a fighting chance?
That thought made hope rise in his heart once more, was the Doctor still inside somewhere, trapped in a battle of wills with this thing?
If he was, then he had to do everything he could to help him, even if it meant relieving painful memories.
"Fine, I lied, but I'm never going to let you have him."
The Chaos looked at Jack and he shuddered involuntarily, those black eyes seemed to look right into his soul.
"That is another lie. This body would not let you...you need more persuasion?"
Jack didn't like the sly look that crossed the Doctor's face...what was this thing going to do now?
"There are others you care about, are there not?"
Jack blinked as the air between them seemed to shimmer and then he didn't blink, didn't breath as he saw three familiar figures emerge from a doorway.
Ianto stepped out into the corridor, it seemed to be clear of those metal things...what had Martha called them...Daleks.
He stepped back into the shadows of the doorway and seconds later emerged with Martha and helping to carry a semi-conscious Gwen.
He looked over at Martha and saw the fear on her face.
"They're gone, the next level I think."
Martha shook her head. "We shouldn't be here, I know what this place is now...we really shouldn't be here," she said in a quiet voice.
"Where are we?" Ianto said and when Martha didn't reply he asked again. "Martha, where are we?"
Martha looked over at Ianto. "Ianto, this is the place where Jack became immortal."
Ianto took in a sharp breath. "This is Game Station Five?"He looked at the metallic walls and the bright lights with a sense of trepidation. "We shouldn't be here."
Martha looked around nervously. "Well we are, something's brought us here. Whatever it is, it's tampering with time and that means..."
"You're causing a paradox, they shouldn't be here," Jack whispered as he watched the pair help Gwen along the corridor. "How can you do that?"
The Chaos said nothing, but moved closer to Jack and spoke in a soft voice that sounded too much like the Doctor's.
"They're lives for this body, it's a simple choice. I have seen into the memories of this body, seen its deepest desires. Tell me Jack Harkness, would you deny him the chance to be re-united with the one he loves, the one called Rose Tyler."
Jack looked at the Chaos, trying not to see the face of his friend. "He can never go back and even if he did, she's happy."
"Really, with a half-breed version of himself? I can give him what he wants, to be at her side and she can be at his, forever united, through me."
"You don't have that power..."Jack began to say, and then he trailed off.
"You think I cannot do such a thing, when I have brought you here. Perhaps this place is not sufficient to persuade...how about something future?"
The air shimmered around them again and as things swam back into view and he found himself inside what looked like an ordinary room.
Where are we, this isn't the game station?"
"No, it is not," the Chaos said.
Jack could hear voices in the distance, familiar voices.
Two figures entered the room. It was himself and Martha and they were arguing.
"You were wrong Jack, he told you what to do but you didn't. Now look where we are."
It was then the sounds of gunfire and other things began echoing around the room.
"We don't have much time Jack, they'll be through those doors in seconds. You have to do it."
"I can't, I really can't," Jack said.
Jack watched as they walked over to what looked like a large container, bathed in darkness. Martha pressed a switch and the container was suddenly illuminated.
Jack reeled back in horror at what he saw.
"You have a choice Jack Harkness," the Chaos said. "This future, all the things that have happened, will happen if you do not let me take this body. This is what the future holds for humanity and all life. I can stop this, it will never happen, all you have to do is say yes."
Jack stared in horror at the contents of the container...it wasn't possible, not after all the struggles and the deaths.
He started when the figure inside the container shifted and moved to the front and spoke to the future him and Martha.
The smile that crossed the face of the figure was a cruel parody of a smile he knew so well.
"They come for me, you have failed. A new race shall be born and we shall rule...the new Dalek Time Lord Empire will rule."