Chapter three: Telepathic seduction

If Jackie'd said it once, she'd said it a thousand times. Thank God for Ianto! He may be one of the more quiet members of the team, but he could keep a conversation going. He quietly filled Jack in on everything that had happened in the last 'three days' that Jack had missed out on, including Gwen's engagement.

Jackie smiled as she remembered the look on Gwen's face when she came in wearing Rhys's ring. Rhys had chosen well. It was a little diamond, but considering Gwen's job, it was for the best. Gwen had been so happy and the whole house talked of nothing but Gwen's engagement and the wedding plans. Jackie, for one moment had envied Gwen. She had a good man who loved and adored her. Jackie had thought she had that with Jack, then; she'd started a relationship with Ianto.

Gwen and Jackie consulted each other privately about how Gwen wanted her wedding to go, once they'd actually set a date. Gwen wanted an autumn type wedding and her mother wanted a spring wedding. Jackie helped Gwen stand up to their mother and keep her future mother-in-law, Brenda away from her mother. The two of them couldn't stand each other and each time they met, it was like two cats waiting to go at each other.

"Oh, yeah," Jack said gleefully as they entered the office room on the top floor of the building to look for the radiation canister. "Loving that officy feel. I always get excited in these places. To me, they're exotic."

"Frankly Jack," Jackie said patiently as she moved to examine a desk. "this isn't the time to talk about your ridiculous fetishes."

Jack exhaled as he turned to look at her. "Are you going to be mad at me for long?"

She blinked and answered him honestly. "Probably for two or three more days."

He shrugged his shoulders. "Good to know. So, shall we make a date for this Sunday, since you'll be back to normal by then?"

"No." she replied, instantly diverting her gaze.

"Playing hard to get, that is so you." He chuckled. "I like it."

"The rift," Ianto said quickly as he moved to examine another desk. "was active at these coordinates approximately two hundred feet above ground. That means this floor or the roof."

Jack tore his glance away from her to address Ianto. "How are you, Ianto?"

Ianto glanced at her a little nervously before replying. "All the better for having you back, sir."

Jack made a face. "Can we maybe drop the sir, now?"

"Maybe when you start helping us search," Jackie commented casually. "instead of watching us work, that might be a bit easier. Honestly, you look like a general inspecting his privates, especially in that coat!"

Ianto turned to Jack. "Jackie and I will do this floor. Don't want you getting overexcited. And you take the roof. You're good on roofs." Jackie chuckled as she sat down and began poking through another desk. Jack bobbed his head and headed towards the fire doors. "Jack?" Ianto's questioned caused Jack to stop dead in his tracks and turn back to them. "Why are we helping him?"

Jack didn't hesitate in replying. "He's a reminder of my past. I want him gone." That said, Jack arches his brow and pushes through the doors.

Jackie exhaled and began humming quietly while searching the desk. "So," Ianto asked. "do you want to tell Jack, or do you want me to tell him about us? Or do both of us tell him together?"

She paused for a moment, and then resumed searching. "I guess both of us. I've never been in a situation like this before and I don't know which mouth he'd prefer to hear it from."

Ianto bobbed his head in agreement before shooting a quick glance at her. "Are you certain you want to be with me?" Jackie straightened up and looked at him in surprise. "We can break things off now and he'd never need to know."

Jackie shook her head and walked over towards him, determination in her stride. "I meant what I said to John hart. Jack was my ex, you're my boyfriend and that's the way I want it to be."

Ianto glanced at her hands, which were clutching his coat. "Well, if you put it like that."

She laughed and released his coat. "Sorry, you just made me mad and I guess I felt like I had to persuade you."

"Well, you did." He gave her a kiss on the cheek and stepped away from her. "Let's get back to work."

"You started this." They resumed peering through the office. Five minutes later, a cold feeling washed down her spine and she gasped. "Something's wrong."

"What is it?" Ianto stepped towards her. "Can you tell?"

She shook her head. "I don't know." she touched her earpiece. "Gwen? Come in." nothing. She glanced at Ianto. "Gwen? Can you hear me?" Nothing. "Tosh? Owen? Can anybody hear me?" Again, she heard nothing. She glanced at Ianto. "Can you raise anybody?"

"Gwen? Tosh? Owen?" he shook his head. "No. my comm is dead or…being blocked."

Jackie bit her lip as she touched her earpiece. "Jack? Can you hear me?" Nothing. She shook her head. "I'd say we're being blocked. Something's wrong." She reached out emotionally for Gwen and she felt Gwen's life slipping away, as if she was dying. She shook her head. "No. Ianto, Gwen's hurt, possibly dying." She reached out for Tosh and Owen. Pain shot through her face and upper thigh. She gasped and broke the connection. "Tosh and Owen are hurt as well. Owen's possibly shot."

At that moment, the lift bell dinged and Jackie dropped behind the desk. Ianto grabbed his gun. "You, go tell Jack." He said firmly. "I'll go investigate. Meet me back down by the SUV and we'll go find the others."

"Alright. Be careful."

Ianto headed towards the door and Jackie headed for the stairs to the roof. Once through the doors, she ran straight up to the roof, her shoes clanging on the steps. She burst through the door and Jack spun around, his gun pointed at her. He smirked. "Chasing after me?"

"No." She shook her head. "It's Gwen, she's hurt, possibly dying. Tosh and Owen are hurt as well."

His brow rose. "How do you know this?"

"I'm sort of telepathic." She got another sensation, a warning, prickling sensation and reached out to find who it belonged to. It was John. "It's your friend John and he's heading up the stairs." At Jack's inquisitive gaze, she said. "Yes, I can read mind's as well. If I'm right, he's probably heading up here to kill you."

"Easier said than done." Jack pushed her. "Get behind the door and go back down the stairs. I'll keep him up here. And don't argue with me!"

"Wasn't going to." She scrambled behind the door and waited patiently. Jack turned back to the parapet and picked up the cluster bomb just as John came through the door. Jackie held her breath while he shuffled towards Jack.

"Rear of the Year, 5094." John said dryly as Jack straightened up. "Still looking good." Jack's phone rings and Jackie's heart jumped in her chest, praying Ianto didn't call her. John took Jack's phone out of his hand. "Cute boy, ringing to warn you about me." He held out his hand. "Canister."

Jack pulled the canister out of John's reach. "If you've harmed them in any way-

"You know, they're pretty but stupid. You used to have better taste."

Jackie crept around the door and made it quietly to the door. Jack arched his brow. "Doesn't look like that from here."

Idiot. She told him mentally as she scurried down the stairs. Fortunately, John didn't hear her. Once safely out of hearing distance, she pulled out her phone and dialed Ianto. To her relief, she'd left it on silent, so when Ianto had called her, she hadn't heard it.

"Ianto?" she said the moment he picked up his phone. "Don't wait for me! Go find Tosh and Owen. I'm going to grab a taxi to go find Gwen. Then, bring Tosh and Owen, to where Gwen is."

Are you alright? he questioned.

"Yes. And you?"

Fine. And Jack?

"He's on the roof still, confronting John." She chuckled. "Jack can't die, so he's fine."

Ianto groaned. Keep forgetting that. Alright, I'll find you two soon.

She got into the lift. Going down. Doors closing. "Shut up." She snapped at the irritating, automatic voice in the lift.

She bounced impatiently until the elevator reached the ground floor. She hurried out and ran out the building entrance. She'd taken no more than a few steps when there was a huge crash to her left. She jerked her head to the left and saw Jack's body sprawling over a bench! She could tell from the angle that his back had been broken in the fall.

She looked upwards to see John staring down at her and Jack. Jackie looked around and saw the radiation cluster bomb lying a short distance away. Her mind worked quickly and she began screaming hysterically as she stared at Jack's body. Once John went inside the building, she grabbed the cluster bomb and ran screaming for the streets. Then, she stopped screaming and flagged down the first taxi. Once inside, she gave directions for him to take the long route to Torchwood.

She then dialed Ianto. "Ianto?"

Jackie, I've found Owen and Tosh. Owen's shot. How's Gwen?

"Ianto, John just killed Jack. I'm going to get John back to the base. You all need to find Gwen."

Jackie, don't. Tosh said firmly. He's dangerous. We need to find Gwen.

She glanced behind her and shook her head. "He's coming after me. I can feel him coming. I'm getting him back to the base. You guys are hurt and evidentially, John's a lot cleverer than you realized. I'd rather he not decide to take all of you out on his second round."

She's right. Owen said. From where we are now, we have no weapons, nothing. He'd just kill us all one by one unless we get back to the base. Jackie, you're going to have to distract him.

She snorted. "No problem there." Jackie closed her eyes and reached out to Gwen. She found her. She was still alive, her pulse was the same. Gwen was dying, but whatever was killing her, was going to take it's time. "Gwen's still alive, but you Guy's need to hurry."

Right. We'll find her and get to you as soon as we can.

"Bye." She hung up and then touched her comm. Ianto? Her voice managed to come out still hysterical. Jack's dead! Can you hear me? A faint crackle let her know that their comms were now active. If she was lucky, John was listening in on the comm system. I got the bomb. I'm heading back to Torchwood. Can you hear me? She let out a frustrated cry before turning off her comm and smirking. "Well, let the opera begin!"

Jackie made it to the base with John right on her heels. She stuck the cluster bomb in Jack's office, in one of the safes, locked the safe and then stuck the key in the fish bowl that she'd gotten for his office. Fortunately, she hadn't had time to go find the fish, so she stuck the key under the little fish castle.

Her phone went off and she answered it. "Hello?"

Jackie? It was Tosh and she exhaled. Thank God. We're on our way back.

"Is Gwen alright?"

Weak, but fine. Don't let John kiss you, he has a poison that paralyzes you, painted on his lips.

"Not my type." The base door opened and Jackie ducked. "Hope you're close," she hissed. "because he just got here. I'm going to make him an offer he can't refuse." Jackie hung up her phone and crouched behind the desk on the floor debating on her next move.

"Aright," John asked. "where are you?"

Jackie hesitated. Dare she play the frightened girl, or dare she play the good girl, gone bad? After a few moments, she decided good girl gone bad. She stood up, straightened her fedora and walked over to lean against Jack's office door, one hand on her hip and her left foot crossed in front of her right one.

John looked up and his brow rose. "Well, you're a sight for sore eyes."

She rolled her eyes. "Cut the jabber and spit out what's on your mind."

"The canister. Where'd you put it?"

"I've hidden it."

"So I gathered." He stepped towards her. "Quite a change from the hysterical woman who saw her ex-boyfriend splattered out there on the pavement."

She arched a brow. "There was another agent was across the street, had to make it look convincing. Don't tell me you fell for it as well." At his unbelieving look, she added. "What woman wouldn't be glad to see her ex-boyfriend plastered all over the pavement like a dead fish?"

"You're good," he grinned. "I'll give you that."

"You'll give me nothing except for the truth." She stated. "What's in the canister?"

He exhaled. "A map."

"Lying." She stated. "Telepathic, remember? I can sense lies a mile away." She leaned forward slightly. "Let me tell you something; you're not going to be able to find the third canister because I hid it where you'll never find it."

He chuckled dryly as he walked up to her. "That's what you think."

"I know." She smiled tightly at him. "I locked it up somewhere and then hid the key. The key is one of those places that'll be hard to find." Even if he did a full scan of the room, he couldn't find it unless he set the scanners for searching water, which wasn't likely. "Go on, tell me what it is and try to make it worth my time."

He arched his brow approvingly. "Oh, you're rather good."

"You're not so bad yourself when you're not boring me. Back to the story. What's in those canisters?"

"Hand it over to me and I'll show you."

She shook her head. "Not a chance."

He exhales and deeply and looks up at her through those brows of his. "I really don't want to do this."

Jackie had her gun out of her holster before he knew what had hit him. He stared at her. "Now, I suggest you try again. Don't be boring. If it's involving money, offer me a pretty big cut and maybe I'll let you go with all your pieces intact."

His brow arched. "Are you serious?" He snorted. "Are you actually giving me an option to pay you off?"

"Well, this job doesn't pay too well." She gestured to her wardrobe, which fortunately for her, did cut a very fine line. "And somebody's got to pay for these."

He chuckled. "Not your boyfriend?"

"Ianto?" she asked dryly. "I'm going to wind up rolling his entire life savings before he realizes what hit him."

His brow rose. "Ianto? You and the coffee boy? Should have known. You are too sexy a thing to be with him." He stepped towards her. "I could use someone like you on these adventures. We could take the galaxy together."

She reached out and sensed him. He was definitely intrigued with her, but he wasn't completely telling her the truth. "Sexy sounding proposition. One I'm totally opposed to. We'll definitely have to discuss this through more complete lengths, but I'll have to take a risk as we're pressed for time." She reached out to sense the others and felt that they were close by. Jackie reached over to the fish bowl and pulled out the key. His brow arched. "Get the other canisters ready and I'll get this one. Don't even think of trying to betray me because I will kill you first. I can sense lies, remember?"

"Can you sense anything other than lies?"

Jackie ignored his blatantly sexual line as he gestured to his waist. "Let's keep it strictly platonic between us. Go."

"Right sweetness." Jackie rolled her eyes as she unlocked the safe holding the canister and walked out towards him. He was in the autopsy room and by the body of the Blowfish. "Had to go and steal a car. Get yourself noticed." He takes a beeping item from the pocket, which everyone missed, a tetrahedron. He looked up at her and held out his hand. "Now, hand it over?"

She smirked and tossed it to him. "There you go."

He catches it neatly. "Thanks beautiful." He turns his back to her while he opens the canister. She turns as Ianto, Tosh, Owen and Gwen enter the room with their guns drawn. She smiles cheekily and waves at them. They look to John, who's now started to place the tetrahedron inside a smile triangle he formed with the pieces from inside the canisters. But before he can place it there, all five of them cocked their guns. John paused and turned towards them. "Okay." He stood up slowly. "Pretty and resilient. Is that even fair?"

"Well," Jackie stated. "brains and beauty are a pretty fair compliment to each other."

"Maybe you didn't realize," Gwen said firmly. "you can beat, shoot, threaten, and even poison us, and we keep coming back stronger every time."

Jackie stepped towards Gwen. "Are you alright? Let me know if you want him fried for poisoning you."

"Tempting," Gwen said. "but I don't think Jack would like it."

"True."

"Well," John said dismissively. "I think you ought to know your boss is splayed out on the," John's face went twenty shades of white as muttered. "pavement."

Jackie rolled her eyes and yawned drolly. "Oh don't tell me, let me guess, Jack just walked in the room after you murdered him. I love it when he does that. People's reactions are priceless."

Jack placed a hand on her shoulder. "Glad to know there's one thing you still love about me."

She shrugged his hand off her shoulder. "Business, remember?"

"Now that's impressive." John's brain was scrambling so hard to figure out how Jack survived that fall, that he was trembling. "Seriously, you can earn a fortune in the Vegas galaxies with an act like that." Jack chuckled dryly. "Go on, how's it work?"

Jack inhaled and leaned forward on the rail. "I can't die."

John didn't believe him. "No but, really."

"No, but really, you can't kill me. No matter how many times you try, I can't die. Ever." Jack's brows rose to punctuate that statement.

Jack moved past her, Gwen and Ianto to go down to face John. "Hey, but what does it cost you? Every time you have to drag yourself back here, how does it feel? All that pain and trauma." He gave Jack the once over before looking back to the others. "Plus, you're reborn into this god forsaken mess. I pity you."

Jack let out a disbelieving laugh before wiping the smile off his face and taking a threatening step towards John. "These people, this planet, and all the beauty you could never see. That's what I come back for."

"Well, goody on you." John said sarcastically.

"What's in the canisters?" Gwen questioned.

"It's come clean time, Captain." Owen said, his hand twitching on the gun, as if fighting an urge to put a bullet in John.

"Yeah, all right. That woman I told you about," he turned to Gwen. "had herself an Arcadian diamond. It's the rarest gem in the Damascene Cluster. Just when I'd got my hands on her, she only generates her own personal Rift storm." Jack holds out his hand for the tetrahedron, which John plops into his hand. "God, I hate technological geniuses."

"You said this was a dying woman's request." Tosh said.

"And she was dying," Jackie said. "he shot her."

"I thought my luck had changed when I found it had ended up here." He turned to the whole group. "So, I'm thinking fifty-fifty; even split, good deal. Or if anyone fancies an orgy?"

Jackie's hand flew up to give John an electrical shot for that comment, but she stopped herself. She inhaled and exhaled deeply. "I need to make myself a cup of tea before I do something stupid."

"And eat something," Ianto added. "you missed lunch."

"Well, I made up for it at dinner, believe me." she assured him. "Probably ate you all under the table. Besides, seducing a man I can't stand tends to freak me out!"

Gwen laughed at her. "I'm going to have to watch that on the security feed."

TJ: So glad to have you back!

sandysan2013: Yeah, Jackie is very upset with Jack. I contribute part of her emotional issues to having to deal with her body changing. (No, I won't say what she is until towards the end of this story because it's a doozy!) And yes, she is going to cause trouble, especially when it's time for Tommy to show up!