Chapter twenty-four: Protective urges
Jackie crept up behind Jack and gave him a slight tap on his behind with an open palm. He twitched and turned around to see her behind him. "Hi." She said with a smile as she crossed her arms over her chest, mimicking him. "What are you doing?"
"Hmm," he turned towards her and exhaled. "I was waiting for them to let me know when Martha starts moving."
She chuckled and rubbed a sore spot on her shoulder. "You're such a worry wart."
"Hey, it's only Martha." Jack hastened to explain. "Nothing happened between us as she's got a fiancé."
"I know. I'm not jealous or anything." Jack eyed her dubiously, causing her to smile. "I'm not, believe me. In fact," she confided with a smirk, baiting him. "I do believe she envies me."
"Really?" Jack took the bait; hook, line and sinker.
"Yes. She's definitely a bit too curious about what you're like in bed."
"And," Jack grabbed her by the waist, picked her up and set her on the desk. "what did you tell her?"
She grinned and leaned forward. "What do you think I said?"
He arched his brow hopefully. "That I'm the best you've ever had?"
She laughed. "You're the only one I've had, so I really can't say that."
At that moment, the door opened and Ianto came in. "Jack, Jackie, Martha's heading out now."
Jack nodded and helped her off the table. "We'll discuss this later."
"I don't think you want to know what I said, but if you insist," she teased him gently. "I don't think you'll like what I've got to say."
Jack rolled his eyes and shook his handsome head as they moved towards Tosh's station. Jackie was not acting herself though. She was so happy and she kept placing one hand across her stomach. They were having twins. A boy and a girl. She couldn't believe it. She glanced at Jack as he watched Martha leaves her room at the Pharm and heads downstairs. He was completely unaware of her pregnancy. She wanted to tell him tonight, but something told her things would be too crazy. She debated how she should do it. She could tell him when they were in bed together, snuggling, or she could do it the old-fashioned way and tell him during a romantic dinner. Or, she'd recreate their first date and tell him, but she hated inviting the world in on their public life and something could go wrong at the base while they were out.
Jackie wasn't certain how she and Jack could be parents to two children in the midst of this madness at Torchwood. She could move out with the children, but she couldn't do that. Jack had lost so many people; she couldn't deny him a single day of not being near his children. If they were in danger, she could protect them easily if she were nearby with her protective force field. Would the kids themselves have powers? And then, how would she educate them? She didn't like the public school system and not to mention that she couldn't risk them slipping up about how their parents hunted aliens.
Break out in Zone A. the blaring voice and the alarms shocked Jackie out of the world that she was in. she was a million miles and away. She shook her head and began to concentrate on the task at hand. All patrols to Zone A immediately. 'Breakout in Zone A. Break out in Zone A. All patrols proceed with extreme caution. The escaped creature is extremely dangerous.
"Jack," Gwen said from her station, Jackie followed Jack over to Gwen. "I've got the list of the clinical trials subjects here."
"Meredith Roberts, Marie Thomas, Barry Leonard. All the murder victims." Gwen clicked on Marie Thomas and pointed at a small note underneath. "Oh, who's BD?"
A few clicks revealed Billy Davis with an ultra Security Rating, cleared for Executive Actions. She frowned. "Executive actions?"
"Old CIA terminology for assassinations." Jackie glowered at the screen. How could anyone just kill off innocent people? "The Pharm are running their own hit man, which is kind of unusual for a medical research facility."
"Wait a minute," Gwen said. "there's a name here that we haven't seen before. Elin Morgan? She hasn't been reported missing or dead."
"She's going to be." Jackie stated.
"Gwen, take Ianto and pull her in."
Jackie hurried back over to Tosh's station while Ianto and Gwen sprang into action. Martha was now outside and was hiding behind some bushes, watching soldiers go towards an outbuilding. Barbed wire and fences surrounded the gates. For some reason, now at night, it reminded her of a concentration camp.
The soldier's idiotically left the gate open and Martha went right after them. Jackie rolled her eyes and turned to Jack. "She is as crazy and as impetuous as you."
"She has a knack," Jack stated as he peered over her shoulder. "for not obeying orders."
"What the hell is she doing?" Owen questioned. "If the Pharm have their own hit man, God knows what they're capable of."
"Yeah," Jack said with a trace of worry in his voice. "and I put her in there."
Martha ran down a deserted alley before slowing down to a walk. Jackie's senses went up as she heard something growling behind Martha. There was a bright flash and then everything went out. "What was that?" Jack questioned.
"Radiation surge?" Tosh offered. "We've lost her signal."
"Hold it." Jackie reached out, feeling for Martha and found her. Jackie let out a yelp and rubbed at her eyes. "Something's in her eyes." After a few moments, the pain subsided. "Ok, she had to take out the contacts, but she's alive. She's frightened, but no, now she's concerned. Ah!" Jackie grabbed her neck and hissed. "And…she's been drugged with something." Jack exhaled and turned aside.
"We have to get her out of there." Owen stated.
"That place is swamped in security." Tosh pointed out to him. "If we try and steam in, we'll be putting her at risk."
"We can't just leave her in there, can we?" Owen directed this question to Jack. "Anything could be happening to her in there."
"I'll monitor her. we're not too far away from the Pharm. If I sense anything abnormal, I'll let you know. right now," she rubbed Jack's arm. "she's just unconscious."
Jack studied her carefully before turning to Owen. "Martha can handle herself." Jack seemed to be assuring himself as well as Owen. "She's been in worse situations than this."
"You sure about that?" Owen questioned dubiously.
"We need to wait a bit anyway." Jackie pointed out, sparing Jack from answering. "We need Ianto and Gwen. They probably took the jeep with all our weapons. Also, we need a way to get into the Pharm without being detected. So, until we have any ideas, I suggest you think of something quickly."
Jack nodded. "She's right. Ok, let's start thinking of a way to get in."
Jackie stepped away. "I'll be up in the office. No one disturb me unless something happens. If I find something happening, then I'll let you all know."
"Ok." Jack bobbed his head. "We'll leave you be."
She nodded and went to the office, sat down and closed her eyes, concentrating on Martha. She couldn't see her, but she could sense her body being moved somewhere. then, Martha was laid on something cold for quite a time, and then Martha began to stir. She couldn't get up because she was restrained, but alive and well.
Jackie jumped up and left the office to find Jack and inform him that Martha was fine. a strong sense of pain in her belly caused her to protectively grasp onto her stomach. She could feel someone was in pain down in the cells. She made a small protective energy layer around her stomach as she walked down to the cells, keeping the pain away from her forming babies.
The babies' heads were forming and the spots where their eyes, nostrils, ears, arms and legs would be were already starting to take place. Their heart rate was beating about 100 to 160 times a minute and their blood is beginning to course through their lentil-sized bodies. Their intestines were developing and their lungs have started to appear. She was amazed at how all of this was happening inside her in just six weeks.
She came down the stairs to find the source of the pain in her stomach. They'd caught Billy Davis and were now interrogating him. "I got terrible guts." Billy groaned as he clutched his stomach. "Dunno what it is."
"Bad conscience, Billy." Jack suggested with his hands on his hips. "Try confessing."
"Get stuffed." He sneered at Jack.
"Okay," Jack said as he sauntered forward. "let's do it the hard way."
The door banged open behind her and the sight of Janet beside her caused her to shriek. She inhaled and quickly moved towards Jack who was glowering at her slightly. However, her cream had the desired effect on Billy. "Merciful Christ!" he shrieks out. "What the-
Ianto released Janet who ran straight at Billy, drowning out all curse words. Poor Billy began screaming his head off as Ianto stopped Janet a foot away from Billy's face. She glanced at Jack; again, he was enjoying this far too much. "They have a tendency to act up."
"I'm losing him!" Ianto's voice held enough concern that she almost smiled. She had no idea he was such an actor.
"Please!" Billy begged.
"Something to say, Bill?" Jack questioned too calmly.
"Yeah, whatever you want." He shouted. "Just get it away from me! Get it off me!" Jackie rolled her eyes slightly, moved to sit down on a nearby barrel as Ianto subdued Janet, and moved her back in its cell. Billy was shaking and gasping uncontrollably. He was sweating too. She got off the barrel and touched his forehead, finding it burning hot yet clammy as well.
Jack grabbed her hand and gave her a reprimanding look before stepping in front of Billy. "Okay, Billy," Jack said severely. "you've been on a killing spree. Why?"
"I work for the Pharm." Billy cried out. "They'd been giving people this Reset drug, but there were these side effects. Parasites or something. They were gonna die anyway, so I had to get rid of them before any weird symptoms showed up in public."
Jack glowered at Billy who was now sobbing in pain. She stepped forward. "Jack, he needs help."
Jack ignored her as he leaned over Billy. "Ok, Billy. We're going into the Pharm and you're going to front up for us."
Billy nodded as Jack straightened up. "Yeah, yeah. But my stomach!" unable to resist, Jackie dropped her guard and let out a shriek as she absorbed his pain. "My stomach!"
"Owen," Jackie cried out. "it's really painful. Oh, God!"
Billy begins to shake and choke as blood comes up out of his mouth. Jack steadies his head firmly as Billy convulses. "Owen, we need him alive."
"Yeah, all right," Owen stammers as he springs into action. "I'm flying blind here, Jack."
"Do something."
"Let's start with this." Owen pulls out the singularity scalpel. Jackie wrenches away, putting up that protective shield as she clutches onto her stomach. "I think I've got it, okay? I've got the calibrations right. I can get it out of him."
Suddenly Billy's stomach bursts open and the creature flies out onto the floor. Jackie groans and turns aside at the sight of flying intestines and blood. The blood flies off her shield. "Oh, my God." Jack says, again, his voice too calm for the situation. "Owen, deal with it. Still sure you had those calibrations right?"
"I'm sorry," Owen says as he picks up the large insect with forceps. "alright?"
Jackie bolts away from the body, but is unable to keep from vomiting a short distance away. "Jackie," Jack snaps. "you've got to-
She held up her hand as she wiped her mouth. "I'm fine! honest!" she inhaled. "It wasn't Owen. This thing was…eating him alive, inside out."
Owen studied the mayfly. "He must have breathed in larvae when one of his victims died. This could have been me, or Martha."
"Martha!" Jackie gasped and reached out to her. she gasps as she felt her body burning. "Jack! something's happening to her!"
"What is it?"
She inhaled. "I think, I think, she's being poisoned!"