Author's Notes: Special thanks to Prothrombintime for always graciously offering feedback and encouragement.
Chapter Forty-Seven
July 3rd, 2007
Ianto was seated at a workstation in a secluded corner on the main level of the Torchwood One archives, staring anxiously at his watch as the seconds slowly ticked by.
He looked up, and right on schedule a ghost shimmered into existence barely fifteen feet away from him. Shifting his gaze to the other side of the stark, utilitarian space, he saw that three more of the ghosts had appeared near the exit leading to the lifts and stairwell. Several of the other people in the room looked up briefly, exchanged a few words, then returned to their work, apparently unperturbed.
Rising to his feet, Ianto held his body tense as he continued to observe the blurry manifestations. He narrowed his eyes and stepped cautiously towards the nearest one, examining it more closely. A familiar shiver of impending dread ran down his spine, and he wondered if their outlines looked a little more distinct than they had on previous occasions. Mentally berating himself for being fanciful and letting his imagination get the better of him, he continued to watch with unmoving eyes, a tight knot of apprehension settling uncomfortably in his stomach. Finally, several minutes later, the ghosts faded out of existence again.
He took a deep breath and sighed with relief. Deciding he was in dire need of some fresh air and a decent cup of coffee, he walked briskly from the room, nodding to his co-workers on the way. He climbed the stairs to the ground floor and exited the building, passing through the various secured doors and checkpoints along the way. One thing he couldn't fault Yvonne Hartman on was that she took security very seriously.
He'd discovered a new upmarket coffee shop nearby on the second day of his return to London, and he'd frequented it several times since, finding the coffee acceptable if not exceptional. Sitting at what had become his customary table towards the rear of the shop, he sipped his coffee and picked half-heartedly at the chocolate muffin he didn't know why he'd bothered to buy. With his anxiety over the situation with Jack along with the worry of the ghost business, he hadn't been eating much, and he'd noticed that he'd already lost some weight. Added to which, he felt desperately homesick. He missed Myfanwy, he missed Tosh and Owen, and most of all, he missed Jack.
Hartman was continuing her experiments undeterred, the so called "ghost shifts" increasing in frequency, and also, alarmingly, in both size and scale. Ghosts were now manifesting throughout Torchwood Tower and there had been a number of random sightings beyond the confines of the building, a couple of them as far as several miles away. Lisa had told him that the furthest sighting had been at the Powell Estate in Peckham, almost four miles south-west of Canary Wharf.
The effect seemed to be spreading and he wondered how in the world Hartman intended to contain the situation when it reached full-scale panic. Jack had tried to use his contacts to have the project shut down, but he'd hit a brick wall at every turn. Yvonne Hartman had a reputation for getting results, and she seemed to have the staunch support of both the government and the Crown. Although Jack had ascertained that there were others concerned about Hartman's recklessness, without proof of a legitimate danger there seemed to be nothing anyone was willing to do. Further complicating matters, Ianto wasn't sure how much longer he could remain at Torchwood One without arousing Hartman's suspicion. She'd left him alone since their confrontation a week earlier, but he knew that would only last so long. He was on borrowed time, but he couldn't leave without getting to the bottom of what was going on. He felt certain the ghosts were merely a precursor to something far less benign.
The ringing of his phone pulled him abruptly from his thoughts. He fished the handset from his jacket pocket and checked the caller ID, finding it was Lisa. Answering the call, his eyes widened as he listened to her hurried words.
"Lisa, are you sure it's him?" he asked urgently. "Right. I'm at the coffee shop, I'm coming back now."
With his heart pounding, he dashed out of the shop, his coffee and muffin forgotten. He needed to confirm the arrival of Torchwood One's unexpected visitor with his own eyes, and then he needed to call Jack.
###
He was halfway down the main corridor of the first floor, and trying to hold back the hope that the answer to all his problems was within reach, when he heard voices and footsteps approach. He'd been heading towards Loading Bay Two, Lisa having found out the location from one of Hartman's assistants. Quickly backtracking, he slipped into a side corridor and pressed his back to the wall, watching anxiously as the voices grew steadily closer. He could make out Hartman's arrogant tone along with the voices of a man and a woman he didn't recognise.
Finally they came into view as they continued their journey down the corridor, passing him by unnoticed. Flanked by five members of Torchwood's black-uniformed military contingent, there was a tall, lanky man with unruly brown hair styled in casual disarray, dressed in a eclectic mix of a rumpled dark brown pinstripe suit, light blue shirt, brown tie, and white Converse trainers. His companion was a middle-aged blonde woman dressed in denim jeans and jacket, her long blonde hair pulled back in a high ponytail.
Ianto frowned as recalled the photograph Hartman had shown him over two and a half years earlier. He was certain this strange man was the mysterious alien known as the Doctor, but he wasn't the same version he'd seen in the photograph, nor did he look like any of the previous incarnations Torchwood had on file. And the blonde woman wasn't Rose Tyler, the young woman from the photograph, unless she'd aged some twenty odd years. He conceded it was a possibility, given they were both time travellers.
Once the party had turned a corner and disappeared from his view, Ianto doubled back towards the loading bay. With a furtive glance over his shoulder, he peeked inside, and as he'd expected, he saw a 1960's blue police box – the TARDIS, the Doctor's strangely incongruous ship capable of travelling through both time and space. A crew of Torchwood personnel were already in the process of loading the police box onto a vehicle for transport. He shook his head in reproach, realising that Hartman hadn't wasted any time in enforcing Torchwood One's "if it's alien it's ours" policy.
Following the path Hartman and company had taken, he soon found them in Torchwood One's main warehouse. The vast space housed Torchwood's more substantial acquisitions, and also provided roof access for receiving larger artefacts that couldn't be brought in by regular vehicles. The sleek Jathar Sunglider he'd seen previously was still present, occupying a large area at the far end of the cavernous room.
Slipping through the large double doors, Ianto quickly took cover behind a tall stack of wooden storage crates. He watched as Hartman showed off to the Doctor, presenting an example of the particle guns Torchwood had developed. The Doctor voiced his disapproval before Yvonne made a point of thanking the uniformed soldier who had handed her the gun, a man by the name of Sebastian.
"I think it's very important to know everyone by name," Yvonne rambled on self-righteously, after passing the weapon back to the soldier. "Torchwood is a very modern organisation. People skills. That's what it's all about these days." She gave the Doctor a smug smile. "I'm a people person."
Ianto rolled his eyes at the woman's disingenuous and conceited posturing, noting the Doctor's blonde companion rolled her eyes at the same time. Smiling to himself, he decided he would probably like that woman, whoever she was. Clearly neither she nor the Doctor were impressed with Hartman, and although he had issues with the Doctor's treatment of Jack, he allowed himself to feel a flare of hope that the Doctor might intervene and put a stop to Hartman's activities.
Looking around with apparent curiosity, the Doctor pulled a large black device Ianto recognised as a Magna-clamp from a nearby storage crate.
"Ah, yes," Yvonne said, gesturing at the device. "Now, we're rather fond of these. The Magna-clamp... found in a spaceship buried at the base of Mount Snowdon. Attach this to an object and it cancels the mass. I could use it to lift two tonnes of weight with a single hand. That's an imperial ton, by the way. Torchwood refuses to go metric."
Ianto rolled his eyes again as the Doctor dropped the device back into the crate, then distractedly brushed his hands together.
He continued to listen as the Doctor asked Hartman about the ghosts, but they were interrupted when the TARDIS was wheeled into the warehouse. The Doctor's companion protested in outrage, while the Doctor seemed unworried, merely assuring Hartman that she'd never get inside it. Hartman seemed equally unconcerned and began walking away.
As Ianto continued to watch the Doctor, he was startled to see a younger blonde woman, who he immediately recognised as Rose Tyler, peek her head out from the door of the TARDIS. The Doctor nodded covertly towards her, then he and the older woman followed behind Hartman, while Rose retreated back into the TARDIS, closing the door behind her.
Ianto frowned, conflicted on how best to proceed. He quickly sent a text message to Lisa, asking her to keep an eye on Hartman and the Doctor, speculating that they would be going up to the forty-fifth floor, where Lisa was currently working.
Still hidden from view, he stared at where the TARDIS had been tucked into a corner of the warehouse. He was just about to turn away and find a quiet spot so he could call Jack when he saw Rose tentatively step out of the police box and dodge out of the sight of two nearby workers. She then grabbed a discarded white lab coat from a vacant desk, slipped it on, and began walking confidently towards the exit. The coat proved to be an effective disguise as no one seemed to be giving her a second glance.
Deciding to take a chance, Ianto stepped out of his hiding spot and grasped hold of Rose's arm. With a startled gasp, she turned and looked at him in wide-eyed shock, and he raised a finger to his lips in warning. After glancing back to check the coast was clear, he tilted his head towards the exit. Rose looked at him uncertainly for a moment but then nodded, and they walked briskly out of the warehouse.
Ianto led them into a deserted side corridor and turned to face the young woman, offering her a small smile. "Hello. Er... sorry about that. You're Rose... Rose Tyler?"
Rose took a step back, staring at him suspiciously. "Who are you? How do you know my name?"
"We have a mutual friend." Ianto stuck out his hand in greeting. "Ianto Jones. I'm..." Once again he paused uncertainly, no longer sure how to describe his association with Jack. "I'm a good friend of Jack's... Jack Harkness. He told me about you... you and the Doctor... I know that he travelled with the two of you."
Rose looked astonished by the revelation as she distractedly shook his hand. "Jack? Jack's here? He's alive? Oh, my God, I thought he was dead. That's what the Doctor said. There was a battle and we..." She shook her head, evidently attempting to banish the unwelcome memories. "Where is he? Can you take me to him?"
"He's in Cardiff," Ianto replied, pausing as he wondered if the Doctor thought Jack was dead too. He supposed it was a possibility, and it would explain why the Doctor had left Jack behind, although it didn't explain why Jack was the way he was. Otherwise, apparently, the Doctor had lied to Rose about Jack's fate. "Jack runs Torchwood Three," he added. "It's based in Cardiff. I work for him. I'm his second-in-command."
Rose frowned. "Jack works for Torchwood? He's a part of all this?"
"Not exactly," Ianto hastened to explain, seeing the look of disapproval in her eyes. "It's... ah... it's kind of complicated. Cardiff branch monitors the Rift and safeguards the city from alien threats. That's what Jack does. But he despises Yvonne Hartman and everything she stands for."
"All this time, I thought he was gone," Rose murmured, shaking her head again. "Jack was... is, I mean... he's a hero. More than once I've seen him willing to sacrifice himself to save others." She looked at him curiously. "So, why are you here if you work in Cardiff with Jack?"
Ianto sighed. "I'm not really meant to be here. I'm just trying to get to the bottom of this ghost business. I'm sort of a spy." He shrugged self-deprecatingly, then looked at Rose searchingly. "Do you think the Doctor can help?"
"Yeah. If anyone can fix this, it's him," Rose replied with certainty, trust and fierce loyalty radiating from her determined brown eyes. It reminded Ianto of his own unshakeable faith in Jack. "These ghosts, what are they? One of them appeared in my mum's kitchen, right in front of us."
"Sorry, no idea," Ianto replied, shaking his head. "But whatever they are, I'm sure it can't be good." He paused as what Rose had just said clicked into place. "The older woman with the Doctor... is that your mother?"
"Yeah. Her name's Jackie." Rose smirked wryly. "I bet she'll be giving the Doctor an earful. I hope she's okay. She got dragged into all of this by accident."
"I'm sure she is," Ianto offered encouragingly. "She seems quite... er... formidable."
Rose grinned. "Yeah, that's mum all right. Won't take rubbish from anybody."
Ianto smiled back, then glanced around. "I need to call Jack, but I'll tell you everything I know first. Maybe it will help."
He started moving down the corridor, gesturing for her to follow. "Come on. The loading bay you arrived in... it should be empty now. We can talk there."
Rose nodded. With a quick glance over her shoulder, she followed along behind him.
###
"Good luck."
"You too," Ianto replied solemnly, managing a grim smile.
He watched as Rose turned and exited the loading bay, disappearing down the corridor. He'd quickly filled her in on everything he knew, hoping it might help in some way. Somewhat against his better judgement, she'd been determined to investigate the mysterious sphere before she went in search of the Doctor.
He paused indecisively, biting down nervously on his lower lip as he wondered if he should go after her. But he needed to speak to Jack and Rose had refused to wait. He supposed as a companion of the Doctor's, she knew how to take care of herself. She seemed smart, spirited and tenacious, and he could see why Jack had loved her.
Retreating out of sight behind another storage crate, he retrieved his phone and dialled. As he waited impatiently for Jack to answer, he hoped the other man wasn't in the middle of anything that couldn't wait.He felt a rush of relief when Jack finally answered.
"Ianto, is everything okay?"
"Jack, you need to get to London as soon as you can." Ianto took a deep breath. "He's here, Jack. The Doctor. He's here at Torchwood Tower."
There was silence for a long moment and he imagined the frozen look of astonishment on Jack's handsome face. "Ianto, are you sure it's him... a version of him who knows me?"
"It's him," Ianto confirmed. "The TARDIS is here, and I've just met Rose Tyler. She's still travelling with him. Rose's mother is here too, she somehow got caught up in things. They're here to investigate the ghosts."
"Have you spoken to him?" Jack asked insistently.
"No. Hartman's been with him since he arrived. He looks different, Jack. He's not the same man I saw in the photograph Hartman showed me, but he doesn't look like any of the other versions I've seen pictures of either."
"Hmm. He must have regenerated since I last saw him."
"Jack..." Ianto paused uncertainly, not sure if he should reveal what he'd just discovered. "Rose thought you were dead. Perhaps the Doctor does too."
"Maybe. I've got to talk to him, Ianto. I need to find out what happened to me." Ianto could hear Jack's hurried movements in the background. "I'm leaving for London right away."
Ianto felt a surge of nervous trepidation at the thought of seeing the other man again. "Right. I'll see you soon, then."
"Ianto, I want you to get out of there. The Doctor has a habit of being drawn to trouble. It's not safe."
"I'm staying, Jack," Ianto said firmly, the other man's overprotective nature irritating him more than usual. "Besides, we still don't know what these ghosts are."
Jack growled in frustration. "Fine. Although I swear, one of these days you're actually going to do what I tell you. But for God's sake, Ianto, be careful." There was a brief pause, then he sighed heavily. "I'd better go... I'll see you soon."
The call was abruptly disconnected. With a sigh of his own, Ianto remained where he was for a moment, staring down at his phone as he tried to calm his tumultuous emotions. He slid the handset back into his pocket and headed out into the corridor, trying to decide whether he should follow after Rose or head up to the forty-fifty floor and try to find the Doctor.
He'd just started making his way towards the sphere room, when suddenly a ghost materialised a few feet in front of him. Except this time, it didn't remain as a vaguely defined, nebulous apparition.
The manifestation quickly became solid, and Ianto found himself staring in horror at an imposing humanoid-shaped robot, clad in dull grey metal armour. He'd seen the basic design before, and as his nimble mind recalled the files he'd read about the species, he knew it wasn't a robot at all, but a cybernetic organism with the remnants of a person inside, stripped of all feelings and emotions, and utterly ruthless. It was a Cyberman.
"Oh, my God," he muttered, slowly backing away as the metal monster raised its right arm and marched towards him.