Jack didn't like it.
In fact, he hated it, for any number of reasons. It was UNIT, and he didn't like them. It was Ianto, and Jack didn't want to risk him. It wasn't that he didn't trust Ianto, or believe in his ability, but he couldn't stand the thought of it not working, of Ianto being found out and hurt, even killed. He was already in a compromised position with his wound and Ewan's death.
No, Jack didn't like it at all; he'd rather be shot.
But Jordan Ford seemed to think it might actually work. Dr. Williamson, who certainly didn't support the idea of killing Jack in order to sneak them out, no matter how much Jack assured the doctor he would recover, agreed that it was an idea worth pursuing, although he cautioned against it at the moment due to Ianto's injury, and Jack appreciated the man for that.
"You've given me drugs, antibiotics," said Ianto. "I'll make sure I drink, eat, keep my strength up. And when this is over, I'll take a week off. Promise."
Jack gave him a skeptical look. "Says who?"
"Says your overworked general support who just had a bullet go through his shoulder," Ianto replied. Jack was glad to see the color returning to Ianto's face, his biting responses returning with it, but that didn't mean he would agree to the plan.
"You wouldn't last three days on vacation," Jack said, sidestepping the issue.
"Jack," Ianto said warningly.
"Give it up, Harkness," said a voice on the speakerphone. "You're not going to win this one against the teaboy."
"Since when do you take Ianto's side?" Jack asked, and Owen barked a laugh in response.
"Since it sounds like the best plan for not only getting out of London alive, but finding these bastards and putting them down once and for all."
"He's been shot!" Jack exclaimed. He saw Jordan Ford roll her eyes, since it was probably the twelfth time he'd pointed it out. He could imagine Owen shrugging in response.
"He's still here," said Ianto. He had pulled on the casual clothing Williamson had brought for him and put his arm in the sling. "And he is doing much better now, thank you."
"He sounds good to me, Jack," said Owen over the line. "And we certainly know he can pull the wool over people's eyes, so I say let him go for it. Just get him back up and be ready to pull him out if it all goes to shit."
Ianto's face blanched. "I'm not sure whether to thank you for that endorsement, Owen, but I appreciate the support."
"It's your life on the line, not mine," said Owen. "You still owe me coffee so don't muck it up."
"Ianto," said Gwen. "It's a good plan, but you're hurt, sweetheart." Cue Ianto's eyeroll, which Gwen couldn't see so she continued. "And you've got none of the Hub's resources to help. I'm with Jack, it's just not the best timing."
"Tosh," said Ianto. "What would we need? As backup?" Tosh listed a few things, most of which caused Ford and Williamson to exchange curious glances as they likely had little idea what Tosh was talking about. "Great. How soon could you be here with it?"
"What?" said Owen and Gwen at the same time. Jack frowned; he sensed he was abruptly losing the battle.
"I'd just need to pull it all together and get on the road. Four hours tops," she said. "I can be there by midnight."
"You're not bloody driving to London on your own in the middle of the night," said Owen, and Jack exchanged a small smile with Ianto at Owen's sudden protectiveness.
"Owen, we can't leave the…city unattended, not with the recent increases in…activity." Jack didn't particularly want to let on to MI5 that there was a rift in space and time that dumped aliens in Cardiff. The higher-ups might know, but Jordan Ford and Nigel Williamson certainly did not need to learn anymore than they already had about Torchwood. "Tosh is best with the tech, so if she drives out here, you and Gwen can keep an eye on things back there." He heard Owen swore and was pretty sure Gwen sighed. "Sorry. Job's a job."
"Great," muttered Owen. "So Tosh and Ianto get to play super spy while we get to sit around waiting for the next half sentient, drooling piece of-"
"Owen," Jack cut him off. "You can have the next spy case, okay?"
There was a long pause. "Been there, done that, give it to Gwen. All right, we'll stay. We'll get Tosh set up with whatever she needs to bring down and send her on her way. Jones, you still conscious?"
"Your voice does not allow for easy relaxation," Ianto replied dryly. Ford smirked, and Jack winked at her. This was his team, the way they interacted and showed they cared. God, was he glad he had come back.
"Right. My voice is telling you not to push it. I remember being shot in the shoulder not too long ago and it wasn't so easy getting on with things, especially if it involved any sort of trouble."
Ianto's face took on a more serious look, and he sighed. "Understood. I'll try not to get into any trouble, then."
"I'll keep a close eye on him in the meantime, Dr. Harper," Nigel Williamson spoke up. "I've patched him up rather well if I do say so myself, and he does seem fairly plucky."
Ianto gave the doctor one of his Did you just say that? looks. The others back at the Hub laughed.
"That's our teaboy all right, plucky and stubborn as hell. Thank you, Dr. Williamson."
"Ianto, do you need anything else?" asked Tosh, and Ianto nodded.
"Can you bring some spare clothes from my locker? There should be a suit, shirt, shoes, and tie. I'd like to keep up appearances."
Ianto gave an unapologetic shrug when Jack rolled his eyes, then grinned as he wrapped it up. "All right. I don't like this, but I'll feel better with Tosh here and Ianto back in a suit. We'll let you know where we end up so we can meet you there."
"I hope it's as nice as the Four Seasons," Tosh said. "I'll see you soon."
"Thanks, Tosh," Ianto called before the call went out. He turned back and gave Jack a pointed look. "You gave in quickly."
"I still don't like it," Jack grumbled. "But I think I'm outnumbered, and I've got nothing better to offer. If Tosh is here, I'll feel better about her keeping an eye on you."
"Because I can't take care of myself?" Ianto asked, his voice light but his eyes hard. Jack crossed his arms over his chest; Ianto raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to answer.
"Because you're proposing to walk into the viper's nest, alone and injured. I know you can take care of yourself, but I wouldn't want to let any of you do that, let alone someone who is so close to the case."
Ianto nodded, which was not the response Jack expected. "That's why I have to do it, Jack. Because I'm close. Because I'm injured. Because I'm alone. That's what will get me in."
"I have to agree," Jordan Ford finally spoke up. "If he plays it right, he'll get in. And we'll all have multiple eyes on him."
Jack sighed. "Okay, tell me again what you're planning on saying."
"I'll act innocent and ignorant of what I really know. I'm calling to warn him, to get his help." Ianto was pacing, nervous energy crackling around him. "I might ask to transfer, for protection. I'll sympathize with the victims' terrible lives, drop the offhand remark that maybe they're better off, and if he gives anything up about the murders, I'll offer to help." He grinned. "Possibly not the best plan I've come up with when I say it out loud, but that's the general point."
Jack stared hard at him. "It's bollocks."
"It's what we have." Another showdown as blue eyes flashed at one another across the room.
"Excuse me," interrupted Dr. Williamson. "I think the psychology of the plan is sound in terms of Mr. Jones here playing the bitter victim. If this man, Michael Ian Scott, is the one we are looking for, you should be able to pinpoint that relatively quickly and will just need to adapt your approach as needed. If he's not the man, he could be valuable help in the investigation."
"Ewan seemed to think he was the most likely suspect," said Ianto. "He went to UNIT, but left research. He's an officer now, so he's got the resources for something like this. Katherine Young in still in research and recovery. The other two survivors in UNIT are unlikely." Jack remembered that Ianto had referred to one of them as a glorified secretary; when he had pointed out just how much Ianto had accomplished when he'd started Torchwood Three, the man had shrugged, pointing out he was more of a butler than a secretary.
"All right, we try it your way. Make the call, see if you can meet with him in the morning once Tosh has got you set up." Ianto nodded as Jack turned to Jordan Ford. "What's our plan then?"
"I think that Ianto has a better chance of getting in if they think you've gone back to Cardiff," she said. "So take the car and head back to Cardiff. After an hour or so, double back and meet us here." She handed him an address, he memorized it, then she took it back. "Ianto stays here-"
"Not alone!" Jack said, and Ianto groaned.
"Christ, Jack, I'm not a child," he snapped.
"You're a target," Jack threw back. "With a bad arm and a half-assed plan. You don't know that the moment they hear from you, they'll come after you again."
"I don't know that," Ianto admitted calmly, throwing Jack for a loop again. "But I have to risk it."
"I don't like it," Jack said.
"You don't have to," Ianto replied. God, this was hard. How in the world was he supposed to balance his relationship with Ianto with the demands of their job? He felt like they had just settled into something comfortable after a difficult time, and he really didn't want to lose it. He wanted Ianto safe, protected…even though he knew it was unfair to the man, who had proved himself time and time again to be more than capable of taking care of himself, as well as the rest of the team. Jack hated risking anyone, but right now, more than anything, he did not want to risk Ianto.
"We've got both rooms on either side of his booked," said Jordan, drawing their attention to her in an effort to break the tension crackling in the room. "And Dr. Williamson-"
"Will be here the entire time. Must keep an eye on my patient, after all." He smiled, and Ianto smiled back; Jack did not.
"After the call, then what?" asked Jack.
"We move Ianto, because like you said, they could come after him as soon as they hear from him. Dr. Williamson can sneak him out in his car. I'll have my people shut down the CCTV in the area so they don't pick up anything if they're looking. He'll meet you at the safe house, and when your person shows up, we can get him ready for tomorrow."
"If there is a tomorrow," Jack murmured.
"I'll get in," Ianto assured him. "I got into Torchwood Three, didn't I?"
Jack raised an eyebrow. "Did you happen to bring an extra dinosaur with you?'
Ianto smiled. "Not this time. I'm just going to play his sympathies a bit."
There was silence as they all thought about the game they were about to play and what was at stake. Finally Jack sighed in defeat. "Can we have a moment alone?" Ford and Williamson nodded and stepped into the hallway. Jack reached for Ianto's hand and pulled him closer. At first Ianto resisted, but quickly enough he let himself step forward into Jack's arms.
"Just be careful," Jack whispered. "So many things could go wrong. We don't even know if it's him, but if it is, we could be setting you up in the worst way possible."
"Jack, it'll be fine," Ianto was trying to reassure him, but Jack wasn't having it. He was too worried. If he admitted it, a big part of that was because he wasn't directly involved. He was sending in Ianto on his own, while he drove off and hid and watched. Jack hated sitting back and watching; he wanted to take action. He needed to be the one taking action, especially when it was as crazy as this plan.
Ianto seemed to sense this and kissed him softly on the lips. "I know you want to be a part of this, but I can do it. I just need you and Tosh to watch my back, okay?"
"Okay," Jack said reluctantly. "I can do that. Like a hawk."
"Like a hawk. Thank you, Jack." Jack gave him a questioning look. "For trusting me to do this. I won't let you down."
Jack almost choked on his words as he enveloped Ianto in his arms once more. "Oh god, Ianto. I know that. It's not you I don't trust, it's them. I hate putting you in danger."
He hadn't realized how tightly he was holding Ianto until the man mumbled into his shoulder. "Mind the shoulder, Jack. It still hurts." Jack released him with a nervous laugh, running his thumb along Ianto's jaw.
"You come back in one piece, all right? Or you'll have to answer to me."
There was a knock on the door, and Jack went to look out the eyehole to make sure it was Ford and Williamson. They nodded when he asked if everything was all right, and he opened the door quickly to let them in.
"You should make the call," Jordan said. "Before it's too late. Here's the number." She handed Ianto a slip of paper, which he stared at as if it had just hit him that he was really about to follow through with his own plan. Jack jumped at the opportunity.
"You don't have to do this," he started, but Ianto held up a hand and stopped him.
"I do and I will. Go. I need to be able to tell him that you've gone back to Cardiff. I need to be independent."
Jordan placed a hand on his uninjured shoulder. "Good luck, Jones. We'll be in touch."
"Thank you for your help," Ianto replied. She smiled and nodded, then turned to leave. Jack strode up to Ianto, took his face in his hands, and kissed him as long and as hard as he could. He felt Ianto stiffen at first, then felt the moment when his breath caught and he gave into it. And he suspected he could have convinced Ianto of a lot more if there weren't others around. They would definitely have to celebrate Ianto's birthday properly when this was all over.
Finally Jack stepped back with a grin, leaving Ianto slightly breathless. Dr. Williamson had merely raised an eyebrow, but Jordan Ford looked positively gobsmacked. Which meant, as a trained MI5 agent, she had missed picking up on something quite important to the case, and that almost made Jack chuckle.
"See you soon," he whispered, then turned to leave with Ford. She was eyeing him speculatively, and he wondered what she was going to ask him once they left. Maybe nothing, but Jack wouldn't mind having a bit of fun with it if she did.
"You be careful too," Ianto called. "I don't want to have to wait around for you revive again if something goes wrong."
"You won't," said Jack, turning and smiling at him. "I promise."
He turned and left Ianto on his own to start his plan for infiltrating UNIT and finding the killer before it was too late. He just hoped he wouldn't regret walking out the door.
Author's Note
Hm, I've got nothing this time. Hopefully that was vague yet specific enough that you have some idea of what Ianto is going to do. I really appreciate responses though. It keeps me going, so please let me know what you're thinking!