18
"What the hell are you talking about" Jack spluttered with confusion as his brain started to rearrange the little subject cards in his head, the images flicking and changing as he saw the different pattern starting to emerge.
Pete on a Harley.
"Why" Jack asked, after he had agreed it matched his information, "He's just a baby."
"I was considering that" Ianto finally sat, giving Jack equal standing once more, "I need to go back through records, his family. We assumed they died because of the storm. But why were they out there? I need to look into the Vertish Family name. I am now getting more and more convinced it is Caden that is being targeted, we are just in the way."
"So the attack in the car park was him too" Jack surmised, "He kept attacking you because you wouldn't let Caden go. It was not an attack on you, it was a kidnap attempt?"
"I thought so, but then the bomb. If we are assuming the bomb was him as well, then it was not so simple was it. No. Not a simple snatch and grab, this is more final. I think they tried to take him and when they found him well protected which would have been more apparent in the way we reacted they decided it would be easier to simply eliminate him" Ianto rubbed his face then grimaced as his shoulder complained, "Alice has been our with mother without a problem, Gwen not withstanding. Caden is seldom out of the shielding and never without a bug unless with me. It was their only chance to try."
"And fail" Jack rose to pace as he thought about it, "We have two choices here. We can hunker down and wait for it to pass…"
"It won't. They've invested too much now Cariad" Ianto said softly.
"Yeah. So we bait them."
Ianto nodded and looked to the corner of the room where movement startled Jack and a bug slowly unfurled to approach them, it's strange markings confusing Jack at first before he realised it was painted.
"Show him Henry" Ianto prompted and the Bug showed Jack how much he loved his friend as he changed and malformed himself.
Caden looked at him.
"Pete on a stick" Jack whispered with awe.
"Walk, show him" Ianto encouraged the bug that walked around the room, Caden's swagger recognisable.
"He can't speak of course and he cramps so he can only hold Caden's form for a few minutes at a time but it is enough to fool someone" Ianto said as he nodded and Henry unfolded to become himself once more, "Well done Henry love, that was magnificent. I am so proud of you."
"So…trap?"
"Yes my beloved Captain" Ianto smiled, "Seems that they need a wee lamb to follow, he can bring them to the wolf."
"You are out of the game" Jack scolded, "You are injured."
"Says the retirned man. I know she lifted your Red Card... And our son is in danger" Ianto replied calmly, not at all annoyed by Jack's sudden anger, he had expected it.
"Mainframe, Tosh, the bugs…who else have you roped into this?" Jack had let go of his anger and now amusement had begun as he saw his Wolf sliding around in the shadows while he had stomped around in broad daylight taking the attention off those shadows Ianto was working in.
A team without even knowing it.
"Yvonne?"
"I've not spoken to her, I want you to do that. After all, you are active, not me" Ianto replied, "Franks and Markill. From the car park, we need to know if they knew each other, why Franks was there that day. Was it a simple accident of the first attempt to snatch or harm Caden? Markill, was he just security? Let's start from the beginning, follow the leads back until we have a name. Somewhere in the ethos there must be someone pulling all these strings."
"Agreed." Jack sighed, then as he rose Ianto made a noise on his throat to show there was more so Jack settled again.
"Alice."
Jakc frowned.
"I think it is time to let her choose another pet" Ianto said softly, "Pepper was sad, horrible and traumatic yet look at her life now. She does love the bugs, you know she does but not like Caden does. She needs someone as special to dote on as Caden does his little friends. It's time. Time to look at those things we promsied and put off."
"Does that include the baby" Jack asked with the calmest face imaginable, yet Ianto smiled as he knew Jack was a coiled spring.
"Poor timing perhaps but Rose can be well protected here, she is starting to be courted and I don't want her wed and waiting for us to cash in. Yes. I want to start trying for that third child now" Ianot smiled, watching Jack explode from the chair, punch the air and then pace as he tried to calm donw.
"How?" he finally was able to speak without crowing.
"Old fashioned way first?" Ianto shrugged, "If she is agreeable, we give her some of my spunk while it is still warm, she uses a turkey baster and we cross our fingers. If after a few attempts it seems not to work we look at medical help."
"Yeah, yah" Jack was pacing again, "Do we have a baster thing? Where do we get one, I wonder what sizes, ew. Bad image."
Ianor relaxed and then sealed the deal, "After all Cariad, you will have to milk me a few times I guell."
Jakc swung to lok at him with open glee as he realised the invertation being laid out.
They just had to talk to Rose, see if it was OK.