2
Ianto was sliding around the hub with a rubbish bag when the lights went out.
His bloodcurdling scream brought Jack from his office, stumbling as he swore and hit the hand rail, nearly going over.
The emergency lights came on and Ianto was crouched with his gun out, scanning wildly.
"Ianto? Why are you armed in the hub?" Tosh asked from her workstation as she worked, re-establishing control.
"What …. What was that?" Ianto whimpered, his eyes wide as he looked to Jack.
"A power surge" Jack said softly, "I think the power plant just went off line, probably a technical fault."
"Yes, half the city is blacked out" Tosh called out as her fingers skipped over the keyboard.
"Gwen?" Jack turned to her as he held up the cell phone, "dead?"
"No service due to overloading" she agreed.
"Use the internal lines and ask Downing St what the official line is, while Tosh hacks UNIT and gets their version." Jack said as he stepped forward with confidence.
"Er, Jack?" Owen said from the autopsy bay steps, "What about him?"
"Ianto?" Jack swung to see the gun was now holstered as Ianto looked sheepishly at him.
"Sir?"
"Go check on our guests, would you?" Jack pointed down.
"But … the emergency lighting doesn't go down in the cells" Ianto whined, showing uncommon childishness as he pouted.
"Ianto! The lower levels are your responsibility! Get down there!" Jack roared as he lost patience.
Ianto physically shrunk as he looked at Jack and his eyes slid to Owen who was still standing by the autopsy bay, "Will you come with?"
Owen snorted and then burst out laughing, "Go on ya tosser, bloody big kid, afraid of the dark!"
Ianto took a step towards him and then turned to Jack once more, "Can I take Gwen and the Halogen torch?"
"Nope, I need it here!" Gwen said as she checked over files while Tosh held the huge high beam torch.
Ianto walked slowly towards the hallway and then straightened his shoulders like he was going to war.
With the standard flashlight, he headed into the dark.
"You saw that, right?" Jack said to the team, "He's off the charts!"
Owen took a step towards the hallway and frowned.
Owen turned to Jack, "Maybe we should have let him take the…."
The scream was blood curdling and Jack found himself yelling Ianto's name as he flew into the dark without a second thought.
Owen followed, cursing and huffing as he ran into walls, bouncing off them while Jack effortlessly evaded every obstacle.
"Hoe the fuck do you do that!" Owen demanded as he tripped over cables Jack had jumped.
"Know this place like the back of my hand" Jack panted, "Keep up."
Another scream, closer this time and Jack put on a burst of speed as a shot rang out.
Ianto was in the gun range.
Jack slowed and looked around the room swinging the torch but he found nothing.
The lights flickered and he felt …. Something brush his coat and he swung to ask Owen why he was so close, only to find empty space as Owen stood in the doorway.
The lights came on and Owen swore softly as Ianto became illuminated.
He was scrunched into the far corner, his clothes dishevelled and tears streamed down his face as he sobbed.
"Ianto? Hey mate? Put the gun down" Owen said as he stepped around Jack who was still looking about himself to try and work out what his coat had brushed against.
"Where did it go?" Ianto hissed as he looked around the room.
"Ianto?" Owen crouched in front of him and reached out, taking the gun without any struggle.
"Where did it go?" Ianto repeated, his eyes wide and bewildered.
"Where did what go mate?" Owen asked as Jack finally stepped closer.
"The thing in the shadows" Ianto whimpered as he withdrew his now empty hand and began to rub his wrist.
That's when Owen saw the cuts.