Time Doesn't Always Run Straight
Meat
Part 2
Thank you everyone for your response to the last chapter. I really do appreciate it a lot. I'm the first to admit that my writing isn't that great so the support I get on here is just amazing. There is nothing creative about me at all so for almost 100 people to be reading each chapter just blows me away. Still not much luck on the job front but hopefully Santa will get me one for Christmas. Things are a little heated this chapter but will really heat up in chapter 4-6. If you get time please go have a look at my Christmas story.
Jestine grumbles as Jack leads Ianto and Owen out to survey the slaughter house. Gwen had just arrived at the Plaza.
"Don't know why I still have to stay back. Gwen's the one that should be here. We don't know if her reproductive partner is involved."
"Partner." Tosh corrects absentmindedly. "How about you find the SUV and then you can track them to the site." She tries to distract Jestine.
She reluctantly follows Tosh's suggestion, flicking to the garage entrance just as the SUV pulls out of it. She flickers cameras as it roars along.
Jestine starts muttering after a few minutes as she notices the same car having followed the SUV from the Plaza. She glances over at Tosh to make sure she isn't watching before rolling up her sleeve to reveal her vortex manipulator. "In times of emergencies, use what you know." She mutters as she presses some buttons. A hologram with information flashes up, Jestine's eyes widening as she takes it in. She glances at Tosh again before looking back at the screen. After a moment of just starting she fiddles with her vortex manipulator again before closing the program on screen.
"Tosh, how do we get the floor plan of the place?" She asks.
Tosh moves over to show her the program.
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"She ok?" Jestine asks as Gwen comes storming in, grabs her things and then storms back out.
"She just found out Rhys is in on whatever is happening. Do you really think she is going to be ok?" Owen asks Jestine in disbelief. Ianto had informed them on their way back of Rhys showing up at the warehouse.
Jestine ignores Owen and instead watches as Jack stalks into his office.
"Gwen almost blew our cover." Owen explains seeing Jestine watching Jack. "He is pissed at her. You're better off leaving him alone."
"Need to speak to him." Jestine brushes Owen's concerns off.
"Jack, Rhys didn't know where to go. He followed you." Jestine tells Jack the second she enters his office.
Jack looks at her with a raised eyebrow. "And how do you know that?"
Jestine quickly brings the information up on her vortex manipulator. "I found a car following you and checked it out."
"Why didn't you tell us?" Jack accuses her.
"I was watching to see what he did." Jestine argues.
"That's not how it works on a team. You should have told me and then we could have gotten Rhys before he got to the warehouse." Jack explains.
"But then he would never have gotten a look inside. He can tell us what he saw." Jestine argues.
"You're assuming that he is going to tell us." Jack points out.
"Gwen will be telling him part of the truth right now. The bit about the aliens." Jestine reasons. "And he'll want proof."
"So?" Jack tries to stay calm.
"So she takes him here and we can ask him."
"And what makes you think he will talk to us?" Jack questions.
Jestine shrugs. "If he isn't willing we can make him talk."
Jack glares at her. "No. No torture. We'll see what happens but no torture." He warns.
Jestine rolls her eyes. "Time Agency you was much better at doing what needed to be done without all this moral rubbish."
"Just go and be useful somewhere." Jack dismisses her, knowing to continue the conversation would result in him losing his temper.
Jestine watches him for a moment before leaving.
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"Well, this in unprecedented, a fiancé finding out." Ianto comments as he watches Gwen and Rhys walk across the Plaza.
"How many people have had reproductive partners outside of Torchwood?" Jestine asks.
"I'm starting to think you do it on purpose." Owen mutters.
"What on purpose?" Jestine asks.
"Reproductive partner instead of just partner." Owen informs her.
Jestine smirks. "Why would I do that? Does it bother you?."
Owen pokes his tongue out at her, which Jestine replies with entirely inappropriate hand action.
"But how many people have had partners," She emphasises the word, "outside of Torchwood?"
"Not many, I would guess." Ianto replies. "Not really a job that allows for social lives and too many secrets. Speaking of one." He gestures to the invisible lift which has started to descend.
"Wow!" They can hear Rhys exclaim as the lift slowly descends.
"That looked so real." Rhys laughs with glee as Myfanwy screeches by.
"It was real." Gwen tells him as they reach the bottom.
"They're extinct, Gwen." Rhys chides her.
"In you timeline, yes." Jack interrupts as they step off the lift. He shakes Rhys' hand. "Captain Jack Harkness. Thanks for dropping in, Rhys."
"This is the rest of the team, Owen and Toshiko, Ianto." Gwen introduces the team but ignores Jestine.
"Jestine." Jestine introduces herself as she slowly eyes Rhys up and down. Rhys shifts slightly uncomfortable, not sure what she was looking for. After a moment she gives him a seductive smile.
"Welcome to our headquarters." Jack breaks the awkward silence that had enclosed them.
"They're bigger than mine." Rhys admits.
"But I bet you make use of every last inch." Jestine smirks at Rhys, cutting off Gwen's initial laughter.
Gwen glares as a blush creeps up Rhys' neck. "So, Gwen, uh, tells me you catch aliens." Rhys stutters slightly after Jestine's comment.
"Sure do." Jestine replies with a wink.
"There's a rift through space and time that runs through Cardiff, Rhys, and stuff slips through it from other timelines and planets and it's our job to monitor it." Owen explains before Jestine can saying anything else. He didn't know what her game was but knew it wouldn't end well if she continued flirting with Rhys.
"You sure they're not some weird kind of cult?" Rhys mutters to Gwen, only half joking.
"In the warehouse, they showed you the alien. What did it look like?" Jestine asks as she brushes a finger across Rhys's arm.
"Uh, it was like this huge, shapeless beast filling the space, like a mound of flesh." Rhys explains as Gwen shots daggers at Jestine.
"So it's one massive entity, as opposed to several organisms?" Tosh asks. Rhys nods.
"The latest test reveal high levels of chloride, so it probably lives in the water. I reckon it came through the rift into the sea, and it's beached itself."
"Like a giant alien manatee." Jack suggests as Jestine frowns at the description.
But how did they get it there? That warehouse must be fifty meters long." Ianto points out.
"Um… maybe it was smaller when they found it, because they said it's growing." Rhys adds.
"Live meat source?" Jestine asks, surprised.
Rhys shrugs. "It's breathing. Its eye opened."
"So the protein chains are regenerating despite the mutilation, so not only is it replenishing its own flesh, but it's increase it, giving them a brand-new meat supply." Owen summarises.
Jestine raises an eyebrow. "Smart idea for humans." She comments.
"We're talking about dodgy pies and Merthyr, okay?" Jack interrupts the conversation. "And the fact that they're cutting it up alive," he points at Rhys, "Which we could've put a stop to already, if it wasn't for you."
"I thought my fiancée was in danger." Rhys retaliates.
"No." Jestine declares.
"What?" Rhys exclaims.
"You didn't think she was in danger. Why would you think she was in danger? You didn't know about Torchwood. For all you knew it was just a normal day at the office for her. You just wanted to know why she was at the crash." Jestine accuses Rhys.
Rhys is taken aback by the sudden change in her attitude.
"We need to get back in. But thanks to you, they'll have tightened security!" Jack glares at Rhys.
Rhys puffs his chest out. "Well, if you stopped and asked me exactly what I saw in there, instead of showing off round the place, you'd know that I got out by telling them I wanted a job as a delivery boy. So rather than cock things up, I found you a way to get in!" Rhys' voice had been rising throughout the speech and now he steps forward so he is in Jack's face. "But if you can't handle that, big boy, then you can stuff it!"
Jestine pushes them apart. "There is a living creature out there being sliced up alive and apparently it is our job to save it. So stop wasting time!"
Gwen turns to Jack. "No, no, no, no, Jack. He is not getting us in." She demands.
"What are aliens not covered by your morals?" Jestine mocks. "It's ok for that creature to be in agony as long as your reproductive partner is safe?"
"You don't even know what morals are." Gwen jeers before pushing Jestine.
"Whoa. Stop it, both of you." Jack grabs hold of Jestine's arm as she moves to punch Gwen. "Team meeting." He barks orders to the team as he keeps hold of Jestine, not trusting her to resists retaliation. "You too!" He indicates to Rhys. Rhys looks around for a moment before following the team.
"I don't care what she does, you do even attempt to strike a team mate." Jack hisses at Jestine before letting her go. "If I see you so much as think of hitting any of your colleagues again, you will be suspended from the field indefinitely."
"You wouldn't be able to see if I was thinking it." Jestine snaps.
"You know I don't mean literally." Jack barks back.
"Well maybe you should tell her that." Jestine snipes. "She's the one who pushed me. I didn't touch her."
"Do not start. I will be speaking to Gwen but that does not excuse your behaviour." Jack warns. "Now go in there and act like you are a part of this team or leave."
Jestine glares at Jack before pushing past him towards the conference room. Jack takes a deep breath as she storms off. The sooner this case was over, the better.
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The team wait, uneasily for Jack to entre. Even once he does, the tension doesn't ease.
"First, enough!" Jack declares. "This is a warning for everyone. I have had enough of this in-fighting. If you can't work as a team leave right now. You need to be able to trust each other with your lives. How can you if you are fighting overs stupid things." Jack glowers at the team.
They all look away under his gaze except Jestine. She stares fiercely back for a moment before huffing in her seat.
"Now we can work out how we are going to do this." Jack mutters before continuing.
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A blueprint of the warehouse has been spread out on the conference table. Rhys is standing and pointing out various places as the team looks on.
"That's where the thing is, that's the sedatives room, that's where they hang and pack all the meat." Rhys explains.
Owen nods. "That's good to know."
"Yes, that's good to know, but he is not driving us in." Gwen glares at them all.
"They're expecting me. You lot can hide in the back of the van." Rhys argues.
"What is this, "Scooby-Doo"? Absolutely no way is he getting involved." Gwen counters.
"Oh, where was I when you decided to get involved? Did you give me a second thought?" Rhys yells.
"Oi. Saving the alien now, domestic later." Jestine interrupts Gwen and Rhys.
"Rhys is right, he's our best way in - stun guns only." Jack puts in.
"We've handled bigger than this. Why don't we just storm in, guns in the air and arrest them?" Owen interrupts whatever rant Jestine was about to launch into.
"Those men aren't organized criminals. If we go in, guns blazing, they'll kill the evidence and run." Jack explains.
"I wasn't suggesting blazing, just waving." Owen shrugs.
"The last thing we need is a bloodbath." Jack looks pointedly at Jestine who scowls back.
"Point taken." Owen nods as Jack stands up.
"Once Rhys has loaded up, he can clear." Jack tries to both reassure Gwen and reinforce to Rhys that while he was helping, he was still a member of the public. "You don't have to come. You can stand down." Jack offers to Rhys.
"It might be better." Tosh says.
"You love him. Makes you vulnerable." Jack adds as Gwen looks at them stubbornly.
"He's not going in there without me." Gwen argues back.
Jack shrugs, he tried to make it easier for Gwen but she made her choice. "That's your decision. You both have to live by it."
"So, after we've stun-gunned the workers, we put the creature out of its misery." Tosh tries to bring the meeting back to topic.
"No. We're going to save it." Jack orders them forcefully. Ianto and Owen look at each other, surprised at Jack's decision.
"Stabilize it, wait for the rift to open, and phoom, send it back." Jack explains.
"Guess who'll have to look after it in the meantime." Ianto mutters under his breath.
"Tell me - exactly how are we going to use it to arm ourselves against the future?" Tosh challenges Jack.
"We could always hide behind it." Owen jokes.
Jack glares at Owen for being so insensitive. "Why shouldn't we save it? Because it's an alien? It needs our protection."
"You didn't hear its cry. Heartbreaking." Rhys adds.
"Listen to Ahab." Tosh struggles to hold in a laugh at Ianto's quip.
"Jack, it's growing." Owen argues.
"Well, we'll find a way to stop it mutating." Jack stands up and challenges his team.
"No Jack." Jestine shoots up from her chair. "We can't. You don't know enough about the Rift. Where do you think it would end up if you just chuck it in?" She doesn't give Jack a chance to answer. "It could end up in an even worse situation."
"Don't know how much worse you can get than being butchered alive." Owen mutters.
Jestine shoots him a glare before continuing. "It is cut open. We haven't seen the injury yet but do you really think it's going to be something Owen can just stich up and it'll be fine?"
"So we should kill it?" Jack spits.
"We should make sensible plans and not let our emotions make us do stupid things." Jestine retorts.
"You shouldn't have a problem with that. It's not like you have any." Gwen sneers.
Jestine stares down at Gwen, her eyes burning with fury. Jack is on high alert, just waiting for Jestine to lash out.
"I hope you are never the representative for this planet. Humans deserve so much more than you." Jestine snarls at Gwen before storming out.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read. Please let me know what you think. Reviews put you on the Nice list.