Time Doesn't Always Run Straight
Reset
Part 3
Sorry so much for the very long delay. Real life captured me and I've only just managed to escape. There might be a slight delay with the next chapter but I promise it won't be as long as this time. Thank you to everyone who has been reading. It is a massive story and I appreciate the time and effort it has taken to read and review, you lot are amazing. There are a few scenes missing, basically anything that would have been the same as the show as this story is already 11,000+ long and it's only about half way done. Please let me know what you think.
"Bit weird isn't it." Gwen comments to Ianto as they head out to the Park.
"Well it isn't every day we investigate dumped bodies injected with ammonium hydroxide and their records wiped clean." Ianto quips.
Gwen frowns. "No, I mean Jack bringing in outside help."
Ianto shrugs. "It did start off as a UNIT investigation."
"But Jack just let Martha waltz in and act like she is in charge." Gwen grumbles.
"Technically she is." Ianto points out.
Gwen glares at him. He was not helpful at all. "But why did Jack let her? Normally he won't let UNIT in Wales but he welcomed her with open arms."
"Are you questioning Jack's orders?" Ianto raises an eyebrow in Gwen's direction.
"No, questioning who the hell is this Martha Jones and why Jack is letting her do this." Gwen snarls.
"It doesn't matter who Martha is. All you need to know is she is here to try and solve whatever is going on with these victims." Ianto replies coolly. He knows Gwen's game and refuses to resort to a yelling match. They were professionals not children.
"It does matter." Gwen stresses. "I'm sick of Jack keeping secrets from me."
Ianto stops the car. "You need to get use to the fact that Jack won't tell you everything." He glares at her. He was really sick of her attitude that Jack needed to tell her everything.
"But he should. He knows he can trust me but he still doesn't tell me." Gwen pouts.
"He is entitled to his secrets, just like you are." Ianto gives her a pointed look.
"I don't have any secrets." Gwen scowls.
"That retcon you took says otherwise." Ianto counters.
"How dare you!" Gwen yells at him. "I don't need to listen to these baseless accusations."
"Just as Jack doesn't have to tell you everything about him. Plus the video footage says otherwise." Ianto points out.
"Are you threatening me?" Gwen accuses Ianto. "Just because you're jealous me and Jack have a special bond gives you no right to threaten me."
"Get over yourself. You and Jack don't have any 'special' bond. If I wanted to do anything over the Retcon I would have already. You need to remember your place in Torchwood."
Gwen huffs. "I think you need to remember your place. You are just the Teaboy, you have no right to talk to me like this." She screeches.
"As second in command I have every right to talk to you like that. I think you should remember that in future. If you talk down to me like that again you will face further disciplinary action. Being on probation already, would likely result on you being fired. You will stop demanding to be told things that have nothing to do with you." Ianto stares Gwen down. "If you have any arguments I suggest you keep them to yourself. Now we are going to go to the crime scene and hopefully find something useful."
Gwen opens her mouth to argue but Ianto cuts her off. "One more word and you won't ever step foot in the Hub again." His steel voice quells any words that Gwen might have formed.
One more glare at Gwen and Ianto starts the car again, heading towards the crime scene.
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"You found anything interesting?" Martha asks as Gwen enters the boardroom where they had set up all their information.
Gwen shakes her head. "The same as the rest."
Martha nods as she looks back to the information she had been going through.
"So how do you know Jack?" Gwen tries casually.
"We're old friends." Martha replies, aware of Gwen's game.
"So how did you meet?" Gwen probes.
"Travelling." Martha glances out the corner of her to gauge Gwen's reaction.
"Where?" Gwen doesn't make the connection.
"How about you go ask Jack?" Martha tries to brush Gwen off.
"He won't tell me anything." Gwen pouts.
"That's his right." Martha mutters.
"Why are you two acting like how you know each other is some big secret?" Gwen asks accusatorily.
"Why are you acting like it is any of your business?" Martha is quickly losing her patience. There were an unknown number of people at risk of being killed and Gwen was more worried about Jack's social life.
"Because he shouldn't be keeping secrets from me. How can I be expected to trust him if I don't know anything about him?" Gwen wines.
"How he knows me shouldn't affect your ability to trust him. He is over a hundred years old, do you really expect him to tell you everyone he has ever met?" Martha challenges her.
"How would you like working with someone you know nothing about?" Gwen retaliates.
Martha snorts. "I've travelled with someone I knew nothing about."
"Just because you are willing to follow anyone doesn't mean I am. I deserve to know more about Jack." Gwen fumes.
"Look we've all got more important things to worry about right now. Focus on Jack's social life after we've caught whoever is killing these people." Martha glares at Gwen sternly.
Gwen huffs and storms out.
Martha sighs. "I thought she would never leave." She mutters before turning back to her work.
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"Thought you could do with some refuel." Ianto indicates to the coffee sitting on his tray as he enters the conference room.
"You are a saint." Martha smiles.
"I try." Ianto gives her a small smile back. "Anything else I can get you?"
"A solution to this case." Martha mutters.
Ianto shakes his head.
Martha sighs. "I just don't know where to start. Jack's right, these attacks are not random, they're clinical. Professional. More like assassinations."
"Except Barry Leonard was a student. Who'd assassinate a student?" Ianto informs Martha.
"Student Loans Company." Martha jokes.
They both smirked. "Yeah, you've just cracked it. But what did all these people have in common. If we had the medical records we might be able to work it out." Ianto muses.
"Owen's analysing Marie's test results now. I'm hoping that will give us an indication." Martha informs Ianto.
Ianto nods before indicating to his Bluetooth. He nods before replying to whoever was on the other end.
"Marie's had some sort of seizure." He informs her.
Martha nods as they both head off to investigate.
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Martha enters the autopsy bay to inform Owen of the latest development. Jestine is at one of the benches examining one of the monitors.
"They want us at the hospital. Marie's collapsed." Martha tells Owen.
Owen nods. "Yeah? My money's on this stuff." He indicates toe the DNA double helix on the monitor that Jestine is studying. "From Marie's blood. It's a new on for me and Jestine doesn't seem to recognise it."
"I'm still checking." Jestine mutters absentmindedly.
"I've never seen it before." Martha admits. "Have you run an isoenzyme analysis on it?"
Owen shakes his head. "No, not yet. What are you thinking? Parasitic infection?"
Jestine turns away from the screen to listen in.
Martha shrugs. "Could be."
"It's got to be down to this stuff, cause otherwise I haven't got a clue what's wrong with her." Owen frowns in thought.
"Yeah, no infections, no deficiencies in organ function, prefect cholesterol levels, ideal blood pressure." Martha comments.
"Yeah, exactly. She's so normal, she's abnormal." Owen replies. "Jestine run the isoenzyme while we're at the hospital."
"I don't take orders from you." Jestine glares.
"It's this or paperwork, your choice." Owen points out.
Jestine pouts but sets up the test as Martha and Owen leave.
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The team gather around the conference room discussing their latest finds.
And image of an alien bug is on the monitors behind Martha and Owen.
"So it's an alien larva, incubating in human bodies." Martha starts.
"We've never seen anything like it. So it left Marie's body when she died, presumably looking for another host for its next stage of development." Owen continues.
"Which could have been us." Martha supresses a shiver.
"Yeah. Fortunately, when they didn't find one quickly, they died." Owen too didn't need reminding how close it was.
"I wonder what this cute little larva grows up to be?" Martha musses. "Are you sure you haven't seen anything like this before?" She turns to Jestine.
Jestine shakes her head. "Not that I can recall but I'll keep going through the data stored in my Vortex Manipulator."
"You can store data on that?" Gwen asks in surprise.
"Of course." Jestine scoffs. "Got bio-scans of all organisms I've come across since I joined the Time Agency."
"Why? You weren't involved in biodiversity, why would that be of interest to you?" Jack queries.
"Had a friend that was interested in different aliens. Planned on showing him at some point." Jestine explains.
"He must be impressed with the variety." Tosh smiles.
"Never got a chance to show him." Jestine confesses. "Things happened." She explains.
Owen coughs to gain the attention of the group. He changes the image on the monitor. "This, folks, is a molecular model of the drug we found in Marie's blood."
"She called it Reset." Martha adds.
"So what does it do?" Ianto asks.
"Well, think about when you run, you know, a virus scan through your computer, yeah? The software works its way through the files and when it finds a Trojan or a virus or whatever identifies it and then it deletes it. That is what this stuff does to the human body. But it's not just viruses. It's harmful bacteria, toxins, even mutant cells, you name it. It's like the body's been turn back to its factor settings."
"It's the ultimate magic bullet. Supersedes anything and everything in the pharmacological armoury." Martha can't help but be a little awed.
"But that would be the greatest medical discovery in history." Gwen exclaims.
"Until you consider the consequences." Jestine mutters.
"That we could cure cancer, HIV, diabetes, the possibilities are endless." Gwen marvels.
"And you end up with the human race being immortal. What possible downside could there be to that." Jestine snarks.
"And let's not forget the lethal alien parasite." Martha puts the image of the insect back up.
"Ah, not so good a discovery." Jack comments.
"The parasite needs a healthy body until it's incubated. So the parasite egg incorporates this magic bullet, which puts everything in the system back to its factory settings." Martha explains.
"Reset. Neato. So who runs the Pharm?" Jack wonders whose arse they need to kick.
"Well, the public image is innocent enough." Ianto informs the team. "Private-public partnership between the government and a consortium of the pharmaceutical companies. Researching and developing cutting-edge biotechnology."
"Their IT systems are way more cutting-edge than they need to be. Plus they've got seemingly unrestricted security clearance." Tosh informs the team of what she had found during her research.
"Which means they'd have the capability to erase medical records if they wanted to." Martha gasps.
Tosh nods. "Exactly."
"Who runs this outfit?" Jack doesn't need any more evidence, it was time for them to sort this out.
"Institute director is a Dr. Aaron Copley." Gwen informs Jack as Ianto changes the monitor to show Dr. Copley's photo and info.
"Yeah, I know his work. He's one of the most respected research scientists in his field." Owen comments.
"Harvard graduate. Did research at Cambridge. Last job, Harvard Professor of Molecular Pharmacology. Came to the UK to set up the Pham." Ianto reels off Copley's information.
"Do you think he'll like visitors?" Jack comments as he gets up, read to go.
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Jack watches as Tosh hacks into The Pharm's systems. His and Owen's visit hadn't yielded the results they had wanted but it had at least confirmed their suspicious that aliens were involved. Jack's scan had shown a significantly high concentration in alien life form within The Pharm's boundaries.
Tosh's computer beeps and ACCESS DENIED flashes upon her screen. She turns in defeat. "I can't hack in there, Jack. And if I keep on trying with a brute-force approach, they'll know they're under attack."
Jack tries to keep his frustration from showing, it wasn't Tosh's fault. "An alien life form is preying on human's bloodstreams. I need a way in there."
"Tosh, I've got the results of that research." Ianto informs them from his work area. "On screen now."
Information for Pharm flashes on Tosh's monitor, under .uk. A list for volunteers appears, then PHARM's website.
Martha, Owen and Jestine join the rest from the autopsy area.
"Ianto, that's brilliant! They're in the market for volunteers." Tosh exclaims.
"That's understandable, given their wastage rate." Jack quips.
"Then one of use goes in undercover." Gwen suggests.
"No, we don't know enough about the workings of that place. Too many things could go wrong." Jack tries to shut the idea down.
"Unless you were to put a medic in there. Someone who knew what to look for." Martha points out.
"Yeah, but I can't do it. They know me now don't they." Owen comments.
"I know it's hard to believe, Owen, but I wasn't thinking of you." Martha looks to Jack. He shakes his head.
"No way."
"Come on, Jack, I've been in worse places and you know it." Martha argues.
Jestine frowns. "No. Jack, we need to talk in your office now!" She demands.
Jack is about to argue but takes note of Jestine's face. "Fine." He turns to his office.
"Martha too." Jestine adds as she follows.
Martha wordlessly follows. The rest of the team continue to hover around the workstations, unsure of what has happened.
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"You are not volunteering. You are still on suspension." Jack reminds Jestine as they enter the office.
"Exemptions can be made in extreme cases." Jestine argues. "And I think this qualifies for it."
"We need a medic, someone who knows what they are looking for." Martha argues.
"You do have more medical knowledge, I won't argue with that." Jestine concedes. "But I am a better candidate."
"How? We need that information. Without medical training you might miss it." Martha points out.
"I have more experience with undercover work. More experience with aliens. And I'm more expendable than you." Jestine lists.
"What do you mean more expendable?" Martha asks with worry. "Your experience and knowledge is imperative to Torchwood."
"While that is true, I was talking from a personal perspective." Jestine clarifies. "Plus all my knowledge is backed up on my Vortex Manipulator so could be extracted from that if something were to happen to me."
"I am not putting you in PHARM." Jack stands firm.
"What would you say to her family if something happened to her in there?" Jestine demands.
"My family know my job has its dangers." Martha disagrees.
"After everything they went through, are you really willing to put them through the pain of losing you? Jestine challenges.
"It's a risk we have to take." Martha stands firm.
"But we don't. I am the better choice. I'm less likely to be discovered and if I am, am more likely to be able to get out of there alive. And if I do die it's not like anyone would miss me. Hell, a lot of people would probably thank whoever kills me."
"That's not true." Martha protests. "The team would miss you. The…" Martha breaks off, glancing at Jack before recovering. "The rest of your friends would miss you."
"I don't have any friends, at least none left alive." Jestine spits.
"But there are people who would miss you." Martha argues. Martha thought no-one should feel as if no-one cared about them.
"Not as many as you." Jestine turns her attention to Jack. "You can't send Martha in when we have a much better option."
"Sure you might have better experience with aliens and undercover missions but what will you do when their medical test indicate you aren't completely human?" Jack points out. "They were willing to infect people with these insects knowing it will kill them. Just what do you think they will do with you?"
"If they get suspicious I get out of there." Jestine suggests.
"And they know someone is onto them. They then disappear and we take weeks or months to find them again, during which time they might kill dozens of people." Jack explains.
Jestine sighs. "You're right. We can't comprise the case. Isn't there are way we can disguise my unusual physiology?" Jestine grasps for solutions.
"No. Martha is our best choice. Believe me, if there was a way without putting her in danger she wouldn't be going in."
"You know I can handle this Jack." Martha tries to comfort Jack.
"Doesn't mean I won't worry." Jack informs her. "Ianto will have the plans of PHARM for you to look over."
Martha recognises the dismissal and leaves.
Jestine turns to leave but Jack stops her.
"Martha's right. If anything happened to you, we would miss you. I would miss you." Jack tells her.
Jestine eyes Jack critically before replying. "You say that now."
She leaves Jack to ponder her words.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read, please let me know what you thought. I promise to get the next one up as soon as possible.