14

They reached the train and got out, checking the area with Mickey and Andy providing cover with guns raised, just in case. They were right about the train being stopped. The brake was on, the train powered down like someone had stopped and got out. No blood, no sign of struggle. No instruction book either. Bugger. With none of them having driven one of these, who knows what switches and levers need to be used to get it fired up. Could be in Timbuktu or all the help that was now. This train was not going anywhere. As Ianto had suspected, it was a bloody huge lawn sculpture on in the middle of nowhere.

"I go, they got off and were walking around on phones, then the cell towers went and they were not sure what to do. Then the fuckers came" Rhys said as he stood with his hands on his hips.

"I concur" Jack agreed.

"Right, come on. Let's open some of these carriages and see what is not perishable. Anything we can salvage, let's do it quick smart" Ianto called out, already climbing the foot hold to seize a carriage door and unlock it. Then he hesitated.

Jack felt his hand go to his hip as Ianto seemed to listen intently and frown "Ianto?"

"Scratching."

"fuck"

Ianto looked at Jack who took a shooter's stance and nodded, Ianto rolling back the door, careful to keep it between him and whatever was in there, then Jack relaxed and Ianto watched the large dog leap from the carriage onto the ground.

Ianto swung around the door and looked at the inside of the carriage where a man lay, clearly dead and not for that long. A few days maybe? Fuck. Ianto clambered in and checked him over "Looks like he was moving in the timeframe, got caught out and ran for this, his arm is almost severed, probably the time to lift the dog inside before getting in and closing the door was his undoing."

Should have left the dog to run and led them off" Larry grunted.

Jack swung to look at him with the same glare as Ianto had from the doorway, and Jack said angrily "that was his only friend. Only companion. To him, she was worth the risk."

"She got a collar?" Andy asked, reaching for her to rub her neck and check for himself, then lean in "Myfanwy."

"Really?" Ianto grinned "good name for a lovely lady, eh?"

"I HAVE TINNED FOOD" a faint yell and they moved on to that carriage, filling the front half of the stock truck easily from that one carriage.

Jack noticed Ianto hanging back and inside the carriage that had held the dog, emerging with the roll of bedding the dog had been on, moving it to the Transporter for the dog. As he went ot see if everything was OK he was in time to see Ianto place the man's backpack inside the back compartment. It had been done quietly and with stealth.

"Ianto?"

"Maps, a journal with places he had been with survivors and he had a gun, ammo… stuff I don't wanna share." Ianto whispered "Look. Sebastian will want to see everything, will consider it all Town shit. Anything we want to take back to the compound will have to be asked for, he will give us like some great ruler. Something he will not give over and with the risk we are taking, we need to take what we want and make sure it stays here for us."

Jack had not considered this and knew Ianto was right. With all the goodies they had found, risked for…they reserved their pick. He was right. No point waiting for a bumfuck argument. With a nod Jack went to collect some of the things being unloaded to add to their private stash.

It was weird to think that at the end of the world, there would still be those who could not share with their fellow man but at the same time, he had met Sebastian and did not trust him any more than Ianto did. That smile. Those words of praise… but under it all there seemed a hunger there to be the one getting the back pats.

It struck stop time and Andy was the first to yell out that they had to go, closing and securing the train once more as they hoped for another trip or two before the rain turned to snow. Once the snow was there, not much else could move along the sides of the tracks.

They drove home with the stock truck full and the men hanging off it, triumphant.

Not a bug in sight.

.

.

They drove into the township and the large gates clanged shut behind them. They drove straight to the main School canteen where they started to unload into the town hall next door. Once things were in there they could sort them as this was going to be the place where the food was kept for everyone, like a huge warehouse.

Ianto slid from the Transporter and Jack watched him lock it causally before walking towards him with a wide smile, the dog loping along at his heel like she had decided he was worth sticking with since she had been allowed to hang out the passenger window all the way back in the rain.

"Rhiannon is not going to like a wet dog in the house" Jack laughed as he pointed to her.

"Well, it's my dog so… once Anna claps eyes on her Rhiannon won't have a say anyway" Ianto laughed back, both men standing close with the body language showing their comfortable relationship.

"Ianto… good job. Let's open the Transporter and get everything inside" Sebastian said as he strode towards them "Larry said ya have some things in there too."

Ianto swing to face him, the smile gone now "Dog food. I found a dog and there was dog food in one of the carriages. I took only some from the large pallet full that is now unloaded in the hall for the town mutts. I kept some for mine so we don't have to take any from the town lot before leaving."

"You're leaving?"

"Yes. Mickey's wife is heavily pregnant and we need to get back to the outpost" Jack cut in, standing by Ianto "we feel safer out there as first defense to all of those people in here."

Sebastian looked towards the Transporter and asked "what else do you have in there?"

"MY things" Ianto said with his hand resting on the sidearm he had not given up "and I do not share. I was once taught that being too trusting gets you hurt."

Sebastian screwed his face up and nodded, letting it go.

For now.

Jack leaned in and whispered "He will try to get into that Transporter. You know he will. We have to leave. Tonight."

Ianto nodded his agreement, heading off to find Rhiannon.

He wanted to go home and this… was not it anymore.

Sebastian didn't like being shown up, he remembered that too.