Rhys Williams sat in Jack's office, fidgeting nervously under the scrutiny of the two Torchwood agents standing before him.
"What do you mean - Gwen's gone?" Jack asked incredulously.
"Well, I mean...," Rhys began. "It's not unusual for me to go days without seeing her. Torchwood's working hours are anything but regular."
Rhys gave them a cold stare.
Jack didn't blink as he met Gwen's fiancé's gaze unfazed.
"Alien threats don't happen from nine to five," Jack said flatly. "Again, why do you think Gwen's missing?"
"You see, I came home from work the day before yesterday, intending to eat leftover lasagne and spend the evening on the couch with Gwen, bitching about Wife Swap or something. She hadn't texted, so I assumed she'd be home for the night, but she wasn't. I didn't think much of it, of course. She doesn't always tell me when she's running late. So, I decided to do the laundry instead, which is when I noticed that some things were missing from the bathroom."
"What things?"
"Toothpaste, hairbrush, and stuff like that. And then I found a note," Rhys continued, pulling a piece of paper from his jacket pocket.
Jack took it from him and opened the folded paper.
/Hey Rhys! Don't wait up for me. I am following a lead and may be gone for a while. This is huge, but please don't worry. Lots of kisses, Gwen/
"'If I don't come back' is crossed out. See? Just before she signed the letter. Why would she write that?" Rhys hissed angrily. "Where did you send her?"
"I didn't send her anywhere," Jack said, unsure whether to be annoyed or concerned. "She's investigating a murder case here in town!"
Rhys's anger subsided, and he began to sound desperate.
"A murder investigation? Why would she take a suitcase, pack clothes, and even take her new doll to investigate something local?" He shook his head. "She's her own woman, she can do whatever she wants, but it's been two days! Two days and she hasn't called once, and when I try to reach her, she doesn't answer her phone either... so, yeah - I think I earned my right to worry!"
A cold shiver ran down Jack's spine, and his heart skipped a beat.
"Doll? "Did you just say doll?"
Rhys gave him an innocent look.
"Yeah, why?"
"What doll?" Jack almost shouted.
"The one I gave her a few days ago. Can't I give my future wife a present? There's no need to shout at me!" Rhys replied, raising his voice as well.
Jack and Owen exchanged glances.
"Okay, describe the doll to me...," Owen started more calmly, but Jack didn't wait for an answer.
The past few days suddenly flashed through his mind, and a terrible suspicion crept into his heart. He dashed out of his office and into the main room of the hub, taking a quick look around. Where was it?
His first stop was Ianto's workstation, then the kitchenette, and eventually the locker room. That's where he found the backpack he had been looking for and pulled it from Ianto's locker.
Jack went pale as he opened the zip. Then he grabbed the bag and headed back to his office.
Rhys was still describing the toy to Owen when Jack burst back in. He pulled Ianto's doll out of the backpack.
"A doll like this?"
"Oh yeah, one like that! Only with blonde hair. And the dress is a different colour," Rhys exclaimed.
Owen stared at the doll and then at Jack, trying to understand what was happening.
"Is that Ianto's doll from the toy factory?" he asked, dumbfounded. He then turned his attention back to Rhys. "And why would you buy a doll for Gwen? Gwen is not the doll type!"
Rhys' face flushed, and he stammered. "Uhm, no, I didn't. It... just... happened that I came into possession of the doll, and I thought it was a nice idea or something..."
"Explain," Jack said sharply, gripping the doll tightly.
"Okay, I don't understand why this is so important, but I went to this toy factory with my friend Banana Boat about two weeks ago because he needed a present for his girlfriend's daughter. He and Monique had been fighting and I had suggested that he buy a present for her daughter, to make things right. So, we bought the doll, but when we got home, Monique threw it at him and got mad because she thought he was trying to manipulate her daughter. I guess even a doll can't fix a broken relationship."
Rhys gave them a sheepish look. He took the doll from Jack's hands and looked at her intently as he continued.
"He was pretty pissed off after all the trouble we had. I mean, they did these strange tests on him, and he blew them all. I ended up taking his place and buying the bloody doll instead just so he could impress his girlfriend! When it became clear that Monique wasn't interested in mending their relationship, he wanted to throw the doll away. What a waste of good money, eh? So, I offered to take her off his hands and bring her home to Gwen."
"And she just took it?" Jack asked, still confused. Gwen had been the one who had not trusted the dolls. He would have expected her to reject the toy or at least bring her in.
"Yeah, she did? At first, she looked a bit irritated, but I mean..., it was an unusual present coming from me. Then she smiled and put her on her bedside table," Rhys said contentedly. "I think she really liked her. Later that night, I heard her in the living room with the doll, talking and laughing. Some people might find it strange - a grown woman talking to a doll - but I thought it was cute."
"You thought it was cute," Owen laughed exasperatedly.
"Let's go down to the autopsy room," Jack said gravely. "I need a word with Ianto."
"Is that you?" Jack asked sternly as he stood in front of Ianto, showing him the doll. "Is this Pol... pen..."
"Penelope, yes, that's me," she clarified, "but you can call me Penny."
"Bite my arse," exclaimed Owen from the gallery. Ianto was possessed by a doll. Now he'd seen it all.
Rhys, standing next to the medic, just stared at the scene in front of him - Ianto handcuffed to the railing and Toshiko lying lifeless on the examination table.
"Did I interrupt you guys with something?"
"No, why?" Owen remarked sarcastically. "Just a normal day at Torchwood."
Jack ignored the two upstairs and knelt in front of Ianto. He could see the struggle in Ianto's eyes. Whatever possessed him wasn't in complete control.
"Ianto, are you in there?" he implored.
For a brief moment, life flashed back into Ianto's eyes. "Jack, please help me..." Then his voice faded away, and the emptiness returned.
Jack leaned forward and kissed him desperately, hoping to elicit a response, but it was futile. Ianto was gone again.
"The best way to help Ianto and Toshiko is to let him go," Penny said as she took back control.
Jack stared at him, trying to decide his best response as Owen pulled him upstairs and out of earshot.
"Maybe we should do as Penny says. If you want to get to the bottom of this, let him go. He'll take us straight to the source of all of this," Owen said quietly.
"I know that," Jack nodded, his mind racing. "But just letting him go will be like handing him over on a silver platter. I can't allow that. We need to be prepared, and we need to know what's going on."
Owen looked at Jack intently. He understood why Jack didn't want to take unnecessary risks, but Owen was more concerned about Tosh's safety. Yes, he hadn't always been nice to her, but she had always been so bloody kind! Kindness brought out the worst in him. She didn't deserve this, and he wanted her back.
Jack's face suddenly lit up. "I've got an idea, but we need to make a stop for information first."
What the hell was Jack talking about?
"Pack up Owen, we are leaving!" Jack exclaimed with renewed zeal as he slipped into his office to get his coat.
"Jack, wait!" Owen held him back.
As Jack looked at him curiously, Owen said quietly. "I can't leave Tosh here unsupervised. If something happens to her... I can't risk that. I really can't."
Jack's eyes softened. "I understand, but I need backup. I can't do this on my own."
There was a cough behind them. When they turned around, Rhys was standing at the door to the autopsy room.
"I could come," he said bravely.
"No way," Jack shook his head vehemently. "This is difficult enough. I don't need to be concerned about a civilian on top of it."
Anger began to bubble up in Rhys as he got closer, and they were almost nose to nose when he blew up in Jack's face.
"As far as I recall, this civilian here did a brilliant job helping with the space whale not so long ago. Did I screw up? No, I didn't. Did I play a key role in bringing down that meat syndicate? Yes, I did. I worry as much as you do, and I think I am suited to do this as much as your doctor. I can help!"
Jack stared at Rhys as his rant washed over him.
He was silent for a moment, considering the offer.
"I'm sorry, Rhys," Jack said quietly but with an air of authority. "It's too risky. If something happened to you, Gwen would never forgive me. You're staying with Tosh."
Rhys shot him a frustrated look but realised he couldn't change the captain's mind.
Jack turned to face Owen. "I'll get Ianto, you drive."
He tossed him the car keys and returned to the autopsy room to fetch the young Welshman.
Rhys watched as Jack uncuffed Ianto and dragged him up the stairs. The young man seemed entirely out of it, stumbling forward as the captain dragged him along. While Jack had asked him many questions about Gwen, they had failed to tell him about what had happened here. Not that he particularly cared. He worried about Gwen. There was little room for anything else.
"I bloody dare you to find a way to get Gwen back!" Rhys called after Jack as he disappeared through the door with Ianto in tow.
When he was left alone with Tosh, he sat down next to her.
"What a tosser," Rhys grumbled. As he had so many times before, he wondered why Gwen seemed so enchanted by that man.