It was early afternoon, and St. Mary's Street was buzzing with activity. The pedestrian area was even more crowded than usual as people took advantage of the sunny weather to sit outside the cafes and pubs while loud music filtered through the open doors.
"Are you sure taking off his handcuffs is a good idea?" Owen pondered unhappily after they parked the SUV a few streets away and continued their journey on foot.
"I'm not going to parade him through town in chains," Jack said sharply.
"How am I supposed to know what turns you on," Owen muttered under his breath, hoping Jack didn't hear him.
No need to piss off the captain.
"Where are we going?" Owen asked after a while, watching the hustle and bustle around them.
"The Underworld," Jack said ominously, without elaborating.
"What's that, a club? Don't think I've ever been there," Owen wondered.
"No, you haven't," Jack said, starting to grin. "You have to be pretty extraordinary to be allowed inside."
Owen rolled his eyes and followed the two men. Jack had wrapped his arm around Ianto's waist as he steered him down the busy street.
"Are you alright?" Jack whispered in his ear but received no response. Ianto had gone quiet after his plea for help at the hub and the following takeover by Penny. His eyes were dull and empty. Penny was clearly not present right now, and Jack couldn't help but wonder where Ianto's mind had retreated to.
He desperately needed some answers.
They passed a few more shops and pubs before Jack made a sharp right turn and slipped into a dimly lit alleyway. The old houses of the city centre were nestled close together, and the narrow corridor snaked into the shadows of the walls.
"I hope you know where you're going," Owen said quietly, eyeing his surroundings sceptically.
Jack ignored him and kept walking until the passageway turned into a street. They descended a short flight of steps and stopped in front of an old, red-painted door.
He knocked three times.
A viewing window opened, and a grumpy voice came from within.
"What do you want?"
"Tell her the captain is here," Jack said ominously.
The voice on the other side remained silent for a moment, and then the window slammed shut. About a minute later, the heavy door opened, and they were ushered inside. A narrow corridor lined with red tapestry led even further down into the heart of the club.
Owen looked around the larger room that opened up in front of them, taking in the lively atmosphere, the large bar and the exotically dressed patrons. Some people were dressed in medieval robes, but he also noticed some black-clad goths and a couple of bikers sitting at the bar. He wondered what all these people had in common to end up here. Certainly not the kind of clubs he usually frequented.
"Is this some kind of secret society?" Owen hushed, but Jack silenced him with a sharp look.
They stopped in front of a table in the back where a young girl was playing cards. She had the face of an innocent angel and beautiful long brown hair.
"I see you'll be visiting more often from now on," she said, skipping the pleasantries.
"Strange things are happening in the city. Things, that affect me and my friends. I'm looking for some advice, and I was hoping you could point me in the right direction," Jack explained.
The girl smiled. "You are welcome to visit me for any reason. It's always a treat to see the captain."
She glanced at Owen. "Retreat to the bar. My readings are personal."
The medic scowled at her. He hadn't expected to be snubbed by a young girl.
When he showed no sign of moving, Jack turned to face him and looked at him expectantly.
"Fine, whatever. But just so you know, this is my business as much as theirs!" Owen exclaimed a little too loudly. When Jack nodded towards the bar, he huffed and gave them the requested privacy.
"We won't take long," Jack called after him. "Just don't get drunk, I still need you to drive."
"Good old Owen, the captain's personal driver. I would've been more useful at the hub," Owen muttered as he sat down and ordered a glass of water.
As he sipped his drink, he looked around and noticed another lonely figure sitting at the bar next to him. A smile lit up his face.
"Looks like I'm not the only one drinking alone."
The brunette woman in the leather jacket gave him a bored look as she eyed his glass of water.
"I doubt my girl's interested in you if you can't even stomach a proper drink," a deep voice rumbled behind him. As Owen turned, one of the bikers stood behind him, his muscular arms folded over his chest, eyeing him disapprovingly.
"Why do you bloody care what I drink," Owen snapped angrily. This day was getting better and better.
"Sit," the girl said after Owen had left. Jack gently led Ianto to one of the chairs and sat beside him.
"You know why we are here?" Jack asked. Sometimes, it seemed to him that the mysterious girl who never seemed to age knew everything and that explaining was pointless and a waste of time.
She looked at Ianto, studying his distant aura.
"Let me do a reading for you," she said, taking the deck from the table.
She shuffled the large, coloured cards before turning the first one over and placing it on the table.
The Devil.
"Something evil lurks at the edges of reality. An ancient evil, trying to break free."
"Do you know anyone who can help us?" Jack inquired, with a queasy feeling in his stomach.
She turned over the next card, revealing the High Priestess.
"Maybe."
The Tower was the last card to appear on the table. She looked thoughtfully at the results.
"Tell me what happened."
"Don't the cards tell you everything you need to know?"
"The realms are far more complicated than that. I need to hear it in your own words."
Jack gave Ianto a thoughtful look. The young man just sat there with his back straight, staring ahead into nothing. Jack took his hand and squeezed it gently. Then he began to recount the events of the previous week, starting with the murders, the dolls and Gwen's disappearance, ending with Ianto's attempt to murder them all, leaving Tosh in a death-like coma.
Jack was exhausted when he finally fell silent. Summing up the events had cleared the confusion from his mind, and everything suddenly felt very real.
"I want my team back," Jack said tensely. "But I've never faced anything like this before. I need help."
The girl pulled out a piece of paper and scribbled an address.
"There's this witch who lives in Penarth. She's a bit... unconventional, but she's good. Talk to her; she might be able to help you," she handed him the address.
Jack stared at her. "A witch?"
She smiled.
"The danger you face is an ancient and powerful evil that rises from the depths of hell. Trust me, you'll want a really good witch on your side when the time comes."
He knew she wasn't joking. She never did. So, he just nodded and slipped the address into his inside pocket. Then he stood and pulled Ianto to his feet as well.
"Want me to take a reading for him?" she asked.
Jack's face had darkened. "No," he said, pulling the young man away.
The girl looked after them. Then, she reshuffled the deck and laid out the cards. A sad shadow fell over her face as she shoved the cards back together.
"Maybe it's for the better."
When Jack returned to the bar with Ianto, he couldn't help but roll his eyes. He'd only left Owen alone for fifteen minutes, yet he'd gotten into trouble.
Owen stood face to face with one of the bikers, hissing profanities at each other.
"Take him and leave, or my bouncers will deal with it," the bartender sneered at Jack. "I told you not to bring trouble into this establishment, or we will revoke your access in the future."
Jack nodded. That was the last thing he needed right now. He boldly stepped between the two opponents and pushed them apart.
"I think that's enough flirting, boys," Jack said lightly, turning to face the biker and flashing one of his signature smiles. "I'm sure it was all a misunderstanding."
"He tried to steal my girl," the enraged biker complained.
Jack raised his eyebrows in mock surprise.
"But Owen, you wouldn't do that to me - would you?" Jack turned and kissed his medic passionately. Owen was startled for a moment, unsure how to react, but eventually went along with it.
When they broke their kiss, Owen stared at Jack in confusion until he realised his boss was trying to defuse the situation.
"Sure," he muttered. "Just trying to make conversation. That's all."
"Fantastic, let's go," Jack grinned as he pushed Owen towards the exit, leaving the baffled biker and his girlfriend behind.
