26

Toshiko was watching the CCTV feed as Colleen brazenly stood her ground with her baby in her arms, whatever she was yelling seeming to anger the soldiers more.

"Silly cow, why did she not leave with the others" Ianto groaned. "And where is her little girl?"

"God knows, I would have to go back to see, may later. Hopefully Holly is inside somewhere with her grandmother" Toshiko muttered softly as her eyes flicked between the screens, and she clicked on another one. The little two year old was still nowhere to be seen, just the newborn in its mother's arms.

"Oh god. Is that Roger?" Ianto gasped, sitting next to her as they watched the large man attack the soldier who had raised a rifle in the direction of his daughter and grandchild, the sound mute but all the same… his dance of death left no doubt that he had been shot with open malice.

Then a solder rushed at the woman as she clutched her baby to her chest, the mute screaming unnerving to watch. Then… the soldier staggered back clasping at his throat, the blood spurting out another surprise.

"Fuck, she must have a knife hidden in her hand" Toshiko said softly, knowing she would do the same. She hadn't expected the woman to have balls that big. "Good for her."

They opened fire on her as she spun, trying to protect her baby and they went down in a heap. Her husband rushing to cover them both as he was also riddled with bullets. Ianto felt sick. Ianto rose to his feet and turned to check where his son was, finding him in his father's arms. Safe and sound. Jack met his gaze and then nodded, the unspoken conversation clear.

They had incoming.

Toshiko and Helena settled with the babies, leaving the others free to prepare for whomever got there, Ianto hopeful that Martha and Mickey would be strong. His family would come to him.

Right.

Their bedroom. Andy and Rhys' bedroom. Owen and Toshiko's bedroom. Martha and Mickey. Francine and Clive. Tish and her fella Jimmy… yeah, still not sure about him. Idris and Helena. So… that's seven bedrooms. Rhiannon and the kids could take one of the large living rooms, they might like that. Still… they were going to be at capacity with the kids probably better with one to themselves.

He can do this.

Right?

.

.

"Tig?"

"IN HERE!"

Jack grimaced as he knew calling out had pissed Ianto off as hr had an 'Indoor voice' rule and the last thing he wanted to do right now was piss him off when he was super stressed. He handed the cell phone he had carried in to Ianto with a worried look, the burner phone only able to be rung by the other burners in the glove boxes of the secondary escape vehicles set up.

This man had thought of everything and Jack was a little unnerved by this. All this time he had never really seen Ianto's hidden stealth, now he saw that he had underestimated him so many times.

"Tish?" Ianto said, listening and grunting, then a frown "And Mickey is on the motorbike?"

Jack wondered why Ianto was starting his pace of doom, something bad happening or about to and after he hung up he stood staring at the phone, then sighing deeply like he didn't want to do the next part. Then he lowered his chin to his chest and Jack knew he was thinking about something, accessing a memory. Then he made a call.

"Mickey? Hey thanks for pulling over to answer. Listen, I hear Collette and her fella got out with you?" Ianto stopped pacing to listen intently "With their own separate vehicle? You know which one they chose?"

Ianto was now tapping his fingers against his leg and he muttered "good girl Martha" then added loudly "Right, that one has a stop-gap between there and here the others don't. So, they have to go to another point, change again and get the final map for here."

"Right." Ianto nodded absently "So… on your bike you will get to it before them and can take the map?"

Jack rose from where he was crouching with the box of tat he had been rifling though, rising to stand and now listen intently to his husband as he took away Collette's chance to get back here.

"Right. I know and I hear your concerns. The other map, the one in the other envelope marked 'back-up' is the one they will use. It will take them to an apartment in the city where they will be not here with us."

"No Mick. No, I worry about too many bodies in one place, also all the babies fussing at once and the distractions. I remember hers as colicky and I might scream if I don't get my boy to sleep. Exactly. For a few days, then once we know it's all safe, we can send for them to come here once we move things around. We don't have room. Eight bedrooms... nine more likely needed… not good to throw another family in for good luck, eh? We would have to give up both lounges and we need a living area. Maybe in a few days the big eight man tent can go up in the courtyard out back or something."

Ianto finished the call and looked up from the phone into Jacks gaze. Jack didn't have to ask, he knew he would be told if he needed to be.

"Her fella failed some…. Tests. I don't like him and we had growing suspicions of him back at the camp. I want some separation for now. OK?" he finally explained softly. "And we really don't have room."

"And what else in the meantime?" Jack asked.

"I want to go back in there so Toshiko can leave the room. She doesn't want to watch, I think I need to" Ianto sadly admitted as he headed back towards the office with the screens still showing the carnage occurring as person after person was being cut down in a hail of bullets.

By nightfall, no one left there, would be left there alive.

They had pulled the ripcord a little too late.