48

Ianto was running along the walking track, moving closer to the child he knew was running as fast as his little legs could carry him. The main problem was the man almost to him, so close the child could hear his footfalls behind him.

Ianto took a knee, his head bowed as he listened intently to the world around him, the faint sounds of mature and over to his left... there.

Ianto's head was tucked into his chest, his eyes softly closed as he heard the man closing in, the child's cry of alarm as he felt the man's hand swiping at the air and suddenly Ianto knew where they were. Over the edge of the cliff he was crouching on, in the ravine below.

Ianto rose from his low stance, as he did so his hands reached back to his boots and as he straightened up the blades from his boots were now in his hands, his face set in stone as he began to run.

He knew what to do, even without the children urging him on and as he leapt from the edge of the cliff, going airborne with his arms out like he might fly, those blades glinting in the sunlight, as he roared in an inhuman way.

The man had hold of the child's wrist and looked up with alarm as the man descended from the sky.

The child saw his chance and ripped free of the man's grasp to run some more, leaving the man gaping as Ianto landed on top of him, those blades sinking into his chest, Ianto's weight ensuring they are slid to the hilt.

Ianto locked eyes with the man as he died. Ianto's lips peeled back in a feral yet silent snarl. Silently of course, because he knew another was closing in as he rose, the effortless way he retrieved his blades showing his strength was more than first thought.

The man that stood farther along the track seemed unsure how to proceed, his red cap in his hand as he seemed to think he ran faster without it.

"Come on then, don't keep me waiting" Ianto said with a jaunty laugh, rising to stretch out his shoulders "I'm ready for another dance lover."

The man took a step back.

Ianto considered and grinned wider "Tell Mahoney that Jonesey says fuck you."

The man blinked with confusion as he heard the name of his Unit Commander from the lips of the stranger, but Ianto was not about to explain himself, instead turning to run after the child with renewed speed.

He found the boy by the motorbike, little hands trying to get the helmet off the back of the bike and Ianto scooped him up "Come on Gavin, sit on my lap and I will do up the jacket over you."

The child did as he was told but sat facing Ianto, his arms around him in a huge hug as the child buried his face in Ianto's' chest to cry quietly. Ianto zipped up the bomber jacket he had snatched from the SUV while passing it, Jack's. It was bulky and the child fitted inside it, then he disregarded the helmet in favor or getting the hell out of there.

As promised, Jack met them about five minutes later on the side of the road, taking the child into the SUV. Nodding to Ianto and then watching him take off on the motorbike once more, in a direction other than their home.

This ws the first time it occurred to Jack that Ianto had just stepped into the light, into their view and now he had to work hard to get unseen once more.

Fuck.

He had just waved for the camera, hadn't he..

Still.

The little boy who looked strikingly like Zane in the car seat with a wobbly bottom lip did make it worth the risk.

Jack drove the back roads and checked his mirrors until safely home.

To wait for Ianto.

And hope he gets back.

.

.

Ianto knew he had a tail and try as he might, he could not shake it. After a while it occurs to him that the child had been a decoy. Allowed to escape to bring him out, the hopes of catching one of those with the hidden cell … too great to not risk a child.

Fuck.

He would have done the same thing.

Basic training.

Mahoney you fucker!