53

Ianto was feeling weird, didn't really know why but had felt that way most of the day. I didn't know if he was making the kids grizzly with his weirdness or their weirdness was making him feel weird too, but they were all out of sorts.

Jack was watching Ianto, his main and maybe only concern was the fact his husband was not eating again.

The kids were about to turn two. They had successfully kept themselves safe and separate from things all this time, even as the UNIT Hives were being tortured, killed and sometimes separated to see what it would do. This helped Jack know one thing above all else.

UNIT were the devil.

If a Hive is forced to have a split, a child taken, those kids refuse to eat or speak, frantically searching for the lost child. They will go increasingly insane and that 'lost' child will do the same, eventually turning on itself and tearing at its own skin, pulling it's hair out. Then reintroducing the child, which will result in the children shunning it, like a punishment for leaving in the first place.

Cruel.

Jack wondered if Ianto was chewing over this, if the pain and loss was lingering somehow and they could feel it, even if it was not their own Hive who had suffered. Something was up, that was for sure.

"You got a sec?"

Jack spun to find Toshiko there, her hands clasped tighter in a way that usually meant she was not happy. "Hey Blossom, sure."

Toshiko sat at one of the many tables around the place and Jack sat as well, leaning forward to listen as she explained her dilemma. "There is a reporter. Lance Noble. He works for BBC World but also has dome some 60 Minutes work in the US as well as some newspapers. He is well known, respected and has won a few awards in the media industry."

"OK" Jack nodded, he did know this man. Recalled a piece on an old war-torn town, now abandoned. This guy likes cover-ups and conspiracies.

"You are thinking of that town he snuck into?"

"Yeah, actually… Toshiko… are you reading my mind?"

They both laughed softly as the children all moved closer with their toys, unnoticed by them both.

"So. He is digging around Torchwood Village."

Jack blinked then asked "come again?"

"Yeah. Apparently he has worked out that there is no Sinkhole Event, he has found evidence of those killed that once lived there or visited and he even has some Fridayitis stuff. I mean, we all knew that was made public before UNIT could lock it down. Somehow he is managing to circumvent UNIT and gatherings stuff at speed. They are enraged and sending off threats to the Editor, to many other publications and all it is doing is giving him credence."

"Shit. How close is he?"

"He has your name. Owen and me. Not Ianto I don't think. Not Idris but he is asking about Rhys. Apparently Gwen is still alive and has made overtures about her ex, claiming it's his baby." Toshiko hissed.

"Gwen. Wait, she was preggers too. Not his though….oooo. How did she get away?" Jack asked, even as he knew the answer. She didn't get away. Get real. She worked with UNIT, she was one of their inside agents and she was not released or allowed to get free. No, she was never in danger.

Jesus.

Gwen.

"If it's Gwen Cooper then they know full well about Ianto. Not the baby, we were damned careful there but … she is the one who gave the list of those who got out. Idris will likely be on there, we know we have pissed them off with the kids wert procured and they are desperate to find us. Find you and Owen right?" Jack agreed "I am sure we are the only rogue Hive out here, they have all the others locked down or killed off."

"Agreed" Ianto said softly from behind him, making Jack jump.

"So, here is the thing. He is getting close and he is starting to put things together." Toshiko reiterated.

"So it's only a matter of time before they scoop him up to threaten him… or kill him." Jack nodded.

"He is a well known entity, they can't just shut him up like they would a small two bit reporter" Toshiko nodded "so they will have to either muzzle him or discredit him."

"How much has he got?"

"Enough to get the attention of his superiors. They are working hard on this, he has proof the village is still there, they have accounts from those who got out without babies so… god. He is in serious shit" Toshiko sighed.

Ianto drummed his fingers as he considered "they will try to muzzle him. Or kill him."

"They can't just kill him!" Jack laughed.

Toshiko and Ianto stared at him silently as he looked from one to the other and then sighed before nodding. Yeah, if they can kill an entire town, of course they can kill a famous reporter.

Jack leaned back, turning to look at his gorgeous man before asking "So what now?"