21
"We have a problem"
Ianto turned from the bookshelf as Jack led Mayor Greene into the room and stepped back "What is it?"
"The Harris family, on the other side of the trees… no one has heard for them in a few days. They have their daughter and granddaughter staying with them for the holidays, poor little mite had cancer and the treatment made her lose all her hair. They have been here for isolation and recovery. Well, when I heard, I jumped in the jeep and took a putter over to check on them in case the wee one was sick. Got to the letterbox at the start of their driveway and was met by a man I a mask, said there was a chance of contagion and to turn back."
"Contagion" Ianto repeated with a frown.
"Thing is, they are not on gas they have solar power. I know this couple, clean living. I don't know what the contagion could be" the Mayor explained "I had a bad feeling."
"How old is the grandchild?" Jack asked.
"Three."
They all stood looking at one another, then Ianto said softly "Well in the words of Owen Harper MD, fuck."
.
.
"So how many in the house?" Gwen asked as she stood holding the back of Rhys's chair.
"Five. The Harris couple, their daughter and granddaughter… also there is their handicapped son. He's in his twenties but is childlike." The mayor answered with open concern now.
"So… they have been keeping the little one at the house because of the immunity thing, so… those pricks might have surveilled and found a child not listed and thought… shit." Owen looked around the table "Or the little one could just be really sick."
"Well, we could take the boat out like we are going fishing in the morning, then simply slip around the bay for a look?" Jack looked around the table "They have a dock?"
"Yeah, they do." The Mayor nodded.
Ianto rose from his chair "I suggest we do it now before they get too encamped there. Better the cover of darkness to do a recon like this. Myself, Jack, Owen, Gwen of course… Mister Mayor and Rhys. The Sherriff want in on this? We will go, Toshiko… I need you to take Eddie and head to Radar's. We need eyes on these fuckers. Jack? Think John is useful here?"
Gwen nodded as she looked around the table "Do we take weapons?"
"I feel the need to go in hot." Jack said calmly.
"Come with me, I will crack open the armory. I feel a need for some protection." The Mator rose form his chair and everyone else followed, Owen going to get his medical kit, just in case.
.
.
Jack let John drive the boat as he kept an eye on the man at the bow with the mayor going over the layout of the house like he was a fucking assassin about to complete a hit. The dog was leaning against him as it enjoyed the ride. Ianto had one hand on the dog's head while talking and seemed totally oblivious to his sex appeal. Dressed all in black, lithe and muscly… all like… phwoooorrrrrr… and… fuck. Jack ducked down along with everyone else as they were suddenly there, and Ianto turned to look back at Jack like he had known all along that his arse was being ogled at.
"Right… I count… four" Greene whispered, handing the binoculars over to Ianto. For the first time Jack noticed them.
"Are those infrared?"
"Yeah" the mayor answered gleefully "My turkey shoot is going to be epic this year."
"Right. Yes, four outside, I think there is at least two or three more inside given the two vehicles out there" Ianto handed them back and reached into his kitbag, removing goggles. Now Owen was making a noise in the back of his throat as he hissed that he knew night vision goggles when he saw them.
"Yea… imagine MY turkey shoot" Ianto muttered and they all giggled nervously as he then removed the gun from its holster.
"Ianto… how far are we going to go with this?" Jack hissed.
"If no one is hurt then the Mayor here takes the lead and orders the fuckers out of town. If we find anyone down in there… it's not going to be nice. If we find anyone badly hurt… or worse… we know how far they are willing to go and no matter what we say they will not leave."
"I don't now about you boys, I am going in hot, like I said. There I a child in danger" Greene swung to face the rest of the boat "Those fuckers came in here to MY town, locked us down, tried to feed us bullshit… hell… even the forgetting stuff in the water might be true… who knows. I do know is that this is my town, those are my folks in there in danger and I am going to put some lead up someone's arse."
"Well, I can work heavy machinery" Ianto swing back to check the lake bank "We can bury the lot of them, SUVs the lot. Say they left, act dumb too."
"Boy… I like you."
"Mayor Greene… you lot have grown on m to the point I think I AM one of you nuttas" Ianto replied, glancing over at Gwen, "Well Gwen? Guys? Wanna do a raid?"
Everyone else put their hands up in confirmation. Sheriff Wright sighed "Right then. While your hands are up... I hereby deputize you all yadda tadda and bullshit like that. Don't' shoot each other, don't shoot the hostages and try not to make too much mess of the house."
"Yes Dad" someone said in a pouty tone and they sniggered, the excitement level off the charts.
"Gwen. Go knock on the door" Ianto suddenly said.
"What?"
"Look at that frosted window there at the corner of the house on the veranda… a loo. Lovely lush girl like you… a bit of car trouble out on the main road looking for somewhere for a little nighttime nookie… your boyfriend headed for town for a tow but you got scared, had to walk through the fields to explain why they did not see you coming… a little weepy and cold. They will let you in and then… use the ladies room, open the window and we are in." Ianto grinned "Come on officer… let's get to it. A bit of undercover work."
"Right then" she scowled pulling off her warm coat, messing up her hair and then unbuttoning her blouse to the point where Rhys made a noise, then with a wink she clambered out, slipped around the side of the house and then staggered theatrically up the front steps to bang on the door, sobbing softly as she looked not only cold but really needing to pee.
"Look at that. What a belter" Rhys hissed with pride.
"Me, Jack and the sheriff will go in… you other buggers clean up outside" Ianto hissed back, then added "She had a good heart Rhys."
"Come on" Owen hooked up his pants "Let's get some."
He then yelped as he was yanked down before a guard wandered past.
With stifled giggles, they took off.
Ianto wondered if any of them were going to get out of this without some friendly fire.
Bloody nuttas.
And who the fuck gave Owen a stun gun?