6

Ianto was in the sleeping section in the back of the large Truck's cab. Emma was already asleep in her little basket that had once contained laundry, her face that of a little angel and Ianto had taken some time to enjoy watching her in the light of the little overhead light he had turned on once the blackout curtains were pulled closed.

The truck still had a pretty full tank, the mall being a first drop off point for the unfortunate driver who likely did not know of the wickedness of the sickness sweeping the land and when he got out of his warm safe truck the Uglies must have swarmed him. Almost the same size too, the socks and such would be a boon. Ianto then fiddled with the radio, catching the soft voice of a nightingale that had his hand pausing with shock.

Martha?

Toshiko was answering and it became apparent to him that the two groups were trying to find a port to meet at. Toshiko was telling Martha that it would be their last forage for a while, the weather turning and the boat best in deep water away from a main shore. A small Island's cove or something to anchor in.

A boat.

Of course it was a boat. Jack loved them. The Uglies hated water… a perfect solution. A fucking floating island of safety. Ianto had a pen and paper from the glove compartment taking the coordinates down as he tried to calculate how long it would take to get there. Did he have time? Could he?

Yes.

He was sure they could do it. If he drove until the tank was dry then they hoofed it over the open fields on the outskirts of the villages where Uglies were less likely to roam, he might get to the meeting point in time to catch the last boat out.

Ianto felt excitement for the first time in so long. Then to his shock Jack's voice came on loud and clear like he was in the next room, and Ianto held his breath. The connection was so weak and the other voices so ghostly in the stillness of the cab.

Jack.

Ianto closed his eyes and took a moment to centre himself as the radio stopped cracking and then went silent. That would be it for the night but he was OK with that. Hell, might find somewhere for some more fuel, the truck stops and such marked on the map on the passenger seat by the helpful unfortunate driver. A hand pump and a quick set of hands, he can keep moving in this tank of a truck.

Ianto ate with gusto, and then placed a couple of energy drinks on the passenger seat as he clambered out of the sleeper.

Time to go.

Jack was going to be there.

.

.

He was making a good speed along the road, the lane for breakdowns being the one that was, believe it or not, the one with the least abandoned vehicles in it. The huge bull bars on the front of the Mack doing a good job of shunting those that were there out of the way.

Ianto was getting ready to stop for a bit to eat as Emma kicked happily in the front foot well on the passenger side. Then he saw her. Up a bloody cell tower, clinging to it for grim life as she kicked at the Uglies trying to seize her and drag her down.

A young blonde woman with a long ponytail swinging behind her, the faint screams bloodcurdling.

Fuck.

Ianto thought of driving past, still moving on but it was only for a second. Of course he could not leave the poor woman to die at the hands of four male Uglies. With a soft curse he stopped the truck and looked down at his child and sighed, reaching back for the backpack where he removed the gun he had hidden in the bottom all this time.

With a deep breath, he slid out of the cab and ran as silently as he could towards the four Uglies. He shot the first one while still running towards them, and then he stopped running to take out the next two. He could not shoot at the fourth unfortunately, as he had managed to climb up after her and now had a good hold of her clothing as he braced his feet and yanked, snarling as his other hand moved to try and grab at her long hair.

Ianto pulled the blade from his boot and plunged it into the man's foot, his cry of rage and pain drowned out by the woman's scream as he finally got hold of her hair.

Ianto climbed up still stabbing as he went and then he seized the fistful of hair, hacking at it until the man fell down with a hand full of blonde hair and a look of total confusion. Ianto then let himself fall onto the man's body with the knife plunging into the man's chest.

They struggled as the Ugly died underneath him. Then Ianto looked up to find a pair of sneakers landing near his head. He struggled to rise to say something only to watch those sneakers beat a quick retreat across the field.

Towards his truck.

And his child.

Ianto knew he should not have stopped, damn it all. He rose and aimed the gun, firing at the dirt in front of her and she froze, then she slowly turned to face him with her hands up.

"I am not a bad man but right now, given the fact I almost got killed just now to save you, don't you think it's a good idea not to piss me off by trying to steal my truck and child?" he asked.

"Child?" she said softly.

Ianto took a cleansing breath and lowered the gun "A baby is inside that truck, safely tucked in the cab. She is only a little toddler and you are on hell of a risk. I almost drove past, don't make me regret the stop."

"Deal" she said softly as she turned to look at the truck "Can we talk inside it though?"

"come on" Ianto said with a grimace "she will be hungry now."

And that gunshot will have been heard for miles.