6

Ianto had not bothered going to Rhiannon's house, knowing from the chatter on the radios that the Mutant Block had already been ravaged by the Cleaners. He also knew she was still alive, the death of a child… grandchild or Great-Grandchild … (yes there were those and it was strange to be so damned old) … would be felt like a stab to his heart.

Instead, he headed for an internment camp, not even sure what one was but stepping into line with others talking about it, riding alongside them on their transporter like he belonged. He went with his gut and headed for the nearest one.

This was taking time, and energy. To change a skin was hard, to recreate clothing and even jewellery and such was bloody hard, like a dragon turning all his scales inside out. Thats how he described the pain of doing it. Something that always left an ache for days afterward and he had never done so many changes so quickly, knowing he had more to go.

Gods, Jack would be so angry if he knew how many he had flipped through so far, how many more to go. But he had no choice. He had a soft spot for this girl, one he had raised on his knee. Jack knew this, knew she was special.

And would relent.

As the transporter ground to a halt he saw a familiar mop of hair in the distance and he felt relief, moving towards the child who was standing there crying as she looked for her mother, calling out for her. He scooped up the child who instantly recognized him, even with the skin of one of the soldiers he had just helped down from the transporter to walk in the opposite direction to.

"GrandyTa" she sobbed softly "They took her that way."

Ianto walked confidently into the tent; the horror was not something he was expecting. Naked women were standing around clinging to one another forlornly while the men examined them, one on her knees while her hair was being hacked off and declared a trophy. The amazing peacock colours held aloft as she wept.

"You! Over there… with the ring on. Get over here. You were told to remove everything"! he roared and Rhiannon jumped, her wedding ring glinting in the sunlight.

She looked down at it and snorted "And to think… he is the one who dobbed us in for the reward. Me own feckless gobshite of a fella."

"Get dressed and come with me" Ianto ordered.

"Why?" another solder asked.

Ianto swung to him "Because I call fucking dibs on this one. What the fuck… I want her… and this one."

"But… she's a kid…"

"And a mutant" he sneered.

"Fair enough" came a faint reply "Just remember the cleanup afterward."

Rhiannon walked over, her fear raw but as she neared she felt it and she blinked back real tears now as she saw who had hold of her child "Oh. Oh, goddess save."

"Shut the fuck up and get hold of your pup. Come on… with me" he seized her arm as he thrust Mica at her and then pulled them from the tent. He then said under his breath "Keep walking Sweetheart. I am getting a cramp with this one… will need to change soon."

Rhiannon held back sobs knowing those around them were dying and they couldn't do a damned thing. Her main… well… only concern was in her arms weeping into her neck. She had ot get Mica to safety, any attempt to take others would only get them noticed. Cold. But this was the ends of things… they had to be brave. And cruel. Ianto had warned her often enough.

They rounded a corner, Ianto making contact with another man who grunted and bounced off with an apology and then they kept walking. As Ianto neared the transporters he was now the image of the man who he had collided with.

"Gods, get in… stay low" Ianto hissed watching them crawl into the footwell in the front passenger side then he got in and turned the engine over.

Soon they were moving and he felt sick, knowing they were leaving others to die but also knowing this was not a war… it was a retreat.

And he had to save who he could, his own bloodline.

.

.

"Shelby!"

Shelby was instantly awake, rising from her seat as a voice roared in her mind to see the Transporter rolling over "Fuck me… what the hell did you do… boost it?"

"Well, no one was using it" Ianto said, then grunted, looking down at himself with surprise as blood started at bloom on his shirt.

"Ambush" Shelby screamed with horror, her snooze clearly enough for someone to find and watch her. She fired in the direction the bullet had come from, incoming gun fire pinging around them as Ianto grunted and held his hands out, shielding them as best he could. They had to leave the Transporter, it would be chipped.

He used the last of his reserves to throw a shield over the Jeep as Shelby drove like a mad thing, the dirt flying as they left the main roads and went off road, the blood on his shirt now dripping as he grunted with pain.

Rhiannon pulled the first aid kit out from under the seat and slapped a patch over the wound, then made him lean forward so she could curse and slap another patch over the exit wound. Mic cried as she watched the pain cross her beloved GrandyTa's face.

"It's OK darling, I am OK" he assured her, grinding his teeth as he tried to sit back comfortably "But your Grandpapa is gonna have a cow the size of this Jeep at your mama."

She sniffled, then giggled softly as she agreed.

Grandpapa would certainly have words for her mama who should have left when the phone text came instead of trying to get her husband to come with.

But Mic did not say that. She knew better than to anger her mother any more than she already was.

.

.

"Shit! Is that…"

Shelby's roar had Ianto lifting his head from Rhianon's shoulder to look up at the choppers whirring overhead. Then he checked his pocket watch.

"Fuck… we missed the wheels up time, they had to take off without us. Jack will be going spare" he grunted "Colony Two… floor it darling. Loose these pricks in the tree cover."

"You need to hold on Grandy, I need to go hard" Shelby snarled, her hands tightening on the wheel.

"Punch it."