19

Ianto sat tall in the saddle, looking down over the village below and the Zombies clearly going about their business-like drunk residents of a normal township. One had a postal bag slung over its shoulder and was stomping to each letterbox along the street, then opening it to peer inside, then looking around as if confused before moving on to the next one.

Another Zombie was wearing a fluorescent safety vest and was diligently sweeping the… grass.

Looks like they retain some of their core memories of their normally assigned tasks but not all of them were getting it right, but they seemed aware of one another and were calmly moving around like it was just another day, albeit with a massive hangover or something.

"What do you think?" Jack whispered softly.

"Well… there are thing we need down there but also… they are working well like little security dogs and if we can leave as many intact as we can, it will dissuade anyone else coming along from lingering too long, or heading towards us as the only way to us is through them." Ianto answered. "Like a castle moat full of fucking sharks."

"They were not here when we came through" Owen pointed out, clutching the pommel of his saddle with a determined look on his face even as he still looked like he was about to fall off.

"They were. I think it was a time thing. Maybe they all headed to one place at a certain time of the day… hang on… another hour and it will be when we moved through. If I am right, they will all move to one end of the village and it is the right time to sneak in and fill a couple of shopping trolleys, then get back out. If we do it that way, we might get what we need without killing any and upsetting this delicate dance they are all doing." Ianto offered.

"So what do you suggest?"

"Well… do they react to fire? Can we set fire to something and see if they run towards it or away from it?"

Everyone turned to look at Owen who seemed surprised by their faces "What?"

"Owen, that is a great idea. Something small so when we know we can use something big" Jack said with a nod of his head.

And so…. They set fire to a shed.

And watched.

"You know, I should have packed a picnic lunch for this" Ianto quipped after a while and more than one laughed softly, trying to remain quiet as below there was a surprise reaction to the fire.

They did not run away… but towards. Not in fear or out of need to put it out but…. To watch it.

"Interesting. They are drawn to the flames" Owen muttered "What would fireworks do?"

Again, others turned to him with surprise bur Ianto was nodding "I thought that too. A loud commotion, but now I see this… fireworks might enthrall them too. Good work Owen."

Jack shook his head as Ianto gave the idea to Owen and made him all the better for it. This man does not like praise or even recognition, so willing to let others be the ones with the limelight.

As always even back during his long hours working on other's projects, Ianto was happy to be part of the team even if he was always trying to be in the shadows of it.

And Jack knew he could not stand the thought of losing him.

.

.

One of the stores had been scoped out by an overly excited acidic doctor, moving around in the tree line like some sort of weird miniature Big Foot. "This one… at the end of the street… it's a sort of anything goes kinda place you get out here in the sticks… you know… an emporium or whatever they are called, look in the window at the posters. Fireworks for sale!"

They all leaned in to look at the screen of the digital camera screen and they saw the enlarged photo of the window. Yeah, fireworks for some sort of celebration for the New Year coming up… that would never happen, and it was sad to see.

Also there was something behind the large sign for the store's Christas hours… well… the Zombie currently in the screen with one hand reaching for the door made Ianto's blood run cold as it was clearly turning over the open/closed sign.

Oh shit.

Ianto glanced at Jack who had clearly clocked the image as well and they shared a silent agreement not to point it out to the others as this might hinder things. Not only was that Zombie clearly aware… it was inside the fucking shop. Would it leave the store to run to the fire? Would it stay? Make noise to alert the others? Who knows.

But they had to think this through.