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fandomweekly2024-03-22 02:06 pm
badly_knitted) wrote in fandomweekly2024-03-22 02:06 pm
Entry tags:
[#213] Complications (Torchwood)
Theme Prompt: #213 – Protection
Title: Complications
Fandom: Torchwood
Rating/Warnings: PG
Bonus: Yes
Word Count: 1000
Summary: Sometimes, even a supposedly simple retrieval mission can develop unexpected complications.
It was supposed to be a simple Rift retrieval, an inanimate object, nothing sinister; just another bit of junk plucked from some other world, some other time, and dumped in Cardiff. Business as usual for Torchwood. Since it was already late, the rest of the team having left hours ago, Jack and Ianto hadn’t bothered with calling anyone else in; there’d been no point in waking their colleagues when the two of them were perfectly capable of dealing with whatever had come through. It wasn’t as if they’d never dealt with this kind of stuff before.
Ianto was quite enjoying the excursion. It was a clear spring night with a brisk breeze, pleasant weather to be out in after he’d spent most of the day in the archives, continuing the never-ending task of sorting the random bits and pieces Torchwood had collected over the last century or so. Neither he nor Jack was in any great rush to return to the Hub; their plan was to find the item, then make their way back to the SUV at a leisurely pace. They didn’t get enough evenings like this.
Unfortunately, as so often was the case with Torchwood business, things didn’t exactly go to plan. They located their prize easily enough, but whatever it was, it had already attracted the attention of four large, aggressive bull Weevils, an added complication but not necessarily an insurmountable one.
No one ever went out on a retrieval without making sure they had the standard equipment with them for dealing with curious Weevils, so both men were armed not just with their guns but with Weevil spray, Weevil hand clamps, sedatives, and hoods, because Weevils were always calmer when hooded. Jack and Ianto had plenty of experience with capturing Weevils, and one or two would have caused then no trouble at all. Even three would, in most cases, have been manageable, but four was pushing it a bit, especially since these were some of the biggest either man had ever encountered.
They were also less than friendly, hunching their shoulders and snarling the moment they caught sight and scent of the two humans.
“Maybe we should back off and call the rest of the team,” Ianto suggested.
“Yeah, that would probably be the smart thing to do,” Jack agreed. “Only, something tells me these boys aren’t going to give us the chance.”
Jack was right; even if they called fort assistance right now, there was no way their colleagues would reach them in time. Already the Weevils were moving towards them, teeth bared and claws at the ready, and Jack shifted position, putting himself between the savage creatures and Ianto.
“Stay behind me.”
“Don’t be stupid, Jack! You can’t tackle four adult males by yourself!”
“I know, but I can protect you while you pick them off. As much as I hate to admit it, I don’t think we’ve got any hope of taking them alive.” Jack had his Webley in one hand and a can of Weevil spray in the other.
“You’re suggesting we just… shoot them?”
“I’m suggesting we do whatever it takes to get out of this alive.”
“Maybe if we just disable them…” Ianto trailed off as two more Weevils appeared on the scene. “Or we could run for it.”
“Running, I like that idea. How far to the SUV?”
“Half a mile, give or take.”
“Okay, you get it, and I’ll hold these guys off while you make your escape.”
“Damnit, Jack, I’m not letting you just throw your life away!”
“I’m hoping it won’t come to that, but if it does, I’ll come back. You won’t.” Jack’s voice sounded strained. “I can’t lose you!”
“I don’t want to lose you either.”
“You won’t, not permanently. Stop arguing; just go.”
“Come with me. Maybe we can find somewhere more defensible and call the others.”
“Fine, but you go ahead of me, I’ll follow.” Jack took aim at the nearest Weevil and fired. The bullet stung it and it howled, falling back, the others hesitating too. “Go!” Jack yelled, and Ianto turned, breaking into a sprint, Jack pounding after him.
Every few hundred yards, Jack spun around to fire off another shot at the pursuing Weevils, but he couldn’t take the time to aim, so it didn’t do much to deter them. Every time he paused, they were closer, but Ianto was getting further and further away, and that was all that mattered to Jack. His own life wasn’t important, as long as Ianto got away.
Ianto could see the SUV ahead, only a couple of hundred yards away, when he realised he could no longer hear Jack behind him, and he slowed, looking back. By the fitful light of the moon, he could just make out the Weevils clustering around something on the ground and he stopped dead, started back the way he’d come, raising his gun, before he came to his senses. What good would it do if he charged back and tried to chase the Weevils off his lover? Jack was probably dead already, and if not, he soon would be. There was only one sensible option.
Turning once more, he ran to the SUV, triggering the locks as he went and diving into the driver’s seat. Gunning the engine, he turned the lights on full and drove straight at the cluster of Weevils, horn blaring.
Shocked by the noise and light, they flinched back, then scattered. Ianto slammed the brakes on, jerking to a halt beside Jack and jumping out.
Unsurprisingly, Jack was dead, chest torn open by savage teeth and claws. All Ianto could do now was cradle his fallen lover and wait for him to revive. Fifteen very long minutes later, he did.
“Ianto,” Jack croaked. “Thought I told you to run.”
“I did.” Ianto gestured to the SUV. “I brought reinforcements.” He smiled crookedly. “Couldn’t let you come back alone. I'm always going to be here for you if I can. No matter what.”
The End
Ianto was quite enjoying the excursion. It was a clear spring night with a brisk breeze, pleasant weather to be out in after he’d spent most of the day in the archives, continuing the never-ending task of sorting the random bits and pieces Torchwood had collected over the last century or so. Neither he nor Jack was in any great rush to return to the Hub; their plan was to find the item, then make their way back to the SUV at a leisurely pace. They didn’t get enough evenings like this.
Unfortunately, as so often was the case with Torchwood business, things didn’t exactly go to plan. They located their prize easily enough, but whatever it was, it had already attracted the attention of four large, aggressive bull Weevils, an added complication but not necessarily an insurmountable one.
No one ever went out on a retrieval without making sure they had the standard equipment with them for dealing with curious Weevils, so both men were armed not just with their guns but with Weevil spray, Weevil hand clamps, sedatives, and hoods, because Weevils were always calmer when hooded. Jack and Ianto had plenty of experience with capturing Weevils, and one or two would have caused then no trouble at all. Even three would, in most cases, have been manageable, but four was pushing it a bit, especially since these were some of the biggest either man had ever encountered.
They were also less than friendly, hunching their shoulders and snarling the moment they caught sight and scent of the two humans.
“Maybe we should back off and call the rest of the team,” Ianto suggested.
“Yeah, that would probably be the smart thing to do,” Jack agreed. “Only, something tells me these boys aren’t going to give us the chance.”
Jack was right; even if they called fort assistance right now, there was no way their colleagues would reach them in time. Already the Weevils were moving towards them, teeth bared and claws at the ready, and Jack shifted position, putting himself between the savage creatures and Ianto.
“Stay behind me.”
“Don’t be stupid, Jack! You can’t tackle four adult males by yourself!”
“I know, but I can protect you while you pick them off. As much as I hate to admit it, I don’t think we’ve got any hope of taking them alive.” Jack had his Webley in one hand and a can of Weevil spray in the other.
“You’re suggesting we just… shoot them?”
“I’m suggesting we do whatever it takes to get out of this alive.”
“Maybe if we just disable them…” Ianto trailed off as two more Weevils appeared on the scene. “Or we could run for it.”
“Running, I like that idea. How far to the SUV?”
“Half a mile, give or take.”
“Okay, you get it, and I’ll hold these guys off while you make your escape.”
“Damnit, Jack, I’m not letting you just throw your life away!”
“I’m hoping it won’t come to that, but if it does, I’ll come back. You won’t.” Jack’s voice sounded strained. “I can’t lose you!”
“I don’t want to lose you either.”
“You won’t, not permanently. Stop arguing; just go.”
“Come with me. Maybe we can find somewhere more defensible and call the others.”
“Fine, but you go ahead of me, I’ll follow.” Jack took aim at the nearest Weevil and fired. The bullet stung it and it howled, falling back, the others hesitating too. “Go!” Jack yelled, and Ianto turned, breaking into a sprint, Jack pounding after him.
Every few hundred yards, Jack spun around to fire off another shot at the pursuing Weevils, but he couldn’t take the time to aim, so it didn’t do much to deter them. Every time he paused, they were closer, but Ianto was getting further and further away, and that was all that mattered to Jack. His own life wasn’t important, as long as Ianto got away.
Ianto could see the SUV ahead, only a couple of hundred yards away, when he realised he could no longer hear Jack behind him, and he slowed, looking back. By the fitful light of the moon, he could just make out the Weevils clustering around something on the ground and he stopped dead, started back the way he’d come, raising his gun, before he came to his senses. What good would it do if he charged back and tried to chase the Weevils off his lover? Jack was probably dead already, and if not, he soon would be. There was only one sensible option.
Turning once more, he ran to the SUV, triggering the locks as he went and diving into the driver’s seat. Gunning the engine, he turned the lights on full and drove straight at the cluster of Weevils, horn blaring.
Shocked by the noise and light, they flinched back, then scattered. Ianto slammed the brakes on, jerking to a halt beside Jack and jumping out.
Unsurprisingly, Jack was dead, chest torn open by savage teeth and claws. All Ianto could do now was cradle his fallen lover and wait for him to revive. Fifteen very long minutes later, he did.
“Ianto,” Jack croaked. “Thought I told you to run.”
“I did.” Ianto gestured to the SUV. “I brought reinforcements.” He smiled crookedly. “Couldn’t let you come back alone. I'm always going to be here for you if I can. No matter what.”
The End
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