Torchwood Novel - In The Shadows Transcript Part 4

[nothing_rhymes_with_ianto]

Chapter 16

“Hello? Is anyone there?”

There was a pause and then Jack replied into his bluetooth. “Yes?”

“Is this Jack Harkness?”

“Yes.”

“It’s St. Helen’s Hospital, here. I’m afraid I have some bad news.”

Jack, still crouched on the boardroom floor, looking at Ianto’s broken skeleton, just laughed. “Let me guess. It’s Owen and Tosh? They’re dead?”

“Um, yes,” the woman sounded surprised. “Owen Harper and Toshiko Sato.”

Jack shrugged. “Yeah. What was it?”

“They were in a car accident, Mr. Harkness. I’m sorry, we did everything we could, but we couldn’t save them.”

“Of course you couldn’t. This is hell. I’m killing my friends, stamping on people’s heads… this is my hell. Of course they’re dead.”

“I’m sorry, sir. I don’t-“

The woman’s voice cut off as Jack ripped off his bluetooth. He sat there in the shadows, listening to the whispering voices. They’re dead. They’re all dead because of you. They’ve all fallen. Jack pressed his hands to his ears. “Stop it. Leave me alone.” But the whispering voices just sniggered and carried on singing. “Ring-a-ring-a-roses. A pocket full of poses. A tissue, a tissue. We all fall down. Ring-a-ring-a-roses. A pocket full of poses. A tissue….”

Chapter 17

“Stop that now,” Gwen commanded and she hammered on the glass.

Patrick Jefferson stopped singing and looked up at her. “Gwen Cooper. Adulteress.”

“I prefer Gwen Cooper, Secret Agent, myself but whatever makes you happy.” Gwen was trying her hardest to keep things light. She’d managed to hold it together for the others, only opening up to Rhys. She knew that there had to be a way to get Jack back, and she knew that Patrick Jefferson would be the answer. But even looking at him was difficult.

“What do you want Ms. Cooper, I’m tired,” the man said.

“I want you to tell me where you found the matches.”

“They were sent to me. By god. They’re his Lucifer’s. His angels.”

Gwen felt Ianto tense up behind her. She knew he was struggling to keep his emotions in check and she’d considered just letting him go into the cell. Letting him beat the truth out of Jefferson. But she knew that wouldn’t achieve anything. Jefferson was clearly psychotic. “Okay,” she said. “When did you first start doing god’s work?”

Jefferson looked up at her. “What?”

“You say you’re working for god. So when did he first speak to you?”

Darren returned to Owen and Tosh with the coffees he’d just made. Part of him wanted to babble about how he made the coffee at work, and how this was all quite normal, and that there was nothing to worry about, but he didn’t. For possibly the first time in his life, he stayed calm and quiet. He carefully placed the coffees in front of them and stood back, keeping out of the way.

He watched as Tosh flicked through what looked like hundreds of different windows on a computer screen. Medical notes, newspaper clippings, drivers’ license, school reports. “Any records Torchwood had about Huan particles were destroyed in the Battle of Canary Wharf,” she was telling Owen. “So, I’m focusing on Jefferson.”

“What’ve you got so far?” Owen asked.

“Born in 1963, to Christine Jefferson. Father unknown. She was arrested for prostitution four years later, and he was taken into care. He spent the next ten years in a Swansea children’s home.”

Owen nodded. “Okay, building up a profile. What happened to him?”

“Wait!” Tosh interrupted. “It was the Blue Bell Field Children’s Home. Why does that ring a bell?” As she started opening more windows on he screen, Darren found himself taking a step forward.

“It was closed down, wasn’t it? I remember it on the news. There were reports of kids being… you know. They said it went back years.“

Chapter 18

“He spoke to me when I was a child.”

Gwen nodded. “And what did he say?”

Patrick Jefferson was now sitting, legs crossed, looking up at her. “He said he would always look after me. Even when…” the man’s eyes went dark. “Even when the bad stuff happened.”

“What bad stuff, Patrick?”

Patrick began rocking backwards and forwards. He started to sing again. “Ring-a-ring-a-roses…”

“Please, Patrick. What happened?”

He looked down at the floor and his voice became childlike. “I used to sing, when they were sinning. When the bad things happened. I used to sing because that made me safe. Like god makes me safe. He stops the sinners, doesn’t he?”

Gwen was about to speak when Ianto came and stood beside her. “Mr. Jefferson. Patrick,” he said, then he crouched down, level with the prisoner. “You wanted to punish the sinners, yes?” Jefferson nodded. “The matchbox. Where did you find it?”

“I told you, god sent it to me!”

Ianto cleared his throat. “How?”

“It came in the post.”

Darren and Owen were standing to one side, letting Toshiko continue with her work. “So, we know why he did it,” said Darren. “But how? What’s in the matchbox?”

Owen frowned. “The energy it uses to transport people was created by… some old colleagues of ours. But how it ended up with Jefferson, I don’t know. You got anything, Tosh?”

She nodded, still working urgently at her workstation. They ran over to her. “Earlier, I identified the Huon energy when I was examining the CCTV of Steven Ballard being taken. I stored the particle composition into the system here, and I left some tests running, which…” she trailed off and blushed. “Sorry. Giving you all the science again.”

Owen smiled gently at her. “It’s okay. What’ve you found out?”

She took a breath. “If someone opened the matchbox again, if someone else went to hell from here inside the Hub, I think the system could lock onto them and bring them back.”

Owen looked at her. “You think? That’s a hell of a chance to take if you’re not sure.” He waited for her to say, ‘Okay, I’m sure. I’m 100% sure.’ But she didn’t.

Chapter 19

Gwen was sitting down next to Ianto, talking to Jefferson. “God sent you his angels in the post?” she found herself asking.

Jefferson nodded. “There was a note. It said that he knew I’d been sinned against, and that I could now punish all sinners. This was a few years ago, and I didn’t know what to do at first. I tested it on my dog, because my dog had bitten me. And he went away. He went to hell.”

“And then you started using it on people?” Gwen asked.

“Dirty beggars, at first. They deserve it with their drugs and their alcohol and…” he broke off suddenly, giggling. “Nobody missed them, nobody! They deserve their punishment. Big issue, help the homeless! Just get a bloody job!” he stopped giggling, serious again. “But after a while they weren’t enough. They weren’t the real sinners.”

Ianto’s voice was low and steady but Gwen could tell he was burning inside. “It’s not your place to punish sin,” he said. “God said we should forgive.”

Jefferson looked up, surprised. “You’re a believer?”

Ianto shrugged. “I dabble.”

Jefferson shook his head. “The angels told me to punish, not forgive. That’s why I send the sinners to hell.”

“The voices, the angels... are just in your head,” said Gwen. “The matches create an energy that transports people. It’s science, Jefferson. Not god.”

“No, it’s the angels. Punish, not forgive. Punish, not forgive.”

Sensing Ianto next to her, Gwen turned, just in time to see him stand up. “Where you going?”

He looked down at her. “If this man can punish Jack, I can forgive him.”

By the time Gwen had realized what he meant and jumped up, Ianto was already running.

Chapter 20

Owen was holding the box of matches. “What about one of the Weevils? We could send a Weevil through and see if you can bring it back.”

Darren remembered the strange, frankly terrifying creature he’d seen down in the cells. “Wouldn’t it attack Jack?”

Toshiko nodded. “One of us would have to go.”

Suddenly Darren heard the sound of running footsteps. In the distance, he could hear Gwen shouting. He looked down at the lower level and jumped, as Ianto clattered through a door and onto the metal walkway. “Give me the matches!” he shouted as he ran towards them.

Owen held onto them. “What?”

Ianto ran over to him. “I said give me the matches!”

Owen shook his head. “Why?”

“The voices in Jefferson’s head told him to punish the sinners. If I go to hell, I can forgive Jack!”

Owen almost laughed. “Ianto, you’re talking about it as if hell’s real. Jack’s not in hell, well…not hell hell. He’s gone to some other planet or dimension or something, not hell. Forgiving him won’t bring him back.”

Ianto, catching his breath, started to calm down. “I’m sorry. Of course, you’re right.”

Gwen came crashing through the door. “Owen, stop him!” Owen turned to her, giving Ianto the opportunity to grab his arm and snatch the matches from his hand. Owen fell backwards, grabbing a railing to stay upright.

Toshiko ran to her computer and desperately started to work. “Ianto, wait! Please! I think if you go, I can bring you back, but you have to wait for me to…” she broke off as Ianto opened the box of matches. Darren stared, horrified, ad the shadow emerged. He turned and watched Toshiko still working. “Please, Ianto!” she shouted. “The program’s only at 91%!” But the shadow didn’t wait. It rumbled over Ianto and took him into the darkness.

Chapter 21

Jack Harkness was in his office. He was alone because everyone was dead. The creatures, the ones from his nightmares, had come to Earth and they destroyed everything. He was alone in the dark. It was dark because all the lights had gone out. The creatures had destroyed every power station on the planet. No electricity, no light. He was alone in the shadows.

He’d tried shooting himself in the two years that he’d been in the darkness. But of course, that hadn’t worked. Because he would never die. He knew that. He knew that he was starting to get confused by things. He was starting to think about things that didn’t make sense. But even as he felt his mind crumbling away, he knew he would never die. That he would be here for eternity. Jack Harkness was in hell.

Three years later and he was lying down in the cold, dank water at the base of water tower. He was lying face down, his lungs slowly filling with the water that he knew wouldn’t kill him. He was trying to remember the faces of people. There’d been someone called Gwen and a doctor. Their faces were there, sort of. Somewhere in his mind. But they were fractured like shards of glass. He giggled, choking on some water as a random memory of putting his boot through a television screen suddenly appeared in his mind. He’d liked television. He remembered. He could see himself watching it on a Sunday morning with… someone. Ianto someone. He’d liked Ianto but he couldn’t remember what he looked like either. And as the black water filled his body, and he tried to remember Ianto’s face, an angel appeared.

He felt the angel first. Felt its hand on his shoulder. Felt its hands lifting him out of the water. Then he’d seen the angel. It looked like a man in a suit. A handsome man, in a nice suit. A man who then kissed him, gently. He stared at the angel and tried to speak but the angel shook his head.

“It’s okay. I’m here.” The angel took Jack’s hands and held them tight. “I’m here, and I forgive you.”

Light suddenly filled the Hub, blinding Jack and he panicked as he felt something dragging him, pulling at him. The shadows were exploding into light and his body was screaming in agony as he was pulled away, away from hell, out of hell, and into… light.

Chapter 22

Darren stared at the two men who appeared out of thin air. Which was mental. But mental was normal, today.

Ianto was holding Jack’s hands as the captain gasped for air. “What? What happened?”

Ianto didn’t answer. Jack turned to look at Toshiko. “I… I was able to bring you back. The system locked onto the Huon particles and brought you back!”

Ianto turned to Jack again, grabbed him, and held onto him. “We thought we’d lost you.”

Jack started to calm down, held him tight. “You saved me.”

And as Owen, Gwen, and Toshiko ran to join them, Darren stood back. He looked over at Toshiko’s computer, at the reading on the screen. Program 96% complete. He stayed quiet.

It was a clear night as Darren Sowisby stepped off the magic, invisible lift and back into the real world. He looked up at the stars in the sky, suddenly realizing what each one really meant. He looked down towards the bay, past the different coloured lights that lined each side of Roald Dahl Plass, and looked out at the water. From all around him he could hear the sounds of people heading out to restaurants, cafes, bars, clubs. People laughing and chatting and arguing. Everything had changed but everything was normal. And it looked and sounded so beautiful.

“It’s good, isn’t it?” said Jack.

Darren nodded. “So what was all that?”

Jack shook his head. “I don’t know. My guess would be that someone at Torchwood One created the matchbox and, knowing he was sick, they choose Patrick at random. They posted it to him, told him to use it. Maybe it was some kind of experiment. There were some real oddballs working there.”

“Well thank god you lot are so completely and utterly normal,” Darren replied, ever so innocently.

Jack laughed, then stopped. “I wonder. I wonder if they made any other Lucifer’s.” Then he shook his head. “If they did, we’ll find them. But not tonight.”

“Excuse me,” said Gwen’s voice from behind them. “Are we standing here all evening then?” Jack and Darren stood back as she brought Jefferson down from the lift, which now looked like an ordinary paving stone. Suddenly Gwen shouted out, “Oh, Andy, what’s occurring?”

Darren turned to see a policeman, one he vaguely recognized from this morning, walking towards them. “Alright Gwen,” he said. “And hello again, Mr. Jefferson.” Patrick Jefferson just stared at him. “Not very chatty, are you?” The policeman took Jefferson’s arm, ready to take him away. “Thanks, Gwen. Really appreciate this.”

Gwen put a hand on his arm. “If it wasn’t for you, we wouldn’t have known about him. Thank you.”

The policeman suddenly grinned. “Yeah. You’re right. The lads at the nick are gonna love this. PC Andy’s got himself a serial killer.”

“Careful,” replied Gwen, grinning back at him. “You’ll be pushing for promotion, next.”

“Maybe I’ll be after your job.”

Jack joined them, laughing. “Oh, I don’t think so. Gwen’s so much prettier than you.”

“That’s the reason you keep her on, then? Yeah, it was the same at the station. Not much in the brains department, but nice to look at.”

Gwen growled as the two men laughed. “You’re a dead man, Andy Davidson. And as for you, Jack. Oh... I’ll think of something.”

Darren watched as Andy led Jefferson away. And he breathed out. The man who’d killed Steve was going to face justice.

Chapter 23

It wouldn’t bring Steve back, but at least other people would be safe. That was good.

“Darren!” called a voice. He turned to see Ianto walking up from the bay.

“Hey, Ianto,” he replied. “How’s it going?”

Ianto came and stood next to him, and they watched Gwen and Jack laughing. “Jefferson gone, then?”

Darren nodded, then turned to face him. “Won’t they have a problem, though? I mean, nobody’s going to believe that...” his voice trailed off as he tried to think of the simplest way to describe what he’d seen. “The magic alien matchbox... things. The, um, shadows from hell, or whatever?”

Ianto grinned at him. “All sorted. Owen and Tosh are round at Jefferson’s now. They’re planting some spare bodies in his cellar.”

“Oh, nice.”

“Welcome to Torchwood.”

Darren laughed, still so amazed by it all. Then he stopped. “And, um. What about me?” Ianto raised an eyebrow. “I mean, I’ve seen what you’ve all got down there. I know about Jefferson, and I saw you and Jack come back from hell and... earlier while you were all in your meeting room, I think I saw... well it sounds stupid, really, but I think I saw a pterodactyl? Underground, in your underground alien base, thing?” He shook his head. “I’ve seen it all, so... well does that make me dangerous?”

Ianto looked at him, and suddenly there was so much pain in his eyes. “I’m sorry, Darren, but yes. Where do you think we get the spare bodies from?”

For the tiniest, briefest moment, Darren panicked, and then almost immediately he started to laugh. “Yeah, alright, Ianto. Funny guy.”

“I try,” Ianto replied. “As for you, well... We’ve got this thing. Retcon.”

Jack and Gwen, their arms linked, came over and joined them. “Oh, I don’t think we need to bother with that, do we?” said Jack. Gwen and Ianto stared at him, clearly surprised. “I died today - went to hell, whatever. Maybe I’ve got a new appreciation for life. I don’t know. Darren, you understand, you can’t tell anyone about us.”

“Yes, sir,” Darren replied.

“Well, if you do, we’ll be after you. And trust me, there are worse fates than death.” Jack was still smiling but Darren could tell he was serious about keeping the whole thing secret.

“Nono, I understand, really, I do, and I promise, I swear, I won’t tell anyone.”

“Good man,” Jack replied. “Well. Maybe we’ll see you around.”

Ianto reached out and shook Darren’s hand. “Thanks mate,” said Darren. “Thanks for, you know.”

“Not a problem, Mr. Sowisby. It was a pleasure to meet you.” Then Jack and Ianto linked arms and started to walk back towards the bay.

“No long goodbyes, then?” asked Darren, turning to face Gwen. He suddenly felt very hot as she took his hand.

“Not our style. Thanks for all your help today.” Darren nodded, trying to think of something to say, then he blushed as Gwen pulled him into a hug. She stepped back and smiled at him. “Before you go, just one thing?” she said. “Are you happy working at that finance place? Was that really what you wanted to do?”

Darren shook his head. “Um, well no. Actually, when I was a kid... I always wanted to be-“

Gwen cut him off. “It doesn’t matter. Whatever it was, go and do it, yeah? Afterlife or no afterlife, you only get one chance here. So don’t waste it, yeah?”

He smiled as she pulled back from him. “I won’t. Thank you.” Darren watched as Gwen ran off after Jack and Ianto. He looked down at the paving stone that he knew was really an invisible lift. He looked up at the stars and the moon and the whole universe that was out there and he started to walk.

Chapter 24

Andy Davidson was whistling tunelessly as he turned the car into Cathays Park. “That’s us here, then. You alright back there?” He glanced in the mirror as Jefferson stared out of the window, the man muttered something. “What was that?”

Jefferson turned suddenly and stared at Andy’s reflection. “I said arrogance is a sin.”

“Oh, don’t start all that with me. It’s over, yeah? Let it go.” Andy stopped the car and got out, looking up at the police station entrance. “Yeah,” he grinned. “PC Andy – no. Captain Andy’s got a result.”

Inside the car, Jefferson chuckled to himself. “Over? You think I’m the only one? You really think I’m the only one searching out the sinners? You think I’m the only one god sent his angels to?” He leant back in the seat and closed his eyes. And as Andy opened the door and took his arm, Jefferson began to sing. “Ring-a-ring-a-roses. A pocket full of poses...”

“Okay, so hell,” asked Owen, returning with a round of drinks, “What’s that all about?” They were sitting around a table in the Crown & Thistle, finally able to relax after what Ianto kept calling ‘One Hell of a Day’.

Jack shrugged. “It was hell. That’s all.”

“Yeah, but where is it? Are we talking some dimension where your nightmares come true or...” Owen trailed off. The others all looked at Jack.

“What?”

“Hell,” asked Toshiko, carefully. “The system kept a lock on Ianto. But the coordinates, they weren’t... well, they weren’t coordinates. They were wrong. Hell, is it real? Is it a real place?”

Jack paused, then laughed, shaking his head. “No, course not. The system didn’t recognize the coordinates because we were in some other dimension. Remember Suzie? She told us that after you die it’s just dark. There’s nothing there.”

“She also said that there was something watching. Waiting,” said Ianto, sipping his lager.

“Well, I guess we’ll never know,” Jack grinned. “It’s more interesting that way.”

Chapter 25

Owen took a big gulp of Guinness and belched, earning a disapproving glance from Toshiko. “Yeah, thanks for that, Jack. There was me looking forward to a bit of peace and quiet when I go and now... there’s an afterlife. Brilliant.”

Jack smiled, innocently. “Well, if you’ve all been good little boys and girls, you’ve nothing to worry about, have you?”

And very quickly, the five friends decided to change the subject. “So, Gwen,” asked Toshiko. “How are the wedding plans going?”

“Oh, my god! Rhys!” Gwen started to fumble for her mobile. “I said I’d call him. He’s probably going out of his mind.”

“Maybe this’ll help,” said Jack, pulling an envelop out of his pocket. He pushed it across the table towards her.

She looked down at it, then back up at him. “What?”

“Open it.”

She opened it and took out two plane tickets. “Paris?!”

Jack nodded. “You need a break. There’s been so much going on recently and I think you need to focus on Rhys for a while. Get away from Cardiff, us, and just have a weekend of Gwen and Rhys being... couple-y.”

“You mean it?” Gwen’s face broke into a huge grin. “Oh, Jack. Thank you.”

“Just for the weekend, though. Want you back here, angst free, on Monday morning.”

She jumped up, grabbing her coat, then stopped. “But what about Torchwood? We don’t really do weekends.”

Jack stood up, and to everyone’s surprise, kissed her on the cheek. “We do now. Go on, we’ll still be here when you get back.”

“Oh this is brilliant. Thank you, Jack. I guess I’ll see you all on Monday, then.” Fumbling with her phone and pulling on her jacket, Gwen ran out of the pub.

Jack sat back down and sipped his water. He then became very aware of three pairs of eyes staring into him. Slowly, he looked up. Toshiko cleared her throat. Ianto turned away from him, Owen had his eyebrows raised. “What?” asked Jack.

“And what about the rest of us?” said Owen. “Don’t we get a weekend away? Not you and me, I mean. That would be weird. But Gwen gets Paris and we get...?” he stopped and sighed as a familiar loud, piercing beeping noise emanated out of Toshiko’s bag.

She downed her wine in one, earning herself an approving glance from Owen, and stood up. “Rift activity. Something coming through.”

And as they raced out of the pub, Jack laughed. “Sorry, Owen,” he said. “No rest for the wicked.”

Chapter 26

Shaftsbury Avenue. London. Music blasted through the doors of the White Rabbit pub as Johnny fell out, laughing. He managed to steady himself up against the wall as the girl, what’s her face, clattered out through the doors after him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and whispered into his ear. “Back to yours, then?”

Johnny laughed and nodded. “Come on,” he trailed off as he tried to remember her name. Not that it was important, really. He looked down at his watch, trying to focus. “It’s nearly three am. I think we might just have possibly missed the last tube.” The girl was already at the edge of the pavement, waving her arm, dangerously into the road and hollering for a taxi. Almost immediately a black cab pulled up.

Johnny and... was it Stacy? Stella? S something, clambered into the backseat, pulling the door shut behind them. “You’re not going to be sick, are you?” asked the taxi driver.

Johnny laughed. “You’re friendly. No mate, we’re not going to be sick.”

“Fair enough. Where ya heading?”

“Near Houston Station, thanks.” Johnny turned to look at the girl. “While the wife’s away, eh?” And as the taxi began its journey, the girl - pretty certain it began with an S – nuzzled Johnny’s neck. It wasn’t exactly turning him on, but at least she was still conscious. “Hey, mate!” Johnny leant forward. “Don’t suppose you’ll let me smoke, would ya? I’ll open the window. I’ll pay double fare, whatever you like.”

The taxi driver smiled into the mirror as he reached into the glove compartment. “Go for it. Mate. In fact, I think I’ve got a match here, somewhere.”

So there you go. That’s what happened. Did Jack go to hell? I don’t know. Is there life after death? I don’t know. But if there is, Owen, Tosh. I don’t really know what to say. I want you to know that we still miss you, but we’re carrying on. We’re still fighting. We’re still here, saving the world we love. And... I just hope that... if you are somewhere, it’s not... well. That it’s not hell. If you are somewhere then I hope you’re... God, I hope you’re so happy because you deserve it. Both of you. Sleep well.

Gwen Cooper, out.

Comments

[rabecka.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much for doing this. I would have bought this in a minute if it was a book, but I don't do well with audio - I miss too much. It's great to be able to read it.

[qafkinnetic.livejournal.com]

No problem!
I'm currently (very slowly) working on transcribing The Sin Eaters, so that one will go up next.
I'll do Everyone Says Hello and the radio plays at some point as well.

[rabecka.livejournal.com]

Ooo... looking forward to that one.

Everyone Says Hello was transcribed awhile back. You can find it at audio_text I think you have to join the community to see anything. The site hasn't been active for a long time, but there are a few things there.

[qafkinnetic.livejournal.com]

Oh, that's good! Although I may transcribe it anyone since my journal is public and everyone can see it and I like it when people have easy access to things like that.