A Galaxy Apart

The Last Problem

Ianto hurries up and enters the hotel reception. He is just about to ask something but -
"ID, please" a woman at the reception says bored.
"What? I thought -"
"ID or go home boy" she looks up. Ianto's eyes widen. She has violet skin with scales on her arms and sensors on her head which seem to glow sometimes. He swallows and takes out his ID to hand it over and she checks him in.
After a minute she hands it back "thank you, Mister Jones. Enjoy yourself."
"My ID works?" Ianto asks surprised without thinking.
"of course. Now go. I don't have all day"
"Right. Of course..."

Ianto walks into the casino and stops. It is huge. Bigger than he has ever seen one before. He hadn't visited many yet but this one would even outnumber all the casinos in Las Vegas. A blowfish bumps into him "hey take care earthling!" he groans and heads away. Ianto clears his throat and remembers why he came here. He looks around and walks along the many tables, bumping regularly into other people. But Ianto doesn't care.. He's so close. So close.
All the people around him and the noise confuse him so much that his head starts buzzing, he's getting lost without orientation. He turns around and around, looking for a man in the dark blue army coat, his brown hair, tall figure and...and who was right now getting into the lift. The Welshman hurries up and almost runs up to him shouting his name.
"Jack! Jack! Wait for me!"
But the elevator doors close just as soon as he arrives there. Angrily he hammers against the door and presses the button to take the next one. He was so close. So so close. He is sure it was Jack. It had to be. Ianto closes his eyes and breathes in a certain scent. Yes, Jack's aftershave and...51st century pheromones. He smiles slightly to himself before another elevator arrives next to him. He heads inside, but he has no idea which floor Jack went to until he suddenly crunches down on the floor exhausted. A sudden headache and a bit of pain are buzzing up his head.
He leans against the wall and swallows heavily. What the hell was that? He doesn't know. And it doesn't matter. Now he's sure Jack is here somewhere. He has to. But where would he go? What place would Captain Jack Harkness like to visi-
Of course. The rooftop...

The lift arrives at its final destination and Jack stumbles outwards. His stomach stops hurting for a moment and he stands up, looking around. He makes a few steps forward , but no one is here. Impossible. Lanister has to be here, he has to-
A sudden shiver runs down Jack's spine as he feels the cold touch of a gun on his neck.
"Hallo, Jack."
"Lanister"
"Yep. Had your fun at the poker table? You were good. The only one who's thoughts I almost couldn't read. Reading you is difficult. But after a while they all give in."
'Am I right?' his voice echoes in Jack's head
"Stop it!"
"No. You are a threat. You traveled across the whole galaxy just to find me."
"And I found you. And I'll take the necklace. You're too dangerous too walk around with it" Jack almost barks at him.
"Oh please. As like you didn't know I am. I could do so so much with it. Rob banks. Steal from the greatest museums in the galaxy and even make empires and governments fall" he smiles with a creepy grin.
"You're insane! Why would you do that? What's the gain of it! Why are you doing this?" Jack asks and slowly some anger comes up his throat.
"Because I can" he grins.
"That's how gods talk. Or how people talk who think they are God" Jack turns around slowly.
"Who knows. Maybe I am one of those people. But I don't care. This thing gives me so much power it's incredible."
"It will destroy you sooner or later. I know it. I had something like this already and the dirty thoughts of people will kill you. It will show you how people really are. You'll be disgusted. And it will drive you crazy." Jack tries to sound convincingly but his eyes are fixed at the gun pointing right at his head.
"I have heard people's thoughts. And you're right. They are disgusting. But if this is the price I'm ready to pay it."
"You are already insane"
"Maybe. But I'll drive you insane too. Because I can hurt you. And I want to"
"Why? What have I done to you?"
Jack shakes his head a bit in confusion. What wad Lanister doing? He is surely insane and definitely a sadist. But the man looks with cold eyes at him.
"Nothing. You're just getting into my way." he says in an almost platonic tone.
"I'm just... This is just a job."
"turn around. Face the city. And make a few steps forward"
Jack closes his eyes for a moment and does as he's told. He walks up the the cornice and looks down at the street below him. This was the 80th floor. They were high above anything else. No other building was this tall and no one could reach them.
"That's it. Good boy, look down. That's where you'll jump too in a few minutes. Or I'll make you."
Jack swallows heavily and looks down.
"I don't want to jump. Just shoot me. It would hurt way less."
"Who are you to judge?"
"Please, don't do this."
Lanister keeps his eyes fixed on him.
"You want more than that. Don't you?"
"I don't know what you're talking about James"
"you want me dead and my bounty" his voice sounds a bit panically, nervous and full of suspicion.
"No, all I want is the necklace." Jack tries to tell him in a calm tone.
"No, you're my problem. My last and final problem and you have to die. Or you'll be in my way."
Jack thinks for a moment, shall he turn around? He'd just get shot. He'd die anyways. Get pushed down the roof top. Or both. What could he possibly do. What could he do?
"Do you need a little push or will you do me the favor and kill you yourself?"
"I won't do anything. And you can't kill me." Jack makes a slow move to turn around but Lanister keeps his gun pinned against his neck
"No no. You don't turn around. Don't do it."
"Why? Can't look me in the eye when you shoot me?"
"No but this makes it more fun"
"you're insane."
"No. I am not. But willing enough to pull the trigger" he makes a step away
"just don't try to do anything stupid, Harkness. It won't help."
Jack knows that. Even if he gets shot, the guy would just walk away and all the work he did would be useless. He wouldn't find him again. This seems to be a dead end. Whatever he thinks about it won't end well and the guy behind the gun would get away as well...
No way out. Jack is the last problem James has. And he will hurt Jack in the one or other way...