The Orphan and Her Family

Chapter Forty-Five

Jack takes Sophie with him in search of Bilis, and Gwen insists on coming as well. Ianto is feeding Jack and Gwen information as to where to go. Jack leads the way, wrapping an arm around Sophie's shoulder, ushering her into a shop called 'A Stitch in Time' She chuckles, and leans a little more toward Jack, "Interesting name."

He smiles, and holds open the door for Gwen and Sophie. Gwen looks around the shop, clocks lining every available piece of wall space. "Wow. Some of this stuff must go back centuries."

"He scavenges antique pieces from the past, brings them here, sells them for a profit. Not a bad business plan," Jack says.

From behind the trio, a voice says, "We all have to earn a living."

Sophie jumps, and turns so quickly she almost falls over. Jack steadys her, as she makes eye contact with Bilis. "You were in 1941."

"As you were. Hello, again," he says, breezing past, and walking to the desk.

"How can you be in two time zones at once?" Gwen asks, taking a step toward him.

"I can step across eras, like you'd walk into another room. At first, it was the most incredible gift. Now I know the reality. It's a curse."

"What the f*ck are you?" Sophie whispers, studying his face.

"I can see the whole of history, but I don't belong anywhere within it," he continues, acting as if he didn't hear her question. He turns to look at Jack, "So, your return to this time had a price. Time's splintering. This city exists on a Rift in time. The only way to make it right is to fully open that Rift, let it suck back what fell through."

Sophie freezes, "No. No we can't." She approaches the man, "The consequences of doing that are disastrous. I don't know what you are, but you don't try to protect and uphold the timeline, like most time travellers. So, who, and what are you?"

"And yet, if you don't open the Rift, more will fall through. Lives will be lost."

Jack unholsters his revolver, and aims it at Bilis, "You know so much, you're coming back with us."

"I'm sorry," he says, and then vanishes.

"D*mn it," Jack swears, re-holstering his weapon. He touches his earpiece, "Trace the temporal activity around this location. We need to find out where he is." He grabs Sophie's arm, and pulls her after him, "Come on."

They continue down the street, slowing down when the Captain realises Gwen isn't behind them. Then, from behind them, Gwen goes sprinting past, running so fast that Jack can barely keep up.

***

Jack sends Sophie back to the Hub, and he and Gwen return a half hour later, Jack carrying another man over his shoulder. She glances over at Ianto, who leans toward her, "Rhys, her boyfriend."

She nods. Jack comes back a few minutes later without Rhys. "Is everything all right, Jack?"

He walks over to her, and shakes his head, but presses a kiss to her cheek. "No, but this should help to make everything that way."

Gwen walks back into the main room a few minutes later, looking sad. Jack turns to look at her, "Did he wake up?"

Gwen nods, "Yeah. Yeah, he did. Tosh, can you bring up the CCTV of the vaults?" The tech automatically nods, but the Welshwoman continues, "Er, just leave it on the screen. I know it sounds crazy, but..."

"Sure," Tosh nods, "no problem."

"Thank you for helping me bring him here," she adds, addressing Jack. He simply nods, smiling at her.

"I can't understand how Bilis was able to show you that vision.," Tosh says.

"What vision?" Sophie asks.

"Man, we really need to get you an earpiece," Jack sighs. "Bilis held Gwen's hands, and showed her Rhys, dead, in their flat."

"Right," she sighs, "I've been wracking my brain for any type of alien that could've done all of that, but I've got nothing."

Jack smiles at her, as Gwen sighs, "It was so real. I was in my flat. It smelt like my flat. It had all the sounds of my flat. I touched the blood. I can still feel it on my hands. Rhys's blood."

Jack steps toward the Welshwoman, taking her hand in his, "Not gonna happen," he smiles at her. "Come on," he releases her hand, and heads back to the staircase, "there's still work to be done."

The lights start to flicker, and Sophie glances around. The lights go all the way out, and Ianto asks, "What's going on?"

Tosh checks the device in her palm, "We've got a security breach."

"All right," Jack calls, "nobody panic."

Gwen turns quickly, and races back to the vaults.