On the run

Chapter 2

While Pete was talking with Jake and Mickey, Yvonne had not been idle. She had seen Pete and his 'friends' talking on their way out and wondered what they were up to. She turned to one of her advisers, someone who had recently turned against Pete.

"So Steve," Yvonne faced the young, slim man. "Now you're in my inner circle, time to tell me a few things."

"Err, what kind of things Yvonne? I can call you Yvonne now?"

"Stop being so nervous. Things like the low-down of all Pete Tyler's remaining supporters to start with. Do you think you'll be able to turn Jake and possibly Mickey?"

Steve didn't expect to have to 'turn' any of his former friends. He'd been well in with both senior Torchwood agents and especially Rose and he'd dared to ask her out a few times, just to the organization's charity event and the last Christmas party and she'd seemed to enjoy his company though Mickey had looked daggers at him on both occasions. Then he'd learned the two of them used to go out together when she had been adopted by Pete Tyler.

That alone had been a bit of a mystery, where she'd come from but she'd gradually talked a bit more to him about her past though now, Yvonne was expecting him to talk.

"Well, I'm waiting," Yvonne reminded him as the others left as she waved them out. "You lot, don't sit around all day doing nothing. I want a list of all the aliens we've repatriated back to their home worlds and a list of those who had nowhere to go. Get on with it."

"Yes Yvonne," came the united responses of the three remaining advisers, Gwen Cooper being one of them.

Gwen and Rose had been friends but Rose had never confided in the Welsh woman. Rose had been bridesmaid at Gwen's wedding and when she had tried to set Rose up with one of the groomsmen, things hadn't been the same. So when Yvonne was looking for allies, Gwen hadn't taken much persuasion and had been one of the first.

"What do you want me to do Yvonne?" Gwen asked as she dawdled.

"The real story of Rose Tyler? Yes, I know she never confided in you but she must have given you some hints as to where she came from?"

"You already know where she came from, it's in her official Torchwood biography," Gwen dared answer.

"Like I'd believe what Pete put out about her when he accepted her into the family. There has to be more to it, dig a little deeper Gwen and you and your husband might get a nice fat bonus."

"Yes Yvonne, I'll see what I can find out shall I?" Gwen asked.

Gwen and Rhys had been wanting to get out of their tiny flat in the middle-class area of London and Yvonne had promised the next vacancy at Torchwood Cardiff was hers, though that had been going on for weeks after that Japanese woman, Tosh something had been fired for taking Torchwood property home. The fact that the 'property' was something that had fallen into the woman's shoulder bag was immaterial to Yvonne, she had ordered her dismissal and that was the end of it.

"Yes, you do that Gwen," Yvonne yawned. "Right Steve, out with it."

"I don't know what you want me to tell you Yvonne. I had two dates with Rose. We were dancing and doing the rounds, her adopted mother was fussing over her."

"In what way? Like a real mother?" Yvonne asked.

"Yvonne, the woman was missing for three years, she's still a little out of it," Steve tried to explain.

"Yes, I know her story Steve, you can do better than that surely? So, did she fuss over Rose like her real mother would have done?" Yvonne wanted to know.