Ianto wasn't sure whether he would enjoy being a field agent. He had spend the majority of his time down in the archives at both Torchwood one and Three that the idea of being a field agent didn't exactly sit right with him even with the Fae he wasn't a field scout more an undercover and information scout so, when Jack approached him a few days ago telling him that they were going to the countryside on a team building and working on a disappearance case. Ianto had no idea what to think, his first reaction was to talk Jack right out of the idea of camping there was no way in hell Ianto would want to spend the night with Owen's whining especially since Owen made his opinions of the countryside very public however, Jack seemed serious about making Ianto a fully fledge member of the team so, Ianto fished out the camping tents from storage and here they were travelling into the countryside with Owen's whining.
"I hate the countryside. It's dirty, it's unhygienic, and what is that smell?" Owen whined, Ianto shot a look at Tosh. They were both unfortunately trapped in the back seats with him. Ianto wasn't sure what was going to happen first, Ianto strangling him or Tosh knocking him out with her PDA.
"That would be grass" Gwen answered.
"It's disgusting" Owen replied. Ianto silently begged any god that might exist to use whatever powers they had to get him out of this confined space. Luckily Jack spotted a burger van a few miles down the road and pulled over for lunch.
"Seventeen disappearances within the last five months. The police are clueless" Jack started before pausing and shooting a glare at Owen who had interrupted him to make a joke. Jack started again "The last known whereabouts of each one is somewhere around here".
"All within a twenty miles radius" Tosh added.
"Anything else linking them?" Gwen asked looking at the map which showed the whole area then at Jack.
"None of the bodies have ever been found. These people just feel off the radar. No patterns in age, sec, race. One minute they're here, the next, pfff. Gone" Jack said. Ianto froze for a second. Why did that sound familiar to him, now he really thought about it the whole area felt familiar like he had been here before. But when, why was here before.
Owen started complaining the second he heard that they would be camping and Ianto tried to keep his distance from the whining adult – sometimes he wishes he was back with the fae at least they don't whine or act like this. Tosh reluctantly helped Owen up his tent up whilst Gwen seemed to sit around and watch. Once the tents were up and secured, Owen offered to go get firewood and Gwen for some odd reason jumped at the opportunity to go with him.
"If looks could kill then Gwen would be six feet under" Ianto whispered to Tosh when he saw the look Tosh had on her face as she watched her boyfriend gallivant off into the woods with Gwen of all people.
"Sorry, it's just... I have this feeling that Gwen is trying to get in the way of everyone's relationship whilst she's in her own. It took me ages to get with Owen since he was still grieving for Katie and now Gwen come along and seems intended to destroy all that hard work and I'm scared I'm going to lose Owen to her because she is way more prettier than me" Tosh confessed, it had been something worrying her ever since Jack hired Gwen. Jack was obviously sexually attracted to her, yet he seemed just as attracted to Ianto. Tosh feared that Jack would led Ianto on whilst also trying to do Gwen on the side. And that is what will happen to her, Owen will chose Gwen over her or try and maintain a relationship with the both of them.
"I don't see what so special about Gwen Cooper either. All she's done since she's arrived is basically judging everything we've done or gotten in the way. I doubt Owen would leave a beauty like you Tosh for a brainless dud like Cooper. I don't see why Jack hired her to be honest" Ianto replied briefly checking over his shoulder to make sure neither Owen or Gwen had returned or for Jack to overhear them.
"I know the Weevil in the cells or Myfanwy would be more useful than her" Tosh answered and Ianto snorted, it was true Myfanwy acted like a guard dog for the hub whilst Janet was their permanent resident either of them would be more helpful than Gwen and one was an alien the other a pterodactyl. Ianto opened his mouth to reply but before he could Gwen shot out the woods shouting about finding a body.
The body to say the least was one of the most disgusting things anyone could witness. The whole skeleton was stripped of skin and internal organs and only the bones remained. Ianto felt sick just looking at it.
"Well, it's not Ellie Johnson, that's for sure. This is a male, late forties, fifties. Wasn't killed here. No blood spatter or signs of a struggle. Must have been brought here after he died" Owen said as looked over the body for any other evidence.
"Why do that? It's not like they've tried to bury him here" Gwen said, Ianto had to resist the urge to roll his eyes.
"Maybe you disturbed them, and they ran way" Tosh countered. 'Thank god for people like Tosh or the world would be full of stupid people. One Gwen Cooper is enough for one lifetime' Ianto thought to himself as he continued to put yellow police tape around the crime scene.
"Maybe it's a warning. Whoever's responsible marking out their territory?" Ianto threw out his own theory. Jack seemed to think about it for a while, Gwen just glared.
"Cause of death?" Jack asked looking at the body before turning his attention to Owen.
"Impossible to say. The body's been stripped pf the flesh and bodily organs so what's left is a carcase" Owen answered.
"Could the Weevils have come out this far?" Tosh queried.
Jack shook his head "No, Weevils don't finish off their victims like this". A grim thought passed through Ianto's mind, could it be... before he was able to air his thoughts the sound of a car engine echoed through the woods.
"Is that ours?" Gwen asked. Jack shot up.
"Yeah".
Someone or something had stolen the SUV and parked it outside a village in the middle of nowhere. All of Ianto's cells screamed for him to leave, to get away yet here they were approaching the village with no idea what they were going to find.
"Tosh, Ianto. Follow the signal, find the SUV. Owen, Gwen. Let's see if there's any room at the inn" Jack ordered. Tosh and Owen shared a brief reassuring glance before Tosh and Ianto set out.
"You know, I think the next time Jack asks us to participate in a team bounding exercise I'm going to say no, this is turning into the start of a horror film" Ianto said looking down at the PDA and added "It's just a half a mile up here".
"Tell me about it, I don't like the fact we have had to split up. Safety in numbers, Well, at least we've still got this. The rest of my stuff was in the vehicle" Tosh replied as they approach a boarded-up stone building when they heard a noise. All of Ianto's sense heightened as his heart pounded in his chest.
"What was that?" Tosh asked, her voice waved in fear. This whole mission was just getting to them.
"Just a fox or something. I'll check round the back" Ianto replied.
'Everything will be fine. You are a fae, you will be safe' Ianto chanted over and over again inside his head as he walked up the side of the boarded house and around the side. He froze when he saw Tosh pointed a gun at him. Ianto slightly raised his hands up in defence as she lowered her gun. Her nerves were shot as she was jumping at every little noise.
"We should carry on straight up there" Ianto said turning around to look at Tosh. Ianto's heart froze, Tosh was gone.
"Tosh! Tosh! Tosh!" Ianto shouted, maybe she went back around the front, maybe just maybe she was fine. That she hadn't been taken by whatever this was. Maybe just maybe. Ianto pulled his gun out and head back down towards the building. He felt something circling him and he knew it had returned to grab him, to take him too. Something moves behind him. He turns and a something hits him from the front.
'Shit' was the last thing Ianto thought before he blacked out.
YOU ARE READING
The Chosen One
Fanfic'Come away a human child, come away' voices echoed through the trees. A young boy laughed as he chased after his friends. He would play for hours until dark. His friends will always protect him, it was their promise.
