Title: A Very Private War (4/7)

Author: Emma

Characters: John Hart, Torchwood Three team

Rating: R

Disclaimer: Oh, please. If I owned them, would I let some of those idiots write the scripts? And if I were making any money off them, would I be where they could find me?

Spoilers: None. This takes place in my Homecoming AU

Summary: John Hart is pulled back in time to fight a war he does not remember

           The Butetown shipyard had once been a flourishing concern. Now the elegant Victorian building stood guard over rusting dry-docks and crumbling concrete piers. The roofs were mostly missing, and the grand arched windows were empty holes that let in rain and salt air. Everything stank of decay.

            John eyed the place with distaste. “You bring me to the nicest places, Eye-Candy.”

            “Next time I’ll make sure we’re only interested in fugitives who reside in five-star hotels.” Ianto led the way across what had been a grand lobby, down a long corridor filled with debris, and up a flight of stairs. “Parker is not your garden-variety alien nut. He’s a millionaire a dozen times over, and he didn’t inherit a penny. Don’t underestimate him.”

            “Got cured of that particular vice while still in nappies. So, if Mr. Parker is so rich, how did he end up in this dump?”

            “Old weevil hideout. They abandoned it a few years ago, nobody knows why. Lots of tunnels and hiding places. There’s no paper trail to Parker anywhere, but Jack found out and kept an eye on it.”

            He pushed open a door that led to a small office. It looked as dilapidated as the rest of the place, but there were signs of habitation if you knew where to look. Ianto came to a full stop in the middle of the room.

            “What now?” John asked.

            “Now we wait.”

            It didn’t take long. A small section of wall slid aside noiselessly and an old man stepped through.

            “Mr. Jones. I thought Torchwood was in the Himalayas.”

            “Wrong season for tourism.”

            “I’ll say. And now you are looking for me? I’ve never given Torchwood any trouble.” His eyes slid to John. “And you have a new member. Should I stop trusting Torchwood, Mr. Jones?”

            “I hope not, sir. This is John Hart, he’s a friend of Captain Harkness. We’re trying to locate a piece of equipment. It’s rather urgent.”

            “It’s called a randomiser,” John pushed a few buttons in his wrist strap. “It looks like this.”

            A hologram appeared in the air above John’s wrist. It showed a rectangular box with a row of toggles on the top and three wires protruding from one side.

            “You’re not from around here, are you?” Mr. Parker asked whimsically. “Captain Harkness has a similar one. I’ve often wondered… Well, never mind. What do you need this randomiser for?”

            “To stop the Toclafane from using the Rift. We need to contain them in this time and place, Mr. Parker.”

            The old man stared into John’s eyes for a long time, then sighed. “Come with me.”

            They followed him and found themselves inside a small elevator. As the wall slid shut, it started to descend rapidly. After a brief period, it came to a stop and another section of wall slid open on a huge room filled with museum quality cabinets and shelves. At one end of the room was an alcove holding a large desk and two chairs; in the other, a portion of the room had been partitioned into a small but efficient bed sit.

            “You have been planning for a while,” Ianto remarked.

            “After Canary Wharf… don’t look so surprised, Mr. Jones. There are a few of us who know what really happened, as we know about all the Christmas time incidents in London. As I said, I started to build right after Canary Wharf. I thought it was important to protect these things.” He gave a bitter laugh. “I’ve learned a great deal about what’s important in the last few months.”

            He walked to one of the shelves, picked up an object, and brought it to the two men. “I believe this is what you’re looking for. Look around, see if there’s anything else you might need. God, I have been such a…”

            He stopped as John made as shushing gesture. In the sudden silence, they would hear it: footsteps and a faint metal whine coming from above them.

            “They’re here.” Parker said. “I knew sooner or later they would find me. There’s a way out in the alcove, an old weevil tunnel that leads down to the river.”

            He ran to the desk and felt under the edge. They heard a click, and the floor under the desk rotated out of the way to reveal a trapdoor. “Go. If there’s anything that can be done to stop them, you are the ones to do it.”

            “You’re not coming with us?”

            “I’m dying, Mr. Jones. A life as a fugitive is beyond me. If I stay behind I might be able to distract them until you reach safety.” Parker clenched his fists. “I hate them. Ever since I was a child I’ve wanted to meet extraterrestrials, and when I finally get my close encounter, they are metal thugs with nothing but bloodlust in them. I want them gone!”

            John and Ianto exchanged a look, then moved towards the trapdoor. As he passed one of the cabinets, John realized it held a small collection of swords.

            “Mr. Parker, may I take these?”

            “They are not of extraterrestrial origin.”

            “But they came through the Rift?”

            “Yes.”

            “Then I can use them.”

            “By all means take them.” Parker looked up at the ceiling. The noises clearly were getting closer. “You better go now.”

            Into jumped down into the tunnel. John passed him the swords, then turned to Parker and stuck out his hand. “Thank you. You should know, not all of us are thugs.”

            Parker’s face lit up. “Harkness too?”

            John jumped down. “Jack is probably one of the best of us.”

            He took some of the swords from Ianto, who was trying to juggle them and a small torch. As the trapdoor swung shut over their heads, they ran down the tunnel, Ianto’s torch illuminating a small strip of ground  in front of them. The tunnel was narrow, but they could run upright – just barely, in Ianto’s case – and it took many twists and turns. John caught the spoor of a hunting creature, but it was old. Up ahead he could smell water.

            “Damn.” Ianto cursed mildly as he rapped his shin with one of the swords. “Why the hell are we taking these things?”

            “I can use the metal from my knives to strengthen their blades the same way I did mine. We will have a few more weapons against the Toclafane.”

            They turned a corner and found that the tunnel broadened into a small cave that opened onto the river bank. A rowboat was moored behind some bushes that would keep it hidden from river traffic and nosy folk on other bank. They clambered into it and started  to move as quickly and quietly as possible.

            From behind them came the sound of sirens and gunfire. Three large UNIT helicopters hovered over the shipyard with their powerful spotlights sweeping the grounds in wide arcs. One of them began to move towards the river in a search pattern.

            “They must have found the car,” Ianto whispered. “Stolen from their own headquarters just yesterday, so no joy there, but they must know we are around.”

            “Row faster.”

            They felt the rumble and saw the river surface vibrate just a few seconds before they heard the explosion. They looked back in time to see the main building implode in a  huge cloud of smoke and ashes that rose into the air, blinding the helicopters above. A few more seconds, and the dry-docks and their rusted steel cradles exploded outwards, sending shrapnel flying. One of the beams struck a helicopter’s rotor, bringing it down on top of the still-collapsing building and several troop carriers that had been stationed near the front doors.

            “Parker must have mined the whole place.”

            “All he ever wanted was to meet some aliens.” John saluted towards the conflagration. “Come on, Ianto. Let’s get this stuff to the Hub. If I wasn’t in this fight before, I am now. These bastards owe me for Henry Parker and I’m going to collect in full.”