Something in the Water

TWENTY-NINE

Later, when Gwen was inspecting the perfect white dressing that Owen had put on her hand and Toshiko was busy at her workstation, recalibrating the Rift monitors, it all seemed so quiet.

The Hub was nearly silent, except for the hum and bleep of the computers and the quiet trickle from the water tower.

With her good hand, Gwen speed-dialled Rhys on her mobile. He picked up straight away. ‘Gwen? Where are you?’

‘I’m OK,’ she said, sidestepping the question only slightly. It was so good to hear his voice. She’d been bottling up the worry about him, and now she had to make sure he was all right. ‘How are you? Is everything all right?’

‘Yeah, I’m fine. Bit of a cold coming on, though, I think. Heater’s not been working in the cabin. You?’

‘I’m fine.’

‘You been involved in all this epidemic emergency, then? Sounds like your sort of stuff.’

‘Yeah, a bit.’

‘Thought I had it for a while,’ Rhys laughed. ‘They’re talking about a big immunisation programme on the news. The whole country — starting with the men. It should be women and children first, shouldn’t it?’

‘Rhys, are you sure you’re OK? You’re not infected?’

‘Nah. Takes more than a bit of a sniffle to knock me down, love.’ She heard him sneeze. ‘Say, when are you coming home, then?’

‘Soon,’ she lied. ‘I’m glad you’re feeling OK. I’ve just got a few things to clear up first. It’s mad here.’

‘Sure, no worries. See you later. Take care!’

She closed the phone and bit her lip. She wanted to see him, to be sure that he wasn’t infected, but she needed time in the Hub to recover. Just another half an hour, and then she would go home; get something to eat with Rhys, go to bed. She’d have to think up a suitable story about her hand. No, I cut it on a piece of broken glass. Stupid, really. Serves me right. That would have to do instead of No, I had it sliced open while I was helping to save the world again, you know how it is …

Walking down the steps leading to the Autopsy Room, Gwen could see Ianto on the lower level. He had an assortment of buckets, mops and detergents at his feet. He worked with a steady efficiency, his face impassive, unreadable. He was clean and back in his suit, but there were wounds inside, she knew that.

Owen followed her, hands in pockets. He looked as tired and hungry as she felt.

Jack came out of his office, pulling his braces into position over a fresh shirt. He’d washed and changed and the scars were already beginning to disappear. There might have been a distant, drawn look in the blue eyes as they surveyed the Hub, checking on each of his team in turn and every workstation, but that was the only indication of the ordeal he had been through.

When he caught sight of her watching him, a great, white smile broke across his face. ‘What you lookin’ at?’ he asked mockingly.

‘I dunno,’ she said. ‘Label’s fallen off.’

There was a quiet bleep from Toshiko’s workstation and she swivelled around in her chair. ‘Rift’s back to normal.’

‘You mean after all that there’s nothing wrong with it?’ Owen asked.

‘No, I said it’s back to normal.’ Toshiko waved a hand across the displays. ‘All chronon discharge has vanished.’

‘No more sparks,’ said Jack.

‘Whatever was happening before, it must have been the result of the Strepto incursion,’ Toshiko nodded. ‘Saskia must have been trying to bring it all to a conclusion.’

‘She did that all right,’ said Owen.

‘With a bit of help from us.’

Another alarm rang, and the Rift monitors flashed. Toshiko whirled in her seat. ‘Uh oh. Energy spike in the Leckwith area. Something’s coming through …’

Owen joined her. ‘I recognise that energy signature. It’s the Hokrala lawyers. They’re sending another writ.’

‘Let’s go, everybody,’ Jack said loudly, clapping his hands for attention. ‘Welcoming party to the SUV now. Full kit. Let’s go!’

He headed for the exit, grabbing his coat as he left, long strides carrying him to the cog-wheel door. He didn’t even look back. He knew the others would be right behind him.