His fellow agents knew him as Jakob Harrison—for the moment, at least. He'd also been Jericho Harding, James Harper, and Jasper Hale—the last of which one of his female colleagues had found hilarious, though she wouldn't explain why. But no matter what his name was, he always thought of himself as Jax.

Jax stood on Plass Roald Dahl wishing he was just about anywhere—or anywhen—else. Twenty-first century Cardiff was backwards and boring. Okay, so there were some lovely people who were definitely worth looking at—or more—but that wasn't what he was here to do. Unfortunately.

Finding Torchwood wasn't easy even with the resources of the Time Agency at his disposable. He'd been working on this project for months and all he'd come up with was that it was currently located somewhere near the Plass. He'd been wandering here for three hours and had yet to see anything that looked suspicious. How was he supposed to find the mysterious Captain Jack Harkness if the man never appeared at his own front door?

He was losing interest, allowing himself to get distracted by a pair of pretty ladies who were quite taken with his apparently American accent when another woman stalked up to him. She was pretty, with long dark hair, green eyes, and an intriguing gap between her teeth, but she was clearly annoyed as she approached him.

"What do you think you're doing?" she demanded. "You better not have forgotten Ianto's birthday." Who the hell was Ianto, and why would Jax care about his birthday? But none of that showed on his face. He merely gave her his trademark grin.

"I'm taking in the scenery, gorgeous. You're welcome to join me."

The invitation seemed to only make her madder. "You stop that right now," she snapped, and he blinked at her. Who was this woman? "Ianto may be forgiving, but you forgoing his birthday dinner to flirt with other people on the Plass is pushing even his limits." What the hell was she talking about? As if he would have a boyfriend anyway. Much more fun to play the field.

Before he could come up with a response—and he hated it when people managed to get him to that point—another person joined in the discussion. "What are you wearing?"

Jax jerked his head around to look at the young man who had spoken. He too was gorgeous, with short dark hair, ice blue eyes, and a tall, slim frame that was complimented by the neat three piece suit he wore. He'd raised one eyebrow as he looked at Jax, an intriguing expression that made Jax want more. He'd always had a preference for pretty young men.

"Nothing I wouldn't let you take off, eye candy," he said suggestively, only to be flabbergasted as the young man flinched, his expression closing in as thoroughly as though Jax had slapped him. As if that weren't weird enough, gap-toothed woman seemed to take that as a cue to spit fire.

"You bastard! How dare you call him that!" Jax's patience ran out.

"What is it with you people? I don't know either of you, all right? You must have me confused with someone else."

"What do you mean—" The woman would probably have gone on longer—for hours if he'd let her—but the young man grabbed her arm.

"That's not Jack," he said quietly, and Jax was startled to hear the name so close to his own.

"What do you mean that's not Jack? Who else—"

"Look at his eyes."

The woman did as directed, staring straight into his eyes just long enough to be uncomfortable before turning to look up at her companion. Apparently she agreed, as the young man spoke again.

"My apologies, sir," he said, his voice even, polite, and detached. "You bear an uncanny resemblance to a friend of ours."

Jax glowered at them. "Just keep her away from me. I don't need a lecture on your friend's failings."

"Of course not, sir. We'll be going now." Even though he was clearly the younger of the two, the woman nodded at his pointed glance.

"My apologies as well," she added. They turned around and headed towards the huge water tower, whispering furiously as soon as they were out of earshot. It was only as they walked away that he fully registered that they'd given him what could have been his first lead on Jack Harkness…or a random coincidence of first name. But that was more than he'd had for the last three hours. Jax slipped away from the young women he'd been talking to and worked to get within hearing distance of the two.

He'd just managed it when they stopped, both of their attention drawn off to the side. He followed their gaze as he heard them swear, his eyes landing on what was clearly an alien, but of a sort he'd never seen before. Large forehead, big teeth, wearing a very unattractive jumpsuit of some sort. There weren't supposed to be those sorts of things around here, were there? Certainly not three of them.

The young man (who Jax decided to dub "The Suit") turned to the young woman ("The Gap"). "I'll work on clearing the Plass," she said before he could speak. "You and Jack are the best with Weevils."

"We do spend a lot of time Weevil hunting," said The Suit archly, and she groaned. The Gap smiled an endearing smile as she turned to the people around her and started convincing them to move away.

The Suit, meanwhile, tapped his ear and started to speak aloud. "Jack, we've got Weevils just off the Plass. Gwen's running interference, but I'll need you quickly." Jax couldn't hear the response, but the smirk it generated was certainly fun to look at. The Gap was doing a good job of clearing people away, making it harder for Jax to remain covert and still see what was going on, so he couldn't actually tell when "Jack" appeared or even get a good look at him. He merely noticed that The Suit was suddenly accompanied by a tall man in a long blue coat (who obviously was going to have to be dubbed The Coat even if Jax did know his name).

Both men had produced guns and were headed for the aliens. Jax slipped through the crowd past The Gap, trying to get close enough to see what they were up to. They were good, had clearly done this before. The Suit had been stiff and uptight talking to Jax just minutes before, but he was relaxed now. His moves were good, but The Coat, however…he was a soldier. Takes one to know one, after all.

They'd taken down two of the creatures with just enough effort to be fun to watch, hitting them with some sort of spray before putting bags over their heads. The Suit was finishing that with the second when the third creature got away from The Coat and charged the younger man. The Suit tried to get out of the way, but his foot got caught under him and he went down. Jax couldn't make out what The Coat shouted as he somehow managed to get himself between the boy and the monster, but the sound was quickly lost as the monster slashed The Coat's throat.

"JACK!" shouted The Suit, bringing his gun up and putting three bullets straight into the creature's head. It collapsed on top of The Coat.

Well, shit, thought Jax. If The Coat was Captain Jack Harkness, that made this mission infinitely less interesting. Jax approached, trying to get another look at the man who was quite clearly dead.

"Don't touch him!" Jax jumped back instinctively at the commanding tone, surprised to find that it had come from The Suit, who had yet to regain his feet, though it looked like he was trying. Must have hurt his leg when he fell.

"Sorry, but your boyfriend's dead," he replied.

"No, he's not," snapped The Suit. "Don't touch him." He scowled at Jax, then down at his injured leg, moving himself carefully across the ground until he was next to The Coat, whose face Jax still couldn't see. His face changed as he reached a hand to caress The Coat, becoming softer. "I'm here, Jack."

"You can touch him but I can't, huh?" snarked Jax.

The Suit didn't look up, instead gathering his lover in his arms, giving Jax his first look at The Coat's face. "I don't fancy being ripped apart by Reapers," said The Suit, but Jax barely registered it, too shocked at he stared at The Coat's face. At his own face. At his own dead face.

"Back up," ordered The Suit. "He sometimes thrashes when he wakes and I don't want him to hit you accidentally." Jax backed up several steps until he hit a wall, staring at the men before him. It can't be. That can't be me. I don't look more than two or three years older—is that all the time I have left? Is this how I die, in an alley on a backwater planet centuries before I was born?

"Have you been to Heliax 4?" asked The Suit, and Jax blinked at him.

"Yes. Why?"

"Just trying to get an idea of your timeline." Before Jax could respond, The Coat let out a sudden gasp and jerked in The Suit's arms. "It's all right, Jack. I'm here."

"Ianto! Are you all right?"

"Twisted my ankle. Had to kill the Weevil. But we've got a bigger problem."

The Coat's eyes locked on Jax. "Shit."

"He said he'd been to Heliax 4."

"Wonderful," said The Coat as he got to his feet. He tapped his ear. "Gwen, we're going to need you." He looked at Jax, trying to look impassive, but Jax had practiced that expression too many times and recognized confusion, intrigue, and concern beneath it. Most of the latter was for his young companion, who was leaning against him since he couldn't put any weight on his injured ankle.

"I don't remember this," said Jax. "And since I would certainly remember him, I take that to mean you're older than me. But you don't remember this either, do you?"

"I have gaps in my memory," admitted his other self. "The biggest of which starts after Heliax 4." Jax regarded The Suit closely. That explained the earlier question. Whoever this young man was, they were very close. "So, Jakob Harrison?"

Jax nodded. "And I have a sneaking suspicion that you're Captain Jack Harkness." A look of concern crossed his counterpart's face, but before he could confirm or deny, The Gap reappeared.

"Jack! Ianto!" She came closer, the concern on her face turning to alarm as she got close enough to see Jax. "Damn."

"How are things on the Plass?"

"Under control," she responded briskly without taking her eyes from Jax. "Everyone moved away easily. No police response yet, though I think someone called them."

"We've got to get into the Hub, all four of us. But he and I can't touch, and I'm not sure Ianto can make it to the tourist shop."

"Just a twisted ankle," put in Ianto before the woman could express her concern. "I should be fine once I've got some of Owen's alien drugs in me." A brief shadow of sorrow crossed all three faces. Whoever Owen had been, it was clear he was gone.

"We need to talk, but here's not the place," said Jack, looking at Jax. He nodded agreement. "Go with Gwen and she'll take you into our base. Ianto and I will meet you there."

"All right." This was insane, but what else could he do? He'd never understand it otherwise…and he was itching to get a look at the underground base that was obliquely referenced in much of the research he'd done.

They made their way back onto the Plass, Jax watching Jack and Ianto. The latter looked impassive, though a brief hint of pain and annoyance slipped through. The former looked concerned, both for his lover and for the situation.

"This one of your spooky-dos, then?" came another voice, and all four of them turned to see a young policeman looking at them. He was cute, Jax noted absently, just as the man registered Jax's presence and openly gaped.

"This is Jack's brother, Jakob," supplied Ianto quickly and smoothly. Jax flinched ever so slightly at the word brother, noting that Jack did the same. "He dropped in for a surprise visit. The resemblance is uncanny, isn't it? Jakob, this is PC Andy Davidson, an old friend of Gwen's."

"A pleasure to meet you," leered Jax, and Andy winced.

"Uncanny indeed," he said. "All under control then?"

"Yes, but please keep that alley blocked off until we can get back." Gwen smiled at the young man. "Come on, Jakob. This way."

Jax followed the young woman down off the Plass, putting everything else out of his head as he enjoyed the way she walked. When he became Jack, he'd have to be sure to do her and Ianto, and possibly that PC as well. Maybe that was why he'd stayed in Cardiff?

Gwen led him into a rather shabby tourist shop. He was amused when she opened a wall via a hidden button. He didn't worry about figuring out where, as he'd already set his manipulator to record everything it could while she wasn't looking—since he'd noticed that Jack still wore his, she might be suspicious if she saw him using it obviously.

He'd been determined not to look impressed by the base no matter what, but it was an effort he lost when the pterodactyl flew over. "That is gorgeous," he said reverently.

"Her name's Myfanwy," said Ianto from a rather ratty couch by one of the workstations. "And she's a pteranodon, not a pterodactyl." Jax looked at him sharply. "I know Jack." The reply came with a raised eyebrow and a knowing smirk.

"He called it a pterodactyl when we first caught her," said Jack easily as he came up some steps holding a syringe and a bandage of some sort. Primitive medicine. Jax suppressed a shudder. Ianto rolled his eyes.

"As I have said before, sir, I needed your attention. That was more urgent than correctness at the time." Jack grinned at Ianto as he knelt before Ianto's injured ankle. The younger man winced at the injection.

"Better me than Gwen," said Jack, and Ianto winced again, though he wisely said nothing. "You know, the worst thing about this is that you're not in any shape to get to the coffee machine."

Ianto looked dismayed. "I might actually let you carry me for that." Jack grinned.

Jax, however, had had enough. "Look, the banter is great, but at the moment I'm more concerned with what the fuck is going on here."

"This is Torchwood," said Jack, drawing himself up to his full height. The coat hanging around him added to the effect, giving him a commanding look that made Jax envious. "Why are you here? What's happened since Heliax 4?"

"I was assigned a new mission, a solo mission," said Jax. "Investigating an organization that was causing the Time Agency some problems."

"Torchwood is still around in the 51st Century?" asked Gwen in surprise.

"And under the command of the mysterious Captain Jack Harkness." All three of them smiled slightly without responding. Jax kept his face neutral, showing no sign of how infuriating he found that…though he was sure he hadn't fooled Jack and only mostly sure he'd gotten it past the other two.

This is fucking insane. I'm sitting in Torchwood's secret underground base talking to my future self who is in charge of Torchwood. The Time Agency was going to kill him, possibly literally.

"How do I end up here?" he finally burst out.

"You know I can't tell you that," said Jack quietly. "Did they send you here to take me out?" Jax's expression didn't change, but his lack of answer told the others—all three, he noticed—exactly what they wanted to know. "Do they know who I am?"

"I didn't. Doesn't mean they don't." Fifty-fifty odds in his estimation. On the one hand, they didn't want to cause a paradox. On the other hand, he wasn't very popular at the Time Agency at the moment. This might be someone's idea of a prank. Jack looked like he was making the same calculation.

"Clearly they don't know everything about you," muttered Ianto. Jax looked at him sharply.

"And I'd rather it stay that way," said Jack pointedly. Ianto smirked at him. Okay, definitely doing him first when Jax became Jack. The boy was both gorgeous and snarky—who could resist?

"I'm in favor of it too," said Jax. "Much rather live a nice long life." For some reason, all of the others grimaced at that.

"You think so?" asked Jack, taking a step closer to Jax, who stood his ground. For the first time, Jax looked his double in the eye….and it was terrifying.

There was no way this man was only the two to four years older than him that he looked. There was a weight in his eyes that only came from either a life that was quite long or one filled with trauma. Possibly both. No wonder Ianto and Gwen could tell I wasn't him. This is what I have to look forward to? What the hell happens to me before I end up at Torchwood? Jax shuddered.

"I know," said Jack softly. "I'd give you a pat on the shoulder, but, well, Reapers."

"What are Reapers?" asked Gwen. Jax tuned out Jack's explanation, his mind whirling. He needed answers, lots of them. He'd never get them out of Jack—he knew himself too well for that—but it seemed that Jack had confided things to his lover….and Ianto was sitting on the sofa looking bored by the discussion of Reapers.

"So, you and me?" leered Jax as he settled next to the younger man. Ianto gave him a look of disdain.

"Eventually."

"That accent of yours is gorgeous," purred Jax. Ianto smirked.

"So you tell me again and again." Jack was still talking to Gwen, not paying attention.

"Too bad we can't pull off a threesome," he said suggestively. "You, me, and me." He casually flipped open his vortex manipulator and began to nonchalantly press buttons.

"Now that would be a very nice birthday present," mused Ianto, and Jax grinned. "Shame about the Reapers."

"That tells me part of why I like you. Add it up with the exterior package and you're just irresistible, aren't you?" Ianto blushed and dropped his gaze, finally noticing Jax's fingers on the manipulator.

"What are you doing?" he asked sharply. The others looked up, but it was too late. Jax grabbed Ianto's hand, put it on his wrist strap, and pressed the final button to send them into the vortex.