Hunt

Weevil hunting, Ianto discovered, is an extreme sport. An iron man triathlon best undertaken in the Cardiff rain.

To be really perfect, exit the hub via an invisible lift, accompanied by a handsome, enigmatic man who barely acknowledges your presence. Observe thunderhead clouds gather over the bay and run like hell for the SUV as the day darkens and the first spots fall.

Leap into the car, slam the doors shut and hang on for dear life as your Captain throws it around Cardiff as though he's taking part in the Monte Carlo Rally. Do Not Speak for fear of rattling his concentration, but do smile in exhilaration as you begin to relax into the bends because Jack really can drive. Brace yourself for the sudden braking, then find yourself holding your breath as he leans across to reach into the glove compartment to get you some equipment. God, he smells really good.

Fumble the comms device into your ear; pocket the gun as you listen to his terse instructions. It really comes down to – Locate weevil, disable weevil, do not disable yourself. Try not to kill it because they may be sentient. Then go!go!go!

Run through the thunderstorm accompanied by the roiling noise and blue flashes, breath coming fast, joints moving sweetly, muscles obeying all commands. Watch as Jack is lit up by the light as he races ahead of you, a Hitchcock figure in a black and white thriller.

Back the weevil towards some trees, gang up on it, spray it and curse as it whips sideways howling into the wind. Momentarily blinded by the spray yourself, follow at a more sedate pace as it disappears down a manhole. Follow, climbing down, down, into the dark, strangely fresh tunnel.

Suddenly the noise of the storm is left behind along with the little daylight, now you follow your Captain once again as he leads the way with his maglight. It is all careful footing; feeling along the brickwork and trying not to breathe too much as the ripe faecal smell develops the further way from the manhole you travel. Sounds travel down here – Jack's slightly raspy breath as he recovers from the running, the dripping echo of water further away, the splash of the ankle deep sewage and from up ahead a grunt.

Suddenly the beast is facing Jack down, running towards him, secure in its own environment and strength. Jack fires, once twice, three times, but the beast keeps coming. Time for you to play your role, as it reaches Jack, count slowly to three, then empty your spray into its face with one hand, and aim carefully with your gun, if it doesn't back down now, maybe your gun might do the trick.

It works. If a weevil had facial expressions this one is surprised as it falls first to its knees, and over backwards.

Now the work really begins. Apparently it cannot be left to die, as that is cruel and will also contaminate the water system. Part three of the triathlon is hoisting a full grown weevil, a dead weight of relaxed muscle and hard bone, with annoyingly snagged teeth and claws, up a sewage pipe and back to the SUV.

Jack's nod of satisfaction is Balm of Gilead to your bruised and lonely soul.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWT

Jack is aware of Ianto, even more aware of the small distance between them as the lift ascends. He notes that Ianto has youth's ability to move from almost sulky angst to near joy, just by being forced to run away from the rain. He himself is not quite at the point of forgiving Ianto for Suzie's heart attack, knows it was probably not Ianto's fault, but hell, he nearly lost a member of His team, His second in command. His acidic, strangely sweet Susan.

He takes pleasure in trying to scare Ianto with his driving, but realises that Ianto understands that he is not in any real danger and Jack remembers that Joy riding was a part of Ianto's upbringing, probably since before puberty. He leans deliberately across Ianto to fetch him a comm. device and smirks to himself when he realises Ianto is holding his breath. 51st Century pheromones, Ianto has no idea!

Very little shakes Ianto, he does not need to question Jacks orders, is quick to take direction in the field and Jack admires his speed and agility. In the sewer Ianto shows an ability to think beyond his orders. As the weevil comes towards them he notes Ianto's sharp intake of breath, hears him swallow, sees the gun as it is raised into his eye line, steady, accurate and deadly. Jack wants to laugh at the expression on the weevils face, but thinks Ianto may take it the wrong way.

Testing Ianto, he makes him do the bulk of the work in getting the body out of the sewer and back to the SUV and Hub, uttering some near crap about sentience and cruelty, knowing full well the Weevil is at death's door. He is pleased however that Ianto does not question his compassion. Just nods his head, and heaves on the heavy end of the weevil.

When they finally shut the boot on the body, he looks Ianto in the eye and nods. Ianto blushes and Jack resists the urge to stroke his cheek.