Treachery - Truth Be Told 13/?
Mar. 10th, 2011 07:28 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
aviv_b_artworkRATING: PG-13
WARNING: None
CHARACTERS: John (Ianto), Carlos, Tosh, Owen
DISCLAIMER: Not mine; Aunty B's and RTD's
WORDS: ~ 1665
SUMMARY: Tosh hears Owen's story, Owen hears Ianto's story; John learns more and understands less about himself, Carlos is himself.
Treachery (Part 1) here: http://aviv-b.livejournal.com/49816.html
All chapters are linked.
“Tosh put the gun down before someone gets hurt,” Owen said as calmly as he could.
“Too late. For Ianto anyway.”
Owen sighed. “Alright, what exactly do you want to know?”
“Everything. Did you know that Ianto was sent to UNIT, did you know what happened to him once he got there, what was your role in all of this?”
“Yes, no, well sort of, what do you want me to say?” Owen asked.
Tosh make almost a growl as she pushed the gun against Owen’s temple. “I’m not kidding Owen, you tell me everything you know or I will shoot you.”
“I know the Captain sent Ianto to Unit.” He hesitated to tell her the rest, but if he didn’t and she found out later… “I signed the papers confirming that he was in good health when he left with UNIT.”
“And what did you think would happen to him?”
“Thought he’d be kept in one of their prisons, maybe retrained to work some desk job for them.”
Tosh couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Owen knew she had been in a UNIT prison; she had shared the horror with him as they grew closer.
Owen continued to explain how Ianto had laughed and taunted Jack into a frightening rage. “And before you say anything, I did argue against him being sent there. I tried to convince Jack that Ianto was probably experiencing post-traumatic stress or something similar but he was having none of it.”
To Tosh’s surprise, Owen began to cry quietly. “He threatened me Tosh, said I would follow Ianto to UNIT if I told anyone, including you and Gwen. And I was frightened; I’ve never seen Jack like that before or since. So I followed his orders and signed the papers, but I know nothing, nothing at all as to what’s happened to Ianto since that day.”
“And you never looked to see if you'd find any records about Ianto on the mainframe.”
Owen snorted, “I tried once, but I couldn’t even get past the first layer of security on Jack’s computer.”
Owen winced at Tosh’s bitter laugh. “Took me weeks, but I got through, eventually.”
She motioned him over to the couch. Owen moved quickly and sat staring at Tosh. “If you’re not going to shoot me, would you please put the gun down, it’s making me nervous,” he said as he wiped his sleeve across his face.
Tosh hesitated, then lowered the gun and reengaged the safety. She did, however, keep the gun in her lap. It took several hours for Tosh to explain everything she had discovered about Ianto. The bogus files on Jack’s computer, UNIT’s presence in a picture she took from Jack’s computer, Liz’s offhand comment about the surveillance photo, and her subsequent hacking of UNIT’s files and their contents.
It was Owen’s turn to be horrified. He shook his head in disbelief. “Oi, I can see them retraining Ianto, maybe brainwashing him, but cybernetic implants, they know how dangerous they are.”
Tosh showed him the Assassin Program folder. Owen read through the information but was disappointed that there weren’t more details. “Looks like it isn’t working all that well, that’s a relief.”
There was one last thing she hadn’t yet told him because she knew how he’d react. Owen was livid.
“Human cloning! That’s expressly forbidden by international treaty. Are you sure?”
When he saw the files on the cloning project, he turned so white Tosh thought he might faint. “They’re barbarians, the lot of them.” Owen looked up at Tosh, “we’re going to get those UNIT bastards, I swear if it’s the last thing I do, that cloning program is going to be destroyed. I don’t care what it takes. ”
“And if Jack knows about this?”
“He can’t, how could he?” Owen stopped and thought about that for a moment. “I don’t think he does, but if I’m wrong, we are going to have to find a way to kill Jack Harkness…permanently.”
****
John had a restless night and woke up early enough to see the sun rise. Carlos woke up not long after that. They got dressed mostly in silence, though they attempted a little conversation for the sake of those listening. After deciding where they wanted to go for breakfast, they headed out to walk to a little restaurant not far from John’s flat. As they walked, Carlos took out a small notepad and began to write.
“Don’t say anything at breakfast. Could be bugged.”
John’s eyes widened but he nodded. The breakfast was uneventful, the conversation still stilted. “So what do you do when you are not with me?”
Carlos smiled, gave his eyes a quick roll. “Oh, I read a lot, watch TV, have a drink at the local, play a bit of pool. It’s not a bad life for a kid from
“Yeah, I do the same a lot. Don’t have many friends, you know.”
Carlos nodded and the conversation petered out as they concentrated on their breakfasts. The grabbed a taxi and headed off to
They rode for about a half an hour in complete silence. Arriving at their destination, John paid the man, and tipped him generously. “I can’t believe you haven’t been to
As they walked away from the cab, the driver took out his cell phone. “Yeah, taking his boy-toy to
“Well what am I supposed to do about it? Yes, I know there are no transmission devices in the park, but I couldn’t see how I could stop them from going there. I’ll have someone waiting with a taxi when they exit the park.”
After entering the park through the main gate, they walked through the Orangery and over to the Rose garden. After a suitable period they walked to the far end of the park until they reached a small pond near the Woodland Glade. The area was practically deserted. Carlos took out the small pad of paper. “How do I know you’re not bugged? They said you have implants, in your head, they control you by them.”
John shrugged. “I guess you’ll have to take a chance, after all, if I were wired you would already be dead don’t you think?”
“You’ve got a point.”
“Now what’s this about implants? I don’t have any implants, I’ve got a metal plate from when I had my skull fracture,” John’s voice trailed off as he saw Carlos nod slowly. “Maybe I’m transmitting something, how would I know? “ John thought.
He realized for the first time that the incessant buzzing in his head was gone. And he wasn’t getting any emotional highs either. He felt, well he felt ‘normal’ really. When John remarked on it, Carlos was not surprised.
“That’s how they control you, if you do well you get a rush, right?” If you screw up what happens? The buzzing gets louder and you are in pain.”
“But there was a big screw up, and it was more than just the noise in my head, they brought you to me and I saw you killed. Murdered, they cut your throat. It seemed so real, and now the UNIT doctors are telling me I imagined it. Did they plant that into my memories?”
Carlos almost started to speak and then took John by the hand and pulled him close. “No, they didn’t, I’m pretty sure that really happened.” Seeing John’s confusion Carlos tugged on his arm and they walked through the glade like any other couple enjoying the day.
“Look at me John. Let me ask you something. Do I seem any different to you?”
“Well yes, you’ve been acting strangely since last night.”
“That wouldn’t tell you anything since that would the first time you met me.”
John looked at Carlos really looked at him for the first time. He looked exactly as he remembered, but he didn’t act quite the same. John was highly proficient at assuming a role for a job; surely Carlos could be trained to do so as well. Was this some sort of joke, a trick, or something beyond his comprehension? He stared as Carlos began to unbutton his shirt.
“Carlos, stop that, it’s not that warm and people will notice.”
Carlos continued to unbutton the top half of his shirt. He pulled away the shirt from the left part of his chest. “What do you see John?”
“I see a daft young man who is going to get us kicked out of the park for indecency if he doesn’t stop playing around.” Carlos held his ground. “Look harder. What don’t you see?”
Something in Carlos’ tone made John stop and stare at his uncovered torso. “The tattoo, where is the tattoo?” John asked his voice rising a bit in fear.
“Your first Carlos had a sun tattoo, am I right?” Ianto nodded. “And at the beginning of last night, do you know if I had a tattoo? Ianto shook his head ‘no.’
“I’m guessing the Carlos you saw early last night had moon tattoo ‘cause they told me he was very aggressive with you?”
“What, what are you talking about?” John asked Carlos. John turned to confront him. “Who the hell are you?”
Just then Carlos spotted someone walking towards them. He didn’t know if it was a UNIT operative or just someone out for a stroll. He pulled John in for a long, deep kiss. By the time the kiss ended the intruder had walked beyond them back toward the Garden entrance. “Who are you?” John asked again in a whisper.
“I’m Carlos, the real Carlos.”
Chapter 14 here: http://aviv-b.livejournal.com/95086.html
