OTA

[im_torchwood]

After John Hart, after Gray, Jack couldn't be in Cardiff. He was Torchwood now, not just what he did but who he was, and he had a small crisis and had to get away. Although he'd broken with London's Torchwood after the incidents at Canary Wharf (which it seemed the population had either forgotten or written off) Jack found himself in England's jewel. He was ready to make a new start. And, he reckoned, the Doctor would probably visit London before Cardiff if truth be told.

He'd settled into the subterranean Hub that Alice and Emily had worked in. It had been long forgotten in favor of the building of steel and glass that had been built atop it. Bloody Torchwood...they were supposed to be secret. He'd made his contacts and had put himself to work. But even Jack needed to eat.

He had all of the city to choose from and rather than just go to a pub Jack stood on the sidewalk looking at his mobile reading Yelp reviews. There was a place just down the block and around the corner. Yelp was good and all but he kind of wanted a real opinion so he looked up from his screen and he smiled at the first person whose eye he caught.

"Excuse me...do you know if this place is any good?" he asked, showing the screen. His American accent immediately marked him as a tourist, even though he wasn't.

Comments

[quartermaster_q]

Q could hear nothing but a high pitched ring, and he held his head as he tried to fight the drug Jack had injected him with.

Hands shaking, he silently showed Bond where the needle had sunk into skin, just as his eyes started to drift shut and his body surrendered to the induced sleep.

[0_0_7]

Not knowing what the injection had been, ond launched into action. He called Six for a cleaner, talking on the phone even as he hoisted Q over his shoulder. He closed the door on the dead man, leaving that mess for the cleaner to take care of- completely unaware that Jack wouldn't be there when they arrived.

No one got up from two to the heart.

Bond poured Q into his car and then raced to the nearest A&E, carrying the dead weight of the unconscious man in.

He's been poisoned," he said. "Injection."

He'd let Six sort out a civilian hospital and all that. Right now all he was worried about was Q.

The doctors got him back and did a fast blood test but found absolutely nothing in Q's blood. They gave him a few things and set up and IV, but all Bond had to do was to sit and wait.

[quartermaster_q]

It was hours later when Q woke, eyes fluttering open as he sat up and gasped sharply in surprise.

"Where is he?" he asked.

Not 'Where am I?' or 'What happened?' Where is he?

He had no idea what the exact formula of Torchwood's little drug was, but he'd known enough to take precautions. He'd given himself the closest thing to an antidote he could find as soon as he'd left Jack's company- But that only left the night fuzzy, rather than totally blank.

He'd seen Jack. Jack had followed him... Jack had been in his hideout. ...One of the hideouts. Q wasn't able to remember which, but hopefully the GPS would clear that up. ...He'd contacted Bond, and then... What had happened then?

[0_0_7]

"I killed him and the cleaners took care of it," Bond said softly, so he wouldn't be overheard. "I don't want you to worry about it. You need to rest. He poisoned you."

[quartermaster_q]

"Poison? No- It's... It's not poison, and he's- He isn't dead," Q said, going quiet for a moment as his brain fumbled and struggled to stitch everything back together. However, there were massive gaps in his memory, and he sighed as he slumped back against the flat pillow on his hospital bed.

"Call them. Make sure they actually removed a body. I don't want him snooping through my things. ...Which building was I in?"

[0_0_7]

"The one not far from Six itself. I don't know why you didn't head there," he said, scolding lightly. Of course, if the man knew who Q was, headquarters would have been obvious.

He stepped away then and placed the call, frowning through the conversation.

"There was no body, only blood," he said. "Q...explain. I didn't miss. Two to the heart..."

[quartermaster_q]

"I don't think I can explain, if I'm honest. ...I just know he never seems to stay dead," Q replied, frowning deeply.

[0_0_7]

"That's rather unsettling," Bond replied dryly. The nurse came round to take Q's vitals and ask him a series of questions- the year, the royal baby's name, things like that. Then she said they'd discharge him as soon as he was processed.

[quartermaster_q]

Sighing, Q looked over at Bond with a small frown once they were alone again.

"It's my fault, I shouldn't have approached him- It's just, he has something I want," he admitted. "Something I've wanted for a while, actually."

[0_0_7]

"You approached him? Q...who is he?" Bond pressed.

[quartermaster_q]

"Torchwood," Q replied. "He's..."

He trailed off, feeling drowsy again and rubbing his face.

[0_0_7]

"You approached bloody Torchwood? Q, have you lost your sodding mind?" Bond asked, honestly shocked. "What in the hell were you thinking?"

[quartermaster_q]

"I was thinking I wanted a peek at their tech," Q replied, too sleepy to look as serious as he usually appeared. Instead he looked like a sulking child, all wide eyes and pouty lips, his hair fluffed and wild, and glasses out of reach.

[0_0_7]

Bond knew of Torchwood but he knew they were top secret. Eyes only sort of stuff. Nothing he'd ever wanted to get involved with.

"No. Do you hear me? Absolutely not. Drop it, do you understand?" he said firmly.

[quartermaster_q]

"Yes, fine, alright," Q replied, though they both knew what that tone of his really meant. ...He'd do as he pleased.

[0_0_7]

"Q, I'm serious. Next time he might not poison you. I've heard things. People disappear. Not dead, disappeared. You'll have nothing more to do with them," he pushed.

[quartermaster_q]

"Yes, alright, whatever you say, James," Q replied- Though he was still using that infuriating tone of voice.

[0_0_7]

"I'll chain you up if need be," Bond muttered. "And you can believe I'll be telling M."

[quartermaster_q]

"You better not," Q replied. "There's no reason for M to be involved..."

[0_0_7]

"Then leave Torchwood alone," he said firmly.

[quartermaster_q]

Q huffed, but said nothing more for the time being.

[0_0_7]

Bond said no more and instead he went to the nurse to see about getting Q out. It didn't take long and soon enough they were headed for Bond's car.

"What do you think? Home or safe house tonight?" he asked.

[quartermaster_q]

"Home," Q replied, still sulking a bit. "I'm not afraid of Jack Harkness breaking into my home."

Though he had managed to break into his second favourite hiding spot, and that was, honestly, a bit alarming.

[0_0_7]

"All right," he said.

It wasn't until they were in the car and on the way that Bond said more.

"I want to see his dossier," he said. "If he might be back for you I want to be prepared."

[quartermaster_q]

Q huffed a little, but didn't argue. He was certain if he refused, Bond would get his hands on it anyway- And he was trying to get back on the double-o's good side anyway. He needed Bond on his team if he was ever going to get his hands on that tech.

"Let's stop and pick up a meal. I'm starved. I skipped dinner last night," he said instead.