Risk Assessment Part 10

And Gwen Cooper stood and watched.

Agnes strode from the SUV, magnificent in the face of crisis. She pa.s.sed the stunned onlookers with barely a glance, pausing only to look at Gwen, standing in mute shock, staring at an abandoned shoe.

Agnes smiled tightly at her, then lifted up a loudhailer. She was speaking to the crowds, she was speaking to the news crews filming from a distance, she was speaking to the helicopters that were now buzzing cautiously above the ma.s.s, and, Gwen realised, she was speaking to the creature itself.

There, on a ravaged car park off the Penarth Road, the Vam was addressed by a confident woman in a thoroughly starched dress, neatly tied bonnet and spotless gloves.

'My name is Agnes Havisham, and I claim this creature on behalf of the British Empire.'

XI.

MRS.

GENERAL.

In which Captain Harkness finds himself overruled, and he seeks consolation from a surprising quarter Across galaxies of suffering, the Vam had seen many things. But even it popped out a few dozen extra eyes to survey the woman standing calmly in front of it. She did not seem afraid.

Curious.

Jack hadn't even made it out of the car. At the sound of Agnes's words, he sank back into his seat with a groan. Ianto Jones had seen Jack Harkness shot, stabbed and s.h.a.gged to death, but only now did he see the life go out of him.

Ianto hurried round to him. Jack sat in the car seat, eyes fixed quietly on the flickering blue dashboard. He let out another groan and shut his eyes. Ianto stood there, torn between staying with Jack and running over to Agnes and Gwen.

When Jack spoke, his voice was little more than a whisper. 'If I count to ten and open my eyes, will that woman still be here?'

'I'm afraid so,' said Ianto quietly.

'Lie to me.'

'She will most certainly be gone, yes.'

'I don't pay you enough.'

Jack opened his eyes and looked at Agnes with a despairing fury. He hoisted himself out of the car, his hand, just casually, brus.h.i.+ng through Ianto's hair. 'Enough of this,' he said, his voice firm.

He pulled his coat around him and strode over to Agnes.

Agnes was staring defiantly up at the Vam, while also quietly acknowledging the focused searchlights of the world's media. She stared raptly into the black s.h.i.+mmering ma.s.s of the beast and smiled.

Gwen stood next to her, her face streaked with tears.

'Jack,' said Gwen. 'You missed some pretty fantastic people.'

'I know,' he said quietly, and turned to Agnes. 'Agnes. . .' he began softly.

The smile snapped off and she turned to stare at Jack, an eyebrow raised.

'Enough of this,' said Jack, his voice sounding like a grinding millstone. 'Enough b.l.o.o.d.y bonnets and la. It was all very well as a private joke, but it stopped being funny when you started World War Three.'

Agnes blinked, then grinned. 'You treasure,' she said, sweetly. She swept a lace-wrapped arm up towards the creature. 'That, Jack, is the future. And it is beautiful.'

'This is sick,' said Gwen, loud and fierce.

If Agnes was disappointed, she didn't show it. She tilted her head, slightly. 'Yes, Mrs Cooper, it is. But it is progress. I discover that the twenty-first century is a slave to oil. It can't escape every alternative it explores is more costly, more destructive, more futile than making energy from fossil paste. And this creature is the answer: it takes almost anything anything anything and converts it into the fuel you are so dependent on. Very efficiently, I might add. Wales has overnight become the most oil-rich country in the world.' and converts it into the fuel you are so dependent on. Very efficiently, I might add. Wales has overnight become the most oil-rich country in the world.'

Ianto made a noise. If it had been anyone else, it would have been described as a wolf whistle, but this was Ianto.

Even Jack blinked.

'No,' Gwen stood her ground. 'I've seen what that creature does! It is vicious, it is cruel, and we've got to stop it.'

'Gwen's right,' shouted Jack. 'That creature kills. That is all it does. It devours. Look at it you saw what it did in that toy store. How can you possibly even think of this? We have to destroy it. It's like asking Hannibal Lecter oh you won't get that, will you. . . Look, it's like asking a cannibal to do your catering.'

'No.' Agnes was firm. 'No one ever said progress was pretty. Every time I wake up, I must confront a world more ugly, horrible and desperate than the one I left behind. A world that's made terrible choices. That creature is abhorrent. But it is also useful. We must contain it, we must exploit it. It is what Torchwood was set up to do to make the most out of alien threats. Queen Victoria would be proud.'

'And what are you proposing to do?' Gwen was bitter. 'Dig a big pit and throw people at it?'

Agnes was slightly stung. 'Not at all. A pit is a capital idea, although I suspect we'll have to find something stronger to contain it. Mr Jones has shown me your World Wide Web, and I have not squandered the opportunity. In terms of food for the creature why, you are a nation of waste plastic, plastic that was until recently s.h.i.+pped out to China to be picked over by children. Until your Global Financial Meltdown, that is. Since when it has simply sat in vast, ugly piles, growing and spilling out across the country, every bit as vile as this creature. We shall simply pour all that rubbish at this excrescence, and then harvest the results. We'll make the Empire great again. Why, in two decades, with a little bit of careful husbandry, Great Britain will be the only country left with any oil. This may be a very ugly goose, Mrs Cooper, but the eggs it lays are still golden.'

Jack realised sadly that his moment of strength had pa.s.sed. Oh, Gwen was furious with her, sickened by the creature, but something about Agnes's solution struck her as revenge. She was watching Agnes with the same curiosity that Ianto now was. He realised Jack was studying him sadly and glanced down.

'Agnes! Think what you're doing!' begged Jack before turning to his team. 'Can't either of you see this is nuts?'

They both looked at him, sheepishly.

'Um,' said Gwen. 'A lot of what we do is nuts, Jack. Working with you has taught me never to rule out a solution just because it's out of the ordinary. What if there is something in Agnes's discovery? G.o.d knows, this creature deserves whatever h.e.l.l we can invent for it.'

Ianto kept staring down at the mud. 'I think it's worth exploring,' he said. He thought about the pictures they'd found of Chinese children picking across fields where rice had been grown for centuries. Now those fields were covered with bottles and plastic bags and sandwich cartons and juice boxes.

Agnes met Jack's gaze and smiled sweetly. 'You see, Jack?' she continued. 'If, occasionally, you look at something alien, not just as a threat, but as an opportunity, then true progress can be achieved. But I would like to thank you all for such a stimulating and refres.h.i.+ng exchange of views. It is most welcome. Ah!' At that, she looked across the car park to where a large, black, official-looking car had drawn in.

'That was quick,' she said, slyly. 'I suspect I am about to be reasoned with. A bit swift for the Prime Minister, but no doubt someone with impeccable credentials. The first of many.'

She turned and started for the car, a smile on her face. And then she turned, and looked at Gwen. 'I am sorry for what the creature has done, Gwen. Believe me, we shall make it pay. And,' turning slightly, 'Jack, let's resume this fascinating discussion later.'

It was early the next morning.

'Rhys! Visitor for you!' cooed Large Mandy from the outer office.

b.l.o.o.d.y great, thought Rhys, staring miserably at the vast pile of paperwork in front of him. What he didn't get about the paperless office was how much paper there was, everywhere. Even with GPS there were still invoices, purchase orders, receipts and even the occasional tachometer to be gone through.

Gwen hadn't come home last night. Which wasn't really that unusual, given her really quite unique job, and the world ending, but still. . . you know. Even if she crawled in at two and slipped out before dawn, he still knew she'd been there. She'd come home. And that was, somehow, nice.

But not a sign. Not even a call. Just a text message: 'Love you, don't be afraid, call you later x.x.x.' That had sent the spiking horrors jumping up his spine.

Worse, he'd come in this morning to discover the Bryant account worse than ever. Stuff was still going missing from their s.h.i.+pments. He had scheduled different vans, different drivers, even a different depot, but always something went astray usually fridges. Nice ones. He stared, mystified at the paperwork, and suspected a trip down to one of the discount white goods outlets off Newport Road might help.

But first, something about a visitor. So long as it wasn't Mr Bryant himself. Anything would be better than. . .

Oh G.o.d.

'Rhys, hi!' said Captain Jack Harkness, sitting down.

'She's dead, isn't she?' said Rhys.

Jack frowned, 'Sadly no. . .' And then his face cleared. 'No! Lord no! Gwen is fine, Rhys. Honestly. Fine.'

'Then why are you here?' asked Rhys stiffly. He hadn't got over the shock, truthfully. He lived in fear of something terrible a last, brave phone call from Gwen, or finding Jack stony-faced outside his flat or. . . here.

Jack sensed Rhys's discomfort, and spread his hands out. 'Sorry to call on you. It's a bit. . . difficult.'

There was a tiny tap on the door, and Large Mandy squeezed herself in. 'Can I offer you something to drink?' she giggled excitedly. Rhys quivered. He knew that Jack was going to take some explaining. Mandy lived a life of reasonable certainties that just about fitted into a bungalow in Troed-y-rhiw. A life that didn't ordinarily include a man with movie-star good looks, a twinkling eye and a vaguely military uniform covered in dust and green slime.

'Gin would be lovely,' said Jack firmly.

Mandy giggled. 'Oh no, my love,' she said. 'We've got tea or instant. And I can probably find you a digestive.'

Jack swung round to look at her, his smile whacked up to 11. 'This instant coffee? Would it be a very cheap brand?'

Caught out, Mandy flushed slightly. 'Oh, well, more of a discount really. Special offer. It's not branded, see, and quite powdery, but Ruth, she swears it's-'

Jack's smile peaked. 'Wonderful. I would love a cup of your unbranded instant coffee!' He winked, and turned back to Rhys, just in time for Rhys to catch what looked like a smirk of childish rebellion on Jack's face.

Mandy, thrilled beyond measure, left the office. Humming to herself.

Jack looked at Rhys.

Rhys looked at Jack.

'Hi,' said Jack.

'h.e.l.lo,' said Rhys.

'So, been busy?'

'Oh, yes, thank you. Mustn't grumble. Yourself?'

'Oh, you know. Plates spinning. b.a.l.l.s in the air.' Jack looked evasive. For a second his attention seemed to wander, out of the window with its slatted blinds, and across the industrial estate. 'Not been watching the news, have you?'

Rhys laughed, and spread his arms out to encompa.s.s the spilling manila folders. 'Too tired last night, and straight in this morning dealing with this. Fridges going missing.'

Jack glanced at the folder and shrugged. 'Someone's trying to repair a cryogenic unit. Interesting. Tomorrow's problem.' He stared back out of the window, and then with difficulty refocused on Rhys. Rhys realised, with a slight chill, underneath the meringue that was Jack's personality, he was worried. Frightened.

'Why are you here?' asked Rhys. Direct questions often worked best with s.h.i.+fty drivers. And, it seemed, with Captain Jack Harkness.

'I need your help.'

'Blimey,' said Rhys. This was interesting. In the same way that bad medical results were interesting.

'I know,' and Jack smiled. 'I have an outrageous proposition for you.'

'Really?'

'Oh yes,' Jack suddenly looked like he was enjoying himself again. 'How do you fancy going behind your wife's back and saving the world?'

XII.

CONTAINING THE WHOLE.

SCIENCE OF GOVERNMENT.

In which a conference of great import is held, Mrs Cooper prevails, and Mr Williams embarks on a hunt for the forbidden It was early morning. Gwen came at a walking run across the car park, bringing with her three men in indifferent suits with important briefcases. Their drivers stood at a safe distance. Agnes strode over, and favoured each one with a gloved handshake as Gwen introduced them.

'We'll duck behind here.' With a gesture, Agnes motioned them to a big brick wall. 'The fire service are doing some decent work at keeping it at bay with detergent, but we've also established that the creature doesn't really eat brick. Much. Come along, gentlemen.'

Nervously, they followed her.

'Er,' began one, immediately losing any advantage. 'Miss Havisham. . . are we safe?'

Agnes's eyes widened with mock alarm and she looked over at the Vam as though seeing it for the first time, then she glanced back at her audience and smiled. 'Gentlemen, that is a relative term. But I have enough respect for bureaucrats not to let them be eaten by an opportunity. It is not in my interests.'

'Torchwood hasn't always been so safety conscious,' muttered another.

Agnes pretended not to hear and pressed on. 'Shall I precis the situation, or did you all read my notes on the journey over?'

The third man waved his copy of the doc.u.ment. It had significant portions covered in highlighter pen. Agnes nodded, approvingly.

'This creature is living oil,' she told them. 'It offers the United Kingdom, nay, humanity, its greatest hope in an energy-starved future. We feed it plastic, it gives us oil. Careful control of this will make England great again.'

The third man, who had a Welsh accent, coughed slightly.

'The peoples of England, Scotland and Northern Ireland will all owe an enormous debt to our Welsh brethren, of course,' Agnes continued, smiling at all of them as though the slight slip was amusing. 'Now, the grisly truth is that this creature is not pleasant. Is it, Mrs Cooper?'

The three men's eyes wandered over to Gwen. Gwen hurriedly hung up on another irate official and smiled tightly. 'It eats everything. Including people. So far the death toll is almost fifty.'

'Can that be kept quiet?' the first man demanded.

Gwen's expression wavered slightly before she answered. 'Well, if that's decided as being absolutely necessary. . . But I'd argue for transparency and honesty here. Really I would. This is quite a radical solution and people should be. . . well, I think everyone deserves a right to know the truth. Sooner rather than later.'

'Quite,' said the second man, favouring Gwen with a patronising smile. 'It is an alien, after all. People don't expect anything else from their aliens, and they demand nothing less than to be protected by their Government. And ' here he attempted some bonhomie 'I'm sure if it's being looked after by two such fine women, it'll be kept on a very strict diet.'

Gwen and Agnes both tilted their heads slightly at this, caught each other doing it, and turned quickly back to the creature before their grins could be seen.

'It's important,' Gwen continued, 'that people realise the true nature of this creature. It isn't a benign alien amba.s.sador. It is petrol that hates you.'