m_findlow

Title: Growing frustration
Fandom: Torchwood
Characters/Pairings: Jack, Gwen, Ianto
Word Count: 500 words
Rating: PG
Notes: Written for Challenge 107 - Bridge at anythingdrabble
Summary: Jack's frustrations prove he's become totally indoctrinated.

'Oh, come on!' Jack yelled, smashing the heel of his palm against the steering wheel in frustration. 'It's like there's some kind of mass exodus from Wales. Did we miss a memo or something?'

Gwen suppressed a smirk at seeing their leader so irascible over such a trivial thing as a little traffic jam. There were only a mile or two from the Severn Bridge, but the cars were bumper to bumper, meaning no one was going anywhere.

'Hardly a car all the way past Newport and now this!' Jack continued to fume. He crawled the SUV forward another inch but there was nowhere to go. A few more inches and he was going to be attached to the red Vauxhall in front of them.

'Ah, here it is,' Ianto piped up from the back seat, consulting his phone. 'There's a Transport Union Worker's strike action on today, meaning most of their toll booth operators will be out of action.'

Jack flipped on the radio just in time to have the news confirmed. "And just a reminder to those traveling on the M4 today that strike action will be slowing things down around the Severn Bridge crossing, with traffic down to one lane. That's the latest from BBC Radio Wales traffic and travel. And now for the latest in sport-"Jack flipped the radio back off.

'This is the last time we do UNIT any more favours,' Jack insisted. 'From now on if aliens decide to hang out in England, it's their problem, not ours. Used to work a treat years ago.'

'And years ago you had Torchwood One keeping an eye on things,' Ianto remarked.

Jack snorted. 'Like they ever did anything useful. If it's Welsh, it's our responsibility. If not...'

Gwen did smile this time. 'Do I detect a little bit of patriotism seeping through there, Jack?'

He bristled at any inference he'd grown soft about Wales. 'All I'm saying is that we have a lot of work to do and stupid stuff like this,' he said, gesticulating annoyedly through the windscreen, 'isn't helping us get the job done. Seriously, who decided a toll bridge was a good idea, huh? I thought this was meant to be the United Kingdom. Next thing they'll be wanting passport control and quarantine restrictions and- Why the hell are you laughing at me?'

Gwen clapped both hands over her mouth to try and quell her giggles. 'I'm sorry,' she finally managed to say. 'You just sound so much like Rhys. You really have come over all Welsh, haven't you?'

'Completely native,' Ianto agreed. 'Even complains like a Welshman.'

'I have not gone native!' Jack argued. 'I'm simply pointing out the absurdity of government trying to take a few extra quid off people just for using a goddamn bridge that just happens to cross the border. And making us wait for the privilege.'

'He should go into politics, don't you think, Gwen?' Ianto suggested.

'Then he'd have to cross the Severn every day!'