m_findlow

Title: Wrongful arrest
Fandom: Torchwood
Prompt: Arrest at hc_bingo
Wordcount: 24,947 words
Rating: M
Warnings: N/A
Summary: UNIT are on the warpath, and they've got Jack in their sights.

When Oduya entered the lab, he looked confused. In any other situation, it might have been considered funny.

'How am I supposed to tell them apart?'

'I'm the real Jack Harkness.' said one Jack.

'That's debatable,' retorted the other.

'This is absurd,' Oduya complained.

'It's simple, I can prove it without a shadow of a doubt,' said Ianto.

Oduya didn't want to take instructions from Torchwood, but even he had to admit, the men in front of him interested him. And if anyone could tell them apart, then good luck to them. Perhaps he'd wait to see what they made of it.

Ianto felt his stomach flip knowing that Jack was so close and yet, before this was over, he'd have to let him go again.

'Ianto Jones! Boy am I glad to see you! And who the hell is he?' said New Jack, acting all the part as if he were the original.

'Go to hell,' spat Jack.

Ianto made to break up their quarrel. He cleared his throat loudly.

'When he travelled through from his alternate universe, he got covered in void radiation. The void is the space that exists between universes. It's what the daleks and cybermen used to invade Canary Wharf three years ago. Look,' Ianto held up the PDA screen in front of Jack. It showed him covered in thousands of tiny particles. He then turned it toward New Jack, who came back clean. The PDA had been rigged to show an inverse image of the radiation. He quickly shut it off before anyone could argue with the readings.

'He's right,' added Martha. 'It's the same particle residue we found on one of the unit soldiers who was killed. It must have transferred when they came into contact. We couldn't identify it here, but Torchwood's records show it's the same radiation they had in London.'

'You can't be serious. I'm the real Jack!' protested Jack.

Ianto came and stood before Jack. He knew he was the real one, but bloody hell, it was confusing keeping it straight in his own head as to which was which. Even so, there was the tiniest warmth in his eyes when they connected, which confirmed that he was the real Jack Harkness. He wanted so badly to reach out and touch his face, and let him know everything would be okay. Instead he had to focus hard on not letting his own emotions show, lest they give them both away.

'I'm sorry, but you're not. You're a killer. You don't belong here.'

Jack could barely process the words coming out of Ianto's mouth. He knew it was part of the plan, and he knew he had to play his part as well. He just wished their experience in role playing, combined with Ianto's natural skills as a liar, weren't so damn good. He could almost believe he was the wrong Jack.

'Colonel?' Ianto asked, looking back at him for the answer to his question.

Oduya nodded. 'Release Captain Harkness. The real one,' he clarified.

The guard stepped forward and unlocked the restraints on New Jack's wrists and ankles.

'Always a pleasure doing business with UNIT,' New Jack drawled sarcastically.

'Apologies Captain, but you have to see how it looked from our point of view.'

'Don't I always? Just a little trigger happy, was it?'

'Perhaps we can continue the conversation up in my office?' Oduya suggested, trying to save face in front of Martha and the guard. It didn't do well to look stupid in front of the rank and file.

'That might be best.' New Jack agreed.

The colonel nodded in acquiescence and ordered that Jack be taken to his cell.

'Wait,' New Jack said. He walked over to Jack and relieved him of his vortex manipulator. 'I'll be taking that,' he said, but looking back at Oduya as he said it. 'Assuming it works, it's way too dangerous to leave in UNIT's hands.'

The colonel accepted the motion begrudgingly. He wouldn't have minded keeping it for himself to see what the experts made of it. Suddenly his name in the annals of history began looking unlikely.

'No! You can't do this!' Jack protested once more. 'I haven't done anything! You've got the wrong guy!'

'Not this time,' replied Colonel Oduya.

Four faces looked forlornly at the desperate figure as he was dragged out of the room.

Only three knew the truth. Phase one was now complete.

Back in Oduya's office, Ianto and New Jack were discussing some finer points regarding their imposter.

'UNIT will be keeping him in custody until such time as we can determine his usefulness.'

'In other words, forever,' Jack replied sardonically.

'If necessary,' came the curt response. 'I might remind you that the crimes you were charged with were in actual fact perpetrated by this man?'

Jack and Ianto had known this would happen. UNIT would never willingly give up their prisoner. They'd have to force his hand somehow.

'I want to interview him,' stated Jack.

'I'm sure that can be arranged in due course.'

'No, I know what you people are like. By the time you're ready, there might not be enough of him left to interview, going by personal experience,' he added coldly, causing Oduya to squirm slightly under the scrutiny.

Now that Jack was free, this was a meeting of equals. The head of Torchwood and the head of UNIT ranked equally in the eyes of the Crown. Ianto had made sure New Jack knew that. He'd sensed they'd need the authoritative backing to get what they wanted.

'I want to interview him right now. I need to know what he knows.' The determined look on his face suggested he wasn't about to back down. 'It's the least you can do given the circumstances, don't you think?'

Once again, Oduya hated being rerouted by Torchwood, but he acquiesced. Torchwood could make his life difficult in the long run. A favour now, was a favour less he'd be called upon to collect later.

Ianto made to follow Jack out of the office before being pulled up.

'Just me,' Jack instructed.

Ianto made a show of looking disappointed. It was all for Oduya's benefit. He needed to feel as if he wasn't the only one being forced to take orders.

Oduya sighed and indicated to a nearby soldier to take Jack down to the holding cell.

Their act in Martha's lab might have been mainly for show, but there was no denying the icy reception that Jack gave New Jack when he entered the cell, alone.

'Finally I get a chance to chat with the famous Captain Jack Harkness,' he sneered. 'Though seeing as I'm supposed to be conducting an interview, I might as well make the most of our little special time.'

'Been enjoying yourself have you?' Jack asked.

'You never used to be this sarcastic. Or is that me? I forget now. I figured if I ever met me, we'd spend several weeks together in bed. Busting myself outta jail, not so surprising, but I figure I'm not going to get the reward I was hoping for at the end of it.'

'Seen a lot of things,' replied Jack. 'Changes a person. Sometimes,' he added, glaring balefully back.

'So you insist. I still say you're me, whatever you think.'

Jack smiled and shook his head. 'I'm not even close to you.'

'You think you're better than me?'

'I know I am. I would never have killed people just because they got in my way. You, on the other hand, don't see to have a problem with it.'

'Oh, you have changed haven't you? What's this sudden revelation that's made you all holier than thou?'

Jack considered him for a moment. 'You never met The Doctor, did you?'

'Doctor who?'

Jack snickered and stared up at him. 'I used to be you. Rogue, self centered, always looking for a way to make a quick buck. The Doctor changed all that. Made me realise there's more to life than just looking out for number one.'

'And immortal to boot,' New Jack added cynically. 'Haven't you just hit the lottery?'

'Wasn't part of the plan. Believe me, if I could go back and prevent it, I would.'

'Not likely,' New Jack scoffed.

'Yes,' Jack affirmed. 'You have no idea what it's like, having to outlive everyone you know. Having to watch them die and not be able to do anything about it. I wouldn't wish that on anyone.'

New Jack watched him for a moment. Maybe it wasn't all glory. Then again, he'd never stuck around long enough to develop meaningful relationships. He didn't understand what he was missing. Saying goodbye to people didn't carry any meaning for him.

'So you fill in your days by pretending to be a hero and becoming the person you once despised?'

'I don't know your whole history, but I can only guess it's not dissimilar to mine. Look at you, you're even dressed the same. We can't be that far apart. I did terrible things in the past which I can't forgive myself for, and which I don't expect anyone else to forgive me for. Now I try and make up for those mistakes every single day,' said Jack.

New Jack looked at him, surprised.

'That's exactly the same thing Ianto said.'

Jack smiled softly.' Ianto's only crime is loving too much and too deeply. You and I both know what we've done was never for such as noble a cause as that.'

'And you'll watch him die one day too?'

'Sooner than I'd prefer, in all likelihood,' Jack sighed. 'He's not like me. He's prepared to sacrifice his life to protect this world, knowing that if it kills him, there's no second chances. I can die a thousand times and I'll keep coming back. My sacrifice doesn't hold the same value as his.'

'That's why he's so special to you?'

'More than you'll ever know.'

New Jack fell silent. He'd begun to see first hand just what sort of man Ianto was. And what sort of man this Jack had become. How much influence had the former had on the latter?

'Suppose we'd better get you out of there, then. If he means that much to you, he won't be happy if I come back empty handed, and I don't fancy having to face that.'

'Finally something we can agree on. So now what happens?'

'Now I do this,' New Jack said, grabbing Jack by the collar and slamming him up against the wall. Jack's head hit the concrete wall hard and he saw stars.

'Make it look good for the camera, Jacky boy. You're about to die.'

Jack struggled against his assailant. Suddenly he wasn't sure if this was part of the plan anymore. New Jack's grip was vice like and he remembered the tactics well from his training days at the Time Agency. Tactics for which there was very little defence.

Whilst he continued his struggles, he felt a sharp pain in his side. What was that? His airways began to constrict, and his vision swam as he found it harder and harder to breathe. Still New Jack's hands were wrapped around his throat and holding his weakening body upright against the wall.

As his vision grew fuzzy he made out a whispered command in his ear.

'Pray you wake up to freedom.'

Then there was nothing.

Chapter thirteen...