J&L: The Curse, The Cult & The Captain (7)

Police Station.

IQ: "Thanks for arriving so promptly, gentlemen."

GL: "We could hardly do otherwise, as you sent an escort to convey us here. I take it you've found a lead in this case?"

IQ: "Indeed Professor. Some old fashioned police work, given that it is our usual function. I've had all constables on the beat keeping an eye out for that eye symbol, in the hopes of finding another one of these cult hideouts."

GL: "Obviously you've found something promising, Quick."

IQ: "We found no less than five other premises, all in various states of disrepair. We also checked mortuary records for the last month, and found three other corpses with similar scarring."

GL: "Oh dear! Sounds like this cult have been keeping busy. Any identification on these other murders?"

IQ: "Sadly not. It's as unknown as our most recent victim. But there's more. One of the houses we found, the outer marking is fresh. We believe it to have been done as early as this morning!"

CJH: "Then, we know where they'll be tonight. We know where the next victim will be sacrificed."

IQ: "So I just wanted to run all this by you before we raid the building."

CJH: "No. You can't do that."

IQ: "Excuse me, Captain? Why can't the Constabulary do our job?"

CJH: "This cult has already gone to ground once. A brute force approach now will only alert them further. We need to be more subtle about this."

HGJ: "You sure about that, Jack? Isn't this a problem presenting itself for the professional policemen? This seems a mite beyond the abilities of an amateur sleuth."

CJH: "I'm no amateur, Whiskers. That's why I'm going in alone. Undercover. You two can wait for the police and enter as my backup."

GL: "You can't be serious! Go in, alone? How on earth?"

CJH: "Don't worry about me, Prim. I'm more hardy than I look, and I've done this sort of thing many times."

IQ: "Captain, I must insist that you abide by the regulations of Her Majesty's Police."

CJH: "Jurisdiction doesn't apply to me. Torchwood is beyond the Constabulary. We have full authority to override and Metropolitan investigation at all times. And I say I'm going in alone."

IQ: "In which case, I'm unable to stop you, but I advise against it."

GL: "As do we, Captain."

HGJ: "We do? Er... Yes, what the Professor said."

CJH: "Duly noted, if in vain. Jago, I'll need access to the New Regency's costume department. How are you with a needle and thread?"

HGJ: "Oh, Corks!"

Costume Store, New Regency Theatre.

HGJ: "Here you are. Captain. The repository of resplendent routine regalia! You'll probably find a sufficiently suitable set of cultish clothes on the left, from the Mad Monk's Mathematical Manipulation act I had here last May. I was a bit desperate to fill the stalls."

CJH: "Thanks Whiskers. Can I ask you a question?"

HGJ: "Don't see what not. Fire away."

CJH: "Why do you insist on doing that? The alliteration, I mean?"

HGJ: "Because I am a magnificent and magnanimous master of ceremonies! My particular predilection for practised patter packs in the punters. I'm a showman, Jack, and this is my act."

CJH: "Yeah, I gathered. But we're not on stage now. And you keep it up on your dalliances with Prim. Why?"

HGJ: "Because like any trained talent, it requires constant practice to keep the linguistic lexicon desirably dexterous!"

CJH: "Is that all? Because I think there's more to it. I think you're using it as a defensive technique. Am I right?"

HGJ: "I'll be honest with you, Jack. I'm not like you or the Professor. I'm a man of the stage, I haven't made a career out of carving up cadavers like George, I don't have your unflappable swagger. I don't have the stomach for the more gruesome aspects of our work, I've seen enough bally murders and malicious machinations to last for the rest of my life. So, I find a way to distance and disassociate myself from these despicable acts. Using my stage persona makes it bearable. Oh, you probably think me a coward, Captain."

CJH: "On the contrary, Jago. Only an empathic individual would be disturbed by these sights. That's not a weakness to me. I only keep going because I don't stop to look behind me, and I've seen so much horror it all blends together."

HGJ: "Thanks Captain. Maybe you're not as bad as we initially thought."

CJH: "Hey, my beauty is more than skin deep. Anyway, time to make a costume. Times like this I miss Ianto. Exceptional tailor."