Winnie Is Not Okay

2.4

"Got her", Tosh and Winnie said at the same time, high-fiving absentmindedly as Tosh now sent the data to the car and Winnie got their haz mat equipment.

She pulled the bag over her shoulder and led the way to the car. This time she drove. Gwen, Owen and Tosh pulled their suits over their clothes in and Jack did the same in the passenger seat. They jumped out of the car when it hadn't even come to a full stop yet and Winnie quickly pulled on her own suit and mask, readied the stun gun she'd chosen for herself and ran in after them.

When she entered the hallway Owen was halfway up the stairs and a postman came out from behind the stairs in a halfway unbuttoned shirt, looking terrified. Owen was about to aim his gun but Winnie raised her hand for him to stand down.

"Take this and be careful out there", Winnie held out a single pill in a little plastic container. Retcon.

"What is it?", he was still a little distraught but now confused as well.

"Something for the nerves. Trust me", she showed him the psychic paper she still always carried, "I'm a doctor."

The man nodded and stumbled past her, immediately throwing the pill into his mouth. She nodded in satisfaction and then a young, slim, dishevelled woman ran out from the same way and they heard Jack shout "Look out" from behind her. Owen threw a disk at her and an energy cell turned up around the woman. She looked terrified.

"What's that?", Gwen asked when the rest of them came into the hallway.

"It's a sort of inflatable cell", Owen shrugged, "Power runs down after an hour, though. The battery life's bollocks."

"Who said you could use that?", Jack nearly shouted at him.

"Er, I just stopped a prisoner escaping", Owen remarked, unashamed.

"You know the rules. None of that stuff leaves the building without my express permission", Jack got to work arresting the young woman, Carys, alongside Tosh and Gwen.

"Winnie retconned the postman", Owen accused her, but upon the lack of reaction he just shrugged, "Fine. Don't thank me."

"Come with us", Gwen said when they had a secure grip on Carys.

They got her back to the hub. On the entire way she just seemed like a frightened girl who was just as much a victim as the pile of ash on the powder room floor in a nightclub. Winnie swallowed harshly and kept driving.

By the time they arrived in the hub everybody else was already out of their hazmat equipment so Winnie went back to the lab to get out of it as well and freshen up. In the distance she heard Jack tell an insecure Gwen to take care of the prisoner.

Winnie felt conflicted. Carys was just possessed by an alien entity that was forcing her to do these things so it wasn't her fault and she shouldn't be imprisoned. But they did need to figure out the entity. And the only way to do it was to get its host as well.

She splashed her face with water after washing her hands, necessary after having worn the stinking gas mask, and rejoined the group. She ran a hand through her hair and called, "Chinese or burgers?", through the hub.

"Chinese", came the unanimous reply. She rolled her eyes and picked up the phone on the coffee table, ordering in.

"Oi, you lot", Owen called out just as she hung up, "Treat."

"Whoa", Tosh came to look first.

"Wow", Jack commented.

Winnie put down the phone and walked over, seeing Gwen and Carys make out in her cell, "Guys, this is highly inappropriate."