Torchwood One's New Second In Command

Part 2: A surprising transfer

"Its obvious is it not?" Eli told them confidently after taking a sip of her second drink.

"What is?" Ianto asked her confused.

"You're clearly our superiors' favourite. Honestly, I'm ready to bet that Mr. Martin is following the big guys orders. He's probably testing you to see if you're ready to go to the next level."

She laughed at his bewildered expression. Rory had to add his two cents of course.

"She's right, mate. I mean if one of us is going to be sent to the main building earlier than everyone else its going to be you. You're the one that knows the best his way around the archive. You probably know those files and archives better than any official Torchwood scientist."

"You're exaggerating, Martin is just making sure I don't make a big mistake." He was seriously regretting not ordering a second drink. But surprisingly the next to speak up was the usually discreet and quiet Claudia.

"Ianto, its true. Martin admires your intelligence, but he also likes your very serious and responsible behavior at work. You get along with everyone, you have the charisma that I lack and well you follow orders well and accomplish the job quicker than all of us." He thought he heard a bit of bitterness in her words. He knew she was an ambitious person but her shy and quiet personality was something she sometimes had a time surpassing.

"Just promise us when you're named full agent in a few months keep in contact with us small people." Rory joked, his face flushed red from the alcohol. The other's laughed and continued to joke around. The subject was quickly changed by Claudia who swore she caught agent Parker and Agent Johnson making it out in lab 4B.

                  But Ianto had a hard time not thinking back to the conversation. The next week he payed more attention to Professor Martin who like last week was spending a lot of time with him. He noticed that the man was sometimes taking notes on a small notebook when he thought Ianto was not looking. The man questioned him often on the Torchwood files he had to study during his free time. He would give him a theoretical situation and ask him what kind of actions Ianto would take and what kind of protocol would he have to follow. Ianto had the strong feeling that he was being tested without his knowledge. Normally they had still four months to do in this building before being tested and then sent to the two other branches, administration and field work located in the torchwood main building.

                But his friends had ended being right because Saturday afternoon, he was called to Professor's Martin's office.

"Hello, Sir. I was told that you wanted to see me." He politely greeted the old man when entering the small white professional office. The man who looked to be in his mid-forties, had been head of the Archives for five years now. He was kind but at the same time a strict Trainor. He also could be very talkative when he was working on an interesting project. And Ianto respected him a lot.

"Ianto, my boy, sit down, sit down. Do you want some coffee, of course it won't be as good as yours..."

Ianto smiled at the man's light babbling. The man seemed to be excited about something. "

"Actually, I just drank a cup before coming here, so if you don't mind, I'll take a pass."

"Yes, yes, I understand. You must be wondering why I called here in the middle of your work, but you see we have to talk about your training and how it could possibly change next."

"Change, sir?" He repeated the man's word in confusion, silently asking the man to explain.

"You see, you're work and attitude at work have been outstanding. You've learned everything about the archives and researches in less than two weeks. You can recite and describe every protocol that has ever existed in the Torchwood rule book. You have to understand that the first six months of training are mostly meant to give our trainees all the basic information and knowledge they will need later in their careers. So, keeping you longer while you have already passed all the requirements for this part of the training would just be a waste of time and a waste of your talents." Ianto was looking at his mentor putting a cube of sugar in his coffee, while listening in disbelief to the man's little speech.

             Were they really going to let him pass to the second half of his training four months before what was normally done? But then again, he agreed with the man if they had nothing less to teach him, it would be better to send him somewhere he could be useful instead of spending the next four months making coffee.

"So, will I be sent to one of the other departments for the second part of my training?" He asked the man.

"Exactly, you will be relocated to the main building. You told me you're flat was located not too far from it, so at least you won't have to move that's good news. While the first six month were meant to be more theory oriented. So, I have to warn, it might turn difficult for you since it will be more physically and psychologically demanding. And don't repeat this to the main people building but the field agents can sometimes be more irritating to deal with. More brawn than brains if you know what I mean." He chuckled at the man's words. He did not have a hard time believing the man. He had met a few of these "main building people", and from the little he had seen from these suits wearing and 24/7 frowning people, he had to agree with the professor's accurate description.

"Then again, I have read your file, you seemed quite the popular jock in your last school. You might be able to survive and stand your ground in the middle of those gorillas much better that I could ever."

                During the next half hour, Martin told him more details about when he would start and his new supervisor will be an experienced field agent called Jim McCormick. He warned that the man was not a fan of insubordination or failure. But other than the man being a boring old man, at least he knew what he was talking about since he was one of the oldest and most experienced agents still on the field. The fact that the man was in mid forties and still one of the best agents was quite impressive thought Ianto. He would be starting training with the man Monday. Before leaving he thanked Martin for his help and for recommending him for this early promotion. The man told him that he would always be welcome in the archives building. And he hoped that in the future they might work together again. They shook hands and Ianto left his office. He would text his friends about his news tomorrow. It would be weird not to see them during his work days or eat lunch with them. He will have to try and meet up with them during their free time.