Chapter 8
Who?
I stood there glaring. Jack tried to grab my gun and I pulled out the other pistol and aimed it at him. "I don't want to shoot you but I will," I warned looking between the two. "Let's just sit and talk this out calmly," Natalia said pulling her redder auburn hair into a ponytail. It was pin straight and she was wearing a purple button down that had long lace sleeves and skinny jeans. Her eyes where a crystal blue and she had a light amount of freckles on her face. She had a stud nose piercing, single holes containing diamond studs, and then her right cartilage was the only other piercing and it had a small hoop. She had hightop converse and had light skin and was perfectly skinny. She was too stereotypically pretty. She wasn't even wearing make-up she just naturally looked like that. Owen walked over and stood in front of her. "Put the gun down," he said. "Not until you take HER out," I demanded. "Look I know you've been under alotta stress Jodie but Natalia is here she has been here even before you," Owen said. "Take her out and I'll put the gun down," I insisted. "Jodie I'm your frie-" she started but I cut her off "Don't fucking start. I never forget people especially not my friends I only have 4 and you're not one of them." I saw them exchanging glances. Ianto tried to inject a sedative I shot the needle after kicking it out of his hands and shot Natalia in the leg as she ran at me and Jack in the arm. I jumped over the rail and ran to my room locking the door. I shot the cameras and sealed off the vents so they can't send any gasses through it. I stood behind the door and Gwen was banging. "Jodie! Open up," She shouted. "NO," I shouted back. I saw as Aiden went through the door Gwen was holding a sedative and he ripped it out of her hand chucking it at a wall where it shattered. The lights started to flicker and the computers started going on and off. A few chairs flipped. "AIDEN STOP!" I shouted. I watched him dig up Ianto's diary. He dropped it on the table and a note that said.
'Read aloud'
I went back to my normal vision and it stopped. I listened through the door. I heard muffled reading. I heard as they came back and started to bang on the door. "Stand back," I heard Jack say. I ran to the bathroom and climbed on top of the toilet into a hidden patch that was faulty. I covered it back up and watched what Aiden saw. Jack kicked my door down. Somehow Natalia was in the diary..... She was acting innocent and telling Jack to stop. She kissed him. She KISSED HIM!? No. no. NOPEY NOPE NOPE! Jack and Ianto are practically a couple I see it in the way they look at each other. Owen and Gwen seeming different makes sense. Now that I think about it they all seemed different. Ianto appeared to not care as much. Owen seemed too innocent and like a lost puppy and Gwen seemed.... well Gwen was still Gwen internally. I stayed quiet. "Jodie," Owen called out. They couldn't find me. I inched back quietly. "There's a faulty tile," Gwen said and moved it I inched back until I was above my bed. She jumped up and looked around. She didn't see me. "No she's not up there," Gwen said. I didn't bother wipe away the tear trailing down my cheek. My only friends don't believe me. Who is Natalia? I waited for them to leave. I turned on a flash light and looked up. I was underneath a man hole cover. I stood up a bit and had to stay hunched over. 300 lbs I don't know if I can do that. I focused some of my energy and Aiden helped me lift it and move it over. I climbed up into the quiet road. It was blocked off for road work further down. I climbed out and fixed it. I wiped my bloody nose and ran towards the public library. I only had £50 in my pocket and I don't know how long I'll last. I need to focus. Her name was Natalia Erin Smith. I looked it up on the computer after entering. I hacked in and used a secret server no one could trace. I typed Natalia Erin Smith. I closed my eyes remembering her tag 5/8/1994.
Thank you photographic memory. I typed in the information and nothing came up. I took a photo. I updated and there it was only updated in 2 seconds ago I took a photo of the time. I shut it off and walked out. I saw the Jack walking in front of me. Only Jack. I looked around. I started in the opposite direction I heard Natalia join him. "I think I might've seen her." I started running and took a sharp turn down the alley. I used a breathing exercise to make sure I wouldn't start cramping. I sprinted someone was running behind me. I ran faster and skidded around another corner. I was tackled and fell to the ground. I flipped them over and I whipped out my pistol out of my pocket to their head. It was Owen. He looked at me wide eyed. "Jodie, It's me Owen," he said. "No you're not Owen. The Owen I know isn't as innocent I don't know what she did but Natalia changed all of you, she literally did not exist until two seconds ago," I said giving him my phone and standing up. "I believe you. I'm nit going to take you in," he reassured. "I still have to go until I can prove it. Just show them the photos. Say I got away," I explained jumping up the fire escape and running up to the roof. I ran to the ledge and looked across. I went back and got a running start before leaping across to long apartment building and I climbed down and ran. I caught a bus that was just taking off. I rode a mile and got off at the last stop. I walked to a bridge and went under it. It wasn't a bad shelter. I had been homeless in the streets before. I just laid on an old bed it had nothing wrong with it except it was falling apart.
I looked up, and couldn't hold it back any more. I let the tears stream down my face. I finally had a home, friends who cared about and some perfect chick waltzes in and makes me the bad guy. I wiped my eyes and sniffled. I shot one of my best friends and appeared to betray them all. I stood up and walked. I walked for an hour and it was more like a trudge. I looked like shit and was barely staying awake. I made it to Torchwood and walked in. They all looked at me. I just held my arms out. "Go the fuck ahead and lock me away like I'm a mental case. Just don't let her touch me. That's all I fucking ask," I said just barely keeping myself together. "Weapons," Gwen said. I handed her my guns and the knife I kept in my boot. Jack cuffed my wrists and took me to where we locked away the weavills. I sat in the corner and watched as he closed it. I started thinking. She clearly has planted fake memories probably by touch. I wasn't able to see her tamper with the others mind. No... I saw her mess with Jack's he still had a thing for Ianto and then she kissed him. Now what did she do before she kissed him. For fuck's sake why can't this be easy? I closed my eyes. She placed a hand on his shoulder! I stood up and started to pace. "Ok so she tampers with their minds by placing a hand on the neck some other physical contact placing false memories in their heads. She messes with their personalities as well somehow. Who is she though? Natalia Erin Smith never existed until a few little while ago. She's too perfect. So alien I suppose?" I thought aloud. "She wants me to break down that's what I've been doing falling into her trap. Who's gonna believe the mentally unstable girl right?" I continued. "I will," spoke up a voice. I looked up to see Owen. "What do you mean," I asked. "I told you. I'll believe you. The proof you showed was irrifutable," he said. I stood against the steel bars. "Thanks," I said placing my head between the bars. I was going to feel so guilty for this but I need to do it. "You're welcome," he said taking a step forward. "You're the only one who still believes me," I said. "Because I..... love you," he said. I leaned forward and kissed him but I slipped his gun and pulled back loading it and aiming it at his head. "No you don't. I'm sorry Owen I'm so sorry, but I have to fix this," I said. "I understand," he replied a bit sadly. "Unlock the door," I said. He did so and I ran out leaving the gun in his hands. I just stabbed the one person who believed me in the back. It was late and of course Jack was the only one there. I ran over. "Before you say anything listen to me," I say. He looked up increadulously. "You just don't know when to stop do you," he asked. I ran to the computer and pulled up the video files and played side by side a weeks worth of no Natalia. "Look she only shows up here," I say pointing to today's footage. He sat back. "But that's not possible," Jack muttered. I showed the two photos of before the profile and after.
I showed each contact point. "Natalia Erin Smith is not real you let this creature into Torchwood," I said looking at him. I heard clapping echo the room from behind us. "Congratulations you figured it out Jodie Holmes. But what are you going to do now? I live off of your memories," She said taking a step towards us. I stood upright and my eyes widened as a gunshot rung out. I looked down and my abdomen had been shot. I held a shaking hand over it and fell to my knees as they buckled. "The..... retcon pills...get Torchwood together now," I was in shock I knew because I couldn't feel the bullet. I took shallow quick breaths as I pulled myself up. "Jodie you were just-," he said aiming a gun at Natalia. "GO," I shouted cutting him off. He did so after she tried to shoot again but it was empty, and I staggered over to her after I made a quick tourniquet. I ripped the gun from her hands cuffing her quick enough that she couldn't stop me. I shoved her to the cell I was previously in. Owen saw me and ran to my side. Ugh I can no longer stand this puppy shit. "Key," I struggling but closing her door shut as she began shouting. He started firing questions like a machine gun. "JUST HAND ME THE FUCKING KEY," I shouted snapping. He gave it to me shocked. I locked her in."C'mon," I said staggering off to the conference room and I leaned against the table. I hung my head closing my eyes for a second. I looked up as the door opened. I took out the pill jar and put one amnesia pill in front of each chair. I put one in Jack's hand and put one in my own. Jack placed water in front of everyone. "What's this for? Why's Jodie here and when did she get shot," Gwen asked. "I escaped.. to prove what Natalia was, sh-she shot me," I said and the footage played. "She feeds off memories of her or in general. In order to remove her we must forget her," Jack explained. "She also.... changed us, Jack is less trusting more stubborn, Ianto I can't tell it must.. be internal. Gwen..... your wearing a crapton of make up and Owen.... your too innocent," I said. "Think of the things ..... that made you, you and tell me them," I said as more spaces formed between words. I took a deep shaky breath. Jack watched and Ianto was the first. Then Gwen. She had bright red lipstick, bronzer, and now navy blue eyeshadow..... Next was Owen. I looked at Jack and he hesitantly looked at me. She had implanted memories of them dating. "It's not real Jack......None of this is. But I'm real, They.... are real," I said looking at him. He looked at it and back up. He swallowed the pill. I watched and they all started to doze off each telling their own story. Their heads dropped. I walked to the computers erasing the videos and all files correlated to her. I felt my nerves come back. I grunted and pain shot up my side and down my leg. I walked to the cell. "Don't send me back. Please," she pleaded. I shook my head and grabbed the nanogenes. I sat down. The pain seared through me and I held back screams but whimpers escaped my lips. The warm sting of tears blurred my vision. I took even shallower breaths. I grit my teeth and took off my shirt. I couldn't help but scream in pain. White hot bolts shot each individual nerve and I couldn't bare the pain. I felt the tears escape and run down my cheeks. I opened the canister and the nanogenes fixed it. I capped them and put it away. I could breath again and the pain was gone. I put the blood stained shirt in the fire and zipped up my clean jacket after wiping up the blood. I popped the pill and watched Natalia glitch as though she was a computer program. I sunk down to my knees falling unconscious.