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Guide My Way

The eighth book for my Doctor Who fan fiction with elements of RWBY, Symphogear, Madoka Magica, Kid Icarus Uprising, the MCU, Sherlock, Torchwood, Ace Attorney, A Certain Scientific Railgun, and SAO in there. It will have me, the Doctor, obviously, the companion, whoever it might be. It will also have characters from RWBY, SAO, Symphogear, Madoka Magica, Kid Icarus Uprising, Sherlock, Torchwood, Ace Attorney, A Certain Scientific Railgun, and the MCU in there, all of us interacting with each other. The traveling, the hijinks, the running and traveling continues, and this could be the end for our heroes in the story.

pokecraft98 · TV
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97 Chs

End of the Road

(Jared's POV)

Colasanto Residence, Nevada, USA…

We all get out of the SUV.

Olivia speaks to the guards at the main door, "They're with me. They've agreed to leave their weapons behind."

"But Esther and the girls from Academy City are gonna stay outside." Rex said.

"Why? What for?" Olivia asked.

"They're gonna keep an open relay to a hard drive back in Los Angeles. If we go through those doors and disappear, then we have a record. Okay? So, tell your goons to leave them alone."

"And if your goons bother them, the Railgun and her right hand gal can make said goons to Cat Ones." I said, smiling. "Well, come on. Angelo's inside."

We go into the hall.

"He talked about you all the time, Jack. His immortal man in old New York. He never forgot." Olivia said.

"You telling me the whole world got screwed because two gay guys had a hissy fit?" Rex asked.

"Rex, get back in your cave." Gwen said.

"Come on, give me a break."

"Rex, I've seen worse. The stuff Touma goes through with Index. And that is on top of the things the Railgun goes through with her friends." I said, smirking.

"And of course you'd know what they go through, Jared."

"Getting back to the point. Jack, you inspired him. You proved immortality was possible. And he devoted the rest of his life to finding out how to live forever." Olivia said, looking at Jack

"And he did it? He's still alive? He's still young?" Jack asked.

"Oh yes, he's still alive. Angelo Colasanto is still very much alive, but he's not young."

Angelo's room…

"My grandfather waited all this time to live forever. And his wish came true too late." Olivia said.

A pale elderly man is lying in a hospital bed, with an oxygen mask on. He is on a drip and surrounded by medical equipment and monitors. The bed is on a slightly raised platform.

"What's wrong with him?" I asked, taking out chocolate chip cookies to snack on them.

"At his age? Just about everything. You can leave us alone, thanks." Olivia said.

"Of course, ma'am." The nurse said, leaving the room.

Jack lifts the old man's right eyelid, and remembers the past.

"This is so sad." Uiharu said, her voice coming out of Jared's Augma.

"I know. Uiharu. I know." I said, looking down at Jack. "Jack. Is it him?"

"Yes, Jared. It's him." Jack said.

"You must be horrified." Olivia said.

"Why would you say that?"

"Well, he's grown so old."

"That's how I see the whole world. He's still young compared to me."

Rex holds up a mobile phone, "This is for Esther, the Railgun, and her friends. Just keeping an open line to make sure we're all safe."

"Make that two open lines." I said, pointing a finger towards my Augma. "This thing is useful. It's called an Augma. It has augmented reality features. It can make phone calls too. But it doesn't get released until 2026."

"After everything I've heard about Torchwood technology and the technology of Academy City, you're gonna rely on an open handset and an augmented reality headset?" Olivia asked.

"Yeah, well, we had to leave LA in a hurry, thanks to someone I could mention. Anyway, what the hell's going on with the stock markets?" Rex asked.

Esther and Uiharu are hacking into the Colasanto estate CCTV.

"They're falling. It's been inevitable ever since Miracle Day, which I reckon is part of the plan." Olivia said.

"So you put a gun to my daughter's head for what, for this? So you get your revenge on Jack?" Gwen asked.

"We weren't trying to hurt you. I was carrying out my grandfather's final wish, to keep you safe."

"So you don't want him dead?"

"Do you mean you were protecting me?" Jack asked.

"Hell of a way of going about it." Gwen said, scoffing.

"There's a crucial distinction. My grandfather cared for you, I don't. You might be important in some way we've yet to work out, so it's best to keep you intact. But that's as far as the sentiment goes." Olivia said.

"Seriously? You go through all this for what? Shit. Can we start over? I'd like a drink?" I asked, still snacking on the chocolate chip cookies.

(Open POV)

SUV…

"Yeah. I want a drink too. I could murder a pint of bitter right now." Gwen said, her voice coming out of the phone.

"Thanks, Jared. I'll have a vodka." Esther said, smiling.

"I'd like a drink. Something without alcohol." Mikoto said, looking at the monitor. "And so do my friends."

Someone puts a gun to the neck of a guard and walks him away.

Angelo's room…

There are photographs ranged on the mantelpiece, all of Jack at different times.

"These are all of you. Some of these are, that's Torchwood. That's Cardiff. When was that?" Gwen asked, looking at a moustachioed Jack.

"The seventies." Jack said.

"A moustache? My God, Jack. He watched you for decades."

"But he never made contact."

"You may not be ashamed of being old, but he was." Olivia said.

"Wait. Hang on. Angelo didn't make this happen? Your grandfather didn't start Miracle Day?" Jared asked, sipping on a Coke.

"No, he lived this long through natural means. He kept his body at a temperature two degrees below normal. He controlled his caloric intake, kept his blood pressure below one ten."

"Does that work?" Gwen asked.

"Oh, yes. Prolonging life is simple. But no one's worked out how to make a profit at it, so it's not advertised." Olivia said.

"And the whole time he was looking for immortality?" Jack asked.

"It's not as impossible as it sounds. You are not the only remarkable thing on this Earth, Jack. Consider the jellyfish. The species turritopsis nutricula is considered to be immortal. Its cells undergo a process called transdifferentiation. Quite simply, it can revert to a younger state, and grow old again. And then repeat without limit. It's possible there are individual jellyfish upon this planet that have existed for thousands and thousands of years."

"I'm not as special as I thought."

"You never were. Even within the human body, cancer cells are immortal. Stem cells, in theory they can divide forever. And this is the research that Angelo investigated. Well, they all did, because my grandfather wasn't alone."

"Who were the others?"

"Well, the story says that it started with three men, each representing a different family. And when you were being murdered over and over again, these three men came to witness your resurrection."

"I saw them. They made a deal." Jack said.

"They formed an alliance to purchase the power of resurrection. And when you escaped, the three families swore that they'd find the gift again." Olivia said.

"What were their names?"

"The Ablemarch family, the Costerdane family and the Frines."

"Ablemarch, Costerdane, Frines. Uiharu, Esther, did you get that?" Jared asked.

SUV…

"Ablemarch, Costerdane and…" Rex said, his voice over the phone.

Angelo's room…

"Is Coster with a T E R?" Esther asked, her voice over the phone.

"Is Coster with a T E R?" Rex asked, getting a nod from Olivia. "Yeah, T E R. And…"

"Can you spell Frines?" Uiharu asked, her voice over the phone.

"Could you spell Frines?" Rex asked, looking at Olivia.

"F R I N E S." Olivia said.

SUV…

"F R I N E S." Uiharu said, typing out the name on her laptop/

Angelo's room…

"All right, trace 'em. Esther, Uiharu, I want you to find every single member of those three families." Rex said.

SUV…

"Rex, this is nine decades later." Esther said.

Angelo's room…

"Look, I don't care if it's five hundred thousand people." Rex said.

SUV…

"I want you two to find them all. Now." Rex said, his voice over the phone.

Esther and Uiharu access the Torchwood Network on two different laptops.

Angelo's room…

"I can't remember everything. Plus I didn't like Miracle Day at all. So what happened in 1928? What did they do next?" Jared asked, sipping on his Coke.

"They lost Jack, but they still had his blood." Olivia said.

"I thought they were draining it away, but they were collecting it." Jack said.

"All they had to do was figure out how to use it."

"But that doesn't work. There's nothing special about my blood in itself. That's not what made me immortal."

"It was the Time Vortex, right? I was immortal too at one point." Jared said, frowning.

"I know. The Time Vortex itself was what made me immortal. My blood wasn't special at all." Jack said.

"Then why would the three families want to kill you?" Rex asked.

"I don't know."

"Whatever they were planning, my grandfather wasn't included. I think they considered him inappropriate." Olivia said.

"What's inappropriate?" Jack asked.

"He loved a man. He did go on to have a family of his own, and I think he loved my grandmother very much, but he never lied about you, Jack. And I think that Ablemarch, Costerdane and Frines found that a little unfortunate. As a result, Angelo was forced to watch them from afar."

"Made enough money by the looks of it." Gwen said.

"Well, Jack told him enough to navigate his way through the twentieth century and make a profit."

"That's what I did with Donna Noble. I told her enough to navigate her way through the 2008 Recession, this decade, and the next decade to make a profit. Even if they were living in poverty at the time." Jared said, happily. "I cared enough for my super temp to help her get through the struggles."

"But what did these families do to the world? They started in Manhattan. Eighty years later, the whole of the planet becomes immortal." Gwen said.

"And I become mortal." Jack said.

"In 1998, we intercepted a message. It was just one word. Blessing." Olivia said.

"We've heard about The Blessing. They found it. Whatever The Blessing is, the three families found it." Jack said.

"And now it's time that we found them. Esther, Uiharu, you got any news for us?" Rex asked.

"This is weird." Uiharu said, her voice over the phone.

SUV…

"No one is called Ablemarch, Costerdane, or Frines. And I do mean that literally." Uiharu said, staring at her laptop.

"Uiharu's right. There's no such names. There's nothing. It's blank. They don't exist." Esther said.

Friedkin puts a gun to Esther's head and a finger to his lips while there are three other guns pointed at the heads of Mikoto, Shirai, and Uiharu.

"Esther? Uiharu? Esther? Uiharu?" Rex asked, his voice coming out of the phone.

Angelo's room…

"Esther? Uiharu? I think there's trouble." Jared said, looking at Jack.

Colasanto Residence…

"How long till Shapiro gets here?" Friedkin asked.

"He was out of the airport right behind us. We got maybe five minutes till the rest of the CIA descends." Wilson said.

"Five minutes should be enough. Bring them. We got to finish this before the rest of the CIA arrive."

Angelo's room…

Jared has been looking out of the window, "Shit."

"What is it, Jared? What's happening?" Gwen asked.

"Olivia, can you tell us where we can find the three families? And quickly." Jared said, halfway through his bottle of Coke.

"You'll never find them, that's the whole point. They came out of New York with the motivation of keeping this secret. Where's the best place to hide yourself? In plain sight." Olivia said.

"Nobody move!" Wilson said, entering the room.

"This is the CIA." Friedkin said.

"Everybody, stay where you are. That's an order. You, with the others. Matheson, don't try anything."

"We are arresting all of you for violations of the Miracle Security Act. This is the same as treason now, folks. And I want a word with Rex. Right now. Secure him." Friedkin said, as a soldier is holding Rex captive.

"Who the hell are you?" Gwen asked.

"Don't move. That's your last warning." Wilson said.

"Brian Friedkin." Esther said, sadly.

"Yeah, of course it's Friedkin. If anyone's working for the three families, it's him." Rex said, annoyed.

"That's enough! Keep him covered. We may have to end this with an unfortunate number of Category Ones. Get him out. Take him out." Friedkin said.

"You're not taking him." Gwen said.

"Back down." Wilson said.

"No, you're not."

"Back down."

"No, you're not."

"Back down!"

"It's okay, Gwen. There's no need to worry. Everything's okay?" Jared asked.

"They've just taken Rex. All right." Gwen said.

"Okay?" Jack asked.

"Okay? I'm fine. It's fine. Right. Right."

"No, you're not." Mikoto said, stopping Gwen from getting shot by Ms Wilson using her magnetism. "You're not harming her."

"Gwen, they're not legitimate CIA." Jared said, sadly.

"Done." Gwen said.

Room…

One of Friedkin's goons punches Rex in the stomach.

"All right. Go out and keep watch for the squad. Leave me alone with him. This is gonna have to be quick. Shapiro's arriving any minute." Friedkin said.

"Right, right, I get it. You have to dispose of me before the rest of the CIA comes and finds out what you're up to." Rex said.

Angelo's room…

"How did you find us?" Olivia asked.

"Ten hours ago, Rex made a phone call to the brother of Doctor Vera Juarez expressing his condolences. We've been tracking his phone ever since." Wilson said.

Room…

"I knew you'd make a mistake in the end. It's funny though. I never thought that sympathy would draw you out. But now all I've got to do is say you attacked me and then I pulled my gun. I wonder which spot is memories or personality. Here, please feel free to piss yourself." Friedkin said.

Colasanto Residence…

More black SUVs arrive to block the driveway.

"Why is Friedkin inside? Who put him in the field?" Shapiro asked.

"Rex Matheson was his division, sir. He feels personally responsible." Baylor said.

"Yeah, well, he should have waited for me, the fat ass."

Angelo's room…

"It doesn't make sense. I mean, Rex? He'd know they'd be tracing him." Gwen said.

Room…

"How much did the families pay you?" Rex asked.

"It wasn't about the money." Friedkin said.

Angelo's room…

"Sissy. Look!" Shirai said, looking at the TV screen.

Rex must be wearing Eye-5s, because what he is seeing now comes up on the television screen.

"Wow. He's good." Mikoto said, happily.

They are hearing Friedkin's voice, not the lip reading software's audio file.

"Yup." Jared said, smiling.

"You can't escape them. The families don't just pay me. They own me." Friedkin said, on screen.

"Who did that?" Wilson asked.

"They are everywhere. They are always."

"What's it doing?"

"They are no one."

Room…

"And they are listening." Rex said.

"What?" Friedkin asked.

"Oh, Friedkin, I'm so glad you mentioned money. That's gonna transmit beautifully."

Angelo's room…

"What do you mean transmit? Transmit from where? You're not wearing a wire, we already checked." Friedkin said, on screen.

Gwen checks her pockets, "Ha. He stole them."

"Mister Shapiro, you've got a confession from Brian Friedkin live on the air." Esther said, looking at Friedkin.

"You're lying." Friedkin said, on screen.

(Jared's POV)

Room…

"Oh, yeah? You know, you should read more. Check the Torchwood file, okay? Eye-5 technology transmitting from a contact lens camera? Yeah, see once my heart rate hits one hundred and twenty, that's the signal to transmit the image on every frequency and on every monitor within one hundred feet." Rex said, smirking. "It is enough for the Railgun to be able to feel it due to her ability. One of which involves hacking. She doesn't need to do that. I saved her the trouble of getting into danger. She can relax and watch the show."

"You planned this." Friedkin said.

"Mmm. I used my phone on purpose. I was just waiting until Torchwood and Judgement got enough information. But then, the Colasantos, they showed their hand. So I needed to get back inside, which meant laying a trap for you. It's over, Friedkin. It's over. And you're no killer." Rex said.

"Agent Friedkin, show yourself!" Baylor said, nearby.

"Good job." Friedkin said.

"Thank you." Rex said.

"Very good job."

"Nice work, Rex." I said, entering the room.

"I used the hint you gave Esther. Check the lenses. So I decided to take Gwen's pair."

Later, as Friedkin is taken away in handcuffs.

"Mister Shapiro, sir, tell me something. All that time I was on the run, did you think I was a traitor?" Rex asked.

"There was evidence, woven through your records going back ten years or more. Whoever these people are, they're a lot smarter than Friedkin. And they're operating on all sorts of different levels." Shapiro said.

"Yeah, but now we've got them on the run." Rex said.

"Maybe. So, let's start from the beginning. Exactly what is going on?"

Angelo's room…

"Okay, let's see where we are." Shapiro said.

"Er, hold on a minute, mate. Rex, look, I need to know, did you plan this whole thing from the start?" Gwen asked.

"No, I just improvised when these Colasanto people appeared." Rex said.

"Well, you could have warned us. Especially letting Mikoto use her Railgun like crazy." I said, crossing my arms.

"People seem to be talking over me, which is fascinating and rare. And forbidden. I'll come back to you. First of all we're gonna deal with this Colasanto woman. The granddaughter Olivia. Have I got that right?" Shapiro asked.

"Yes, and as far as I'm aware, the CIA does not have the authority to operate on American soil." Olivia said.

"Get her out of here."

"This is my property." Olivia said, while CIA agents dragged her away.

"Take her to the safe house. Tell her to line up her lawyers so I can piss on them long and hard. So, these are the Torchwood and Judgement clowns?"

"Torchwood and Judgement did more to piece this together than the entire CIA." Gwen said, smirking.

"You're that English girl, Cooper. Have I got that right?" Shapiro asked.

"No, I'm not English, and I'm not a girl."

"Gwen, this is Allen Shapiro. Don't. Really, don't." Esther said, sadly.

"Well, he's not scaring me. Hello." Gwen said.

"I am sick of her already. Can we deport her? Let's deport her." Shapiro said.

"Leave her alone." Mikoto said, an electrical shock coming out of her head.

"You're that Chinese woman, Misaka. Have I got that right?"

"I'm not Chinese!" Gwen said, a lot of electricity coming out of her.

"Let's deport her and her friends back to Academy City. Along with that English girl back to the UK." Shapiro said.

"Don't you dare." Gwen said, looking at Shapiro.

"Don't touch them." I said, sadly. "I don't want you to touch my friends."

"Don't you dare."

"Sorry, sir. With all due respect, Gwen Cooper and Mikoto Misaka have proven themselves to be extremely useful. I think it's worth keeping them on our side." Rex said.

"Did you sleep with her? Did you sleep with Cooper?" Shapiro asked.

"Pardon me?" Gwen asked.

"No, sir, I did not." Rex said.

"Because most women that bitter, you've slept with. Did you make that mistake?" Shapiro asked.

"No. No, sir, I did not." Esther said.

"Esther Drummond. Rex said you did a good job out in the field."

"Thank you, sir."

"In my opinion you deserted your post. I'm docking your pay. And what is it with you, Red Baron? You got Snoopy up your ass?" Shapiro asked.

"That's funny." Gwen said, laughing a little.

"It is, isn't it?" Mikoto asked, laughing with Gwen.

"Sissy…" Shirai said, placing her hand on Mikoto's shoulder. "Don't let your temper get the better of you."

"While you're wasting time, Mister Shapiro, we've got the names of the people who are responsible for causing the Miracle. I suggest we get to work." Jack said.

"Torchwood and Judgement are going to work for the CIA?" Shapiro asked.

"I think the CIA and Judgement can work for Torchwood, if you're lucky."

"We've got a plane ready and waiting twenty minutes away. The sooner we pool our resources, the sooner we can end this thing. All right, let's go. Everybody out."

"What about him? We've got a very sick man here." Jack said, looking down at Angelo.

"Didn't you read the news? Nobody dies. Now, there's a nurse around here somewhere. You got two minutes. Don't leave them alone." Shapiro said.

Shapiro and his entourage, less one, leave.

"Jack, Jared, did we just join the CIA?" Gwen asked.

"Yup." I said, popping the 'p'.

"I think we did." Jack said, smiling.

(Open POV)

Colasanto Residence…

"Take that fat ass traitor to the airport and put him in cargo." Shapiro said, looking at Friedkin.

SUV…

"God help you. The families aren't kind to people who let them down." Olivia said.

"I did a lot of good." Friedkin said.

"Oh, sure."

"All I'm gonna be remembered for is this. But there were times when I stopped them, when I said no to the families. There were so many times that I said no. I wish I could say no now."

"What are you doing?"

"It's all about the family in the end. They said that they would get mine unless…"

"No, no, no!" Wilson said, terrified.

"No, no, please!" Olivia said, worried.

KaBOOM goes the SUV.

Angelo's room…

"What the hell was that?" Gwen asked.

Colasanto Residence…

"What happened?" Uiharu asked.

"Oh, my God." Esther said, sadly.

"Who was in there?" Saten asked.

"Friedkin, Colasanto. I don't know how many others." Rex said.

"God damn it. Shit." Shapiro said, annoyed.

Angelo's room…

Jack returns on his own.

"More bloodshed. All these years later and my life hasn't changed. I can't believe you were watching me. Maybe you said hello. Some old man asking me directions and I just looked right through you. Did you see him? Did you see Ianto? You'd have liked him. Or maybe not. You'd have been jealous. Got to go. Work to do. I'll take care of you. I promise." Jack said, removing Angelo's oxygen mask. "See you later, old man." He kisses Angelo and the monitor alarms beep. "What's the point of that? He's sick, I know. Tell me something new. Shut up! You want to tell whoever made this stuff dying's not quite the same anymore? Oh, how do I?" Jack pulls the power plug out when the beeping stops and the monitors go blank. "That's better. Kind of cruel though. Angelo. Even if your heart stops, you go on living nowadays. Like I said, I've got to go." He takes Angelo's hand. "No way." Then scans him with his vortex manipulator. "That's impossible." And starts CPR. "How the hell did you do this?" Jack plugs the machines back in. "I've got a man dying here! Do you hear me? Someone's dying!"

"Jack? What's happening?" Gwen asked.

"He's dead. He died. Angelo died right in front of me." Jack said, sadly.

"Jack, just think about it. Angelo can't die." Mikoto said.

"Listen to me. This man's dead. We've got to help him." Jack said, looking down at Angelo.

"Get away from the bed. Clear the area. That's an order." Shapiro said.

"All right, step back. Clear the bed. We have an emergency. Stand back. You, do what you can. This man is either dying or dead." Baylor said.

"Jack, can you let the medical staff look at him? Angelo will be fine." Uiharu said, smiling.

"He can't be dead, Jack. He just can't be. That's impossible. Nobody can die. He's just Category One." Esther said.

"Well, Jack scanned Angelo with his vortex manipulator. Angelo's gone." Jared said, grabbing Mikoto's hand.

"But is it everyone? I mean, did the world just change back? And if so, what happens to me, hmm? I was supposed to die. You, tell Langley to go online, check the hospitals. Check with everyone. Because if he's dying, then who else is dead? Matter of fact, just come with me. Excuse me." Rex said.

"He's dead!" Jack said, angrily.

Later, Angelo's bed is stripped and the sheets bagged for forensic examination. Shapiro, Jack, Gwen, and Jared are left alone in the room.

"How? Only him, no one else. The only man in the whole wide world to die. The Miracle continues minus Mister Colasanto. So how did he do it? We've taken the body for autopsy. Any idea what we're gonna find?" Shapiro asked.

"I don't know. We should go." Jack said, looking between Gwen and Jared.

"No, no, no, no. Nobody is leaving. This house is secure."

"It's not a crime scene. I'm not taking on a case with Sherlock Holmes, now am I?" Jared asked.

"Are you sure about that? Dying of old age can now be considered a crime. Something happened here, and we are going to search this place for every last bit of information. And nobody is going to leave until we know exactly what happened. So you can stay just where you are, Captain." Shapiro said, leaving the room.

Jack sits on Angelo's bed.

"I'm sorry." Gwen said.

"Same here. I'm sorry for your loss." Jared said, placing his hand on top of Jack's.

"Yeah." Jack said.

"And you really don't know what happened to him? What is it, Jack? Come on, what's wrong? Are we in trouble?" Gwen asked.

"Yes." Jack said.

"We're in trouble because he died?"

"Yeah. After all of those cases with Sherlock, with me and him, y'know. I can't believe someone finally died again after the hell that has been Miracle Day. Well, so far." Jared said, squeezing Jack's hand.

"But why?" Gwen asked.

Colasanto study / CIA Analyst's office…

Rex is reporting to the Analyst's office via webcam, "Well, Brian Friedkin is a Category One, the economy is going into a freefall and one man died. So how was your day?"

"Welcome back, Rex. Things were kind of quiet without you." Noah said.

"But there's nothing else happening worldwide. Colasanto is the only death. We're trying to keep it secret in case it starts a riot, but you've got the only corpse on planet Earth." Charlotte said.

"Yeah, how do you think it happened? Was it some kind of drug or something? What makes him so different?"

"Still waiting for the results." Rex said.

"Well, if he found a way to die, then we need to find it, and quickly. Past two hours, Greece and Ireland have declared bankruptcy, and Spain is going under. They're gonna take the whole European Union down with them." Charlotte said.

"Okay, let's investigate this thing from the day it began with the three families. Esther."

"I've sent you their names. Costerdane, Ablemarch, Frines. Problem is, Uiharu and I have looked. There's no one with these last names." Esther said.

"But there has to be. I mean, they're names. What names aren't names?"

"These names. According to every site we can think of, the names didn't just die out, they never existed."

"It could be done. It's happened before. At the end of the second World War all the Hitlers disappeared from the Berlin phone book. Change your name, go back and erase passport records, birth certificates. Do that for decades and you'd be buried in the fabric of the world." Charlotte said.

"There's got to be a paper trail." Esther said.

"Oh, I was born for this. All right, we've got Manhattan 1928. Let's check churches, schools, Western Union. I'll get the full division on this. If these people bought or sold or joined anything, it's got to be on paper somewhere. People always miss something."

"All right. Noah, sidebar. I got something for you." Rex said, switching to another laptop.

"Hey, remember the Vivaldi inheritance in 2004? Follow that same pathway, because it worked in the end. And cross-reference it with the word Blessing. Make Blessing a filter." Esther said.

"Yup. Hey, I've gathered some information for you. It's your sister." Charlotte said, happily.

"Is she all right?"

"She's okay. She's under psych observation. In the high security wing."

"Oh, my God."

"I went ahead and told them you work for the government to get her some extra care, you know?"

"Thank you. Thanks."

"Yeah well, don't tell anyone. Bad for my image. All right, I'll send you the details." Charlotte said.

"You making a personal call, Drummond?" Shapiro asked.

"No. Sorry, sir." Esther said, sadly.

"Is that Mister Shapiro? You tell him, yes, it's personal. Yes, it's important. And yes, his wife called. And I sent her flowers on his behalf." Charlotte said.

"Charlotte Wills, bane of my life." Shapiro said, scoffing.

"Try hitting PhiCorp with an official disclosure. Oh yeah, and I got one more thing for you. Oswald Danes." Rex said.

"Yeah, we're eyeballing him now, but not under close surveillance. Why?" Noah asked.

"Harkness and Shay keep watching him and their instincts are good. They say if we're watching Danes, then the three families are watching him too. So I want you to get someone in there, okay?"

"I'm on it right now. Er, it says here that Oswald sold out Cowboy Stadium. He's in Dallas."

"He's playing a stadium? Of course he's playing the stadium of a team of one of Jared's cousins."

"He's preaching hellfire and salvation, which makes Oswald Danes the most popular man in the world right now."

Dallas hotel corridor…

Dallas, Texas, USA. Jilly and Danes get out of the lift.

"First I'm trying to set up a joint appearance for you with Madison Weakly. She's the bisected bride. You know, car accident sheared off everything below the bikini line. Got married a week later propped up on a box. Basically she's made up of positive thinking and colostomy bags. Anyway, they were thinking you and she could share the spotlight, if they could manage a two-shot, obviously." Jilly said.

Danes' hotel room…

"Next, I, er I got you these essays by John Maynard Keynes. You've got interviews about fixing the economy tomorrow. Mostly you'll just call for more deregulation and a resumption of burning. Now, we've got this." Jilly said, as Danes turns on the radio, loud. "It's a request from Washington to speak to the Committee on Health and Immortality."

Danes starts dancing to a rock song.

"Riding down on Sunset, Santa Monica too…" The music said.

"Oswald? It's Washington." Jilly said.

"Over to the valley to pick up Peggy Sue…"

"So what do you think? Yes or no?"

"Cruising down the highway, I see Rae Marie."

"If you turn that down?"

"I tell the driver stop the car…"

"All right, I'm going to need a reply by Friday night or they'll ask someone else. I said they'll ask someone else."

"Stretch Cadillac."

"Please, Oswald, I'm just trying to finish the day. Could you turn the music down?" Jilly asked.

Danes turns the radio off, "Get me a girl."

"How old?" Jilly asked.

"Legal age." Danes said.

"Seriously?"

"I've made a new life for myself, a new chance with new tastes. So I want a woman. Now get me one. A redhead." Danes said, turning the radio back on.

"I'm jumping like a Jack-in-the-box cruising in the big bowl for a burger and some fries. All the cool cats gather round it. They want to go get a ride in a stretch Cadillac." The music said.

Dallas hotel corridor…

Jilly escapes the noise, and is accosted by a petite Asian American woman.

"Hi there. I'm sorry, but you're Jilly Kitzinger, right?" Shawnie asked.

"I'm sorry. I don't have time." Jilly said, and her tablet, phone and files tumble to the floor as she searches her handbag.

"No. here, let me help you with this. You with all this stuff. I will take this. I will take that. That's better." Shawnie said, while Jilly's key card won't open her hotel room door until the third try.

Jilly's hotel room…

"So, my name is Shawnie Yamaguchi and I'm on that internship from Harrigan Knights PR, and they said you are so busy and overworked and I figured, well, you know, learn from the best." Shawnie said.

"I don't need an intern. Thank you." Jilly said.

"I'm sure. But this isn't the latest model. And I can get you the prototype if you want. And you really need to get 4G. I got a contact in the store. And that is an awful lot of reading. And I am free all night."

"Shawnie Yamaguchi?"

"That is correct."

"Go get me a sandwich. Tomato and Swiss on sourdough. See how well you cope with that. Then you can find me a prostitute." Jilly said.

"I'm sorry?" Shawnie asked.

"Start with the sandwich."

"Certainly. I don't mean to be rude, but I don't know how you put up with him."

"Oh. I won't have to. Not for much longer."

"I'm sorry, what do you mean?" Shawnie asked.

"Never mind. Off you go." Jilly said.

Out in the corridor, Shawnie sends a text to her employers.

CIA Analysts Office…

It reads - I'm in. Shawnie.

"Danes and Kitzinger. Shawnie's in." Noah said, happily.

(Jared's POV)

Colasanto room / Psychiatric hospital…

"How much longer do we have?" Uiharu asked.

Night has fallen.

"A while." I said, letting out a sigh. "Now quiet as Esther talks with her sister."

Esther is making a phone call to her sister, "Told you I'd come back, didn't I? Just give me till tomorrow and I'll come see you, okay?"

"Did you fix things? You said you were gonna fix them." Sarah said.

"Not yet. Still trying. Doctor said you'd been good today. She sounded nice." Esther said, smiling.

"Yeah. She is, yeah."

"Hey, when I get back, we'll go to the promenade together, just you and me. Would you like that?"

"I suppose."

"I know we keep talking about the miracle like it's a bad thing, but we forget about the good side. All the years we're gonna have together. That's good, isn't it?" Esther asked.

"They said you reported me." Sarah said.

"Who said that?"

"Is it true?"

"I had to. For your own good."

"I know. I get that, yeah. That's why I know you'll understand. I want to volunteer."

"For what?" Esther asked.

"Category One." Sarah said.

"Sarah, you can't volunteer Category One. It's a medical condition. You can't choose it."

"People do. Online, there's thousands of us. This whole world's changed, Esther. This body is without a soul."

"Don't say that. What about the girls? Think about the girls."

"I've put them on the list too. Sometimes I wonder what keeps us from falling straight through the Earth to the other side of the world."

"Oh, God." Esther said, ending the call. "Damn it."

Colasanto study…

"Esther. Are you okay?" I asked, walking up to Esther.

"Fine." Esther said, frowning.

"Time out, I think, Drummond." Shapiro said.

"No, sir. Not at all. We need to find out how that man died and fix this stinking world. Thank you, sir." Esther said, as I left the room.

Angelo's room / Swansea home…

"I can't tell you. I don't trust the phones these days. And we've got these family people everywhere. And Jack's just as bad. Honestly, you should see him right now, Rhys. He's sulking." Gwen said. "Meanwhile, Jared has been eating snacks and having drinks nonstop. I think he's worried about us. The Miracle is really getting to him."

"Why? What's he doing now? Captain Jack Bollocks. Oh, don't tell me. Did he get another bruise?" Rhys asked.

"Who's that?" Mary asked.

"It's Jack. He's our boss." I said, taking out a box of Pocky to snack on them.

"Well, you tell her, for me I had a gun held to my head. My life was in danger, and her father's right inside our own house. And all because of her. So you tell her, don't give up. Go get the bastards, whatever it takes." Mary said.

"Tell her yourself." Rhys said.

"Rhys, Mary doesn't need to tell Gwen herself. She's busy watching some TV." I said, placing a chocolate Pocky in my mouth.

"Gwen, she says go get 'em." Rhys said.

"Yeah, I heard." Gwen said.

"So, what about Jack, then?" Rhys asked.

"Oh, he's doing that old thing, keeping secrets. Won't tell me. Will you? Hmm?" Gwen asked, looking at Jack for a moment to get no response back. "God knows what's going on. What time is it there?"

"Ah, it's almost eight. The telly's been on all night. They said there's gonna be a run on the banks. Like a Lehman Brothers' thing." Rhys said.

"It's the pensions." Mary said.

"Aye, the pension funds go bankrupt because of the Miracle, and that sets off a domino effect because everything's been on a knife edge since 2008 and World War III. They said the best advice is to invest in gold. There we are, we'll be fine. Thank God for my vast reserves, eh?"

"Huh. How's Dad?" Gwen asked.

"She's asking how Dad is." Rhys said, looking at Mary.

"Tell her the truth." Mary said.

"Not so good, Gwen."

"Well, is Gwen's father conscious? I hope he is." I said, tossing another Pocky in my mouth.

"Not so much, no. The trouble is, we can't get a doctor in because they'll classify him Category One, and them ovens are still sitting there. They're only closed because of the protests. And they said on the news if we get a recession, then it's classic isolation policy. Given our lack of resources, the camps will open up again." Rhys said.

"Like someone planned it." Gwen said, her eyes widening.

"Yeah. But does that include 2008 as well? Along with World War III since it had a battle between science and magic? Where Touma Kamijou, Mikoto Misaka, Accelerator, and Index Librorum Prohibitorum were involved in that fight. I mean, you know, was that part of the plan? You know, a first stage?"

"Could be. I think we've been manipulated for decades."

"Yeah, but what for? I mean, where's it all heading?"

"I don't know. It's not like the old days of Torchwood. I mean, we knew what we were fighting there. But this? This is like the whole world is changing beyond World War III and we're just so tiny."

"God, I wish you'd come home."

"Not yet, sweetheart. But soon. Soon."

Angelo's room…

Gwen ends the call. Uiharu with Esther comes in and the two start tapping with their feet at the floorboards running under Angelo's bed. One creaks.

"What are you doing?" I asked, looking between Uiharu and Esther.

"Listen. It's the floor. At least, that's what I think it is." Uiharu said, smugly.

"What do you mean?" Mikoto asked.

"Well, we're going through evidence like Angelo's body did something. But the only strange thing with this room is the floor." Esther said.

"I knew something was bugging me and Esther. Just look, the bed's on a sort of platform." Uiharu said, looking at the bed.

"Esther, Uiharu, don't. Just leave it." Jack said.

"But look, it's not part of the original design. It can't be." Esther said.

"Esther, Uiharu, seriously. Listen to me. Don't say another word. Just leave it." Jack said.

"Jack?" Gwen asked.

"It's the floor." Uiharu said, studying the floor quickly.

"Uiharu, stop, right now. Please." I said, looking at Uiharu and grabbing her hand.

Shapiro enters, smoking a cigarette, "This is a hell of a lot better than nicotine gum, let me tell you. You know what the rumour is from Washington? If cancer cells are immortal, well, then the Miracle switched them around and made them just plain mortal. They're keeping it quiet in case there's an outbreak of spontaneous joy. I mean, we can't have that. But it means we've got nothing to worry about. We can smoke our way into the next Great Depression after that battle that was World War III. Now, somebody want to tell me what's going on between you seven?"

"Nothing." Jack said.

"I'm sorry, Jack, Jared, but we're trying to figure out how Angelo Colasanto died. Uiharu and I think there's something under the floor." Esther said.

So the bed is removed, and people in white overalls and masks remove the top of the platform. There is a latticework of interconnected hexagons underneath with occasional polygonal shapes in them.

"Okay, people, thank you very much. Leave the room immediately. Good work. Wait for my call. Captain Harkness, Jared Shay, what is that?" Shapiro asked.

"I don't know." I said, squeezing Uiharu's hand.

"No idea." Jack said.

"Jack, Jared, tell us what it is, because if you could hear my sister volunteering to be categorised, you would help." Esther said, looking between Jack and I.

"Look, if they say they don't know, they don't know, okay?" Gwen asked.

"I've read the Torchwood file. Are those materials extraterrestrial?" Shapiro asked.

"I said, they don't know. Now get out of their faces."

"The file also says that Cooper, Harkness, and Shay inevitably form an alliance, and the best results can be achieved by separating them. And the file also says that Shay works best with friends from Japan as his support for Torchwood cases. Okay, get them out of here. And I mean it this time. Deport Cooper back to Great Britain. Also, deport the Railgun and her friends back to Academy City. They're no longer welcome in the United States. Get them out of the country."

"Don't touch me. Don't touch me." Gwen said.

"Seriously, don't touch me." Mikoto said, electricity came out of her body and it caused a power outage within the building when a CIA agent grabbed her arm.

"Just leave them alone." I said, looking at Shapiro.

"Leave them alone." Jack said, while I let go of Uiharu's hand.

"Oh, you have something to say? Please. No? Well, I'm sorry, Miss Cooper, but from this moment on, Torchwood is defunct. You, the Railgun, and her friends, will be removed from American soil immediately. And God help Great Britain and Japan." Shapiro said.

"With me. Don't cause trouble." Baylor said, walking away with Gwen, Mikoto, Shirai, Saten, and Uiharu.

"Jack, Jared, I'll find you with Mikoto and the others, all right?" Gwen asked.

"Sir, you've got to reconsider this." Rex said, walking up to Shapiro.

"I'll find you, Jack, Jared." Gwen said.

Gwen, Mikoto, Shirai, Saten, and Uiharu have left the room with Baylor.

"You can't do this. Not to my friends." I said, grabbing Jack's hand.

"Then talk. By all means, start talking." Shapiro said.

"The CIA doesn't have any authority over me. You're not deporting me. I'm coming back. I'm coming back with the Railgun, Shirai, Saten, and Uiharu!" Gwen said, angrily.

"Still got nothing to say? Well, then you're not gonna mind if we dig this thing up and take it back for analysis." Shapiro said.

"You can't. I'm sorry, okay." Jack said.

"You can't touch it. I'm sorry. It's best if you don't touch it." I said, placing another Pocky in my mouth.

"Oh, they speak at last." Shapiro said.

"Jack, Jared, come on. What the hell is it?" Rex asked.

"Well, it's some sort of transmitter." I said, munching down on another Pocky I placed in my mouth.

"Okay, what does it do?"

"Well, it mostly proves our theory that immortality is caused by some kind of morphic field." Jack said.

"Wait a minute. You and Jared know what's causing the Miracle?" Shapiro asked.

"No. Saying it's a morphic field is as vague as saying it's radiation. Jared and I, we still don't know how, where or what is creating it." Jack said.

"So, it transmits what, some sort of field that cancels out the first one so Angelo could die?" Esther asked.

"And where did he get it?" Rex asked.

"I don't know everything. And neither does Jack. Yes, I have the foreknowledge. But my head is limited with memory space." I said, placing another Pocky into my mouth.

"How big is this field? The whole house?" Shapiro asked.

"Nope. It's smaller. And it's about the size of that panel."

"So we would be able to stop the Miracle if we could create a field as big as what, the whole planet?" Shapiro asked.

"No, you need a structure like this panel as big as the whole planet." Jack said.

"Well, I'm sure we'll be able to replicate its effects."

"Don't touch it. Seriously. That's a proper null field. You change the dynamic and it could nullify everything, even life."

"Well then, you and Jared need to make it safe."

"We're not experts. Just because Jack and I traveled with the Doctor at some point!" I said, angrily. "We're not experts on this!"

"You and Captain Harkness are the closest thing we've got. Now make it safe. And then we're gonna take this thing back to Langley."

(Open POV)

Danes' hotel room…

There is a knock on the door. Dane's lets in the redhead he ordered earlier.

"Mister Danes. My name is Claire. Or whatever you want it to be. Now, I did have to adopt a dress code in order to get through hotel security. You know how that is. But I have clothes in my bag if you'd like. Schoolgirl outfit maybe?" Claire asked.

"There won't be any need for that." Danes said.

"Okay. Well, it's not about the clothes anyway. I can act all kinds of innocent. Whatever you want."

"I was very clear I don't want that. Not at all."

"What do you want?"

"I suppose we could talk a little. Would you like a drink?"

"And then what? I need to know exactly what we're doing tonight."

"Maybe we could have dinner, on room service."

"I'm sorry, you mean like a date?"

"If you want." Danes said, happily.

"Mister Danes, I do know who you are. I mean, from your trial." Claire said.

"Except that's not everything that I am. Don't presume to know me. I am capable of much more than my reputation."

"So you want to date me?"

"To begin with."

"Oh, my God. So would that be like your first date ever?" Claire asked, laughing.

"I said. don't presume. We could have a drink. Maybe a fine wine, civilised people, adult company." Danes said.

"Actually, no. If you don't mind, I think I'd like to go."

"But I do mind. I'm paying."

"Mister Danes, the thing is, I could cope with this if it meant shoving my face in the dirt. I'm used to that. But if you want us to pretend that you're normal, no way."

"No. No, look…"

"Please don't, sir. Please don't do that." Claire said.

"All I'm asking for is your company. That's all. Just your company." Danes said.

"Well, I think I should warn you that girls my age fight back. You know that already though, don't you? That's why you prefer kids in the first place."

"Stop! Don't you dare!"

"If you want to be a changed man, you're running out of time. The way I heard it, you've been classified a Category Zero."

"What's Category Zero?"

"Oh, that day is gonna come. Category Zero is you." Claire said, leaving the room.

Jilly's hotel room…

A knock on the door. Jilly looks through the peephole then opens it.

"What's Category Zero?" Danes asked, as Jilly opened the door for him to be let into the room.

"What's what?" Jilly asked.

"What's Category Zero, and why does my whore know about it?"

"Ah, clever girl. Well, that's what you get for employing someone who sleeps with senators. She's been listening."

"Tell me, what's Category Zero?"

"Look, Oswald, did you really think it would never come to an end, your freedom? There's an emergency mandate being passed through Congress defining a new Category Zero, meaning people who have earned themselves a place in the ovens for moral reasons." Jilly said.

"They want to burn me alive?" Danes asked.

"Oswald, you were always sentenced to death. What you had was a wonderful delay. And now it's time for that adventure to come to an end."

"But, people love me."

"Television loves you. It's a different thing."

"They can't kill me. Not yet. I haven't found them."

"Haven't found who?" Jilly asked.

"How long have you known about this? How long have you known? How long have you known about this?" Danes asked, slapping Jilly.

Jilly attacks Danes and he hits her hard, "I'll have you arrested for this. Brand new charges! They're going to reopen those ovens and you're going in! You run, Oswald! Run as fast as you can! You've got the most famous face on the planet. Where are you gonna hide? Where are you gonna go, Oswald? What are you gonna do?"

Angelo's room…

Jack scans the panel with his vortex manipulator, "Esther, Jared, can you come here for a second? Er, and Rex. I need you to hold these pattern blocks in place."

"All right, which ones?" Rex asked.

"There and there. Put your hands on the panel." Jack said.

"Finally. We reached the end of this adventure." Jared said, as his voice became slightly distorted. "Or close to the very end."

"We're reaching the end of Miracle Day then." Esther said, and her voice is also slightly distorted. "Jack, Jared, I'm really sorry about this, but I didn't know."

"Yeah, now listen to me quickly. I've broadened the transmission so it's nullifying sound waves. No one outside the field can hear us. So make yourself look busy, just stay where you are and no one can hear what we're saying." Jack said.

"What are you talking about? They're right there. Hey, you can hear me, right? Hey!" Rex said, looking at a guy working.

"Rex, shut up. And don't look at him." Jared said, sadly.

"They can't hear us?"

"Nope. They can't. It's a null field."

"No, no way." Rex said, his eyes widening.

"Rex, don't attract attention." Jack said.

"All right. Esther, I want you to count to a hundred out loud. All right? Just keep counting. Go ahead, go." Rex said, getting up.

"One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight…" Esther said, and Rex moves away, her voice fades out.

Rex backs into Baylor's desk, "Excuse me. Sorry about that. Just check that medical record, okay?"

Rex returns to place his hands back onto the null field.

"Thirty, thirty one, thirty two…" Esther said.

"Holy shit. This is insane." Rex said.

"They can still see us. Keep your heads down facing away like you're concentrating, okay?" Jack asked.

"This thing is real."

"How does it work?" Esther asked.

"We can't tell you. That's the point. Just listen to us." Jack said.

"Jack and I knew this stuff the second we saw it. Yeah, it's alien technology. There were examples of it on Earth. They were in the Torchwood Hub before it exploded. But two years ago, they were buried in the ruins of the Hub during the 456 invasion." Jared said, letting out a sigh.

"But Angelo had people watching." Esther said.

"Well, he must have salvaged it, knowing the Miracle was coming."

"So what did he do? Jack, did he trigger it with your DNA or something?" Esther asked.

"Maybe that was revenge, or maybe giving me a clue. But there's only one course of action left now. You have to get me and Jared out of here." Jack said.

"Are you crazy?" Rex asked.

"Turn your head."

"Jack, Jared, listen to me. The CIA is not the enemy. That's why I brought them in. Don't you understand? You don't…" Rex said.

We pretend to be examining the lattice as an agent walks past.

"Rex, keep your head down. Stay calm and don't be loud." Jared said, his hands still on the null field.

"Look, you and World War II don't need to run anymore, okay? We can protect both of you." Rex said.

"There's a reason why Torchwood was secret. We kept things hidden from the human race. This technology is a science the world should never know." Jack said.

"How can you know that?" Esther asked.

"We know, Esther, because Jared and I have seen the future. We've walked the future world and breathed its air. And this technology would send it to damnation. Just imagine the stealth technology of a null field hiding bombs, hiding planes, shielding one side from radiation while the other side burns. This thing would be the end of us. This timeline would be terminal."

"He's right." Esther said.

"Whose side are you on?" Rex asked.

"Even if the government. Even if the government had this one panel and they put people inside and they died, it's the same thing as the ovens. It's control over life and death, and we've seen that that doesn't work."

"But you trust us, don't you? Both of you? After all we've done? Please, we're begging you, get us out of here. Look, this is the Alpha plate. Without it, this is just a bunch of metal. You've got to get us and the plate away from this house." Jack said.

"Jack, Jared, listen to me. We can't, okay? We are the CIA and this is a genuine CIA operation." Rex said.

"No, Rex. This is beyond the CIA. This is history, human history. Right now, things look fine and dandy. But us revealing this to the world could cause another World War. And we recently got out of World War III. Please. This is everything that could change everything for the worst. Just get Jack and I out of here." Jared said, while Jack puts the small rectangular plate in his pocket.

Rex stands up. Jack mouths please at him.

Dallas hotel corridor…

"I think you should call the police." Shawnie said.

"This is bigger than the police. I'm organising a press conference. I'm gonna say that Oswald Danes is on the run with all his old appetites. It's gonna be the biggest witch hunt this country's ever seen." Jilly said, as the Blue Eyed Man gets out of the lift. "Oh. Er, Shawnie, can you give us a second? This is a friend of mine. I think."

Shawnie gets into the lift, "All right."

"What are you doing here?" Jilly asked.

"I'm here to warn you. You're being watched by a CIA field agent." The blue eyed man said.

"Me? Don't be ridiculous." Jilly said.

The blue eyed man shoots Shawnie twice, then in the head before letting the lift leave, "And secondly, you're being considered for a promotion."

"You just shot her." Jilly said, sadly.

"Does a promotion sound interesting?" The blue eyed man asked.

"She was CIA?"

"I need you to focus, Miss Kitzinger. How would you react to a promotion?"

"With PhiCorp?"

"Oh, we're way above PhiCorp."

"Who are you?" Jilly asked.

"We're a family business. Interested?" The blue eyed man asked.

"Yes. Yes."

"Well then, that completes the interview. And we'd better leave."

"Where are we going?"

"A long way away." The blue eyed man said, reporting in. "I have her. She's with us now."

CIA Analysts office…

Charlotte finishes a call, "Thanks. Good news."

"Catholic churches love records. There's tons of this stuff. Sorry, am I interrupting?" Noah asked.

"Oh no, it was just a family thing, that's all. All right, let's get started. The whole world's depending on us." Charlotte said, happily.

They start looking through the registers.

(Jared's POV)

Colasanto study…

"Hey, Jack, Jared, Shapiro wants to see you two. Yeah. Wait a minute. You might want to grab your coat. He's outside by the forensics vehicle." Rex said.

"Thanks." Baylor said, as he turns his back, and Rex knocks him out with the butt of his gun.

"Thank you." Jack said.

"Seriously, thanks Rex." I said, smiling.

"Yeah, just shut up. Now listen, this is the story. Jack knocked him out, held us at gunpoint and stole a car with Jared, okay? All right, come on, okay." Rex said.

"Wait. You're not coming with us?"

"We can't. That's why we've got to keep our faces out of this. I'm sorry, Jack, Jared, but the CIA has a chance of solving this thing now, and they need me and Esther. We can help." Rex said.

"There's a courtyard this way." Esther said.

Courtyard…

"All right, now listen. There's gonna be a guard on the gate. I'll tell him that Shapiro authorised a car. Just keep your head down. Go, go, go." Rex said.

"Which one is it?" Jack asked.

"I don't know. They're all the same. Just chirp the thing." Esther said.

"Hey, stop! I said, stop." An agent said.

Jack is shot in the abdomen.

"Jack!" Esther said, worried.

"Stay where you are." The agent said.

"Shut up." I said, knocking the agent out.

"He saw me. Rex, Jared, he saw me." Esther said, looking between Rex and I.

"Come on, Jack." I said, lifting Jack with Rex's help.

"Rex, Jared, he saw me."

"I know. You can't stay. You definitely cannot stay. Someone's gonna have to go with him." Rex said, while he and I helped carry Jack into the SUV. "Jack, that's right, get in there."

"Come with us." Esther said.

"I can't. You and Jared can look after him, Esther."

"My sister."

"I know, but someone will have heard that shot. Now go." Rex said.

"Rex, you've got blood." Esther said.

"You know what to do with that, right?" I asked, sitting in the shotgun seat of the SUV.

Rex smears Jack's blood on his shirt, "It's my heart, okay. Esther, you and Jared just go with Jack. It's my heart. Go! Go!"

SUV…

"It's morning in America. It's morning across the western world and the banks are closing down. It's a disaster of almost biblical proportions." Someone on the radio said.

"Jack, you still with us?" Esther asked.

"Some say the concept of money itself is under threat. The euro has exacerbated the financial crisis…"

"Jack? Can you hear me?"

"Encouraging some countries to behave as recklessly as the banks themselves…"

"Shit. I wish I remembered Miracle Day fully." I said, placing another Pocky in my mouth. "I wish I did."

Gwen is on an airplane, crying quietly. Mikoto, Shirai, Saten, and Uiharu are on another airplane, not knowing what to do now.

"Oh, my God, I don't, I don't know where to go with Jared. Jack, please. Please say something. Oh my God, I don't know what to do with Jared. Jack. Oh, my God. We don't know what to do." Esther said, looking over at Jack.