After Midnight We're All the Same (open)

This late, no one had their lights on, something Rachel was very aware of as she walked down the sidewalk of the quiet street, tripping several times as the thick heel of her boots (and why on earth had she chosen boots with a heel?) caught on pits in the asphalt. Her tiny keychain torch, a gift from her uncle years ago, hardly made a difference in the after-midnight gloom. The houses around her loomed huge and imposing, and she couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched or followed, despite the fact that she was the one doing the watching and following.

Catching a glimpse of movement ahead of her, Rachel smiled despite the clammy dark and uneven road, sprinting forward. She had seen these things before, big rough-looking almost-human things, but she'd never gotten close enough to get a picture. Now, she might have a chance, and she grabbed with her free hand at the camera case round her neck as she ran. It was a long shot, a very long shot as they were fast, but it was more than enough of a chance for Rachel to grab it with both metaphorical hands.

She made it around the corner and saw the shape of something big moving - it was heading in the direction of the warehouses not far from there. "Should've brought the car," Rachel murmured to herself before she moved again, resuming her chase.

Rachel might have had a chance to catch up, even, but she tripped on a pothole a couple of yards from the door, skinning her knees on the pavement and cursing.

Lynne Masters shrugged off her leather jacket as she pushed the key into her front door. It had been a ridiculously long day, having worked full shifts at both jobs, and she was more than ready to call it a night. Tomorrow was the first full day off Lynne had been scheduled in weeks and she could hardly wait to fall into bed and not wake up until well past noon the following day.

Lights were out all around her; even the street lamps that normally illuminated the stoop of her apartment building had just gone out, which was a little odd. She allowed herself to consider the possibility that they were on motion sensors and just hadn't been trigged after she'd gotten out of the cab.

"Oh, come on..." she muttered, unable to get the key into its slot when she couldn't see the slot to begin with.

Suddenly, the street lamps behind her seemed to come to life all at once. Lynne froze and her heart began to race. Someone was behind her, it was just after three in the morning, and she was completely defenseless. Very slowly, Lynne turned to face the street.

Nothing was there. The street lamps went dark again.

Somewhere, deep down, she knew better, but Lynne's curiosity got the best of her. "Hello?" she tried. "Someone out there?"

As soon as the words came out, Lynne regretted them. What if the creepy guy in the trench coat she often saw around here late at night or the big, scary bald guy who, from a distance, looked like his face had been badly burned happened to be the ones to have set off the motion sensors. Lynne didn't want to get a good look at the scary bald guy - he was huge and while she never got up close, she could always hear him breathing. That sound alone was always enough to freak her out sufficiently.

And as for the creepy guy in the trench coat, well...Lynne didn't really know that he was creepy, but she had no intention of finding out, if she could help it. She came to the conclusion simply by noting that she only ever saw him lurking in the shadows after she'd come home from the bar and, well, he was wearing a trench coat, even if it was near the middle of the summer. To Lynne, trench coats only equated to weirdos, creeps, and perverts. She had no desire to find out if that guy fit her own personal stereotype.

Still, she found herself calling out again. "Hey! It's late at night and if you're gonna go creeping around, you ought to at least show yourself when someone calls out to you!" she snapped into the darkness, allowing her annoyance at the situation to cancel out - or at least hide - her fear.

Jared was walking the streets that night. The streets of Cardiff were quiet this late at night; calm and free of people. Just him and the open skies, just the way he preferred things these days.

He paused to pull out a small silver hip flask and took a swig. A little liquid warmth to chase away the night's chill. He pulled up his collar to try to keep in a little more warmth, when he thought he heard a voice. A young lady was calling out into the night, trying to sound unphased.

"Hey! It's late at night and if you're gonna go creeping around, you ought to at least show yourself when someone calls out to you!"

Jared stepped toward a street lamp, so he could be seen, afraid he'd startled the woman.

"Sorry, Ma'am, hope it wasn't me who startled you there. You okay?" he asked, aware his deep voice and sudden appearance in the dark of night might be anything but comforting, but unable to do much more about it.

No, no, no, hell no! Rachel was cursing herself in her head as she stumbled back to her feet, wincing as her knees, sore and scratched from the pavement, complained. Then she was off again, in the direction the thing had headed in, skidding to a stop when she saw people - lights, voices, and most importantly, no big, scary alien thing to be seen.

Two people on the road, right in the path of where it would have gone. Well, couldn't all be bad news, could it?

"Did... did either of you happen to see something come by here? Big, tall looking?" She asked, trying to catch her breath as long as she was still standing there. As long as she was asking questions, it meant she hadn't lost it entirely. There was still a chance of finding it.

A man stepped out of the shadows and Lynne let out a relieved huff of air. He was neither the trench coat man nor the creepy, gigantic bald guy. Still a possible threat, but he was calling her "ma'am" which made him instantly sound less dangerous. Plus, he'd willingly stepped into the light.

"I..." she paused, feeling a bit foolish. "Yeah, no, I'm fine... Might've been you, if you were the one who set off the street lamp just now," she replied.

A girl appeared, then, asking, "Did... did either of you happen to see something come by here? Big, tall looking?"

Lynne looked over at her. "I didn't see anything at all," she admitted. She looked over at the man. "Thus my panic," she told him. It then occurred to her what the girl had actually asked. "Wait, I'm sorry, did you say 'something?'" she asked, raising her eyebrows.

Jared raised an eyebrow, looking from one woman to the other, thinking.

"I haven't seen anything, no, and the street lamp was already on when I got here, Ma'am," he answered them both quietly. "Is there something out here we should be worried about?" he asked Rachel.

He stuffed his hands deeper in his pockets, instinctively scanning the darkness beyond the street lamp for any signs of movement. The sudden flurry of activity on what had been a quiet night was making him jumpy, but he tried not to show it.

The man had said that the light had been on by the time he'd gotten there and suddenly Lynne's heart raced again with fear. She really should just get inside and lock herself in, but for whatever reason, curiosity had a tight grip on her, keeping her from moving. "You...uh, you didn't set its sensor off, you're sure?" she asked nervously.

She thought of something, then, and looked over at the girl. "Oh and...uh, like I said I didn't see anyone but big and tall you said? Because there's this really creepy looking guy who's, like, gigantic, that hangs out around here. I see him in the shadows sometimes, but I never stick around long enough to see what he looks like..." she admitted.

"Wait, I'm sorry, did you say 'something?'"

"Right, something," Rachel confirmed with a nod, brushing off the gravel that had stuck to her knees when she fell - she shouldn't have worn a skirt on a night like this, but she hadn't known she was going to end up chasing aliens through the streets of Cardiff. "Big, tall, sorta looks like a bloke on steroids."

Sometimes people thought she was mad for the things she said. But she didn't care if it took her a step or two closer. Only if it took her farther from her goal.

"Is there something out here we should be worried about?"

Rachel glanced at the man and gave him a quick smile. "Dunno, but I doubt it." She wouldn't let them think she was some kind've expert - she had no idea what she was dealing with. Well, she had a little idea, but they'd think she was insane if she started rattling on about aliens in the middle of Cardiff. Of all places.

"Because there's this really creepy looking guy who's, like, gigantic, that hangs out around here. I see him in the shadows sometimes, but I never stick around long enough to see what he looks like..."

"Maybe it's still round here, then," Rachel said, mostly to herself. If it was, maybe she could get a shot. A picture, that is - she didn't want to hurt anyone or anything. But she had her camera.

Lynne cocked an eyebrow warily. "Huhhh...okay, time out. We're talking about a thing? Like...a...what? Animal that looks like a man? I'm sorry but...color me confused," she said gently.

"Yeah, it was already on when I got here. I guess maybe I wasn't the one to startle you, then."

Jared almost felt bad for not startling her. The woman by the door seemed rather nervous now.

"Maybe it's still round here, then."

"Look, there are some things out on the streets of Cardiff that just aren't safe, especially so late at night. If there is something out here, then maybe the two of you should stay indoors tonight. Keep safe."

And didn't that sound just sound condescending. Jared mentally winced, thinking of the backlash his ex would give him for saying such a thing. It was just, he wasn't sure what the woman was talking about exactly, but his time in UNIT had taught him Cardiff was a hotbed for somethings at the best of times.

"Huhhh...okay, time out. We're talking about a thing? Like...a...what? Animal that looks like a man? I'm sorry but...color me confused," she said gently.

All good questions. Jared cocked his head, waiting for an answer from the other woman.

"Look, there are some things out on the streets of Cardiff that just aren't safe, especially so late at night. If there is something out here, then maybe the two of you should stay indoors tonight. Keep safe."

Lynne's attention went back to the man and she arched both eyebrows, crossing her arms over her chest. "You sound like my dad," she said a little more roughly than she meant. "There's things on the streets of everywhere that aren't safe this late at night, these days," she added. "I don't really understand what makes Cardiff any different."

"Look, there are some things out on the streets of Cardiff that just aren't safe, especially so late at night. If there is something out here, then maybe the two of you should stay indoors tonight. Keep safe."

"I can't," Rachel replied, shaking her head and immediately having to bring a hand up to untangle her hair from in front of her face. Should have thought to bring a hair-tie, as well. "I've got to find it." There was no doubt in her voice, and she smiled a little. A mad girl tilting at windmills.

"Huhhh...okay, time out. We're talking about a thing? Like...a...what? Animal that looks like a man?"

"Sort of." She shrugged, playing with the zipper on her camera case absently. "I'm not really sure it's an animal, but it's not a man. 'S why I've gotta find it, get a picture. See what it really is." If it was alien. She had to know if it was alien.

Angelina ran, as fast as she could, towards the shadows of what she hoped - hoped! - was people.

She yelled something that couldn't be perceived, running and looking back at the same time. She couldn't shake the grunting from her mind, and cursed herself for having gotten lost that late at night.

She stopped in her tracks, gasping for air, not far away from the gathering of people near a street lamp. She touched her head, letting out a frustrated sigh when she noticed her green beret - her favourite - was no longer there.

"Grunts, grunts, grunts, something is grunting over there!" She yelled, pointing at where she'd come from, hands on her knees, still trying to catch her breath. She wasn't scared only of humans now that she'd met that Captain at the pub and he'd said there were more of them running around. Angelina knew some species to be far from peaceful.

"Well," Lynne said slowly, shifting her weight uncomfortably and wondering if perhaps these two strangers were more dangerous than anything else that might be lurking out there. "If it's not a man and it might not be an animal, then what the hell else could it be?" she asked as gently as her wording could possibly allow.

She looked over to the man. Surely, he thought this sounded insane as well...?

But then another woman appeared and looked as panicked as Lynne suddenly felt. She stared back and forth between the lot of them and swallowed hard.

"You sound like my dad! There's things on the streets of everywhere that aren't safe this late at night, these days," she added. "I don't really understand what makes Cardiff any different."

And there it was. At least it wasn't as bad as he'd thought he might get.

"Sorry, Ma'am! I didn't mean to sound condescending. Just hate to see someone get into trouble if it's unavoidable." Jared shuffled his feet, shoving his hands that bit further in his pockets. Where had his nice quiet night gone?

"I'm not really sure it's an animal, but it's not a man. 'S why I've gotta find it, get a picture. See what it really is."

Quite possibly not human or animal, he thought, but it didn't look like the lady was about to give up and go home.

"Look maybe we're all starting out on the wrong foot here. I'm Jared. Jared Smith, live a few blocks that way. Perhaps I could walk you somewhere, Ma'am? Whatever you're chasing, it doesn't sound all that.. pleasant." Jared moved closer and held out his hand to shake, moving slowly so as to not appear threatening in any way, but just then another lady ran toward them.

"Grunts, grunts, grunts, something is grunting over there!" she yelled.

Jared quietly wished he had a weapon of some sort if this talk of creatures turned out to be what he thought it might be.

"Calm down, Ma'am. I'm Jared. Are you okay? What did you see?"

Angelina stared back at the man, nostrils flaring. "I didn't see anything, I heard grunting. If I'd seen it, I'd have identified it, and known how to proceed!" She said, intensively, quoting the "Other-species Encounters Handbook" perfectly. It was eerie how she still remembered this, but not important things like her street name.

"O...kay..." Lynne said slowly, even more confused by their back and forth talk than she had been by the first girl's going on about a thing rather than a person. "I'm...Lynne," she said lamely, looking at Jared. "And it's fine," she added in response to his apology for the condescending-sounding remark.

"So...does someone want to explain to the stupid American what you're all going on about? I feel like I'm missing something..."

Angelina did a double take and cocked her head to the left.

"...Lynne? From the pub?" She asked the woman who was now speaking. It looked like her, and she was amazed at her memory. She gave herself two thumbs up, and smiled. "Alright!"

"I didn't see anything, I heard grunting. If I'd seen it, I'd have identified it, and known how to proceed!"

Oh, Jared was a little taken back by the response. "I see. Sorry," he stated quietly.

He raised an eyebrow, looking from one woman to the other and swallowed. He felt more out of his depth dealing with these three woman than he had ever done leading a group of soldiers into battle with aliens. At least he was prepared for the latter, this was completely new.

"So...does someone want to explain to the stupid American what you're all going on about? I feel like I'm missing something..."

"Don't ask me?" Jared told Lynne, stepping back. "I think perhaps she knows?" Jared gestured toward Rachel carefully. "Sorry didn't catch your name."

"...Lynne? From the pub?"

Distracted, Lynne looked away from Jared and back at the woman for a moment before realizing that the woman looked familiar. "Yeah...uh..." she struggled to remember a name to go with the face. "I'm awful with names. You were with the guy playing poker, right?" she asked awkwardly, feeling bad. Lynne could remember faces like it was her job, but when it came to names, well, that was another story entirely.

"Yeah, poker, yeah." Angelina nodded at Lynne, now suddenly interested in the other two people near her.

The other woman didn't refresh Lynne's memory for her name, so Lynne just shifted her weight from one foot to the other, again, awkwardly and looked over at the other two.

Weevil hunting had never been more fun - probably because Ianto had never been allowed to drive the SUV as they hunted, before. This time he was paired off with Owen, and both of them had enough weevil spray and tranquilizer to take down a whole army. Then again, a lot of it would be wasted; weevils moved a lot before they were hit.

He was driving like a maniac again, they had lost the weevil before, and it was irritating them both now. Driving through a red light and dangerously braking at a curve just ahead, they'd gotten to the dark place the weevil had ran to, according to Tosh and the CCTV. Sadly, no cameras there.

"Here we go." He said, flustered, slowing down so they could look for the bloody thing.

Jared quickly stepped further off the road as a black SUV roared past at high speed.

"Idiots!" he grunted. Turning back to catch up on the conversation going on around him.

Owen wondered how people could say that he was a bad driver after this display on Ianto's behalf. "Red light," he said, just to antagonize him, as they were both irritated over losing the Weevil once already. They drove by a group of people, and Owen could have sworn he'd seen Lynne, but decided to focus on the matter at hand. Ianto slowed down so they could better look for it. "I can't see a bloody thing out here."