Thick as Thieves

Ghost Machine [Final]

The Asian woman's phone beeped, "Jack? I'm on CCTV, and I'm looking at Ed Morgan,"

Ghost perked up at the mention of the name.

"What? Where is he?" Jack questioned.

"Coming on to Evelyn Street," The woman replied.

"That's my street. He's heading for my flat," Ghost realized; they phased their appearance to get out of the handcuffs and pushed past the team.

"Where are you going? Ghost?" The female officer called out, worried.

"You lot are bad news! You lead him here!" Ghost hurried out of the house only to face Ed Morgan in the street.

"I knew you'd find me in the end. I knew you'd come for me," Ed said.

Ghost couldn't help it as they transformed into the figure of the girl Ed had killed all those years ago.

"I've been waiting for years,"

Ghost stepped back only to freeze when they also saw Torchwood standing behind them.

"Have you come for me, too? I used to see it in people's faces when they looked at me. They knew. I tried to hide, but they knew. I haven't been outside for so long," Ed looked up at the night sky.

"Edwin..." Ghost said.

"Little bitch! You're all the same. You blame me and make me the bad one,"

"Edwin put the knife down,"

"I wasted my life for you,"

"I won't tell anyone. No one else is gonna know. I won't breathe a word. You'll never see me again, I promise,"

"I know. That's why I came. It's what you want, isn't it?"

Ghost didn't realize they had been holding their breath until they watched the Torchwood team tackle Ed Morgan to the ground.

"Got him!" Jack called out.

"Drop the knife," One of the men said.

"Are we okay?" Jack asked, looking over at Ghost.

Ghost was beginning to calm down, allowing their features to return to what they assumed was their normal appearance. They merely nodded meekly.

The man holding the knife glared down at Ed. "I've got the knife, Edwin. You were so close. You were going for her, weren't you?" he nodded towards Ghost. "Just like with Lizzie. I've got the knife, Edwin. You were so close, as close as I am now. Why should you get away with it?"

"Owen!" Jack scolded.

"You said you were sorry. You said you didn't want to hurt her, but you didn't stop," Owen continued.

"Owen!"

"What if I didn't stop? Would I be sorry?"

"Owen, no!" The female officer exclaimed.

"I don't know," Owen dropped the knife.

***

Ghost walked into Jack's office inside Torchwood. "So the police have arrested Ed thanks to an anonymous tip. No mention of the shapeshifting person, thanks for that," they nodded.

"It's what we do," Jack reasoned.

"What happens to that?" Ghost glanced down at the machine that started all the trouble.

"The problem with seeing the future is you can't just sit and look at it. You got to try and change things. Make it happen differently." Jack shook his head. "It's not meant for us. All these ghosts. We'd be lost,"

"What happens to me?" Ghost wondered.

"The sun's nearly up. Come on," Jack leads Ghost to the rooftop of the Torchwood Institute, allowing the duo to look out at the sunrise.

Ghost closed their eyes as they felt the morning breeze. "I can hear them sometimes. The voices of the people I transform into. It's why I took the name Ghost, not just because I don't remember who I am, but because when I transform into these figures...it feels like I'm providing a body for their voices to be heard," Ghost glanced down when they felt a paper be placed near their hand.

"And that's why I want you to join Torchwood," Jack admitted. "Torchwood lost sight of the human aspect awhile back...before the battle of Canary Wharf." he looked Ghost in the eyes. "Maybe you can help us get that perspective back,"