Author's Note: I'm sorry that it is taking so long to get them to the plane. Nobody misses with Martha. She says the patient stays put; he stays put. I still don't own Torchwood.
xxxx
Owen came back the following morning after being well rested. Martha and Ianto updated him on the patient, their standoff with the CIA and how they also slowly got Rex to talk. It appears Esther and Rex were set up by someone in the CIA to look like traitors. Money was transferred to their accounts and their CIA clearance was revoked. Martha took him to a supply closet to talk.
"We take Rex to the plane and they will arrest him," said Martha.
Owen said, "We have a pilot."
Martha said, "We aren't getting Diane involved."
"Were Gwen and Rhys really retconned?" whispered Owen.
"No," admitted Martha. "But no one is to know that for their safety."
"Especially our friend tied to the bed," whispered Owen.
"Especially not him," agreed Martha.
"Rex isn't suppose to know about the money and is suppose to meet the plane as planned," said Owen.
"Owen, we are not going to hijack a United States government jet," Martha said in a soft voice.
"A little retcon in the coffee," said Owen. "Cake."
"Jack and Diane flew planes during World War 2," said Martha. "This is a modern jet. Your plan is full of holes."
"Jack has an American accent," said Owen. "He can fool the control tower."
"The last time he used psychic paper, his security clearance read 'You're sexy. Let's fuck.'"
"Then Diane handles the psychic paper," said Owen. "It could work."
"If you and Diane drug the flight crew and hijack a plane, you're going to be labelled terrorists. Let's say everything goes right," Martha said in her sweetest; thus, scariest voice. "You go in with guns blazing and find the baddies and return everything to the status quo. No one is going to give you a medal for making immortal people mortal. You and Jack could be looking forward to a long time in an American prison."
Ianto entered the closet. "What you two whispering about?"
"Someone in the CIA wanting Jack and Rex out of the picture," whispered Owen. "The people behind Miracle Day are scared of Jack and we need to know why. I get some much needed sleep and you interrogate the prisoner without me. What do we know so far?"
"That we need to include Jack in this conversation," said Ianto.
"Let him sleep," said Martha.
"I can't believe you told Rex that we removed an alien parasite," said Owen.
"Jack wasn't born on Earth, so the parasite slash baby has alien origins," said Martha. "I had to say something."
"Our spy equipment are the contact lenses and psychic paper," said Owen.
"And some safe cracking equipment," added Martha. "Ianto, do you have anything to add to the list?"
"I handle the psychic paper," said Ianto. "I can out poker face anyone."
Martha said, "Owen and I were just talking about the last time Jack used psychic paper."
"I didn't speak to him for days after that," said Ianto.
"Is Jack walking more?" asked Owen.
"A bit," said Ianto. "He's in a lot of pain."
"Diane can fly the plane, but he needs to talk to air traffic control," explained Owen. "I'll tell Helen that Diane and I are taking a pre-marriage honeymoon."
"Martha, you can cover for Owen and Mickey can manage the store," said Ianto. "Don't give me that face. You will be our eyes and ears on this side of the pond."
"Owen got to go home to sleep. Rex is your patient for the next 12 hours." Martha gave Owen a hug then left after saying good-bye.
xxxx
Owen entered the room with a tray of food: eggs, sausage, toast with butter and jam and hot coffee. "Did you sleep well?"
"Are you the morning crew?" said Rex.
"I thought you were going to be cooperative," said Owen. "Seeing that your government has turned on you and we're all you have."
"How do I know you're not poisoning the food?" asked Rex.
"Because it's far easier to poison your IV." Owen, as a demonstration, touched the IV bag. "You can stay on the diet of sugar water, but I thought you would like some real food. After I managed to keep more than a few bites down, I found I missed chewing, swallowing, the taste and aroma of good food. "
"What do the British know about good food?"
"English food is some of the best in the world as long as you eat breakfast three times a day," said Owen. "And I happen to have a good old-fashioned English breakfast."
Rex moved his hand in the restrain - handcuff. "Are you going to spoon feed me?" The local police handcuffed Rex to the bed since he allegedly sold secrets to the Chinese. They would rather he was moved to the gaol until he could be extradited, but since Dr Smith said he couldn't be moved, handcuffing and giving Torchwood the key was the best they could do.
"Your toast is already buttered." Owen looked at Ianto by the door. "I'll undo one hand."
After Owen released Rex's right hand, Owen helped Rex sit up. Then he put the food tray in front of Rex. Owen, finally, sat back to watch Rex eat.
"It would be easier to eat with two hands," said Rex.
"I scrubbed and sanitized patients' rooms with one hand," said Owen. "My evaluations were good to excellent - better than people with two hands. With three limbs tied to the bed, you're less likely to cause trouble than only having your two lower lower limbs tied."
"The US has branded me a traitor - claim I took money from the Chinese," said Rex. "Where am I going to go?"
"That isn't my problem," said Owen. "Three limbs stay tied to the bed or we can make it four and I can feed you."
Rex started stabbing his eggs with the plastic fork. "Dr Harper, is your bedside manner always so endearing?"
"I mostly see patients to go over their meds and check on their progress. I've sat in on group therapy, but a social worker moderates the group. The British government loves their paperwork, so I spend more time in the office than doing patient care."
"Don't your patients need you?" asked Rex.
"You trying to get rid of me?" said Owen.
"No way." Rex took a glance at Ianto standing by the door. "You and Martha are the only thing protecting me from the men in black."
"We're working on getting us to America with no one getting maimed," said Owen. "I would say killed, but no one dies."
"Maimed?" said Rex, between forkfuls.
"Jack was sealed in concrete once. Being fully aware and sealed in concrete. I would take death over that." Owen looked at his nurse's shoes. His good loafers were still at Flat Holm. What did Rex think of his loop earrings, eye make-up and pink nail polish? Not that he cared what Rex thought. Owen was dead and now he wasn't; he was so beyond caring. "We need to find out who is behind Miracle Day and we can't do that from a Welch pawn shop."
"I'm getting out of here?"
"Eventually," said Owen. "I did Marilyn for a Welch audience, so my American accent could be terrible."
"Marilyn?" asked Rex. "As in Monroe?"
"It's a long story," said Owen. "My wig was all matted and my make-up was running down my face and Jack asked me if I was Jack Lemmon or Tony Curtis. I told him I was Marilyn Monroe. Later, Uneek and I were in a pub and they had talent night. Dave dared me to do Marilyn. Diane and I bought this circa 1950's girdle on Ebay. I got second place. This local bloke, a regular at the pub, got first."
"Is Dave your man?" asked Rex. "When Uneek kissed you, you looked like a deer caught in someone's highlights."
"No, Dave is Uneek's bloke," said Owen.
"Are you coming to American?"
"I'll be coming along as Jack's doctor," said Owen.
"You aren't Torchwood." Rex said that like it was a statement of fact.
"I was Torchwood," said Owen. "Then Tosh died. Thomas Wolfe is right. 'You can't go home, again.'"
"Dr Martha Smith is all Torchwood. So is that computer geek husband of hers."
With Ianto at the door with his gun visible, Rex knew better than using his free hand to jimmy the lock on the handcuff. After Owen watched Rex eat, Owen locked Rex's right cuff. Then Owen sat down to sit with the patient to empty his urinal and bedpan as necessary. While Owen was giving Rex a sponge bath, Jack wheeled himself into the room.
"Owen, does the patient look ready to move?" asked Jack.
"His injuries are healing nicely and no sign of infection," said Owen.
"Then I take that as a yes," said Jack. "We've been discussing the situation, and I've been getting a bit antsy. I don't like people gunning for me, especially now that I'm mortal. Owen had a suggestion. Hijacking the plane should be our last resort - not our first move. What we will do is let our CIA escorts take us to America. We are to be polite and treat them like proper hosts. If they don't return the favour, then we shall do what is necessary to insure our safety. Not before."
"You need to walk more," said Owen.
"I have a long plane ride ahead of me," said Jack. "And our hosts may be more polite to an injured passenger. We need to use everything we have in our arsenal to our advantage and that includes my abdominal wound."
Owen nodded. "Shall I invite Diane?"
"Another pilot may come in handy if things go sour," admitted Jack, "especially, since I haven't piloted an aeroplane in many years. Invite her. They want Torchwood - we shall give them more Torchwood than they can handle."
"Martha and Mickey agreed to stay here to keep up appearances," Owen informed Jack. "I'll go home to change. They may be nicer to a lady than an effeminate man."
"I like the way you think." Jack's eyes went to Owen's bum. "A short dress to show off those slender legs of yours."
Jack's eyes weren't on Owen's legs.
"I'll push the wheelchair and play the pretty nurse. Press our every advantage." After Owen finished washing and drying Rex, he rechained Rex then mock saluted Jack.
"Will you be wearing the girdle?" asked Rex.
"Under my dress. But you shall never see it. I have a significant other - a former army pilot." Owen waved to Rex. "Pooh pooh bee doo!" Doing his best Betty Boop, he blew a kiss to Rex.