Torchwood Three; Cardiff, Wales
Monday, September 23, 2019
Of all the years Jack Harkness had been with Torchwood, he'd seen the impossible and the insane. Aliens, human monsters, artifacts and technology. An in-house conflict worse than office politics was new. He was playing three dimensional chess with multiple opponents. The most ridiculous aspect was they all wanted the same thing.
He needed information that hadn't been provided. If Anwen in the future orchestrated everything and Aman had been his confidant for twenty years, he was at a distinct disadvantage. They knew him. The only one of them they didn't know was Ianto but after the last attack, he wasn't up for discussing the situation.
Gwen Cooper stepped in. "Rex sends his love."
Jack had to laugh. Rex couldn't stand him.
"The CIA is working the problem for their own reasons. Rex thinks a group of Russian ex-pats are behind the attacks on Moss-Probert affiliates. He isn't sure why or isn't sharing."
"How's he doing?"
"Someone started a rumor he's a vampire. He's been leaving the investigators a trail of purchases and payments. A coffin and soil from Transylvania and an invoice for pest control for bat problems."
Jack laughed more.
"I don't think he's joking." Gwen chuckled.
"What did I miss?" Ianto entered the office from back.
Gwen explained.
Ianto asked, "He's the American that calls you World War II?"
"Yeah."
"I need a break." Ianto rubbed his head. "Trefor's aim is getting better."
"Sorry."
"Luc could babysit for awhile," Jack suggested.
"No." Ianto shook his head slightly. "Anwen would throw blocks."
Gwen laughed, heading for the back of the office.
"Are you okay?" Jack asked.
"Mostly." Ianto sat on the edge of his desk.
"Anything I can do?"
"No." A beat. "The smallest stresser and I'm hearing Lisa's voice again."
Jack set a hand on his leg. "You're safe."
Ianto hesitated. "I woke alone."
Jack set the paperwork aside. "I was on the roof." He reminded himself to be patient. Ianto's couldn't help having post-traumatic stress.
"Its stupid."
"No." Jack wanted to outright ask Ianto about the current concern. The nightmares increased after John moved into the building. He'd assumed to begin with it was a security concern until Ianto had finally explained. "The CIA thinks a group of Russians are behind the attacks on Oliveira and Moss-Probert. After I look into that, we can have dinner. Maybe at a restaurant."
"Ask John." Ianto stood. "His friend Keara is at the retreat in Kenya. It was founded by Russian psychics. Keara escaped Africa with Colin Doyle. Miriam Morgans, the woman who blew up the MP facility, is there to." Ianto rubbed his face. "The files on that group are terrifying."
John Hart's phone rang. He checked the screen. Ken was calling. After how things ended, he hadn't expected to hear from Ken again. "Hey."
"A friend of yours dropped something off." Ken didn't sound happy.
That immediately concerned him. "I don't have any friends locally. Tell me exactly what happened."
Ken's description didn't sound familiar. The man dropped off an open manila envelope with large photographs in it.
"Half-an-hour. Stay in the store. If anything is off, contact security and tell them Torchwood in on the way."
"What's going on?"
"I don't know."
John came onto the main floor near the tourist office exist. "Is Jack in his office?" He asked Luc.
"Yeah."
"Stay in the hub. Possible security problem. Someone approached Ken at work."
"Who's Ken?" Luc asked as he ran up the stairs.
"My ex."
"Good," Jack said, as he entered the office. "I have questions about the Kenya retreat."
"It has to wait." John explained what happened.
Jack grabbed his coat.
St. David's Dewi Sant Mall
Jack parked as close as he could. John said nothing during the short drive. Jack once understood him. John made more sense as a homicidal addict than he did in the past few months.
"I'll check the mall."
"What's wrong?"
"I destroy everything I touch."
Jack realized Ken hadn't been to the building. "Stay close."
"Yeah."
Jack strode across the mall. He got a few smiles from tired mothers or nannies with small children, and overheard a small girl ask if he was wearing a costume.
"Hey."
"John's not here?" Ken looked passed him.
"He's checking the mall."
Ken handed him the envelope. "Is he doing okay?"
"I don't know."
Ken looked guilty. "I can't compete with her."
"Who?"
"The woman he loves. He wouldn't even tell me her name." Ken sighed. "He still wears the ring he bought her on a chain around his neck."
Jack wasn't sure what to say. "Its hard to compete with a ghost."
"John didn't tell me she was dead."
Jack carefully opened the envelope, and paged through pictures of a woman from security footage. "Did the man say anything?"
"Not much. He sounded Welsh."
"Be careful. Have security walk you to your car."
Ken nodded. "John went through the whole paranoid security thing."
Unsure of what to say, Jack said nothing. They returned to the van.
"Who is she?" Jack asked handing John the envelope and pictures.
"Keara." John removed the pictures. "Except," he trailed off, looking closer at one of the images. "This is not the Keara I knew. The one in this time is eighteen. The future one had scars. Broken bones, mortar, she had a thing about scars on her face, but she kept the rest. This woman has none of the obvious ones." He focused on one of her face. "I'd guess she was a few years younger than the woman I knew." A beat. "That Keara died."
"That's why you sent her to Africa."
"Yeah."
"And Miriam Morgans?"
"The best place for her. She needed peace. And she couldn't safely be anywhere else. Not until the war."
"Any reason the refuge would go after Oliveira or MP?"
"Possibly." John looked at him. "Why?"
He explained about the CIA information.
"The refuge was founded by former Russian psychics. Few people bother them. They have a scorched Earth policy. The general went to school with twins that would later join the refuge. The friendship contributed to military agreements and his promotion."
A thought occurred to Jack. "What's Keara's ability?"
"She is/was an impressive tactician. A precog. She preferred long games. She would add in one place and subtract somewhere else. People, weapons, information. Sometimes she would start rumors that would take years for results."
John stared at the picture. "Hell."
