Torchwood Nova Scotia; Truro, Nova Scotia, Canada

Luc Sarkisian reviewed the plan. Using modified maintenance bots and security robots he designed for Nigeria, it was possible. Testing that possibility on a building with bioweapons and innocent children was not his first choice. From initial scans after surrounding it with interconnected ballistic shields was that most of the children had already been exposed. Sectioning them off the others with additional shields would protect them as much as possible. He didn't care what happened to the adults.

Aman entered the lab. "Jack's looking for an update."

Luc nodded. "The plan is as solid as it's going to get."

"You're the reason those kids have a chance at all. Without those robots, Jack would have to risk lives on a plan that had minimal chance of success. Or it would be Noble Industries."

Luc leaned on his main computer desk and closed his eyes. "There is a problem with this situation. This cult has nothing to do with Gordon-Glen. With what we know of the research, there is zero military application or any other value in the alien secretion research. The information on what the alien is doing to the kids is based on interpretation by a witness under the alien's control."

"What's the alternative?" Aman asked.

"We are dedicating time and effort to take out bioweapons, rescue kids and chase Heartfield through Europe for the last fifteen years. We have no choice." Luc couldn't let go of the obvious problem with the whole situation. "With CN, we could see the value of the torture drug. The weak version from the cloned reptiles affected Rift abilities. There is no benefit with the alien secretions."

"After we rescue the kids, we will take another look at the situation."

(former nursing home); Cardiff, Wales

General Trefor Williams established his temporary command station. He would monitor the entire process, control the bots and robots, and if necessary take remote control of the drones from Kailen. The initial ballistic shields were in place. Transport vehicles were on standby. The city fire department provided a hazmat unit and fire engines. Ambulances waited for unexposed children. UNIT arrived to do a threat assessment and take custody of any adults that weren't exposed. After a discussion with Four, he networked a com connection with Three, Four and Nova Scotia.

He had control, he told himself. His original assessment was off, but that happened. It wasn't the first time he'd been wrong. "Jack, I'm ready."

"We're good," Kailen said over the ear com. "We have back-up drones for containment, if necessary."

The first he'd seen combat, the general reminded himself, he'd been younger than Kailen. "The bots are moving into position." The general watched his screen. "Establishing bio-shield." There were problems with the readings. "Kailen, I'm sending readings, have Luc review. Possible explosives with the dispersal units. Will the containment shield hold?"

Luc joined the conversation. "Are the units on the lowest level of the building?"

"Yeah."

"The shield will hold short of a high yield explosion. The energy will destroy the floor."

That wasn't a problem. "Containment in place." With it in place, he focused on protecting the section with children that haven't been exposed. It wasn't all of them, but it was best they could do. "Bio-shield in place."

Transporting in the bots with stun pellets was the most unpredictable part of the process. If anyone reacted badly to the pellets modified for humans, there wasn't much that could be done. "Deploying stun bots." The scan results were better than he expected. Few escaped the first release. The bots weren't attacked. "Deploying secondary." The mini bots were programmed to target movement, and would pursue anyone moving. "Targets immobilized."

"There is an unknown I-don't-fucking-know violating the no-fly-zone," Kailen said.

"Do we have visual?" The general suspected it was Keara with the captured ship.

"No," Luc said.

"Robots moving into place." The general reviewed the sensors around the location. If Keara arrived with her new ship, something was happening.

Shite. "Transferring remote control to Nova Scotia. Military assault approaching."

"Jack, inform UNIT that if these are government troops, they need to withdraw now." From the troops' equipment, their goal was removing something from the location.

The general felt his first target moments later. The bullet burst in the air inches from him. The man who fired it exploded. The team was determined. The bullets bursting around him were like fireworks. He wasn't sure if they were trying to shoot him or his command station. The shots suddenly ended. Before he could guess why, an energy blast presumably from the spaceship leveled an area of woods.

"Jack," the general said, having a difficult time believing what he was seeing. "How did someone sneak a military unit with robotics into the area?"

"I don't know. Is it over?"

"Yeah." The smoldering remains of trees, bodies and melted metal was definitive.

Jack took a moment. "Who's flying the ship?"

"Keara. The one I knew." The general turned back to the command station.

"Where did she get it?"

The general remembered he'd gave her the schematics for Robert's translation device and hadn't told Jack. "The aliens who went after Ken."

"You failed to mention it."

"Yeah. It's never good to anger a woman with an alien spaceship."

(Former Moss-Probert Research facility)

The conversation with UNIT had been unpleasant, Jack Harkness thought. The on-sight team leader demanded information about the unknown ship. It distorted local radar and satellite coverage but not the drones. She was not amused that he had no information and couldn't demand the pilot hand over the keys. The situation was confusing, but he had to believe she wouldn't have been there if she knew an attack was coming.

The rest went as planned. Rhys coordinated transportation. The exposed children and adults had been sedated and were waiting for the building repairs to be finished. The few unexposed adults went with UNIT. The unexposed children went to the hospital. Gwen contacted Verity Holdsworth about the situation.

Watching the maintenance bots finish repairing the decrepit building reminded him of the first time he'd seen it. He'd just found out Ianto and the hub were back. They had no idea what was happening. Miriam Morgan's one woman war against Moss-Probert made sense. No part of the current Gordon-Glen situation did.

Although cold, it was a beautiful day and location. The expansive lawn and towering trees had potential. He wondered absently if Ianto would enjoy coordinating the landscaping come spring. While Jack wasn't sure the situation would last that long, Ianto was right about clearing out the shelters. They would need a place to house people.

"Captain Harkness." Bobby Zhao sounded unhappy as he approached. "Thank you for checking on Guinevere."

It took a moment for Jack to realize he meant Dr. Floyd. "She asked for us."

"I have seen to her safety."

Jack wondered how the two met. "Who attacked her?"

"That is puzzling. The men said they were paid to kill an elderly heiress."

"Why sulfur?"

Zhao smiled faintly. "Preserving Guinevere's employment."

"Dr. Jenkins requested a priest." Jack smiled at the absurdity.

"He's a superstitious fool."

Jack gave it a moment. "Someone didn't want Dr. Floyd in the ME's office for awhile."

"That would be my guess as well. The public attack is wrong. A staged mugging would have had the same effect."

One more oddity in a situation filled with them. "I don't know."

Zhao handed Jack a business card. "I will help. When I find who arranged Guinevere to be harmed, you will stay out of the way."

(former nursing home); Cardiff, Wales

General Trefor Williams took the opportunity to walk around the area after the chaos died down. The firefighters were still checking the area. A few he recognized from Noble Industries. Cardiff couldn't have that many bio-hazard specialists. Although after everything the Rift subjected Cardiff to in the history of Torchwood, a decent unit wouldn't be unreasonable.

"What are you looking for?" One of the men he recognized asked.

"An explanation. There was or is something here worth risking a daylight assault in clear view of Torchwood and UNIT." The general knew he had to consider it was simply bad timing. But that was hard to believe. "They had military equipment."

"What was this place?"

"A bunch of crazies, why?"

The firefighter shook his head and led back toward the dumpster. The hazmat unit was still sorting the trash. "We get called to check improperly disposed of medical waste. Not often, but we have to know what to look for. They threw out more than one sharps box in the last week."

"Anything traceable?"

"Yeah. A lot of this requires a medical license to purchase."

That didn't explain anything by itself but could help find answers. "Can I get a copy of your photos?"

"Yeah."

"It's appreciated." The general took a moment to text Jack. The firefighters needed to be mentioned in any press releases.