Hughes Flats; Cardiff, Wales
Monday, August 2, 2020
Gwen Cooper lay in bed wondering what she'd missed. No matter how crazy a Torchwood situation, there was always something to follow: scan readings, evidence, CCTV footage or witnesses. Something they could analyze. Yet, with all her experience, and Torchwood's technology, the investigation stalled.
Luc reviewed what little information they had from Nova Scotia. He had no ideas. When she found websites with similar stories, Kailen traced them. Three incidents sounded possible. Unfortunately, the investigators had less to go on. The only solid notes came from a priest in 1964. His conclusions were religious, but when viewed from a different angle, had clues. Without realizing it, Father Reilly connected his case to Torchwood. The victim's daughter worked for the Torchwood Institute in London.
The general insisted he had no idea what happened. His memories were different. He searched Torchwood Four's files. Nessa, who had joined him at Four with her two siblings, contacted her Aunt Colina and the Cardiff psychic community. The unexpected death of Dafina, a well-respected psychic delayed interviews. Those who agreed to speak with Gwen offered their sympathies and regrets; they had nothing to offer.
Contacting Donnell Woodside, the Torchwood librarian in the Falklands, left her wondering if he knew something. He harbored Derrian Talbot and kept secrets from them. After a couple calls, he insisted he knew nothing and would contact her if that changed.
Between her and Jack, they called law enforcement directly or indirectly in every major country, and some others. They collected files on unexplained disappearances. Most were mundane. Jack helped solve a few. No one had anything related to Rhys.
Rex Masterson, like Woodside, gave her the impression he knew something. He reminded her more and more of Jack. Rather than Torchwood, he dedicated his quirky immortal existence to protecting the United States through the CIA. After Miracle Day, and being forced to watch Vera Juarez die, his view on his job changed. Similar to what she knew of Jack's past with Torchwood. If it was some type of conspiracy, and Rex knew about it, he'd deal with it.
All that remained was checking closed Torchwood facilities for additional records. Nigeria was in surprisingly good condition. Despite Miriam Morgan's raid on the Fellowship of Inner Peace, the structure and technology were intact. Jack wouldn't admit it, but he suspected someone was maintaining the facility. Regardless of future Aman's misguided approach, he'd saved a lot of lives. The fact that the Refuge didn't attack again said they didn't have a problem with it. The other facilities had different oddities, but nothing unexpected.
Gwen sat up as the first rays of sunlight filtered through her bedroom window. She needed to check her email, social media and repeat searches. Someone somewhere knew something. She would find them.
Anwen Williams stood with her arms crossed staring at her baby brother. He wouldn't get dressed or brush his teeth. He even tried throwing blocks at her. All three were suspended in the air between them. She'd been up half the night with him after a nightmare. She's read his favorite story. Now he wanted to play with blocks instead of get ready.
Their mom needed to work on dad's case. It didn't matter it had been three months or that everything she read said the odds that dad was still alive were minimal. Mom needed to try. Which meant they needed to get dressed.
"Ready?" Her mom asked, stepping into the doorway.
"No. He's being an ass."
"Did you sleep?"
"Some. Trefor had a nightmare." She lowered the blocks to the floor.
"I will get him ready. Get some breakfast."
She headed for the kitchen and checked her mobile as she cooked. The information her mother found the night before was nothing new. All she could think of that the lack of information had to mean something. Anwen didn't even realize she'd made enough for the three of them until it was halfway done.
"Boyfriend?" her mom asked, entering the kitchen with Trefor.
Anwen smiled, setting her mobile aside. "Yep. He's twenty-three, sings in a rock band and rides a motorcycle." It was a recurring joke since her dad disappeared. She checked for messages more often. The Internet nanny she installed on her mother's computer, and modified, sent her updates on the investigation. She used a similar process to track it through Torchwood Three. When her mom wouldn't discuss the case, nor progress, she started her own investigation. Following her mom meant they didn't duplicate the effort.
"When am I meeting him?"
"About the same time you and Uncle Jack promise not to kill him."
Gwen smiled. "Not happening."
"Then you're not meeting him." Anwen chuckled. It was a stupid joke. They didn't really laugh anymore. It felt good.
Gwen Cooper believed she was losing her mind. Her home and Torchwood computer had bookmarks she didn't remember creating. At some point she created searches for information about unexplained disappearances connected to the only three incidents she found that possibly had similarities to Rhys. She wouldn't have remembered, if she hadn't gotten a notification about a strange news report. A woman in her forties disappeared on a lift in Switzerland in front of multiple witnesses. The woman's nephew died in the Cyberman attack on the Torchwood Institute. It sounded like a real lead. The 1964 case involving Father Reilly involved a connection to the same Torchwood office. Which made her wonder if the other two cases involved a less obvious connection. Ianto started with the Torchwood Institute.
The question was how to do a familial search. Torchwood paranoia meant extensive background checks were done on everyone. Depending on circumstances, that could include extensive family details, friends and known associates. Torchwood even kept former agents' bodies. There was no reason files would be deleted. Unless it was a Atmore situation.
Gwen tapped her ear com. "Ianto."
"Yeah."
"I need to search family members of Torchwood Institute employees. How would I do that?"
Ianto hesitated. "Why?"
Gwen explained the Torchwood connection to Switzerland and 1964 cases. "I have two more cases to check."
"Ask Jack."
Gwen tapped her ear com off. She wanted to avoid Jack. The temptation was too much. Rhys had been there for her through everything. He forgave her for the lies he knew about and her job that took over their lives. After what happened with her and Jack being drugged, Rhys was a saint. He dealt with months of her struggling with guilt and shame in addition to the pregnancy. As they'd been arguing, there was little doubt who the baby's father was. Jack's interest in her health and Trefor made Rhys jealousy flare. Even while she was seeing the rape counselor and unable to talk to Jack.
Many of the same experiences told her Jack loved her. Ianto's return gave them another person to consider. But something changed during the CN situation. Whatever Nessa did changed him. It reminded her of his return after the Abbadon situation. She suspected he'd been traumatized. Whatever happened made him reconsider his decisions and relationships. Ianto said more than once he was Jack's second choice. She thought it more likely Jack wanted to be with both of them. The nonsense about the Garden of Eden date night made her wonder if he still did.
Ianto Jones stood and walked over to Anwen at John's desk. She had a Lego set and was building something with Trefor. He sat cross-legged on the desk next to the project. Ianto set a reassuring hand on his back. Any conflict could upset him.
"Did you reprogram your mother's computer?"
Anwen looked up, smiling. A look that basically translated to "who me, I'm just a kid."
"What did you do?"
"Nothing."
"Gwen thinks she created searches with notifications and forgot them."
"Mom won't talk to me about dad. I track her investigation remotely. Mostly. She's to tired to think straight and doesn't follow up on everything she finds."
"Do you know how to run a search through Torchwood background files?"
"The missing lady in Switzerland is related to someone at Torchwood London." Anwen picked up her mobile. "Verbal commands might work the best. The Institute set-up is not the best thought-out system." Her expression changed as she realized something. "Torchwood Global, command access Anwen Williams, run full Torchwood search for names…" She read several from her phone. Gwen was only looking for two.
"Search will take hours. Add additional parameters."
"Run search."
"Gwen said she had two names."
Anwen shook her head. "Mom has several names. She used Luc criteria to rule out possibilities. She needs to discuss it with Uncle Jack."
Office management and daycare, Ianto thought. With the general in Ireland and John presumably back in future London, it was somewhat less chaotic. Ianto went back to his desk for his mobile, and called Jack. He wondered how Trefor would add to the insanity. Anwen had her mother's aptitude for investigating and her father's logistic skills.