Roald Dahl Plass; Cardiff, Wales

Jack Harkness waited for Ianto near the lift. A summary of his meeting was important. The nagging suspicion that someone was trying to manipulate them was equally important and harder to discuss. Any approach he mentally reviewed sounded self-serving or egotistical.

"Miss me?" Ianto smiled. It didn't reach his eyes.

"Gwen said something." It was cheap, but Ianto could ask her. "She's concerned that the HR complaint and IT is targeting your for a reason."

"It's not about me." Ianto reached for Jack's hand. "People you care about are your weakness." They twined their fingers together. "Using Cory against me made you question your judgment. Yourself. You're distracted. Having trouble sleeping."

Jack squeezed Ianto's hand. "We need to figure it out."

"That's part of the problem." Ianto sighed. "If I said moving in together would fix it, you'd agree. It would work for awhile. Until different arguments started." He pressed his forehead and set his free hand on Jack's arm. "I don't know how to fix it."

Another idea came to mind. A counterintuitive one. "Do you want to see my other life?" Pause. "Not the sex."

"What would that accomplish?"

Jack had no idea. "Understanding?"

Ianto looked up. "How would watching you flirt with other people help?"

"We could both flirt."

Confused, Ianto asked, "Why?"

"It's fun." Jack gave it a moment. "When was the last you went to a club? Danced with women?"

Ianto looked haunted. "Before the Institute was destroyed."

And Lisa's death, Jack thought, more than thirteen years. "Just think about it."

"I'd rather move in."

Jack kissed Ianto's forehead. "Go ahead."

Torchwood Three

After disconnecting the call, Gwen Cooper checked the police network. It looked similar to the fertility clinic. An anonymous 999 call led to a break-in. The thieves entered the office through a door without setting off alarms. Then searched the building and removed hard drives. The constables on-site described it as professional.

Padrig Toller saw scattered technology resembling the Sanatorium Park probe situation and call it in. He suspected PD would block Torchwood's access to the scene, so he sent pictures. Viewing them on her mobile, she agreed with the similarity. She hoped that like the river bank hoax, the items were miscellaneous trash. Rather than a distraction, she suspected this was intended to catch their attention.

Gwen looked up as the lift descended. Jack and Ianto held hands and looked less tense. She hoped that was good. Their relationship stabilized both of them and the office by default. With everything going on, they need the added stress.

"I need you to look at this." She held out the mobile to Jack. "The office didn't open today. Constables are trying to track down the staff for a welfare check."

He walked over and accepted it. "Is this anywhere near the park or the river?"

"Yes and no. It's in City Gardens south of of the park but half a mile east of the river. Maybe."

Jack nodded. "Is Owen still here?"

Unfortunately. "Yeah."

"Cardiff PD will have a harder time telling Torchwood London they can't access a site with reported alien technology."

"Dr. Corse?"

"Probably best to keep Jack away from her," Ianto said. "She has issues with male co-workers. She mistook Owen's attitude for sexual harassment."

Gwen couldn't picture that. "How stupid is she?"

"Tosh would give you details, if you asked."

"I will." Gwen could understand mistaking Jack's behavior. Whereas Owen might as well have arse written on his forehead.

Timau Tacluso Home and Business Cleaners

Owen Harper waited until Jack entered the car park. The explanation he received for two days in the infirmary didn't work. Why would they have an untested prototype laying around? Under what circumstances would he pick up an unidentified weapon? Gwen's complete lack of of sympathy said something else happened.

"Why did Ianto shoot me?" It made slightly more sense.

"Which time?" Jack parked.

"I didn't touch your gun."

Jack smiled suggestively. "Ianto would shoot you for that."

Owen emphasized, "What did I do?"

Seeing Jack hesitate uncharacteristically as the humor faded added to the growing list of questions. "You made a bad decision that resulted in Anwen getting hurt."

That fit with Gwen's attitude. "What?"

"Let it go."

Jack then focused his attention on his wrist-strap. He flipped it open and scanned the area. From his expression, he didn't like what he found. He reprogrammed it and scanned again. He didn't like the new results anymore than the last.

The list of questions grew. Jack's refusal to explain the retcon incident or the case implied a loss of trust. They had their disagreements over the years. The last days before moving to London had been tense. But not secretive. Jack kept treating him as part of the team.

They climbed out of the Torchwood van and walked toward the constable standing at the door. Jack said he needed someone with London credentials. Watching Jack display an ID instead of flirt was confusing. Owen found his own credentials and waited. The formality suggested a conflict with the locals.

"It's not Torchwood jurisdiction," the young constable said nervously.

"We received information that alien technology was found during the initial walk-through."

"Inaccurate information." A plain-clothed constable stepped out of the building. "I'm DC Heaven. This is my scene."

Jack quickly removed his mobile from a jacket pocket. "The report came with photographs. Items similar to the Sanatorium Park probe situation." He held out his phone.

Heaven crossed her arms. "No investigation photos have been released."

After returning his ID, and mobile to one pocket, Jack withdrew a hand-held scanner from another. He made a production of scanning the area. He learned more using his wrist-strap. The device beeped with results. He appeared to read them.

Jack motioned toward the evidence van. "You already boxed up the items."

Owen grimaced. That could have gone badly. Unless the person had some idea of what he was doing.

"Torchwood has jurisdiction over all alien technology." Jack returned the scanner to his pocket and removed his mobile. "We need to review and secure the items photographed."

"This is my scene," Heaven emphasized.

"Owen is from the London team that secured the fertility clinic."

Taking that as a cue, Owen held out his credentials. "Doctor Owen Harper, Torchwood medical."

The woman's hesitation was worrisome. It wasn't that she disbelieved. She disapproved. After Miracle Day, when Torchwood's existence was revealed by international news, they had fewer problems. Most people recognized Jack by his clothes. With everything that happened in Cardiff, he shouldn't have been questioned.

"Collecting and storing alien technology or artifacts without knowing what they are or do is dangerous." Lecturing civilians, nevertheless police, on common sense required more social niceties than he had. "Best case scenario if something goes wrong DC, the van blows up. There are a lot worse ways to die." He gave it a moment to sink in. "My duties often involve evaluating technology by how it killed the person who played with it."