Torchwood Three; Cardiff, Wales
John Hart set his project aside after hearing Bree. There was only one way to check on Malcolm. He needed to use a portal device. In order to do that, he needed confirmation the CN was out of his system. With Anwen's continuing odd behavior, he suspected they were still connected.
"Anwen," he said carefully.
"I don't want to lose the connection."
"I know. But I need to get to Belfast."
She sniffled. "Go."
"Nessa, can we talk in the hallway?"
"'Perversely amusing.'" She quoted after the door closed behind her.
"How does it work?"
"My ability requires physical contact. I didn't have to kiss Jack." Nessa took his hands and pushed up the back of her shirt with them. "At my waist." A beat. "What does the CN do to you?"
"I hallucinate monsters."
"And try to shoot them."
"Yeah."
"The drug is projecting your personal demons into the world. You want to kill them." Nessa reached for his face. "Do you know what emotion binds you to Anwen?"
"Love."
"You must have loved her very much. She helped you find something you believed you'd lost. Or never had."
"Yes."
Nessa ran her finger tips over his face. "You need to forgive the adult for dying. She loved you. The child knows you're in pain. The swearing is probably some type of reminder that she knows where you come from. Even at ten, she knows you need her acceptance."
"If I let her go, I will go back to what I was."
"No. She was a light in the darkness, filling the void that previously resulted in whatever form of hedonism ate at your soul. She knew who and what you were and she loved you." A beat. "Forgive her."
John shook his head.
"You have to chose. The pain or the portal device. You can't have both."
He closed his eyes and argued with himself. The pain was overwhelming. He stumbled.
Let me go, John. Her voice sounded so real. You can be the person you want without me. It felt as if she was right next to him. The sensation made him think of things the current Anwen and her future self had said. The wrist-strap had a consciousness. Anwen took out alien ships without understanding what her ability did. The older version alluded to it giving her council. I couldn't be selfish, John. I was given a choice. My life for those I loved. If I left with you, the world would have burned. Let me go.
It was the hardest thing he ever had to do. Her voice faded and he opened his eyes.
"Go save my brother."
Torchwood Three
Ianto Jones walked to John's desk as Nessa returned. A social media group Anwen recommended about stepchildren talked about different problems with caring for others' kids. Most of the members were women. They complained mostly about no discipline, bad language, aggressive behavior and refusing to do chores. He'd seen variations of all of those for varying reasons the frustrated mothers wouldn't understand.
"Anwen, no. John will finish the grenade launcher when he gets back from Ireland."
"I just want to look at the design."
"No. You have a report to work on. Did you decide on Galapagos Island turtles?"
"I chose Komodo dragons."
Of course you did. Ianto tucked John's designs into a folder and set Anwen's book reader in front of her. "What's the focus of your report?"
"Prehistoric super predators."
Trefor was fusing as he walked back to his desk with the folder. He set it down and picked him up.
"Can I hold him?"
"Yeah. He kicks, throws things and pulls hair."
Nessa laughed, holding out her hands. Trefor settled onto her lap without a problem. "He's a sweetheart."
"He can be." Ianto returned to his chair.
"He's lucky to have you. I was raised by nannies."
"Our mom and dad wouldn't do that," Anwen said. "Unless we're at school, we're with family."
The computer chimed on his desk. Ianto tapped the blinking icon for more information. "We have a problem."
"What kind of problem? Weevil? Biomech?"
"No. Psycho teenagers." A beat. "Computer, activate intercom." The computer beeped. "Bree, have you reviewed information on Alys Meyler and Emlyn Rice?"
"Yeah. Why?"
"Cardiff police are reporting a prison. The details are unusual."
"Meyler is probably a drug addict. What happened?"
"Unexplained explosions with no evidence of bombs."
"If personality changes are an indication of drug enhanced Rift abilities, Alys Meyler and Cath Eynon are definite possibilities. The general's theory on abilities being similar to personalities appears to apply to natural ones."
"I need to contact Jack. Anything I should tell him?"
"Alys is a stereotypical popular mean girl. Controlling, petty, egotistical. Her personality change appears to be academic. She suddenly decided she liked learning." A beat. "Cath did a complete 180. Awkward to confident, people skills, socializing."
"Cath is CN bonded," Anwen said.
"Rodger Taafe."
"Get the information together. Jack may want it."
"Okay."
"Computer, deactivate intercom." Ianto tapped his ear com. "Jack, you need to get to the main police station. Meyler, Rice or another Rift ability on a rampage."
"Gwen's there."
Ianto repeated what Bree and Anwen said about the girls.
"Secure the hub. Open the armory. Inform the general we might have another breech attempt on Three or Four."
Dove Residence; Belfast, Ireland
John Hart portaled into the area. A burnt smell filled the air. Burned out cars lined the street. He could hear gunfire in the distance. He ducked into a doorway and tapped his ear com.
"Ianto, I need to know what's going on." He described what he was seeing.
"John," the general said, "We're on a different channel. Ianto's dealing with a situation involving mom at the police station."
"Did I walk into a riot or a gang conflict in broad daylight?"
"No. Police are reporting a teenage girl on a rampage. They're not sure, but they think she pissed off organized crime. That's whose shooting."
"I need to know who the original aggressor was. Molly Elias is the center of an intended attack on Malcolm Dove."
John felt an odd sensation like a door opening behind him. He looked and saw Malcolm walking over to him.
"The kid is here. I need specifics on Elias."
"How did you find him?"
"He found me."
"I'm John Hart."
Malcolm nodded. "Molly doesn't know what she's doing." He told a story about an attempted home invasion. She changed in front of him, completely zoning out. "One of the gunmen tried to shoot her. It got out of hand."
"Who is hunting who?"
"Molly is hunting the men who broke into our flat."
John relayed the information. "Can you arrange for one of the bots? Anwen had a program idea I haven't tested yet."
"What does it do?"
"It throws stun pellets."
"Great. You have my ten year-old sister inventing weapons." A beat. "Give me a bit."
"Please don't hurt Molly. Someone did this to her."
"I will do what I can." John with drew a destabilizer. "Can you find her?"
"Yes."
Cardiff Police Station; Cardiff, Wales
Gwen Cooper was halfway down the hall with Emlyn Rice when the first explosion shook the building. She grabbed Emlyn and moved her against the wall. When she tapped her ear com, nothing happened. Her cell phone had no bars. Another explosion nearly knocked them over.
"Its Alys."
"What can she do?"
"Throw tantrums."
"You've seen her do it?"
"Yeah." Emlyn sighed. "She has to be high for the ability to work. She'd give me the mushrooms because she thought if we made a connection, she'd get a better power."
Teenagers and drugs with a new twist. "You have an ability?"
"It has something to do with static electricity. The drug makes it difficult to control."
"Like Jeannette?"
"No. She threw fireballs. Eddie did that. He thought if he convinced Jeannette he loved her, he could create a bond to enhance his ability. It doesn't work that way."
"How did he try to create a bond?" Although Gwen suspected she already knew.
"Sex. The drug bonds are emotional not physical." Emlyn shook her head. "The side effects are ugly."
"What's the upside?"
"Supposedly it increases the power. I haven't seen a positive affect. I would guess the two people would have to really love each other. Friends or lovers or family. I don't know." She shook her head. "Eddie played games with Jeannette and she fried him."
Natural Rift abilities were based on personality. Added abilities were based on emotion. Eddie violated Jeannette's trust and she lashed out. An enraged teenage girl driven by betrayal and possibly shame. A bad situation without being able to psychically throw fireballs.
"Is Alys' ability based on emotion?"
"No. Its as shallow as she is."
"Why did you date her?"
Emlyn smiled. "Alys is beautiful and exciting and interested in me."
