Torchwood London; London, England
Rex Matheson sat at his desk reviewing investigation updates and reports. Damage at the Jakarta airport was thankfully minimal. Azrael was able to contain the plants and the Sarkisians were reviewing scan data. Four already made repairs using maintenance bots and normal operations resumed. Williams was investigating the freight plane in Aukland and would go to Kaula Lampur after. Connelly reported cultural and linguistic problems investigating in Papua New Guinean. O'Malley found more evidence the meteorites were somehow controlled. Jack's DeKalb investigation located three more parasites and the US questioned the findings. The objections were combined with claims that Torchwood abducted ten people from Chicago, but the bureaucrat refused to explain how he knew the people were missing or why he thought Torchwood was involved. Media from Chicago area escalated with accusations that Torchwood caused the problems suggesting the US was laying the groundwork to counter government involvement. All of it resulted in an increase in law enforcement requests. Rex was next in line for on-site investigating.
A knock sounded and the door opened. He looked up expecting to see CeCe. They had employment issues to discuss again. Instead Davy entered. With everything happening, they had no plans. Rex wondered if it was related to her family business.
"Hey."
Davy crossed the room and sat across from him. "Hey."
"Problems with the housing construction?" Rex doubted it. Her family received the contract on urging from Whitehall and reports indicated it was right on schedule. It was one of three projects the government suddenly had funding for.
"We received information that Torchwood was bypassing community labor again to build another expansion."
Rex groaned. He didn't need the headache. "We have no plans to open additional offices or facilities." Although the media kept reporting otherwise. Generally tabloids. He blamed slow news days when it reached mainstream publications.
"A fifty bed in-patient medical facility in Cardiff."
How did the quarantine expansion leak? That was guaranteed to anger UK isolationists. "Torchwood has a medical facility there. Formally Moss-Probert. It's not currently used." He gave it a moment. "How did you get volunteered for this?" He didn't think Delagarza operated outside of the London area.
"Someone is under the impression I have connections with Torchwood," Davy said wryly.
Rex knew he was missing something. While their relationship wasn't a secret, they didn't advertise. "This is your way of telling me I've been ignoring you?"
"That too." Davy looked unsure of how to say something. "I've heard rumors Torchwood has a new policy against dating people perceived as a security threats."
The memo leaked. Not surprising. "I asked employees to report attempts to gain access."
"Like the problems with my family. The cell phone hack attempt. The bad information about Muriel Grace."
And a few other problems she didn't know. "What are you worried about?"
Davy hesitated. "Us. Is our relationship going anywhere?"
Rex had no idea how to answer that. With a global crisis underway, he didn't have time to figure it out. "I don't know. Torchwood controls my life." The fact that she needed an excuse to meet and have the conversation proved that. "Right now I'm coordinating an international investigation." Pause. "We can talk when it calms down."
She nodded. Something about her body language made him wonder. He replayed the conversation over in his head. Are you trying to tell me something?
"My parents asked me to invite you to supper."
That definitely said there was a problem. They didn't like him. "Why?"
"Mum says I'm not getting any younger."
"She's staging an intervention?"
"The opposite. She's hinting at wedding plans."
Rex knew Davy was trying to tell him something. "She picked out a vicar to perform the exorcism?" Something at Jack and Ianto's wedding reportedly disturbed the business manager enough to request a religious cleansing of some kind.
Davy laughed.
A knock interrupted.
"I'm sorry."
"It's all right." She stands. "Call me when you have time."
That entire conversation was wrong, Rex thought as Davy walked back to the door. His thoughts kept going back to her comment about the memo. Why would you mention that right before asking about our relationship. Something she never did. They both avoided discussing family and commitment for different reasons.
Davy opened the and left moments before CeCe entered looking puzzled. She crossed the room and claimed a chairs across from him.
"Problem?"
"Your friend." She hesitated.
"Just say it."
"She was waiting for fifteen, twenty minutes. Struggling with something. I…" Pause. "I thought she intended to end your relationship."
That's why you mentioned the memo and your family, Rex realized. He tapped his ear com. "Liam Doughtery." Rex didn't know if he wore an ear com normally. Williams was in New Zealand.
When nothing happened, Rex said, "Jeannette Dove."
"What?" She sounded tired and overwhelmed. Considering her Rift ability and history of coping problems, that wasn't good.
"Liam needs to find his research on Davy Delagarza, her family and business. Someone is trying to use her to get information from me."
"Seriously? Talk to your girlfriend. Liam's too busy to stalk her on social media for you."
Rex pinched the bridge of his nose.
Jeannette sounded distracted. "I don't care if your father or his cousins think that's a good idea."
He then remembered she was caring for Bobby and Celeste Sarkisian while Nigeria tried to find a nanny. "Davy's family is somehow connected to Whitehall. They've been involved with at least one system breach."
"Liam's busy." The connection ended.
Rex tapped his ear com again. "Ianto Jones."
"Here." He sounded anxious.
"I need you to check in with Nessa and find out what the situation is there."
"Send her an email." The connection ended.
CeCe suggested, "Rachael. She's familiar with Four."
Rex nodded. She transferred from there. "Find her."
She focused on her mobile and sending a text message.
"Have you reviewed the UN recommendation list?"
"It's from representatives. Offering military and intelligence ops. Russia offered a current FSB investigator who's father and uncle were in the KGB."
Probably to make anyone else they offered look better. "Any one good?"
"A Dutch woman who's family hunted Nazis," CeCe replied. "She comes highly recommended by at least three countries and the ICC."
That sounded promising. "We need more people soon." A conversation they had had repeatedly. Rex needed to ask Idrissa about the operative Azrael had in Canada. The unnamed field agent was the only one in North America.
"As I've said before, I'm limited by who the British government allows into England. We need recruitment offices in places with fewer visa restrictions and ways to reach people that wouldn't apply. Xiu Jiang, Eryn and Kailen Sylla, Liam Doughtery, Jeannette Dove. They wouldn't have come to us."
Another recurring conversation. Recruits versus applicants. "You have an idea?"
CeCe nodded. "Hire someone to coordinate with schools and recruit like everyone else. Open HR offices in less powerful countries with Torchwood agreements." Pause. "We need to go to job fairs for kids just leaving care. That's where we're going to find people that don't expect life to play by the rules."
A similar discussion led to hiring CeCe. Rex added, "Inner city kids in general."
CeCe nodded. "I have a growing list of people I would interview if I could. With an office in Calais, I could meet with EU citizens. But we would need a facility where they could work." Pause. "Right now, we have a dozen countries wanting Torchwood offices. In South America, Africa, Asia. In most cases, the cost would be a fraction of European locations and the governments want us there."
For national security and political reasons. Rex needed to talk to Jack. They had records of offices that were closed decades ago that could be reopened. The problem was finding and evaluating them. "Any field agent possibilities?"
"It depends. What do you think of the French Foreign Legion?"