Torchwood Three; Cardiff, Wales
After a few hours, Ianto Jones needed stronger headache medication and a shower. He suspected the overt sexual behavior from several people had to do with Jack. Ianto knew that few people actually knew anything about him so many assumed he and Jack had similar mindsets. The flirting and innuendos were better than the complaints. No matter how many times Ianto explained that everyone capable of field work was in the field, some representatives or government officials took offense to talking to an underling.
The computer clicked and Ianto barely kept from groaning. "Incoming video conference from Carlisle Aeronautical."
He stood and moved toward the large conference room flat screen. "Computer, accept call."
A woman in her early sixties appeared on the screen.
"I am Ianto Jones, acting Torchwood Director." He started using the title after a couple awkward questions about his authority to answer questions.
"Evelyn Taylor of Carlisle Aeronautics." She sounded Australian. "I spoke to Eryn Sylla earlier about the damaged airplanes. Carlisle manufactured them."
Ianto didn't remember seeing a report on it. "You have information?"
"A terrorist claim by email. The sender said that the planes were downed by nature bombs that targeted substandard construction materials. It included a list of demands and a threat to crash every plane we've built."
"Is there any indication the writer has inside information into your company or knowledge of airplanes?"
"Unfortunately."
Ianto hoped it was an opportunist exploiting the tragedy or a disturbed prank. But they didn't have enough information. "I need you to send me the email." Kailen could then ideally trace it back to the sender. If that didn't disprove the claim, a psychological analysis needed to be done.
Evelyn hesitated. "It contains proprietary information."
"Ma'am, a hundred-and-fifty-eight people were endangered in the second crash. Twenty-five are dead. Several more aren't expected to make it. Another fifty were seriously injured." Ianto gave it a moment. "Torchwood isn't interested in questionable quality standards. If the crashes were a result of a terrorist attack, we need to know."
She thankfully didn't argue company liability and agreed to forward the email. As soon as he received it, he sent Eryn a message marked urgent. They needed to know if it was legit. Forty minutes, and two cranky officials later, she called back.
"My brother traced the email. It came from a library computer in Brisbane, Australia. Where Carlisle's business office is located. It's between the Coral Sea and Auckland, New Zealand. Which may or may not mean anything."
Ianto nodded. Without knowing what they were dealing with, they had no idea what was important.
"Luc says nothing in the email suggest the person was involved. But he found evidence of unusual radiation. Possibly an unconventional dirty bomb. It triggered a meteorite." She sounded uncertain. "He can't confirm the radiation source, meteorite or plant material were in the same cargo container. He suspects crates similar to the ones found at Heathrow. By themselves they posed no danger."
"That plane is over the Atlantic. If there is another radiation device, will it bring down the plane without the New Zealand cargo?" Ianto doubted there would be survivors.
"We don't know. Ettie and Keara on the station is preparing for the possibility." Paused. "What happened in Jakarta complicates it. Azrael destroyed the evidence. He had to. As a result we have no way of knowing if the damage was intentional."
Port of Onehunga; Auckland, New Zealand
With the new urgency, Jack Harkness portaled immediately instead of waiting for daylight. Despite the darkness, the weather was better. With the airport problems, the government didn't object to drones. That expedited the search.
Jack Harkness stood by a docked ship. At first glance, the small cargo vessel matched it's official description. Using his wrist-strap, he connected a hand-held scanner and his his ear come to an overhead drone and the satellite network. It made processing large amounts of data from detailed scans faster.
Distortion tech indicated a problem. "A salvage ship," Jack concluded. Hidden plant materials matched scans at the airport. "Smugglers caused the plane crash."
"What were they smuggling?" Keara on the station asked. "A new drug…" She groaned. "They were harvesting an aphrodisiac. The organic version is derived from a type of seaweed that causes euphoria. Exposed to certain types of radiation, it becomes a problem." Pause. "It grows naturally in the Coral Sea between Australia and Papua New Guinea."
Jack wondered about her tone. "Any indication the meteorites are radioactive?"
"No. But the people affected in Papua New Guinea recently returned by boat through the Coral Sea."
Either the island wasn't involved or it was cross-contamination. "Azrael had questions about whether the people affected in Jakarta were exposed to the airplane. Maybe they took the drug or were in recent contact with someone who had."
"Depending on the version of the drug, it brings new meaning to contact high."
Jack smiled. "Personal experience?"
"Nothing I will admit to."
Jack laughed.
"I sent details to the Sarkisians. Jerard might have a lead on the parasites." She quickly explained what John suspected about the water.
"Is O'Malley in the area. We need scans of the Coral Sea?"
"He's headed for Hawaii. Azrael requested him at the crash site. Something dissolved part of the plane's cargo section. He's concerned the ocean is affected."
Thinking about the seaweed reminded Jack of the mushrooms. "Check for reports of the aphrodisiac in Chicago." Pause. "How transferable is it? One of the affected was probably not sexually active."
"It wouldn't work as a date rape drug, but a rapist might have used it."
"Someone needs to contact the DeKalb clinic and ask about rape reports." It was not the first time the possibility was discussed. "Chloe's file might have something." Jack hoped the question of legal culpability didn't get raised. Zeke's behavior change indicated a complete personality change that made him legally insane. But Chloe's reaction was the opposite. They didn't have enough information to reasonably guess.
"Gwen is at headquarters. She can handle it." Keara paused, presumably sending the message. "John has a theory about contaminated water causing Chloe's antibodies. If any of this is transferable through water, it will be hard to contain."
Jack didn't like the sound of that. "We need to test drinking water in affected areas."
"It's on the list." Keara sounded uncertain. "There's another possibility to consider. If the parasites are difficult to transfer then a few people could have been infected to spread something sexually. If could explain the different versions. They were created or they evolved separately."
That meant anything from targeting STDs to sterilization. Jack wanted to believe it wasn't possible, but he'd seen worse.
"Jack." Tosh sounded exhausted, her voice distorted by lag. "I found something. Chloe grew up in a town southwest of Chicago. After an industrial accident polluted several farms making them unusable, a company moved into the area. It cleaned up the pollution, created jobs and saved the community." Pause. "The research facility is connected to the pharmacy company, Montgomery Museum and NIU. Initial scans show contaminated water and extensive distortion technology."
"Rex?" Jack asked.
"He's not responding to his com," Tosh said. "His mobile goes straight to voice mail."
"Send me the location of the town." Jack wondered if Rex met with the CIA or a government official. He might have felt justified going dark. "Keara, find Rex." The more Jack thought about it, the more he doubted the simple explanation. That was more his or John's MO. "Start a head count. Make sure we know where everyone is. No assumptions."