Torchwood Three; Cardiff, Wales
Ianto Jones stood in front of the conference room flat scan with his hands held too tightly behind him. His heart raced. Torchwood had challenged him in ways he never imagined. Technically being in charge during a global crisis was new.
Muriel Grace appeared on the screen. She worked at the US Embassy and had previously coordinated with Torchwood. Rumors said she previously worked for the CIA. "Who are you?"
"Ianto Jones, I'm Acting Director of Torchwood. Which is why I'm calling. Director Matheson went to Chicago to evaluate O'Hare security. We tracked him as far as the airport. But his network access was disrupted and his mobile blocked."
"I am unsure how I can help."
"I need to open a dialog with whatever US agency is currently holding him. If I am unable to speak to him in the next half-an-hour, I will authorize a rescue mission. Nova Scotia is the nearest office."
She looked concerned. "There's nothing I can do."
"I have reached out to Jack's FBI and CIA contacts. They said the same thing." Ianto gave it a moment. "I advised the UN and ICC that Torchwood is preparing to shut down O'Hare indefinitely. Rex went to confirm the airport was safe. It's obviously not. There would be no reason to arrest or otherwise detain him unless he found something."
"The US does not react well to threats, Mr. Jones."
"Ma'am, in order to prevent us from finding him, someone is using technology that specifically blocks Torchwood." Ianto hoped he looked as calm as he sounded. "Help me resolve this before it escalates."
"Diplomacy doesn't work this way."
"If you want a nice, diplomatic Torchwood, give us our diplomatic director back." Ianto ended the call.
"Very good," the essence of future Anwen said.
The anxiety disagreed. It surfaced with a vengeance. His heart pounded as he turned, grabbed a chair and sat unceremoniously. He leaned on the table and his shaky hands shook the table. Office management and daycare, he wanted his normal job back.
Anwen stood and hurried over to him. She wrapped an arm around his shoulders. "You did it. Keara will be able to track who she calls and how people respond."
That did nothing to help his nerves. By antagonizing a US representative, he may have aggravated the situation. Any known Torchwood agents in the states were potential targets. While nothing permanent could be done to Jack or Rex, they could be tortured. The possibility he caused it was overwhelming.
The computer clicked. "Incoming message from the space station."
"Computer, accept," Anwen instructed.
"Grace called CIA headquarters," Keara said. "Apparently, she's been working with MI6 to turn Davy Delagarza into an asset. From her tone, she's a lot more than an embassy worker."
"Is she using an encrypted phone?" Anwen asked.
"State of the art. No indication she knows we're listening."
Ianto opened his eyes. He knew he needed to ask questions and the answers would make the anxiety worse. "If the government was trying to compromise Rex, why abduct him?"
"Distraction, interrogation, leverage."
The essence's image crossed her arms but Anwen spoke. "The government has it's wires crossed."
Fitch-Elmore Research Subsidiary; Cottage Junction, Illinois
Jack Harkness stood in the trees behind the facility. With the general in Chicago wearing his clothes, the government thought Torchwood was focused on getting Rex back. The value of being in two places at once. Although his son still had issues with how much they looked alike. It wasn't a favor he could ask under most circumstances.
He reviewed a hand-held device. Scan readings were inconsistent and distorted, making the technology difficult to identify. It was definitely alien. But he suspected it was derived from salvaged tech. Except the configuration and energy modulation had a heart-like rhythm rather than a typical pulse.
A sound from his left caught his attention. Jack stopped and listened. A distinctive scrapping sound followed. He shook his head. That joke wasn't funny the first time. He suspected John was identifying himself. There were better ways.
"That's a conversation you need to have with Ken," Jack said quietly as John approached.
"Ever wish you could run away from home?"
Jack held out the device for John to see. "If I do, it doesn't involve the mating ritual of the universe's largest sloths."
John shrugged. "They don't complain…" The readings distracted him.
Jack could only guess having his girlfriend back was difficult. "If you like a few hundred kilograms of fur and claws with tusks." (Several hundred pounds.)
"You spent a week with that…" John looked up. "These readings are similar to the Malaysian facility. Specifically an area of the structure controlled by plants that are basically living solar cells. They produce power from sunlight and other external energy sources."
"Do you think Jerard's involved?"
"Not with this."
Jack wondered what that meant, but it could wait. "What does he think the parasites are?"
"Possibly a biomechanical AI similar to Four. Theoretically, it could clean the air, water and generate enough energy to power a city."
"Tosh had similar ideas. The parasites could be drones." Jack thoughts wandered to the possibilities. "If it's sentient, it's young."
"Meaning what? It doesn't know better than to infect people and use them for puppets?" John handed the device back. "Before you adopt it..." He tilts his head, listening. "The door opened."
Jack scanned the building again. There were noticeable changes. Something reconfigured the distortion technology to allow a basic scan. Although Jack wondered if the information was reliable. What happened at O'Hare showed advanced alien or derived from alien technology.
"Welcome to the parlor…"
Jack tapped his ear com. "Keara."
"Here." She sounded distracted.
"We have a way into the building. Odds are, it's a trap." The question was what kind. Jack knew from personal experience over the years that being immortal didn't protect him from mundane risks.
"Check-in regularly."
"Send Jerard the scan readings," John said as they walked toward the door.