Torchwood London; London, England
Gwen Cooper stood in front of the flat screen in Rex's office waiting for a conversation she never expected to have. With Rex in secured quarantine, they needed an acting director. No one wanted the job. Ianto preferred to manage the hub. Jack stayed in the states. That left her.

The new prime minister appeared on the screen. Spenser Thompson was elected to replace Bransom after a series of political problems indirectly connected to the military attack and invalid warrants against Torchwood. While it was determined she was not responsible, it destroyed her career. Unfortunately, the new PM had less favorable views of Torchwood and globalization.

"Mrs. Williams..."

Be polite, Gwen reminded herself. "Acting Director Cooper."

His expression said he didn't like the correction. "Where is Director Matheson?"

"Recuperating from injuries sustained in the states."

"That is unfortunate." Thompson obviously didn't care. "How will you be resolving the international incident you caused at Heathrow?"

"The incident was unfortunately necessary. The airport refused to cooperate with a safety inspection. The two people arrested were transporting dangerous cargo."
"According to the Americans, it's needed to treat the parasites. By confiscating the materials, and holding the affected, you," he emphasized, "are interfering with treatment."

His tone reminded her of misogyny and sexual harassment accusations. "The technology and biological material offers a potential solution because it caused the problem. Both the parasites and the plane crashes." Gwen waited a moment. "The US knew it had a serious problem long before we were brought in to evaluate a different situation. The government is actively interfering with resolving it. Despite illnesses and deaths in four countries."

"Where is Captain Harkness?"

Saving Americans from their government. "In the field trying to prevent an ecological disaster."

"All the foreigners Torchwood is housing without visas need to be sent back to their countries."

Gwen took a moment to compose her thoughts. "If we have to relocate the patients, they will go to another quarantine. They are a danger to themselves and anyone that comes in contact with them. The two New Zealanders will be transferred to the ICC as witnesses or possible suspect in a war crimes investigation."

"You don't have the authority to arrest or detain them."

Was it all politicians or just English ones? Gwen wondered. "They were transporting materials that under the wrong conditions would have brought down their plane over the Atlantic. As much as we prepared for the possibility of rescuing a crashing airplane, the odds are it would have killed everyone on board."

"It does not change the law. They committed no crime. You illegal searched and seized their cargo."

"The cargo qualifies as a potential bioweapon and was banned for transport by numerous countries, starting with New Zealand where they boarded. They committed an international crime." Gwen could tell she wasn't getting through to him. "Would you like a briefing from Dr. Harper? He can explain the illnesses and cargo risk in detail." One insufferable, egotistical arse to another.

"It will not change the foreigner situation."

"I need official paperwork. We will make arrangements to transfer the patients to another quarantine and the suspects to the Hague." Gwen ended the call.
After taking a few deep breaths, she tapped her ear com. "Keara."

"I heard." She sounded distracted. "The space station infirmary can accommodate the current patients."

"Are you monitoring headquarter's phones?" Gwen remembered Ianto mentioning Keara listening to phone calls trying to find Rex.

"No. Muriel Grace's. She's a CIA agent working out of the US embassy. She's been coordinating with MI6 to pressure the PM. They're blackmailing him."

"With what?"

Keara laughed a less then pleasant sound. "He likes group sex with men and women younger than his children."

Gwen grimaced. "Legal?"

"Yeah. Mid twenties. Generally prostitutes. Nothing involving rape or coercion."

"Can we destroy the evidence?"

Several minutes passed before Keara replied. "A young woman needs to be relocated. MI6 offered her posh accommodations while she cooperates. A new name and life for her child that doesn't involve being the PM'S bastard should work better." Pause. "I dropped a program into the US embassy and MI6 computer systems looking for any reference to Thompson. Azrael can get photographs. If not, I can posted doctored ones on the Internet and make everything they have sound like a tabloid smear campaign."

"You've done this before," Gwen realized.

"No. The head of Torchwood where I came from had a team that handled blackmail. To keep the lovers and kids out of trouble, they were often relocated to offices in other countries. We had enough prostitutes to open a brothel."

Gwen shook her head. From what she heard of her future daughter, she probably kept the blackmail for insurance. "How long will it take?" Spies puppeting the prime minister was bad enough without impacting an international crisis.

"Days. To process everything. Especially the woman and child. I'm setting her up in a safe house." Keara was silent for a few minutes. "I will notify the PM that the blackmail is being dealt with. If Grace tries anything, I have enough to expose her as a CIA agent."

"Does Thompson know she's involved?"

"No." Keara explained, "He would blow her cover and make the situation worse. The CIA would retaliated."

Gwen wished Rex was able to handle it. She understood law enforcement not politics.

"The basics are done."

"Good." Only then did she wonder why it benefited Torchwood to resolve blackmail. The answer wasn't altruism. Keara just bought the British PM by protecting him from a scandal that would have destroyed his career. That's why it was handled by a team. It was an ongoing process. "How will you monitor it?" Gwen doubted she wanted to know.

"Felda's handling it. Eventually she will recruit a team for data management."

Gwen shook her head. "Rex mentioned a new office. The Malaysian one won't work."

"Not for recruitment. But it will keep Jerard out of trouble for awhile." Pause. "With the situation in Brisbane, Australia will agree to an office. Sydney has good options."
Did you cause the drug scare? Gwen wondered. She needed to talk to the general. The last thing they needed was Torchwood getting caught manipulating governments.

"Thompson is going to be a good boy and cooperate with the UN and ICC. It's in everyone's best interest, including his."