Spreepark; Berlin, Germany

Monday, September 20, 2021

Rex Matheson walked through the decaying theme park wondering not for the first time how bad the situation was for the US to request assistance. After Harper and Sato fled what they suspected was a US military response, Rex looked into it. He received contradictory information from different agencies. It made him question the 2014 fire. Something happened there before the island explosion and it should have been reported.

Standing outside the previously rusted shut cave access door, Rex questioned the report. He eyed the roller coaster track entering the cave. Someone could have crawled under or over the track. Urban explorers were possible. Without knowing what the energy felt like before the explosion, he could guess it might appeal to the curious. Or for various other reasons. But the energy made him nauseous and he regenerated.

Resigned, Rex removed a hand-held scanner from Nigeria and opened the door. The scrolling information was incomprehensible. It streamed data to Nigeria, the Torchwood storehouse for extremely dangerous technology. Idrissa explained when he previously sent the technology that the important part was knowing what type of containment box was needed for a recovery. Between the hand-held and a key fob-like device, he could request one from anywhere.

The dusty passage allowed better access to the tunnel. Using a flashlight, Rex checked for indications that anyone had been through there recently. He found nothing. The farther he went, the more he wondered. Either there was another door or no one had been through the cave recently.

When the hand-held issued a warning and started flashing mauve. Rex stopped and shined his light around. Something shimmered in the corner. Unsure of what he needed to do, he tapped the button. A metallic crate appeared. The side opened automatically, which hadn't been mentioned. It emitted a whirring sound. The shimmer revealed it's round shape as it rolled into the box. A vacuum seal sound followed as the crated closed. Then disappeared.

The energy change was immediate.

When Rex exited the cave an hour later, he had a lot of questions. No one entered the cave recently. There were no bodies or even an indication anyone had ever died there. That more than suggested the anonymous tip was designed to set Torchwood up.

The approaching military man reinforced that. "Director Matheson." He wore Army pattern BDUs and a Corps of Engineers insignia. "I am Major Mendoza. US Army."

"The information was wrong, major. No bodies. No crime scene."

Mendoza lack of response said he already knew that. "Where is the device?"

"I didn't find anything."

Skeptical, Mendoza asked, "What changed the energy?"

Rex shrugged. "I don't know." That much was true. "I came here to find a multiple homicide. There isn't one." He gave it a moment. "If you have information about technology, we need it. The area energy made two Torchwood investigators ill." Which was partially true.

Mendoza's presence said more than he did. The Army attempted to manipulate Torchwood into recovering something for them. Based on the scanner and the concealment box, it needed to be in secured storage. Not accessed by a military.

With the ear coms down, he needed to figure out a secured connection to Nigeria to find out if they had any idea what type of device he shipped them.

Torchwood Nigeria; Sokoto State, Nigeria

Idrissa Oliveira reviewed details on the device found in Germany. Since meeting his husband and joining the Fellowship, he had seen the unimaginable and the outright insane. Usually, the technology they collected was lost or abandoned long ago. The spherical object was a new arrival.

Based on comparable details, the device slipped through the universe barrier or used an unknown transportation method. The cataloging system flagged an alien transport pod Jack and Ianto found while on vacation. A hunter used some type of technology to summon the pod without conventional ship transport.

Idrissa brought up notes about the island explosions. The first device disrupted the universe barrier and the second resolved it. There was no evidence of it happening again. But the latest explosion used a different type of device and appeared intentional.

A familiar energy distracted Idrissa from his research. He looked up as Azrael entered the open office door. The nickname was even more ridiculous than The Prophet. But Idrissa didn't care what his husband called himself as long as he didn't leave again.

"Anything?" Azrael asked.

"Possibly." Idrissa held up a tablet.

Unable to hold it, Azrael skimmed through the details. "Jack needs to see this."

Torchwood London; London, England

Rex Matheson canceled upcoming plans and warned Davy to report anything suspicious. He'd learned more from what followed his trip to Germany than the trip itself. Both the US and Great Britain were interested in the device. Three agencies, two US and one in London, contacted him demanding to know what he did with it. They had somehow brought it there. For some reason, both believed he would hand it over.

Between the anger at the perceived betrayal and the determination to acquire the technology, Rex knew one or both governments would try to grab him. He'd once done something similar to Jack and Gwen. With different intentions. Advanced interrogation would likely involve the CIA and a black site. He needed to be careful.

Lacking a better option, Rex used his cell phone to call Jack.

"Hey."

Rex gave an abridged account of his trip to Germany. He didn't admit to knowing where the technology went. Jack would easily guess. As the military had more information then they did, he wasn't telling anyone listening anything they didn't already know. "Both governments think I stole the technology. An abduction attempt is likely."

"Make sure to tell them that we will find and secure our people. Anyone involved, regardless of nationally or government approval, will likely be killed during the rescue operation," Jack said matter-of-factly. "We will destroy or confiscate any technology found on-site."

Rex wondered how it got to the point they were threatening governments. "Yeah." After Miracle Day, any illusions he had were long gone. "We need a new approach."

Torchwood Three; Cardiff, Wales

Jack Harkness sat at the head of the conference table reviewing information from London and Nigeria. The current data transfer requirements made everything time-consuming. He was starting to understand what little he knew about future Torchwood and Anwen's leadership style. Protecting the world from aliens was complicated. Protecting it from itself was worse.

The door slid open and Ianto entered. "Ken called. Someone was asking questions about John and Michael."

Jack held out his hand. "What was asked?"

"Where John came from." Ianto walked around the table. "What happened to Michael's mother."

"If it comes to it, we have her remains. We can easily explain everything we did and why."

Ianto sat next to Jack. The anxiety was obvious. He set a hand on Ianto's leg. Jack couldn't help but question the timing. It could be a threat in response to the Germany situation or any of the other complications with the joint military interest in alien technology Torchwood uncovered.

"Michael is safe."

Ianto set a hand on Jack's. "It doesn't feel like it."

"Is this about us?"

"Come home."

Excuses swirled through Jack's mind adding to his concern. "Not a good idea."

"Why not?"

The fact that Jack didn't trust himself to speak immediately was a solid answer. "There is something wrong with me."

Ianto smiled faintly. "That's not new."

Unsure what to say, Jack leaned in and kissed Ianto. When their lips parted, they sat with their eyes closed and their foreheads pressed together.

The door opened again. "Sorry to interrupt," Tosh said.

Jack moved back and looked at her.

"Tangle Briers reported a social worker claiming to be concerned about runaways. She's passing around a description of Hoggle," Tosh said. "He left."