Red Dragon Centre; Cardiff, Wales
Jack Harkness stepped off the lift and headed for Bute Place. He'd been thinking more and more they needed to expand. The computer Janne Talbot used in London to attack Cardiff had potential. Since the temporal quake that followed the second explosion on the island south of Vietnam, there had been an increase in odd events and more countries were realizing that Torchwood not simply a strange British thing people found amusing online. Consult requests from law enforcement were increasing still. Interpol wanted Torchwood jurisdiction criteria.
He'd spent an hour and twenty minutes on a conference call with politicians in London. One outright asked about rebuilding the Institute. The general argument seemed to be that Queen Victoria founded Torchwood. Great Britain should be in control. Reminding them that the hub had to rebuild itself because the British government blew it up to interfere with Torchwood saving the world's children didn't go over well. Regardless of country, politicians played games. If Torchwood answered to any governing body, people would die and the world could be destroyed because a committee couldn't agree on something.
Having coffee with Dr. Floyd gave him an excuse to take a break. He needed to spend more time with Ianto even if it meant a trip to the mall with the kids. He rarely admitted it, but the stress got to him. The insanity of the last year-and-a-half was taking a toll.
Jack stepped into the coffee shop. The doctor had already found a place in the corner to sit. She held up a second coffee mug to show she'd bought him one already. He couldn't help but notice she'd done her hair and applied lipstick. He didn't know what she wore off-duty, but on-duty it was unusual.
"What's the occasion?" He sat across from her.
"Stealing a page from Cowley's playbook." She smiled. "I told my assistant I was meeting you for coffee."
"He thinks it's a date?"
Dr. Floyd nodded. "I have a politically sensitive case."
"That bad?"
"Yeah. DCI Sawyer died. It will make the news tonight. He was weeks from retirement after more than thirty years."
That couldn't be good. "How?"
"Officially, he had a massive coronary. Natural causes. Hiring a barely legal prostitute that looks his granddaughter's age can do that. No proof of money changing hands." She shook her head. "It's a wonder he could pay women to date him."
"What actually happened?"
The doctor passed him a flash-drive. "A fish that disagreed with him."
Shit. "Is he being cremated?"
"Yeah. The best way to get rid of the evidence. Or protect his reputation, depending on the spin."
"We have reason to believe that Sawyer was involved with something much worse than prostitution. You need to be careful," Jack insisted.
"I know."
Saint David's Mall
Christmas was a strange holiday, John Hart thought side-stepping a pair of running preteens. It seemed to be a commercialized family event where how much a person spent on their loved ones somehow equated to how much they loved them. Anwen's attempts at family Christmas in the late 2040s had been awkward at best. The Torchwood Christmas event Ianto had in mind appeared to be based on decorations. He was already turning Luc's former flat on the second floor into a party area. With a pregnant woman and kids, he suspected it would be focused on presents. And food. Ken enthusiastically talked about recipes. One more bizarre experience to blame Torchwood for.
Robert joined him. "What is this insanity?" He spoke English using a discreet translator that looked like hands-free mobile.
"Either a commercialized religious holiday or a commercialized family holiday." John shrugged.
"I have more information on that building."
"You need to be careful."
Robert nodded. "Especially since Noble Industries is cold storage."
"For what?" Although John suspected he already knew. Sal said the location was connected to a terrorist plot. They were looking for aquariums. The dreamfish were a ridiculous method of dispersal and could have been a diversion.
"Aerosol dispersal units." Robert handed him a data storage device. "I got a spy bot into the basement. They have impressive, scary, alien tech. Do you know what Bose-Einstein Condensate is?"
"No."
"It's damn near absolute zero. Researchers use it as a way to potentially identify theoretical particles. Or advanced theories of quantum and temporal physics. I have no idea what they could want it for. They're making biological weapons not researching the universe."
John asked, "What's your skill set?"
"I'm an engineer." Robert laughed. "Mum was a genius, except for her taste in men."
"Could it be used to find your spaceship?"
"Depends if they have someone who knows how to evaluate theoretical dimensions. They would need a lot more than condensate."
Torchwood Three
Having the kids in his office was ironically relaxing for Ianto Jones. Anwen didn't want to do her homework and demanded to know where John was every few minutes. Trefor insisted on building a Lego castle on his desk. Researching the Beddoe family with a three-year-old on his lap happily talking about a program he watched at daycare about hot air balloons was an experience.
With Gwen working another part of the Gordon-Glen situation with Jack, Dmitri still at the shelter with his friend, John and Ken had plans that couldn't be interrupted, and that left Rhys was left watching Dawn. Anwen thankfully hadn't asked any questions after school.
Picking up Trefor from Rhiannon's daycare was much better than the fancy place Trefor had been previously. Stella Shone, Trefor's former teacher, hadn't approved of his relationship with Jack. Ianto hoped Trefor was happier at Davies Daycare. It was less pretentious. Trefor's Rift eliminated the abduction risk. Which was the main reason he'd been at the other daycare.
When one of his tablets raised off the desk by itself, he knew Anwen's boredom was not going away. "How would you like to research something inappropriate on social media?"
That drew Anwen across the office. She claimed a chair across the desk from him. "Like what?"
"Parties and raves in Cardiff." He needed the information and from what he'd seen of the announcements previously, they were nothing graphic. But it sounded questionable enough to get her attention.
"The drug case?"
"Yeah. Avoid reading the group posts and announcements as much as possible."
Anwen nodded and grabbed the tablet she'd just had floating above his desk. "I am not interested in the mating habits of Cardiff's nightlife."
As crazy as it sounded, it felt normal.