Chapter 3

Ddideimlad Flats; Cardiff, Wales

Gwen Cooper's thoughts were still on Anwen as Jack parked the Torchwood van near the front of Ddideimlad Flats. The decrepit building offered cheap housing for the desperate. Local law enforcement visited the place regularly for various reasons. She'd seen the inside once while she was a constable.

"Rhys complains our building is soulless."

"Ianto's working on it."

She felt guilty. Since returning, Ianto had taken a long list of maintenance complaints about the flats and watched the kids any time there was a problem. He was still dealing with an unimaginable personal trauma. She had no right ask so much.

"What floor?" She followed Jack into the building. The inside looked worse than she remembered it.

"Fourth."

Jack walked passed the lift, heading for the stairs.

"Great."

The enclosed space smelled. Gwen wrinkled her nose not wanting to think about it. It explained why Jack wasn't interested in the lift. The building had maintenance problems.

"Why are we here?"

"Colin Doyle was found in the Taff River near Sophia Gardens yesterday. Possible suicide. Dr. Floyd has doubts."

"And?"

"The police say Doyle's flat has a shrine."

Gwen groaned. "I'm guessing he's not Catholic."

Jack laughed, but didn't explain.

Exiting the disgusting stairway was a relief. The fourth floor hallway didn't look much better. It smelled less, at least.

The constable guarding the door let them into Doyle's one-bedroom flat. From the looks of it, Doyle slept on the floor in the main room. Jack crossed headed for the bedroom as she shut the door behind them, and stopped in the doorway.

Gwen crossed the room. "It better not be black candles and a goat's head."

"Much better looking." He stepped aside as she reached him.

"No goat." She said, amused. "An ass." Pictures of Jack covered the walls. Some depicted Jack like a Catholic saint.

The room held impressive computer equipment, and a few items she suspected were alien.

"A schizophrenic with a religion obsession fixating on a person." He'd seen a lot of things over the years, but he hadn't been worshiped.

"The patron saint of debauchery." Gwen chuckled.

Jack walked around the equipment and sorted through a pile of sketchbooks in the corner. "He dates the back of his sketches." A beat. "I doubt a schizophrenic stalker can function for years."

"I can ask Dr. Floyd to recommend someone who would know."

"Good." Jack grabbed one of the sketchbooks.

Gwen's phone rang. She listened. "Thanks, Andy." The call ended. Jack had told him to contact her again. "Doyle died from injuries consistent with jumping off a bridge. Except he has defensive wounds. Its not conclusive, but he had help going off the bridge."

"Did Andy send a picture."

"Yeah." Gwen brought it up on her phone. "Another psychotic ex-boyfriend?"

Jack checked the picture. "No. I've never met him." Jack held up a sketchbook. "Most of these are from Africa."

Gwen stepped back into the main room. "If this guy was obsessed with Catholicism, where's his Bible? There's no cross on the walls. No prayer books." Gwen continued to look around. "Is there anything in there?"

"No." Jack stepped out of the bedroom.

"This isn't about religion."

Near Blodau Glas Academy

More and more, John Hart found himself questioning the situation. He loved her more than anything, and continued wearing the ring he offered her on a chain around his neck. But she was gone. He'd destroyed any chance of reconnecting with Jack. Lovers were easy enough to find. Eventually, he would make local friends. The loneliness was overwhelming at times.

Resigned, he parked a few blocks from the school. The situation would give him an opportunity to test his new computer system. He modified a mainframe, with instructions and equipment he brought with him, and had a dedicated tablet. Between it and his wrist-strap, he had the computing power necessary to investigate complicated problems.

He grabbed the portable computer, from the passenger seat and nearly knocked Anwen's present on the floor. With sigh, he stepped out of the car. He had a promise to honor, and would as long as he could.

There was nothing immediately worrisome. The residential neighborhood looked like any other. One garage had some type of alien device being used a generator. From the heat signature, he guessed it was growing plants. Exotic plants, drugs or both. After a moment's hesitated, he forwarded the details to Torchwood. A drug lab within blocks of Anwen's school might earn him consideration.

He found nanotechnology closer to the school. It lead to a fire hydrant, and a higher concentration. The water was contaminated. He couldn't fix it, he'd have to leave that to Jack, but he could document it. The computer was compiling the upload to Torchwood as he returned to the car.

John glanced at a passing car, and he recognized a face he never wanted to see again. He checked for CCTV in the area and found video of the car and driver. Kol Puzzo. It didn't take much to connect contaminated water to Puzzo. He couldn't just send the information. There was a lot more to it.

"Jack."

"What?"

"Did Anwen mention contacting me about a medical emergency?"

"No."

"A remote scan indicated nanotechnology. I found the area water contaminated, and sent it to Torchwood." A beat. "I am uploading an image from CCTV footage now. Kol Puzzo. He's a third generation biomech." John exhaled. "The real problem is who he takes orders from. After being forced out of Torchwood for creating an army, he disappeared. The boss and general were concerned future you wouldn't accept the evidence against him." John hesitated. "They were right. Aman Oliveira probably doesn't know future you got into a fist fight with the general over the execution order."

"Does he have any connection to religion or Africa?"

"Yeah, why?"

"A current Torchwood case."

"Oliveira ran a Torchwood office in Nigeria."

"How did I know him?"

"You were lovers off and on for twenty years."