Read Online Something in the Water by Trevor Baxendale - Free Book Online Page B

certain,’ Owen admitted. ‘I took a blood sample, partly as cover, but mostly because I think it needs checking into.’
    Jack sighed. ‘Owen, this is Torchwood, not the Department of Health.’ Jack swung his boots down from his desk and grabbed his coffee, heading for the door.
    ‘The GP was only half-joking about the biohazard but I can’t say for sure that he’s not right,’ said Owen, following Jack out. ‘We’ve seen what can happen when an experimental strain of foot-and-mouth was accidentally released from research labs in the South of England after last year’s floods, and the NHS is under siege from C-Deficile. Throw the prospect of biological terrorism into the mix and a switched-on GP could get jumpy.’
    ‘Have you done the blood test?’
    ‘It’s running. Should be finished by now.’ Owen hurried across to his workstation and punched up the test results. ‘Now we can see what’s what.’ The screen filled with streams of chemical equations and graphs. Owen frowned, and tapped some keys. Data scrolled up the screen, and his eyes darted from side to side as he took it in. ‘That’s wrong,’ he said quietly. ‘It’s gotta be …’
    ‘What’s up?’ Jack joined him at the workstation.
    ‘Doesn’t make sense. The test must have mis-run.’
    ‘Why?’
    Owen tapped the screen. ‘There’s nothing wrong with this blood. It’s perfectly normal O-negative. Cell count, blood gases, they’re all spot on.’
    ‘Which means …?’
    ‘Whatever Bob Strong’s got, it isn’t a disease.’ He sat forward and typed quickly, more urgently. The screen flicked and changed and began filling up with more information. ‘I’ve hacked into the main NHS database. It’s just a thought, but … Yeah, here we go. Look at this: massive spike in respiratory complaints in the last few weeks, right across the region. Way above the seasonal average.’
    ‘So what is it? A flu epidemic? Big deal; these people still think it’s news when there’s another outbreak of measles. Let me know when it’s Martian Flu.’
    ‘I told Strong it was probably a new strain of flu, but I doubt it is. And so does he, in all honesty. GPs are pretty clued up on influenza, even foreign strains of the usual A, B and C viruses. The Government has a major vaccination programme in place in case there’s an outbreak or a pandemic. But this doesn’t fit the flu profile.’
    A quiet cough signalled Ianto’s presence. ‘Excuse me. I’ve just had word from Gwen – they’ve arrived.’
    Jack clapped his hands. ‘Great. Let’s see what the cat’s dragged in.’
    Owen gestured at his screen. ‘What about this?’
    ‘It’s still as much a matter for the medical profession as for Torchwood. I hear what you’re saying, and we’ll tag it for a follow up.’ Jack headed towards the Autopsy Room. ‘Right now, you’ve got another dead body to look at. Maybe you can find a connection?’
    Owen bit his lip, considering the information on the screen for a second longer. Then he twisted out of his seat and followed Jack.
    Gwen and Toshiko were just coming into the Hub. The strobe lights were still flashing as the massive cog-wheel vault door rolled slowly back into position behind them with its customary grinding rattle. Gwen looked tired but glad to be back at base.
    Toshiko, on the other hand, just looked wet. Very wet.
    Jack paused at the top of the stairs and looked down at her with a grin. ‘Hey, Tosh, when I said we’d see what the cat’s dragged in, I didn’t think it was gonna be you!’
    Owen joined him and broke into a laugh.
    ‘Owen, don’t say a word.’ Toshiko glared up at him. Her face was streaked with dirt, as if she’d been lying face down in a puddle. Her hair was bedraggled and her clothes were soaked through and stained with mud. A pool of dingy water spread out across the concrete where she stood.
    Ianto, with only the faintest of tuts, appeared with a number of old newspapers to put down on the floor and