Rhys (Kai Owen) is driving when he is phoned by his secretary Ruth (Patti Clare), who tells him one of the company’s trucks has crashed. He finds that one of his friends has died in the crash while transporting meat to an abattoir. Torchwood appears on the scene and Rhys sees his girlfriend Gwen (Eve Myles) among them. Torchwood confiscates the meat, believing it to be alien. Back at the Torchwood Hub, the team wonders if Rhys is involved. Tosh (Naoko Mori) phones his office, pretending to be the police. Owen (Burn Gorman) believes the meat is being used for human consumption. At home, Rhys tries to get Gwen to confess to being at the accident scene but fails.
He follows her the next day, sees her meeting with Jack (John Barrowman), and follows them to a warehouse, where he is captured by a group of criminals. Jack and Gwen are watching and think he is part of the gang. He pretends to the criminals that he wants to join them. They show him a huge alien sea creature they have captured, calling it a Cash Cow. It regrows the meat they cut off it. Back home, Rhys and Gwen argue about his presence at the warehouse. He believes she is having an affair with Jack. Eventually, she confesses that she hunts aliens. To prove it to a sceptical Rhys, she takes him to the Hub. He offers to help them at the warehouse.
The team hides in his van as he drives to the factory. They locate the poor suffering creature and plan to stun the men and sedate the creature so they can send it back through the Rift. They see that the creature is sentient. Torchwood is discovered and Rhys is handcuffed. He breaks free and takes a bullet for Gwen. Torchwood stuns the criminals and gives them amnesia pills. The creature becomes unruly and dangerous, and they are forced to euthanize it. Back at the Hub, Gwen refuses to give Rhys an amnesia pill. Not wanting to lose Gwen, Jack gives in.
The scene in which Gwen admits to Rhys that she hunts aliens was largely improvised. Reviewers liked the Buffy-like Scooby team banter and wanted more of it. They liked Rhys, but found the sea-creature less than convincing, even though its big soulful eyes were effective. Rhys may no longer be in the dark--he was beginning to look like an idiot--but Gwen is still a lot smarter than he is and seems to be holding onto him just for security.