Martin Absalom

Martin Absalom was the leader of Firestone Finance, a rival institution to Torchwood, whose motto was "if it's alien, it's profit".

Biography
Martin's job was to locate alien technology and then sell it for profit. In 2009, Firestone Finance bought the Cardiff department store G.R. Owen's, knowing there to be an infamous pocket dimension within, the Department of Curiosities. Owning the building meant that all the items and people there also belonged to Firestone. With his telepath bodyguard, Miss Valentine, Firestone began their operations.

Unbeknowst to Martin, Torchwood were already undercover in G.R. Owen, trying to locate former Torchwood employee, and former proprietor Gareth Robert Owen, who had merged with a dangerous alien decades prior and was now hidden within the Department of Curiosities.

Eventually, both Torchwood and Firestone successfully located the Department and Gareth. Feeling threatened, Gareth poured the alien lifeforce into Martin and the five survivors fled the pocket dimension, allowing it to destroy itself and Martin for good. (AUDIO: Department X)