Hitchhiker (species)

The Hitchhiker was an alien symbiote sometimes found inside humans. It looked like a black, heart-like structure. It was believed harmless. Some thought it beneficial, as it released endorphins into the bloodstream. A hitchhiker might be in any human. In the early 21st century Torchwood Three removed them from deceased hosts. Jack and Ianto did so to an old man, claiming they were his neighbours. (TV: Children of Earth: Day One)