"Dude, I don't get it," Dean Winchester said, slamming the laptop shut and pushing it towards his brother. "What's the connection?"
Sam shrugged. "Don't look at me, man. I'm as confused by this as you are."
Dean sighed and stood, reaching for his cell phone. "Should we call Bobby? Or Cas?"
"Nah. Bobby's got his own case to worry about and Cas... Well, you know Cas. Wouldn't want to bother him. Guy's got a war to deal with."
"If you say so." Dean sat down again and examined the stack of newspaper clippings in front of him. "Anyway. Back to this. Four cities over the past two weeks- Singapore, Mumbai, Chicago, Beijing, and everyone says London's next- half the population gone M.I.A. with deranged witnesses blabbing about giant metal men and flashing lights everywhere? What is this, Star Trek?"
"And all of their banks and stuff have been completely emptied. Practically every single place where more than a thousand dollars were stored is penniless now."
"Seems like these people, or whatever they are, know what they're doing." Dean stood and paced the tiny motel room. "Why those cities, though? That's just so random."
"The only connection I can find is that all these cities are huge. So whoever- whatever- is doing this is going after major urban centers with high costs of living, big airports, business capitols, you know, stuff like that." Sam frowned and clicked away at his computer. "These survivors, though..."
"What?" Dean said and strode over to stand behind his brother's chair.
"All of them are in psychiatric hospitals, now, because they all kinda went insane. Or everyone thinks they did."
"Insane? Insane how?"
"You know. The standard. Screaming, so-called hallucinations, crying, emotional instability. Some even got violent when they were taken away."
"Wow." Dean and Sam pondered in silence for a second. "Seems like our kind of thing."
"Definitely."
"We got any accounts of what they saw?"
Sam shook his head. "I've been looking, but I think we'd need to really talk to them in person."
"Great," said Dean and walked over to the giant duffel bag on the motel bed. In it was a thick wad of fake I.D.s. He flipped through them until he found the two he was looking for- F.B.I. "Chicago, then?"
"Chicago."
***
"Past two weeks, four cities."
"Boring."
"They say London's next."
"Boring."
"Sherlock!"
"What? Do you want me to feign interest and then be horribly disappointed when you discover that I don't care after all?"
John Watson put the newspaper down onto the table with a sharp smack and rose to the kitchen for a cup of tea. "Just thought you ought to know that the lives of every single person in this city are in danger. Including yours."
"Oh, please, " said Sherlock Holmes and un-muted the television. "Who would want to attack, destroy, and brainwash a city like this?"
"Well, why don't you find out for yourself? Case like this, I'd think it was right up your alley."
"Quiet, John, the commercial break's almost over."
John extended his head from the kitchen, tea unfinished, only to find his roommate engrossed in an ad for "Tasty Kitty Nibbles" as he waited for his daytime soap opera to return. "You're bored."
"Oh, good. Nicely done, John. Very observant."
John rolled his eyes and returned to his tea-making. "I'm just saying. If you need something to do, why not do something good for humanity for a change?"
"I am doing something good for humanity. As soon as this episode ends, I fully intend to write a letter to the television network to get them to cancel this piece of rubbish."
"Sherlock..."
"Fine, John." The television ceased to make sounds. "What would you have me do, then?"
"Well," John said and emerged from the kitchen, bearing a steaming mug of Earl Grey tea and a scone, "something other than torturing me all day by alternating between shooting the wall and watching soap operas. And if that means saving London, great."
"You know what I'm going to say, John." His finger twitched towards the un-mute button on the remote.
John sighed. "I do. And I know you find it boring, but-"
"Yes, exactly, boring. Now quiet. Ricardo is about to come home and discover that Evangeline is the mother of his adopted son."
"So, that's a no on the case?"
"John!"
"Sorry, sorry, I'll be quiet..."
As a woman's sobs erupted from the television's speakers, John Watson stared at the chilling headline on the newspaper and wondered whatever must be done about Sherlock.
***
"Doctor-"
"I know."
"London's next, they say."
"They're right."
Donna Noble put a hand to her mouth in horror. "We're gonna stop it, right?"
The Doctor took a deep breath and ran a hand through his spiky hair. "Would that we could. Thing is..."
"What?" Donna said, a very familiar edge returning into her voice.
The Doctor shot a guilty glance at her. "I'm not sure exactly what we're even dealing with yet."
Donna put her hands on her hips. "Are we going to find out?"
"Of course, of course, just... Just give it a little while."
"Doctor."
He looked at her, usually sparkling brown eyes huge and distressed.
"People are dying. Hundreds of people. Dying or vanishing or going insane. Four huge cities already. We cannot wait for London to fall. I won't let you wait. We're going now." And with that, Donna set off around the TARDIS console, jabbing at buttons and pulling on levers at random.
"No, no, no, no, stop it, don't do that," the Doctor said and grabbed her away from it. "We're going. Now. I promise. Let's just see what's been going on first." He grimaced. "Oh, and I just planned to pop down for a visit... Why can't you humans just keep your news to yourselves sometimes?"
Donna glared.
"Donna," the Doctor said, a bit of a laugh in his voice, "I'm joking. And we have got a time machine." A pause, and Donna smiled reluctantly.
"So what do we got, Doctor?"
"Well," the Doctor said, tugging at his hair again, "four cities. Chicago, Mumbai, Singapore, and Beijing. And London's next. Half the population missing, those left behind nearly insane. Banks empty, almost all the money gone."
"Those survivors. What happened to them?"
The Doctor sighed. "They're all in asylums, now. That's what the newspapers say. Apparently, they've seen-"
He trailed off as he stared at the magazine he'd just picked up from Donna's purse. His thin face paled.
"Doctor, what did they see?"
Eyes huge, the Doctor flipped the magazine over so the cover was facing Donna. The headline screamed, RUMOURED TERRORIST ATTACK SURVIVORS GO INSANE- CLAIM TO HAVE SEEN GIANT ROBOTS KILLING THEIR FELLOW CITIZENS.
"Cybermen," he gasped. "Oh, no, no, no, no, no, not again, please, not again..."
***
Martha Jones tossed the newspaper across the room and felt a tear, born out of pure frustration, slide down her cheek. Why didn't the Doctor ever answer his phone?
She turned the news programme on the television off- she wasn't in the mood for a full hour of detailed analyses of grisly scenes- and dialed the Doctor's number again.
We're sorry. The number you have reached doesn't have a voicemail box set up so you cannot leave a message. Please call again later.
With a growl, Martha pressed the "end call" button and pondered.
Suddenly, a loud buzzing and chime made Martha jump. It was her phone ringing. Heart beating into her throat, she looked at the screen, ready to yell the Doctor's ear off for ignoring her for so long.
Her heart sank back into its normal spot again. It was her mother.
"Hello?"
"Martha?"
"Hi, Mum."
"Where are you right now?"
Puzzled, Martha looked out of her window. "I'm around an hour's drive away. Why?"
"Can we have lunch?"
"What, now?" Martha scoffed. "Since when do you eat lunch at all?"
"This isn't a joke, Martha. We need to talk."
"Oh, um, okay, " Martha said, nonplussed. "Yes, sure, we can have lunch. But-"
"Great. Meet me at that coffee shop that Tish so likes at two."
"Mum, I-"
But Mrs. Jones had already hung up.
Martha stared at her phone for a few seconds, confused. Something was going on with her mother. What, though? She'd never acted like this before.
Martha shrugged and grabbed her purse. She'd better find out and soon, before anything actually happened to anyone.
An hour and a half later, Francine Jones whirled into the empty seat across from Martha, visibly shaken.
"Mum, hi, what's-"
"Hello, Martha." Mrs. Jones took a deep sip of her ice water and closed her eyes, leaning back in her chair and sighing.
"Mum, are you alright?"
"No." She opened her eyes. "Are you?"
"Well, I-i guess I could be better, but I don't think I'm-"
"I'm worried sick about you, Martha. Me and Tish and Leo, all."
"Oh- well, I- um-"
"But that's not what I asked you here to talk about." Francine smiled sadly. "You've heard, right? About the terrorist attacks?"
Martha looked away, grim. "Yes. If they were terrorist attacks."
"Exactly," her mother said. "What with what I've seen..." She shuddered. "You know they say London's next."
"I have heard that." Martha sighed.
"So that's why your father and I have decided that it would be best to move the entire extended family out of here."
"What?" Martha gasped.
"It's the only way we can be safe from the horrible things out there, Martha. We have to keep each other safe!"
Martha closed her eyes, incredulous, and took a breath. "The whole family?"
"The whole family."
"Including Annalise?"
Martha's mother wrinkled her nose in distaste. "Yes, even Annalise," she replied grudgingly.
Martha scoffed. "I never thought I'd see the day when you willingly submitted to spending more time with Annalise."
"Neither did I," Mrs. Jones replied with a wry smile. "So. What do you say?"
Martha sighed and closed her eyes. "Fine. But only to keep you safe. I have to stay in London until I reach the Doctor and-"
"Oh, God, not the Doctor again. Always the Doctor."
"Mum! He's the only one who can stop this!"
Francine glared, relenting slowly. "I'm not taking responsibility for this. When you decide to be reasonable, please come help Tish and Leo and I pack our things."
Martha laughed quietly. "I'll see what I can do." She stood to go, throwing a tenner onto the table. "See you later, Mum."
"Oh, and Martha?"
She turned back.
"Please be careful."
Martha smiled. "You know me, Mum. I'm always careful."
And she left.
***
"Pond, when was the last time we went on a proper adventure?"
"What sort of adventure?"
"Any sort, really. With a mystery to solve and a childishly lovable enemy to reprimand and a treasure to find and a princess to save?"
Amy laughed. "Honestly, Doctor, never."
"No," the Doctor exclaimed, "you're joking!"
She shook her head. "Not one like that."
"Well, then, you're in luck! Because I've been waiting for just the right moment to go to this one planet just outside of the Lesser Magellanic Cloud which is an entire planet full of adventures. Really. It's basically a giant amusement park. Except instead of having roller coasters and arcade games, it's got, well, adventures." The Doctor grinned, straightened his bowtie, and started dancing around the TARDIS console, typing in coordinates, pushing buttons, and adjusting settings.
"And you've been to this planet?"
"Oh, loads of times. Last time I went, there was a Judoon Empress- very pretty, um, very pretty indeed, obviously- who needed rescuing." The Doctor blushed. "From a gigantic mouse." He chuckled softly to himself. "And to think, all it wanted was just a bit of cheese..."
"You are making this up, Doctor."
The Doctor, suddenly serious, looked up at Amy's smile. "Does this look like the face of a man who hasn't been embraced by a rhinoceros-headed woman after escorting an oversized rodent to a dairy farm?"
Amy considered. "Yes, actually."
The Doctor winked. "Off we go!" The console room lurched and shook as the TARDIS engine whooshed and whined in protest against being thrown through the time vortex in such a manner. The TARDIS landed roughly a second later, and the Doctor was instantly up and running. "Grab your best magnifying glass for detective work, Pond, and get ready to have the best adventure ever."
Laughing, Amy ran to the TARDIS doors and flung them open, expecting bright colours and happy things outside.
She got exactly the opposite.
"Uh, Doctor?..."
"Coming, just a second!"
"Doctor, is it supposed to be so... Scary?"
Everything was grey and dusty. Smoke billowed from a skyscraper and sirens wailed cacophonously from every direction.
"Doctor?"
"Coming!"
Somewhere, gunshots rang out. Amy flinched.
"Doctor!"
"Look, Amy! My very favourite cape. I only wear it on special occasions, and going on an adventure on the Planet of Adventures certainly qualifies, don't you-"
He trailed off as he saw what was outside.
A pause.
"Oh, dear."
Throwing his cape onto the console floor behind him, the Doctor gingerly stepped out onto the cracked cement beneath them.
"Wrong planet?"
"By a long shot." A thought suddenly struck him. He looked around swiftly and terror flooded his face.
"Where are we, then?"
The Doctor, wordless, stared in disbelief around them.
"Doctor?"
"Amy, this is... This is Earth."
"What?"
"This is Earth."
"Like, a few hundred years into the future? Is this World War Three, Doctor?"
Full of chagrin, the Doctor looked at her. "Amy, this is now. This is the time in which you live. Not even a month has passed since you left Leadworth in the TARDIS."
Amy's eyes filled with tears as she joined the Doctor outside. "Where are we?"
The Doctor sniffed the air. "Mumbai, looks like." He looked around in silence for a few seconds and suddenly jumped. "We have to go."
"What? Doctor, we have to help these people-"
The Doctor grabbed Amy's hand and dragged her into the TARDIS. "Amy, I remember this. London is next. We have to stop this from happening any more."
"Doctor! Wait! Who's doing this?"
The Doctor turned to her, looking his age. "I'm not sure yet. But I can tell you that we're going to need help to stop them. A lot of help. And I know exactly where to find it."