Lost in the Hum of Night

ann no aku

Plot: Luke Smith is selected as a candidate for an elite school. All seems well until he doesn't return home one day. Sarah Jane, frantic with the loss of her son, calls on her last hope for help—Torchwood. Crossover with all series in the Doctor Who universe.

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who, The Sarah Jane Adventures, or Torchwood. All belong to the BBC.

Notes: Takes place after the SJA episode The Lost Boy (Season I), before the Season 1 finale of Torchwood, and between the Doctor Who episodes Family of Blood and Blink (Series III).

*****

Chapter One: The Echo of Truth

Luke Smith stared blankly at the whiteboard, finding the lesson beyond bordering insulting his intelligence and blatantly beating it to a pulp. His head throbbed and he did everything in his power to remain alert and attentive despite the Battle of Boredom waging in his body far stronger (and more painful) than being electrocuted by a Dalek (he had heard about them from his mum after finding a picture of in the attic and had immediately bombarded her with questions). He nearly fell out of his seat as the professor interrupted his internal chant of the Period Table and its properties.

"S-Sorry, Professor," he stammered, ignoring Clyde sniggering next to him.

"What are you apologizing for, Mr. Smith?" asked Professor Gaines, smiling behind his bushy beard. "I was merely informing the class that you have been selected as a candidate for Chelsea Hall."

The silence in the room thundered in Luke's ears. "Chelsea Hall?" he echoed, unfamiliar with the name.

"Ha ha, good joke!" Clyde smacked his friend on the shoulder. "Don' worry, Sir, my mate Luke here is all excited 'bout goin' to Chelsea Hall."

"I never said he was accepted, Mr. Langer. It is a very competitive, highly elite university prepatory school." He eyed the boys curiously for a moment, choosing not to notice the confusion on Luke's face or the hasty whispers Clyde was giving him.

"Yeah, I know, Sir. My mum keeps tellin' me that if I even get selected by mistake, she'll never make me clean my room again!" The class rippled with laughter.

"Yes, it would have to be a mistake for Chelsea Hall to even consider you, Mr. Langer." Professor Gaines's beard twitched as he tried to conceal his own amusement; the students laughed harder than ever.

The bell rang, signaling the end of English, and the students pushed past each other out the door. "Mr. Smith, a word, please."

"I'll wait for ya, mate," Clyde offered, grabbing his books and shooting his best friend a sympathetic look.

"I-I'm sorry, Professor, I was listening to your lecture," he lied, gulping nervously.

"What are you mumbling about?" His blue eyes crinkled as he smiled. He removed his glasses and gestured to Luke to take a seat. "I know you weren't paying attention, Mr. Smith. And, to be quite frank, I don't really care. Provided, however," he hastily added, adjusting himself in his stiff chair that was a bit too small for his large frame. "Provided you continue to do well and not disrupt my class."

"I don't disrupt any class, Sir," Luke informed, still ill at ease despite his professor's teasing grin. "Ever."

"Yes, I am aware of that." He fumbled through his desk drawers and pulled out a thick envelope made of a fine parchment. On the front, handwritten in a fancy script was Luke's name above the name and address of his school. "I never thought I'd see one of these again in my lifetime, Mr. Smith. It makes me proud to be your English professor, even though you're bored."

"I-I'm not-"

Professor Gaines carried on as though uninterrupted, waving the envelope in front of him. "Before I give this to you, you need to understand what this means. Whatever you may have heard of Chelsea Hall, it doesn't matter. I'm telling you this, Mr. Smith, so that you will make the right decision and for the right reasons."

*****

"Chelsea Hall?" Maria repeated, covering her mouth so she wouldn't laugh. "I can't believe it!"

"Is that bad?" asked Luke, shifting his schoolbag over his shoulder.

"Only if you can't afford to go," Clyde answered. "Not only are they like super elite, but they're well expensive, too!" Bitterly, he kicked at a rock in front of him, watching as it rolled down the sidewalk of Bannerman Road. "I heard Bill Gates couldn't even get his own child in, and he's like the richest guy in the world!"

"Are you jealous?" Maria teased, stopping in front of Luke's house.

"No! 'm not jealous! It's jus' . .well . . Luke's really smart an' all, an' we right these aliens, an' what if Chelsea Hall is some alien front or somethin', yeah? Like with the Kudlak?"

"Clyde! Chelsea Hall is hardly ever in the news; you only even hear 'bout them from word of mouth. If it were really run by aliens, don't you think we'd have heard 'bout weird experiments or children missing?"

"Yeah," Luke agreed, looking to Clyde. "Like with Combat 3000 and the Pharos Institute."

"I said that! Besides, you've never even heard of Chelsea Hall-!"

"Chelsea Hall?" Sarah Jane's voice made them jump. "What about it?" She had appeared from nowhere, the day's post in her hands.

"I've been chosen for an interview," Luke answered, unsure whether to feel excited or nervous at the thought. He pulled the envelope Professor Gaines had given him out of his pocket, smoothing it as he handed it to his mother.

"Really?" Ms. Smith raised her eyebrows, and then broke into a huge smile. She squeezed her son. "Oh, congratulations, Luke! I'm so proud of you!"

"It's only an interview mum," he mumbled against her bosom.

"But isn't a bit weird?" Clyde persisted, shooting uncertain looks to his friends.

"Why would it be weird? He's my son and the smartest boy on the planet." She had finally released Luke, whom was blushing a deep red.

"Clyde's jealous," explained Maria in a hushed whisper, avoiding Clyde's glare. She caught her father peeking out the window and waved him over.

"'m not jealous! It's jus' that things always happen to you—the Slitheen! Twice!"

"You're right, Clyde. What if it is some sort of trick or something, mum?" Luke swallowed hard, the memory of being taken away all too fresh in his mind.

"Oh, well! If you're all so worried-!"

"Just Clyde," Maria interrupted, patting her neighbor on the arm.

"-then we will just have to take a visit to Chelsea Hall. Luke," Sarah Jane added as an afterthought. "Knowing their reputation, I doubt they'd allow non-prospective students in."

"Planning another adventure, are we?" Alan inquired, joining their circle after jogging over to them.

"Yes, a field trip. To Chelsea Hall."

"That's some field trip, Sarah Jane." His eyebrows disappeared into his forehead. "What is it this time—elite school taken over by genius-kidnapping aliens?"

"Exactly!" Clyde quickly shouted, pleased to see that someone else could see the potential danger.

"No, Luke has an interview." She beamed again. "My son has been selected by Chelsea Hall."