Fires Of Redemtion

by Dengirl

They say that fire can cleanse the soul, purge evil. The Doctor and Jack are about to find out if it's true. Follow on from Cold Runs Deep.

Chapter One

The TARDIS rumbled her anxiety when she felt her Time Lord's agitation, he had to go and open that box. She was still itching from having the thing onboard, and it had been in a containment box.

She hated it, with a passion; it stank of power and corruption. So when her Time Lord had opened the box, she knew there could be nothing but trouble.

************************
The Doctor had been taken aback by Martha's reaction to him, but he could understand it. No doubt Ianto felt the same, and who could blame them, his other self had been a complete and utter callous bastard.

So he'd done what he always did, and ran from it, not wanting to face it. He'd busied himself with the files they'd brought back.

When he thought of White Coat, clone or not, revenge burned in his blood, fiery and hot. He fought it down, it reminded him too much of things past, and things way too recent.

He flipped through the files, most of them talked about the power source. The last page mentioned a specially built containment box, in fact, the one that was sitting on the bench next to him.

His eyes wandered towards the box. What he wondered was so powerful that it needed a containment box?

It couldn't be very large, whatever it was, surely it wouldn't hurt to take a little peek.

He reached for the box.

*******************************

"Whoa there!" Jack said, trying to stop the Doctor from dashing out of the room.

"No whoaing, we really need to go," the Doctor repeated, the urgency obvious, not only in his voice, but in his body language.

He tried to dodge past Jack, but found his way blocked by him again.

Jack put a restraining hand on the Doctor's chest, which earned him a laser sharp look.

"Just stop, okay. We've only just got back, there's wounded to see to, and I think you should give that to me," he said, reaching for the glowing crystal.

He reached out to take it, but the Doctor stepped back, tightening his grip on the crystal, too possessively for Jack's liking.

His face hardened. "Doctor, give me the crystal."

"No, it's mine, I saw it first," the Doctor snapped, never taking his eyes of the crystal, which was now pulsating with energy.

Jack had noticed the crystal brighten as the Doctor had stepped away. Whatever that crystal was, it wasn't good.

"No, give it to me. I can keep it safe for you," he insisted, as the crystal brightened again, making his insides squirm. This was definitely not good, not good at all.

******************

The Doctor had opened the box, despite the anxious tickling of the TARDIS in his head. Inside the box sat a crystal, not an especially beautiful crystal, nor was it an interesting colour, just a crystal.

Yet, there was something about it that held the Doctor's attention, something warming and inviting.

He didn't seem surprised when a voice whispered in his head. "You know you want to hold me, feel my warmth, my power."

The Doctor absently reached out and took hold of the crystal, his eyes widening when he felt it warm against his cool flesh. He stared at when it began to glow, and he swore he could see the colours of the rainbow.

He could see then, that it wasn't just an ordinary plain old crystal, it was beautiful, incredibly beautiful, and it was all his.

The voice whispered in his head again. "You have to take me back, take me back to my home."

Images flashed through his head, a far away world, shrouded in a red haze, foreboding, yet tantalizing.

"Take me back home, take me now!" the voice suddenly became insistent.

"Yes, we'll go now," he found himself replying, and ran out of the lab.

********************

Jack stepped towards the Doctor, who hadn't taken his eyes of the glowing crystal.

"Doctor, I really think you should give that to me, it looks pretty valuable. It'd be safer in its box, don't you think?"

Jack could see Gwen carefully cutting off his only other escape route, and he could see Martha putting a protective arm over the still unconscious Ianto.

The Doctor had almost backed himself into a corner, so if he was going to run, it would be sudden and towards Gwen.

"Okay, if you don't want to give me the crystal, perhaps you can tell us why we have to go. Don't you want to help with Ianto and Martha?" Jack asked.

The Doctor looked up at Jack's question; his eyes were unfocused and they seemed to glow like the crystal.

This really isn't good, Jack thought. I have to get that thing away from him, and quick.

The Doctor finally answered his questions. "We just have to go, and they're only human, they are nothing."

Jack drew in a breath, the voice sounded like the Doctor, but the words definitely didn't sound like him.

Right, he thought, that thing is definitely trouble , and without warning he lunged, not for the Doctor, but the crystal.

"No!" the Doctor cried, trying to hold onto the crystal, and fend of Jack at the same time. The voice was screaming at him not to let the human have it, that he wanted it for himself.

Jack couldn't get a grip on the glowing crystal, he had his hands full of a cursing Time Lord. He didn't want to use excessive violence, there had been enough already.

He heard what sounded like Gwen's voice telling him to move, and reacting out of instinct, he moved, and he heard the small phutt of a tranquiliser, that whistled past his ear, and embedded itself in the Doctor's chest.

The effect was almost instant, and the Doctor's grip on the crystal loosened and it fell from his hand, bouncing on the floor as Jack caught the Doctor.

**************************

Jack and Gwen managed to get the Doctor into one of the cells, leaving the crystal on the floor. They had to move quickly, not knowing how long the sedative would work.

"What the hell is wrong with him?" Gwen said as Jack locked the cell, "and what is that crystal?"

Jack looked at the unconscious Doctor, who was already showing signs of stirring.

"That's what I intend to find out. I think that crystal came from the city. It must have been what Simmons and White Coat were after, and not the Doctor."

"But Simmons and White Coat worked for Gen-Corp. What do they want with a crystal?"

"I don't think that crystal is just a crystal. It had some kind of hold over the Doctor, and that Gwen makes it a very dangerous thing."

Chapter Two

Jack gave the innocuous looking crystal a 'want to smash you into a million pieces' glare. He tried, but everything he tried, had failed, the thing was indestructible. He carefully placed it back in the containment box, using some surgical tongs.

It had stopped glowing when the Doctor had dropped it, but he wasn't taking any chances.

He shut the box with a relieved sigh, and placed it in his personal safe, changing the code, not that he thought it would stop a determined Time Lord.

He placed the Doctor's sonic screwdriver deep in his great coat pocket, best not leave a master lock opener his lock picking kit.

He glanced at the cell monitor on his way to the med-unit. The Doctor was still out of it, but his movements were become more agitated, it wouldn't be long before he was awake.

Jack stepped into the med-unit, to find Ianto awake and sitting up, and also very agitated, especially when Jack walked into the room.

"Please don't tell me you let him open the box?" Ianto said, his voice tight with tension.

Jack looked away, unable to face the look of panic that came over Ianto's face.

"It's too late, he already has," Ianto breathed.

"You'd better explain," Jack said.

********************************

Ianto took a deep breath before speaking. "I heard White Coat talking to someone on a phone line, about the thing in the box, He said something about experiments on other aliens, about the effects it had on them. That thing, it's not from Earth, he said it's like crack to aliens, one hit and you can become addicted. Jack, he said the mortality rate was one hundred percent, it kills. It needs to be destroyed."

"Ssh now, relax," Martha said, laying a hand on Ianto's shoulder.

"No, you have to destroy it, its poison!"

Jack let out an exasperated breath. "I've tried, nothing touches it."

They all looked up when Gwen knocked on the door.

"Jack, he's awake, and he wants to talk to you."

**************************

The Doctor stood at the cell door, his patience wearing thin. He'd woken with a start, the feeling of something akin to worms crawling in his head.

He looked round, why was he in a cell, and why did his chest hurt? His face creased in concentration as he tried to figure out how and why he was in here.

Then what happened came flooding back, in a painful rush… the box, the crystal, not being in control of his own voice. He shuddered, his head still crawling with the worm sensation.

He wanted nothing more to do with it, but yet he could still feel its pull, the sooner it was destroyed, the better, but where to take it.

The image of a red planet flashed through his head…Mars? No, not Mars. He frowned, trying to hold the image in his mind. Yes! There it was, no, not Mars, where?

The image of something else flashed across his mind, unbidden… now he knew where to go!

He jumped up, and began hammering on the cell door.

Jack approached the cell slowly, not sure which Doctor he was going to face.

"Jack, let me out of here, we really need to be going, the crystal!"

Jack didn't move to unlock the cell, but looked into the Doctor's eyes, looking for something.

After a few seconds of searching, and the Doctor quirking a 'what are you doing Harkness?' eyebrow at him, he finally unlocked the cell.

*******************************

"We have to go, that crystal has to be as far away from Earth as possible," the Doctor said, as he stepped out of the cell.

"Whoa, just a minute!" Jack said. "First, you're going to tell me what the hell happened!" he said, blocking the Doctor's way.

The Doctor gave Jack a frosty look. "I really don't have the time. Where's the crystal, it needs to go."

He went to move again, but found Jack barring his way again.

"Sorry Doc, but you went a little Gollum on us, my precious and all."

The Doctor frowned, and then his features softened. He leant back against the cell door, now deep in thought.

"You're right, I did, didn't I, sorry. It's the crystal, it seems to have an attraction, well for me anyway. Best way to describe is like a moth to the flame, it probably knows the flame is deadly, but it just can't resist. Whatever the crystal is, it wasn't meant to leave its original home."

Jack listened, not quite sure what the Doctor meant, but nodded his head anyway.

"So, where is the place it calls home, and can it be destroyed there?"

"The place it calls home is the Xanz home world, and yes it can be destroyed there. Only one problem."

Jack looked at the Doctor. "One problem?"

"The Xanz home world is a burnt out ruin, destroyed by volcanic eruptions, over a thousand years ago. There's nothing left but lava and volcanic rock. That's why I have to go alone."

****************************

The others could here the argument from the med-unit; it was so loud and heated.

"There is no way you're going alone, you need me to watch your back!"

"No, it'll be dangerous enough for one. I can't keep an eye on some else and return the crystal!"

"Well, you won't be getting the crystal, not without me along for the ride!"

The three of them pretend to be busy when the two figures appeared at the top of the steps.

"What, you think hiding it from me in your safe will stop me from getting hold of it!" the Doctor yelled as he stormed past the med-unit.

"Thinking of using your sonic, think again, that's gone too!" Jack yelled after the retreating back of the Doctor.

"I don't need that. I can rip the combination from your mind, if I have to!" the Doctor snarled and turned to face Jack.

Jack stepped right up into the Doctor's face, and they were virtually toe to toe, when a voice suddenly bellowed.

"Oh, for God's sake, you're both as bad as each other!"

Both of them were startled enough to break the stand-off, both looking at the source of the voice.

Ianto was leaning against the med-unit door, pale-faced and unsteady on his feet.

"Jack, just give him the crystal!"

The Doctor smirked and held out his hand.

"And you Doctor, don't be such a child and let Jack help you!"

The smirk disappeared from the Doctor's face, and he visibly seemed to shrink. He let out a long breath before speaking.

"You're right, I do need someone to watch my back."

He grinned at Jack, that thousand watt smile. "Right then, shall we go."

****************************

The TARDIS couldn't be more delighted when she realised that the thing was heading for destruction.

She couldn't process his co-ordinates fast enough, she wanted rid of it more than he did. It was an evil, foul thing, an abomination, one she would be glad to see erased from existence.

********************************

The Doctor entered the last of the numbers; he could feel the TARDIS move under his feet.

He looked at the box that was sitting on the pilots' seat.

Yes, he would be glad to be rid of it too, he told the TARDIS.

He still couldn't shake that feeling of worms inside his head, burrowing into his mind, trying to find their way into his very core.

He looked up as Jack re-entered the console room.

"Ready then, have crystal, will travel," he grinned, and released the handbrake.

Chapter Three

The TARDIS materialised, not on the planet itself, but on one of its moons, well a mile beneath its surface.

"I'm not landing her on the planet," the Doctor said as stepped out of the TARDIS, shrugging on his brown coat. "She's still a bit wary of volcanic planets, after Relta Nine, which was not my fault," he huffed as the TARDIS rumbled at him.

Jack stepped out behind the Doctor, adjusting his back pack. It had been decided, well argued, until Jack had threatened something anatomically impossible and painful, that he should carry the containment box.

"So how do we get to the planet from here?" Jack said, looking round the dusty empty cavern they'd materialised in.

The Doctor didn't answer; he was busy scanning the area with the recently regained sonic. "Well, if these readings are right, about two miles up that tunnel, there should be a fully equipped Xanz base. They may have disappeared, but there's bound to be a shuttle or two that I can persuade into working, this way," he said and set off, leaving Jack to close the door.

They'd gone maybe a mile before the Doctor stopped, a puzzled frown on his face.

"Problem?" Jack asked.

"No, not as such, it's odd, the readings are telling me the base is fully functional, and that shouldn't be."

"Maybe some of the Xanz survived after all," Jack said.

"No, all traces of them are gone, not a single Xanz survived whatever befell them," the Doctor said. "It's probably just ticking over, they did have some pretty impressive power sources."

***************************************

They walked for about another twenty minutes, the Doctor occasionally muttering 'impossible' or 'that can't be right', never taking his eyes of the readings.

He would have walked right off the edge in front of him if Jack hadn't hauled him back by his coat collar. He nearly lost his grip on the Doctor's collar when he saw what was below.

"Doctor," he said quietly, but the Doctor was too busy looking at the readings to hear him. "Doctor," he said again, louder this time.

"Hmm, what is it, bit busy, Jack," the Doctor said, still looking at the readings.

"Doctor, you need to see this."

The Doctor sighed. "It's just an empty base," he said, wandering over to the edge. He stopped, a look of surprise playing across his face. "No, this isn't right," he whispered.

***************************

It wasn't the fact that the base below was working that shocked him, or the fact that the base was occupied. That wasn't the thing he didn't think was right.

What wasn't right was the fact that it was occupied by humans.

He looked down at the base, a look of dismay on his face. "This isn't right, not right at all," he said in a shocked tone.

The sound of an engine startled them both out of their shock, and they moved back into the semi-darkness of the tunnel.

A shuttle suddenly appeared above the ridge, shining a light on the spot they had only just moved from. It hovered for a few seconds, and then it began to turn away.

As it turned, the Doctor saw something printed on the side of the shuttle. It was a logo, not important you might think, but that logo made the Doctor's hearts beat faster, and Jack's blood run cold.

The logo said…Gen-Med.

********************************

Jack turned towards the Doctor, just in time to see him backing down the tunnel, a look on his face that could only be described as panic, his eyes wide and his whole body taut with tension, or was that fear?

"No, no, they can't be here, why can't they just leave me alone," he said in a small voice.

"Easy,Doc," Jack said and moved towards the still retreating Doctor.

He hated seeing the Doctor like this, terrified, like a small child lost at the fair, scared of anything that moved. He moved a little faster, aware that the Doctor wasn't stopping and that at any second he could turn tail and run.

"How did they know we were here..." the Doctor said in a barely audible voice.

Jack managed to move past the Doctor, who was now hugging the tunnel wall. In fact, if he could, Jack was sure he would have clawed his way into the rock.

"I can't, I can't. I can't, he's here," the Doctor began saying, repeating the words like a mantra.

Jack moved in and steadied him as he saw the Doctor's leg start to buckle. "Hey, it's okay, it's okay," he soothed, looking into the Doctor's unfocussed panic filled eyes.

A sheen of sweat was now covering the Doctor's face, his breath was coming in short gasps, and Jack could feel his pulse beating erratically under his hands.

The Doctor was going into full panic mode. "Hey, they don't know we're here, that was probably a routine sweep. We landed two miles away, and the TARDIS is shielded, remember. They're not going to see us up here."

The Doctor didn't seem to hear the words that Jack was saying, so lost was he in memories of what Gen-Med had done to him, and what they had made him do. All he wanted was to get away, and Jack was stopping him.

He pushed against Jack, trying to shove him away.

"Get out of my way Harkness," he snarled, pushing harder against Jack's grip on him.

Jack only tightened his grip, bracing himself against the Doctor's push. "I know all you want to do is run, and I don't blame you. But they're here, and we can't leave, so suck it up and face it, you don't even know if he's here!" he said harshly.

The Doctor blinked then, Jack's words finally filtering through his panic fogged mind. He was right, what were the chances of him being here, and if he was, then he would have to face him again. The thought of that caused panic to rise again, threatening to make him want to run.

But he didn't. He forced his hearts to calm, forced his logical side to override his more base side. He took a deep breath, letting it out in a long drawn out sigh, before speaking.

"You're right, we're here, they're here, but the crystal still needs to be destroyed, only now we have to do something else."

Jack looked at the Doctor. He knew what he was going to say, and dreaded hearing the words.

"We destroy the crystal, then I'm going to destroy them," the Doctor said, without a trace of emotion in his voice.

Chapter Four

Captain Jason Clarke wasn't having the best of days. First he'd been late, due to another one of those power cuts, then he'd found out he was on planet shuttle duty.

All the pilots hated the planet run, not because it was a hard place to land anything on, but it was just the vibes you would get. Not just the vibes from trying to land on a volatile planet, but the creepy kind of vibes that came not just from the research labs, but from the volcano that rumbled and smoked next to it.

They'd all heard the rumours about what went on in those labs, but it wasn't those that made the pilots nervous. It was the rumours of the things that lived around and under the volcano.

His own co-pilot had been one of the first from his unit to accompany a group of scientist into the caves and tunnels that ran under the volcano. That was three months ago, and the whole party was still missing, as were the others that had been sent in their place.

Then adding to the troubles, there had been several bombings, along with the rumours of dissenters in the military and civilian population of the base.

All these things had sucked the enjoyment out of his posting; one that he thought was just a joke, until he received a personal visit from someone high up in the military ranks. That had been a long six months ago, and yet, he knew he would never be leaving this place, could never leave.

He stopped at the coffee bar that was the haunt of most of the pilots, nodding his greeting to a few of them, as he made his way to the counter.

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see two people sitting at one of the small tables. They didn't look familiar to him, but there were always new personnel being shipped in. He didn't envy them the trip out; he'd been sick most of the way, and a fair few days after.

He sat down at the small bar that ran the length of the corridor, and his eyes wandered to the pair again.

One of them, dressed in what looked like a military style coat was talking in an aminated fashion to, no, at the other, a skinny man in a pinstripe suit and brown overcoat, who was looking round the bar, his eyes noticing everything Jason noted.

The stranger's eyes alighted on Jason, and for those few fleeting seconds he felt like his skin was crawling. It was like the man could see right through him.

He looked away, not wanting to make eye contact again, the pair of then had the look of spooks about them, or maybe Military Intelligence. That wouldn't have surprised him, they were probably here to find the source of the bombings.

Jason stood up, and deliberately walked past the pair, and heard snippets of a one-sided conversation.

"Look, we have to subtle, this isn't friendly territory…." And then he was past the pair, and on his way out of the bar, when the whole world turned fiery red.

*************************************

The shock wave from the explosion threw Jason of his feet, along with the other customers in the coffee bar. Stunned by the wave, his ears ringing, he tried to stand, but he was too dizzy to get upright.

A hand grabbed hold of him, and hauled him up. Jason looked up, it was the skinny man in the pinstriped suit, dust covered and looking slightly less dazed than him.

"Are you okay?" the man asked in a British accent.

Jason nodded, and looked round at the chaos. He looked out of what was left of the bar, and saw that the building opposite had disappeared, now nothing but a pile of rubble.

"Can you stand on your own?" the man was asking, looking once again into Jason's eyes. He didn't get that crawling feeling this time, just waves of trust me coming from the man's eyes.

"Yeah, the medical stores, they bombed the medical stores," he said, the anger clear in his voice.

The skinny man looked over at the destroyed building, and then back at Jason. "How many people were inside?"

"Not sure, couple of hundred, god, some of them might still be alive under there!"

He pushed past the skinny man, and strode out of the ruined coffee bar, going over to join those already digging with their bare hands.

He could see the other man, the one in the military coat amongst the others, his hand and face, his whole body covered in dust, dirt and blood. He shouldered his way next to the man, who didn't register his presence, but kept pulling rubble and bits of office furniture from the pile.

After a few minutes of digging he could hear the faint sounds of the emergency vehicles, but they were way over on the other side of the base.

He was about to go back to digging, when a shout went up from somewhere down the line.

It was an English accent, one that sounded very much like the man in the pinstripe suit.

"Everybody stop! Listen!"

Jason looked over and saw the man standing on a piece of rubble; his head cocked one side, very much like a fox listening for a rabbit.

"Here, dig here!" the man suddenly shouted, before jumping down of the rubble, and starting to move pieces of building.

***************************

Jason and the man in the military coat reached the man in the pinstripe suit at the same time.

For the first time, the man in the military coat registered his presence.

"You were in the bar," the man said as he tired to pull a large piece of rubble away.

"Yeah," Jason said, helping him to shift it.

"Captain Jack Harkness," the man said. "I'd shake your hand but…" he smiled.

"Captain Jason Clarke," Jason replied. "We can shake later," he said.

Their conversation was interrupted by the skinny man again.

"SSH!" he said loudly, kneeling down, and laying his ear against the rubble.

In the silence, just above the approaching sirens of the emergency services, there was the sound of someone knocking, faint, but it was there.

The skinny man pulled at the dirt in front of him, and suddenly half his body disappeared into a hole.

"Doctor!" the man who called himself Jack Harkness called out, and scrabbled up the pile, closely followed by Jason.

Jason could hear the man's voice, albeit muffled by his body being half in the hole.

"Hold on, the emergency services are on their way. How many are there of you!?"

Jason couldn't hear the reply, but he did hear the rubble under his feet shift suddenly, and he heard the faint cries of alarm from below the rubble.

The man that Jack Harkness had called Doctor pulled himself out of the hole.

He turned to Jack, his face covered in grime and concrete dust.

"I'm going in, they can't wait for the rescue service," he said urgently, and turned back to the hole, which had now widened enough to let a skinny person in.

The man called Jack Harkness grabbed hold of the other man's arm.

"No way! The whole thing's unstable, it could go at any minute!"

The other man tore his arm out of the others grip, staring hard at him.

"I have to, I can't let them die," he said, almost too quietly for Jason to hear, but the words seemed laced with so much regret, it sounded painful.

Without another word, the man in the pinstripe suit lowered himself into the hole.

"For the love of god, does he ever learn," the other man said, and squeezed himself through the hole.

Jason stood looking at the empty space for a few moments, and then taking a deep breath, lowered himself into the hole.

**************************

The space the Doctor found himself in was narrow and cramped, the air full of dust and now just the hint of smoke. He heard someone drop down behind, but was unable to turn, due to the narrowness of the space.

He didn't have to turn to know it was Jack that had followed him, Rassilon knows why he engendered such a loyalty in his companions.

He wasn't expecting however, a third person to drop down into the hole.

"Can't have you two going it alone," another American accent said.

"Captain Clarke," Jack said, surprise in his voice.

The Doctor sighed. "Look, there's no time for social interaction, this place could collapse at any moment, and there are people to rescue."

There was a chorus of "Yes Sir!" He sighed and began inching his way down the narrow space.

************************

After what seemed an eternity they reached a void in the debris, and a small group of people were huddled in one corner, away from a sparking cable.

The Doctor deftly dodged the cable and approached the group.

"Hello," he said brightly. "I'm the Doctor, me and my friends are here to get you out."

************************

The Doctor refused to leave the void until all the people and Jack and Jason were safely on their way towards the hole. He could feel the rubble above him vibrating, and he could feel the heat of the fire steadily increasing.

"Time to leave," he said and left the void, and entered the narrow space.

*******************

Jack and Jason pulled the last of the survivors out of the hole, and were now waiting for the Doctor.

"C'mon, c'mon," Jack said, his eyes never leaving the hole.

He could hear the approaching sirens, knowing that this place would soon be crawling with security and military.

He started when he felt the rubble beneath him shift, and he looked down in horror.

The hole was beginning to collapse!

Chapter Five

The Doctor heard the collapse of the tunnel ahead before he reached the small turn in the narrow passageway. He didn't need to see it to know that his only escape route was cut off.

He reversed down the passageway, the sounds of collapsing rubble loud in his ears. He found himself back in the small void.

There was no escape; this small hole was going to be his tomb. There was a loud crack to his right, and the rubble began to collapse.

************************************

" Doctor!" Jack yelled as the hole caved in, and a plume of dust mushroomed upwards. He went to start pulling rubble away, but stopped when the sirens became over-bearing and half a dozen vehicles screeched to a halt by the destroyed building.

He felt someone pull him away from the hole; he whirled round, to find Jason pulling at his arm. Reluctantly, he allowed himself to be pulled away.

****************************

Jason pulled Captain Harkness away, not stopping until they were out of sight of the security squad.

He really should be raising the alarm, handing him over to the authorities, but for some reason, he didn't. He had a feeling it had something to do with the man who Captain Harkness had called Doctor.

There had been something in that man's eyes, he didn't know what, but whatever it was it had overruled his natural suspicion of strangers.

He pulled the Captain to the side of the damaged coffee bar. He could see he was still agitated, concern for his friend making it hard to keep hidden.

"I can't stay here, he could still be alive!" Jack hissed, and went to push past Jason, glaring at him when he stopped him.

"And how will you help him, if you get yourself arrested. Somehow I don't think either of you have ID, or should even be here."

Jack glared at Jason, but knew the game was up. "Fine, we don't, but if the security squad get their hands on the Doctor, it could get very bad," Jack said.

"No, if he's injured, he'll be taken to the hospital. We can get to him easily there," Jason said, peering round the corner.

Jack didn't seem too happy with that statement. "That wouldn't be a good idea either. Let's just say us and Gen-Med have a history."

Jason was about to ask what that meant when shouts from the bombsite interrupted him.

"We've found another one, get that stretcher up here!"

Jack looked round the corner of the coffee bar, and saw a flash of a pinstriped suit, being pulled from the rubble. He moved back, and looked at Jason. "They've found him, we really need to get to him, before they get to the hospital."

Jason frowned. "But surely that's the best place, if he's hurt?"

"No, it really isn't," Jack said.

Jason saw the look on Jack's face and made a decision.

****************************

"I am so going to be court-martialled for this," Jason muttered.

He mumbled an apology to the slumped figures of the paramedics."I've known these two five minutes, and I've turned into a criminal."

He climbed nervously into the driver's seat of the ambulance.

*********************

Jack strode confidently to the rear of the ambulance, right into the viper's nest of security detail.

He kept one eye on the security detail, and one on the approaching stretcher. He opened the doors, and stood back, allowing the stretcher to be loaded. He stepped inside and began his best paramedic act.

The Doctor was covered in dust, and smelt strongly of smoke. He was covered in scratches, and there was a nasty looking gash on his forehead.

But at least his breathing was steady and his pulse seemed fine, which meant his hearts were working properly.

He stood up, closed the doors on the crowd of people, and banged on the door that separated the driver from the rest of the ambulance.

*******************

Jason jumped when he heard the bang, started the engine, put it into drive, and stalled it.

This drew the attention of some of the security detail, then as Jason started the engine again, a shout came from somewhere behind the coffee bar.

As Jason pulled away, he saw one of the paramedics stumble into view.

"Stop them, they're not paramedics!"

Jason heard Jack's muffled "Drive!" and stomped on the accelerator. "I am so court-martialled!" he yelled as the ambulance screeched away.

As he drove away at break-neck speed, he could hear the rattle of gun-fire. He chanced a look behind, and saw two, no, three black security vehicles in pursuit.

This was so not good, these guys shot first, asked question while you bled to death. He threw the ambulance round a corner, wrenching the wheel to narrowly avoid civilians.

***************************

Inside the ambulance Jack had ducked involuntarily at the sound of bullets hitting the back of the ambulance. He grabbed hold of the Doctor to steady him, as the ambulance leant dangerously to its right, the squeal of its tyres, testament to its protest at being driven at such speed.

Jack had hoped to get clean away, but the arrival of one of the downed paramedics had screwed that idea.

He was glad the Doctor was out cold, he would either be appalled or wired with adrenalin, so, all in all, it was better that he was out of it.

He steadied himself and the Doctor, as the ambulance took another corner at speed. He could now hear the sirens of the security vehicles, they were catching up.

He moved with the sway of the ambulance, and managed to open the door to the front of the ambulance.

"We need to lose these guys!" he yelled.

"What do you think I'm trying to do!" Jason yelled back.

He swung the ambulance around another corner, narrowly avoiding a large staue.

"They'll have a shuttle in the air any minute, then we'll be screwed!"

Jack glanced up, and then back at the Doctor, who was still out of it.

He turned back to Jason, bracing himself against the partition.

"Can't we hide somewhere?!"

Jason glanced at the fuel gauge, the tank was getting low, they wouldn't be getting much further.

He thought quickly, there was only one place he thought, one place where the guys in black were most definitely not welcome.

"Hold on!" he yelled, and wrenched the wheel violently left, pulling hard on the handbrake.

Chapter Six

The ambulance barrelled down the road, the three black cars hot in pursuit.

The handbrake turn Jason had performed had been impressive, and he'd gained some ground on their pursuers.

Jack had retreated into the back of the ambulance, and was now pre-occupied with protecting the still unconscious Doctor from the bullets that were trying to penetrate the ambulance.

"Just for once, I wish you'd wake up, really need your help right now!" he shouted above the sound of bullets impacting metal.

****************************

Jason saw where he wanted to go, it was only a mile away. He pushed the ambulance beyond its limits, and flew toward his target.

***************************

The sentry had been thinking about what was for lunch, that's how bored he was, when he heard the sounds of an engine being strained to its limits. He stepped out of his hut, and almost ran back when he saw an ambulance bearing down on the barrier.

He then saw the three black vehicles in pursuit, and his face clouded with annoyance. He dashed back into the hut, and spoke rapidly into a phone.

He dashed out again, raising the barrier, just as the ambulance bore down on it. As it sped past he saw the face of the driver, it was Captain Clarke.

As the ambulance roared through, several army jeeps slewed to a halt, and a dozen armed soldiers piled out, sprinting towards the now lowered barrier.

**************************

The three black cars slewed to a halt, just yards from the barrier, and the occupants of the first car stepped out, and went to walk towards the barrier.

"That's far enough!" one of the soldiers shouted.

"Don't stand in our way, we're in pursuit of three criminals!"

"Criminals, I can't see any criminals. All I see is an ambulance being pursued by Gen-Med muscle, which has no jurisdiction on military soil. Plus, we don't like you, so piss off!"

The security man who'd spoken scowled and stepped forward. "You don't…"

He never finished his sentence, as it was drowned out by a line of bullets dancing at his feet.

"I said piss off, I don't think the Major would care if I killed a few roaches!"

The security man scowled again. "You tell them, if they put one foot off the base, they're mine!"

With those words, he got back into the car, and all three cars turned and drove away.

***************************

Jack popped his head round the door. "Will we be okay with them? he asked, nodding towards the soldiers.

"Yeah, they hate Gen-Med security. You'll get a fair hearing from the major, and your friend will get proper treatment. You stay here, let me talk to the captain."

********************************

Major Hanson was not a happy person. He'd just got off the receiving end of a blistering phone call, from the odious toad that was the head of Gen-Med security. He laughed at that, they were more like Staazi than security.

God, he hated this whole project, he hated this base, the alien moon it was in, the planet below, the little toad in charge of the base. He hated the shackles Gen-Med wrapped him in, especially about what went on at the research base that was planet side , and when it came to man who ran the research base, his thoughts were murderous.

******************************

The Major stepped inside the hospital unit, followed by a sergeant and Jason, and into chaos.

The first thing he saw, was a man in a military looking coat, an angry expression on his face, standing over his Chief Medical Officer, who was just getting up.

The man was shouting, and his words were as angry as his face. "No, no X-rays, no blood sample, no pain-killers, no nothing!"

The Major stopped. His temper, that was already boiling, boiled over. "What the hell is going on in here!?" he roared.

*******************************

Jack jumped slightly when he heard the words, but he didn't let them break his fixation on the doctor. There was no way he was going to let him anywhere near the Doctor.

"I said, what the hell is going on!" the Major roared again, this time striding towards Jack and the downed medic.

He stepped between Jack and the fallen man, his eyes locking with Jack's, meeting his threat, with a threat.

"Back off, sir, I won't hesitate in ordering the sergeant here to shoot you."

Jack stared back into the major's eyes, not backing down, measuring the threat, ignoring the audible click of a side-arm.

"Get up, doctor, attend to your patient," the Major ordered, his eyes never leaving Jack's.

"Go near him, and I'll damage you," Jack said, raising the ante on the Major's threat.

The stalemate was broken by two cries, one of alarm, closely followed by one of pain, and the sound of something crashing to the ground.

****************************

Jack was the first through the door, closely followed by the Major, the sergeant and Jason.

The Doctor was cowering in one corner, visibly shaking, the cry of alarm must have come from him. The cry of pain had come from a nurse, who was cradling a bloodied hand. On the floor between them lay a syringe, its needle bent and blood stained.

Jack forgot about the Major, the thinly veiled threat, the crystal, moved over to the Doctor, who was trying his level best to climb the wall.

"Hey, it's okay," he said gently, quietly.

"I only wanted to draw some blood. He came round while I was drawing it, he went crazy," the nurse stammered.

The Major looked at the nurse, then at the pair in the corner. "Let the doctor see to that hand, but in the other room. Sergeant, go with them, make sure no-one leaves or enters without my permission."

"Yes, sir," the sergeant saluted and hustled the doctor and the injured nurse out of the room.

When the trio had left, the Major turned to Jason. "Now captain, will you kindly explain to me why I've just had a conversation with the head of Gen-Med security, about you, an ambulance and two wanted men?"

To his credit, the Major listened with interrupting. He frowned when Jason said that the two men had no ID, and were more than likely intruders.

"So, you thought bringing them here was a good idea?"

"Yes, sir, you know Gen-Med's muscle don't turn out for nothing, not even a bombing."

"So, you think Gen-Med want these two. What did you say their names were?"

"That's Captain Jack Harkness, and the other one he called Doctor."

The Major nodded and turned towards the pair.

****************************

Jack had all but shut the others out, he could hear the conversation, but in that muffled half- heard way you did, when you weren't really listening.

He was focused only on the panic-stricken Doctor, whose face betrayed every emotion that was running through him, fear, panic, pain, and anger, all ran across his face like a river.

"It's okay, he wasn't trying to hurt you, he was trying to help." He smiled when he saw the Doctor visibly relax, and the tension dissolve into tears.

"I'm sorry," the Doctor sniffed. "The needle, it brought back memories". He frowned. "The nurse, did I hurt him?"

Major Hanson stepped forward and cleared his throat. "He'll live, although you did give him one hell of a fright. Now perhaps you'll kindly tell me exactly u who you are, and what the hell you're doing on this non-existent base?"

Jack looked at the Doctor, who despite his fragile state gave Jack a warning look. Jack understood that look, so he lied.

*****************************

"I knew it!" Jason yelled, causing the Major to give him a stern look.

"Military Intelligence, that would explain the lack of ID, but that doesn't explain your friend's outburst," the Major said.

Jack moved away from the Doctor, and stood right next to the Major. "Sorry about that, our last assignment got a little rough. He's only just come back from medical leave."

The Major nodded, he needed no further explanation, he'd been through his fair share of trauma.

"It's about time the top brass sent someone to investigate what's going on around here."

Jack looked at the Doctor again, who gave an almost imperceptible shake of his head, one that Jack read as 'don't want to get involved'.

Well, it was, until the Major spoke again.

"I always knew there was something not right about that research lab, it's on the planet for a start, out of my jurisdiction, and I never did like that white coated bastard that runs it."

A look passed over the Doctor's face, and Jack could see his features harden.

"Major, can we have a minute?"

The Major looked like he was going to protest, but instead nodded. "With me, captain," he ordered Jason.

**********************************

Jack waited until the door was closed before speaking. "It may not be him," he said, seeing the hard edge to the Doctor's eyes.

"He's here, I know it," the Doctor said in that quiet voice, that low unnaturally calm tone, the one that had a storm raging under the surface.

"Doctor, we can't get side-tracked, the crystal."

***************************

The Doctor said nothing, but stared past Jack, lost in his own thoughts. He was here, he could feel him, and something deep inside screamed for vengeance, wanted to find him and rip him apart.

It was then that he heard that voice again, soft and persuasive.

"I can help you find him... give you your revenge...Take the box... he wants the power for himself," it whispered.

******************************

Jack stared worriedly into the Doctor's eyes; they were blank, staring past him. He frowned. Did he see something? A spark? He wasn't sure. "Doctor," he said, shaking him gently.

That seemed to do the trick. The Doctor blinked, his eyes becoming focused, his features softening.

"You're right, it may not be him. The crystal is more important, and I really should pull myself together."

He pushed himself up off the floor, straightened his clothes, sending a cloud of dust in the air.

"Military Intelligence, eh? Now there's a need to get to that planet" he said, a bit too brightly.

Jack smiled his 'I'm ahead of you for once' smile. "I know exactly how to do that, give us a minute." He turned away.

He didn't see the Doctor look possessively at his back pack, nor did he see the light flash across the Doctor's eyes.

"Wait...be patient...I am yours.." the voice whispered.

Chapter Seven

Rowland Hopkins, Head of Security was sweating, and that was before he'd even spoken to the person.

"What is it, Hopkins, it had better be important," the voice was like whiplash.

"I think you'll be interested. I'm sending you some security footage."

There was a pause on the other end of the phone, as the person watched the footage.

Hopkins heard a sharp intake of breath, and a 'unbelievable'.

The voice returned to the phone. "Please tell me you have them in custody?"

"Err, not exactly," Hopkins replied.

"Explain," the voice said, in a tone that made Hopkins sweat some more. He tried to explain, but was interrupted. "I don't care about your petty squabbles, find them, and bring them to me."

The man on the other end of the phone put the receiver down. He stared at the frozen footage.

"It seems the gods are favouring me. It looks like we'll be meeting again soon, Doctor." He turned to the only other person in the room. "Prepare the tank, we'll be having company."

****************************

"So, no more thinking about taking off?" Jack asked, as they walked towards the shuttle.

If he'd been watching the Doctor, and not the shuttle, he would have seen the sly look that passed across the Doctor's face.

"No, it can wait. The crystal has to be destroyed."

"Tell me again, how's that even possible?"

"It's all a bit Lord of The Rings, actually. The crystal came from the volcano, so it can only be destroyed by the volcano."

"And you know this how?" Jack did look at the Doctor this time.

The Doctor stopped, deep in thought. "You know, I'm not actually sure. It must have been when I touched it, now I just know." He shivered. "Way too Lord of The Rings for me."

Jack sighed; he would be glad to be rid of the thing. Perhaps that feeling that something bad was on the horizon, would finally go away

Then there was the problem that he was here, the only person outside of the Master and Davros, that rattled the Doctor. He was determined this time to finish it, violently if he had to, and be rid of this particular parasite for good.

He shook his head to clear it, suddenly feeling the weight of everything on his shoulders. The sound of the shuttle's engine roaring into life brought him back to the present. The Doctor was already climbing aboard, so he jogged over, and stepped inside.

***************************

Hopkins put down the receiver, and smiled. There it was, the permission he needed, he would finally be rid of that overbearing Major.

He waited patiently as he saw the black car pull up. Now, he thought, now we'll see whose jurisdictions were off limits.

************************************

The sentry looked up, and saw the fleet of approaching black cars. Not again he thought, and went to pick up the phone. He never got the chance as a bullet caught him in his right temple, and he dropped soundlessly to the floor.

The lead car broke through the barrier, and with the other vehicles, sped towards the distant buildings.

***********************************

The shuttle levelled off after its ascent and set off towards the cloudy red planet in the distance.

Inside, there was an uneasy silence, the two occupants lost in there own thoughts.

Jack had laid his backpack on the floor, between his feet, and was trying to relax his tense muscles.

The Doctor still couldn't rid himself of the feeling of worms inside his head. He closed his eyes, and tried to ignore the feeling.

His eyes shot open when the voice whispered once again.

"You could take me now, he's off guard, and the other is weak, a little mind, easy to control. Then we can find him, you can have your revenge."

The voice echoed inside his head, and he found himself looking at the backpack once more. It would be easy to reach out and take the bag, just a few feet; in fact, it wasn't even feet, just inches.

He bent slightly and was almost touching it, when a hand caught his.

**************************

The shuttle lurched violently, and laser fire missed the shuttle by inches.

"No, no, not already!" Jason exclaimed as laser fire brightened the cockpit. He turned the shuttle in a steep bank, only partially hearing the muffled cries behind him.

Another beam cut across his window, narrowly missing. They were getting his range, he thought, but whoever was piloting that shuttle didn't have the trick up his sleeves that he did.

"Hold on!" he yelled to his two passengers, and sent the shuttle into a dizzying free fall, towards the planet.

In the passenger section, the Doctor grinned at Jack. "It's getting a little bumpy. I think someone's going to get a ticket."

*********************

The shuttle was almost vertical as it approached the planet's atmosphere, one of its pursuers trying to match its move.

Jason spared a glance at the monitor. "Oh no you don't," he growled, twisting the controls sharply.

The shuttle groaned in complaint as it banked violently left, surprising the other pilot as it ran underneath him.

The pilot lost concentration for a fatal split second, and far too late he saw one of his own bearing down on him. The resulting explosion was brief, silent and incandescently bright. The third pilot decided that retreat was the best plan of action; he wasn't paid enough to die.

Jason sighed in relief and set the shuttle on the correct course. He jumped when the Doctor appeared suddenly.

"Let you off with a warning, eh? Who needs points on their licence," he grinned. "I need you to land on the other side of the volcano, away from the research lab. Can you do that?"

Jason hesitated, he knew that side was too dangerous to land safely on, but for some reason he said, "Sure, but it's a bit of a hairy landing."

The Doctor grinned again. "Good man!" he said, and disappeared back into the passenger area.

**************************

The Doctor sat opposite Jack and smiled at him before leaning forward. "You see, if you did as I asked, like the good captain there, then I wouldn't had to have broken your neck," he said in a reasonable tone, lifting the head of a lifeless Jack, and holding the backpack with the other.

He let go of Jack's head, and opened the pack, taking out the containment box. He went to open it, but the voice spoke again.

"Wait...not yet...soon."

Chapter Eight

Life flooded back into Jack, along with the horrific truth of how he died.

He'd sensed more than seen the Doctor reaching for the backpack, and had clamped a hand over his.

"What you doing?" he'd asked, and it had rapidly gone downhill from there.

The last thing he remembered was the light flaring from the Doctor's eyes, and the feel of the Doctor's hands on his head, as he twisted and twisted, until…

"Doctor, no!" he cried, before he realised he was alone, and that the shuttle was stationary. He then saw the scattered content of his backpack, and the containment box was conspicuous by its absence.

That feeling of something bad washed over him again, chilling his blood, even in the heat of the shuttle.

Wait a minute… heat? That's why the shuttle was stationary, it had landed.

He had no idea how long he'd been dead and no idea where Jason had landed the shuttle…..Jason!

********************

Jason blinked, and found Captain Harkness staring worriedly at him.

"Wha…" he stammered, and then saw behind the Captain. "We've landed, but how, we were in orbit, we couldn't have."

He then noticed where they had landed. "I wouldn't...this…"

Jack interrupted him. "Jason, do you remember landing?"

Jason frowned, he tried to think, but there was nothing. It was blank, minutes of his life unaccounted for. He looked at Jack, and shook his head.

Jack stepped back, this was not good. Whatever that crystal was, it was using the Doctor, which smacked of it having intelligence, this was very bad.

******************************

The Doctor had been climbing for a while. His was exhausted and his body screamed out for him to stop.

His mind was a whirling pool of confusion, a part of him wanted to stop, but something in the back of his mind pushed him onwards.

He paused at a breach in the volcano's surface, bubbling lava and sulphurous clouds battled each other for escape.

He swayed slightly as a cloud of sulphur washed over his face, and the crystal in his pocket flickered and suddenly went dark. He blinked, and looked round him in confusion.

Another cloud of sulphur washed over his face, and this time it overpowered him. He never heard the crunch of boots on rock, nor did he feel the hand take the boxl from his pocket, and neither did he feel himself lifted onto a stretcher and into a shuttle.

*************************

Jack looked out at the volcano, hoping that he would see a familiar figure, even if it was a distant one. But all there was to see were red rocks and dust, and the smoking volcano.

"Jason?" he asked. "Jason, is there a reason you don't land on this side?"

Jason looked out at the landscape, he didn't reply for a few seconds.

"Yeah, because no-one comes back."

****************************

The man known only as White Coat watched as the figure took its first breath of oxygen, and blinked fluid from its eyes.

White Coat had been on a personal high since he'd got the message, the template was back. His toy, his ultimate weapon.

To top it all, he'd been found and was being returned, along with the stolen item. Soon both would be back where they belonged, in the centre of his plan again.

He watched as the figure was dressed, and as it stood waiting for orders, he walked round it, studying the figures features, the slightly imperious arch of an eyebrow, the almost but not quite arrogant backward tilt of the head.

Yes, he thought, this was a very fine product, exact in every way. Now for the final test.

"Tell me, will you do as I instruct, without question?"

The figure looked at White Coat, tilted its head to one side, and narrowed his eyes, thinking about his answer.

"W-e-l-l, that depends on what I'll be getting in return?"

White Coat smiled, yes exactly the same. "What will you get in return, how about a little revenge on a certain Captain?"

The figure looked at White Coat, and he could see his eyes change from warm brown to coal black.

Oh yes, the product was exactly how he wanted.

"Good, shall we provide our good captain with a distraction," White Coat said. "This is what you are to do," he said, and handed the figure a box.

********************

Jason swore again, as he tried to start the shuttle and it remained silent. At least this time there wasn't an explosion of sparks and smoke. He hit the controls in frustration and went to the back of the shuttle, and leant out of the door.

"No go Jack!" he called, trying not to cough as a trail of black smoke drifted around him.

The curses that carried on the breeze, told him that Jack was just as frustrated. He knew this wasn't just because of the shuttle, but because his partner, or was that friend was missing.

He jumped out of the shuttle and walked towards the back of it.

Jack had his head stuck in the rear of the shuttle; he was almost obscured by black smoke.

Just as Jason reached him, he moved away, waving his arms about to dispel the smoke.

Jack looked up as Jason approached. "Sorry, this thing'll never work again. Someone's done a real hatchet job on the ion drive."

Jason stood next to him, and as the smoke cleared, he could see the mangled mess that was the shuttle's engine. Jack was right, it was a good hatchet job, and he had the awful feeling that it had been the Doctor.

"In that case, we'd better start walking, the days are short and hot, and the nights, well, the nights you don't want to think about," Jason said.

***************************

Jack slammed the engine hatch down in frustration; this was not how it was supposed to go. He really should have left the Doctor locked in that cell, and locked that damned crystal deep in the vaults.

"So, how far is it to the research base on the other side?" he asked, looking once more at the volcano.

"You can go over, but it's tricky and unstable, but..."

"I can sense a big but coming," Jack said.

"But it would take too long, and if your friend is heading there, we would never catch him. But there is a quicker way, if you want to risk it," Jason said.

"And that would be?" Jack asked.

"There's a network of caves and tunnels that go under the volcano. It cuts the time by half, but it's been off limits to all but Gen-Med security."

Jack looked over at the volcano, and thought of the research lab on the other side. He thought about the carnage that the Doctor could cause, he weighed the dangers.

"Then, the caves it is. Show me," he said to Jason.

*************************

The figure stood with White Coat, watching with curiosity as the other was placed inside the now vacant tank of fluid. He knew instinctively who it was, he could feel the pull of him, could feel the others calling out in surprise.

The man who gave him orders called him a template, he called him something much different….

"Manai!" the voices chorused together.

White Coat turned away from the tank, and towards the figure.

"You have your orders, go now."

The figure looked one more time at the figure in the tank,before walking away.

Something inside him began to change, although he didn't yet notice it.

But now, all he could think about was the good Captain Jack Harkness.

Chapter Nine

Night had fallen way too quickly, and Jason was getting increasingly nervous.

There were things out here, things that ate you, things that just frightened you to death.

Jack had noticed Jason's increasing tension. "Is there a problem?" he asked.

Jason swallowed. "Yeah, there's a problem. There's rumours about things, monsters out here, at night."

Jack stopped. "What sort of monsters?"

"Don't know, some say they're from the research lab, others that they were here before. No-one really knows, it's all rumours and half truths."

Jack put a hand on his shoulder. "Not all things are monsters," he said, just as a roar sounded in the distance.

"You were saying," Jason said.

*********************

He came to slowly. Wherever he was, it felt warm and …wet?

His eyes shot open, and then he panicked… he was drowning!

After a few seconds of blinding panic, he realised he wasn't drowning, there was air in his lungs. No, he wasn't drowning, he was floating.

A wave of calm washed over him; he closed his eyes and fell back into the comforting warmth.

On the far side of the research base, an energy spike went unnoticed, except by the contents of the tanks that filled a room, which twitched and moved in unison.

*************************

The figure had jumped from the shuttle just as the sun was going down. The shuttle was useless, its engines destroyed. It was just light enough for him to see two sets of footprints, heading towards the volcano.

He smiled; that would make his task much easier. He'd rather be throwing the good captain into the heart of the volcano, but he had his orders.

He could hear the roars of the things that roamed the night. He wasn't afraid of them, but he knew the others would be, and that he knew would be to his advantage.

As another roar sounded in the night, he set off in the direction of the footprints.

****************************

Jack was running, only just aware that someone was running with him. He could hear the thing that was chasing them, the sound of claws on rock.

They'd been walking along a stony path when the roar of something echoed behind them. He wasn't worried at first; it wasn't as if he hadn't come across things like this before. Then the thing had appeared out of the darkness, and it was nightmarish.

Now they were running, and too late Jack realised they had run into a dead end.

Both of them turned, their backs to the rock face, swallowing their fear, facing a certain death.

Out of the darkness the creature stalked, now silent as it approached its prey.

Jack closed his eyes as it approached, his only regret being that he would come back to life, but Jason wouldn't.

Both men and the creature jumped when a high pitched warbling filled the air. The creature shook its head and started to back away.

Then a voice, an oh, so familiar voice came from above, out of the dark.

"If I were you, I'd move quietly and quickly towards the gap in the rock face to your right. I can only distract it for a few minutes."

Jack couldn't see the owner of the voice; he didn't need to.

"Jason," he said quietly. "Jason, move!" and shoved him when he didn't move.

That broke Jason's frightened stare, and he began moving.

Jack could see the creature gradually making its way back towards them, and was eternally grateful when he finally squeezed his way through the gap.

*********************

The familiar silhouette of the Doctor was standing on a rocky outcrop, the breeze moving his long overcoat.

"C'mon, this way. There's a path that leads to some caves," the Doctor had said, and they had been climbing steadily since.

Jack frowned; why hadn't the Doctor said anything about what had happened in the shuttle. He shrugged mentally. Yet another thing that would lay unresolved between them. Like where were Rose, Donna, and the duplicate Doctor.

He looked at the Doctor, who was climbing just ahead of him. He seemed to be acting normally, if a little stand-offish, but then again, he'd seemed normal in the shuttle, just before….. He stopped thinking about that, he would just have to be on his guard, and try and take that dammed crystal from him.

**********************

They stopped when the path split into two, just to regain some energy.

Jason moved next to Jack, and spoke quietly. "Can we trust him?" giving the Doctor a wary look.

"We have to, we don't have a choice. Just be on your guard, he can be pretty persuasive."

"I know we have to trust him, but there's something else," Jason said.

Jack looked at him. "What do you mean?"

"I'm not sure, I don't know him like you do, but my gut is telling me, something's not right."

Jack looked up at the Doctor, who was still keeping his distance, watching the trail behind them. Was there something, and why didn't he feel it? Yes, he was being a little offish, but that was just him, wasn't it?

He moved up the path, and stood next to the Doctor, who ignored him.

"So, are we going to move, or are we waiting for the local wildlife to go to bed?"

"We need to wait, that creature's still around. It'll loose interest when it can't smell us any more. Besides I need time to think about this," he said, and took out the containment box.

He started to open the lid, but Jack put a hand on it.

"Don't," he said.

"It's okay, I think it's dormant, for now," the Doctor said, removing Jack's hand, and opening the lid.

Jack drew in a sharp breath, expecting to see a glowing crystal, but instead there was lump of black glass. He reached out and picked it up, tensing in case the Doctor made a grab for it.

The Doctor must have sensed his tension, because he looked directly at Jack, his eye soft and unthreatening.

"I won't hurt you again," he said quietly, and handed him the box. "Take it, it's poison to me."

He turned away then and walked back down the path, towards Jason.

Jack looked at the seemingly dead crystal, then at the Doctor. Jason must be wrong.

********************************

"So Jason, these tunnels and caves, do they go anywhere?" the Doctor asked.

Jason looked over at Jack, who'd joined the pair.

"From what I remember, they go right through the base of the volcano, except one, which leads to the heart of it. But I don't know if its still there, like I told Jack, only Gen-Med staff are allowed in the tunnels."

The Doctor raised his eyebrows, and then to Jack's delight, grinned that grin.

"I love a place where I'm not allowed. Allonsy!" he cried and was off.

"Err, Doc," Jack said. "You don't know the way."

The Doctor stopped, frowned, and then stepped back. "Sorry, of course, lead on."

The Doctor watched as Jason walked in front, closely followed by Jack.

Be careful, he told himself, and then followed.

**********************************

He stirred again, and this time when he woke, he knew he wasn't drowning.

He was floating, not in water, but in a viscous fluid, and wire and tubes were attached to him. He tried to turn, but the fluid held him still.

Then he felt something tickle the edges of his mind, something was trying to touch his consciousness.

He reached out, and his mind exploded, so many voices clamouring for his attention.

He shrank back, overwhelmed by it all, and withdrew until they were only whispers. Then all the voices became one, and the one voice spoke a word, and he recoiled in shock.

If he could have, he would have cried.

*******************

This time, the energy spike was large enough to be noticed.

White Coat strode into the room. Noting that the figure in the tank was agitated, he smiled and studied the screen in front of him, then he looked at the figure.

"You feel them, don't you, all of them. Tell me, do you feel him, the first one, can you feel him? I can't have that," he said and twisted a dial.

The figure stiffened, and stopped moving.

*****************************

As the trio entered the cave entrance, he felt the connection with the other blink out. He shivered slightly, and then he felt something he hadn't when he'd first looked at the other, he felt anger.

****************************

The cave soon became a passage, and they were forced to slow their pace. This wasn't a good thing, as they'd heard scuttling above and behind them in the semi-darkness.

Out of the three, the Doctor seemed the only one unfazed, striding out like it was a Sunday morning stroll. But then, he knew what lay ahead. He looked at the two ahead of him, he had his orders, but they didn't include Jason, so to his mind, he was expendable.

They were trying to be quiet, just in case the scuttling things were sound sensitive.

With a sly smile, he took out the sonic, and pressed a button. It was only a faint noise, for a few seconds, but the effect was spectacular, and deadly.

The scuttling stopped, and was replaced by high-pitched shrieking, and the flapping of many wings.

*************************

Jack was startled by the sudden noise, but reacted instinctively when the Doctor yelled "Run!"

*****************************

Jason didn't know how long he could keep up this pace. It wasn't easy running down the narrow passage and the footing underneath was precarious.

He could hear Jack and the Doctor, both of then close at his heels.

He was relieved when the passage started to widen out. Now the others were level with him, and all three, spurred on by the sounds of many wings, raced on.

The passageway suddenly became a cave, and the sounds of the wings echoed around them.

**************************

Jason suddenly stumbled, just as they were approaching another passage. He tried to right himself, but fell, eliciting a cry of pain as he landed on the rocky ground.

Jack slowed when he heard the cry, but the Doctor yelled.

"Go, I'll get him, keep running!"

Jack wanted to stop, but if the Doctor said keep going, you kept going. He could see the passage way up ahead, it was brighter that the other passage, or the cave. Of course, the Doctor must have realised, that the things might be light sensitive as well, so he ran.

*************************

Jason scrabbled up in panic. He could hear whatever those things were, they were getting closer.

Then suddenly, there was silence, nothing but the sound of his own panicked breathing.

He jumped when a hand clamped over his shoulder, and was relieved when he heard the Doctor's voice. He relaxed, but then wished he hadn't.

The words the Doctor spoke were said in a voice that held no emotion. It was cold, unfeeling, and matter of fact.

"You know, I often wondered why they called grunts like you cannon fodder. Well, now I know."

Jason had no time to react, as pain exploded in his head.

**************************

Jack finally stopped running, partly from exhaustion, but mostly from worry. It had gone ominously quit, and he looked anxiously down the passage.

He was relieved when he saw the Doctor coming towards him. But then he saw he was alone, and as he got closer, he could see the Doctor was injured, a large cut angled across his left cheek.

He knew without asking that something terrible had happened.

"I'm sorry," the Doctor said. "He's gone."

**************************

Jason could feel the claws of whatever they were, poking at his head….wait a minute, claws don't poke…that was a hand!

He shot up, startling the owner of the hand, and alerting the other person in the room, if he thought absently, you could call yellow fur skin.

"Who the hell…" he began, but was stopped by what he recognised as some sort of weapon that was pointed at his face.

The person, who'd been touching his head, stepped into view. She was decidedly human, and looked very angry.

"Don't move, Gen-Med scum. Tell me what the hell you're doing down here."

Chapter Ten

Jason stared at the woman, he went to say something, but no words would come out.

The yellow furred figure stepped closer, the weapon still aimed at Jason's head.

"You will answer her question," he growled, well, it sounded male.

He looked at the woman again, and then it dawned on him. "You're the terrorists!" he said.

The woman snorted. "Is that what they tell you? Makes it easier when you murder us, does it?"

Jason couldn't keep the surprise of his face. "Murder, I haven't..."

The woman cut him off. "Not to mention what going on in that so called research lab."

This time, Jason spoke before the woman had chance. "Listen, lady, I don't give a rat's ass about your problems. All I care about is, someone's about to be or has been murdered by a psychotic crazy guy."

The woman smiled at that. "You mean the two so called Military Intelligence operatives, we know all about them. We also know you escaped from the sweaty palms of the little toad Hopkins, but it still doesn't answer my question."

Jason stiffened. "Jason Clarke… First Airborne… United States Army…..rank Captain….37961…."

The woman sighed. "Please, captain, you're not a prisoner. We only want to know whose side you're on."

"Well, I feel like a prisoner," he said, nodding towards the weapon that was still aimed at his head.

"You can stand down, Grax, he's just a soldier, and he's human."

"Are you sure, they are very good."

"I'm sure, his DNA doesn't have the marker."

Jason relaxed a little when the person she called Grax lowered his weapon and stepped back. Then he turned to the woman. "Since you know my name, I should know yours, and what do you mean by human?"

The woman looked at him. "You don't know what's going on down here, do you? Then you'd better listen."

************************

Jack wished he could have said something, knowing that the Doctor would see it as his failure. But as always, he shoved it one side, as once again, there was no time.

Now, they had no guide, and had no idea where they were.

"We should go back," he said.

The Doctor looked at him, his features sharp. "No, we have to go on. If we go back now, then his death will mean nothing. Besides, it's getting warmer."

Jack realised, that it was getting warmer, much warmer.

"We must be near the volcano's main chamber," the Doctor said. "Time to get rid of that thing," he nodded to one of Jack's overcoat pockets. "It is what we came for, isn't it?"

With that, he brushed past Jack and headed away from the cavern.

Jack frowned, he knew the Doctor was good at hiding his feelings, but for just a second, did he sound insincere.

***********************

He could feel the other; feel the draw on his memories. But he could nothing, paralysed as he was, trapped in his own mind, that one word burning deep in his soul.

He cursed the person who had done this, cursed him for making him do something he never thought he would ever have to do again. Because of that, he would declare war, if he ever got out of here.

He knew when he'd heard that word, felt the twisted nature, that there was no hope.

He would have to contemplate the most horrific things, once more... if he ever got out of here.

An overwhelming sadness came over him. Where was his friend…he needed him.

***********************

Jack stared down at the lake, no ocean of lava. The heat was incredible, even hundreds of feet above it. He took the containment box out of his pocket, and stepped towards the edge. He looked back at the Doctor, who was hanging back. He didn't blame him, the very thought of the thing inside, made his guts crawl.

He turned back, and walked right up to the edge.

If he'd turned round, he would have seen the look of pure hatred on the Doctor's face.

**********

He itched to move, one little push, that was all it would take. But he had his orders, and he so wanted what he'd been promised. He fingered the object in his pocket, and began inching forward, never taking his eyes of Jack.

That's it, just stay there, he thought.

Then his foot clinked against a rock, and Jack began to turn.

His element of surprise gone, he lunged for Jack.

****************

Jack heard the sound of converse on rock, and thought the Doctor must have changed his mind. He started to turn, to invite him to join him.

As he turned, he saw the Doctor lunging at him. He dropped the box, not even noticing when the crystal shattered.

He saw something metallic in one of the Doctor's hands. It didn't look like a knife, but judging by the blue sparks coming from it, it was some kind of stunner.

He grabbed the Doctor's arm, and the stunner crackled blue light.

"What are you doing!?" he said through gritted teeth.

The Doctor locked eyes with him, and then Jack saw something…….

He hesitated, and that was his mistake, as his world turned electric blue.

*********************************

Jason had listened to the woman, and he thought he'd be more surprised, but he'd always thought there was something not right about that place.

Now he was helping sweep the tunnels for Jack and the Doctor.

The woman, who called herself Sara, had then listened to his story, and had decided that the Doctor must be working for someone she called White Coat, and would be a valuable source of information.

He'd gotten over his shock, at the yellow furred people, who called themselves Xanz.

He couldn't say anything; he was after all under a volcano, on a planet, light years away from Earth. Plus he'd come from an oh so secret base on one of its moons.

They stopped when another group of Xanz, led by a human male approached.

"We've swept all the tunnels, no sign. Either they're long gone, or they went into the lava. There are signs of a scuffle by the edge, and we found this,"
the man said, handing Sara a dented box, filled with glass shards.

Sara turned to Jason. "I'm sorry, but I guess it's kind of poetic. He tried to kill you, now he's dead. It's a shame your friend had to die as well."

Jason looked at the glass shards in the box. "Wait a minute, this shouldn't have broken, they said the only way to destroy it was to throw it in the lava."

He picked up a shard, dropped it, and ground it with his foot.

"It's glass," he said.

Sara scowled, and then her attention was drawn by one of the Xanz gesturing for her to come.

She looked at the ground the Xanz was pointing at, there were footprints leading away from the lava, and the clear signs of someone being dragged.

"We also found this," the Xanz said, holding up a metallic object.

Sara hissed out a breath. "A stunner, one of White Coat's designs. Captain, I don't think your friend is dead. I think he's gone to somewhere much worse."

Sara turned to the Xanz called Grax. "Move the schedule up, we're going now. It's time to stop this."

************************

White Coat stood at the entrance to the shuttle bay, and watched the product drag the limp form of Captain Harkness across the shuttle bay floor.

Even from a distance he could see that the product was not behaving as it should. It was muttering and had several injuries to its face.

The product stopped just in front of White Coat, and dropped Captain Harkness at his feet.

"Here, safe, but not necessarily sound."

"Well done," White Coat said. He turned to the pair of guards. "Take the product back to the repository. Tell them to prep it for re-conditioning."

The product looked at White Coat in surprise, backing away as the two guards approached.

"No, you promised..." it stammered.

White Coat laughed. "Why would I promise anything to something like you?"

The look the product gave White Coat was murderous.

"You promised!!" he screamed as the guards dragged him away, and kept screaming, until his screams faded from earshot.

"Now, what shall we do with you," White Coat said, looking down at the unconscious Jack.

Chapter Eleven

Blue sparks danced across Jack's eyes, but all he could see was, no, what he couldn't see in the Doctor's eyes. He couldn't see that spark, that certain something that made the Doctor who he was, and in the seconds before his fell into darkness, he realised, that it wasn't the Doctor, it was…

*******************

Jack came to suddenly, making his cell mate jump.

"Hello again," the cell mate said, as Jack looked round wildly."If you're looking for your friend, he's not here, but I did hear some screaming a little while ago, but it stopped."

Jack stopped looking round, and focused on the speaker. It was the Major from the base. Hanson, that was his name.

"Major, what are you doing here?"

"That little toad that runs Gen-Med security, invaded my base. His so called security killed fifty of my men. The rest of us ended up here, but I think most of them have gone the same way as your friend."

Jack looked at the Major. "He's not my friend," he said, the image of those eyes burnt into his mind.

Major Hanson sat back. "That lab coated bastard got to him, didn't he. Like he did with some of my men. If I ever get out of here, he is so dead."

"Get in line," Jack said. "But I think getting out of here isn't an option."

********************

White Coat re-entered the room that held only one tank. He walked up to the tank and pressed against the glass.

"Did you feel it, I was just going to re-condition it, but it was defective. So I destroyed it, the whole batch actually."

He moved away from the glass, and touched a screen in front of him. "It's rather like watching a slug, being covered in salt, slow, painful and a little messy. But, I digress, I have need of more of you."

He turned from the tank and tapped at a keyboard. He didn't even look at the figure as it began to move, hands curled in silent agony.

**************************

He screamed inside his mind as he felt another piece of himself dragged from his core. Soon it would start to affect him, and the damage would be irreversible.

Where are you, my friend!

****************************

Jason had been impressed by the quick and efficient way the small army had been marshalled. Now they were making their way across the dusty red plain that lay between the volcano and the research base.

He had split from the main group, along with Sara and the Xanz called Grax, who turned out to be a General,

They climbed a ridge, and stopped. In the near distance sat the research base, the suns glinting of the metal walls.

Jason looked through his field glasses and smiled. These guys must either be stupid, or incredibly arrogant, to leave the shuttle bay doors open and unguarded.

"We have to get and disable their internal defences," Sara said. "Lasers, the whole place is riddle with them," she added for Jason's benefit. "We'd be cut down in seconds, that's why they can leave the doors open."

Jason nodded, and then he had an idea. "Do you guys have a shuttle?"

****************************

Jack was desperate to get out of this cell. If the Doctor he'd been with wasn't the Doctor, that meant that the real Doctor must be here, somewhere.

He also wanted to get his hands on White Coat, after Major Hanson had told that all bar him had been taken away to some god awful fate.

He had no doubt that White Coat had the same fate in mind for him. Ever since their first meeting back in Nevada, White Coat had been on his mind. Not just for what he'd done to the Doctor, but the fact that he knew who himself and the Doctor were, and what they were.

That meant only one thing to him. Someone had told him. Someone who had access to eyes only files. That meant someone in UNIT or the military, someone high up.

"Major," he asked. "Who knows about this place, and the base?"

Major Hanson thought for a moment. "I'll only tell you if you tell me who you and your friend really are, because you sure as hell aren't like any Military Intelligence I know."

Jack sighed. It seemed the more you tried, the more you failed "Okay, but if we get out of here alive, you can't repeat this to anyone, deal."

"Deal," the Major replied.

"You're right, we're not MI. My name is Jack Harkness, I'm the head of Torchwood."

Major Hanson nodded. "I should have guessed, this place is so deep that even you guys didn't know about it. What about your friend, this doctor, does he work for you?"

Jack laughed. "Hardly, he's not a doctor, although he'd say he's a doctor of everything. He's called the Doctor, capital D, and since we're being honest, he isn't human."

The Major didn't seem too surprised, and smiled at Jack's confusion. "We're in a cell, in a research lab, on another planet. You really think your friend being an alien, would surprise me."

"I guess not, but he's not just any alien, he's unique, even amongst aliens."

This time, the Major raised his eyebrows. "That many different kinds of aliens. Go figure, life on other planets, not so sci-fi after all. But he looks and sounds human."

"Yeah, but I think it's optional. He just like us humans so much, I guess it's sort of a compliment."

"That's why that bastard wants him. It must be to do with whatever he's doing," the Major said.

Jack scowled. "I think I have a pretty good idea what."

"Some kind of weapon?"

"Oh, it's a weapon alright, just not made of metal."

The Major was about to reply, when there was the sound of someone approaching.

***************************

Jack and the Major stood back from the door, waiting for the door to open.

Instead, a voice floated through the bars. It was barely audible, a rasping whisper. "Are you Jack Harkness?" the voice asked.

"Who wants to know?" Jack asked.

"Are you Jack Harkness?" the voice repeated.

"Like he said, who wants to know?" Major Hanson said.

"I am nobody, but you are. Are you Jack Harkness?"

"Alright, I'm Jack Harkness," Jack said.

There was the sound of the cell door being unlocked, and it swung open.

"Come, Jack Harkness, he is calling for you."

Jack looked at the Major. "If it's a way out, I'm for it," he said.

******************************

The figure that belonged to the voice stepped back as the two men stepped out of the cell. The figure faded into the shadows.

"Come, he is calling for you," the voices whispered, and try as they might, neither of them could see the face of their rescuer.

They both shrugged and walked behind the figure, which still tried to stick to the shadows, hiding their face behind a hood if they got too close.

They stopped outside a large door, and the figure entered a code.

"He is here," the figure said, and moved back into the shadow.

Jack and the Major stepped into the room, at first seeing only a large fluid filled tank, with a figure floating inside.

Then Jack began to recognise features, and he found he couldn't breathe. "No, no, please god, no," he managed to say, and walked towards the tank. "I'm sorry, dear god, I'm sorry," he whimpered, and sank to his knees before the tank.

Major Hanson looked at the figure floating in the tank. "Isn't that?"

"Yeah," Jack whispered. "It's him. That's the Doctor."

Chapter Twelve

Jack pressed up against the glass, trying to keep his stomach in its place, not able to take in the scene in front of him.

The Doctor was floating in a coloured fluid, tubes and wires ran the length of his body, even attached to the base of his neck, and along his spine.

Whoever had placed them there wasn't too careful, as the wires and tubes were surrounded by bruises and dried blood.

Every emotion from rage to sorrow welled up inside him. He placed his hands on the glass, and whispered.

"I'm sorry I got here too late, but I'm here now," he said, wishing the Doctor could hear him, knowing that he never would.

****************************

Major Hanson stared at the figure in the tank. He seemed lifeless, perhaps he was, no, wait, was that a twitch of a hand, yes.

Dear god, he was alive!

"Jack, he's alive, look. We have to get him out of there!"

Jack didn't respond, too lost in his grief over the Doctor.

"Captain Harkness!" Major Hanson barked. "The man is alive, and need to be taken out of there!"

The Major's barked order snapped Jack out of the storm of emotions, and he turned to where the Major was standing.

He was standing in front of a terminal, brow furrowed in concentration. "We need to get him out of that tank, but I don't understand the language."

Jack looked at the screen, and the keyboard, and his eyes widened in surprise. "You wouldn't, it's not an Earth language. Its trade lingo, a bit like Esperanto, a mixture off different languages, makes it easier to trade."

Jack studied the screen, and then tapped at the keyboard, and a few seconds later, the sound of liquid draining filled the air.

"How did you know he was..?" Jack turned to ask their guide, but the shadows were empty. Whoever the person had been, they were gone.

He turned back to the tank, and watched as the viscous fluid drained away, and as it did the bottom of the tank began to rise, finally supporting the Doctor as the last of the fluid drained.

There was a hiss of hydraulics, and the glass front began to lower into the floor, leaving the Doctor on the raised floor of the tank.

Jack made to step forward, but was held back by Major Hanson.

"No, wait, I don't think it's finished yet."

************************

He felt him, his friend, he was here. He shivered as cold air touched warm skin.

Then he felt intense pain, like something was trying to pull him apart.

*************************

Jack jumped when the first of the tubes savagely pulled itself from flesh, then they retracted one by one. The wires and tubes whipped like angry snakes, fluid and traces of fresh blood spattering their clothes.

The instant the last one had extracted itself, Jack wrenched free of the Major's grip, rushing to the Doctor's side.

He frowned, something was wrong, and he noticed with horror, the blue tinge starting to appear on the Doctor's lips.

He couldn't breath, and suddenly Jack realised why.

"Major, help me get him on his side. Hold him still!" he said, as the Doctor went into a spasm.

Sorry Doc," he apologised, as he forced open the Doctor's clenched jaw, and began scooping fluid from his mouth, and then put two fingers as far down his throat as he could.

The Doctor went into another spasm, and began retching, bringing up copious amounts of fluid and bile and blood.

Jack held him still, until the retching lessened, and no more fluids appeared.

"C'mon, breathe Doc," Jack said, relieved when the Doctor drew in a breath, albeit a bubbling fluid filled breath.

"That's it, breathe," he said, and smiled when the Doctor opened his eyes.

"Hello," he said

**********************

The Doctor blinked fluid from his eyes, and as they cleared, he saw a familiar face, his friend.

"Hello," the face said.

He wanted to reply, but no speech would come.

*******************

Major Hanson had watched as Jack tended to the Doctor. Now they'd got the man out of that dammed tank, his thoughts had turned to escaping.

"Captain," he said. "We need to get out of here. That felt a little too easy."

Jack nodded, took off his overcoat, and with the Major's help, managed to put in on the shivering Doctor.

Jack had to almost carry the Doctor to the door, as the Major cautiously looked up and down the corridor.

"What we really need is a divers…"

The words hadn't even left the Major's lips, when an alarm roared into life.

***********************

Jason smiled to himself; it had been so easy to get into the research lab. Mind you, it did help if you knew the right access code, which Sara seemed to know. He stopped himself from thinking it had been easy, hubris after all, was a fatal thing.

No-one seemed to take any notice of two humans and a yellow furred alien. But as he looked round the shuttle bay, he could see why. He could also feel his temper rising, as all he could see were aliens in chains, and slavery was slavery, alien or not.

*******************

The closer the elevator got to the top level, the sounds of the battle grew louder.

"Not the kind of diversion I was thinking of," Major Hanson said, as the elevator slowed. "And me without a weapon."

Jack shifted slightly, adjusting the Doctor's weight. He moved to the back of the elevator as it stopped, shielding the Doctor with his own body.

The Major tensed as he felt that little jolt that told him the elevator had stopped.

The door opened with an incongruous ping, and the Major found a weapon in his face, attached to the arm of a very tall yellow furred alien.

*************

There was that moment's silence, the one that you got between two surprised opponents, before the shouting began. Only this time there was no shouting, the sounds of the battle excluding conversation.

The weapon gestured for the Major to move out of the elevator. The yellow furred alien was joined by a woman, who didn't look at the Major, but looked past him, straight at Jack and the Doctor.

She scowled, stepped past the Major and placed her weapon against the Doctor's forehead.

"Gen-Med scum," she snarled, and began to squeeze the trigger.

Chapter Thirteen

Things happened so rapidly after that for anyone to really figure out what happened.

Jack tried to reach for the weapon, but was hampered by the Doctor. A voice from outside the elevator shouted, which caused the woman to hesitate. The next second, she was being held in a chokehold, the Doctor's arm round her throat and her own weapon at her temple.

The yellow furred alien shoved past the Major, who tried to stop him, and landed on the floor of the elevator. The yellow furred alien was in the elevator in an instant, followed by another man, and the elevator door closed, dulling the sounds of the battle.

The yellow furred alien moved forward, eyes locked on the Doctor, weapon raised.

"You will let her go, or you will die!"

"No!" the other man said, breaking the stalemate.

Jack and the Major finally registered the other man's presence.

"Jason!" Jack said.

"Captain!" Major Hanson said.

****************************

Jason looked at Jack and his commanding officer, then at Grax, and then at Sara, still in the vice-like grip of the Doctor.

"Grax," he said slowly and quietly. "Put your weapon down."

Grax didn't move, just tightened his grip on his weapon.

Jason looked at Sara. "Please, look at him, he's hurt, does he look like he works for Gen-Med?"

********************

Sara hadn't expected to find anyone in the elevator, especially a Gen-Med spy. In the time it had taken her to get in the elevator, she'd tried and sentenced him, and was about to execute him, when it all went pear-shaped.

She felt the man's arm against her throat, could feel him struggling for control, felt him trembling against her. She heard Jason's words, and against all her instincts, looked at Grax, and nodded her head.

Grax narrowed his eyes, but lowered his weapon, and stepped back, as best as he could in the tight space.

*****************************

Jack had felt helpless until then, unable to tackle the alien, or the suddenly attentive and aggressive Doctor.

When he saw the alien lower his weapon, and step back, he moved.

Ignoring the glare from the alien, he moved as close to Sara and the Doctor as he could.

"What are you doing?" he asked the Doctor. "You hate guns, in fact, you hate violence, so let her go, yeah."

***********************

The Doctor looked at Jack, then as if seeing the weapon for the first time, he let it fall from his hand, disgust written all over his face. He loosened his grip, just enough for Sara to break free.

Jack pulled her away before she could retaliate, and moved right up to the Doctor. He looked into the Doctor's eyes, searching for something.

"So, what are you doing?" he repeated.

The Doctor stared back at Jack, and a frown creased his face. What was he doing? He was reacting like a trapped animal.

"Jack I…" he began, but never finished, as intense pain seared through him, and darkness descended, just as the elevator shuddered.

**************************

Jack stumbled and missed catching the Doctor, who slid down the elevator wall.

The doors opened, revealing a fiery hell; the shuttle bay was alight.

"Everybody out!" Sara yelled, as she picked up her discarded weapon. "You too!" she shouted at Jack and the Major.

Jack started to pick the Doctor up.

"Leave him!" Sara snapped, and when Jack ignored her, she placed her gun against the back of his head. "I said, leave him!" she snarled.

Jack rounded on her, his face set in an angry mask. "I will not leave him!" he thundered. "So either shoot me, or help me!"

************************

Jason scrabbled into the pilot's seat, and fidgeted anxiously. The flames were getting dangerously close, and he really needed to get the shuttle away.

He turned and saw the Major and Grax climb inside, but there was no sign of Sara, Jack, or the Doctor.

**********************

Sara looked at Jack, and lowered her gun. "I'd better not regret this," she said to him.

"Thank you," Jack said, and hauled the Doctor up.

Sara spoke into her comm., as she followed Jack out. "All units, retreat, let the place burn."

She then took put one of the Doctor's arms over her shoulder. "Can't have you thinking I don't give second chances," she said, and as the shuttle bay burnt, she helped Jack lift the Doctor into the shuttle.

***************

White Coat had at first been annoyed by the alarm, but when he looked at his screen, he was incandescent with rage.

The terminal next to the now empty tank, was taking the brunt of White Coat's temper. The he turned to the unfortunate Roland Hopkins, head of Gen- Med security.

"Find the template!"

"But sir, the base it's burning."

"Let it burn, the template is more important. You know who's taken him, no more tolerating them as a pest. You know where they're hiding. We'll take what's left of your forces, and we'll take the pack with us. Kill whoever gets in your way, I want that template. Oh, and Hopkins, don't fail me, or you'll end up like your predecessor."

Hopkins blanched. He'd heard rumours of what had happened, and really didn't want that to happen to him. He turned to his deputy. "You heard him, release the pack."

********************

It seemed to Jack, that he'd told more people about he Doctor in the last hour, than he'd done in the whole time he'd known the Doctor. But if the woman, who called herself Sara, was to treat the Doctor, then she had to know.

"Okay, he's alien, what species?" she asked.

"Excuse me?" Jack replied.

"What species, White Coat has extensive files, maybe his species are in the files. And before you ask how I got them, I stole them before I joined this lot, and yes, I used to work for him. So, what species?"

Jack hesitated, unsure of whether it was a good idea to tell her. Then he looked at the Doctor, still unconscious and looking incredibly venerable.

"He's a Time Lord."

Sara shook her head. "Never heard of that one, but I'll look anyway."

"I have," a voice said from the door.

They both looked up to see Grax, framed in the doorway.

"My people, they have heard of the Time Lords."

"So you can take him back to his home world, let them treat him," Sara said.

Grax looked at Jack, and then back a Sara. "If only that were possible. The Time Lords are gone, as should he. So I doubt there are any records of his people in those files."

Sara sighed. "You're right, there's nothing, but if your people have heard of his people, can't you help him?"

"Time Lords were a secretive race. They guarded their science and their medicine jealously, so even if my people were at their height, I doubt we could help him."

Both of them looked at Jack, who looked back.

"Don't look at me. He still keeps secrets."

Grax's comm. beeped and he scowled as he listened. He looked at Sara and Jack. "We have company."

"Go," Sara said, and Jack made to follow, but Grax held up his hand. "No captain, your place is with him, I have the Major and Jason to help me. He is your Im'zalah," and walked out of the door before Jack could protest.

"What does that mean?" Jack asked.

"I don't know much Xanz, but it roughly translates as 'beloved', and don't try to deny it. The Xanz are empaths, but I don't need to be to see it, even if you don't let him know. You would have let me shoot you back in the elevator. Anyway, enough talk, shall we see what we can do for him."

*************************

Rabley stood back from the cage as White Coat opened it, and the pack poured out of it. White Coat handed one of the guards a long brown overcoat, who tossed it to the pack. After much hissing and snapping, the pack suddenly became alert, straining at their restraints.

"They have his scent, sir."

White Coat smiled. "Good, let them loose, we have some property to retrieve."

Rabley didn't smile, and watched as the pack turned as one and headed towards an opening in the volcano. The hunt was on.

***********************

"You'd make a fine medic," Sara said as she threw away the last of the bloody swabs.

"I've had lots of practice," Jack said.

They'd been working quietly and quickly, cleaning and sometimes stitching the wounds left by the tubes and wires.

"I really should be out there helping," Jack said.

"No, Grax and the others can handle it. We need to finish here, and move both of you somewhere safer."

They both stopped talking when the Doctor let out a whimper and a pained look crossed his face, his hands becoming claws.

"He's dreaming," Sara said, as the Doctor murmured something in words she didn't understand.

"What's he saying?" she asked Jack.

Jack frowned. "I don't know. I only know bits of Gallifreyan, his language."

The Doctor let out another whimper, and this time murmured in human. "They're coming, they're coming."

Jack placed a soothing hand on the Doctor's chest, but he was becoming agitated, and more Gallifreyan tumbled from his mouth.

"Ssh, it's okay, you're safe," he soothed.

He wasn't expecting the Doctor to grab his hand and stare at him with wide, fear filled eyes.

"Run, they're coming!" he cried, and tried to sit up.

Jack pushed him down, and then the Doctor panicked.

"No, no, you have to run! Run!" he cried, trying to pull himself from under Jacks hand.

Jack placed both hands on the struggling Doctor's arms and saw Sara approaching with a hypodermic from the corner of his eye.

"No, no needles!" he said, and focused once again on the struggling Doctor.

"Hey, calm down, Doctor. Who's coming?"

"He's coming," was all the Doctor said, and then the sounds of people screaming came through the comms.

Chapter Fourteen

"Fall back!" Grax shouted above the screams echoing down the tunnel. "Major Hanson, take Captain Clarke, go back and escort the others to safety."

"I won't leave you to face whatever's out there on your own!" the Major bristled.

Grax smiled tightly. "Major, it is important that he does not get his hands on the Time Lord again. So, please, go!"

Major Hanson sighed, nodded and shouted. "Captain Clarke, with me!"

Grax turned his attention back to the now silent tunnel. The only sound the footsteps of the retreating Major and the Captain.

Then, he heard something.

***********************

Jack had finally managed to calm the Doctor, but he was still agitated.

"If he doesn't stop, we'll have to put restraints on him," Sara said.

Jack threw her a filthy look. "No, no restraints."

Sara looked at Jack, saw the expression that passed over his face, and then realised why he'd said it.

"The scars on his wrists, they're from restraints, aren't they?"

But Jack wasn't listening, he was staring at the comms.

Then she heard the noises coming from it, a hissing clicking noise, mixed with scuttling noises.

Both looked round when the Doctor cried out. "He's coming!" and before either of them could move, he was off the bed, and out of the door.

"No!" they both cried, as the door slammed shut.

*****************

He wanted to get away, he knew he was coming, and it terrified him. He really had no idea in which direction he was going, he just wanted to escape.

**************************

Jack kicked the door in frustration. He'd forgotten how fast the Doctor could be, even when injured. He'd even managed to lock the door, leaving them trapped inside.

Sara was trying to unscramble the code, and gave a cry of triumph when the door clicked open.

They both barrelled out, and looked up and down the tunnel.

"Which way?" Sara asked.

Jack held up a hand and closed his eyes, using his limited psychic training. At first he felt nothing, but then yes, there it was, faint but there, to his right.

"This way," he said, moving off, but stopping when Sara didn't follow.

The echoes of faint screams floated down the tunnel.

"I can't," she said. "Sorry."

Jack nodded, and took off in pursuit of the Doctor.

**************************

Grax snarled as he saw the heaving mass flow round the corner.

It looked like one creature, from a distance, as it flowed across the tunnel wall.

But as it came closer, you could see they were individual things, hissing, snapping, teeth filled things.

Grax watched in horror, as one of his men broke from his hiding place, only to be submerged in a morass of snapping teeth and rending claws. The man's cries were mercifully short, and when the mass moved on, there was nothing left, no bone, no skin, not even a uniform.

"Move back!" Grax bellowed, as the mass got closer, engulfing another victim on its way.

As Grax moved, he saw behind the mass and caught a glimpse of white.

"Murdering chalkara, soon!" he snarled, and followed his remaining men down the tunnel, the hissing and scuttling ever present in his ears.

******************

White Coat walked behind the pack. He was pleased at the efficiency of his creation, they left no mess, and no evidence.

He thought about what he was going to do with his property, once it was retrieved. He decided it would be best to break it down to its basic genetic code, less trouble that way. But then, that would limit its usefulness, no, perhaps he should disable it in some way, break its spine perhaps. Yes, that would be better, and just re-break it when it healed.

He was stopped in his thoughts by the sounds of a struggle just ahead of him. He looked on as two men were dragged towards him.

"Well, well, Major Hanson, and Captain Clarke, so nice of you to join me."

********************

Sara had only gotten half-way down the tunnel, when she ran into Grax and his remaining men retreating down the tunnel.

"Grax, what happened?" she asked, seeing the terrified look on the soldiers' faces.

"White Coat, he's released one of his twisted creations. I cannot stop them, we need to get everybody out."

Sara felt a chill down her spine, if Grax wanted to retreat, then it must be something unspeakable pursuing them.

"We have a problem, the Time Lord took off, and Captain Harkness went after him."

Grax frowned. "Are not Major Hanson and Captain Clarke with you?"

"I haven't seen them."

"Then I fear they may have met the same fate as my men. But we must retreat."

"But what about Captain Harkness and the Time Lord?"

"As much as I am loathe to say it, they will have to take their chances. We must go."

As if to enforce his words, the hissing scuttling sounds started again.

***************************

White Coat snarled in frustration, his property had been here, not long ago, judging by the packs reaction.

He grabbed hold of Jason, and pulled him towards him.

"Where is my property?" he snarled.

Jason looked White Coat in the eyes. "Have you tried lost property. I've heard they're very good at lost property."

He was rewarded with a backhander that reddened quickly.

"Very droll, shall we see if you're so funny after my pets are through with you," White Coat glowered at Jason, and gestured to one of the guards.

Jason heard the hissing before he saw the creatures, and he flinched away, despite himself, at the sight.

"Now, one more time, and answer me truthfully this time. Where is my property?"

**********************************

Jack jogged along the tunnel, and he didn't like the direction it was going in.

It was getting warmer, which meant he was getting closer to the lava again.

That, he thought was not a good thing.

He slowed a little when he saw footprints in the dirt, and then, in the corner of his eye, he spotted something. Why hadn't he noticed it the last time? In fact, he was sure it wasn't there before.

He followed the footprints; they definitely went down here. He'd gone a few hundred yards when he spotted his coat, discarded and bloodstained.

He looked round for more footprints, but found none, that wasn't possible, footprints didn't just stop.

He crouched down to examine the spot where the footsteps ended, and then darkness exploded in his head.

Chapter Fifteen

Jack came to with his head feeling like it was stuck in a vice. He went to sit up, and regretted it, as it felt like a whole army of woodpeckers were busy inside his brain.

"It's best not to move Captain, the pain will ease in about an hour," a raspy whisper said.

Jack however, did sit up, as he recognised the voice. "You're the guy from the cell. You took us to the Doctor. Is he here?"

"That is none of your concern."

"To hell it isn't, where is he?" Jack growled.

"I said, that is not your concern."

Jack was up in an instant, and went to grab the cloaked figure.

The figure moved quicker than Jack had expected, and he found his arm held in a vice- like grip.

"Do you think I saved you from White Coat so you could order me around? Once you have recovered, you will be escorted back to the base on the moon, and placed on the next transport back to Earth. You are not my concern, the Time Lord is."

Jack stared hard at the figure. "If you do, I'll find my way back, and you'll regret it," he snarled.

The grip on Jack's arm lessened slightly. "Do you know what you are asking, Captain Harkness. There are things occurring that you cannot possibly comprehend."

Jack finally managed to wrench his arm free of the figure's grip. "Try me, because I'm not going anywhere, and killing me won't stop me."

"I am well aware of your, shall we call it, unique talent. Very well, come with me," the figure said, and moved towards the door. "Tell me, Captain, what do you know about Gen-Med?"

***************************

White Coat watched impassively as the guard hauled the creatures away from Jason.

"It seems you don't know where my property is, after all. Nobody can face my pets and lie. Take him away, if he lives, fair enough. If he dies, feed him to the pack."

Major Hanson stared murderously at White Coat. He'd watched with increasing horror and increasing anger.

"You cold bastard, tell them to let me go, then we'll see whose afraid of who," he snarled.

"Please, Major, he's just a soldier, expendable, unlike my property, which if I don't find soon, could result in more carnage. One of the prisoners will know where he's gone. Escort the Major to the shuttle, he may yet prove useful."

**************************************

"What do I know about Gen-Med, they hire murdering bastards like White Coat, and they think the Doctor's property. That's all I need to know." Jack said, as he followed the cloaked figure down the tunnel.

He could feel the heat from the tunnel wall; they must be really close to the lava.

"Yes, there is that, but do you really think their ambitions are limited to owning the last of a powerful race," the cloaked figure said, stopping when they came to a large metal door.

"Gen-Med don't just want to own the Time Lord, they want all the power and knowledge that his people possessed. That Captain Harkness is something that cannot happen."

"But I thought…" Jack began, as they stopped outside a large metal door.

"You thought that they wanted to clone the Time Lord. Yes, that is White Coat's ambition, although his experiments have been somewhat unsuccessful, as you will see, plus it would have been against his employer's wishes. He always was too ambitious."

The figure pushed on the door. "Come. See the results of the hunger for power."

***************************

Jack stepped inside and found himself in what could only be described as something that looked like a Victorian freak show. As he followed the cloaked figure, he thought he recognised some of the species, albeit twisted versions, all floating in the same fluid as the Doctor had been.

"Are they?"

"No, the ones you see here are beyond medical help, but they are maintained as evidence."

"Evidence?" Jack said.

"Yes, White Coat and Gen-Med's days are numbered. They will be held accountable."

Jack thought he heard regret in the figure's voice. "You were part of this, weren't you?"

"To my eternal shame, yes, and for my sins I have been punished," the figure said, pulling down his hood.

Jack drew in a sharp breath. Over half the figure's face was scarred, continuing down the neck, and disappearing under the clothing,

"My punishment for disagreeing with company policy," the figure said.

"I'm sorry," Jack said.

"Don't be, it is no less than I deserve. Come, your Time Lord is this way."

***************************

The Doctor hadn't realised he'd run into a trap until it was too late, running blindly as he had.

Now as he sat at the workbench in a very well equipped laboratory, he had time to think. The last thing he could truly remember was boarding the shuttle back on the moon base. Since then, everything seemed to have been very vague, and he could have sworn he saw a Xanz.

He shook his head, he must have been hallucinating. However, the one thing he did remember, and it was crystal clear, were the words of a voice that made his blood boil, that matter-of-fact tone when describing the death of so many lives.

For that alone, he would have never gotten a second chance, but then as he mind had cleared of the fog of panic, more memories flooded back. How he'd stolen the crystal, that was another thing to deal with, then the painful memory of what he had done to Jack, another layer of guilt.

Then he'd seen the so called genetic experiments White Coat had performed on innocent victims, human and alien alike, using his DNA to try and make twisted Time Lord Hybrids.

He'd listened to the man who'd trapped him, listened to his plan, and despite his reservations, knew it would be the only way to stop White Coat, and Gen-Med.

He was soldering a very important piece of wire to a circuit board, when the door opened.

************************

Jack smiled, when he saw the Doctor's reaction, which was a mixture of surprise and delight.

"Jack!" he cried, and embraced him in a warm hug. "I thought you were Weryn food."

Jack returned the embrace. "Weryn?"

"Those things he released into the tunnels, they're called Weryn. I recognised them when Silas here showed me a picture."

The Doctor broke away from Jack, and walked over to he robed figure. "You showed him, eh? I told you he'd understand. Couldn't persuade him to leave, told you he was stubborn," he said, smiling.

The figure, who now had a name, smiled. Well, the half not burned smiled. "You were right, I should have bowed to your wisdom. I will not doubt your word again."

"It's always best to question, even if it's at great cost." He looked past Jack and Silas. "Any other survivors?"

"I do not know. I could not search any further. White Coat and his men are crawling all over the tunnels. If there are any, they are long gone."

"Oh, right," the Doctor said, the smile gone from his face, replaced by a dark expression. "That's another thing," he murmured.

Silas moved over to the workbench."How goes the device?"

The Doctor moved back, and picked up what looked like a small silver box. "Almost there, just need some of that thing you said you could get, and then it's done."

Silas bowed slightly. "I shall retrieve it immediately."

"Be careful, the tunnels aren't safe. I really should come with you. In fact, I will come with you, best way to get the right amount. You might as well tag along too, Jack."

Jack looked at both of them in bewilderment. "Wait a minute, I've only just found you, and you're off again. What is that thing, and were are we going?"

The Doctor looked at Jack, his face serious, but his voice calm. He held up the silver box.

"This, this is a kinder justice than someone deserves, and we are going into hell, into the heart of the volcano itself."

Chapter Sixteen

Sara and Grax ducked behind a large crate, and held their collective breaths as the guards marched by.

"We're never going to get out, the place is crawling with Gen-Med guards," Sara whispered.

"There is another way, but it is dangerous, and we could die," Grax said.

"We'll die if we stay here," Sara said.

"Alright, then we go this way," Grax said.

**********************

Jack grabbed the Doctor's arm before he could dodge away, and noticed him wince at the pressure.

"Doc, what're you doing?" he said, and tried to pull the sleeve up on the obviously borrowed jacket, but the arm was pulled away. But not before Jack could see that some of the incisions Sara and himself had stitched were broken and weeping.

"Doctor, you're still hurt, let me and Silas go," he said, already knowing what the answer would be.

"No, I need to be there, the measurement has to be precise," the Doctor said.

Jack folded his arms and gave the Doctor his 'don't try and con me' look. "Doctor, what is that thing, and why do we have to go anywhere near the core?"

"You had to ask that question," the Doctor said, and looked at Jack.

Jack felt a chill pass through him, and he had that sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. "Doctor, what are you…?"

He never finished his question, and as blackness took him, he heard the Doctor say, "I'm sorry, you'd only try and stop me."

*********************

The Doctor looked across at Silas, who had an empty syringe in his hand. "Thank you, by the time he comes round, it'll be too late."

"It is for the best, come, Time Lord, let us finish this," Silas said, and walked past the Doctor.

The Doctor hesitated, then as quickly as only a Time Lord could be, stuck the syringe in Silas's neck and spoke to the increasingly drowsy Silas.

"Sorry, but it'll be only me that finishes it. I'll make sure that it doesn't touch here, you'll both be safe. Oh, one more thing, don't let Jack feel guilty, because he will, and well, I couldn't live with that, well, you know what I mean."

He placed an envelope by Jack, and kissed him once. "Read this, Jack, then you'll understand."

He straightened up, and without looking back walked out of the laboratory, the small silver box held tightly in his hand.

"No time for second thoughts now," he said to himself, and headed towards the tunnel that led to the core of the volcano.

*************************

White Coat was getting bored now. The guard had dragged the latest victim of his interrogation away, leaving a bloody trail on what had been a clean floor.

"Is it possible that you could actually find me someone who knows more than the time of day!" he roared.

The guard dragged in another prisoner. This time, it was one of the yellow furred creatures. Xanz, he believed they were called.

The Xanz looked fearfully at the hissing creatures behind White Coat, and at the sticky, drying mess on the floor.

White Coat finally saw someone who might be helpful. "What is your name?"

"Krall, sir," the Xanz stuttered.

"What is your rank?"

"I am second in command. I answer only to General Grax."

"Good, then perhaps you can tell me where my property may have gone, without having to resort to much cruder methods."

The Xanz considered the question, and then shrugged his shoulders. He had always wanted to become head of the Xanz military, but unless Grax died in battle, that would never happen. Perhaps this man asking him the question would be his one chance.

"There is another way out of this place. It is possible that your property may have gone that way. I will show you, if you grant me one request."

White Coat smiled. "Show me, and then we shall see about your request."

*****************************

The Doctor wiped the sweat from his forehead, which proved pointless, as more just replaced it. He knew he was taking a risk, knowing his heat tolerance wasn't great. He knew that this was nothing compared to what was to come, but by then, it wouldn't matter.

He laughed to himself, at the irony of it, him being born on a cold world, and… He stopped, he thought he heard something, and then carried on, his mind set on his task.

He therefore didn't see the Weryn scuttled from behind a rock, didn't see it sniff the air, didn't hear is let out a malevolent hiss, turn and scuttle back down the tunnel.

***********************

White Coat stopped as the Weryn scuttled back to the pack and began hissing agitatedly.

White Coat turned to the Xanz."It seems you were correct. My property has indeed gone this way."

He snapped his fingers, and the pack stopped moving.

"Seek!" he barked, and the pack flowed forward as one.

*******************************

Grax hauled Sara over the ledge, and helped her to her feet.

"We should rest, the path does not get any easier."

When Sara had got her breath back, she leant against the warm rock. "I never knew these tunnels were here. How did you know?"

Grax smiled. "Are you forgetting, this was once my home world? My ancestor played in these tunnels as children, well they did, until they came."

"You mean his people, the Time Lords?" Sara said.

"I wish, then this would still be our beautiful home. No, the enemy of all living creatures, creature encased in metal, they were called the Daleks."

Sara took in a sharp breath, the same name as those things that had moved the Earth, and caused some much damage.

Grax looked at her. "So, your people have encountered them too. Like us then, you were saved by some miracle."

Sara looked at him, a questioning frown on her face.

"My grandfather told me that they appeared one day in the skies, they had the technology to travel the Vortex. Oh, much more sophisticated than the device you use, or my people had. They appeared, and began taking our world apart, no mercy given, not to anyone. My grandfather said that the army fought bravely, but were outnumbered. But then, when they thought all was lost, the Daleks just left. Even though we thought it was a miracle, our world was ruined, so they abandoned it, left it to boil."

Grax stopped for a moment, his eyes shadowed with some distant thought.

"I was barely out of the nursery, so I couldn't comprehend what had happened outside of our world. But my grandfather said they travelled for months through the Vortex, stopping only to see if there was some refuge. But Sara, he said there were nothing, nothing but burning worlds, and dead suns. He said it was like someone had set a match, and let it burn. Then the rumours began, that there had been a great war, a final war, between the Daleks and the Time Lords, and that they all died. Until now, I thought only the Daleks had survived, like Nessar Beetles, scuttling out of the dark. But this Doctor, a Time Lord, last of his kind, he is the light in the heart of the storm, not just for my people or yours, but for all life. This is why we must save him, if we can."

Sara looked at Grax, could see the intense look on Grax's face. "Yeah, you're right, if he's still alive."

Grax suddenly put his hand up, and listened for a second. "We must go, others may still find these tunnels."

****************************

Jack opened his eyes slowly, and he registered the nasty taste in his mouth.

It was Extract of Antrian Flower, a powerful sedative: one only a Time Lord would know how to re-create. But what he didn't know was that Jack had built up immunity to it, during his Agency days.

He sat up, rubbing at the point on his neck, where the needle had struck. "Sneaky Doc," he said, and then he noticed the envelope. He was about to open it, when he heard a groan coming from his left.

He twisted and saw Silas just raising himself off the floor. "Silas," Jack said. "You okay?"

Silas turned towards Jack. "It seems we have both been outwitted, captain." Then a look of horror crossed the un-burnt part of his face. "No, he cannot, he must not. Captain, we must find him, and stop him!"

Jack had that sick feeling again. "Silas, what is he going to do?"

"He is going to release the Fires of Redemption. But it should have been me."

Jack's stomach lurched. "And how do you release these fires?"

Silas breathed. "The barrier has to be destroyed, but it can only be done from within. Captain Harkness, Jack, it is a suicide mission."

Chapter Seventeen

The Doctor knew it had been a one-way mission the minute he'd finished listening to Silas. He'd decided there and then, it made perfect sense. Killing two birds with one stone: such a quaint human saying, but it seemed to fit.

Now all he had to worry about was getting where he wanted to go. But what he really wanted was to draw White Coat in, and for that part of the plan, he was indebted to Silas.

The procedure itself had been short but incredibly painful, but oh, so necessary, and the results had been spectacular, even if he did say so himself, and so worth the sacrifice. This, he thought, was going to be interesting, and oh, so satisfying.

************************

White Coat could hear and feel the excitement in the pack; they were getting close to his property. They'd veered somewhat off the path, but wherever his property was going he intended to follow, even if it meant going into the heart of volcano.

He was however becoming increasingly annoyed with Security Chief Rabley, and was beginning to seriously think about feeding him to the pack as an appetiser.

He stopped that line of thinking when the pack stopped and began moving to and fro. He frowned. Had they lost the scent? Not possible. More likely, the heat from the volcano was interfering with their senses.

"Clever, I should have realised you'd know what my pets are," he said, more to himself, not expecting an answer.

"Well, being a Time Lord, does sometimes have its advantages," a voice echoed from above. "Especially when it comes to confusing Weryn packs."

If White Coat was surprised, he didn't show it. "Very brave, for a piece of property."

The voice gave a short, derisive-sounding laugh. "There you go again, always thinking like a business man. Two things, you are certainly not a business man, and I am no-one's property."

White Coat smiled. "Brave words, for someone who's hiding."

There was silence and then the shuffle of feet, and his property stood up, appearing from behind a large section of rock.

"There, is that better, shall I paint a target on my chest, or better still, shall we see how good your pets are?"

The figure jumped down from its perch and landed a few feet from the confused pack of Weryn.

White Coat noticed something silver flashing in his property's hand.

"Well, shall we see!" it said and darted away, kicking up dust as it sprinted away.

The pack, no longer confused, sensed the hunt was on again, and before White Coat could stop them, they gave a collective hiss and flowed after the figure.

White Coat cursed. "Come on, Rabley, move, before they rip it to shreds!"

He really should be replaced, White Coat thought as they ran after the pack and the figure they were chasing. He did for a few seconds wonder why his property was suddenly so bold, after it had been so terrified of him, and why it looked so fit as it sped away. But that thought was fleeting. This was going to be good sport.

*********************************

Jack and Silas, well, mostly Jack, ran down the tunnel at full pelt. Jack's speed was increased by his need to stop the Doctor committing a well intentioned but useless suicide. Twice he'd called for Silas to hurry but the man never increased his pace, either because he couldn't, or wouldn't.

His patience finally giving out, he stopped, turned and waited for Silas.

"What is your problem, I can't wait or slow down, either keep up or stay behind!" he snapped.

Silas didn't flinch but pulled himself up to his full height, an angry look on his face. "Captain Harkness, have you actually thought that the Doctor may not wish to be stopped and that by trying, you may go against his wishes."

Jack bristled at the words. "I am not going to let him throw his life away, not because of some lab-coated bastard. You don't have the right to tell me what I should do, he's my friend, not yours."

"Really, and tell me, what has friendship to do with this. If you stop him, do you think your friendship will still continue? "

Jack was about to reply with an acidic answer when the sounds of someone, no, two someones, echoed up the tunnel.

Jack forgot about the argument they were having and gestured for Silas to back away into the shadows.

Jack held his breath as the footsteps came closer. He waited, waited, until the first figure was within striking distance, and then he pounced, grabbing the figure around the neck and twisting one arm behind the figure's back.

"Oww!" a familiar voice said, and then Jack heard another familiar voice.

"Captain Harkness!"

He looked up at the sound of the voice. "Grax? Grax!" he yelled and let go of the struggling figure that turned out to be Sara. "Oh, thank god! I thought White Coat had got you."

Sara straightened her clothes and smiled. "We thought you'd be dead by now, chasing after that crazy Time Lord."

She stopped when Silas appeared from the shadows, his hood now up, hiding his face.

"This is Silas, he helped me find the Doctor," Jack said.

Sara took a step forward. "Silas, as in Silas Manton, White Coat's chief researcher," she said and pulled out her side-arm and aimed at him.

"Whoa! Whoa!" Jack said and stepped in front of Silas, shielding him from her.

"Get out of my way, Jack, he's responsible for crimes against multiple species!" Sara snarled.

"I know, but he's on our side now, he's helping us. Give him a chance," Jack said, not moving from in front of Silas.

"No, not this time, he doesn't deserve a second chance!" she yelled. "Now move! I won't hesitate to shoot you as well!"

A yellow furred hand placed itself over the barrel of her gun. It was Grax.

"Sara, whatever his past crimes are, they can be dealt with another time. We must find the Time Lord and leave this place."

"That may be more difficult than you think," Jack said.

*************************************

The Doctor could feel the thrill of the chase. It made his hearts pound, his blood race. He really shouldn't feel this good. Revenge was supposed to bitter, wasn't it? Well, he'd always been taught that, but since the Time War and his increasing mixing with the human race, he was beginning to understand why humans took revenge. It felt good.

He almost, but not quite, missed his footing and found himself at the edge of what appeared to be the world.

The tunnel abruptly ended in blackness. He hesitated for a second, took a firm grip on the silver box, let out a long breath, and jumped.

Chapter Eighteen

The Doctor had no idea how far he'd fallen, but in the darkness there was no way of seeing, not even with his superior sight.

He expected when he stopped, it would be painful, perhaps even fatal. But then again, to get this far and then fail, well, that just wouldn't be cricket.

The landing, when it did come, wasn't painful or fatal, but it was a little surreal. He landed on what seemed to be a cushion of air, which to his mind, seemed a little incongruous with what took place down here.

"Last comforts I guess," he said as he stepped off the air cushion, and onto solid, if very warm, ground.

I must be the first person down here in over three thousand years, he thought as he walked along the tunnel, now lit with the orange glow of the lava that flowed just underneath his feet. No wonder they used hallucinogens, you wouldn't willingly do this. If you did, you'd be insane, which didn't say much for him.

He looked back up the tunnel as he heard the faint sounds of the Weryn pack. They were too distant to be closing in on him, so he still had time. He felt a twinge of regret pull at his conscience. He didn't like doing what he had to do, but sometimes you had to do bad things for the better good.

The sounds faded, so he turned his attention back to the tunnel, knowing that things were not going to get any easier and it would need his full concentration.

*********************************

Sara glared at Silas. Her threat couldn't be more obvious if she'd voiced it.

"Butcher!" was all she said, and turned her attention to Grax and Jack. She caught the tail end of the storyand heard only the words Fires of Redemption.

"Isn't that what your people call this volcano?" she said to Grax.

Grax thought for a moment."No, not the volcano, it's what they called the lava lake. If that is where he has gone, then he will be the first for over three millennia. But we must hurry."

Jack looked at Grax. "Is it unsafe?"

"No, the place, it is, was…" he trailed off.

"Grax? What is it?" Sarah asked.

"It is a place we do not speak of anymore. It is of our past."

"Grax, what is the Fires of Redemption?" she pushed.

"A long time in our past is what it is. Before we became what you would call civilised, the Xanz believed that the volcano was a god, and that it ruled the planet. One village used to make offerings of food from the harvest, and they were happy, knowing that the god was appeased. Then, the volcano became more active, and no matter how much they offered, nothing appeased it. Then the old high priest died, and a new one took his place, but this one was twisted, and persuaded the people that only, and may the gods forgive, he persuaded the people that only sacrificing a person would appease the god. "

Sara breathed. "Human sacrifice."

"More true than you think. They couldn't bear the thought of sacrificing their own people, so in the mistaken believe that it made it acceptable, they began raiding other villages, taking prisoners, and sacrificing them. Soon they became used to the idea, and it carried on, even when they became more civilised, and began to explore the moons of this planet. Anyway to be short, by the time they were contacted by a more educated race, the sacrificial ceremony had become complex, and god knows why, they thought more humane."

"So, this other race, they taught them it was wrong?" Jack asked.

"Oh, yes, but do you know the irony of it. The race that taught us it was wrong, it was the Time Lords, and now the final sacrifice will be a Time Lord. If he succeeds in releasing the Fires of Redemption, there will be no-one left to mourn him."

************************************

White Coat stopped suddenly, as he saw the last of the pack disappear over a ledge. He approached slowly,looked down into the blackness, and saw the tail end of the pack, his property had obviously jumped. He smiled, this made it even more interesting.

"Bring the climbing gear!" he barked, and waited impatiently as a guard ran up with ropes and other equipment.

"Gentlemen, it appears we have a worthy opponent, it seems I under-estimated my property. Shall we?" he said, as he finished his double overhand knot, and stepped back off the edge.

*********************

The Doctor walked cautiously along the tunnel, it may have been a long time since what passed as a religious ceremony was performed down here, but he could smell it, even now, and he knew if he closed his eyes, he would see it, the horror and terror of the victim as the drug wore off. Whatever was down these tunnels was probably dead, but it never hurt to be cautious.

He looked ahead, and when he saw what was in front of him, he stopped.

"This is so not good," he said.

The tunnel had abruptly stopped, and stretched out before him, beyond what even he could see, was a lake, no, more like an ocean of lava, bubbling and hissing, like something alive.

He noticed that the only way across was a narrow slither of rock, only thirty foot or so above the lava.

"This is going to be hot," he said, and slowly put one foot onto the path.

Tentatively, he put weight on the path. The whole thing seemed to move under his foot, and he quickly stepped back.

"Why is it never easy," he groaned, and with far more caution, he stepped out onto the narrow path.

**************************

Jack followed Grax as they scrambled over rocks and bubbling pools of something that wasn't hot water.

"Acid pools, be careful," Grax said, as he jumped over a particularly large pool.

Jack jumped next, and helped Sara and the Silas over it. He could hear Silas struggling for breath. "Are you okay?" he asked.

"Why are you concerned about him, he's no-one," Sara said, her tone more acidic than any pool underneath their feet.

"Because, unlike you, I can see beyond past crimes, and am willing to give a second chance," Jack retorted, and turned back to Silas.

"Are you okay?" he repeated.

"I am fine, my lungs are not so good, but no matter, we must go on," he replied, and pushed past Jack.

Sara went to follow, but Jack grabbed hold of her arm.

"Listen, I don't care about what he's done, that's your problem. All I want to do is find the Doctor. So believe me, if you do anything that stops me, it won't be White Coat you have to worry about," he said.

Sara looked straight at Jack, saw the threat behind the words, knew he would carry it out, and nodded dumbly.

"Good," he said, and turned away, climbing up to join Grax. "How much further?" he said as he joined him.

"After this climb, we should be at the start of the ritual tunnels. But I must warn you, no-one has been down there for three thousand years. There were creatures that lived down here, so I was told, and I do not know whether they are still alive."

Jack nodded. "We'll face it as we find it," he said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Let's go."

************************

The Doctor was halfway across the stone bridge when a different noise to the bubbling of the lava filled his ears.

He stopped, turned, and looked down. To his amazement the lava was shifting, not in the way lava should, almost like it was parting, or something was parting it.

He watched in fascinated nervousness as the lava swirled and moved, and then something began to emerge.

The Doctor took a involuntary step back as the something began to rise out of the lava and kept on rising, ten, twenty, now thirty foot from the lava. He stared at the something in horror and disbelief.

"Not possible," he whispered. "It can't be."

Chapter Nineteen

The something kept rising. It towered over the Doctor, who took an involuntary step back before realising he was on a narrow ledge. He heard the ledge crumbling before he felt the rock give way under his foot.

His arms cart-wheeled, and in the attempt at righting himself, the silver box slipped out of his hand.

"No!" he cried, twisting and reaching for the out-of-reach box. He stared in horror as it fell into the lava and sank beneath the molten surface.

He twisted back, as an ear-splitting screech filled the air. He looked up and realised his mistake. The something hadn't noticed him, not until he'd cried out.

Now he had its full attention, and it didn't look best pleased to see him. It reached out an over large arm, lava eating into the rock as is it reached for him.

He rolled out of the reach of its grasping hand, lava hissing inches away from his head. He scrabbled up, and ducked as a huge hand swept over his head, crying out as droplets of lava caught his face.

The something screeched in frustration, as try as it might, it couldn't get a hold of the little thing that was trying to run from it. With a roar of anger and frustration, it hammered a fist into the lava, sending huge gouts of molten rain metres into the air, and reached for the little thing again.

This time it screeched in triumph as it caught the little thing by one of its arms. It pulled the little thing off the ground and swung it up to its face and stared at it with blazing eyes.

*************************

Jack nearly ran into Grax, as he had stopped suddenly, one hand raised for silence. Then Jack heard why he'd stopped.

Something was moving ahead. No, not moving. Slithering, like a….

Suddenly, Grax let out what sounded very much like a battle cry, and drew a huge blade.

Jack heard an answering hiss, and when Grax moved, he saw what had made the noise…it was the biggest snake he'd ever seen. It must have been a good twenty metres in length, and a fair few metres wide.

Its bared fangs were dripping with venom, and it was aiming straight for Grax, who was now running straight at it!

Ignoring Sara's shouted warning, Jack drew his own blade and ran at the serpent. Instead of facing it jaws on, he ran along its considerable length, found a lower part of its body, and leapt onto it.

The snake hissed as it felt Jack leap onto its back, but it was too pre-occupied with Grax to deal with the annoyance.

Grax dodged as the snake lunged at him, its fangs burying themselves in the floor. Without hesitating, he drove his blade into the skin of the serpent, and tore the blade out instantly.

The snake hissed again, and finally freed its fangs from the rock, and with a speed that belied its size, whipped its head round and sank its fangs into Grax, piercing his back and belly.

"No!!" Sara screamed, frozen in horror, as she saw Grax go down in the jaws of the snake.

Jack bellowed his anger, and running up the snake's back, plunged his own blade straight into what he hoped was its brain.

The serpent convulsed and its jaw widened in a reflex of pain, letting Grax drop limply to the floor. It tried to whip its head round and grab the annoyance on its back, but Jack was already gone and was running back up the length of its body.

He grabbed the still form of Grax right from under the convulsing snake and dragged him away to the relative safety of the rocks.

"Grax, no!" Sara cried above the death throes of the serpent, and looked in horror at her friend's torn body.

She went to touch him, but Jack snatched her hand away. "No, the venom could still be toxic. I think it's too late," he said, placing his fingers against what he hoped was a Xanz pulse point.

He wasn't hopeful of feeling any pulse, but yes, there, only faint, but there. He thanked every god for the glimmer of hope.

"He's still alive, barely. Sara, if we can get to the Doctor, he may be able to make some anti-venom. Sara!" He shook her, when she didn't respond.

"We can't help, but the Doctor might, but we have to go!"

But Sara was un-responsive, and Jack couldn't waste any more time, so he reluctantly left them and continued climbing.

*****************************************

White Coat waited impatiently whilst the rest of the men climbed down. The longer he waited, the further the pack got from his control.

"Hurry or I will shoot you where you stand!" he barked, and was off before the last man had got his feet on the ground.

This, he grumbled to himself, was not going to plan. Even if he did manage to get his property back, he would still have to do a lot of explaining to his employers. The delivery date had expired way too long ago. In fact, he'd been surprised as to why no-one had turned up to see why delivery was so late.

He was glad that they hadn't, as he was so near to his prize, that this time, once it had been retrieved, he would make sure it never got away again.

"Come on, the pack are getting away!" he called down the tunnel.

*******************************

The Doctor really wanted to get away from the thing that had risen out of the lava. He'd managed to avoid the sweep of its huge arm, but had been showered in lava. He tensed, waiting for the burn to begin, but frowned when it didn't happen.

He reached up and touched his face. His skin should be blistered, burnt away, but there was nothing. He caught the movement of the arm again in his peripheral vision and went to move.

He wasn't quick enough, and the something clamped what should be a scorching hot hand round his arm and he felt himself lifted off the ground and swung out over what was definitely hot lava.

The something swung him level with its face and looked at him with glowing red eyes, and he felt very much like an entrée. He closed his eyes, hoping it just swallowed him whole and didn't chew.

What he wasn't expecting was for it to speak.

"You should not be here!" it rumbled.

**************************

Jack scrambled over the last of the rocks and ran down the tunnel. He'd gotten halfway when he heard the roar of something up ahead. In fact, it sounded like an angry something.

Then he heard someone cry out, and he recognised the voice, and gathering speed, he sprinted the rest of the way and skidded to a halt.

He found himself on a ledge, with the lava lake below him. But it wasn't the lava that drew his attention; it was the thing that was standing in the lava lake.

But it wasn't the something that made his stomach tighten; it was what the something held in one of its massive hands.

Chapter Twenty

Jack couldn't move, paralysed as he was with indecision, he knew he had to get to the Doctor, before that thing killed him. If he ran back, he would probably get lost, and the Doctor would die. He couldn't climb across, as he would certainly fall, and the Doctor would still die, along with himself.

He looked round in panic, furiously thinking of how he could distract the thing, and then he heard the thing speak.

"You should not be here!" it rumbled, and Jack tensed as it started to lower the Doctor towards the boiling lava.

He looked round in panic again, and this time spotted a pile of rocks. He quickly grabbed one he could throw, and with his best pitch hurled the rock across the lava, hoping it would hit its target.

The creature twitched as it felt something hit its back. It twisted round, the Doctor still held firmly in its grasp.

Jack stepped back a few steps, glad that he'd distracted the thing but horrified that it still held the Doctor in its hand, that wasn't the plan.

He was about to find another rock when something caught his eyes. Whatever it was it was flowing across the rock wall, and was heading towards the creature.

A loud hissing screech filled the air, and the creature turned back and answered the hissing with an ear-shattering roar. It swung back, and dropped the Doctor back onto the rock path, and moved towards the flowing mass.

It roared its frustration as the mass backed away, stopping just out of reach of the creature.

*********************

Jack jumped when the creature roared and dropped the Doctor. He desperately wanted to get across, as the Doctor landed in a crumpled heap and didn't move.

He knew that he had to chance going back. If he continued on down, he must surely come across the entrance below.

He took one last look at the scene, the collapsed Doctor, a tiny speck against the huge something that was swiping uselessly at the mass of something's on the wall, and went to turn.

************************

White Coat heard the roar of something in the distance; it sounded like the pack had found something other than his property.

"Hurry up!" he barked at the guards.

Rabley, who by now was way beyond his remit as security chief, chivvied them along, eager not to annoy White Coat. "Sir, what do we do if your property refuses to come along?"

White Coat smiled. "That's why I've brought along some enticement." He took out a box, and opened it.

Inside a black crystal glowed, and Rabley could feel its malevolence. He backed away and fell back with his men, wanting to get away from it.

White Coat stopped when they came to the end of the tunnel, and his smiled broadened when he saw the crumpled figure of his property. This was going to be easier than he thought.

He stepped out onto the narrow path, stopping once more.

The size of the creature was impressive, and its roar echoed around the chamber.

"Oh, I have to add you to my collection," he said. "But for now, you are between me and my property."

He took a small metallic sphere from his pocket, walked over to the edge of the path, and casually dropped it into the lava.

The effect was almost instant. The lava began to harden and spread quickly, until it reached the creature. It reacted by trying to move away, but found it couldn't, and roared its annoyance.

White Coat ignored the creature and turned back to the still unconscious Doctor.

*******************

As Jack went to turn, he saw a flash of white. He froze, his blood chilling, even in the heat………..White Coat!

Jack watched in horror as White Coat walked towards the edge of the path and dropped something into the lava. He didn't move as he watched the lava harden and entrap the creature.

He watched helplessly as White Coat walked over to the Doctor, then turned.

He tried to duck back into the tunnel, but White Coat shouted.

"There's no point in hiding, Captain, I know you're there! It seems I win again, you're such a disappointment, no challenge at all! Bring those shackles!" he ordered.

Jack watched, his anger burning, as the Doctor was shackled and dragged upright, still unconscious.

*********************

The Doctor came round when he felt something cold against his neck. As he focused, an all too familiar face swam into view, and he was almost sick…White Coat.

"Welcome back, you'll have to forgive the shackles and the collar, but I can't have you running again. I've also added something extra, to ensure compliance."

White Coat took out a small device. "Observe, Captain!" he shouted.

The Doctor looked up and saw Jack standing on a ledge, his face taut with anger. Then his world was filled with pain.

Jack stiffened with rage, and stepped right to the end of the ledge. "You bastard! I'll snap your scrawny neck!" he roared.

White Coat laughed. "Really, from over there, I don't think so!"

He turned away, ignoring Jack's shouted threats, and focused on the pain stricken Doctor.

"Get him up!" he ordered the guards, and stood back while they hauled him up, eliciting a cry of pain from him.

"Be quiet, more noise equals more pain!" White Coat snarled, and backhanded the Doctor. "Now, say your goodbyes to the Captain, it'll be the last time you see him."

White Coat turned towards the pack, which was moving restlessly, sensing prey other than the creature. "Attack!" White Coat barked, and the pack flowed towards…..Jack.

********************

The Doctor looked on in horror, fear rising like fire in his gut, and then he felt something.

He turned his head despite the pain, and there, only a few feet from one of the guards, was a wooden box.

A voice suddenly whispered to him."Yes, now, let me help."

Making sure all eyes were turned towards the advancing pack, he slowly moved closer, and then grabbed the box. With an almost silent click, the lid opened, and light began to emanate from inside.

"Yes, let me in, I can save your Captain," the voice said softly.

The Doctor stared at the crystal, then looked over at Jack, and then at White Coat's back. Decision made, he grabbed the crystal, watching as the light leeched from it, into his hand, then up his arm, towards his head, and then he felt nothing but rage.

*******************

White Coat watched with amusement as the pack advanced towards Jack.

The Captain didn't move, making this too easy for the pack. The kill should be painful, and entertaining.

"If I were you, I would call the pack back," a voice said behind him.

He turned to see his property was standing, a now dark crystal in its hand. He looked into the eyes of his property and saw only molten lava.

"I knew it, the writings were true, there was something trapped inside,the god of this mountain, and I control it."

His property stretched, and dropped the crystal. It placed a hand on the collar, and it began to glow, until it was white hot, and melted away, along with the shackles.

"Three thousand years I've been waiting to be free, do you really think mere shackles would hold me, and that you a mere mortal could control me. Now, as I said, call back the pack."

White Coat said nothing, just smiled.

His property looked at him, eyes blazing brighter. "Fine, shall we see what a god can do," it said and stretched out a hand.

White Coat and the guards turned when a crackling sound rose from the lava.

The lava was beginning to bubble and crack, and the creature was beginning to move.

"Come to me, obey your master!" the thing inhabiting the Doctor called, and the creature moved, faster than expected, and reached for the nearest guard.

Chapter Twenty One

Jack watched everything in horrific slow-motion. He'd seen the Doctor reach for something and had seen him stiffen as a light crept up his body. He knew then what the Doctor had done, and something inside him broke.

The Doctor had sacrificed himself to that thing, just to save him, but in doing so, what had he sacrificed himself to.

He now watched as the creature reached for the nearest guard, snatched him up, and dropped him screaming into the boiling lava, and after that, panic reigned.

Guards scattered as the creature swept an arm across the path, sweeping two more guards into the lava, and the rest, along with Rabley and White Coat, fled into the tunnel.

****************************

"Cowards!" the Doctor/god roared. "Enough!" he snapped at the creature, who stopped dead.

The Doctor/god stepped up to the edge of the path. "Finish," he said, and the creature sank beneath the lava.

"Separate," the Doctor/god said, and gestured across the now almost still lava. A huge gobbet began to flow upwards, and then separated into two.

The Doctor/god gestured towards the still advancing pack, and one part flowed towards it.

He gestured at the other part and it began to reform, into things with long claws and wings. "Find the White Coat, bring him to me, kill the rest."

The creatures hissed and half ran and half flew into the tunnel, and out of earshot.

********************

Jack took his eyes of the Doctor/god just long enough to see the pack being attacked by the lava. He looked back to the path, and the Doctor/god was gone.

"What the…" he began, but froze when he heard a voice behind him.

"Hello, Jack."

Jack turned and found himself facing the Doctor/god, eyes glowing molten orange, a cruel smile twisting a once friendly face.

"It is Jack, isn't it? At least that's what he calls you. I was going to kill you, for keeping my new host away from me, but you took me away from that stupid mortal, but there's something…"

The Doctor/god stopped and narrowed his eyes. He stepped right up to Jack, and took in a deep breath. "There's something different about you, Jack. What is it?" he said, and took another breath.

"What is different about you, Jack? What is it? Tell me, Jack?"

Jack blinked, if this thing was a god, it should know. In the blackness that had filled his heart, a glimmer of hope sparked. This thing didn't know he was immortal, could that mean that the Doctor was still in there and fighting.

So, he grabbed that spark, and ran with it.

"What, you don't know? I thought gods knew everything, maybe you're not a god at all," he said, trying to put as much disdain in his voice as he could muster.

The Doctor/god laughed. "Oh, very good, try and make the god angry. I've decided, if I don't know what you are, you're of no use to me. So, I think I'll kill you."

Jack tensed, knowing there was no escape, trapped as he was on the ledge.

"Really, and what would he have to say about that?" he said.

The Doctor/god didn't reply, but the sneer on his lips, said it all, and he reached for Jack.

****************************

White Coat ran. He could hear the creatures behind him, could hear the sounds of men being torn apart.

He knew he had to keep going, had to escape. He didn't care about the guards being eaten alive back in the tunnel, all he cared about was how he could get control of his property, and the power it now possessed.

So he ran, leaving behind everyone else, he ran and hid, and listened to the sounds of people dying.

*****************************

Sara blinked; she couldn't focus on anything but Grax. She didn't even notice when Silas slipped away. She didn't even hear the screams of men dying or the sounds of ripping flesh.

All she could focus on was the breathing of her friend, the increasingly ragged rise and fall of his chest.

Silent tears ran down her face, when Grax let out one last shuddering breath, and then was still.

***********************************************

Jack closed his eyes, said a silent goodbye to the Doctor, and waited for death.

It never came.

Cautiously, he opened his eyes and found he was still alive.

The Doctor/god was standing still, frozen, like a statue, in mid-reach.

Jack let out a relieved breath and stared at the Doctor/god. Had the Doctor done this, was he still in there and fighting?

He went to touch the Doctor/god's face, but a pair of hands shot up, and clamped themselves to Jack's head.

Jack's knees almost buckled, as he was assaulted by the Time Lord's mind, his limited psychic training almost collapsing under the intensity.

"Jack, listen," the Doctor's voice echoed in his head; it sounded urgent and almost panicky. "I don't have much time. You have to go, go now!"

Jack tried to answer, but the Doctor was too strong.

"Leave, Jack, find any survivors and leave. I have to finish this!"

The Doctor/god's hold on Jack's head was suddenly broken, and Jack stared into brown eyes, filled with the pain of some internal struggle, the body trembling with effort.

"Doctor?" Jack said.

But the Doctor wasn't seeing Jack. "Go, Jack, please, it'll kill you if you stay."

Jack saw molten sparks in the Doctor's eyes. "I'll come back, I promise," he said, and stepped round the trembling Time Lord, and ran.

************************

The Doctor felt the thing pounding against the barrier he'd thrown around it. He could feel it crack, even as he was forcing Jack to leave. He would have to act fast.

"I hope this works, Silas," he said, and forced a trembling hand up to his neck and pressed behind his ear.

He felt the change instantly, and as he felt the barrier begin to weaken, he walked to the edge, looked down at the boiling lava, and stepped off.

Chapter Twenty Two

Jack ran, his heart screaming at his mind to go back, go back and stop the Doctor from killing himself. He skidded to a halt at the place he'd left Sara, a mortally injured Grax, and Silas...wait a minute, where was Silas?

"Sara, we have to go. I think this place is going to blow!" As he said that, the ground rumbled under his feet.

Sara shook her head. "I'm not leaving him!"

Jack crouched down, felt for a pulse, but found none. Hardening his heart, he stood, grabbed hold of Sara's wrist, and pulled her up. "He's dead, and we are leaving!" he yelled over the increasing rumble. He grabbed Sara's wrist, yanked her away from Grax's body, and began pulling her down the tunnel.

********************

This is the oddest feeling, the Doctor thought as his body sank into the lava. The pain should be intense, and he should be a cinder by now.

Instead, he felt his feet hit solid ground and the lava flowed around him, almost like it was going out of its way to avoid him.

Just when he thought it couldn't get any odder, he saw a path in front of him. He couldn't feel the thing inside; it must have something to do with all of this, he thought.

He walked along the lava lined path, which ended in a chamber, which was empty except for a large crystal sphere, mounted on a dais. He approached the steps when he felt the thing inside stir.

"No, you don't want to go near that," it said.

"Oh, but I do. I really hate people, well things hijacking my body. So, its eviction time, and I don't mean in a Big Brother sort of way," the Doctor answered, and started to climb the steps.

"Listen," the thing inside said silkily. "We can share, yes. You can have time free of me, and I of you. Don't you want to more than just a Time Lord?"

"No, thanks, what I want is you out of my head," the Doctor replied.

"You will die here, if you do this!" it hissed.

"Ahh, there's the real you," the Doctor said. "Then we'll die together."

"No, I will find another host. I will survive."

"I don't think you'll find a new host down here. It's just you and me."

The Doctor climbed the last few steps, but as he reached the last step, his leg muscles seized, and he fell to his knees.

"I will not let you exorcise me, you are nothing without me!" it hissed.

The Doctor grimaced, gritted his teeth, and forced his legs to move, and he crawled up the last step, using the frame of the sphere to haul himself up.

"If you do not stop, I will stop one of your hearts. I only need to keep one going to keep you alive."

"Fine, but you're still going," the Doctor ground out, and placed one hand on the sphere.

The sphere glowed briefly, and the floor rumbled under the Doctor's knees.

"It still works, then," he mumbled. He grabbed the framework again and began pulling himself up.

"Try this, and I will make you kill everyone you love!" the thing snarled.

The Doctor ignored it, and by sheer force of will, got to his feet.

"Even those not in this reality!" it hissed.

The Doctor hesitated, but then carried on. "No, your threats mean nothing!" he spat, and clamped his hands on the sphere.

Excruciating pain passed through his body as the thing inside squeezed one of his hearts and searing heat passed through his hands.

His scream echoed around the empty chamber , but there was no-one to hear, no-one to feel the agony of it with him, and the thing inside him laughed.

********************

Jack and Sara were knocked of their feet as the ground shifted underneath them. They scrambled to their feet, Jack grabbed Sara's hand and went to run again.

They only got a few feet when a bullet bit into the rock just in front of Jack, causing them to come to a sudden halt.

"That's far enough, captain!" a voice rang out from above.

They both looked up, and on a ledge about ten foot up was White Coat, gun trained on them, trying to keep his balance on the unstable ground.

"You crazy bastard, this place is coming apart!" Jack shouted.

"Indeed, but my property is still inside, and I intend to retrieve it. I have a delivery date to meet."

Sara suddenly touched Jack's elbow, and whispered in his ear. "Look."

Jack then noticed a robed figure slowly inching towards White Coat.

"If you don't mind just staying there, while I climb down. I will shoot the young lady if you try and move," White Coat gestured towards Sara with his weapon. "Then again, why wait."

He aimed the gun at Sara, and Silas made his move.

"No, you will harm no-one!" he yelled and moved towards White Coat.

Silas was quick, but not quick enough. White Coat turned and fired without hesitation.

Silas staggered, and as he died, he threw himself at White Coat and they tumbled off the ledge.

*********************

Jack and Sara were too stunned to react as the pair rolled down the slope and lay still. After a few moments White Coat stirred and started to get up.

Jack shook himself out of his shock and saw White Coat moving. With an inarticulate snarl, he closed the gap between them, White Coat trying to scramble away, hand searching for his dropped weapon.

"I told you what I would do, if I got my hands on you," Jack snarled, and reached for White Coat.

*************************

The Doctor could hear himself screaming, felt his heart slow. "No, you are not using me," he groaned. He blinked sweat from his eyes, but his vision was blurred with pain.

"You will submit to me!" it hissed.

"No!" he cried, and the sphere began to glow brighter. "No, no, no!"

The ground began shifting beneath the Doctor's feet, and small cracks began to appear in the walls of the chamber. Lava began to seep through, white hot and deadly.

"Like I said, we die together!" he cried, and the light from the sphere became incandescent.

The thing inside screamed its defiance. "I am a god, I will not be defied!"

"God or not, you're going!" the Doctor yelled.

The thing inside changed tactics. "Please, I beg of you, do not send me there, it is hell for me!" it wailed.

"Then go to hell!" the Doctor spat, and black light began to pour from his eyes, nose and mouth.

The black light was sucked into the glowing sphere and it swirled round the edges, gradually shrinking to nothing.

The screams of the thing faded away but the Doctor didn't move, too exhausted. He could feel the heat from the lava, the ground heaving under him, and somewhere deeper in the volcano, something gave way.

******************************

Jack had White Coat by the throat, and was starting to twist his head when the ground shifted under him and gave a deep rumbling groan.

Sara steadied herself. That sounded different. The volcano! It was going to blow! She looked at Jack, his hands round White Coat's throat, a feral snarl fixed on his face.

"Jack!" she cried. "Leave him, this thing is going to blow!"

Jack looked at Sara, and the Doctor's words came back to him, and he dropped White Coat. He hauled him up to his face and snarled.

"I should kill you myself, but I have a promise to keep, so I'll let this place do it," and let White Coat drop to the floor.

He didn't even look back as Sara ran ahead, showing him the way out.

*********************

The Doctor managed to crawl away from the sphere, but he couldn't move any further. The lava was pooling on the chamber floor, and his legs wouldn't listen to his brain.

This is it then, he thought. There could have been better ways to go, and he would liked to have said goodbye.

He watched as the lava began to creep up the steps, Soon, he would either burn in the stuff or die from heat stroke, both painful, and neither preferable.

His mind wandered to that beach. At least she was safe, safe and he hoped happy, with him. He hoped he wouldn't suffer too much when he felt him pass, he didn't want that.

He glanced one more time at the advancing lava, closed his eyes and whispered, "Goodbye, Rose."

Chapter Twenty Three

Sara and Jack burst out of the tunnel into the open, the ground still shifting under their feet. Ash and pumice filled the air, raining down on the pair as they ran.

Jack chanced a look back. Lava was pouring out of the volcano, sickly yellow smoke rising in the air. The whole volcano was shaking like some giant firecracker waiting to explode.

He knew they were never going to make it to safety; the fuse was nearly used up. He just hoped, when it came, it would be quick and painless.

The sudden sound of an engine came over the rumblings of the volcano and a shuttle flew over them, landing a few feet away.

The hatch popped open, and Major Hanson leaned out. "Come on!" he yelled, and stepped aside as the pair scrambled inside.

"Go!" the Major barked, and slammed the door on Jack's rear as he stumbled in.

The pair lay exhausted as the shuttle ascended, the sounds of pumice and heavier debris hitting the shuttle ringing in their ears.

**************************

The Doctor opened his eyes and realised he wasn't dead. Well, not yet. He was surprised to see the lava had stopped rising and was lapping at the last few steps like the sea on the shore.

His attention was then taken by the sphere, which seemed to be glowing, and impossibly, it was expanding.

The light touched one of his outstretched legs and a ripple of unease went through him, ending in disorientating dizziness and nausea.

He tried to shift his leg, but found he couldn't.

The light spread to his other leg, and began creeping up both legs, and he looked round in panic as the sphere began to encase him.

The nausea increased at the same rate as the light increased, and the sphere expanded. He closed his eyes, tried to fight the disorientation.

He was quite unprepared for the sound of someone clearing their throat.

"Ahem, it really won't help closing your eyes. In fact, it makes it worse," the voice said, and as the Doctor opened his eyes, the owner of the voice stepped into view.

"Oh, my…" was all he could say.

*****************************

Jack stood next to the Major, watching the monitor.

The volcano had erupted violently, taking the mountain with it, and the research base, and whoever was trapped inside.

Jack didn't care about them; all he cared about was the Doctor, whose tomb was beneath the large crater that had been left by the volcano's violent end.

"I'm sorry about your friend, but if it's any consolation, that bastard White Coat went with him," Major Hanson said.

"Yeah," Jack said absently. He drew in a deep breath and turned away from the monitor. "How's Jason?" he asked.

"He'll survive, another week or so of bed rest. I'm thinking of recommending him for promotion. So captain, what are we going to do about this place?"

Jack sighed. "Most of the civilians had no idea what was going on down there. Torchwood has a drug, called Retcon, it'll wipe their memories, they won't be a problem. Those that were in the know, let UNIT deal with them."

"What about Gen-Med, will you deal with them?"

Jack's expression hardened. "In time," was all he said. "Have you retrieved his ship yet?"

"Yes, that was his ship, it's a little small, and wooden," the Major said.

Jack gave the Major a ghost of a smile and fingered the key in his pocket. What was he going to do with the TARDIS?

"I've contacted the Pentagon, they're liaising with UNIT as we speak. Looks like they'll be a few toppled brass, I'll be busy, when I get back."

"Yeah, well, good luck with that. When I get back, I'll have my people ship the Retcon out."

Major Hanson nodded. "Are you sure you won't stay?"

Deep sadness ran through Jack, and the blackness in his heart expanded. "No, I really can't."

****************************

Your friend, did he have any family?" Sara asked as she walked with Jack towards the TARDIS.

"Of sorts," Jack answered. Dear god, he thought, had the duplicate Doctor felt his passing? What would it do to him and Rose, wherever on Earth they were?

"I'm sorry, I didn't know him, but to do what he did, he must have been someone special," Sara said.

Jack didn't reply. You'll never know, he thought.

They stopped outside the TARDIS. Jack touched the door, but felt nothing.

He turned to Sara. "What about you?"

She smiled. "The surviving Xanz are thinking of returning, making this their homeworld again. They've asked me to go with them, as a sort of Xanz-Human liaison."

Sara touched the wooden frame of the TARDIS. "So, this is his ship. It's unusual, but then again, he was unique, so why not his ship. Can you fly it?"

"If she'll let me," Jack replied.

"She? Is it alive? That's impossible."

"Like a Time Lord? I would show you the inside, but she's probably not at her most sociable right now," Jack said.

Sara stepped back. "Okay, I get the message, well, I guess it's goodbye; then, and I really am sorry."

Jack smiled. "Yeah," he said, unlocked the door, and stepped inside.

***************************

The interior of the TARDIS seemed even bigger without the presence of the large personality that usually inhabited it.

Jack wandered round the console, fingers trailing across the lights and switches. He looked up at the central column.

"What do you say, girl? Will you let this stupid ape be your pilot?"

The TARDIS rumbled at him, and he took that for a yes as the rotor stared to move.

He went to sit down on the pilot's seat, trying not to lose himself in misery. The TARDIS needed him, needed some sort of anchor. He wasn't a Time Lord, he couldn't have the same bond, but at least he could offer her company.

The tone of the TARDIS'S engine suddenly changed. He sat up; they couldn't be back on Earth already.

The thump of the TARDIS landing, and the small shift as she settled, told Jack that they must be.

"Hey, Doc, we've…" he started to say, but stopped as his voice echoed round the empty chamber.

Squaring his shoulders, he walked down the ramp, opened the door, expecting to see Cardiff.

But what he saw wasn't the Hub.

*****************************

The remains of a smoking volcano filled his eyes, along with the crater it had left.

Why had the TARDIS landed here? Was she so full of grief that she wanted to be near her Time Lord?

Jack then felt the mental equivalent of a 'why are you still standing here?"

Then his eyes widened, no…could he be?

He ran, straight towards the crater, and only stopped, when the ground fell away.

The crater was huge; the whole volcano had disappeared in the cataclysm.

But it wasn't the size of the crater or the crater itself that drew Jack's attention. It was the tiny figure lying right in the middle of it.

"No, it can't be?" he breathed, and started traversing the crater's side.

As he got closer, he could see the figure was human in form. If by some miracle he had survived, was it still his Doctor, or had he regenerated? Would he even know him?

He stopped when the crater shifted under his feet. It was still unstable and could collapse at any moment. Doctor or not, he needed to save the person.

He descended the rest of the crater at speed, and it was only as he came closer that he could he see the person clearly. He could see a shock of unruly hair and a fine boned hand outstretched by the figure's head.

The ground moved again, and the figure groaned and shifted.

Jack's heart almost stopped as he took in the fine facial features of his Doctor, and he thanked the universe for her mercy.

A sharp crack like thunder startled him from his joy. He looked up; a huge split had appeared on the opposite side of the crater.

He hurried over to the Doctor, scooped him up, and began climbing the now heaving crater.

As he struggled over the edge of the crater, an ear-splitting crack preceded the collapse of one side of the crater, causing a rippling effect as the whole crater collapsed in on itself.

But Jack never stopped; he didn't stop until he was inside the TARDIS, who rumbled her joy at the return of her very much alive Time Lord.

Jack ignored the sound of the TARDIS de-materialising. He collapsed, the Doctor cradled in his arms, emotional and physical exhaustion taking hold, and he fell into an exhausted slumber.

*******************

That was how the rest of Torchwood found him, arms tightly wrapped round the Doctor, after the TARDIS had landed rather unceremoniously in the middle of Hub central.

Jack stirred when he felt someone shake him gently. He reluctantly opened his eyes and panicked when he found his arms empty.

"Hey, it's okay," the owner of the gentle shaking said.

Jack looked up, his eyes widening in surprise. "Ianto, how……… where is he?" he said, panic rising again.

"Don't worry, he's with Martha, and you're back home," Ianto said, placing a glass of water in his hand.

"I need to see him," Jack said, and went to get out of the bed he found he was in.

Ianto put a restraining hand on his chest. "No, Martha said you need to rest, so it's eat, drink, and sleep."

Jack tried to get up again, but Ianto forcefully pushed him down.

"Jack, he's not going anywhere, he needs rest too. So please, rest," he pleaded.

Jack finally acquiesced and let Ianto bring him some food, and it was as his head hit the pillow, he realised how tired he was.

*****************

The Doctor stirred, and Martha was at his side straightaway.

He opened weary eyes, and Martha's face swam into view. "Martha Jones," he whispered. "So this is the afterlife then," he smiled, and closed his eyes again.

Martha smiled, and moved a strand of unruly hair from his forehead."No, not yet," she said.

************************

Jack woke suddenly, images of the volcano and the Doctor's last words flashing through his head. He shot up, bathed in sweat, looking around him in panic, unsure of where he was.

He blinked, then remembered he was home, home and with….the Doctor!

This time, he wasn't going to let anyone stop him. He pushed Ianto aside and ran down the steps to the med-bay.

Martha had just stepped out, and barred his way.

"Out of my way, Martha," he growled, and went to move past her.

"No, Jack, he's sleeping, you'll have to wait," she said.

"Martha," he growled.

"No, let him sleep, he needs it, please," she said, and Jack heard something in her voice…concern?

"Martha, what's wrong?"

She hesitated. "There's damage to one of his hearts. Like it's been crushed."

"Is he?" Jack's face dropped, fearing the answer.

"No, it' recovering, slowly. He'll be out of action for a while."

"Martha, let me see him, please," he begged.

Martha looked at Jack, could see the distress on his face,. "Alright, but don't stress him, okay."

"Thank you, Jack said, as she stepped aside.

****************************

The Doctor opened his eyes again. He could feel the irregular beat of the heart the thing had tried to crush. He could feel the damage, feel it healing, slowly.

This couldn't be the afterlife; it was too painful to be. What had he seen inside that sphere? He couldn't remember; it was just a blur.

He heard the door open, and tried to lift his head, to see who it was, but his chest hurt too much.

Jack moved closer, and stood by the bed. "You know, for someone who only has thirteen lives, you do a good job in trying to scare them out of you," he smiled.

The Doctor tried to sit up, but failed. "A little help here," he said testily, and although he knew Martha would kill him, sat up with Jack's help.

"Jack, I need to..." he began.

But Jack interrupted, and put a finger to the Doctor's lips. "You don't have to say anything, what happened, happened. That bastard White Coat is dead, that thing is dead, and you aren't, that's all I need to know."

"No, Jack, something happened down there, not just that thing dying, something, not really sure what. I should be dead, still don't know why I'm not. But when I thought I was dying, it made me think about secrets and truths."

Jack straightened, he'd never heard the Doctor talk like this.

"Whatever saved me, was giving me a shot at redemption, a second chance. Back before Cold Runs Deep, you asked me about Rose and the others, well…"

***********************

One month later

Jack walked with the Doctor, across the Plaza, where the TARDIS now stood, drinking in Rift energy.

They stopped by the door, and the Doctor placed a hand on the wooden frame. He shuddered as the TARDIS rumbled her greeting, and closing his eyes, he whispered something in his own language.

After a few moments, he opened his eyes and stepped away.

"Are you sure you won't stay, just another week?" Jack asked.

"No, Jack, I need to go away, think for a bit. Don't worry, I won't drop off the radar," he said, as he saw Jack's reaction to his words.

"You have my cell number, but no calling me at two in the morning and making inappropriate suggestions."

Jack laughed, and pulled the Doctor into a hug. "You wish," he whispered into the Doctor's ear.

"Jack," the Doctor said, pulling away from the embrace, one eyebrow raised in mock disgust.

"Okay, okay, but be careful," Jack said.

The Doctor turned, unlocked the TARDIS door, and turned back to Jack.

"Always," he grinned, and with a swish of his coat, he was inside the TARDIS, which began to fade, as soon as the door was closed.

"Like you ever are," Jack said, turning away, back to the Hub, back to his life, back to that team of his.

****************

Epilogue

The limousine pulled up next to the person standing on the runway. The door opened, and the figure got in.

Well, do we have a delivery?"

"Not exactly, there's been a complication."

"Complication, what sort of complication, and take that filthy white coat off, you're soiling the leather."

TBC in "Bitter Vengeance"