CHAPTER 1

Seth slumbered into the kitchen, his eyes barley open.

"Hey, you know how in ancient times when the weather was bad they would sacrifice someone so the gods would make it better" he quipped as he sat down.

"You volunteering buddy?" replied Ryan, not taking his eyes off the morning paper.

"Ah, I see my humor is rubbing off on you' he replied dryly as he poured his cereal. He then turned to his adopted brother.

"Hey, you think that goes both ways? Maybe now I'm a tough guy who can knock out someone with one punch"

"Son, if I were you, I wouldn't put that theory to the test" commented Sandy as he put the spread on his beagle.

"Mom! Dad and Ryan are making fun of me!" whined Seth.

"Honey, I really don't have the time right now" Kristen said as she entered, in her business clothes, a piece of toast being held on to by her mouth.

"Please don't tell me you're going be at work all day again?" asked Sandy.

"I know, I'm sorry, it's this new client of ours. They're building this new science center, and they're worried about security."

"Yeah, you build a science center, you might as well leave out the carpet for thieves" commented Seth.

"I know, Dad and I keep telling them they're worrying about nothing, but they keep insisting to see us. I don't know, maybe it's cultural or something, they're British" answered Kirsten as she searched her purse for her keys.

"British, huh?" said Ryan.

"Yeah, they're called International Electromatics."

Seth's head jerked up.

"International Electromatics?"

His family all looked at him, confused.

"Yeah, you heard of them?" asked Kirsten.

"Yeah, back in the '60s they were the biggest computer company around. Their computer chips were, like, decades ahead of their time. The head of the British Rocket Group said if it weren't for them, there was no way they would landed on Mars."

He then noticed the look on his family's faces.

"What?"

Ryan sighed.

"You are such a nerd" he said as he got up.

"Really? Well, would a nerd be spending the day with Summer Roberts?"

"I wouldn't have though so, but apparently yes" answered Ryan as he put his plate in the dishwasher and stepped outside.

"Where are you going?" asked Sandy.

"I'm going to go for a run, I should be back in an hour or two."

"Oh, good, I was feeling good about my body lately, but that takes cares of that."

Ryan turned around to face Seth.

"Seth, piece of advice: don't tell Summer you pay attention to my body, it won't reflect well.'

Seth gave him the finger.

- - - - -

The beach was crowded that day, no surprise given the heat. Marissa Cooper and Summer Roberts had come there to take in some sun, but after three different spots ended with three different kids falling on them, they decided to pack up.

"So, Seth tells me Theresa's gone" said Summer, trying to start up a conversation.

"Yeah, she said she missed Chino" answered Marissa, not comfortable with the subject.

"So, does that mean you and Ryan…?"

"I don't know. We're still dealing with the…Oliver thing."

"Oh yeah. That."

"He doesn't trust me. And why should he, because clearly I didn't trust him."

"Well, and don't tell Ryan or Seth I said this, but why should have you? He broke into the school, he stole a letter from your locker, he was acting like a crazy stalker."

"Yeah, I don't think telling him that is going to make him want to take back."

Summer sighed.

"You know, he called me yesterday" Marissa began.

"Ryan?"

"No, Oliver."

Summer's eyes went wide with panic.

"Oh God, what he did you say? Did you call the police-"

"No, he's still in the hospital. He just…wanted to apologize. He said he was getting new pills, that he's getting better, and that when they let him out, his parents were proably going to move him across the country."

"What did you say?"

Marissa shrugged.

"I accepted, what could I have done? He was sick, and he never tried to hurt me."

"How do you think Ryan's going to react?"

"He won't, because I'm not going to tell him, and neither are you."

"Gotcha, Coop, you can count of me."

"You can't tell Seth, either."

"What? Oh come on, Coop, that's not fair!" she pleaded. Marissa gave her a glstr, something, Summer thought, she proably picked up from Ryan.

She held up her arms in defeat.

"Fine, fine."

She looked around, to see if there was a spot they could take, when she noticed something weird.

"What's that?" she pointed.

"What's what?"

"That, that blue box."

They both walked up it. It was standing near some trees, out of the way.

"How long has this been here?" asked Summer.

"I don't know, I think it's new" answered Marissa.

They looked up to the top, to see wording.

"'Police Public Call Box'" read Marissa.

"Here, on the other side, there's a sign on the door" gestured Summer.

POLICE TELEPHONE

FREE

FOR USE OF

PUBLIC

ADVICE & ASSITANCE

OBTAINABLE IMMEDATLEY

OFFICER & CARS

RESPOND TO ALL CALLS

PULL TO OPEN

"I guess it's to call the police, like if your cell phone dies or something" Summer guessed.

"Why does it look so old, then? And why is it here, where most people won't notice?"

Summer shrugged, and then tried to open the door. However, it wouldn't budge.

"Here, let me try" offered Marissa, as she tried to open it. No luck.

"Well, it's old, maybe it welted or something" offered Summer.

"I hope. I don't think we're that weak, are we?"

Summer smiled. She then looked at her watch.

"Ooh! I'm sorry, Coop, but I have this thing with Cohen."

"Don't worry about it. I can whine to you tonight"

They hugged, and Summer took off. Marissa decided to head home, but stared at the blue box a little longer. There was something about it…

- - -

As Ryan ran along the beach, something occurred to him.

He was actually fitting in here. Here, Newport.

He remembered when he first came here, when the Cohens and Marissa were seemingly the only ones who didn't act like he was about to mug them. Slowly, though, more and more opened up to him. First Summer, then Luke, of all people. Now, it seemed like the students at Harbor saw him as one of them. Their parents were a different story, but at least now they kept their whispers when he wasn't around. Even Kirsten's father, Caleb, seemed to have reluctantly accepted him, if only to please Kirsten. He hadn't even said anything to him after fight with Eddie when he got his Man of the Year award.

Of course, he felt trusted before. Back before Oliver.

He knew that kid was trouble almost from the start. However, despite his pleas, the people he came to trust thought it was simply jealousy. Ironically, the only allies Ryan found were Luke, who had punched him his first night in Newport, and Julie, Marissa's mother who had once forbidden him to see her.

Of course, they quickly apologized when Oliver revealed his true self. He'd forgiven the Cohens, because, after all, they took a chance with him, he owed them. However, relations with Marissa had suffered, even though part of Ryan wanted to accept her back immediately.

It wouldn't have been like this in Chino. There, he would have told Trey his worries, and the Atwood brothers, along with Arturo and Eddie, would have beat Oliver to a pulp and warn him never to mess with them again. Things in Chino were tough, of course, and he never regretted leaving it, but at times he missed problems that could be solved with fists.

"What the fuck are you trying to pull, Mary Poppins?"

Ryan left his thoughts and turned to see a group of men holding a blonde-haired girl.

"You think we're idiots? You think we're going to fall for fake money!?"

Ryan recognized the group as local pot dealers. Apparently something gone amiss in this attempted purchase.

"I'm sorry, this is all a mistake!" said the girl, in a accent that identified her as British.

"Damn right, one you're going to pay for!" said one of them, as he pulled out a knife.

Ryan sighed, and ran over. Some things were universal, whether in Chino and Newport.

- - -

"Cohen, what are we doing?" asked Summer, annoyed.

Seth sighed and turned here.

"Listen, you know I like the…well, sex. That we have" he started to explain.

"You better have!" yelled Summer.

"All right, all right! But, well, I was thinking we could, well, mix it up every once a while."

"Oh, God, Cohen, I am NOT doing any three-sums!"

"No, no, nothing like that. But I thought, maybe we could do it, you know, somewhere we aren't supposed to."

Summer calmed down. She was interested.

"Listen, my Grandpa built this place for a British company. They're building a science center, but they also have all these storage buildings around Newport. And I heard my mother say they do NOT take well to trespassers.'

Summer smiled. She admitted, the danger did add something to it. They embraced, and leaned against one of the chambers. Summer took off her shirt.

"Okay, Cohen, I admit, this is actually a good idea"

"Yeah, I know"

"Was it Ryan's?"

"What? Are you saying I can't think of anything romantic on my own?"

"Well, I don't think it's a coincidence that your love life started when he came here"

"Hey, I'll-"

Seth suddenly stopped, and looked around the room.

"What? Cohen, what is it?"

"Summer, be quiet. I think I hear something"

"What?"

But then, she started to hear it as well. Sounded like someone was tapping on the glass chambers. Seth took out his flash light, and turned it on. After waving it around the room, he saw someone.

He was a short man, wearing a brown coat and a straw hat. His shirt beneath the coat was covered with red question marks. This seemed to be a theme with him; there was also a question mark at the end of his umbrella.

The man was examining the chamber, when he turned and saw Seth and Summer.

"Oh, hello" he said in a Scottish accent. He tipped his hat. He then went back to whatever he was doing.

"Ummm, hi" replied Seth after a moment. He didn't seem dangerous, so they walked up closer to him.

"So, what are you doing? Setting a trap for Batman?" asked Seth.

The man turned to him, confused. Seth pointed to his question mark shirt.

"Uh, the question marks, you know, like the Riddler."

"Oh!" said the man. He smiled, and patted Seth on the shoulder. "Yes, quite clever."

Summer grabbed Seth.

"Cohen, I don't know who this guy is, but he's freaking me out! Let's get out of here!" she growled.

"She has a point, young Cohen" the strange man replied, rolling the O as he pronounced Cohen. "I could be a very dangerous man."

"Um, are you?" asked Seth.

The man's head went up, as if he were pondering the question.

"I suppose that depends on who's answering the question. And who's asking it." He then back to inspecting the chamber, looking through wires connected to the console that controlled it.

"Okay, I see that whoever you are, you like being mysterious."

The man chuckled, but continued on his work.

"Okay, about we just introduce ourselves. I'm Summer Roberts, and this is Seth Cohen" Summer began, using the skills she used at Cotillion. "What's your name?"

The man again chuckled.

"Now, there's a question with no easy answer. However, my friends call me the Doctor. And as you two seem an amiable enough pair, why not call me that?"

"Uh, okay, 'Doctor.' So, which ya doing there?" asked Seth.

"Well, I suppose you can I'm inspecting these chambers, making sure they're of sufficient quality" answered the Doctor.

"Okay, that makes sense. What are these chambers for, anyway?" asked Summer, having been too distracted before to notice them.

"A very good question. What would you keep in freezing temperatures?"

"Ice cream?" Summer spoke, before realizing what she said. "Sorry, that was stupid."

"No, no, it's a sensible answer, given which you know. Ice Cream is always in great demand, and anyone selling it needs some place cold to keep it" the Doctor replied.

"Oh, thanks" said Summer.

"However, as someone with much experience breaking into things, I can say with great certainty that whoever made these things did not want them opened by the wrong hands. These are tougher to crack than most prisons of this era."

"Okay, I guess I'll have to take your word for that" said Seth, staying close to Summer.

"Thank you. Now, I have not been in Newport long, but do its citizens view Ice Cream as a vanishing resource?"

"No" answered Summer. She knew it was probably a rhetorical question, but this Doctor person was so weird, she couldn't be certain.

"Yes. Notice, also the size of these chambers."

Seth realized what he was getting at.

"They're for people!"

"An excellent deduction, Seth" the Doctor replied. Seth smiled. He didn't know who this Doctor was, but he seemed smart, and he liked the compliment.

"Oh, so are these for people to freeze themselves, like Walt Disney? So they could live for centuries?" asked Summer.

"Very close. The people who go inside are looking for eternal youth, but I'm afraid they do not plan to spend a large amount of time in them"

The Doctor picked up a device and attached it to a chamber. He then reached into his pocket, and pulled out two ear muffs. He tossed them to Seth.

"Put these on"

Seth looked down at them.

"Why?"

The Doctor pressed a button the device, and it started ticking.

"Because, Seth and Summer, I would be a very poor friend not to prepare you for something very loud."

Seth and Summer quickly put the muffs on, and started to run, followed by the Doctor. They were up the stairs when they heard a high-pitched noise. They stopped running, and covered their ears. After a few seconds, the noise stopped.

"What just happened….?" muttered Seth. He and Summer looked up. The Doctor was no where to be found. They rushed down, to see that all the chambers had been shattered.

- - -

"Are we sure it's him" asked one.

"Who else could it be?" answered another.

One of them pointed accusingly at their leader.

"You said the Doctor would not be a factor!"

"Our computers showed that he would be unlikely to be here in this time and place!" their leader answered. "In any case, it was of no consequence, what he destroyed was just one of many chambers we have. It will be a minor incontinence, nothing more."

"We must seek and destroy him" one suggested.

"No! It is too early for us to risk being seen!"

"You suggest we do nothing?"

"Of course not! The man we are working with, Caleb Nichol. Our intelligence suggests he is not above employing men for work their culture considers 'unsavory'"

"Very well."

"It matters not anyway" their leader concluded. "We are days away until competition. The Doctor can not stop us now. In less than a year, we will have converted the entirety of the human race. Earth will become New Mondas, and the universe will have a new history! One in which the Cybermen will emerge triumphant!"