"I don't like to be kept waiting."
Gevrax wasn't used to this; others usually waited for him. But this client was offering to pay over the odds and above all Gevrax was a business man and credits talked.
He had no idea where he was, he'd been transported in a shuttle with no windows, but wherever he was, it wasn't a hovel. Judging by the furnishings this client was beyond wealthy.
He turned from admiring the rare objects as the door opened.
Two soldiers walked in and then was followed what he assumed was the client...a human by the smell of him, dressed in some sort of white coat. But what took his interest was the small child at his heels...it certainly didn't smell human.
"My apologies for keeping you waiting. When you have a hands on approach delays are inevitable.
Gevrax waved away the apology. "Not necessary, I am a business man myself. The child, is that what you require my services for?"
The man scowled and shook his head. "Certainly not."
"Begging your pardon."
The man nodded. "I require your services for another matter."
"You need protection, that seems unlikely," Gevrax said, gesturing to the guards.
"What I require from you is an abduction."
Gevrax smiled. "Now that I can do."
The man in the white coat snapped his fingers and one of the guards handed Gevrax a file. He opened it and inside were various papers and a picture of another man with unruly hair and a youthful face, but with eyes that told a different story.
"This person belongs to me. He cost me a considerable amount, I want him back."
Gevrax nodded but never said how much the young child looked like the man in the photo.
"Where is you...property?"
"Unknown at the moment, but he will appear. I have something he wants."
"The how can I abduct him if he is in hiding?"
"That will soon be remedied. I will pay you and your men to watch and wait, he will appear."
Gevrax nodded and closed the file. "It will cost you...surely a slave cannot be that valuable?"
The man in the white coat looked at him. "Who said he was slave? What he is is none of your business."
Gevrax said nothing in reply and as the shuttle took him back to his own ship he wondered who could be so valuable and not be a slave.
Jack was rudely awoken by the TARDIS tipping him out of bed and the voice of one Donna Noble.
"Come on flyboy!"
He hastily dressed, thinking that something was wrong with the Doctor.
He wrenched the door open. "Is he okay?"
"What, Martian Boy...he's fine," Donna grinned. "We're on the kidnapping trail."
He frowned...kidnapping? Then it dawned on...he was going after his children and White Coat.
He hurried after Donna and into the console room.
The Doctor was racing round the console and Jack knew exactly what he was doing. He grabbed the Doctor's arm as he went past and hissed. "What are you doing?"
The Doctor pulled his arm free. "Finding my sons."
Jack re-grabbed the arm and this time held tight. "You can't take Donna...timelines."
"The timelines are screwed by me being here and she knows the risk," he replied and pulled his arm free again and the look he gave Jack told him not to try again.
Donna moved next to him.
"There's no point in trying. Never get between a mother and his children."
Jack turned to her...she knew. "How much has he told you?"
"Enough...not about my future, but enough for me to give whoever took his kids a good kicking."
"But Donna..."
She stopped him. "I know the risks...he's my spaceman."
He could see she was determined, even though there was fear in her eyes.
Then she grinned at him and held onto the railing as the TARDIS bucked wildly.
He grinned back...Donna Noble...the woman that changed everything and then he was holding on for dear life.
White Coat watched as the child finished the puzzle.
"He's remarkable," the person standing next to him said.
"Of course, his mother was quite exceptional."
"And where is the mother? I'd like to study her."
"She is a he and he will be with us soon."
"So why did you bring me here?"
"Your expertise is unparalleled, almost equal to mine."
"Cut to the chase, I've had my fingers burnt before."
"The child's mother need enticing form his hiding place. I will not risk the offspring...I want a perfect replica...a clone...to bait a trap."
The TARDIS landed with a thump and the Doctor was down the ramp, coat half on and out of the door before the others could move.
They hastily followed and found themselves in a snow covered bowl, surrounded by mountains.
"Where are we?" Jack asked.
The Doctor didn't answer, he was busy with a device he'd pulled from his pocket; he was in seek and find mode.
Jack and Donna looked at each other, pulled their coat closer and followed.
The device was beeping and the Doctor was muttering.
"It's here...it's got to be here."
Suddenly the device went mad.
"I knew it!" the Doctor cried and pocketed the device and took out his sonic, but instead of a blue light it was red.
The Doctor didn't turn round but said. "Yes, it's a rift manipulator. Did you think he designed it?"
The snow in front of him began to move and then began to swirl until it became a beautiful but deadly circle.
The Doctor stepped forward but was stopped by Jack.
"Whoa there, you and I may be able to survive that thing, but Donna..."
The Doctor looked annoyed but only for a second, then nodded.
He went back to the TARDIS and placed his head against the wooden frame.
"What do you say, old girl, up to a wild ride?"
After a few moments he moved away. "She says she'll take the risk, all aboard."
The TARDIS engines started but this time it didn't dematerialise, it rose a few feet off the ground and slowly entered the rift.
"Hold on!" the Doctor yelled over the groans of the engines.
He was fighting to stay on his feet and the others were clinging on for dear life.
The TARDIS was groaning with the stress of riding the rift. She was sturdy but she was built to fly the Vortex.
No sentient ship should be here and it was hurting her...and it was hurting him, but he had to ignore the pain, he had to steer her; even though there was no way of knowing where they would end up.
The TARDIS lurched again and a wave of pain went through him as she tilted violently.
Sparks erupted and the lights went out.
"Brace yourself!" he yelled and then he was consumed by the pain and his cry of pain joined with that of the TARDIS.