AN: Um, wow. Seven months since I last updated. *hangs head in abject shame* It's really weird coming back to this story, since a lot of...stuff has happened in my life since I published chapter two. To be honest I'd forgotten about it, but yesterday I decided to try and update all my in-progs at least once before I publish a new story, so here goes... Sorry for the wait, and sorry if the standard is falling.... Anyway, reviews are love, as always!

Chapter Three

Missing

Carla was led down a corridor, its curved metallic walls bathed in a soft orange glow. The floor beneath her feet was vibrating with some sort of energy, and had the surrealness of the situation not been clouding her mind, along with the pain from her head, she might have wondered why.

The word 'led' was a loose term - a better way to put it was she was being forced. Every time she faltered or leant slightly to the left or the right, she felt a sharp, stabbing pain in her back urging her to keep moving forward.

The pain only served to remind her that this couldn't be a dream.

''Sarah Jane!''

She turned sharply away from Mr Smith's screen as Clyde entered the attic, looking panicked.

''Clyde! What's the matter?''

He came down the steps towards her and Luke. ''It's my mum,'' he said finally, ''She's gone.''

''Gone?'' Luke looked bemused. ''Gone how?''

''I don't know - she's just gone!'' Clyde said, exhasperated. ''Tried her mobile, tried Nan's, her friends, her boss...none of them have seen her at all today.''

Sarah Jane looked serious. ''Are you sure, Clyde?''

'' 'Course I'm sure. Why would I joke about this?''

''All right, calm down,'' she said, guiding him over to sit on the desk chair. ''I wasn't doubting you, I never would. It's just - Mr Smith has found out some more about the aliens putting out that signal. They're Chealin, and they're kidnapping humans to use them as test subjects for curing a disease that's nearly wiped out their whole race.''

Clyde's eyes widened, ''So my mum...?''

''It's possible.'' Sarah Jane nodded. ''Mr Smith, scan for alien activity on Clyde's estate over the last 12 hours.''

As the supercomputer started the scan, Luke went over to his friend, who looked stricken. ''It'll be all right, Clyde. Mum'll work it out, she always does.''

''I know,'' said Clyde, feigning his usual don't-care attitude which even Luke could see right through.

''It's okay to be worried,'' he added, ''She's your mum. I know if anything happened to---''

''Yeah, well, I'm not you okay?'' Clyde snapped, making Luke flinch. ''I'm not a mummy's boy, I'm fine. Stop going on about it.''

Luke was startled. ''Okay,'' he said quietly, and hastily went to join his mum and Mr Smith.

''There has been no detectable alien activity around Clyde's home in the last twelve hours,'' he was saying, ''However, I was able to pick up traces of static build-up around an isolated area just outside the estate, likely induced by plasma coils, which are often used for...''

''Teleportation?'' Luke guessed.

''Exactly.'' said Mr Smith.

They were interrupted at this point by the sound of footsteps on the stairs and Rani's voice calling ''Sarah Jane? Are you up there?''

''In here, Rani,'' Sarah Jane called back, and they waited a moment for her to appear through the door...but she didn't.

''Odd.'' Sarah Jane voiced all their thoughts, crossing the attic to see what had happened.

She opened the door but Rani wasn't there. Frowning, she stepped out into the hallway, but her young neighbour was nowhere to be seen, not on the stairs either.

''Rani?'' she called, ''Are you there?''

There as no reply.

''Sarah Jane,'' came Mr Smith's voice from behind her, ''I've picked up another trace of isolated static.''

''Where?'' she asked cautiously, knowing the answer.

''Just in front of you,'' the voice replied. ''Energy reading just high enough to transport a human teenager.''

Carla was...falling.

Her vision had started to blur almost as soon as the needle was jabbed into her arm. Her surroundings, larger and whiter than the corridor, and with various machines blinking with tiny lights, started to blend together until her eyes hurt and she forced them closed, then her world was blackness and she was weakening, and then falling, falling into the unknown.

''Can it be reversed?'' Sarah Jane asked Mr Smith, a desperate note in her voice.

''Usually, yes,'' the computer replied, ''But the transportation seems to be locked. I was able to recover the co-ordinates to where Rani has been taken but the plasma coils are already starting to disintegrate, meaning I cannot retrieve her. I'm sorry, Sarah Jane.''

''And the co-ordinates...''

''Match up with those of the Chealin ship in orbit, yes.''

''Oh, Rani,'' Sarah Jane murmured, sadly. Suddenly her head snapped up. ''All right,'' she said, determined, ''There's only one thing for it. Send me after her.''

''Sarah Jane, I must protest--''

''You've got enough power for a one-way trip,'' she cut him off, ''Whatever's happening to Rani, I can stop it, and I'll find a way to bring it back.''

''It could be dangerous,'' Luke warned, half in admiration.

''And that's precisely why I have to go,'' his mum continued. ''It's my fault she's mixed up in this alien business and if she's hurt, I'll never forgive myself. Also,'' she looked at Clyde, ''There's a good chance that wherever she is, your mum's there too.''

''Let us come with you,'' Clyde said, ''We can help.''

''We don't have enough power to transport all three of us,'' Sarah Jane countered. ''But don't worry about me. I'll be fine. Mr Smith, set the co-ordinates!''