Chapter 4
By following the smoke and Amelia's tracking skills, the posse was able to find the source in no time.
They approached what looked like an old shed made out of tin sheets ridden with rust. Beside it was a pipe sticking out of the ground, smoke pouring out of it.
"I guess we found where the smoke was coming from," said Amelia
"Yeah, a rusty old shed," Will added. "Odd place for a chimney, though."
"Looks like a rusty old shed," muttered the Doctor waving his sonic screwdriver at the structure, "actually an elevator." He opened a small panel and pushed a button. The unstable looking door shot up and revealed a lift. "Very clever, cybers, very clever. Alright, River, you come with me. Amelia-not-Amy and Roderick, stay up here and stand guard."
"But, Doc, that's not fair! I wanna go!"
"Amelia, darling, do what the Doctor says. There isn't enough room for all of us to go down and it'll be a lot safer up here."
"But, M- River! I don't want safer! I want adventure!" She looked like a five-year-old throwing a tantrum.
"Come on, Lia, I'm sure it'll be just as dangerous up here. The cyber-things could come while they're gone." Will consoled, patting her head.
She gave a sulky look. "Fine, we'll stay up here; but I'm not happy about it!"
"Yes, yes, so terribly dreadful to not be putting yourself in grave danger. Well, dear, let's go." The Doctor stepped into the lift expectantly. River gave one last look to the couple getting left behind and followed.
The door slammed shut. There was no light in the cramped space as they rattled down the shaft in silence.
"River!" he exclaimed.
"What?"
"You know what you did. That really hurt."
"Sorry, love, couldn't resist," she giggled. "Yowza." He could almost feel her smirk in the darkness.
The brakes started to screech. They were almost there. He found his wife's hand and clasped it tight as the door opened. "Geronimo."
~x~x~
Amelia sat sulking on a log next to William, who was more than content with his "guard" position. More than content. He got to spend some alone time with Lia. This was the best job he'd ever had.
He studied her for a few moments. She kept glancing towards the elevator-contraption, and every time she did so she'd start tapping her fingers. He groaned inwardly. Tapping her fingers was a sign that she wanted to do something rash. Like following a man who specifically told her not to follow him into an elevator-contraption. He loved Amelia, but sometimes he wished she didn't like danger so much. Not that he was afraid of danger or anything, he just wanted her safe. And it was increasingly hard to keep her out of harm's way.
"I don't think he likes me," she declared after a long period of silence.
That took him by surprise. "What?"
"I said I don't think he likes me!"
"Why would anyone not like you?" Will put his arm around her. "You're smart, funny, nice, and really cute."
"Oh, stop, I'm being serious," she smiled, shoving him lightly. "I really don't think he-"
"Likes you, I get it. What makes you say that?" He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and hugged her close.
"Well he always seems frustrated when he talks to me. He's got one heck of an attitude. Dumb nozzle."
"It could be because every time you talk to him you have a little bit of an attitude." She shot him a dirty look. "Or he's just a dumb nozzle," he added quickly.
With an angry huff, Amelia got up and started pacing. "THIS IS SO BORING! IT'S NOT FAIR!" she screamed, kicking the side of the shed.
Much to the surprise of the two teens, the door flew open. Suddenly Amelia acquired a devious expression.
"Oh, no, we are not going in there," Will protested, reading her thoughts. "You heard what the Doctor said, we're supposed to stay out here and stand guard."
"Come on, Willy," she whined, wrapping her arms around his neck, "I wanna do something fun! And the door opened all by itself. It must be a sign."
"Yeah, a sign that it's really easy to break into."
"Pleeeeaaaasseeee, Willy?" She stuck out her lower lip, performing the perfect puppy dog face.
He closed his eyes, trying to resist, but when he opened them again her big blue eyes were staring at him. He was weak, and he hated it. With a regretful sigh, he caved. "Fine."
Amelia squealed and pecked him on the cheek before running directly into the elevator. "I'm an idiot," he said to himself.
Slowly and reluctantly, Will followed her in and caught a final glimpse of the outside world before the door shut.
~x~x~
River and the Doctor stepped into what looked like a mining shaft. The whole place was dim, dusty, and altogether unattractive. Spare supplies were lined against a wall, things like planks of wood, poles, shovels, tools, etc. Light bulbs dangled from the support planks every few feet.
"It's a wonder they don't run into these things," River commented as they walked.
"They are rather inconvenient," he agreed, although it sounded like his mind was miles away.
"Darling?" River asked, touching his shoulder.
"Yes, honey."
"What are you thinking about?"
"Just trying to think of a plan, dear," he said in a monotonic voice.
River looked at her husband. His face was contorted and lines were carved deep into his forehead. He was thinking, but not about a plan. Something was troubling him.
There was something bothering the Doctor. Several somethings, actually. The cybermen and their plans, keeping Amelia-not-Amy, Roderick, and River safe from the cybermen— although River was pretty capable of taking care of herself in any situation, but that didn't mean he didn't worry about her.
The sound of footsteps cut both of their thoughts short, and instinctively the Doctor shoved River into a corner, using his body as a shield. He moved so suddenly that she had to grasp the lapels of his jacket to steady herself.
"I thought you two came down here to investigate," said a condescending voice, "tut, tut."
The Doctor pulled away, flustered. "What are you doing here? I thought I told you two to guard up there?"
"Shh, you don't want them to hear us now do you? Besides, there was nothing to guard; what, you want us to tell a cyberman to not go into its own hideout?"
The Doctor rolled his eyes. "And Roderick, I thought we were on the same side! How could you allow this to happen?"
"She pulled out the puppy-dog eyes, man. There's no refusing the puppy-dog eyes," Will confessed.
"Darling, we really should keep moving, you're causing a ruckus," said River.
"I am not causing a ruckus," the Doctor's voice echoed throughout the shaft. "Okay maybe I am, let's keep moving. But I am very upset by this."
The posse went on for a while with little progress, until they came upon a large room at the end of the shaft. There was machinery everywhere. They were in the transformation area.
"Okay, gang, look for anything suspicious," the Doctor directed, scanning the room.
The gang searched fruitlessly for a good ten minutes when they heard the sound of footsteps, and this time they weren't human. They were the heavy mechanical steps of a cyberman, several actually.
"Hide!" warned River.
The cybermen arrived and they scattered.
"Intruders, prepare to be deleted," the monotone voices of the cybers rang throughout the room.
There were three of them. Amelia looked for Will, but couldn't see him. Maybe that meant they couldn't see him either. She was hidden underneath a contraption covered in tarp. They walked right by her, metal feet stomping the ground hard enough so that she felt the vibrations from it. Still she went undetected, she was safe.
They approached the Doctor and River's hiding spot, which was pressing themselves flat behind a tall control panel. River had her blaster drawn, ready for anything. Had the circumstances been slightly different he would have asked her where she kept it, but the timing didn't seem appropriate at the moment. A question for later, if there would be a later. The steps came and faded. Thankfully, they weren't very thorough. Maybe, just maybe, they could all make it out of here.
Will was breathing heavily, trying to stay calm. He knew if he kept breathing like this they would find him. It wasn't like his spot was full proof, hidden under a row of rods propped up against the wall, making a sort of tent. The stomping of the cybermen got louder and louder. Will's heart was beating in his ears.
Planks crashed to the ground.
"AMELIA!"
They had Will. He tried desperately to free himself from their grasp, but they were just too powerful.
"WILL! WILL!" She sprinted from her hiding place, running towards the cybermen who were dragging her love away. She picked up a large metal rod and started swinging.
Two cybermen attacked while the third carried Will away.
"WILL!" She screamed, still swinging the rod.
"I'LL BE OK, JUST STAY SAFE!" he called back.
She saw the lasers flying at her and from behind. She thought she could hear normal voices calling to her. But she didn't care. Her pole made contact with first an arm, then a head, but it did not good. The cyberman grabbed her weapon and threw it away.
"Prepare to be –"
The threat of the cyborg was cut short when a laser hit its head. Another hit the one next to it.
River came running to Amelia, who was collapsed on the ground, shaking.
"Sweetie, sweetie, are you alright?" she asked, taking the girl in her arms.
"T-They t-took h-him," Amelia whimpered. She looked up at the woman, tears running down her cheeks. "They took Will."
