This is a shorter one, but it seemed like a good place to end it. This plot line will wrap up in the next chapter. Also, if you want to get notifications on when I update the story you can follow me on twitter. I just dusted off an account I made a billion years ago and never used, with the idea of using it to promote my writing and other projects. I will tweet whenever I make a new post on there, as well as any other of my writing stuff that you might want to check out. Follow me therawsienna if you'd like. Okay, enough shameless self promotion, here's the story, enjoy!
Chapter Six
"What's the emergency?" Rose asked as they entered Pete Tyler's office. "We've got a job for you two." The other Doctor sat down, putting his feet up on Pete's desk. Pete twitched slightly but said nothing. "So, what's the case?" the other Doctor asked. "Well, basically, four people went missing in the same place," Pete said significantly. "That's it?" Rose scoffed. "No, you don't understand. When I say the same place, I mean the exact same spot. The same bloody square foot!" "Interesting," the other Doctor said quietly, a far off look in his eyes. "Yes, well, we'd had reports coming in, with rumors of other possibly connected disappearances, and four confirmed. So we sent one of our agents down to have a look." "And?" Rose urged. "Well, erm, he disappeared too." The other Doctor shot up. "Excellent!" Pete looked shocked, and Rose hid a giggle behind her hand. "I mean, terribly sorry about your man. But we will find him, I'm sure of it." "Yes, well, we've blocked off the area for now. We can have a car take you there as soon as you're ready." "I'm ready now, Rose are you ready?" "Always."
As soon as they arrived, the other Doctor jumped out of the car eagerly. "Right! So, let's have a look shall we?" Several Torchwood operatives stood around a spot at the base of a huge tree that was blockaded off. The other Doctor circled the site, muttering to himself, looking around and smelling the air. "Do you smell that Rose?" "I think so? Like after a thunderstorm, yeah?" The other Doctor smiled. "Yes, exactly!" A few local residents were milling about, seeing what all the fuss was about. Rose seized the opportunity. "Hey, have you seen anything weird around here?" she asked one boy who was half standing on his bicycle. "Not me mum, but I ride bikes with Timmy, and he told me that's where Carter Thomson disappeared." "Can you tell me where to find Timmy?" "Is he in trouble?" the boy asked, biting his lip and rocking his bike back and forth. "No, I just want to talk to him." "He lives in that blue house on the corner." Rose smiled. "Thanks!"
"Hey, I've got a lead," Rose informed the other Doctor. "Oh?" he raised his eyebrows. "The boy who lives in that house there witnessed one of the disappearances." The other Doctor grinned. "Shall we?' he asked, gesturing toward the house. "We shall," Rose affirmed, leading the way.
They knocked and a woman with bright red, curly hair answered the door." "Hello, I'm the Doctor, this is Rose Tyler. We're here to talk to your son about the disappearance of Carter Thomson." She looked them over with a reluctant eyes. "Timmy already spoke to the police," the woman replied. "We're Torchwood," Rose explained, holding up her ID badge. The woman examined it and frowned. "Just a minute," and she disappeared around the corner. "Did you see that? She's ginger," the other Doctor whispered excitedly. "I've never been ginger." Rose suppressed a laugh. "Focus! We're here on serious business," she hissed back. "I know, saw your badge. Fancy that, no need for psychic paper, Rose Tyler has the genuine thing. Ha!"
The woman reappeared with her son in tow. "Timmy, these two need a word with you. Tell them what happened with Carter Thomson." Timmy looked between Rose and the other Doctor apprehensively. "We were just playing in the park after school one day. It was hot out, and we were tired from running about. Carter went to sit under the tree, in the shade you know?" Timmy stopped, looking to his mother. She nodded, but he still said nothing. "It's okay Timmy, whatever happened you can tell us. We'll believe you," Rose promised. "Well, he just vanished. He was there one second and gone the next. I can't explain it Miss. After that I legged it back home." "He's told you everything he knows now. Can you please leave us in peace?" his mother pleaded. "Yeah, of course, sorry to bother you," Rose apologized.
"What are you thinking?" Rose asked the other Doctor as they walked back down to the street. "It's too early to say. I've got my theories of course. Let's go talk to Carter's mum."
"He didn't come home straight away after school. That's nothing out of the ordinary, he always plays with his friends in the park and down the lane. I don't mind, so long as he's home for supper," Mrs. Thomson's voice cracked and she took a moment to compose herself. "It's just the two of us since his father died, and now... I didn't believe Tim's story at first. I thought something had happened and he didn't want to tell me. Said some horrible things to his mother. But then others started vanishing, and when Torchwood showed up yesterday, well... Please. You've got to find him. You've got to do something." Rose looked at the poor woman sympathetically. "Don't worry, we'll do everything we can to find him."
They walked back to the site of the vanishings in silence, the other Doctor clearly deeply lost in thought. "Well? What now? I feel like we're not any closer," Rose asked, feeling a little frustrated. "Mmm. That smell, Rose Tyler. That is the smell of ozone," he emphasized the o, his eyes fixed on the space beneath the tree. "Almost as if some kind of massive electrical charge shot through the air... Well, at some point you have to test your hypothesis." The other Doctor turned to her and grinned, while reaching out and giving her hand a squeeze. Then he leaned over and quickly kissed her on the cheek. "Wish me luck." Without another word, he turned and walked past the guards, under the tree, and vanished. Rose gasped. The guards spun around, perplexed. Rose knew she had only seconds to decide before they closed ranks. "Miss Tyler, no!" one of them protested, but she was already running into the space. "I've got to," she said, and vanished.