Chapter Eight
Paul was distraught as he drove home and he had to force himself to pay attention to the road before Amy's jokes about being a shitty driver came true. His eyes were misting over and William was bent over, head in hands while he drove.
"Well, I s'pose John won't be havin' a laugh at me now about the Illuminati," Paul said bitterly.
"We'll get them back," William said, looking at him. "I don't think they'll do anything to them. It's us they want."
"Oh, I know it is. This is their way of trying to force us to surrender ourselves to them," Paul replied.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out his mobile.
"Could you call Jane and let her know that we're coming to pick her up. I think it's still just her and her mum and dad. Her brother and sister are still on holiday in Europe as far as I know."
William nodded. He dialed Jane's number while Paul drove. Her mother picked up on the second ring.
"Hello?" Mrs. Asher said.
"Hello, this is William and…"
"William! Where have you been? We've been worried sick about you! Is Paul there? Is he alright?"
"Yeah, Paul and I are both fine. We were at a friend's house and we were having a party and didn't know what happened. Listen, we're coming to get you and take you somewhere where you can be safe. Is Jane and Richard there?"
"Jane's here. Richard's working late. He won't be back until 11 tonight," she said.
"We need to get you out of there before you end up missing too," William said. "What about Claire and Peter, are they still in Europe?"
"Yes, they are. But…are you sure you can move us somewhere safe?"
William and Paul shared a look.
"Trust me, Margaret, we know one of the safest places in England, if not the world," William replied. "We just need you and Jane to be ready so we can leave as quickly as we can, yeah?"
"Okay, I'll tell Jane and we'll pack a couple of bags," Margaret said. "Oh, Jane wants to speak to Paul."
"Paul…"
"I heard her, I'll talk to her," Paul said, holding out his hand.
He took the mobile and drove while he tried to talk at the same time.
"Paul, are you okay, love?" Margaret said.
"I'm fine. I'm more concerned about you and Jane and your husband right now."
"What's that noise? It sounds like a car," Margaret said.
Paul winced at that.
"It's a program on the telly. They're showing a car chase, sorry," he said. "We're getting ready and we'll be there shortly."
"Wait a tic, here's Janie."
"Paul?" she said when she got on the phone. "Oh God, Paul! I thought something had happened to you. We tried to ring you repeatedly but we couldn't reach you."
"Did you try the mobile?" Paul asked. "I had it with me at all times."
"No, I…I was so upset, I forgot about that silly phone," Jane said. "I'm sorry, I should have thought of it but after everything that's happened to you and William, I just assumed…"
"It's alright, darling. We're fine, I promise. I'm coming to get you now. We're driving towards the house. Just be ready, yeah, and tonight we'll come back to get your dad when he gets off work."
"Where are we going?" Jane asked.
"Inside the TARDIS. I know, we'll have your parents along but we have to tell them. It's the safest place I know of and I'm sure it's the last place they'll look."
"We're at the house, Paul. Come here first and I'll bring the TARDIS over to her house. That way they can travel back in safety," the Doctor said in his ear.
"We're gonna stop by the house first and the Doctor's gonna bring the TARDIS to your house so you'll be safe. Just stay calm, keep your mum calm and ring your dad if you have to. I'll be over there as soon as I can."
"Okay, just be careful, love. I don't want a repeat of six months ago."
"Trust me, neither do I. Now hurry up and get ready."
He told her goodbye and hung up. He handed the mobile to William just in case someone called him again.
"Guys," they heard Amy say in their ear, "um…we have a problem."
"What sort of problem?" Paul said aloud.
"Your front door is standing wide open. The gates are closed but the door is open. The Doctor used his sonic screwdriver to open the gates and we're going inside and…Oh God!"
"What? What is it?" Paul said, his heart racing.
"Paul," the Doctor said. "It's Martha, she's injured. I'm guessing she tried to attack whoever came in here and they shot her in the hip with a blaster."
"No!" Paul said as William sank back in his seat.
"It's alright though, I can mend her, bless her heart," the Doctor said.
Paul swallowed hard when he heard Martha whining in the background.
"Rory, can you take her to my med bay?" the Doctor said. "Amy will check the house and make sure no one's in here and see if anything's been taken while I mend her. Ask the TARDIS to make a way to the med bay entrance and she will. There, there, Martha, we'll have you right as rain in no time, I promise."
Paul swallowed hard. He turned a corner and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw his house up ahead. He could see Rory opening the gate and coming out with Martha in his arms and the Doctor beside him. Rory saw them and smiled while the Doctor clicked his fingers and opened the TARDIS door. Rory carried Martha inside while the Doctor waited for Paul. Paul came up beside him and rolled down the window.
"I don't think anyone's inside. I think they're long gone," the Doctor said. "But take what you need. Pack lightly though since the TARDIS can provide nearly everything you need."
"Will Martha be alright?" Paul said in a choked voice.
"She will. I have the same sort of technology the Diablon had. I can heal her quickly and without a trace of injury."
"Thank God," Paul said.
The Doctor nodded. He watched him drive through the open gate and then went inside the TARDIS. Once they were inside, Amy ran to them and they fell into a group hug.
"No one's here," she said as she hugged them. "They didn't take any of your Beatles stuff. I don't know about the rest, only you and William would know what was missing, but…I found this on your bed, Paul."
She handed him a handwritten note. William leaned in while he read it.
Mister McCartney,
We have your friends and if you and your double do not surrender to us within twenty four hours, we will torture and kill them. If you agree to our demands, call the number listed below and wait at your house. But both you and your double must surrender, it cannot be one or the other and you will offer no resistance or involve the authorities or the Time Lord in this. If you do, you will receive a video player with a video of your friend's deaths along with several body parts. Make your decision wisely; their lives are in your hands.
Altok,
New leader of the Illuminati.
Under the signature was the number he was supposed to call to contact them. Paul lowered the letter and sighed before he accepted another hug from his friends. With a heavy heart, he made a quick inspection of the house while William looked in his room.
"I'm not missing anything," William said to Paul.
"Neither am I, but I don't think robbery was on their minds. They just wanted to deliver the letter," Paul said, sticking his head out of his room.
"Look, Paul, perhaps if I went by myself. Talk them into sparing you and letting the others go. I'll take their punishment if it means…"
"No…" Paul said, cutting him off, "you're my friend now and I'm not about to let you be a sacrifice so I can save my own skin. We're in this together, you and I. Besides, I don't think they'd go for that. They said in the note they wouldn't accept one or the other, it has to be both of us."
"We'll come up with a solution, Paul," the Doctor said into his ear.
Paul was startled. He'd forgotten he was still wearing the ear bud.
"Amy told me what the note said. Don't surrender, not yet," the Doctor said to him. "Let's get Jane and her mum and get them safe and sound before we work out a solution to all this. Just hold off on the surrender, yeah? Hurry up and get in here because someone wishes to see you, someone white and black and full of love and energy is missing her masters."
"She's alright?" Paul said.
"All healed up and frisky, I might add. We'll find a way out of this, trust me. Just get what you need and meet us inside the TARDIS."
William smiled at that and patted Paul on the shoulder before both men quickly packed a small suitcase and hurried downstairs. Paul turned off all the lights, locked the door and he and William went over to the TARDIS and got inside it.
