Age of steel, part 1

"Delete, delete, delete..." the Cybermen repeated, moving forward when the Hatter had a sudden idea. She ran over to the Doctor and pulled out the power cell from his jacket pocket before he knew that she was even there.

"I suggested you cover your eyes," the Hatter told them over her shoulder as she pointed the power cell at the Cybermen, making a golden light explode from it, and hitting the Cybermen, making them stop and cry out in pain, "I'm so sorry," she said quietly as she watched the metal men whither in agony before being destroyed into nothing, feeling sickened by what she was doing, despite knowing that it had to be done, "I wish there had been any other way".

"What the hell was that?" Rick demanded as the light died down, leaving not a trace of the Cybermen being there.

"You are a complete and utter…GENISE!" the Doctor suddenly exclaimed, staring at the Hatter as if he had never seen her before. Was there ever going to come a day where she didn't do something that didn't make him even more amazed and enthralled with her then he already was? Because he desperately hoped that, that would never be the case, but seeing as they had known each other for over nine-hundred years already, he didn't think he had to worry too much.

"Always the tone of surprise," the Hatter smiled at him before frowning at the Cybermen, "But we can talk about how brilliant I am later because there's going to be more of them around here really soon, and we just ran out of a weapon," she frowned again as she used the word weapon but quickly shook it off.

"Um, right basically, everyone, RUN!" the Doctor shouted, seeing that there was in fact more Cybermen already approaching.

Everyone turned and ran the other way as a blue van pulled up with a women driving it, "Everyone in!" she shouted as everyone jumped in to the back of the van. Pete started running back to the house but the Doctor grabbed him and pulled him back.

"I've gotta go back, my wife's in there!" Pete cried out, struggling to get away from the Doctor's grip.

"Anyone inside that house is dead," the Doctor told Pete, knowing it was better for him to hear the truth now then later, "If you wanna help, then don't let her die for nothing. You've gotta come with us right now".

Pete nodded slightly with a heavy sigh, running back over to the van where the driver, who the Hatter had found out from Mickey, was called Mrs Moore was yelling for everyone to hurry up.

The Doctor turned to Rose who was staring at the House and grabbed her arm, "Rose, she's not your mother," he reminded her firmly.

"I know..." Rose said, quietly, unable to take her eyes off the house.

"Come on," the Doctor pulled her towards the van, jumping in the back beside the Hatter, Rose taking a seat beside Pete.

"Finished chatting?" Mrs. Moore snapped as she started driving, "Never seen a slower getaway in my life!"

"Thank you," the Hatter smiled at her, knowing that Mrs Moore could see her in the mirror, "I don't want to even think about what would have happened if you guys hadn't turned up".

Mrs. Moore looked a little surprised at being thanked, but still gave the Hatter a small smile. Ricky, after a moment, turned and glared at the Hatter, eyeing the power cell still in her hand, "What was that thing?" he demanded, again.

"Just a wonderfully little piece of technology from home," the Hatter smiled down at it with an almost proud look in her eyes, "I am never going to disregarded anything small again," she remarked, glancing at the Doctor.

"It's stopped glowing," Mickey commented as the cell looked as if it was dead, beginning to grow a little worried, "Has it run out?"

The Doctor leant over and took the cell from the Hatters hand, putting back in his pocket, "It's on a revitalizing loop," he explained with a shrug, "The final phase. It'll be finished charging in about fore hours".

"Right," Ricky said slowly, frowning, "So, we don't have a weapon anymore".

"Yeah, we've got weapons," Jake said, looking at Pete with a cold look on his face, "Might not be one of those metal things, but they're good enough for men like him".

"Oh, I am really not liking the sound of this," the Hatter muttered to the Doctor, "It's starting to sound like Rose and Sarah Jane when they first met".

"Leave him alone!" Rose yelled at Jake and Ricky, "What's he done wrong?"

"Oh, you know, just laid a trap that's wiped out the government, and left Lumic in charge".

"If I was part of all that, do you think I'd leave my wife inside?" Pete asked, looking hurt at the accusation.

"Maybe your plan went wrong," Ricky shrugged, "Still gives us the right to execute you, though".

"Talk about executions, you'll make ME your enemy," the Doctor leaned forward with a dark look, "And take some really good advice, you don't wanna do that".

"And me," the Hatter added, giving Jake and Ricky a cold look, "Because I have met Cybermen before and in under five minutes I hacked in to their computers, sending them flying into a supernova, and that's not to mention what I did to the Daleks after they killed one of my companies. Trust me boys, you do not want to mess with me when I'm angry".

"Don't need to tell me," the Doctor nodded to the Hatter with a small shiver that he managed to hold back. Seeing the Hatter angry was never a pretty sight, temper on her just as bad as what her mothers had been, and her mother had hated him.

Ricky and Jake leaned back, and Rose, Mickey, and Pete all exchanged a slightly scared look from the serous look on both Time Lords faces. There was no doubt hot serious they both were.

"All the same..." Ricky said, trying not to look at the Hatter, "We have evidence that says Pete Tyler's been working for Lumic since 20.5".

Rose turned to Pete, "Is that true?"

Pete looked uncomfortable

"Tell 'em, Mrs M," Ricky glanced at Mrs Moore. Over his shoulder.

"We've got a government mole who feeds us information," Mrs. Moore called over her shoulder, her eyes focused on the road, "Lumic's private files, his South American operations...the lot. Secret broadcasts twice a week".

"Neat," the Hatter commented with a nod.

"Broadcast from Gemini?" Pete asked.

"And how do you know that?" Ricky turned to Pete, eyeing him carefully.

"Oh," the Hatter gasped, realising what Pete was saying, "Clever, very clever".

"I'm Gemini," Pete nodded at the Hatter, "That's me".

"Yeah, well you would say that..."

"Encrypted wavelength six-five-seven using binary nine," Pete told them, "That's the only reason I was working for Lumic. To get information. I thought I was broadcasting to the security services, and what do I get? Scooby Doo and his gang. They've even got the Van!"

"No, no, no!" Mickey cut in, looking confused, "But the preachers know what they're doing. Ricky said he's London's Most Wanted!"

"Yeah, not exactly..." Ricky trailed off, shifting slightly.

"Not exactly what?" Mickey asked, looking confused again.

"I'm London's Most Wanted for...parking tickets," Ricky admitted. The Doctor and the Hatter exchanged amused looks, and Rose raised her eyebrows.

"Great," Pete scoffed.

"They were deliberate!" Ricky defended, "I was fighting the system! Park anywhere, that's me".

"Good, policy," the Doctor nodded with a small smile.

"We do the same," the Hatter said with a nod toward the Doctor, "And I have to agree with you on breaking the rules".

"I'm the Doctor, by the way," the Doctor introduced, "And this is the Hatter".

"Nice to meet you all," the Hatter gave a small wave.

"And I'm Rose," Rose added, slightly annoyed at the Doctor for not introducing her, "Hello!"

"Even better," Pete scoffed again, "That's the name of my dog. Still, at least I've got the catering staff on my side, and part of the royal family".

The Hatter hit the Doctor on his arm to make him stop laughing, "Yeah, about that..." she began but was cut off by Rose.

Rose looked over at Pete, talking over the Hatter, "I knew you weren't a traitor".

"Why's that then?" Pete asked, not seeming to notices the Hatter trying to tell him that she was not part of the royal family.

Rose glanced at the Doctor and the Hatter who were both watching her before turning back to Pete, "I just did..."

"They took my wife..." Pete said, quietly.

"She might still be alive," Rose said.

"That's even worse," Pete sighed with a touch of anger seeping into his voice, "'Cos that's what Lumic does. He takes the living...and turns them into those machines".

"Cybermen," the Doctor and the Hatter corrected, making everyone look at them.

"Like I said earlier," the Hatter said heavily, "There called Cybermen".

"And I'd take those ear pods off, If I were you," the Doctor nodded at Pete who did as he was told, handing them over, "You never know...Lumic could be listing," he pulled out his sonic and disabled them, "But he's overreached himself. He's just a businessman. He's assassinated the President. All we need to do is get to the City and inform the authorities. Because I promise you, this ends tonight".

...

The Preachers, along with the Doctor, the Hatter, Rose, Mickey, and Pete walked down the streets of London, watching as people dazedly marched all in the same direction. All of them keep an eye out for any Cybermen.

"What the hell..." Jake breathed, looking around at all the people.

"What's going on?" Rose asked.

"It's the ear pods," the Doctor said, looking at the people as they past, "Lumic's taking control".

"Can't we just...I dunno, take them off?"

Rose reached up to take the ear pods of a man as he past, but the Hatter pulled her hand away, "Don't!" Rose glared at the Hatter, "It'll cause a brainstorm".

Rose looked at the Doctor, who nodded, frowning slightly at seeing Rose glare at the Hatter. He made a mental note to have a little talk to Rose about how she treated the Hatter, it wasn't as if he was going to ask her to become friends with the Time Lady but showing her the same respect that the Hatter showed her was the least she could do.

"You're not a part of the Royal family are you?" Pete said to the Hatter, not appearing to be surprised at all.

"Sorry, but I am still a Dame...just not from here," the Hatter said, getting a confused look.

"Human race," the Doctor shook his head, looking around, "For such an intelligent lot, you aren't half susceptible. Give anyone a chance to take control and you submit. Sometimes I think you like it. Easy life".

"It's not much different from Time Lords," the Hatter added, "They wouldn't have had a clue on what to do if the Lord President wasn't watching over everyone, making sure no one was doing something un-Time Lordly".

"Very true," the Doctor nodded.

"Hey!" Jake called. They looked over to him and Ricky to see them looking around a corner of a building, "Come and see".

They quickly and quietly ran over to Ricky and Jake, looking around the corner to see a group of Cybermen marching alongside a group of people, all heading in the same direction.

"Where are they all going?" Rose asked.

"I don't know," the Doctor said quality, slipping his hand into the Hatter's.

"Lumic must have a base of operation in that direction," the Hatter said, pointing at the way the people were walking with her free hand.

"Battersea," Pete suddenly told them, "That's where he was building his prototypes".

"Why's he doing it?" Rose asked, frowning.

"He's dying," Pete answered, "This all started out as a way to live by keeping the brain alive. At any coast".

"Typical," the Hatter muttered with a shake of her head, a slightly sad tone in her voice, "Sometimes I think that is one of the most brilliant and most dangers things about humans, always trying to cheat death".

Rose turned to the Doctor, ignoring the Hatter, "The thing is, I've seen Cybermen before, haven't I? That head, those handle shapes in Van Statten's museum".

"I remember that story," the Hatter nodded, recalling the Doctor telling her all about that trip, and how the Dalek had been there, "Not the happiest man, was he?"

The Doctor nodded at the Hatter before turning to Rose, "There are Cybermen in our Universe. They started on an ordinary world just like this, then swarming across the galaxy. This lot are a parallel version, and they're starting from scratch right here on Earth".

"What the hell are you three on about?" Pete asked, shaking his head.

"Never mind that," Ricky cut in, "Come on, we need to get out of the City," they all looked over to see the Cybermen quickly moving towards them, "Okay, split up. Mrs Moore, you look after that bloke," Ricky pointed at Pete, "Jake, distract them, go right, I'll go left, we'll meet back at the Bridge Street. Move".

Ricky and Jake ran off as Mickey turned to Rose, "I'm going with him," he kissed Rose on the cheek quickly, giving the Hatter a small nod before also running off.

"Come on, let's go!" Mrs Moore called, leading them off as Cybermen started getting closer.

The Doctor quickly pulled the Hatter along with Rose just behind them.

"There!" Mrs. Moore pointed as they ran down a side alley, the Cybermen still following. They quickly crouched down behind a group of bins and rubbish bags. The Hatter noticed that Rose was clutching Pete's hands as the Cybermen stopped right next to the bins.

The Doctor put his hand inside his jacket pocket and pulled out his sonic, pointing it at the Cybermen as he made it beep. The Cybermen quickly turned and marched down the street, away from them as Rose stood and peered over the top of the bin in front of her, watching the Cybers march away, before standing up and letting go of Pete's hand. Pete glanced at her trying, to work out why Rose was acting in such a way towards him, but shook it off as they all stood and looked in the direction the Cybermen went.

"Go," the Doctor whispered, leading the way from around the bins down the street to Bridge Street. They had just arrived when Jake came running over to them.

"I ran past the river," Jake told them, breathing heaver then normal, "You should've seen it, the whole City's on watch. Hundreds of Cybermen all down the Thames..." he trailed off, looking down the street where either Mickey or Ricky suddenly appeared, running towards them. Jake grinned, seeing him and the Hatter and the Doctor exchanged a look, "Here he is!" Mickey or Ricky stopped, not talking, "Which one are you?"

It didn't take much to work out that this was Mickey and that something horrible had happened to Ricky.

"I'm sorry," Mickey breathed, "The Cybermen. He couldn't..."

"Are you Ricky?" Jake asked, again before yelling, "ARE YOU RICHY?"

Mickey didn't answer.

"Mickey, that's you, isn't it?" Rose asked.

Mickey swallowed, "Yeah," Rose ran to him, hugging him as Jake stayed silent, "He tried," Mickey turned to Jake, "He was running..." Jake turned away from Mickey as he stepped closer, "There was too many of them".

"Shut it," Jake said, clearly struggling through his grief.

"There was nothing I could do..." Mickey said.

Jake spun around, "I said just SHUT IT. Don't even TALK about him. You're NOTHING, you are..." Mickey stepped back, "Nothing".

"That's enough," the Hatter said, stepping in-between the two, "Fighting with each other is not going to make anything better. We cannot go up against Lumic or the Cybermen if we do not stick together. Tonight we have already lost too many good people and we will continue to lose more if we don't start working together. Jake, I understand the pain you are going through and I know that right now the last thing you want to be seeing is a person who looks just like Ricky, but yelling at Mickey is not going to making anything better. When this is all over then we can grieve. Do you understand?"

Both Jake and Mickey nodded, slightly shocked by the Hatter's sudden speech. The Hatter patted them both on their shoulders before turning around to face the Doctor who also looked surprised by her speech, "Now, Doctor, I think it's time we come up with a plan so this terrible night can be over".

The Doctor nodded turning on his heel and walking off with the Hatter right on his heels, the others following close behind.

...

They walked up a slope that overlooked the river to see Bettersea on the opposite bank, all lit up with lights and smoke coming out of the chimneys.

"The whole of London's been sealed off," the Doctor said, "And the entire population's been taken inside that place. To be 'converted'."

"We've gotta get in there and shut it down," Rose commented.

"How do we do that?" Mickey asked.

"Oh, I'll think of something," the Doctor said as the Hatter cleared her throat, "I mean, we will think of something".

"You're just making this up as you go along!" Mickey exclaimed, staring at them as if they had gone mad.

"It's funnier that way," the Hatter grinned, "You should try it, Mickey".

"And I...I mean, we do it brilliantly," the Doctor corrected himself, smirking at the Hatter as she flashed him a smile.

Mrs Moore pulled her laptop out and brought up a 3D model of the factory as everyone, save Jake, gathered around her.

"That's a schematic of the old factory," Mrs Moore explained, "Look, cooling tunnels...underneath the plant...big enough to walk through..."

'And a possibly place to hide things in,' the Hatter thought grimly, frowning slightly.

"We go under there and up in to the control center?" the Doctor asked, looking at the tunnels.

"Hmm," Mrs Moore nodded.

"There's another way in," Pete informed them, everyone looked at him, "Through the front door. If they've taken Jackie for upgrading, that's how she'll get in..."

"Is it me or is this starting to sound like The Tomb of Rassilon in the Death Zone?" the Hatter asked suddenly, an odd look crossing her face, "Only without the top entrains".

Everyone looked at her, and the Doctor nodded, "It does a little and come to think it; there were Cybermen there as well".

"Anyway, we can't just go strolling up," Jake said, shaking his head, not understanding what the Hatter and the Doctor were talking about.

"Or, we could..." Mrs Moore said, pulling some ear pods from her bag, "With these..." the Doctor and the Hatter both took one each and examined them, "Fake ear pods. Dead. No signal. But put them on, the Cybermen would mistake you for one of the crowd".

The Doctor the Hatter tossed the ear pods back.

"It's very risky," the Hatter sighed.

"Then that's my job," Pete nodded.

"You'd have to show NO emotion," the Doctor warned Pete, "None at all. ANY sign of emotion would give you away".

"You don't have to do this," the Hatter told him but Pete just shook his head.

"How many of those have you got?" Rose asked Mrs Moore.

"Just two sets," she said.

"Okay, if that's the best way of finding Jackie...I'm coming with you," Rose got up and stood next to Pete.

"Why does she mater to YOU?" Pete asked, curiously.

"We haven't got time," Rose waved him off, turning to the Doctor and the Hatter, "Doctor, I'm going with him, and that's that".

"No stopping you there?" the Doctor asked, looking at her.

"Nope," Rose nodded.

"Just, be careful, Rose," the Hatter warned.

The Doctor tossed Rose the ear pods, "Tell you what...we can take the ear pods at the same time. Give people their minds back. So they don't walk into that place like sheep. Jakey-boy?"

The Doctor and the Hatter, with Jake, walked further up the hill and looked at the factory.

"Lumic's transmitting the control signal," the Doctor told Jake, "And it must be from over..." he went to pull the sonic out but the Hatter stopped him, pointing at the zeppelin on top of the factory, "When did you work that out?"

"When we first arrived here," the Hatter grinned at him, "But I couldn't help myself, I wanted to see how long it took for you to work it out and if this was a test you would have failed. Also, it was payback for you not letting me go with Mickey earlier".

The Doctor shook his head, turning back to Jake, "There it is...on the zeppelin, see? Great big transmitter. Good thing Lumic likes to showing off. Reckon you could take it out?"

Jake smiled, "Consider it done".

The Doctor patted Jake on the shoulder before walking back over to the others with the Hatter, "Mrs Moore...would you care to accompany myself and the Hatter into the cooling tunnels?"

"How could I refuse an offer of the cooling tunnels?" Mrs Moore laughed.

"Just what I was thinking," the Hatter smiled at her.

"We attack on three sides, above, between, below," the Doctor said. making the Hatter laugh.

"Sorry, it's just that you reminded me of my favourite nursery rhyme when I was a Time Tot," the Hatter smiled, "Come to think about it still is. My mother used to have the nanny sing it to me when I was very little, and I used to do the same to my kids…without the nanny part".

"And to me," the Doctor said, looking slightly thoughtful, "I remember you singing it to me when we were younger and after I regenerated in to my second body".

"Well, it was your first regeneration," the Hatter shrugged with a small smile.

Everyone exchanged looks as the Doctor and the Hatter seemed to be lost in memories before Rose cleared her throat, making the two Time Lords jump.

"Oh, right, sorry, got a little caught up in the old days," the Doctor said, shaking his head, "Okay, we get to the control center, we stop the conversion machines".

"What about me?" Mickey asked.

The Hatter smiled at him and put an arm over his shoulders, "You're going with Jake".

"No, he isn't," Jake glared at the Hatter.

"Oh, yes he is," the Hatter said, giving them both stern looks that would have worked better if she hadn't been smiling, "And you will be nice to each other or no ice cream after dinner, and I mean it".

Mickey coved his smile by shrugging, "Fine by me".

"I don't need you, idiot," Jake snapped at Mickey.

"Enough," the Hatter sighed, stepping in the middle of them again, "What did I say earlier about needing to get along with each other? Now, the two of you are going to do just that and that is final".

"Still no," Jake shook his head.

"I'm offering to help," Mickey said, taking a deep breath.

"Whatever," Jake stalked off as Mickey followed.

"Mickey?" the Doctor called, making Mickey turn back, "Good luck".

"Yeah," Mickey nodded, "You too. Rose, I'll see you later".

"Yeah, you better," Rose said.

"If we survive this," the Doctor added, "I'll see you back at the TARDIS," he smiled at Mickey, "That's a promise".

"From both of us," the Hatter nodded, hugging Mickey before stepping back, "And no fighting, both of you".

Mickey nodded before running off, trying to catch up to Jake.

"Good luck," the Doctor said to Rose, hugging her. Rose nodded and turned, walking off with Pete, leaving the Doctor, the Hatter, and Mrs. Moore to start walking towards the tunnels.

Edited: 14/10/13.

Sorry about the long wait, but for some reason this chapter was harder to write. I couldn't help myself and just had to add some things about the classic series, mainly the episode The Five Doctor's. Anyway, I hope you liked it, please review :)