A/N; Hello again :) I just wanted to really quickly apologize for my spacing on some of the previous chapters. I realized this past week that in places where I had put double spaces for a change of setting or whatever, it didn't carry over from my word software to the doc on this website. So sorry if you're ever reading along and are thrown when suddenly you have traveled in time and space and are with different people in just one short paragraph space. But hey, it is Doctor Who. XD They aren't mistakes, they're just little wormholes that the Doctor hasn't fixed yet.
Anyway, here it is! The big encounter. Hope you all enjoy :)
"All right, Maggie, where to now?", asked George as he held the screwdriver light and followed along behind the young girl, his jacket slung over his shoulder and his sleeves rolled up. He felt rather like an explorer.
"We've gotta find the shaft,", she said, trodding carefully in her small black boots, her eyes searching the ground.
They were in a tunnel. It sort of started out as a crevice between two ginormous rocks, then the top had closed in over them. It was pitch black (except for the friendly little blue light the screwdriver emitted).
All of a sudden, George heard a little scream, and then he discovered that he was alone. He shined the light all over, softly calling "Maggie? Maggie?", but there was no answer.
"All right, Harrison, you've got yourself in a right mess now,", he mumbled, now taking a few cautious steps forward.
He had only taken about five steps when he decided to shine his light down onto the ground, which was a lucky thing, because his next step would have landed him in a dark and seemingly endless abyss.
He whistled to himself as the light of the screwdriver shone down into the hole. Its end was not in sight.
Just then, he heard a tremendously loud *BANG!*. He jumped back from the hole, just in the nick of time, as a bullet flew straight up towards where he had just been standing.
He was shaking in his boots when suddenly, he saw the faintest trace of light teeming up out of the hole.
He dared to creep back closer to the hole. His heart was pounding in his ears.
As he dared to extend his neck over the opening, he definitely saw light coming from below, though its source was coming from somewhere to the side of the opening. He thought he could hear the faintest sounds of voices. He strained to listen, but could not make out any words.
Then he heard a scream, followed by a deep voice speaking in an aggressive tone, again with unidentifiable words.
Then he heard rustling.
Another scream.
*BANG!*
But this sound was different than the first. It was slightly more muffled, and this sound did not reverberate throughout the tunnel like the first. But nonetheless, George suspected it was a gunshot.
Then George listened on, and there was total silence.
He didn't let his mind picture what he hoped so much hadn't happened, but what he feared had happened. He'd never forgive himself if this whole silly mission had gotten a girl shot.
He knew then what he had to do. He couldn't run back to the others. The Doctor had trusted him with this, and if he had messed it up, he was going to take responsibility. And even though it might already have been too late for Maggie, he wasn't going to walk away.
He turned around backwards and got down on his knees, preparing to lower himself down into the hole.
"There's got to be some sort of ladder,", he thought to himself, the toes of his Cuban heels feeling for footholds.
He swung his feet all around before he finally came to the conclusion that there was no ladder or anything like that whatsoever.
He was going to have to take the plunge.
George gulped.
His hands let go.
Thud.
It wasn't as far as he imagined to the ground, but it was a good 12 feet.
He had come down firmly on his feet into a small little stone-carven room. It was rather interesting, a bit like a little cave, but he didn't have much time to examine his surroundings.
George's eyes met immediately with the sight of Maggie, bound and gagged in the corner. Her eyes widened as they observed him. As soon as she realized that Maxwell was watching her, it was too late to disguise her expression. He followed her gaze directly to George. He whirled around, standing with his pistol at the ready.
George got a look at his face. He looked rather like the men in the tavern; dirty (though more so than any of the men in the town), bearded, and wielding a gun. Though George could tell he was a bit different. He had something about him that felt more dangerous.
"Sorry, Mr. Maxwell, but this is rather rubbish. I mean, you'd think a guy like you, 'e'd have a better hiding place than this,", said George, looking around at the small space. "I mean, anyone could just drop in at any time,", he smirked.
"Who the hell are you?", said Maxwell, his gray eyes widening.
"Oh, begging your pardon, I'm Harrison. George Harrison,", said George, studying the man's expression, waiting to see if the name would register with him.
The man noticed this.
"Is that supposed to mean somethin' to me?", said the man, gruffly.
"Oh, no, it's just you asked who I am,", said George. Okay, he hadn't been up on the CIA for a while.
"All right, now or later?", said the man.
"You what?", said George.
"Would you and the girl like to die now, or later?", said the man, pulling back the little switch on the back of the gun with his thumb.
George gulped, staring down the barrel of the pistol.
Maggie was as white as a sheet, holding her breath.
"I think I'll go for later. Much later. When do you want to die, Maxwell?", said George, now remembering and resting his hand on his water pistol, disguised in its holster.
Maxwell then started laughing, and rather evilly, George thought.
"You really think you've got a faster gun than me, boy?".
"No, it's just that you never answered when you wanted to die, so I naturally assumed you'd rather get it over with now, whereas Maggie and I opted to die later. I thought I'd have plenty of time,", said George, now staring Maxwell straight in the eyes.
"Clever,", said the man, obviously disgusted by this. "Shut up.".
"You mean you can't shoot me while I'm talking?", taunted George.
Maxwell snarled.
"I'm waiting till ya shut yer blabbering English mouth so I can ask ya what ya want with me!", he boomed.
"Oh, I didn't think you cared,", said George, scratching his eyelid lazily. "We know who you are, by the way. Came to ask you about the CIA.".
This visibly stunned Maxwell. His grip loosened on his gun, only to tighten again even tighter than before. He was pursing his lips very hard, and he began squinting at George.
"So what, hmm? You've come to take me back? Hmm? No, I don't think so, buddy. I've done enough of your dirty work. I don't know anything more than what I knew when you last heard from me.".
His accent had changed miraculously. He now sounding particularly New York-ish.
"Oh, we have our ways. And I'd put that gun away if I were you,", said George, now daring to creep closer to the man. The man seemed slightly frightened of George now. He slowly put his pistol back in its holster. George had a way of talking that was very persuasive. Especially since the man could see he had a strange device stuffed in his pocket that he had his hand on.
"Just tell us where the auction house is and we'll leave you to your hole in the ground,", said George with authority.
"I told you already, I don't know anything more-", said the man.
George then sprinted towards the man in one swift, daring movement. He jabbed an object that Maggie couldn't see against the man's rib cage.
"You know what this is?".
"N-no,", said Maxwell, started to quiver from the inside out.
"It's the latest in sonic technology. With the push of a button, I can have you crawling on the floor, the size of an ant,", George lied.
"Hmm, well...", said Gerard, considering. "You must not be with any agency if you say you want the same information twice. Freelancer, are ya?", he shot at George.
"You could say that,", admitted George.
"So why do you want to know, boy? One of the lords deal ya a dirty hand? Wanna go get back at 'im? HA!", Maxwell laughed.
"They stole from me! I'm going to go get back what's mine,", said George, never releasing Maxwell.
"Oh, you must be rich then,", speculated Maxwell, "to have something worth their while in stealing.".
"I'm not paying you for information that you apparently deal freely to others,", said George obstinately.
"Ah. Quick,", said Maxwell. "But not quick enough to make a deal with the lords. I would almost tell you, just let you go on to the Pit, that's what they call their joints, just so they could kill you both for me,", said Maxwell, his gaze twisting around to Maggie, who was trying with all her might to spit out the gag shoved in her mouth.
"I don't think you've got any room to be making threats, ya blaggard,", said George, tightening his grip on the back of Maxwell's collar.
"But you know why I can't do that?", said Maxwell snarkily. "Because I happen to recognize this little girl. From Thirsterren,", he said, his gaze twisting around to her.
"It's been years, and you've got a different haircut, yes, but I still recognize ya, make no mistake. I can't let you little kiddies go back tattling about my hole in the ground to the rest of the town.".
"I'd shut up if I were you,", said George, the sound of anger rising in his voice, which was very rare for him.
"So, what's all the him-haw for, boy? You told me you could miniaturize me with whatever it is you've got jabbed into my rib. I'm not gonna tell ya what ya want to know, so do it! Pull the trigger!".
George looked around awkwardly, still trying to bluff. He was desperately asking himself the question "What would the Doctor do?" over and over in his mind.
"This is your last chance...", said George, fumbling with thoughts of what to say and do next in his mind.
"No, boy. That's where you're wrong. It's yours,", said the man, now deciding to break away from George's grip. He put his hand on his holster again. George and Maggie then looked like deer in headlights once again.
"Now, I'll ask ya again, kiddies - do you want to die now, or later?".
"What does the later option entail? I was thinking I'd die at home, in a nice cottage in the countryside, on a nice summer day, when I'm old and gray,", said George. "'Ey, that last bit rhymes,", he nodded to Maggie, whom he had squatted down beside, though his eyes never left Maxwell. "Have to write that down sometime,", he continued to muse, starting to untie Maggie. Maxwell made no attempt to stop him, both parties knowing it made little difference if he was going to shoot them then and there.
"I'm afraid you don't have that much time, considering your sonic technology seems to be failing you, and you're too afraid to use your gun,", said Maxwell, nodding at George's holster. George did not let that jab effect him. He remained composed.
"If you choose 'now', I'll shoot you both now. If you choose 'later', I'll take you far, far out into the desert, and leave you there, and let old Mother Nature do the work for me.".
"That second option depends on the unlikely event that we would not try to walk back to civilization,", said George.
"You can't do that if your legs are shot off.".
George then smirked. In a few moments more, the smirk turned into an outright smile.
"What are you smilin' about, Jack?", said Maxwell, confused.
"Me name isn't Jack,", said George, helping Maggie to stand up next to him.
Then, to Maxwell's shock, George produced Maxwell's shiny silver-colored pistol from his trouser pocket. He aimed it at Maxwell, and laid his finger calmly on the trigger.
"It's George.".
"Bu-but,", stammered Maxwell.
"Better get a holster with a cover on the top of it, mate,", said George cockily.
Maxwell was now speechless.
"So now, have we come to an understanding?", asked George, started to encroach upon Maxwell, who was now afraid, flattened against the wall.
"Oh, yes, sir, yes,", said Maxwell, now cowering.
"Funny, a minute ago I was a kiddie, now I'm a sir,", laughed George. "So, back on the subject; where is the auction house?".
Maxwell gulped.
George smiled a little. From the expression on the man's face, George could tell he was about to spill the beans at any minute as he stared down the barrel of his own gun.
"Hmm, perhaps I need to rephrase the question...", said George, shoving the gun now inches from Maxwell's nose.
"Do you want to die now. Or later?".
Maxwell's eyes bulged.
"You've got to call the Pepper Intergalactic Tour Agency. Ask to talk to The Sergeant.".
"Sergeant who?", asked George.
"Just The Sergeant. 'E's the lord now. Tell him you want the Magical Mystery Tour.".
"What utter nonsense is that? Are you lying to me?", asked George, narrowing his brown eyes.
"NO! No, sir,", said Maxwell, shaking in his boots. "He'll tell you where to go.".
"Anything else?", asked George, starting to take Maggie back towards the way out.
"No, sir, that's all you'll need to know.".
"Good. It's been... Colorful, Maxwell,", George laughed lightly, giving Maggie a boost back up out of the cave.
"And don't get any ideas about following us, eh?", he said as he started to pull himself back up with the help of Maggie.
Once they were out of the cave, George took up the screwdriver in his left hand and the gun in his right.
Once they had run quite a distance (looking back over their shoulders at frequent intervals) and the top of the shaft started to open up to let in the dim moonlight, Maggie turned back to him.
"You were wonderful!", she said to him.
"You want to know a secret?", said George.
"Yes,", she said, and George bent down to whisper in her ear.
"I don't know how to use a gun.".
Maggie at first was shocked.
"Really?!".
"I don't have the faintest idea. All I know is what I've seen in films. I don't even know if it's loaded!", he exclaimed and Maggie started giggling uncontrollably. "Though I guess it is, otherwise he wouldn't have stayed put like that when I showed it to him.".
"Here, you'd better have this,", he said, handing her the gun. "It's probably safer in your hands.". She proceeded to take the bullets out and put them in her dress pocket.
They started trotting on, the light of the screwdriver lighting their way.
"Is that really what it's like where you're from?".
"What?".
"People don't even know how to use guns?".
"Oh, some do. Only guy I ever really knew that had a gun all the time was Gene. He was always quick to start waving it at people when he got angry. I didn't hang out with him much.".
After running a little while longer and doing some climbing, George and Maggie were back with the rest of the TARDIS team. They all greeted George with pats on the back and ruffles of the hair, and Donna gave Maggie a big hug.
"We thought you were dead after all this time!", joked John.
"Why didn't you come looking for us?", returned George.
"I'm too young to die!", said John in a ridiculous mouse-like voice, which made everyone laugh.
"Do we have a lead now, George?", said the Doctor, knowing that they did by the look on George's face.
"Yeah. We do.".
A/N; Woohoo! We're making progress. "I do believe it's getting better, it's getting better all the time *it can't get no worse*". If you didn't recognize that, you shouldn't be reading this story. Just kidding, and well, if you didn't recognize it, you need to be listening to Sgt. Pepper WHILE you read ;)
Tell me what you guys think so far, okay? I love hearing from you. A review is like a shot of steroids for my typing fingers. ;)
Always remember, never forget; peace and love, and check back here next Thursday!