This might seem like I am moaning but I have never had such a difference in views with two stories. Please tell me what you think. I want to know whether it is my writing or the way I have laid it out or the whole idea. I have worked hard on this story and was so excited to get it out to you and it is killing me to see it flopping like it is.
CHAPTER 11
MARTHA JONES
LOCATION: DINAS CARAVAN PARK CAMPING AND GLAMPING, LLANBEDR, GWYNEDD, WALES
DATE: 28TH APRIL
TIME: 18:00
SHE PACED AS SHE WAITED FOR HIM TO PICK UP THE CALL. Martha knew that Jack was getting annoyed by her pacing but she didn't feel like she could stay still. The fact that they had been on the run for the last three days, catching only a glimpse of the lies that had been spread about them. Like John, they had decided to take her previous job as the reason why she was dangerous. An unethical doctor. It just made her blood boil thinking about it. She had spent six years of her life trying to get the qualification that she needed. It just felt wrong to have her name dragged through the mud like that. Jack had forcefully taken her phone off of her to stop her from calling her mum. She only wanted to tell her not to believe what the papers were saying about her.
She turned to look at the computer screen as the call dropped and Jack logged out of the account before logging into another one.
"How many do you have?" She asked him.
"Enough."
"What do you mean by that?"
She waited for Jack to answer her but just dropped down on the sofa when she realised that she wasn't going to get an answer. She had been in danger before due to her job, but this felt different. This felt more life threatening than the other times someone had attempted to kill them. They knew more about who they were investigating. It was the other way round this time and they were the ones being hunted.
Martha didn't know why but she had a feeling that Jack knew more than he was letting on. She'd had the feeling for a while now. She became suspicious when they said that they met on a job. Now most people know when they met a person. Martha knew of many people that she met when she was a doctor. She still spoke to some of them now, not that they will speak to her after what was being spread about her. Both Jack and John would just look at each other for a bit before saying that it was just a job they had a while ago. If she wasn't sure before, she definitely knew something was up now.
She groaned as the call dropped again. "We aren't going to get through to them are we? What if something has happened?"
"I am sure it hasn't." Jack said as he called again.
"We wouldn't know either way would we?"
"Look we both know John well enough. He wouldn't get caught. He would give up a good fight beforehand."
"Because bullets won't stop him."
Jack sighed heavily, giving her another reason to think that he knew more than he was letting on. She wanted to ask him about the 'job' him and John were on. She wanted to ask him whether it had anything to do with that. Instead she jumped off the sofa and lean on the back of Jack's chair as John finally answered their calls.
"Hello." He said with a wave. Rose was sitting next to him.
"What have you being doing? We have been trying to get a hold of you for hours." Martha said before Jack could say anything.
"My phone ran out of charge. It has been charging while we have been finding out what is going on. Borrowing someone's laptop because mine is still at home. I think it is Amy's."
"Amy? Who is Amy?"
"Who is it?" A Scottish voice said.
"Martha and Jack." John said, looking over the top of the laptop.
"I should probably be in this conversation." The Scottish voice said.
"I can just tell them."
"Tell us what?" Martha said.
The picture of the screen went blurred before settling again on an older gentleman.
"You got the message to go on the run. We are all trying to be tracked by a very dangerous organisation. I would give everyone the name of the said organisation but I can't because I can't have you … googling them. I don't want us to be found just yet. I can tell you that they are very powerful and influential. There have people in every part of the government from simple civil servants to the cabinet."
"So a group we shouldn't be the wrong side of?" Jack said. "Why are we the wrong side of them?"
"I wish I could answer that question. We all have clean records and have lived our lives as normally as we can. I am sure you can understand that, Captain Jack."
Before anything else could be said, the picture went blurry again before settling back on John and Rose.
"So where the hell are you?" John asked.
"Snowdonia. We knew that the clues given to us was the Peak District but we had people on out backs and shooting at us. We made the decision that it was safer for you guys if we didn't join you. How many of us are caught up in this then?" Jack said.
"Obviously you two and us. We are sharing this house with another … six people. Do you think that you have lost the people after you?"
"Maybe."
"Couldn't you join us here in the Peak District?"
"No." The Scottish voice said. "There are safer there. We don't know who is watching us nor do they know who is watching them. We need to make things look subtle. They will now know that we knew to run and they will try and use that to our disadvantage. We need them to think that they are one step ahead without us getting captured. If we run for long enough ..."
"So you don't actually know who is after us and for what reason? You know we are all looking for answers. We don't want our names dragged through the mud. I would rather be at home, not here having to look over my shoulder every time I leave this caravan. Who put you in charge anyway?" Martha said, feeling her anger build up.
They had hoped for answers but this Sottish guy just seemed as cryptic as his note. To her, it felt like he thought that this was all a game. Something to be won. She was sure that he couldn't see the danger that it held. Or maybe he did and that was why he was enjoying it so much.
"I was only given the information by chance. I have only done what I thought I should do with that information. How about I get the others and we can see if you think my idea is any good?" The Scottish voice said.
They heard a door close and hoped that it meant that he had gone. Martha looked at Jack before saying what was on her mind.
"Who the hell does he think he is?"
"Martha, I know you were expecting more answers because, believe me, I have already thought everything you are thinking." Rose said.
"We have gone on the road on his word. I didn't ask for any more cryptic messages. I just want to know what is going on."
"Everyone feels the same. Let's just see what his plan is. You don't know, it might be good."
"I just want to know who put him in charge?"
"Basically, it is the eyebrows." The Scottish voice said. "For the purposes of Martha and Jack, there are three John Smiths here. The one you know is now known as Sandshoes. I am known as Eyebrows and the other one is known as Chinny."
"Sandshoes?" Both Martha and Jack questioned.
John, Sandshoes, lifted up his leg to show the converse that he always wore. "Apparently, these are sandshoes."
Martha and Jack just looked at each other before sighing.
Was it just a coincidence that they were all called John or was there something more to it? Martha hoped that there was more to it. It would help to explain John (Sandshoes) past.
"So, the plan." Eyebrows said. "The longer we stay in one place, the sooner whoever is after us will find them. The information, that I got by chance, wasn't explicit to what we needed to do. I wish I could tell you more but … I don't know anything else. At a guess the person, who gave me the information, put their lives on the line to get that information to me. So, here's the plan. We may have all come together but I think it is best if we split again."
"You what?" Martha said at the same time as someone else.
"Wait what are … Don't we need to be together to work out what is going on?" Another Scottish voice said.
"Well, if we are all spilt, then they won't all find us at the same time." Eyebrows started. "It will slow them now. I think we should stick to the National Parks. Keep up the distance that we can put between ourselves and the main towns. The remoteness will allow us not to be recognised. I would suggest hiding in plain sight but with our faces all being spread around, hiding in plain sight is the last thing we would be doing. It will also allow Martha and Jack to join part of us. I thought that we would keep it to people who know each other. So Sandshoes, Rose, Martha, Jack and Donna will all go together. Sandshoes, I am sure I can trust you with my car?"
"Why were are we going?" Sandshoes asked.
"Wales. We will finding a meeting point halfway for you to meet up with Martha and Jack. And then you will head towards South Wales."
"You are making us go back down South. We have come from South Wales." Martha argued.
"Do you not think that they would have already looked down there? That is going back to my point of hiding in plain sight." They hears him clap his hands together. "That would leave Chinny, Amy and Rory to go together. And then me and Clara."
Martha tilted her head to the side as Rose rolled her eyes. Obviously 'Eyebrows' had been too close or flirting with this Clara. Not that she knew what age Clara was but it just seemed weird that someone of 'Eyebrows' age would be flirting. Wouldn't he be settled down with someone?
"We will work out in a moment where everyone is going. I am just getting a little conscious about how long we have been speaking to Martha and Jack. They could have been listening to the whole conversation. Hung up now."
The screen changed from a picture of John (Sandshoes) and Rose to the hung up sign. Jack sighed back into the chair and Martha did the same as she dropped back down onto the sofa. They were no closer into knowing what was happening.
"Hope you weren't comfortable." Jack joked.
"I was really enjoying the comfort of a bed and a working toilet and running water. I was just glad not to be walking all the time. Now we are basically going back on the run."
He stood up and stretched before he made his way towards the door.
"Where are you going?" She asked.
"Might as well pay them now. Means we can leave pretty sharpish in the morning and hopefully miss the rush of the traffic. Think, we are meeting halfway between the Peak District and Snowdonia. That must be around Liverpool. That is a long walk."
She sighed again. "I suppose we better start packing as well."
Jack gave her a small smile before leaving the caravan. Martha knew that she should get up to start packing but she had really only just finished getting all her stuff out and putting things aside that needed washing and she had made a list of the things that they needed to buy before they set off again. That was all for nothing as they were leaving sooner than she had expected. Martha sighed again before pushing herself off of the sofa.
