A/N: Thank you for the follows/favourites! The Story of Imaginarium is nearly finished. Then we're going back to 1920s America. By the way, I mention an xbox controller (is that what you call it?) later in the story but I have no idea the difference between that and playstation. I think one of them doesn't need a controller anymore or something. Anyway, hopefully you enjoy the read!
Chapter Twelve: In The Lift
The guard gave a loud thud from inside the conference room. Vladimir jumped at each punch the door received.
"What're we going to do? Rescue your friend or go after Barson?" shouted Vladimir through the noise.
"We'll get Cara quickly. I don't feel comfortable with her locked in the dungeons," answered the Doctor, spinning wildly around to get a sense of direction. "Come on, this way!"
Vladimir watched him run in the opposite direction. He stayed rooted to the spot. "Doctor," he called, "that's not the way to the dungeons."
The Doctor ran back, his eyes wide with embarrassment, "Of course it's not! I was just testing you. Lead the way."
Cara didn't know how she managed it. She wasn't even sure what to do next.
When the guard had come in to her cell with a deep crimson drink, Cara had ducked under his arm and ran into the world outside. With a clatter, the drink had fallen to the ground as the guard ran after her. Now she was out of her prison, out of the dungeons and standing in some corridor surrounded by three guards who were advancing on her quickly. Where the hell had the Doctor gotten to?
Just as she thought of it, the Doctor and Vladimir came rushing around the corner. The Doctor skidded to a stop, staring incredulously at the three guards advancing on Cara. Vladimir gave a small – and slightly shocked – smile as he seen the girl with her back against the wall. Cara let a little sigh of relief escape from her tensed body.
"How did you get out?" asked the Doctor. "I was just about to rescue you!"
"Yeah, well, you're not the only genius that ever lived," replied Cara, who was now edging towards him.
The Doctor roughly pushed the three guards aside. He grabbed Cara's hand and pulled her away from the danger. Vladimir ran to a silver door and quickly pushed in a few buttons. The door slid across with a faint hum, appearing to be something like an unearthly lift. "Over here, quickly!" yelled Vladimir.
The Doctor pulled Cara by the hand and entered the lift after Vladimir. The silver door slid shut, cutting them away from the guards. With a loud bang! It was clear one of the guards had attempted to run face-first into the lift door. The Doctor winced as the lift floated upwards, muttering to himself, "That's gotta hurt in the morning."
"Where is this going? What are we going to do? How did you get out? Where's Barson?" asked Cara, the recent situation only forming a perspective in her mind.
"Oh god, you can natter on, can't you?" the Doctor said humorously, raising an eyebrow at her. "I never choose people who just sit there and shut up."
"Hey!" Cara scolded, slapping him lightly on the arm. "Has anyone ever told you sometimes you can be very rude?"
"They never really stop," said the Doctor with a wink. "Okay, to answer your questions: to Barson, stop Barson, jumped a guard and I reckon he's in his study."
Just as Cara was trying to work out what answers led to which question, Vladimir said in a shaky tone, "Doctor, what are we going to do?"
The Doctor's brown eyes turned a little darker as he looked his friend in the eye. "Vladimir, I need you to announce to the staff, and to the whole planet that you are back as Governor. You were the creator, and you will be the Governor until you die. You need to promise everyone that you will get involved in current affairs and public appearances. And to do this, you need to make the biggest public appearance you have ever, and will ever make. You need to get on that golden podium and make your Century Carnival speech. Reveal what Barson is planning. Get people to trust and like you again."
Vladimir's eyes widened as if the prospect was too horrible to put into words. "Doctor – Doctor, you know I can't do –"
"Your shyness is what got you into this mess, Vlad! Now, trust me. You need to change and get more confident or someone else is just going to do the same as Barson. You created Imaginarium, for goodness sake!" the Doctor insisted. Cara looked sadly at the native alien. He looked physically torn between what he needed to do and what he was too afraid to do.
Cara reached out to place a tentative hand on his arm. "Vlad, you can do it. We believe in you," she whispered. Vladimir's beady black eyes met Cara's deep blue. He saw something in there, something compelling. He found it hard to look away.
Taking a deep breath and shaking his head to clear it, Vladimir muttered, "Alright. I'll do it."
"That's a good man!" the Doctor exclaimed, patting Vladimir on his back. He then pushed a tiny button inside the lift until a light flashed. The door slid to the side, emitting the same faint hum. The Doctor turned to Cara, a steady grin on his face. Cara's stomach dropped a little.
"Cara, I need you to do something for me," he said innocently.
"What is it?" she asked nervously, staring into his glistening brown eyes.
"I need you to hijack a transporter cart and fly it to the floor above, just so it's level with the window. Can you do that for me?"
Cara gaped at him, "I haven't even passed my driving test and you expect me to fly an alien car type thing?"
"I think sometimes the more you don't know about something, the better it works for you," said the Doctor, still grinning. "Besides, you wanted adventure. I'm giving you adventure."
"What if I crash? What if I can't get it to work?"
The Doctor laughed as if the prospect was impossible, "Cara, I haven't known you very long, but I can guarantee you'll find a way to get the transporter working."
And with that, he gave her a little push through the lift doors. Before she could reply, the lift started to slide closed and he shouted out, "I'll see you in ten!"
They were gone. Cara gave an exasperated sigh before spinning around to grasp her surroundings. Transparent windows led into what appeared to be an alien car park. Or transporter cart park, Cara corrected herself.
She hurried to the closest entrance, wary of anyone watching her. The place seemed to be deserted. Weirdly so, at that. A network of passageways swerving between the carts led the way out to the outside world. All Cara needed to do was choose a cart and fly it to the floor above to meet the Doctor. She had no idea why, but the very thought of flying an alien vehicle made her stomach turn with nerves.
It seemed Cara had no time to think about the situation too much. The three guards from the floor below had run into the car park, yelling instructions at one another and pointing in Cara's direction. They had found her! Between the options of jumping into a transporter cart and getting taken captive again by these three, Cara knew which one she'd prefer. She flung open the door of the closest transported and slid it shut again. From the outside the carts looked small, but on the inside it was just the perfect size. Cara sat in the captain's seat, feeling a little faint at the amount of buttons staring back at her.
But as the three guards attacked her from different angles, all of them merely metres away, Cara ignored her apprehension and slammed her hand down on the biggest red button right in front of her. It seemed to work as the transporter cart sprang to life and floated higher in the air.
"Systems go," said the voice in the cart. "Please choose your destination."
Cara scanned through the list of planets, civilisations, moons. She found a little section at the bottom which read 'Manual Entry.' As she selected the latter, the black control-steering-wheel-type-thing unlocked itself. She grasped the controller, reminding herself just because it looks like Flynn's xbox remote control; she was not playing a video game.
The Doctor was still smiling as the door slid behind Cara. "This is going to be fun," the Doctor told Vladimir in a conversational tone. "She hates technology and science. I can't wait to see her drive a transporter cart."
Vladimir felt too concerned about his own task to reply. Instead he pointed to the lift door, "Doctor, I'll be going up to the top floor. You're going to miss your stop."
"Good point." He pressed the same button in the lift and it grinded to a stop. The door slid across with a light hum. The Doctor looked at Vladimir once more, halfway between feeling sorry for the creator of Imaginarium and feeling proud of his willingness to face his fear. "I'd better be off. Good luck, Vlad. You'll be great," the Doctor said sincerely.
Unable to find the appropriate words, Vladimir nodded with a small smile. The Doctor stepped out, watching as the lift door slid between them. He could no longer worry over Vladimir, he had his own business with Barson to attend to. He knew his alien friend would be fine; he had the courage within him somewhere. Barson was the real problem at the moment. That and Cara's horrific flying skills, the Doctor thought amusedly.
The coast was clear as the Doctor rapped lightly on Barson's office door. Without waiting for a reply, he pushed his way through and he called, "Honey, I'm home!"
Now that Vladimir was alone, he could hyperventilate without any intrusions. The more he tried to control his breathing and panic, the more it worsened. The native alien jumped slightly as the lift door slid open on the top level. This was it. A few more steps and he would be standing on the golden podium, rising into the air and addressing the world he had created. Adventure was inevitable while being friends with the Doctor. Whether it was enjoyable or not was up to you. This was Vladimir's time to shine; this was his chance to save the nation. He created this world to fulfil his dreams and now it was time to defend his dreams.
Even if he was completely oblivious as to what was happening a few floors below.