As time went by, Entral Sool's victim radius grew exponentially and news stations the country-over were picking up on the murder and foetal detachment of young, pregnant, first time mothers. As such, Jack felt it necessary to send Mariah in to investigate and quell hysteria. Unfortunately, he wasn't banking on police interference…or that Mr. Sool knew that Mariah was going to be there, and would do everything in his power to stop her from communicating what she knew to anyone that could stop him…
Mariah now leaned back against a desk and hopped up onto it, sitting and swinging her legs as she watched the scans running with a scowl,
"Sadly, that is the case. Weevil's running loose."
"And you're better are you?" asked DI Jason
Mariah didn't appear to have noticed, "Hell yeah, like I said, we have a clue and will employ anyone who has the right credentials. Male, female, gay, straight, alien or human. And we don't have a no dating in the office rule, which makes life considerably more entertaining for those of us who work there. My boyfriend works with me; well actually he's my boss. My best friends are having a civil ceremony in two months."
"Nice." Said DI Jason
She laughed as she studied the neck wounds closely, "I'll explain all this at my place later. We're having a briefing there with Colonel Mayflower. And then I have to report back in with the team, and that should be fun."
"Fun?" DI Jason inquired.
"Well the last time I was there with my boyfriend, Captain Harkness, he was naked, mind you though, I didn't have many more clothes on. Anyway… This guy was definitely killed by a Weevil. I would say, judging by the size of the injuries, that it's probably the same one, but no way of knowing until I check the DNA, which I'll have to do at home."
She quickly set up a projected keyboard on a desk and rattled away at the non-existent keys, "You getting all this through there Owen?"
"Loud 'n' clear Riah." Owens voice sounded loud and clear through the speakers set up near them. "By the way, your 'boyfriend' is standing right next to me. And has been for the past few minutes. If you catch my drift."
"Oo-oo… brilliant. Hi Jack. Dose this mean I'm gonna get it when I get back? Or are you merely going to take it home with you and bring it up with me there? And we all know where that will lead…" Mariah paused for effect, and then added sarcastically. "Don't we…?"
"All right Mariah, you've made your point. And yes to all of the above. You are gonna get it when you get back… in more ways than one!" came Jack's voice through the speakers. In a way that let her know that she wasn't going to be in as much trouble as she was going to be in bed.
"Jack, is there any way for me to get back to Cardiff tonight or tomorrow sometime? These attacks don't seem to be of the usual kind. If this was the same one, then that would have to mean…" Mariah's voice stopped cold. She looked at DI Jason and then continued down another topic. "I need to discuss this with you and the team- wow these readings are off the scale! Transferring them back to you now." Mariah's voice, panic stricken, shook with fear.
"Mariah, stay calm. We'll get you back here as soon as we can. Tosh can you-" Jack's voice had a hint of Mariah's panic behind it.
"Already on it Jack." Tosh's voice came through the speakers loud and clear.
"There, you'll be back before you know it." DI Jason was trying to relieve her obvious distress.
"No. You don't understand. It's him Jack, he's onto me. If he finds me-"
"He won't, it'll be fine Mariah, I promise. Look, Tosh has a screen up that says you can get back to Cardiff Central tonight. We'll be at the train station waiting for you. Ok?"
A car screeched around a corner somewhere up the street and Mariah's head snapped toward the sound. "I know that car…got to go Jack, bye!" Was all she said before grabbing the equipment, disconnecting the power source, and shoving it all into a case. Mariah zipped the bag closed and threw it into the back of her rented car before slamming the door and jumping into the drivers' seat. She started the engine and stuck her head out the window and motioned for the DI to get in.
"I'm stayin' here til Ed gets back." DI Jason said in response.
"I'm telling you Ed ain't comin' back." A gun fired and the shot missed Jason by an inch. "I'd get in if I were you Jason, somehow I don't think they'll be as courteous."
DI Jason didn't need telling again. He slid into the car and Mariah put her foot down on the accelerator. She handed Jason a gun a pointed toward his side window and then back towards the car following them firing rounds off at them.
"You got a base of operations or a safe haven?" Mariah's voice was the only thing that broke the silence other than the constant gunshots.
"Yer." Jason let off a few rounds back at the other car as he answered.
"Where?" Mariah sounded concerned.
"Euston, Warren Street, O m twenty five."
"Great, the centre of London, just where I need to be." That said, they sped down the M4 towards their first destination.
With DI Jason safe, Mariah sped down the main highway towards the train station. Mariah's train ride back to Cardiff was a little too uneventful, and this put her on edge. As she stepped onto the platform, Mariah looked cautiously about.
She turned to go when she spotted two thugs sitting on a bench near her. They were watching her every move. Mariah turned slowly on the spot and headed towards the exit. Slowly at first as to not arouse suspicion, then quicker as she grew nearer the exit. The next thing she knew, she was bolting down the ally way opposite from the station, heavy footsteps behind her, gaining all the time.
A door opened somewhere behind her and more people gained on her current position. Mariah spun around to face her pursuers, only to find them readying their guns to fire on her when 'BANG!' Mariah screamed in agony and fell to the ground holding her right side, blood spattered all over her clothes and arms. Blood spurted from the wound in her side, dazed with pain and confused; Mariah lay there clutching her side, feeling herself slip away from the scene and the noise of running feet, two more gunshots, an explosion, the sound of glass shattering and hitting the ground around her, and more excruciating pain as shards of glass cut into her flesh, before drifting off into darkness.
"I need her location now Tosh!" Jack was yelling at the top of his lungs.
"And I need to triangulate her position in comparison to us. Give me a minute." Tosh was just as worried as Jack was. "Wait! I've got it! Down there."
They ran down the same ally Mariah had only an hour before. At first they couldn't see anything, but then the light from their torches found Mariah's motionless body. Jack fell to his knees next to Mariah. Suddenly deaf to the world, all he could do was sit there, tears running down his face. Owen working over her furiously.
"She's breathing. She's alive! Jack we need to get her back to the Hub NOW!" Owen's voice brought him back to reality.
"Jack…" Mariah's already weak voice faded away and she groggily opened her eyes. She'd lost a lot of blood but she was alive, and awake, and that was all that mattered.