Thanks to SarahSmithDW, Belle France for following/faving my story.
NicoleR85: thanks!
The group walk up the slope which overlooks the river, the Doctor holding Melanie's hand. "The whole of London's been sealed off, and the entire population's been taken inside that place" he said looking at Battersea Power Station across the water "to be converted"
"We've got to get in there and shut it down", Rose said.
"How do we do that?" Mickey asked.
"Oh, I'll think of something", the Doctor replied.
"You're just making this up as you go along", Mickey accused.
"Yep. But I do it brilliantly", the Doctor said winking at Melanie.
"I've found something", Mrs Moore called from a little ways away. They all joined her around her laptop which showed a schematic of the factory with the exception of Jake who chose to hang back "That's a schematic of the old factory. Look. Cooling tunnels… underneath the plant…big enough to walk through"
"We go under there and up into the control centre?" the Doctor asked.
"Mmm"
"There's another way in" Pete spoke up "Through the front door. If they've taken Jackie for upgrading, that's how she'll get in…"
"We can't just go strolling up", Jake said coming up to them.
"Or we could, with these..." Mrs Moore pulled out some ear pods from her bag "Fake ear pods. Dead. No signal. But put them on, the Cybermen would mistake you for one of the crowd". The Doctor takes one set from her.
"Then that's my job", Pete said. He was determined to find his wife before she was changed into a Cyberman and those pods were going to help him do it.
"You can't show any emotion Pete. Just the hint of emotion will give you away", the Doctor warned him.
"How many of those you got?" Rose asked Mrs Moore.
"Just two sets", the woman replied.
"Okay. If that's the best way of finding Jackie, then I'm coming with you", Rose said.
"Why does she matter to you?" Pete asked.
"We haven't got time", she said not answering his question "Doctor, I'm going with him, and that's that", Rose added.
"No stopping you, is there?" the Doctor asked.
"No", Rose replied.
Knowing that she'd made her mind up, the Doctor gave her 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", he said. Still holding onto Melanie's hand, the Doctor led her and Jake further up the hill to get a better look at the power plant and the zeppelin stationed above it. "Lumic's transmitting the control signal. It must be from over there…" he points his sonic in the general direction of the power station with his free hand and it bleeps. "There it is. On the zeppelin, you see? Great big transmitter. Good thing Lumic likes showing off. Reckon you could take it out?" the Doctor asked the blonde haired man.
"Consider it done", Jake replied with a smile.
"Mrs Moore, would you care to accompany Ellie and I into the cooling tunnels?" the Doctor asked when they went back to the others.
"How could I refuse an offer of cooling tunnels?" Mrs Moore asked.
"We attack on three sides. Above, between, below. We get to the control centre, we stop the conversion machines", the Doctor said.
"What about Mickey?" Melanie piped up. All of them had been allocated a job except him.
"Mickey! You can ahm…"
"What, stay out of trouble? Be the tin dog? No, those days are over", Mickey said looking Melanie who smiled "I'm going with Jake".
"I don't need you, idiot", Jake said glaring at him.
"I'm not an idiot!" Mickey said defending himself "You got that? I'm offering to help".
"Whatever", Jake muttered and walked off. Melanie wiggled her hand out of the Doctor's so she could give Mickey a hug.
"Good luck and be careful", she said.
"Yeah, you too", Mickey said "Rose, I'll see you later".
"Yeah, you'd better", Rose said.
"If we survive this, I'll see you back at the TARDIS", the Doctor said to Mickey.
"That's a promise", Mickey said with a nod.
The Doctor hugged Rose, the blonde throwing Melanie a dirty look over the Time Lord's shoulder. She clung onto the Doctor as long as she could before the Time Lord himself had to remove her arms from around his body.
~Cooling tunnels~
A trap door opens into the cooling tunnels. Mrs Moore descends the ladder followed by the Doctor then Melanie. "It's freezing here", the older woman commented.
"You got that right", Melanie agreed shivering, her thin jacket doing nothing to protect her from the cold.
"Here", the Doctor said shrugging off his suit jacket, putting it around her shoulders "better?" he asked as Melanie slid her arms into the jacket.
"A little", she replied "but what about you? Won't you get cold?" Melanie asked.
The Doctor shook his head "I don't feel the cold as much as humans do", he told her.
"Lucky you", Melanie muttered pulling the jacket around herself. The Doctor put an arm around her, pulling her close. Melanie snuggled against him, seeking the warmth his body gave off.
"Any sign of a light switch?" the Doctor asked trying to see in the dark.
"A light switch?" Melanie asked, her voice slightly muffled "I'm not sure people who built this place thought of putting a light switch in".
"Well…you never know. We've found stranger things, such as a horse on a spaceship", the Doctor reminded her.
"Good point", Melanie said.
"I can't see a thing either. But I've got these… Mrs Moore rummaged through her bag and produced a miner's light and gave it to the Doctor "A device for every occasion".
"Haven't got a hotdog in there, have you? I'm starving", the Doctor said after he put the band around his head.
"Of all the things to wish for. That's mechanically recovered meat", Mrs Moore said laughing.
"I know. It's the Cyberman of food, but it's tasty".
"You know if you're really that hungry, I make very good pancakes. I could make you some when we get back", Melanie offered.
"What kind?" the Doctor asked.
"Any one you want", Melanie replied "though personally I prefer banana pancakes".
The Doctor smiled at her "a girl after my own hearts", he remarked. He couldn't help but think how his previous self would've reacted if Melanie said that to him. Probably would've declared the same thing as he just did, maybe even kiss her for it. He was very tempted but knew it wasn't really the place nor time to do so.
"I've got a proper torch as well", Mrs Moore spoke up, gaining their attention. She didn't want to break up the moment but they did have pressing matters that needed to be addressed.
"Thanks", the Doctor said taking it from her "Let's see where we are" he switches the torch on and takes a few steps forward. The first thing the light falls on in a Cyberman. There a numerous Cybermen lining both sides of the tunnel. "Already converted, just put on ice. Come on", he said taking Melanie's hand and walked down the tunnel. After a moment's hesitation, Mrs Moore followed the pair.
The Doctor pauses by one Cyberman where Melanie reaches up with her free hand to tap its face. It didn't react. "Let's go slowly. Keep an eye out for trip systems". Holding tightly onto Melanie's hand, the Doctor edges warily down the tunnel. Mrs Moore does the same, making sure to stick close to them.
"How come you got involved with the Preachers?" Melanie asked as they walked.
"Oh, I used to be ordinary. Worked at Cybus Industries, nine to five, till one day, I find something I'm not supposed to. A file on the mainframe. All I did was read it. Then suddenly I've got men with guns knocking in the middle of the night. Life on the run. Then I found the Preachers. They needed a techie, so I, I just sat down and taught myself everything", Mrs Moore explained.
"What about Mr Moore?" the Doctor asked.
"Well, he's not called Moore. I got that from a book, Mrs Moore", Mrs Moore explained "It's safer not to use real names. But he thinks I'm dead. It was the only way to keep him safe. Him and the kids. What about you two? Got any family?"
"I do", Melanie "There's my adopted mum Sarah Jane, our dog K9 and of course the Doctor".
"Are you two married then?" Mrs Moore asked.
"No", Melanie answered "But we are together".
"Yeah we are", the Doctor agreed smiling at her. Melanie returned the smile. Mrs Moore couldn't help but smile too, seeing how they were looking at each other. Young love….
"So…um….what's your real name Mrs Moore?" Melanie asked turning to the woman.
"Angela Price. Don't tell a soul", Mrs Moore replied.
"Not a word", the Doctor promised.
"My lips are sealed", Melanie added miming zipping her lips. They continued along the corridor unknowing that a Cyberman behind them had been activated and was watching them go.
Mrs Moore paused when she thought she saw a Cyberman's hand twitch "Did that one just move?" she asked a little scared.
"It's just the torchlight", the Doctor assured her "keep going, come on". A Cyberman just in front of them definitely turns. "They're waking up… Run!"
The Doctor tightened his hold on Melanie's hand as they and Mrs Moore ran along the cooling tunnel. As they go, the Cyberman spring to life, one after the other. They begin to march forward just as the trio reach the ladder at the end of the tunnel.
The Doctor scrambles up the ladder closely followed by Melanie then Mrs Moore. "They're coming!" the older woman shouts as the Doctor hurried to open the seal with his sonic screwdriver. "Open it! Open it!"
The Doctor manages to get the trap door open and climbed up. He reached down and helped Melanie through. The pair then pulled Mrs Moore up before slamming the trap door down, just in time. The Doctor used his sonic to lock it preventing the Cybermen from following them. "That was far too close", Melanie commented panting a little from the run. The Doctor turned to her, giving her a one armed hug as he was pretty sure he felt her fear just then.
The Doctor, Melanie and Mrs Moore edge along a dark metal corridor. Suddenly a Cyberman steps out in front of them making all three of them jump. "You are not upgraded", it declared.
"Yeah? Well, upgrade this", Mrs Moore said before she threw a small metal device at the Cyberman. It sticks to its chest and sparks causing the Cyberman to be electrocuted. It shakes and jerks before slumping to the floor. "What the hell was that thing?" the Doctor asked looking impressed.
"Electromagnetic bomb. Takes out computers, I figured it might stop the cyber-suit…" Mrs Moore explained.
"You figured right", the Doctor said "now lets have a look…" the trio crouched down next to the Cyberman "Know your enemy…and the logo on the front…Lumic's turned them into a brand" the Doctor takes the logo off so that they could see inside the Cyberman. "Heart of steel" the Doctor said showing the metal plate to Melanie and Mrs Moore. Melanie grimaced when the Doctor put his fingers inside the Cyberman and draws out some bodily tissues.
"Is that flesh?" Mrs Moore asked equally disgusted.
"Hmmm... central nervous system. Artificially grown then threaded throughout the suit so it responds like a living thing. Well, it is a living thing. Oh, but look…." The Doctor carefully fingers an electronic chip "emotional inhibitor. Stops them from feeling anything".
"But…why?" Mrs Moore asked.
"It's still got a human brain…imagine its reaction if it could see itself, realise itself inside this thing. They'd go insane", the Doctor explained.
"So they cut out the one thing that makes them human", Melanie added quietly. The Doctor touched her shoulder, picking up on her sadness. This was the second time he'd felt anything from her which suggested that they may have the emotional link that comes from being Bonded. But he still didn't know it if would be exactly the same as it would be between two of his people. Only time will tell.
"Why am I cold?" the Cyberman asked.
"Oh, my God" Mrs Moore breathed "It's alive. It can feel".
"We broke the inhibitor", the Doctor stated. The Cyberman wouldn't have asked that if the inhibitor was intact. He leaned over the Cyberman and touches its head.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry", he said quietly.
"Why so cold?" the Cyberman asked.
"Can you remember your name?" the Doctor questioned.
"Sally. Sally Phelan", the Cyberman replied.
"You're a woman…"
"Where's Gareth?" Sally asked.
"Who's Gareth?" Mrs Moore asked.
"He can't see me. It's unlucky the night before", Sally told the trio.
Melanie's eyes widened as she knew what that meant "You're getting married", she said. Sally didn't deserve this she thought she had her whole life ahead of her.
"I'm cold. I'm so cold", Sally said.
"It's all right. You sleep now, Sally. Just go to sleep", the Doctor said quietly. He points his sonic just inside the suit, the blue light inside goes out. "Sally Phelan didn't die for nothing, because that's the key. The emotional inhibitor. If we could find the code behind it, the cancellation code, then feed it throughout the system into every Cyberman's head…" Mrs Moore nods "they'd realise what they are…"
"And what happens then?" Mrs Moore asked.
"I think it would kill them", the Doctor said.
"Could we really do that?" Melanie asked fighting back the tears that had been building up since the Cyberman told them that it was a woman.
"We've got to. Before the kill anyone else", Mrs Moore stated. The Doctor continued to stare at the Cyberman as did Melanie. "There is no choice, Doctor, Ellie. Its got to be done", Mrs Moore continued standing up. Suddenly a Cyberman grabbed her by the neck and killed her. Melanie let out a small scream when she saw this.
"No! you didn't have to kill her!" the Doctor said furious, jumping to his feet, pulling Melanie with him. Though he made sure that she was firmly behind him.
"Sensors detect a binary vascular system", the Cyberman stated "You are unknown upgrades. You will be taken for analysis". It seemed that the Cyberman had put Melanie in the 'unknown' category as well. Either because she was behind the Doctor or it was to do with their Bond. Keeping a fairly tight grip on Melanie, the Doctor allowed them both to be escorted away.