"The Benevolent Doctor"
21. Brannigans United
Sometime in New New York
Not long ago on that very day, if she had found herself all on her own as she was now, Santana might have decided to strike out on her own and do what no one seemed any closer to doing, and that was to rescue Brittany. But Martha had actually gone and convinced her to stay put, so she did. Only then they were all so busy interrogating and examining all these people that she had practically been forgotten, left to stand in the corner and wait until something might happen.
It was because of this that she had been right there to see when someone went and snuck out the door. After hesitating for all of four and a half seconds, Santana had snuck out, too, going right up behind between the tall cat man.
"Hey!" she called, and he jumped, turning on her and then stopping all at once as he saw it was only her. "Where do you think you're going, we're supposed to wait."
"Go back to the house, little girl," he tapped her shoulder and turned back to go on his way. Santana glared and hurried again to his side.
"I'm not a little girl, and if you're going, then I'm going."
"It's too dangerous for you," Brannigan refused.
"Do I look like I care? She's my responsibility," she declared, and staring at her, the cat man might have been seeing much of the same guilt he was feeling himself, knowing that his daughter was in danger. "If you send me back, I'll have to tell the others that you went," she pointed out. Brannigan considered, then sighed.
"Very well. But stay close, do you hear? I will not have one more of you get hurt," he pointed a finger at her.
"You got it," Santana promised, and they walked on, unaware that they were being followed.
Martha had just been looking for Brannigan when she'd seen Santana sneak out. She'd honestly thought she'd gotten through to the girl, but evidently there was much more for her to learn. So she stepped out of the house also, trailing after the fourteen-year-old. She was about to call out to her when she realized that Santana was following someone else: She hadn't gone out for herself, she'd followed Brannigan! Now Martha frowned at him, but she didn't reveal herself, not yet.
She had a pretty good idea where they were going, but maybe on the hope that they might all change their mind and turn back, she'd stayed behind, trailing quietly. She'd followed, and followed, and they had not given any sign whatsoever of turning back. So, with a sigh, she'd hurried her pace and caught up to them.
"I thought we'd agreed," she called, and now the two turned with the same startled look.
"Martha," Santana started, but Brannigan cut in.
"They have Agnes, they have her friend, and from what those others have said, there will be more. We can't sit by, and I don't see how you could. Now the way I see it, the Doctor's gone and made enough of an impression on Benedict that he'll expect him to come… He won't expect us," Brannigan shook his head determinedly.
"Can you really know that?" Martha tried to be strict yet understanding. It was one thing for Brannigan to go and do this, but to bring Santana into it…
"It's better at least to try," the girl cut in, and Martha could see Brannigan had reawakened something in her, a need to act. They wouldn't go back, not now. And if she was perfectly honest with herself, Martha didn't want to go back either. She had a better understanding of what was happening in that house, now that they'd seen the others, and the thought alone of what might still be happening to the people stuck inside was making her hate having to stand still.
"Right… Alright… I suppose we might have a look.
X
The Doctor had gone back to get another look at Alfred. He knew now what the previous subjects had been put through, and knowing that Alfred was the lone example of his group thus far, he had to know more, to either confirm or deny his suspicions.
Now that he was awake, it was notably easier to get some information out of him, though at the same time he knew it could be misleading. The obvious answer might have been the actual answer, or it could have…
His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of multiple voices talking at once downstairs, and with apologies to Alfred, he headed down to see what it was all about.
Valerie was trying to get a word in while four of her children were standing in front of her, all talking at once. The mother was talking to one, then another, and then a third, back to the first and on to the fourth, but at no point did their voices lower at all.
"Quiet!" the Doctor's voice carried and, maybe for having caught them by surprise, succeeded in silencing the cat children and making them turn. "Thank you. Now. What's all this about?" his voice returned to caring curiosity.
"What do you think?" Val frowned. "They were trying to go out there."
"Why not?" Alice asked, with a frown that revealed her for her mother's daughter, despite the fact that one was a cat and one was not.
"Yeah, Dad went, and the others, too," Alexander piped in.
"He did what?" Val asked.
"What others?" the Doctor asked, barrelling down the last few steps.
"Santana and Martha, they went, too," Allen replied, and the Doctor groaned.
"The four of you, to your rooms," he pointed to the cats, turning a quick look to Val to make sure she didn't mind his ordering her kids around. She shrugged approvingly. "You stay with Alfred," he told her; she was more than happy to. "No one leaves, and no one goes anywhere near that house, is that clear?" He made for the door, at which point he spotted Trean looking at him, inquiring silently. "You, come with me."
TO BE CONTINUED (FRIDAY)