They raced through the tunnel as the pig-men followed them, squealing at the tops of their lungs. Suddenly, Martha skidded to a stop at a junction, and she screamed in a panic: "Where are we going?!"
The Doctor pushed his way through, dragging Lily with him as he turned into a tunnel shouting: "This way!" They all ran after him, the pig-men on their tails. The Doctor suddenly skidded to a halt, pulling back and leading Lily into a side tunnel.
She spotted what he'd seen as he yelled at the others: "It's a ladder! Come on!" He let Lily's hand go as he climbed up first, using his sonic to open the cover at the top. Lily climbed after him quickly as the others raced through behind.
The Doctor pulled her up, and she glanced around to see she was in a prop room of some kind. Martha climbed up after Lily, Solomon behind her and then Frank, but both men were still on the ground when the pig-men saw them.
Frank quickly dropped the rope, reaching forward and grabbing an iron T-bar to defend them as Martha climbed up. "Frank! Frank!" Solomon shouted, before climbing up first as the young man continued to stand guard.
The young man waited for his friend to climb before running back, dashing to the ladder. Solomon and the Doctor reached down to the young man as he climbed, and Solomon called: "C'mon, Frank!" The Doctor yelled encouragingly: "Come on!"
"Frank!" Lily shrieked in alarm when she saw pig-men arriving at the ladder. The Doctor pushed her slightly, and she moved out the way for them to help Frank. The pig-men had grabbed his feet, dragging him down, and Frank was screaming in panic and pain, but the Doctor managed to grab his hand.
"I've got you." He yelled, and Solomon also reached in, grabbing the young man firmly. "C'mon!" "Come on!" Both men yelled desperately, holding onto Frank as they tried to pull him up. Lily waited anxiously, but her hopes were dashed and her fears confirmed when Solomon yelled: "Frank!" And the Doctor screamed: "No!"
Solomon pulled the Doctor back, shoving him to the side and Lily could hear a pig-man getting closer, presumably climbing the ladder. Solomon slammed the lid to the ladder shut quickly.
"We can't go after him." Solomon said firmly as he pressed the lid down tightly while the Doctor rushed over, trying to tug the lid open as he cried: "We've got to go back down. We can't just leave him!"
"No!" Solomon slammed his feet on the lid as he stood up, pulling the Doctor up as he snarled: "I'm not losing anybody else." Martha was looking terrified as she held her hands over her mouth, and Lily quickly moved over to hug the poor girl as Solomon shoved the Doctor away, saying firmly: "Those creatures were from Hell. From Hell itself! If we go after them, they'll take us all!"
His voice broke as he said sadly: "There's nothing we can do." The Doctor glanced at Lily and Martha, and the former sent him a sorrowful gaze. "I'm sorry." Solomon said, wiping his own eyes.
Lily jumped when a woman wearing a long black dress appeared from behind a rack of props, pointing a revolver at them. "All right, then. Put them up." The blonde woman ordered them, and Lily let Martha go immediately. Martha and Solomon raised their hands in surrender immediately, Lily following slowly.
The woman cocked her gun and pointed it at the Doctor, snarling: "Hands in the air and no funny business." The Doctor lifted his hands slowly, joining the rest as they raised their hands higher in a show of surrender.
"Now tell me, you schmucks, what have you done with Laszlo?" She demanded and Martha asked in confusion: "Who's Laszlo?"
They were all standing at the door to the woman's dressing room as she explained: "Laszlo's my boyfriend. Or was my boyfriend," she glared at them as she cocked her gun at the Doctor again, "until he disappeared two weeks ago. No letter, no goodbye, no nothing."
The Doctor swallowed, Lily clutching the back of his jacket while Martha stood behind her and Solomon stood at the rear, but in clear sight through the open door. She pointed the gun at herself as she said scornfully, rubbing her perfectly set curls: "And I'm not stupid. I know some guys are just pigs," she pointed the gun at them again as she said flatly: "but not my Laszlo."
The Doctor raised a hand gently, backing away a little from the emotional woman's random movements. She continued, jerking the gun around wildly as she asked them: "I mean, what kind of guy asks you to meet his mother before he vamooses?"
Lily was seriously beginning to question their safety- not because she thought the woman would shoot them but because it looked like the woman might just set it off accidentally.
"Yeah." It seemed the Doctor had had enough as well as he raised his hand soothingly, and stammered out: "It might, might just help if you put that down." He gestured at the revolver, and the woman asked confused: "Huh?"
She looked at her hand and then said: "Oh, sure." She tossed it onto a chair in front of her, landing it in her costume. The Doctor flinched, dragging Lily behind him protectively.
"Oh, come on." The woman laughed as she revealed: "It's not real. It's just a prop. It was either that or a spear." She told them as she turned to her mirror. The Doctor slowly let Lily go while Martha stepped forward, asking: "What do you think happened to Laszlo?"
"I wish I knew." The woman replied, and paused in the middle of fixing her makeup as she said: "One minute he's there, the next, zip." She turned back to them as she said: "Vanished."
The Doctor stepped into the room as well, keeping Lily behind him warily as he said slowly: "Listen, ah—what was your name?" He asked the blonde woman, and she replied: "Tallulah."
"Tallulah-" The Doctor began but she interrupted, saying: "Three Ls and an H."
Lily stared at this daft woman, and the Doctor just said: "Right. Um, we can try to find Laszlo, but he's not the only one." He explained. "There are people disappearing every night."
Solomon added: "And there are creatures. Such creatures." He sighed, and Lily looked back at the man sympathetically. Tallulah glanced between them, asking with wide eyes: "What do you mean, creatures?"
The Doctor just interjected: "Look, listen, just trust me. Everyone is in danger." He began to rummage in his pocket as he said: "I need to find out exactly what this is." He held out the jellyfish thing and Lily wrinkled her nose again. The Doctor continued: "Because then I'll know exactly what we're fighting."
Tallulah just leaned back in her chair, before saying: "Yuck."
The Doctor had gone to look around the props room looking for parts to build a machine of some kind to scan the jellyfish thing. Martha and Lily were with Tallulah as she got ready in her dressing room.
She was just finishing with her jewelry, dressed in a silver outfit with a crown on her head, when she said dreamily: "Laszlo. He'd wait for me after the show. Walk me home like I was a lady. He'd leave a flower for me on my dressing table. Every day, just a single rose bud."
"Haven't you reported him missing?" Martha asked and Tallulah scoffed. "Sure. He's just a stagehand. Who cares? The management certainly don't." She said bitterly, and Martha asked: "Can't you kick up a fuss or something?"
Lily shook her head and Tallulah scorned: "Okay, so then they fire me." "But they'd listen to you. You're one of the stars." Martha protested as she came up to the mirror next to Tallulah and Lily sighed.
Tallulah smiled at Martha as she explained: "Oh, honey, I got one song in a back street revue and that's only because Heidi Chicane broke her ankle. Which had nothing to do with me whatever anybody says." She added, looking at Martha.
Martha rolled her eyes and Lily stood up to join them as Tallulah continued while looking back at her reflection. "I can't afford to make a fuss. If I don't make this month's rent, then before you know it, I'm in Hooverville." She told Martha as Lily came to stand on Martha's other side.
"Okay, I get it." Martha said, exasperated, and Tallulah turned back to her mirror again. "It's the Depression, sweetie." Tallulah sighed. "Your heart might break, but the show goes on. Because if it stops, you starve."
She stood up, looking at the two girls. "Every night I have to go out there," her face was scrunching just a little and both girls' faces saddened as they watched Tallulah continue in a bright voice: "sing, dance, keep going, hoping he's going to come back."
She broke at the end, beginning to cry and Lily reached out to hug the girl tightly. "Hey, it'll be alright." She soothed while Martha reached out and gripped Tallulah's hand.
"I'm sorry." Martha whispered to the poor girl, and Tallulah sniffed before she said in her brave, bright voice: "Hey, you're lucky, though." She pushed off Lily as she said: "You got yourself a forward thinking guy with that hot potato in the sharp suit."
She winked at Martha as she said the end. Lily blinked while Martha said embarrassedly: "Er, he's not. We're not… together." "Oh, sure you are. I've seen the way you look at him. It's obvious." Tallulah scoffed as she moved away to reach for her wings to complete her costume, and Martha glanced at Lily.
The girl's face was unreadable, but Martha knew she was caught. "Not to him." Martha sighed, and Tallulah paused. "Oh… I see." She turned to look at the two of them. "Hmm…You're harder to read." She pointed at Lily, who stiffened a little.
"And I can't say much about him either…" She mused, going quiet for a moment while Lily glanced at Martha, and she knew then that Martha knew of her feelings for the Doctor. In fact, from Martha's face Lily had the sneaking suspicion Martha had already known.
"Still, you got to live in hope." Tallulah said as she shrugged and she continued brightly: "It's the only thing that's kept me going because, well, look." She lifted a white rose bud from her dressing table, showing it to the two girls. "On my dressing table every day still." She explained as Lily took the bud in amazement.
"You think it's Laszlo?" Martha asked, while Lily stayed silent, staring at the rosebud in mute wonder. Tallulah shrugged as she replied to Martha: "I don't know. If he's still around, why is he being all secret like he doesn't want me to see him?"
She looked back at the bud, and Tallulah sighed in a mix of sadness and hope. She then shook herself and left the room, and Martha moved to follow. Lily grabbed Martha quickly, stopping her for a brief chat.
Martha looked at her curiously, and Lily asked quietly: "How did you know I loved him?" Martha's face took a look of understanding, and she glanced uncertainly at Lily, unsure of where the girl was going with this.
"The first time we met. On the moon, when he was…" She swallowed and Lily's face took on a look of realization. Martha continued anyway: "When he was dead for that moment, and I saw your face. I knew."
Lily gripped Martha's hand and asked anxiously: "Why didn't you say anything?" Martha shrugged. "I don't know… I just, I guess I didn't want to admit it when I love him too." She answered quietly and Lily's heart sank a little even though she understood.
"Well, how about friends who can be honest?" Lily asked hopefully and Martha blinked at her. "I doubt the Doctor will ever stop loving Rose enough to give us the time of day. No offense." Lily added quickly seeing Martha's dumbfounded look.
"So, what if… we can just be honest to each other about it, even if we can't ever tell him?" Lily asked and Martha stared at the other girl. "Don't you know he-" She was interrupted as Tallulah called: "Girls, it's showtime!"
Lily looked at Martha curiously as a woman's voice said in a sickly sweet voice: "Lois, you spoil my chasse tonight, I'm going to punch you." Lois replied in an equally sweet voice: "Aw, quick complaining, Myrna. Go buy yourself some glasses."
Tallulah called back at Martha and Lily: "Come on, honeys."
Lily glanced at Martha. "Or not, if you don't want to." She told Martha softly, and Martha made a split-second decision. "No, it sounds great." She smiled tentatively, and Lily returned it.
"Friends?" Lily asked, and Martha nodded. "Friends." She replied as they joined Tallulah.
"Take a look." Tallulah said to them, gesturing at the stage. "Ever been on stage before?"
Martha answered a little cockily: "Oh, a little bit. You know… Shakespeare." She said proudly but Tallulah laughed: "How dull is that?" Lily bit back a laugh at Martha's face as Tallulah encouraged: "Come and see a real show."
Martha glanced at Lily as Tallulah tugged them both with her, and the two girls shared smiles behind Tallulah's back before joining her in the wings where they sat for the show.
"Ladies and gentlemen." The Host cried as the showgirls stood behind the curtains, in place as the Host continued: "The Laurenzi… Dancing devils, with Heaven and Hell!"
The curtains opened, and the other showgirls in their red outfits moved, opening their fans to the music to reveal Tallulah in the center, dressed as the angel in white. She began to sing as the audience continued clap and cheer.
Martha suddenly noticed a strange looking man at the other side of the stage, watching the stage from the wings just like she and Lily were. She nudged Lily, and Lily looked over while Martha snuck onto the stage, trying to get across. Lily looked at her in alarm.
"Martha!" She whisper shouted but it was too late, Martha was behind the dancing 'devil' girls. Lily gasped in horror as Martha accidentally grabbed one of the girls' devil tails, pulling them both down.
She placed her hands over her eyes, watching between her fingers at the chaos Martha was causing. Tallulah was asking Martha through grit teeth: "What are you doing?"
"You're on my tail. Get off my tail!" The devil girl was hissing, and the crowd was becoming confused, but they were cheering, thinking it was part of the show- albeit a strange addition.
"Get off the stage. You're spoiling it!" Tallulah said to Martha urgently, and Martha pointed at the strange man as she said: "But look. Over there!" Tallulah saw the pig-man and she screamed. It ran away quickly while everyone stopped, shocked by Tallulah's scream.
All the girls turned to look, while Martha yelled: "Hey!" She began to chase the pig-man and Lily immediately followed. "Sorry! Sorry!" Lily said as she ran past the showgirls, following Martha backstage.
"Wait!" Martha yelled, and Lily followed Martha as she ran into the props room. "Martha! Hold on!" Lily yelled desperately, but Martha ignored her, yelling after the pig-man: "But you're different to the others! Just wait!"
She stopped as there was a clang and Lily caught up to her. "It's gone into the sewers." Lily gasped as both girls tried to catch their breaths.
Doctor P.O.V.
Meanwhile, the Doctor raced backstage, looking for Lily and Martha. He'd analyzed the jellyfish thing, and located it's origins to the planet Skaro. Now, he was panicked, searching desperately for his friends before any harm befell them.
He heard the show girls around the corner, one of them was saying: "Oh, that face. I ain't never going to sleep." He raced around the corner, and spotting Tallulah, grabbed the woman, demanding: "Where is she? Where's Lily?"
Tallulah looked startled as she said: "I don't know. She ran off the stage."
Lily P.O.V.
Lily and Martha gasped, trying to catch their breath back, when suddenly a pig-man grabbed Martha from behind. She screamed loudly while Lily screamed: "Martha!" But then Lily screamed too as a pig-man grabbed her from behind as well.
Doctor P.O.V.
The Doctor heard Martha's scream, and he ran for the props room, Tallulah running after him. The Doctor's blood ran cold as he heard Lily's scream join Martha's, before both disappeared, leaving only the echo.
"Lily!" He yelled as he ran into the props room. "Martha!" He called when he spotted the sewer lid- it hadn't been closed properly. He pulled on his jacket as Tallulah appeared, asking desperately: "Where are you going?"
"They've taken her. Both of them." The Doctor muttered as he tugged the lid back. Tallulah asked: "Who's taken her? What're you doing?" But the Doctor ignored her as he began to climb down.
"I said, what the hell are you doing?" She cried after him but the Doctor continued to ignore her as he landed on the bottom and looked around. "Crazy guy." Tallulah muttered before grabbing a fur coat from nearby and climbing down the ladder herself.
The Doctor spotted her and called: "No, no, no, no, no way. You're not coming." "Tell me what's going on." Tallulah demanded as she stood at the top of the ladder. The Doctor said simply: "There's nothing you can do."
"Go back." He urged but Tallulah snapped as she climbed down: "Look, whoever's taken Lily and Martha, they could've taken Laszlo, couldn't they?"
"Tallulah, you're not safe down here." The Doctor warned in a low voice and Tallulah retorted as she stopped beside him: "Then that's my problem. Come on. Which way?"
She stared at him before walking down a random tunnel. The Doctor sighed. "This way." He said as he walked down another tunnel, and Tallulah simply turned and followed him.
Lily P.O.V.
"No! Let me go!" Martha screamed, and Lily fought with her own captors. "Let her go! And let me go!" Lily demanded, when suddenly the pigs threw them against a wall.
The girls spun around immediately, Martha gripping her wrists as they faced their captors. Lily glared while Martha cringed as the pigs leant in close. Martha gagged a little but Lily's attention was drawn as a line of men walked in a line past them, guarded by more pigs.
"Frank!" Lily gasped, and he looked at them. "Lily. Martha!" He whispered, and Martha gasped as she saw him. "You're alive!" Martha breathed, when the pigs threw the girls at Frank, adding them to the line.
He grabbed them both, and while Lily steadied on her feet, Martha grabbed Frank joyously breathing: "Oh! I thought we'd lost you." A pig-man shoved Frank, pushing them forwards.
Lily glared and snapped: "Alright, alright we're moving." She grabbed Martha's hand, and the frightened girl took Frank's hand as well. "Frank, you alright?" Lily asked over her shoulder as they walked down the tunnels, and Frank nodded.
"Where are they taking us?" He asked, and Lily shook her head. "I don't know." She said softly, her stomach twisting nervously. Martha added in a shaky voice, trying to be brave: "But we can find out what's going on down here."
Doctor P.O.V.
The Doctor and Tallulah were walking cautiously down the tunnels, the Doctor pointing his torch. Tallulah finally asked: "When you say, 'they've taken her', who's 'they' exactly? And who are you anyway? I never asked."
The Doctor shushed her and Tallulah muttered: "Okay, okay." "Shush, shush, shush, shush, shush, shush, shush." The Doctor hissed urgently as the shadow of a Dalek appeared on the wall ahead.
Tallulah continued obliviously: "I mean you're handsome and all-" The Doctor placed a hand over her mouth, dragging her into a small alcove as the Dalek rolled past.
Tallulah's eyes widened as she stared at it. When it had passed them fully she wrenched the Doctor's hand away but he ignored her as he stared after the Dalek, muttering: "No, no, no, no, no, no, no."
He stepped out to stare out at the retreating Dalek. "They survived." He whispered and then his voice turned dark. "They always survive while I lose everything." "That metal thing?" Tallulah asked, stepping out behind him.
"What was it?" She asked, and the Doctor answered darkly: "It's called a Dalek. And it's not just metal, it's alive."
Tallulah snorted. "You're kidding me." She laughed and the Doctor said sharply, turning to glare at her: "Does it look like I'm kidding?"
Her face dropped as she stared at him, but he turned back to stare into the tunnel as he spat: "Inside that shell is a creature born to hate, whose only thought is to destroy everything and everyone that isn't a Dalek too. It won't stop until it's killed every human being alive."
Tallulah protested, confused: "But if it's not a human being, that kind of implies it's from outer space." She looked at the Doctor and he just gave her a dark look. "Yet again, that's a no with the kidding." Tallulah said her face filling with fear.
"Boy. Well, what's it doing here, in New York?" She asked and the Doctor glared at her fiercely. He then grabbed her arm and started to drag her back through the tunnels.
"Every second you're down here, you're in danger. I'm taking you back right now." He said sharply, but as they turned a corner, they were faced with a pig-man. Tallulah screamed, and it began to scramble about, looking for a place to hide.
"Where's Lily?" The Doctor demanded sharply: "What have you done with her?" He asked as he approached the pig-man who was trying to hide by turning his face to the wall.
"What have you done with Lily and Martha?" The Doctor asked again, and the pig-man replied: "I didn't take her." The Doctor's eyes narrowed- this was the first pig-man to speak.
"Can you remember your name?" He asked softly, and the pig-man begged: "Don't.,. look at me." Tallulah strode forward bravely, concerned for her friends: "Do you know where they are?"
The pig-man protested, lifting a hand as it cried: "Stay back! Don't look at me." Tallulah paused, and the Doctor asked softly: "What happened to you?"
The pig-man replied sadly: "They made me a monster." "Who did?" The Doctor asked darkly, and the pig-man replied: "The masters."
The Doctor frowned as he said: "The Daleks. Why?"
The pig-man answered bitterly: "They needed slaves. They needed slaves to steal more people so they created us-" He broke off before he continued despairingly: "Part animal, part human. I escaped before they got my mind, but it was still too late."
"Do you know what happened to Lily?" The Doctor asked, and the pig-man replied: "They took her. Her and her friend. It's my fault. They were following me." He said guiltily, and Tallulah asked in realization: Were you in the theatre?"
"I never-" the pig-man began but then he hesitated. "Yes." He finally admitted and Tallulah demanded: "Why? Why were you there?"
"I never wanted you to see me like this." The pig-man said sadly, and Tallulah demanded: "Why me?" She stepped closer while the Doctor stood, watching with an impassive face.
"What I got to do with this? Were you following me? Is that why you were there?" She asked, and the pig-man turned around slowly to face her. "Yes." It admitted and Tallulah reeled back a little in shock.
Her eyes went wide and she asked: "Who are you?" "I was lonely." The pig-man said, and Tallulah stepped closer, asking tearfully: "Who are you?" "I needed to see you." "Who are you?" "I'm sorry."
The pig-man turned to go, but Tallulah grabbed his arm, begging: "No, wait. Let me look at you." She said softly, and she tugged him gently under a shaft that let light into the tunnel.
She stared at the pig-man's face, before whispering softly with a smile: "Laszlo? My Laszlo?" Her face crumpled with sorry as she tucked his collar and she asked with a breaking voice: "Oh, what have they done to you?"
"I'm sorry. So sorry." Laszlo said sadly but Tallulah just gazed at him with love and sorrow. The Doctor interjected slowly: "Laszlo, can you show me where they are?"
Laszlo turned to him and protested: "But they'll kill you." The Doctor simply replied: "If I don't stop them, they'll kill everyone."
Laszlo looked at him, before he nodded slowly. He turned back briefly to Tallulah who smiled encouragingly at him, and he turned back to the Doctor. "Then follow me." He said.
3rd Person P.O.V.
Lily and the other prisoners had stopped, and they looked around anxiously while pig-men guarded them. "What are they keeping us here for?" Frank asked scared, and Martha replied, just as frightened: "I don't know. I've got a nasty feeling we're being kept in the larder."
Laszlo slowly led the Doctor and Tallulah down the tunnel, and they could just spy the group of prisoners, when suddenly the pig-men began to squeal, fidgeting nervously.
Frank looked around and asked, terrified: "What're they doing? What's wrong? What's wrong?" "Silence." A robotic voice said and Lily turned to see a Dalek sliding in as it ordered again: "Silence."
Laszlo hid himself, pulling the Doctor and Tallulah behind the column as well.
"Oh, my God." Lily whispered in shock while Martha asked: "What the hell is that?"
The Dalek ordered: "You will form a line. Move. Move." The pig-men began to shove them into a line, and Lily yelled: "Do as it says! Everyone stay calm, and do as it says!"
The Doctor clenched his hands on the stone column as he heard Lily's voice.
"The female is wise. Obey." The Dalek stated as it pointed its eyestalk at Lily. She tensed and the Doctor's grip tightened, afraid for the girl. Another Dalek rolled in, saying in its emotionless mechanical voice: "Report."
The first Dalek answered as it turned to face its fellow: "These are strong specimens. They will help the Dalek cause." "'Dalek'?" Martha asked in horror, frowning.
Lily nodded, shushing her as the Dalek continued: "What is the status of the Final Experiment?" The second Dalekt replied: "The Dalekanium is in place. The energy conductor is now complete."
Lily's breathing grew heavy- that did not sound good. The first Dalek answered: "Then I will extract prisoners for selection." A pig-man grabbed the first man, dragging him forward as the Dalek lifted its suction scanner, saying: "Intelligence scan, initiate."
The Dalek placed its sucker on the man's face and Frank gripped Martha tightly as the three stared in fear, Lily wishing above all else for the Doctor. "Reading brain waves. Low intelligence." The Dalek declared as it removed its sucker and the man asked, offended: "You calling me stupid?"
The Dalek ordered: "Silence! This one will become a pig slave. Next." The pig-man holding the man dragged him away as the man cried: "No, let go of me. I'm not becoming one of them. No! No."
Lily watched in terror, Martha grabbing Frank in horror as the three pressed themselves to the wall in fear. Laszlo explained to the Doctor: "They're divided into two groups. High intelligence and low intelligence. The low intelligence are taken to become pig slaves like me."
The two men peered around the column while Tallulah complained: "Well, that's not fair." The Doctor shushed her, and Tallulah whispered encouragingly to Laszlo: "You're the smartest guy I ever dated."
He glanced thankfully at her but the Doctor interrupted, his fear making him urgent: "And the others?" "They're taken to the laboratory." Lazlo answered, and the Doctor frowned, asking: "Why? What for?"
Laszlo answered: "I don't know. The masters only call it 'The Final… Experiment'." He said fearfully.
Meanwhile, the Dalek had just finished scanning Frank. "Superior intelligence." It announced, and turned to Martha. "Intelligence scan, initiate." Martha looked at it in fear, closing her eyes when the suction came close.
"Superior intelligence. This one will become part of the Final Experiment." The Dalek announced, and Martha snapped angrily: "You can't just experiment on people. It's insane! It's inhuman!" She screamed at the Dalek, and Lily looked over in alarm.
The Dalek answered: "We are not human." Martha began to sob, as the Dalek turned to Lily. The girl met the Dalek's eyestalk fiercely, holding her breath and trying to quench her fear as the suction came closer while the Dalek announced: "Intelligence scan, initiate."
The Doctor almost moved, he was so anxious but Laszlo stopped him in alarm. The Dalek's eyestalk moved up and down, and Lily could swear it sounded excited. "Superior intelligence. Superior intelligence. Report! Report!"
Lily didn't understand as the Daleks all seemed excited, but the Doctor's heart almost stopped. Lily. This was the one time he wished she wasn't clever.
"What?" Lily demanded, but the Dalek ordered. "You will be used. You are of superior intelligence."
"Yeah, so?" Lily didn't understand, but the Dalek had turned to order the pig-men: "Prisoners of high intelligence will be taken to the transgenic laboratory. Bring the superior intelligence forward."
Lily became alarmed as the pig-men tried to bring her forward, but Martha snapped: "No! She stays with us, it's not like you don't know who we are now." The Dalek turned to Martha and Lily ordered: "Leave her out of this! Martha, it's alright!"
The Dalek turned, and began to lead them down the tunnel. Towards the Doctor.
"Look out, they're moving!" He warned the other two, and Laszlo and Tallulah quickly ran to the side tunnel, but the Doctor stayed put. Laszlo called anxiously: "Doctor. Doctor, quickly!"
The Doctor muttered back: "I'm not coming. I've got an idea. You go." Tallulah nodded, and tugged on Laszlo's hand. "Laszlo, come on." She urged but Laszlo asked abruptly: "Can you remember the way?"
"Yeah, I think so." Tallulah answered puzzled. "Then go, please." Laszlo told her, and Tallulah's eyes widened.
"But Laszlo, you got to come with me." She pleaded, but Laszlo said firmly: "Where would I go? Tallulah, I'm begging you. Save yourself. Just run." She shook her head, her eyes filling with tears.
"Just go. Go." He ordered, gently pushing her away. Tallulah left sadly, knowing she wouldn't be of any help, and Laszlo joined the Doctor just as the Daleks went passed. The pig-men weren't interested and the Doctor darted into the line of humans, right in front behind Martha, who was behind Lily.
"Just keep walking." He ordered Martha quietly, as Laszlo slipped into the line of pig-men. Martha gasped, and Lily glanced back, breathing in relief to see the Doctor.
"Oh, I'm so glad to see you." Martha whispered, and the Doctor muttered: "Yeah, well, you can kiss me later. You too, Frank, if you want." He tossed over his shoulder at Frank, who smiled lightly.
The Doctor met eyes with Lily as she glanced back again. He smiled reassuringly as he saw the terror in her eyes, and he saw her eyes harden with resolve. She nodded back at him, before turning back to the front.
They were dragged into the Dalek laboratory at the bottom of the Empire State Building, Lily dragged into the front while the others were near the back. Lily just prayed that the Daleks wouldn't notice the Doctor. She breathed silently when it slid passed, stopping in front of a steaming black Dalek Lily recognized.
"Report." The Dalek stated and the one Lily recognized as Dalek Thay replied: "Dalek Sec is in the final stage of evolution." The Dalek replied: "Scan him. Prepare for birth." The Doctor murmured in confusion: "Evolution?"
"What's wrong with old Charlie boy over there?" Martha asked as they all stared at the smoking Dalek Sec. "Ask them." The Doctor whispered and Martha turned to him.
"What, me? Don't be daft." She said aghast, and the Doctor sighed. "I don't exactly want to get noticed. Ask them what's going on." He urged and Martha breathed deeply before stepping out of line.
She gasped a breath before saying loudly, shaking slightly: "Daleks, I demand to be told. What is this Final Experiment? Report!" She demanded and Lily looked back, terrified as the Dalek rolled up to Martha.
"You will bear witness." It said, and Martha demanded: "To what?" "This is the dawn of a new age." The Dalek replied, and Martha asked with a frown: "What does that mean?"
The Dalek replied: "We are the only four Daleks in existence, so the species must evolve a life outside the shell. The Children of Skaro must walk again." The Doctor frowned deeply, staring at Dalek Sec, Lily doing the same from the front.
They watched as Sec's shell stopped smoking, the light in its eye-stalk going out and the Dalek casing began to open. Lily almost screamed in horror as she watched, seeing a creature inside the casing. She watched in horror as it stepped out, and a humanoid body stepped out, its head still bowed, but revealing its brain as it was only encased by cage-like roots growing on its head.
Lily heard Martha whisper: "What is it?" As the creature raised its head. Her blood ran cold as she stared at the thing. It was wearing a suit, and its hands looked like a Dalek blob. But the head- it had one eye and had tentacles sprouting down the side of its head while its brain stood proudly like a crown on its head.
"I am a human Dalek." It breathed, and Lily was terrified to hear Diagoras's accent in its voice. "I am your future." It declared.
