The Tyler Factor

By Lumendea

Chapter Fifty-Four: Mystery of Orginx: Infiltration

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

Sarah Jane's family spread out in the room and checked all the corners for anything of use. The room was really more of a cupboard with a few metal shelves and some cleaning supplies. Johnny turned a couple of large buckets upside down so they could sit and Sarah Jane vaguely regretted not having more chemistry knowledge. Then again trying to mix together an explosive while her family was in the room was a bit too far for her.

"How long until Rose comes to find us do you think?" Johnny asked with an easy going smile.

It never failed to amaze her how calm her husband was in the face of all of this. Then again, she considered with a smile, it was somewhat in his DNA. She sat down next to him on her own bucket and snuggled into his side, letting him wrap an arm around her.

"Do you really think he's got aliens here somewhere?" Luke asked as he studied the lock on the door. It was a heavy bolt mechanism and Sarah Jane wondered what was going through her son's head as he looked at it.

"Probably," Johnny replied with a sigh. "It makes sense in a horrible sort of way, use aliens with more advanced technical knowledge to design and build top of the line computers. You can easily defeat the competition and probably have lower production costs. Course Rose picking up a signal means that they want out."

"Slavery," Luke half growled with a shake of his head. "I hate slavery. Humans used other humans as slaves for centuries. Every culture, the world over. Nobody ever challenged them until a few hundred years ago. And in some places, it still goes on. Why? How?"

"Luke," Sarah Jane called gently as she watched the tension build in her son's shoulders. "Humans are imperfect, it's a fact of what we are." She stood up and walked over to hug her son, gently stroking his dark blonde hair. "But remember that there are also humans who don't agree with it, there always have been and there always will be. History just… well, it rarely recorded the ones who tried to stand up against it." Sarah Jane stepped back and gave Luke a warm smile. "After all, history won't record us when we find these aliens and help them get home."

"Yeah Mum," Luke agreed with small nod before his hand came up to rub at his neck. Then he stopped and dropped his hand down to the dog whistle. "Mum I can call K-9, no wait," Luke cheered with a grin. "Better, I can get a message to Rose outside."

"How?" Johnny asked he stood up and walked over to join the others. "The guards probably saw the text from them and are checking the perimeter by now. K-9 will just try to come if you use the whistle."

"Morse code Dad," Luke explained with a grin before he lifted the whistle to his lips and began to blow it in short silent toots.

….

"Spock," Rose greeted as she brought her phone up to her ear. "Have you been able to get into Orginx's security system yet?"

"I am in Rose, but there is nothing in any of the company files about any alien technology," Spock informed her.

"They probably keep that off the record," Mickey told Rose from the driver's seat. "Tech can be hacked. If I was then I wouldn't keep records or only keep paper files locked up somewhere deep in that building."

"Yes most likely," Spock agreed, "Additionally their protective measures surrounding control of the security system is very advanced. But I do have control over the perimeter and some internal cameras in the lobby now. You managed to park mostly in a blind spot, but I have you on a loop now to hide any further movement."

"Any sign of the Chesterton-Smiths?"

"Nothing yet, they have not left the building through the lobby and I am still working on the other internal cameras areas," Spock paused and added, "There is some chatter from building security, but nothing that mentions Sarah Jane, Luke or Johnny."

"Alright Spock," Rose said with a soft sigh. "Thanks and stay alert, if we move then you need to adjust the cameras quickly."

"Very well, I well monitor the situation. Once I have access to the internal security systems I will let you know."

Rose ended the call and checked her text messages and calls with a small frown.

"Anything from Sarah Jane?" Clyde asked as he leaned forward to look at Rose's phone.

"No," Rose sighed as she studied the phone with a frown. "I'm worried, the other journalists have left, but no sign of Sarah Jane." Rose nibbled at her bottom lip and slipped the phone into her pocket.

"Is she like you?" Mickey asked as he looked over at the building only to get an odd look from Rose. "I mean does she just go straight for the trouble like you without worrying about having a plan?"

"Yes," Rani said quickly from the back seat. "She really is."

"Then maybe they captured her," Mickey suggested carefully as a group of guards came out of the building. "Spock is having some trouble with their security and if tipped her hand too quickly then she might be locked up inside somewhere. If they've got alien slaves then they've probably got someplace they can lock up humans."

"And if they did then they've got her phone complete with a text message from me," Rose sighed with a shake of her head. "We'd better move away a couple of blocks. Mostly in a blind spot or no they're going to come and check on this car eventually."

"Master Luke informs me that he, the Mistress and Master Johnny have been locked inside the building," K-9 suddenly said as he wears whirled.

"He informed you?" Mickey asked with a quizzical look. "What do you have an internal telepathic sensor or mobile calling system?"

Rose laughed at Mickey's dubious statement and looked at K-9, watching his ears turn for a moment before she grinned. "The whistle, he's using the whistle somehow isn't he? Oh, he's a clever one," Rose laughed.

"Morse code, Mistress Rose. They are on the lower level, two stories down from the main floor." His ears whirled again. "By stairwell C, colour red."

"Morse code?" Rani laughed shaking her head fondly. "Only Luke."

"And Luke's perfect memory strikes again," Clyde announced with a grin. "So are we doing this?"

"Okay those guards are looking for someone," Rose muttered to the others. "I'll take K-9 and we'll try to sneak in. Mickey you, Clyde and Rani drive around and see if you can get some of the guards to keep paying attention to you."

"I'm supposed to be protecting you," Mickey protested with a sharp look.

"Look if we leave an empty car here then they'll raise security inside and make it harder to get in. Clyde and Rani can't drive so that isn't an option. They are looking for a car or something so we give it to them. And Rani can pretend to be the Rose that the text came from."

"If they catch us…" Mickey said with a cautious look back at Rani and Clyde.

"If you can drop them off," Rose offered with an understanding nod. "Now, come on K-9. We need to get inside. Spock can hide us getting up to the building and with any luck, he'll have control over the internal cameras soon."

"I downloaded the floorplans from Spock before we departed Mistress Rose. I suggest we use the south service entrance."

"Oh, bloody hell Rose," Mickey cursed with a shake of his head. "Fine then, be careful."

Nodding, Rose opened the door and jumped out of the car. She crept to the back door and Clyde handed K-9 out to her with a small grumble. The moment the back door was closed Mickey began to drive the car slowly around the corner and Rose turned to look at the chain link fence with barbed wire over the top of it. Not exactly friendly and there were camera towers not too far from her on either side. Moving her arm she summoned her sword and cut a small gash in the fence that she slipped through. Rose held it open for K-9 and then pulled out her sonic pen.

Setting 6B did a nice trick of letting Rose reconnect the bits of the metal fence quickly so it wouldn't be as noticeable. She kept herself low and crept forwards with K-9. Surrounding the building was a small well-trimmed lawn. There were large cement pots of flowers scattered about to add a bit of colour to the place. They also provided convenient cover to duck behind. Rose knew that Spock had control of the cameras, but she wasn't sure about patrolling guards.

Her phone pinged and Rose pulled it out quickly, smiling when she saw a message from Spock informing her that he had control of the internal cameras.

"Okay K-9," Rose breathed as she looked down at the robot dog. "We're good on internal security. Let's get to Sarah Jane and the others as quickly as we can."

"Affirmative Mistress Rose," K-9 agreed as they moved quickly to the next flower pot. In the distance, Rose caught sight of a man in a suit moving along the pavement by the car park.

"Entrance ahead Mistress Rose," K-9 informed her as they left the cover of one of the planters.

Up ahead Rose could see a small side entrance with a heavy metal door and a card reader on the side. She pulled the sonic pen out of her hair and quickly changed the settings. One whirling sound later and the door clicked open. Slipping inside with K-9 on her heels Rose looked around carefully. They were in a small tasteful grey entryway with an empty reception desk a few feet away. A large guard terminal filled one side of the room and Rose could see card readers in the doorway up ahead with a turnstile. Luckily there was no one in sight and Rose stepped forward slowly, mindful of the soft click of her boot heels against the tile floor. Next to her K-9 rolled forward with a soft mechanical hum.

Rose jumped over the turnstile and looked around for any alarms. Behind her, K-9 fired up his hover pad and flew over the turnstile only to land at her feet with a soft thump. Rose pulled the sonic pen out of her pocket and quickly reached up to put her hair in a messy bun with the sonic pen firmly tucked within reach. The stillness of the building felt so weird and Rose wondered if there was some kind of staff celebration of the upcoming launch. Or maybe they really didn't have much in the way of staff. It was a creepy idea.

Moving slowly, Rose allowed her foot to settle with each step so she was as quiet as possible. K-9's rolling naturally made a little noise, but Rose was hoping the mechanical sound would be dismissed. Along the corridor were empty officers that lacked any sign that they'd ever been used. Rose stepped into one of them and ran a hand over the heavy expensive looking wooden desk. There was a thin layer of dust and the blinds were down.

"I don't think humans work here much," Rose remarked softly to K-9. "I suppose that's one way to keep using alien slaves a secret."

"We must cross the building to reach the stairwell," K-9 reminded Rose with a hint of urgency.

Nodding, Rose stepped back into the corridor and they resumed walking. It was creepy being alone in such a big place. She was a Londoner, she was used to the noise of the city and the knowledge that there were hundreds of people near you all the time. This reminded her a little too much of the Empty Earth incident when she'd found herself all alone in London.

Then she heard sounds of people moving about at the far end of the corridor. Rose caught sight of someone walking past. She ducked into one of the offices and waited, but no one raised an alarm. She hadn't been noticed and slowly Rose crept back out into the corridor. There were more plants in the hall now and even a water cooler. She passed an office that looked like someone actually worked in it as she ducked behind the water cooler. Then she moved on towards the side corridor that would let her get across to the right stairwell.

"What is going on?" A voice boomed up ahead.

Rose moved forward past the turn and gestured K-9 down the right corridor. The robot dog turned the corner, but then stopped and waited as Rose moved forward. She was just past the main atrium which was at least four stories high with lots of windows and an open area. There were two large receptionist desks on either side of the room and more of the guard posts.

"First accusations from reporters and now this!" the male voice shouted again.

Gasping softly, Rose ducked down beneath the large leaves of the plant as the main doors opened. A group of guards marched in with Mickey, Clyde and Rani all between them. Mickey had a thunderous expression on his face, a torn jacket and a split on his lip. One of the guards was nursing a black eye and another a badly split lip.

"What are you going to do with us?" Clyde asked bravely. "People are gonna wonder where we are."

"Yeah," Rani spoke up with her chin held high. "We weren't trespassing on your property. You can't do things like this!"

"Take them downstairs," a male voice called down from above Rose's head on one of the upper balconies overlooking the main entry. "Lock them up and find out who they are. This is getting ridiculous." The person sighed and added, "Honestly you try to revolutionise the world with the greatest computer of human history and people can't stop poking their noses into it."

Okay, things were a bit more complicated now. If they traced Mickey to UNIT… Rose shook her head and shifted backwards away from the plant. She needed to stay out of sight, get the others out if possible and find the aliens. Not to mention make a plan of how to get them out of here. Rose sighed and moved into the long corridor before ducking into the loo with K-9 to stay out of sight, yeah definitely more complicated now.