A/N: As always, much love and many thanks to each and every one of you lovely viewers! You're all shining stars ;D
Chapter 50: In Plain Sight
Upon entering the man's mind the Doctor was met with static, the resemblance of walking through a broken television. Clem relaxed more, letting out a deep breath as he trekked further inside the man's mind. It was no wonder the poor man still acted like a child, his wavelength was so twisted up in knots that it would be nearly impossible to unravel. These 456 clearly had advanced experiences in the telepathic field and hypnosis, but they never counted on him to take a look for himself to see their handiwork. If they even had hands, so to speak.
A door opened slowly, revealing an open field during nightfall. It was in the middle of nowhere with a gravel path and a large bus parked. The Doctor watched as Captain Jack appeared, ignoring the bitter taste in his mouth when he saw what the immortal man was appointed to do. The last boy was young Clem without the doubts of whether or not he was compos mentis. Jack had led the small group of children down the road just as a bright light shone further down the trail. The Doctor couldn't make out a solid figure behind it. The children began to walk towards the light except for Clem, who hesitated. Jack had been urging the young boy to move forward so he wouldn't be left behind. A tightening feeling in his gut arose, but then he recalled Jack's side of the story and relaxed.
Clem inwardly shivered at the memory, but the Doctor sent his reassurance that this was only like a dream, just a small safe stroll through his mind. A guttural bellow echoed in his ears once the children disappeared, causing Clem tremble again while his younger self ran away into the darkness of the fields, away from the light. Backing out of the memory, the Doctor continued down the central core to the man's brain, searching for the link. He found it. It was underdeveloped and latent, something Clem couldn't tap into. The pulse was there, the link not wide open. He could try to probe it, but it would be too overwhelming for Clem.
With determination he carefully studied the link, gently so not to make the man uncomfortable or afraid that something was happening to him to lose his trust in them. Focussing on a latent mental link was challenging since it wasn't fully developed, but there was a sliver that was sticking out the most, something that could've labeled the aliens' designation. Tapping the link, the Doctor was met with another roar, a sound with a distinct tone that radiated a certain frequency that made its race nearly detectable. Clem gasped out loud just as the Doctor pulled himself away, dropping his hands from the man's temples and opening his eyes.
"How…" Clem began, shaking a little.
"Doctor?" Rose asked, placing a hand on the back of the Doctor's head. "You okay?"
"I saw it," he said, blinking a few times. "The connection they placed in his mind—it's dormant."
"Meaning?" Rhys asked.
"Because the species is alien and telepathic in origin and Clem is human, the connection between them is underdeveloped, even more with his mind stuck in an adolescent state the won't age any further. That lot latched onto him like a leech. It's actually surprising that he's been able to keep it for this long, not like he could do anything with it."
"More powerful than our bond?" Rose wondered.
The Doctor tilted his head as he stood to his feet. "Well, different species, different wavelengths. Each with their own unique abilities and strength. But this one is used differently than ours, Rose, on more extreme levels than ours—it's hypnotic, whispering in one's mind as an influence on the carrier. It's like a two-way street but since Clem is only a low-level telepath like your typical human he can't use the control to his advantage and send anything back to the 456."
"They're using him for something, then. Him and all of the kids around the world, but why?" His face was set hard as he curled his lip up. "Doctor, what is it?" Rose asked, placing a hand on his bicep. "Was it the 456?"
"Oh, yes," he muttered. "Slightly, that is, only by sound but I think can use more process of elimination to know them."
"Who are they?" Gwen asked.
Before the Doctor could answer he was interrupted by Clem sniffing loudly, his eyes wide with horror. "He's coming back," he said, the words repeating in a fearful mantra. "Oh, God, he's coming to take me away."
"Relax, Clem," Gwen told him. "Nobody's coming to take you away, you're safe."
"No, no, I can smell him coming!"
The TARDIS door creaked open and Jack popped his head out. "Doctor, the lenses are online! Lois is back on our side!"
Clem let out a shriek and fell off of the couch, his body trembling. "It's him!" he cried. "It's the man that took me and my friends towards the light!"
"Clement McDonald," Jack said, his voice hollow yet laced with remorse. "It was easier back then when you didn't need to know names."
"You haven't changed," the man said in shock. "You're the same. All those years, how can he be the same?"
"It's what he does," Rose told him, carefully approaching the man as he cowered. "Just calm down—"
"You're working for them!" Clem yelled. "All of you, you tricked me! You're working with the man from every nightmare I've ever had!"
"I'm so sorry," Jack said as he exited the TARDIS. "Truly, very sorry for what I did. I—"
"Don't!" the Doctor hollered when he noticed Clem reaching over to swiftly snatch Gwen's gun from her belt.
The Welsh woman immediately grabbed his arm to prevent him from making a shot. The Doctor strode forward and wrapped an arm around Rose's waist and pulled her back with him until he was placed in front of her as her protective shield. Rassilon smite him if his wife and their unborn child be faced down with a barrel of a gun. He heard his wife in his mind saying she was fine and for him to calm down, but when it came to the safety of his better half and their miracle child beginning to grow, he would throw himself in the middle of the gunfire without taking a breath.
"Stay away!" Clem cried as Gwen took the gun. "You're all involved with them aliens!"
Ianto and Donna came rushing out of the TARDIS. "Whoa!" the former exclaimed.
"We're trying to help," Gwen told him, handing over her gun to Rhys, who held it loosely. "Jack's the good guy, we promise. That was a long time ago when you met him, he's changed. We're here to fight the aliens, not ally ourselves with them."
"Clem," Jack said thickly, his eyes distant as he walked up slowly to the man, almost as if he were an animal cowering in the corner. "I'm really sorry. I had no idea, and frankly…I didn't want to know the repercussions of what I had done. If I had another choice to make I would've done it, but I couldn't. I'm sorry."
Clem continued to whimper as he turned around and clung into onto Gwen. "Let me handle this," she told the others. "We'll be fine out here while you check out what Lois is doing."
The Doctor nodded tightly, dropping his defensive stance. Rose reached down and clasped her hand in his, squeezing it gently. He shut his eyes and let out a deep breath as she sent him mental waves of comfort. Leading her towards the TARDIS he let go of her hand to let her enter along with the others, but she turned back to walk over to Clem, putting a gentle hand on his arm.
"We promise you're safe here," she said softly. "You said it yourself that we're the nicest people you've ever met. Your senses weren't lying to you, Clem. We're on your side and we're gonna beat the bad guys." He nodded slowly and she offered him a small smile. "If you need anything just send in Gwen or Rhys, 'kay?"
"Okay," Clem whispered, still clinging onto Gwen.
Rose turned back to go inside the TARDIS while the Doctor returned his attention to Jack. "I think it'd be best if you stayed inside with us," he told the captain quietly. "The man's been through a lot, he needs to relax."
Jack nodded. "I didn't mean to burst out like that—"
"It wasn't your fault," the Doctor said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "C'mon."
The men went inside the TARDIS and shut the door behind them as they circled the console to where the others were. Donna and Ianto stood on the side while Rose sat on the jump seat. The Doctor chose to stand at the keyboard and Jack by one of the coral struts.
"You've patched the Eye-5 software into the monitor, right?" Ianto asked. "It can begin recording everything?"
"Just one press of this button here," the Doctor said, indicating a blue button on the panel. "It immediately roots itself into the Torchwood data base to be put on file there. We'll need as many tapings as possible."
"Did you add in a third chord to patch it through to Alistair?" Rose asked.
He nodded, a smirk on his face. "Already have it running. Reckon the Brigadier wouldn't appreciate being left out of the exploitation."
Looking at the screen, they noticed Lois was standing in some kind of restroom at one of the sinks and mirrors. The Doctor stood to type, but Rose pushed herself up to take control. He turned to her with a frown and she shrugged. "She knows me," she replied. "Think it would be better if I talked to her through this."
"No argument there," the Doctor said, adjusting his posture to lean on the edge of the console. Rose quickly typed in 'thanks' in the message box and sent it to Lois.
"Oh, God, that's different," the computer said as Lois' lips moved, her eyes looking into the mirror. "Who is that?"
'Rose.'
Lois nodded and picked up her messenger bag. "Right then, good luck to all of you."
'And you.' Just for the hell of it Rose then added a smiley face.
"Really, Rose?" the Doctor snorted in her mind.
"Really, Doctor," she replied, swatting his arm.
"Up and running," Ianto said. "Looks good, huh?"
"Very nice," Donna said. "Kinda like we're living vicariously through her."
"Could use those lenses for lots of purposes, I'm glad we had extra pairs after the others were taken," Jack said.
"Stolen?" the Doctor asked.
Jack hesitated. "Just…borrowed."
The Time Lord rolled his eyes while Rose inwardly giggled. "Bet we'd find some nice uses with those, too," she thought to him. He gently nudged her shoulder, winking.
They watched as Lois followed a man and a woman into a lift. "That's him," Ianto said, pointing to the screen. "That's John Frobisher."
"Looks cheery," Donna said sarcastically.
Rose pulled a face. This was the man responsible for trying to execute Jack as well as all of Torchwood, the man who sent people to take Jack's daughter and grandson hostage just to keep him from getting involved. "Bloody bastard," she muttered.
"And the woman?" the Doctor asked.
"Bridget Spears," Jack supplied. "Another PA in the Home Office. She and Frobisher have worked together for about twenty years."
"Then she was fully aware about the orders to wipe out Torchwood and kidnap Alice and Steven as much as Lois."
"Only she's just as corrupt as the whole lot of them," Rose added. "Good thing we got the better PA."
Lois joined Frobisher and Spears in the lift, standing in the back to observe. She must have still been trying was to get used to the contact lenses but she was managing very well. This was to save thousands of lives, possibly more, and to help them out. It was risky for her but she was good-willed. She studied the others carefully, noting the tension was quite palpable.
"I suppose it's an honor," Frobisher finally said, breaking the silence. "Given this position."
"Then again," Spears said. "The Prime Minister has guaranteed that, diplomatically, he can't enter floor thriteen. So whatever happens in there, whatever goes wrong…" she turned to him. "History will say that it wasn't his fault."
"D'you mean he's using me?" Frobisher asked, frowning.
Ms. Spears lightly shrugged as she turned her head back to face the elevator doors. "You don't get to be Prime Minister by accident."
The Doctor narrowed his eyes and rubbed his cheek. Being a secretary didn't guarantee the high level of authority they carried with them, but the Prime Minister on the other hand did.
"You thinking what I'm thinking?" Rose thought to him.
"That Frobisher could just be the pawn in this futile game of power? Yes."
The lift came to a stop and the trio exited and moved down the corridor. A man in a trench coat was waiting for them around one of the corners and took the lead. The Doctor recalled what Alistair had told him earlier in regards to the old member of the technology division of UNIT by the name of Dekker. The name still didn't ring any bells.
"Jack, quick question," he said out loud. "Are you familiar with a Mr. Dekker of any kind?"
"Andrew Dekker?" the immortal man asked.
"Depends, was he the same Dekker that was there the last time the 456 landed on Earth?"
"Yeah, that guy's him. He was a technician. Bit of an annoying one, I have to admit. Talk about technobabbling, Doc, I think he beats you all filled up on hypervodka."
The Doctor arched an eyebrow. "Anyway, the reason I ask is because Alistair informed me about another member of UNIT seeing this Dekker bloke speaking with Frobisher. I was curious to know which of these men were him."
"He was a technician in UNIT and you never met him?" Rose asked.
"Must have been a temporary fill-in by the time I came along," he replied. "Alistair said that I wouldn't know who he was since I probably never met him, and if I ever did it was briefly. But I don't recognize his face or his name."
Dekker, along with the group of officers with black gear and guns who tagged along, led Frobisher, Spears, and Lois to a set of double doors. They stepped inside a large room with various equipment and tables set up. But the main item that stood out the most was the massive glass case set up in the center with separate black panels locked tight on the surface and a mysterious blue and white-hued gas swirling inside.
"What the hell is that?" Donna asked.
"It's a tank," Rose said. "It's what they were building for them."
"Can't see anything from this angle," the Doctor said, peering at the screen. Though the clouds were thick in the box he could make out a faint blurry figure in the background. "There's definitely something hiding behind that smoke, we need to get closer."
Staff members, along with Frobisher and Spears, set themselves up at the main desk opposite of the tank. Lois took a seat by the back of the room, making the view a bit harder to see. She took out a notepad and kept it in her lap, but she needed a better seat. Rose typed 'find a closer seat'. Reluctantly the young woman made an attempt to get up, but stopped when Frobisher moved forward to take a position in the middle of the room before the tank, a paper in his hands.
"Formal address, probably," Jack said, crossing his arms.
"Can't make it out," Ianto said. Frobisher lowered his head and appeared to be reading but because of the spot where Lois remained in they were unable to hear anything with the lip-syncing software. "He's got his back to us, we need his mouth."
Nodding, Rose went was right on it and urged Lois to move closer. A few seconds later the young woman stood from her seat and furtively moved around the back of the room. "That's it," Rose murmured. "You got this, Lois."
"And according to the rules of protocol, as established…" came Frobisher's voice once he was in profile and within earshot of the software.
"Alright, now we're in order," the Doctor remarked, shifting a bit closer to the monitor.
Rose tugged on his sleeve to back him up a little. "You stand any closer you'll melt into the screen."
"Just trying to listen and have a good look at the tank."
"Yeah, but you'll lose your eyesight in the meantime."
"My eyesight's perfectly fine," he sniffed.
She snorted. "Then you'll need to get some actual glasses that aren't just to make you look clever and dashing but for actually seeing."
He hummed before reaching into his jacket to retrieve his specs, slipping them on before gently nudging her shoulder.
"I must ask you to state whether these greetings are accepted," Frobisher continued. "Do you understand me?" He paused. "I repeat, according to the rules of protocol, as established by the United Nations in the directives of—" His sentence was abruptly cut short, causing everyone's brows to crease in confusion. "Then I thank you on behalf of the United Kingdom," Frobisher said after.
"What, did it speak?" Donna asked.
"Didn't hear anything," Ianto reported. "It doesn't have a visible mouth."
"Bollocks," the Doctor muttered.
'Can't hear the alien', Rose typed into the message box.
"The Russian Federation," Frobisher was saying. "The Commonwealth of Australia, the Citizens and territories of Canada and Japan and the Hellenic Republic, the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Republic of Iraq…"
He continued mentioning the various countries involved but then the view shifted downward onto Lois' lap where the notepad was. She began to draw strange symbols and lines.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Jack asked.
"It's shorthand," both Donna and Ianto said in unison, exchanging amused looks.
"I can read it," the redhead said.
"So can I," the Welsh man replied.
"Brilliant," the Doctor said with raised brows. "What's it telling us?"
"It says 'yes'," Donna told them.
Frobisher stopped talking when an odd green liquid splattered against the glass case's walls, causing people to flinch. What looked like an oversized arm or tail with sharpened edges began to slam the surface a number of times. "Doctor, what's that?" Rose asked. "Can you make it out?"
"I've narrowed it down to one specific species, but I'm unsure if I'm right or not," he replied, shaking his head.
"Are you alright?" Frobisher asked. "I'm sorry, but I can't help being concerned. Is there a problem?" The aliens didn't seem to answer. "Do you want me to continue?"
"Yes," Ianto said.
"Right, then. In the spirit of co-operation we have a formal request to make." The Secretary turned his paper over. "We ask you not to use our children for communication. In case certain parties or territories might consider that a violation. Is that acceptable?"
The answer didn't come right away. "Yes," Donna said.
"Thank you," the monitor echoed. "And, as a gift, and as welcome to this world, we've prepared a document summarizing our culture and history. This document can be made available to you immediately, though its format remains undetermined. Said format remains of your choosing, though this does not constitute a request for information on, or transfer of, specific 456 technology."
While Frobisher was saying all of that a man stood from one of the tables and moved over to pass a piece a paper to him. He read the note but looked hesitant for a moment before turning back to the tank.
"I have been given a request for specific information. It has been asked—why the 456 chose Great Britain as its chosen point of embarkation."
Silence stretched in the TARDIS until Lois wrote the alien's answer. "We came here," Ianto finally said. "You have no significance, you are middle men."
"They were here before," Jack ground out. "It's lying."
"It's all proving everything we've already known," the Doctor said. "The reason why the office tried to have Torchwood and anyone involved in the first encounter dead—it's Frobisher. He convinced them to be on the government's side to cover up everything that happened back then and prevent those who did know from talking."
"Hold on, it's saying something else," Donna spoke up, moving closer to read the screen. "It says, 'we have a request.'"
"By all means," Frobisher replied.
"We want a gift."
"Of course. But…what nature of gift—"
"A gift."
Frobisher looked a little uncomfortable. "Gladly. But what d'you want?"
"We want…your children," Donna read, her eyes wide. "We will take your children."
Liquid began to splatter on the glass again followed by multiple limbs pounding against the glass. Jack ducked his head and placed a hand on his forehead. The Doctor tensed up, staring hard at the screen. Rose didn't have to tap into his mind to feel the waves emanating from him. Back on the monitor they saw Frobisher glancing over to the people behind him, looking confused.
"I-I'm sorry," he said. "I think that there might be a problem with the translation. By children, you mean…?"
"Your descendants," Ianto read, taking over for Donna since she became speechless. "The offspring of the human race."
"How many?"
"We want ten percent of the children of this world."
"Oh, my God," Rose gasped quietly, putting a hand over her mouth.
"Shit," Ianto breathed out.
Donna looked ill and turned away from the monitor while Jack remained standing in his position with his eyes closed and his head lowered. The Doctor was still, his breathing ragged. Rose looked up to see that recognizable darkened mask looming over his face, the ancient glare in his eyes, his jaw set tight. This time she was able to feel the waves of anger rolling off of him, the fire churning inside of him that almost made it look as if smoke was trickling out of his ears. She knew his mind was rattling with a plan despite his frozen state. His brain was always working non-stop.
She placed a gentle hand on his forearm and he exhaled a deep breath, bordering the sound of a growl. Without saying anything in the thick silence in the room the Doctor slowly straightened up, his eyes never leaving monitor. He began to pace around the console with his hands running through his hair. He then proceeded by heading into the corridors, disappearing into the bowels of the TARDIS. Rose didn't bother following him or sending him a mental note of where he was off to. He was furious, he was icy, he was restless. He needed some breathing room to think of what their next move in this would be.
"I think…" Rose spoke up shakily. "We all need a breather."
"Agreed," Jack ground out thickly.
"I'll make some coffee," Ianto offered. "Everyone's taking a short break, anyway, so…" He gestured at the screen, noting how Frobisher and other staff members slipped out of the room and entered a hallway for a brief intermission. "Uh, should I make a cup for the Doctor? Or is he busy?"
"He needs some space to think," Rose replied. "He'll come back out." She bit her lip. "But I wouldn't be surprised if you had a mug leftover."
The Welsh man nodded as they each walked down the ramp and exited the TARDIS. They found Gwen and Rhys sitting by the computer station with the same shocked expressions while Clem was curled up on the couch sobbing. Rose and Donna on each side of him to calm him down while Ianto made the coffee. There would be plenty of helpings today. The day was going to be a long one, and it was still the morning.
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The Torchwood Hub was still relatively silent after what had to have been twenty minutes since the brief intermission. The group hung around the computer station with mugs of coffee in their hands, anxiously waiting for Frobisher and the rest of the staff to return. Clem had calmed down for the most part, staying in his spot on the couch with Donna and Rhys sitting beside him. Gwen, Ianto, and Jack stood at the monitors while Rose leaned against the TARDIS, her eyes slipping shut.
She felt another short tremor throughout her body and placed her free hand on her abdomen. She wished that she were able to sense the little one's link, but the Doctor said that its brain was still too underdeveloped to be felt fully. She was relieved to see him more loosened up since learning about their life-changing news, but she knew they needed another talk about what their future would be like travelling with a baby on the way. Rose sent the Doctor a mental note asking what he was doing. He responded by simply telling her he was working on something in the console room, which was partially a lie since she peeked inside and didn't see him anywhere in the console room, but then again he never stayed still when the world was in danger.
There was a bell sounding back in the Hub, getting everyone's attention. "Someone else coming over?" Rhys asked.
Rose's brows raised. "It could be Alistair," she said.
Ianto hurried to the computer with the security camera showing the front entrance of the base, noting an easily recognizes elderly gentleman in a commanding uniform standing by the doors. "We have a visitor," he reported. "It's the Brigadier."
"Can't keep him waiting," Jack said. "Let him in."
"Doctor," Rose thought to her husband. "Alistair's here."
"Oh, good!" he exclaimed. "I won't be a moment."
The main door opened up as the Brigadier entered the Hub, his commanding hat tucked under his arm. Ianto was the first one to introduce himself, followed by Gwen, Rhys, and Donna. Jack stepped forward and saluted the man. "Brigadier, nice to meet you again, sir."
"And you, Mr. Harkness," Alistair said, returning the gesture. "It's been a while, but I've done my research on you and your Torchwood organization for years. Very good work, son. You and your crew have done many good things since the old policy created by Queen Victoria was modified to less extreme terms."
"Doing our best."
"And, Dame Tyler," the Brigadier said with a small smile, turning towards Rose. "Always a pleasure to see you."
"Same with you," she said genuinely, giving the man a hug that surprised him for a moment until she pulled back. "We've been expecting you."
"I apologize for the delayed flight. Had I known you and the Doctor were involved in the case I would have left Guyana sooner than I did. Although, something this massive of an epidemic, I should have known better that your husband would put himself in the middle."
"Yeah, we were summoned here for extra help. But having you around makes things more even, Alistair." She turned around when she heard a whimpering sound. Clem was still sitting on the couch, cowering like a cornered animal. "Clem?"
"Army man," he breathed out. "Is-is he—"
"He's not taking you away," she told him softly, walking over to place a hand on his arm comfortingly. "He's on our side, he's one of the good guys. He wants to stop the bad guys as much as we do."
"You must be Clement McDonald," the Brigadier said, slowly approaching the man. "I must tell you with a heavy heart that I am deeply sorry for what has happened to you since your first meeting with the aliens. It was a mission I strongly opposed, but the government did not listen to the opinions and morals of the men like myself. We meant nothing to them and were witnesses to the event. I can speak for those involved, as well as Captain Jack, who I know is also regretful for what happened that night, when we give you our sincere apologies."
Clem shook as he took a deep breath. "You…you're telling the truth," he whispered. "You're nice."
"Of course he's nice," Rose said with a reassuring smile. "We work with those kind of people all the time—the good guys. Could you see all of us allying with the bad ones?" He shook his head. "Neither can I."
"He still scares me." The man pointed a trembling finger at Jack.
"Jack won't do anything to you, Clem," Rose said. "He's a different man now, he would never do anything to scare you or harm you."
"Sir," Ianto spoke up. "I think I know the answer to this already, but have you heard or seen any of the footage from the Thames? With the bargaining?"
"I have," Alistair said grimly. "I received the file twice, one from the Doctor but without the responses from the 456 and another from the UNIT squad. They're even worse than when they first arrived in 1965. This is a nightmare, yet I expect nothing less from those cold, racketeering swindlers."
"Have you heard any word about what UNIT is doing in all this?" Jack asked.
"There's squads of officers gathered inside the war room watching the negotiation on live feeds, far as I know. Not just officers from our faction in London, but members from America, Portugal, and every other nation. This is a worldwide issue, everyone is a part of it."
"Thank you for coming," Gwen said.
Alistair bowed slightly. "No need to thank me just yet, Mrs. Cooper. The Doctor and I have some work to do together. Where's he gone?"
"Probably taking his pills," Donna remarked. "He was looking pretty pale, not just because of what we heard those aliens say they wanted."
The older man frowned. "I've known that man for decades and never have I seen him ill. At least by viral infections or standard sicknesses."
"What about morning sickness?"
His expression only deepened. "What?"
Rose licked her lips and folded her hands together. "We learned some news last night," she said. Taking a deep breath she straightened up and gave a tiny smile. "Me and the Doctor are expecting a baby."
The Brigadier's brows rose slowly in shock. "Is that so?" She nodded. "How…interesting. My God, never did I see the day where that man would ever settle down and start a family again." He smiled and took her hand, patting his opposite on top. "Congratulations, Rose. I wish you both well."
"Ta. It's…it's still sudden, especially 'cause we were never meant to have one."
"I'm a believer in miracles, though, Miss Tyler. And I think it's safe to say that you and your husband have one beginning. I know you'll keep him in check throughout the experience."
She giggled at that. Between the both of them she imagined that the Doctor would display the most signs of being nervous and jittery. Hell, he was already showing that and it's only been about twelve hours since they found out. Given some more time he would ease up, though. She knew he would.
"Brigadier!" the Doctor proclaimed as he flew out of the TARDIS, his hair as wild as his eyes. "You've finally landed."
"I must say, Doctor, you make vacationing rather impossible," Alistair said as he extended his hand.
"In all the years I've known you, Alistair, when have you ever taken a holiday?" the Doctor asked as he shook his hand. "Far as I'm concerned you've never been away for more than a day."
"That's true. But with the way the world is and how mad it gets with these bloody alien invasions one can never stay away."
"Even if the wives make an attempt at stopping you." The Doctor threw a wink at Rose, and she rolled her eyes.
The Brigadier smiled a little. "Ours know better than that. They've somehow put up with us for all these years it's almost a second nature for them. And I must extend some more felicitations for your latest achievement."
The Doctor's brows creased, his lips moving with no words coming out before realization dawned on him and Rose arched an eyebrow at him. "Oh! Right, of course! Well, it's still shocking, this discovery. Something…unheard of. Unimaginable, really."
"It's true, isn't it?"
"No denying it."
"Just when I thought I would expect everything out of you after all these years, but you're still a man with many surprises. As much as I would love to hear about whatever other surprises you have to reveal to me since the last time we met, shall we swap notes on everything we know about the 456 so far?"
Each taking turns in speaking the group recapped everything with the newer bits of information had from the pillar of fire landing on the Thames House, and things that's he's seen for himself via the recordings that they've kept from Lois going inside with the Torchwood contact lenses. The Doctor also went on about what he found out from examining Clem's mind and the latent psychic link connecting him to the aliens, and how he has a slight guess about what the aliens' true designation truly is but he is not entirely sure and would need to have a better look to see the creature.
Alistair rubbed his chin in thought. "Lord only knows what the Prime Minister has up his sleeve in all this. If Frobisher is being used as a puppet to negotiate with the 456 then the conspiracy theory can only get worse from this point on."
"They can't be trusted no matter what they claim," Jack put in.
"I'll be damned if we don't stop them from taking thousands of innocent children. Bad enough eleven of them had to be taken away back then, no more are being taken today."
"But why kids?" Donna asked. "What's so important about the kids that they want?"
"Imagination?" the Doctor mused. "Although I wouldn't think that whatever species these aliens are they would need any type of imagination for their colonies. No…it's more than that."
"They're coming back," Rose said, tapping his arm. Turning around everyone watched one of the computer screens and saw the staff entering the room with the tank again.
"Back in session," the Doctor said, bringing his glasses back out. "You came at the right time, Alistair."
"Still recording, Doctor?" Alistair asked as the Time Lord dashed back inside the TARDIS with Rose right behind them.
"Never stopped," he replied as he leaned against the console, his face hard. "We're getting every second of this."
Jack and Ianto followed while Donna chose to stay outside with Gwen, Rhys, and Clem to be their shorthand translator. Circling the console the Doctor increased the volume on the monitor, the sounds coming through the TARDIS speakers. Office personnel and officials filed into the room, casting nervous glances at the 456's tank. Frobisher, Spears, and Lois took the lead while the head Secretary stepped forward to address the aliens again. The man looked stiff, possibly furious with what the aliens requested as well.
"Hello again," he said to the tank. "Before we consider your request I've been asked for a point of clarification. Before we even discuss your…request, we need to know exactly what it is you intend to do with the children."
Lois began to write the symbols on her pad again. "Somebody is watching," Ianto read. "Some remnant."
The strange green liquid splattered against the glass again, causing some members of the staff to back away. "Remnant," Rose repeated. "Does it mean Clem?"
"Could be," the Doctor replied, holding his chin. "The link between them is still there, it could sense it."
"The Prime Minister—the leader of this country, of the United Kingdom—is watching through this camera here." Frobisher pointed at the cameraman on the side. "And he needs to know what would happen to our children if we were to hand them over to you."
"It is off the record," Ianto said.
Frobisher looked a bit shocked, but approached the tank. "Yes."
Ianto's brows rose. "Come in."
"In there?"
"Come in with the camera."
Everyone in the TARDIS watched in silence as the cameraman came back into the room wearing a red rubber jumpsuit and helmet, the camera on his shoulder as he made his way into the tank. Once he was out of view Lois shifted in her seat to give them a clear view on the television screens lining the side.
"Good girl," Rose murmured.
Nothing was visible through the thick blue fog swirling in the tank, but as the man tentatively walked further inside the shadows began to manifest and come into view. Numerous oversized limbs that appeared to either claws or tails slowly swayed in the atmosphere dripping with thick green snot-like liquid, the same that splattered the glass surface. Three thicker and wider shapes began to show, looking to be the heads.
"Have you seen this before, Doctor?" Rose whispered in his mind.
"It looks more…devolved," he replied, narrowing his eyes.
"Wait, something's hiding behind the smoke," Ianto said when the cameraman ventured further.
Another smaller shape began to show through the fog, one closer to the ground and white. Then it became clearer and caused everyone to be sick in horror. It was a child—one of the original victims from the 1965 encounter. It was unclear what gender it was as it was bald with pale, grimy skin, staring off blindly with distant widened eyes. Half of the child's face was hooked up to a gas mask or ventilator of some kind, meshing in with its flesh completely.
"It's a child," Alistair said softly, his voice strained.
"Oh, my God," Rose muttered. She felt sick in her stomach, her muscles twisting and lurching. She placed her hand over her mouth again, trying to fight the nauseated feeling washing over her.
"He's still just a child," Jack said thickly, turning away from the screen. "He hasn't aged." Ianto sniffled and the Brigadier shut his eyes, saying a small prayer under his breath.
The Doctor was silent, his face etched in stone with fury. His lip curled up in pure disgust. His eyes moved over the pale child's sickening figure. It may have looked alive, but it was too far gone. It was a shell of a human being, a husk. He followed the tube connected to the ventilator, unable to see its point of ending but he knew where it stopped. The aliens were hooked onto it. His guesses were right.
"'S sick," Rose whimpered behind her hand. "Just so…sick."
He tore his eyes away from the screen to glance down at his wife, seeing her eyes welling up with tears. He soothingly traced his fingers over her back then at the base of her neck while sending her calming mental waves. His insides became stone the longer he stated at the helpless child in the tank but then the image began to blur, looking as if they were underwater. Lois was crying too.
"We're gonna fix this, yeah?" Rose asked shakily.
The Doctor looked back over at her and nodded. "'Course we will."
"Get him out of there!" Frobisher's voice echoed. Lois blinked away her tears to make the image clear again. They watched as the man rushed over to stand before the tank again while staff members hurried inside to get the cameraman out safely. "This is unacceptable."
Lois began to write again, her hands trembling slightly. "We do not harm the children," Ianto read, his voice choking. "They feel no pain. They live long beyond their years."
"Living?" Rose snapped incredulously. "That's not living! It's…it's…I don't even know what it is, it's horrible!"
"It's wrong," the Doctor supplied darkly.
"We have answered your question," Ianto continued. "You have one day to select and deliver the ten percent."
"And if we refuse?" Frobisher asked.
There was a pregnant pause until Lois began to draw up the symbols again on the pad. Ianto wiped away tears before he read the response. "Then we will wipe out your entire species. The human race will fall."
