XXII
Becoming a volunteer

The Island
The Woods
2 days earlier
0530

The first thing that comes to April's mind when the first break of dawn shines through the gaps in the trees, is that it is the day that the Doctor and herself arrive on this Island. And what has she done so far to complete the job? She's disengaged one trap in the woods and have announced her own arrival way before she is due to land.

There is a light breeze around her but the air doesn't feel much different to how it was yesterday. She still feels completely secluded from the rest of the Island, but perhaps it is better that way for the time being.

She glances down at Jason who is still sleeping somewhat peacefully, his head resting in her lap. With his face turned away from her, April cannot tell if his sleep has been peaceful, or if he has been overcome with the pain of his dislocated shoulder. April then guiltily looks over to his shoulder, which under his UNIT uniform looks normal. But no doubt his skin is purple with bruises.

A bird cackles above April's head and she looks up, trying to find it amongst the trees. She scans the green leaves above her, looking for where the cackle is coming from. But then she sees a solo magpie perched on a think branch jutting out the trunk of a tree to her right.

April stares at the magpie for a while, watching the way it cocks its head to the side every so often. She cannot shake off the feeling that the magpie is watching her through its glassy eyes as it calls out again and again. Magpies usually call out in this way to their mate, but in this case, April isn't so sure. There doesn't seem to be any other magpies around.

She gently nudges Jason awake.

"Wake up." She whispers as she tries to push him off her lap.

Jason only groans in response.

"Jay, please wake up." April whispers more urgently as she glances over to the magpie who is watching her every move from the branch.

Jason eventually comes round and allows April to sit him up, being careful of his left shoulder.

"What's wrong?" Jason asks, still half asleep, as he rubs his eyes.

"We're being watched. I think it's time to move on."

Jason yawns. "Can't we wait until daylight?"

April hesitates for a moment as she stares at Jason, slightly dumbfounded. Is Jason like this every morning? Is this what Martha puts up with? Surely informing him that they are being watched should be enough of a warning in itself?

"Perhaps if you want to be killed." April responds dully.

Then the magpie calls out one more time and Jason is suddenly awake and on high alert. He looks up and sees the magpie sitting on a branch staring directly at him.

"Oh." Jason says, suddenly realising what she means.

"Yeah, oh." April folds her arms and also looks over to the magpie.

"Don't make any sudden movement or it might try to eat you." Jason cannot suppress a grin as he says this sarcastically.

April says nothing in response but takes hold of Jason's right arm and they slowly rise to their feet, not taking their eyes off the magpie. The magpie remains standing on the branch staring at them. It still cocks its head to the side every so often.

When they are up on their feet, April glances to their left and tries to quickly find an escape route through the trees. But it is still early in the morning and it still isn't light enough to see everything around them.

"Okay. So let's just start to-" April stops immediately when the magpie cries out. A warning. Not like its usual call. Then the magpie pushes itself off the branch and flies away, flapping its wings as it does so. And the moment the magpie disappears into the trees elsewhere, the breeze suddenly builds up so that there is a heavy gust of wind. Then there is the familiar dull hum of a shape shifter hovercraft flying overhead.

Without another word Jason and April start to run away from the dip and try to find cover. They run quickly as the hum of the hovercraft gets closer and louder. Eventually they both hide in the nearest bush they can find, hoping that the leaves will be sufficient cover.

They look up at the sky and see a large grey hovercraft slowly flying right over their heads, brushing the tops of the trees, making the occasional branch fall down. April and Jason remain silent as they watch the hovercraft, expecting something to happen. They expect it to land in the woods and for an army of shape shifters to come out and start searching for them. Or for there to be some sort of ambush. But so far none of that happens. The hovercraft keeps flying over their heads and does not stop. Nor does it drop anything on them.

April cannot make head or tail where north and south is, so she cannot know where the hovercraft might be flying to. However as she looks through the trees in the direction the hovercraft is going, she sees something in the far distance. Something that can pass as some sort of factory.

April gently taps Jason on the arm and points over to the factory lookalike building in the distance. It takes Jason a moment to notice it before he nods. He glances one last time up at the hovercraft which has now completely flown over their heads and continues to fly in the direction of the factory.

"I guess we have no time to lose." He mutters to April before making his way out of the bush. He stands up and quickly takes cover behind a tree, still cautious of the hovercraft which is still in their view.

For a little while longer, April remains crouching down in the bush and decides to stay there until the hovercraft is completely out of their way. She catches Jason watching her, a look of concern flickering across his face. But she only looks back up at the hovercraft. Only the tail end of it still in view.

But once it is gone, and the dull hum can be heard faintly in the distance, April eventually stands up and brushes off any remains from the ground off her jeans. As she looks down at her black jeans and her red t-shirt which is now looking a little worse for wear, April is again reminded that this is the outfit she always saw herself wearing in her nightmare. How did she manage to dress herself in this without realising? And this thought only makes April fearful to think that everything in her nightmare is going to happen. Only this time she wouldn't be seeing the shadow, but the Daleks. April starts to wish that she hadn't left her thick white hoodie in the Tardis.

"What's going through your mind?" Jason asks, who is now standing directly in front of her.

April, with her head bowed, doesn't respond for a moment as she brushes off the remains of the dirt from her jeans. April knows that she does not have an answer to Jason's question. All that is going through April's head is pain. But how can she say that? Now is not the time to admit weakness.

She eventually looks up at Jason. "How's the shoulder holding up?"

Jason looks a little taken aback at April changing the subject immediately away from herself. He sighs heavily, knowing that sometimes it is no use. He can see how much she is struggling just from how reserved she is, and how reserved she has been since he first saw her in the Black Lighthouse. But this is a different reserved from how she was when they first met back in the parallel world. Back then she was reserved because she didn't know them and didn't trust UNIT on first account. But this time she is reserved because of whatever war she is currently fighting with inside her head. And it is something Jason can't do much to help. Trying to offer help to April is as easy as getting blood from a stone.

"Painful. But it'll heal," He replies. "I can imagine the guys being impressed that for the first time in battle I have been injured."

April looks at Jason for a little while, remembering the day when Harry Summerland told her about all the injuries that each UNIT soldier had witnessed and how Jason was the only soldier to have never been injured in battle. Then for a brief moment, April suddenly feels sick from the memory of Harry and his death back in the parallel world.

"Let's keep moving forward. We really don't have much time to waste at all." April murmurs and starts to walk in the direction the hovercraft went.

Jason walks by her side and for a long time they are silent. They tread the ground cautiously, keeping an eye out for any trip wires that might set off another trap. They move for some while and April glances sideways at Jason. His face twists in pain as he gently holds onto his left arm.

"Look, let's rest," April suggests suddenly panicked at Jason's pain. "Let's just sit."

"What? And end up getting caught by something else that lurks in these woods?" Jason groans. "April, we don't have much time and we have achieved fuck all. Okay, yes we saved UNIT from the attack of the wolves and we know that we can somehow disengage traps here. But we haven't even done anything about saving that young volunteer's life yet. Nor have we figured out a way to help stop the havoc from rising on this Island."

For a moment April and Jason stand there and look at each other.

"Just a couple of minutes, Jay," April says. "Please I just want to make sure that you are okay."

Jason sighs and gives in. "We have a mission."

"Whatever," April growls as she starts pulling down his jacket. "Right now nothing is more important than your well-being."

Jason snorts. "April, we've travelled from one parallel world to another for you and to stop this battle."

"I know," April snaps. "But in the long run the one who is actually being damaged by this place is myself. As long as I'm alive, this Island and that lighthouse keeps running. As long as Max is alive, his disease is only going to get worse."

"Don't speak like that."

"And as long as the Cytracik is in use, this will never end. Now just let me look at your bloody shoulder just for a minute!"

Jason says nothing as he allows April to pull down his jacket, revealing the almost black bruises all over his shoulder. He does not like the silence from April as she looks down at his shoulder. And he is fully aware that she is holding onto her breath.

"It's bad isn't it?" He says, knowing that her silence says it all.

"It'll be fine." April replies as she starts to cover his shoulder with his jacket again. But they both know that she does not mean it. Of course his shoulder is not going to be fine. Although they were taught how to deal with these kind of injuries during their training for UNIT, April is no medical doctor and she knows that he needs Martha's assistance immediately. Even Max would be able to help.

"We should probably take you to Martha or Max," April says, avoiding his eye. "They might be able to help."

Jason smirks. "And screw this whole thing up because we are seen by ourselves," he then squeezes April's arm. "I'd say we keep moving."

April silently nods. But just as they are about to walk on, there is a noise in the direction that the hovercraft flew. The sound is like some sort of an alarm. Not so much of an evacuation alarm, but more of a warning, or a reminder that something is about to happen.

April and Jason take slow steps forward. They tread carefully through the leaves, moving closer and closer towards the factory that looms nearer and nearer.

Eventually they find themselves at the edge of the woods. At the very edge. Below them is a steep drop and April can recognise the hills of Ebernie. However the hill are currently on the other side. April looks over the tops of the hills, knowing that life on the Island is just over there.

But between the hills of Ebernie and the edge of the woods is what looks like a large, round crater in the ground covered over in green grass. The circular crater is surrounded by the hills of Ebernie on one side and the woods on the other. Yet right in the middle of the crater is the factory that they could see through the trees.

Closest to them are two high concrete chimneys that jut out from the base of the crater. Then behind the chimneys is a large, four storey grey block with small white windows. To their right is a black platform which looks similar to a helipad. Sitting on top is the hovercraft.

To their luck there seems to be no one walking around the crater. No shape shifters, no alien or any security guard. But a shiver runs down April's spine as she knows that they have reached the Heat Miles base.

"Some place," Jason says, nodding his head as if in acceptance. "Can only guess where we've ended up."

April glances over towards the hills of Ebernie. She notices the barbed wire fence that runs along the bottom of the hills and the three watch towers with search lights.

Yet the major flaw in their security is that the back end of the base is not guarded at all. Rodger Barratt will be in quite a surprise if he finds out that Jason and April have managed to make their way into the woods and to the Heat Miles base. Heat Miles hasn't changed much since 1775 with their lack of security.

April momentarily closes her eyes and for a split second, she can hear the voices inside the base. Instantly she understands that the fire in the woods has caused a panic, therefore Heat Miles are sending out some shape shifters to check the woods in case the Doctor is there.

"Can I use your tact gun?" April asks, looking at Jason.

"If you want." Jason replies as he reaches for his belt. He then pulls out a small white hand gun. The gun can almost pass as a water pistol due to the shiny plastic exterior. But April takes the gun and starts to climb the tree nearest them. For a moment Jason wonders whether or not he should follow her, but he eventually decides against it. Instead he crouches down at the base of the tree and keeps an eye on the Heat Miles base.

April climbs to the very top of the tree and balances herself on the most sturdiest looking branch. With one hand placed on the trunk of the tree for balance, she looks up at the sky above them. Clouds cover the sky with a dark blue hue just as the first rays of daylight try to shine through. She looks at the patch of sky directly above her and then at the sky above the Heat Miles base.

Sometimes she can feel a light breeze around her and not hear it.

April aims the tact gun up at the sky above the base and shoots. She only has to wait a short second before the black sticky tact hits the forcefield. The tact remains there for a short while before fizzing off completely.

Just as April suspects. The forcefield covers the whole of this crater as well as the woods and the festival. However the only thing April does not understand is what she figured out back at the festival. If she can sneak in, why is it she cannot sneak out? Shouldn't the forcefield be there to stop people from coming into the woods?

April jumps down from the tree and lands on her feet with a thump, making Jason jolt with fright. Jason pretends that this didn't happen and April goes with it.

"The forcefield covers the whole of this crater too. I assume it stops just before the hills of Ebernie or on the other side." April says as she brushes off stray pieces of bark off her hands. She looks at Jason and hands him back the white tact gun.

"So how the hell are we to get out?" Jason asks as he puts the gun back in his belt.

April hesitates. "We'll find something." she then looks back at the Heat Miles base.

"Want to check it out?" Jason suggests.

"I suppose we have no choice." April replies.

There seems to be no other way to get down to the base of the crater without attempting to slide down the steep side and hope to not have a broken leg by the bottom. Jason leads. After making sure that there are no other shape shifters or anyone from Heat Miles around the crater, Jason sits down on the edge of the crater and slowly makes his way down.

April is hesitant to begin with but eventually follows pursuit. Only the top edges of the crater seems steep, but eventually it flattens out at the bottom. Once they reach the bottom of the crater, they stand up and look at the base between the two concrete chimneys.

"Doesn't look any prettier from down here." Jason murmurs.

To their luck, it is still fairly dark so they can sneak across the crater without being seen from the base windows, despite April's bright red t-shirt. Yet as they run in between the chimneys towards the base, April is reminded of when herself and Max were walking through the sewers in Manchester with the aim to kill Heat Miles.

How things have not changed much since.

They reach the back entrance to the base and halt for a moment. The atmosphere around them seems too silent for their liking. April and Jason look at each other and then back to the uninviting black door.

"So," Jason eventually says. "Odds on us being caught within the first five minutes of breaking in."

April continues to scowl at the door. "Max and I lasted at least half an hour last time. We made our way into an office."

"Oh?" Jason raises an eyebrow.

"Yeah in 1775 when Heat Miles had just started."

"Right. Well lets hope that they haven't improved in their security."

April's scowl deepens as she stares at Jason. Jason only raises his eyebrows further and shrugs his shoulders. Then April is the first to move. She feels for her back jean pocket and pulls out the sonic screwdriver, feeling rather thankful that she didn't hand it back to the Doctor. Jason glances down at the sonic screwdriver but says nothing.

April stands by the back door and shines the sonic screwdriver onto the handle. The blue light flashes and whirs until the handle clicks. April and Jason glance at one another just before April turns the handle. The door swings outwards and they are met with a brightly lit corridor that extends straight ahead. The walls are a bright white colour yet the black flooring has some sort of marble effect.

April enters first and Jason follows. They take slow, careful steps through the corridor as the door closes behind them with an echoing thud. The corridor turns to the right and knowing corridors better, April hides behind the wall and peers over the edge.

The corridor is empty of any Heat Miles workers. Yet at the end by the wall is a door. To the left of the door is a large glass window looking into an office. Yet as the corridor turns to the left by the door, most of the window is cut off by the wall.

April nods her head to Jason and they both pull out a gun from their belts, wanting to be ready for an attack if necessary. They quietly tip-toe down the corridor, heading towards the office door.

Suddenly someone from inside the office walks past the window and the low voices from inside can be heard. Instantly, April and Jason duck down to the floor and remain frozen to the spot.

The voices from inside the office seem light and not threatening at all. And when laughter is heard, April slowly starts to crawl forward.

"April." Jason hisses.

"We attack when it's necessary," April whispers back. "Hasn't Aaron told you enough times?"

Jason says nothing in response as he follows her. They silently crawl along the black flooring towards the office. Their voices becoming louder and clearer the closer they get. It sounds like there are no more than four people in the office, and just from their tones and laughter, they seem relaxed.

To their luck, when the corridor turns to the left, there is still no one around.

April and Jason wait by the wall, the large glass window directly above them. Jason pulls out a small silver compact mirror from the inside pocket of his jacket, wincing from the pain in his shoulder as he does so. April watches him with a harsh scowl as he uses the end of his fingernail to open a small hatch at the base of the mirror. He then pulls out a long, thin cable acting as an extending arm. Jason then takes hold of the end of the cable and lifts the mirror with a shaking hand. Eventually he is able to hold it still.

They both look into the reflection in the compact mirror, seeing the people inside. There is one man standing by a desk, pouring himself a glass of whiskey. There are three others, another man and two women sitting at the wooden table in the middle of the office, smoking and playing a game of cards. However they are still wearing smart suits, which they can only assume is their uniform. There are four white lab coats thrown lazily over the back of one of the swivel office chairs.

Jason slowly tilts the mirror at different angles so that they can see every corner of the office. There are mainly filing cabinets and desks covered in paperwork and files. There is only one computer on the desk. The screen is blank apart from a white square in the middle, showing a message.

Suddenly the voices in the office halt abruptly and there is a chilling silence.

Holding onto his breath, Jason carefully tilts the mirror to the left and sees the reflection of one of the female Heat Miles workers, looking directly at him through the mirror.

Jason instantly drops the mirror as chairs scrape across the floor in the office. And before April and Jason can do anything, the workers inside start to shoot through the window. The glass smashes and falls around them.

However Jason is quick to act. In a matter of seconds, Jason pulls out a small hand grenade from his belt and throws it through the shattered window. Once the grenade falls from his hand, he grabs onto April and shoves her forward.

The workers panic at the sight of the grenade and only one manages to open the office door just before the grenade explodes. The impact blows both his legs off and kills the others instantly. Jason cries out in pain as both him and April stumble forward, away from the office.

Despite the ringing in her ears, April helps Jason up and they start running through the corridor, knowing that this will cause enough attention. They run as quickly as they can, but as soon as they hear footsteps, they hide in the nearest room. April pushes Jason in first and closes the door behind them. She then locks the door firmly with the sonic screwdriver.

The room is dark apart from a small blue light behind them. Instead, April and Jason remain standing behind the door in silence.

They hear angry voices and shouts in the near distance, which is then followed by running footsteps. Heavy boots slapping the marbled flooring.

"What the fuck is this? What the fuck happened?" April can recognise Lucien's voice very easily. He yells at the other Heat Miles workers around him and the ones that run to the scene. He demands to know how this has happened. But there seems to be more cussing then demanding questions.

Jason gently nudges April and points to the bottom edge of the door. April looks down and notices it. The bright light from the hallway shines through the gap running between the floor and the bottom edge of the door. And with the light are two shadows which looks like a pair of legs. Just from the silence, April can only assume that there is a shape shifter standing on the other side of the door, silently waiting for them to leave the room.

April covers the sonic screwdriver with her hand, trying to drown out the sound as she presses the button three times. After the third buzz, the shape shifter turns and walks away from the door.

For a moment April and Jason remain by the door. April then runs the sonic screwdriver along the edges of the door before pulling away.

"No one from outside can come in here or hear us." April says before tucking the screwdriver into her jean pocket. She then walks across the dark room to the blue light which turns out to be a computer screen. She feels her way along the desk and finds a switch to the desk lamp. Immediately the room is filled with a warm orange light and the first thing April notices is the half eaten egg sandwich left on the side.

April then takes one quick look around the room. It is a very small office. So small that there are only about four steps between the desk and the door. April then looks at Jason who is still hovering by the door. Then without saying anything, she takes a seat in the office chair and starts tapping away at the computer.

To her luck, the person working in here earlier has left the computer logged in, allowing April access to all of Heat Miles' data. Something like this would make the Doctor smile and laugh, but for April, her scowl only deepens.

Jason eventually pulls away from the door and joins April at the desk.

April clicks on every file she can find on the computer. A lot of them are saved documents from whoever account this is logged onto. Jason comes over to April and looks at the computer screen over her shoulder, resting one hand on the back of her chair and another on the desk.

April eventually finds a spreadsheet which holds the list of the ten volunteers for the Day of Destruction. At the very bottom of the spreadsheet is a link saying CLICK TO SUBMIT. April and Jason look at each other, remembering that this is the night of Rodger Barratt's party. This is the night the Slitheen and the Cybermen arrive. And this is the night they announce this years volunteers.

"You sure you want to do this?" Jason asks.

April sighs. "We have no choice. I suppose if we want to save lives."

"Then who shall we take over?"

April looks at the screen for a moment and she highlights the name Joshua Pickard, the tenth volunteer. She then presses the backspace button on the keyboard and types in Captain Jason Hoffman. She then highlights Morgarn's name which is number five on the list, and replaces it with her own: April Hollerford. For a moment she is tempted just to put down The Ice Girl but thinks better of it.

April finds herself hesitating for a brief second before she clicks the link at the bottom of the spreadsheet. The spreadsheet disappears from the screen and a new message appears:

YOU SUBMISSION HAS NOW BEEN SENT. THE MAJOR WILL RECEIVE IT SHORTLY.

Jason exhales heavily. "Aaron said that they announce the volunteers at the party."

"Yeah," April somehow finds herself smirking. "I think hearing our names being announced is going to cause some sort of riot."

"It'll be worth it," Jason then raises one eyebrow with curiosity. "Out of all the names you could have replace with yours, why did you pick Morgarn?"

April hesitates for an answer, for she is not entirely sure why she did. She could have swapped Ellis Lustworve's name with hers so his future she saw in her nightmare will not come true. However April feels like that is a future if she never came to the Island to help them. Something tells her that it would be better to not have Morgarn volunteer for the Day of Destruction.

However, just before April can reply to Jason's question, the computer bleeps and another message appears on the screen. April's scowl deepens as she turns her attention back to the computer. There is a small red square in the top left corner of the screen. There is a bold exclamation mark in the centre, and the red square flashes and pulsates, clearly indicating a warning.

April moves the mouse of the computer and clicks on the red square.

A green and black holographic image, not too dissimilar to the holographic screen they had at the UNIT base appears. The image shows an outlined map of what looks like the Island. And then to the right of the map is a large green dot that seems to be moving swiftly towards the Island.

April and Jason know exactly what it is. This is a warning to Heat Miles, informing them of the arrival of the new aliens. The unknown aliens that arrived in the black oval spaceship.

"But why are the distress signals coming from this base?" Jason asks. "That's almost like they're inviting the aliens here."

"Well knowing what Rodger Barratt is like, he wouldn't want them to make a big show like they will," April taps away at the keyboard. "Perhaps we could alter the distress signals to a different location."

Jason's brow furrows. "Where? There aren't that many locations to hide here."

"How about the Black Lighthouse?" April suggests. "For a start it is completely out of the way from the rest of the village. So if the aliens are following a distress signal, they will only fly over the cliff and will be hidden on the beach on the other side. The villagers here will never see them."

"And you think that sending the aliens to the Black Lighthouse is a wise idea?"

April looks at the screen for a moment. "What's the worst that's going to happen? The Cytracik isn't there."

Jason says nothing in response but allows April to do what she wishes. April hates the silence Jason gives her but she continues to do so. It may not be the best idea she has come up with, but surely it is going to be enough to stop the alien's arrival from causing havoc on the Island. This is what the Doctor wanted them to do. The holographic screen changes to the view of the beach.

For a moment, April completely stops what she is doing as she looks at the holographic image of the beach. A shiver runs down her spine as she sees the view of the beach and the Black Lighthouse, just the way she has seen it so many times in her nightmare.

Aware of the way April's hands hover over the keyboard and how she's now holding her breath, Jason reaches forward and goes to take April's hand as if to calm her, but before he has the chance to touch her, April snatches her hand away. Jason is almost shocked at this. He looks at April who stares straight at the computer screen, her scowl harsh.

Without another word, April vigorously taps away at the keyboard, finding a way to change the distress signals to the Black Lighthouse.

"It's okay." Jason says softly.

"I know." April replies sternly as she continues to tap away, both of them fully aware that she does not mean exactly what she is saying.

Jason understands that things are difficult for April. She is living in her own nightmare, not exactly sure as to what she is supposed to do. Neither of them know what has to be done other than to destroy the Cytracik before the Daleks have the chance to get to it. But everything with Heat Miles and the Day of Destruction is making everything more complex. It is just a way to cover up the Battle of the Cytracik, to allow the fight to happen in the woods and away from the village. Rodger Barratt knows this and this village on this Island is everything he has to protect himself and the Cytracik. But Jason can see the way this is hard on April, and hard on Max too.

"Got it." April says as the computer bleeps. A sign appears in the corner of the screen informing them that the distress signals have been transferred over to the Black Lighthouse.

Suddenly there are three sharp knocks at the door. April and Jason jump in fright.

There is a pause of silence as Jason slowly pulls his gun from his belt.

There are another three bangs at the door followed by a voice.

"Sir, are you in there?" The voice shouts through the door. "Sir, we need you now. The Major is putting us all on high alert here in the base. There are intruders here."

Jason looks at April and nods his head before slowly making his way to the door. April stands by the computer desk and pulls out her gun. Then trying to keep her breathing steady, she aims her gun at the door and holds it there.

Jason presses his ear to the door trying to see if he can tell if there is more than one person outside. But nothing can be heard. Jason then takes another look at April before taking hold of the door handle. He twists it so that is clicks.

"Oh so you are in here, sir." The Heat Miles worker says but stops abruptly when the door swings open. The Heat Miles worker is met with Jason and April instead of the person whom they have been looking for.

Jason does not hesitate before he hits the worker around their head with his gun, knocking them unconscious on the ground. Then both April and Jason leave the room and start running up the corridor, holding their guns firmly in their hands.

The corridor twists and turns in different directions and they both stop at a turning, having to make sure that no one else are around. They pass many different offices along the way, but they keep running forward.

However on the last turning, they find three Heat Miles workers at the other end. April quickly pulls out a small hand grenade and throws it in their direction. The grenade goes off before the workers have time to attack them.

"Why are we going further into the base?" April snaps at Jason as she tries to catch her breath.

"I think I remember Aaron saying something about there being a tunnel under this base that may take us to the beach and Rodger Barratt's house," Jason exhales deeply. "Thought it would kill some time."

April stares at Jason, looking somewhat annoyed over the fact that this was not mentioned earlier. Jason only grins back, but his eyes drift over her shoulder and in a second, he shoots down the person coming up behind her.

"Trust me on this." He then takes her hand and they start running forward again.

However the final turning takes them into a large furnace room filled with smoke. They stop running for a moment as the heat of the room hits them harshly. Without any hesitation, Jason shoots the first worker he sees through the smoke and they keep walking forward.

There is a rather pungent smell in the room and April is only reminded of when she saw the smoke rising from behind the hills when she was making her way to the festival.

"What are they cooking here?" April shouts to Jason over the loud rumble of the furnace.

Jason does not reply, but continues to make his way forward, still holding onto April.

Soon enough they are interrupted by the sound of a loud, dull rumble. The metal flooring trembles underneath their feet. Jason and April stare at each other warily as not far behind them there is the sound of something like an iron gate opening.

April turns around and sees a circular gate in the floor, disguised as a drain slowly opening. And out comes a robotic alien neither April nor Jason have come across before. April feels Jason's hand grip onto her shoulder.

"April..." Jason warns as they watch this creature rise out from the ground. The creature appears tall with its black, metal dome helmet. In the centre of the dome is a red light blinking at them like an eye. Underneath the dome are at least twenty silver tentacles wriggling around each other, just like the black tentacles do on the head of a shape shifter.

"You are not authorised to be here," the tall metal robot says in a low, dull robotic voice. "You are permitted to remain where you are as we eviscerate you."

"Fuck that!" Jason snaps as this alien starts to move towards them. Jason hauls April to the side and they start to move further away from this alien. However they only manage to take a few steps before they bump into another robotic alien, identical to the other, approaching them.

"You have the right to remain stationary." The alien demands.

April and Jason turn around in different directions but are only to find that they are completely surrounded by these aliens threatening to eviscerate them.

"Shit." Is all Jason can say.