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Chapter 19: The Sewers
What happens to Solomon? April wondered. She could almost see him, standing in the darkness, talking. He was saying something, but she couldn't remember what.
"Come on," Harriet said. "We're going."
"What? Oh, right." April followed Harriet, the Doctor, Solomon, Martha, that boy, and the three evil people away from the Hooverville.
"What happens next?" Harriet whispered as they walked.
"We shouldn't talk about this," April whispered back as they walked.
"Just don't interfere," Harriet said. Interfere with what? April wondered. She still couldn't remember much after the fight at Hooverville, and even her memories before that were vague and disjointed. If she couldn't remember what happened, she wouldn't be able to consciously interfere. So, it was a good thing she didn't remember, right?
Except she had the general feeling that this episode did not go well. That good people suffered and died. Besides, if Harriet thought she'd interfere, there might be a reason to. Should she ask Harriet what she knew? It might help—but then, there was the temptation. April might not be able to stop herself from affecting the story. And if she did, she had the feeling it would go badly.
"We're here," said Mr. Diagoras at the entrance to the sewers. April climbed down the manhole ladder, trying not to think about how disgusting it was. "Turn left. Go about half a mile. Follow tunnel two seven three. Fall's right ahead of you, you can't miss it."
"And when do we get our dollar?" Frank asked.
"When you come back up."
"And if we don't come back up?" Harriet said.
"Then I got no one to pay."
"Don't worry," Solomon said. "We'll be back."
"Let's hope so," Martha said. The Doctor looked into Mr. Diagoras's eyes for a moment before turning around and following Solomon and Frank into the sewers.
"We just got to stick together," Frank said. "It's easy to get lost. It's like a huge rabbit warren. You could hide an army down here."
"So," Martha asked, "what about you, Frank?" As she and Frank talked, the Doctor fell back to speak with Harriet and April.
"Something's wrong," he said. "Have either of you done anything?"
"No," April said, shaking her head. All she had done was think, and last time she had checked, Daleks couldn't read minds unless they 'extracted your brainwaves' with their manipulator arm. "Nothing."
"Well, be careful," he warned. "Something's off with the timelines here."
"Is it another paradox?" Harriet asked.
"Yes, no, well, sort of. You still have a massive paradox around you, but it's danger has somewhat diminished after we left New New York." Probably something to do with the Time Agents or the Face of Boe, then. April listened to the splashing of the sewer water as they walked. "There's something else. Something's wrong. Have you had that feeling you humans get when you eat too much sugar lately?"
April shook her head. "Nothing," Harriet told him.
"Well, I felt kind of dizzy, earlier," April said, just in case. "But I'm really tired. Probably nothing."
"Do you know what's going to happen?" The Doctor asked. "Do your abilities tell you anything about this?" April nodded, slowly. "Then don't say anything. We are all in very grave danger. Do you understand?"
"Yes," Harriet said. "And April does too. Right?"
"Yes," April said. "I won't say anything about what I know." Which isn't much. Maybe I should explain—might convince him I don't have super time sensitive powers. I just watched an episode a while ago and forgot. "I'm curious, though—what would be the problem with talking if no one could hear us?"
The Doctor sighed. "You're only safe from eavesdropping on the TARDIS, and even then, you could lock a timeline by speaking about it. The brain is malleable. One can sense a timeline, and it could still change. But by stating it, it's set in stone. Even if no one heard, it's not safe to say anything out loud. So, you can't discuss what you see—even if your visions are similar, they could be subtly different."
April nodded. "Okay," she said. They could still discuss it on the TARDIS later, and he wouldn't know, but for now, she should stay quiet.
"Is that what's wrong?" Harriet asked. "We were talking about stuff earlier. Is it our fault?" Of course not, April thought. Because we can't "sense timelines". We just come from a parallel universe.
The Doctor ran his hand through his hair. "No," he shook his head. "I don't think, at least. No, it's not, but it's still dangerous."
"Wait," April said suddenly. "Earlier, in the TARDIS, I felt kind of…dizzy." She didn't want to say it—what if the Doctor took it as some sign that she could feel whatever was wrong with the timelines? Or worse, what if it was a sign that she could feel whatever was wrong with the timelines? But she didn't want to be withholding information, especially information that could be incredibly important. "I thought it was nothing. I mean, I'm really tired. But…"
"Oh, I remember that," Harriet added.
"I see," the Doctor said thoughtfully. "If you feel anything else weird, tell me." He ran a hand through his hair. "Dizziness isn't quite how I'd describe what I'm sensing, but it's possible that whatever happened to you makes you perceive things differently." He rushed forwards to speak to Solomon before April could respond. "So, this Diagoras bloke, who is he then?"
"A couple of months ago, he was just another foreman. Now, it seems like he's running most of Manhattan."
"How'd he manage that, then?" Asked the Doctor.
"These are strange times," Solomon said. "A man can go from being King of the Hill to the lowest of the low overnight. It's just for some folks it works the other way around."
"Whoa!" The Doctor said, pointing his flashlight at something on the ground.
"What is it?" Harriet asked, pushing her way to the front. April followed her. Sitting in the shallow, murky water was a strange blob that was glowing a bright green.
"Is it radioactive or something? It's gone off, whatever it is," Martha said. The Doctor bent down and scooped it up in his hands, suddenly wearing his glasses. "And you've got to pick it up." April rolled her eyes.
"Shine your torch through it," said the Doctor, poking and prodding it. "Composite organic matter. Martha? Medical opinion?"
"It's not human. I know that," she said.
"No, it's not," said the Doctor. "And I'll tell you something else. We must be at least half a mile in. I don't see any sign of collapse, do you? So, why did Mr. Diagoras send us down here?"
"Where are we now?" Martha asked. "What's above us?"
"Well, we're right underneath Manhattan."
"We can go a bit further in, can't we?" Frank said. "Might've just been off by a bit."
The Doctor frowned, then shrugged. "On we go." They walked faster now, for slowing down would mean staying in one place too long, and then the shadows would devour them. Slowing down would mean admitting they were scared, and all of the group were absolutely terrified. Why? April wondered. I know it's going to be fine.
"We're way beyond half a mile," Solomon said as they reached another manhole. "There's no collapse, nothing."
"That Diagoras bloke," said Martha. "Was he lying?"
"Looks like it," the Doctor said.
"So, why'd he want people to come down here?" Frank asked.
"Solomon," the Doctor announced, "I think it's time you took these four back. I'll be much quicker on my own." Suddenly, a strange, shrieking sound echoed around them. Pig squeals.
"What the hell was that?" Solomon asked.
"Hello?" Frank said loudly.
"Sush," Martha hissed.
"What if it's one of the folk gone missing?" Frank asked.
"Really," April said nervously, "be quieter."
He glared at her, but lowered his volume. "You'd be scared and half mad down here on your own."
"Do you think they're still alive?" Asked the Doctor.
"Heck, we ain't seen no bodies down here. Maybe they just got lost." There was another squeal.
"I know I never heard nobody make a sound like that," Solomon said.
"Where's it coming from?" April asked.
"Sounds like there's more than one of them," Frank added.
"This way," the Doctor said, shining his flashlight around. It hit April in the eye, and she winced.
"No, that way," Solomon argued.
"Doctor?" Martha said, pointing her flashlight at a figure in a corner. It was hunched over, the shadows obscuring its face.
"Who are you?" Solomon asked.
"Are you lost? Can you understand me? I've been thinking about folk lost down—"
"It's all right, Frank," the Doctor said quietly. "Just stay back. Let me have a look." He advanced towards the corner, slowly, keeping his flashlight trained on the form. "He's got a point, though, my mate Frank. I'd hate to be stuck down here on my own. We know the way out. Daylight. If you come with us—oh, but what are you?" The flashlight illuminated the figure's face to reveal that of a pig.
"Is that, er, some kind of carnival mask?" Solomon asked.
"It's real," Harriet said.
"I'm sorry," the Doctor said. "Now listen to me. I promise I can help. Who did this to you?"
"Doctor," Martha said, as shadows appeared on the walls of the tunnel. "I think you'd better get back here." The pigmen turned the corner, slowly advancing on the Doctor. "Doctor!"
"Actually, good point," the Doctor said, backing away.
"They're following you," April said nervously.
"Yeah, I noticed that, thanks. Well then, team. Basically, run!" He shouted the final word as they dashed away, feet splashing in the water as they hurried through the sewers. The pigmen chased after them, hot on their heels.
Finally, they reached a junction. April had fallen behind, out of breath. "It's a ladder!" The Doctor said, spotting one down a side passage. "Come on!" He pointed his sonic screwdriver at the manhole above, opening it. He began to climb, Martha right behind him. April looked behind her nervously. She could hear the pigmen behind them, splashing and the sound of hooves on stone.
Frank grabbed a T-bar that was conveniently lying on a wall. Solomon began to climb up, pausing to call his name. Harriet followed, pulling herself up the ladder, as the pigmen swarmed around Frank, grabbing him.
STOP! A strange urge came over her; for some reason, she wanted to freeze, to pause before getting onto the ladder.
Suddenly, she remembered the stars serenely twinkling down on the chaos below. Hooverville was on fire, tents burning as smoke obscured the night sky. Solomon was talking, talking to the Daleks. Saying something. Peace. He only wanted peace, he wanted them to talk. But Daleks don't talk. They exterminate, and he was going to die—
April shook it away, and began to climb, her hands clutching the cold metal as she went as fast as she could. Solomon dies, April thought. Of course he does.
Focus, April told herself as she grabbed the next rung.
One of the pigmen grabbed her ankle and she screamed. Solomon grasped her wrist, pulling as hard as he could, and April felt as if her arm was being pulled out of its socket. Harriet and the Doctor grabbed on, but more pigmen were dragging her down, now. April kicked at her attackers, feeling her foot plant into something solid. It wasn't enough. With a final tug, the pigmen pulled her away, down onto the hard, stone ground.
"April!" Martha yelled above her. April tried to elbow one of the pigmen, but there were far too many of them for her to fight. It's okay, it's okay, I'll be fine, I don't think Frank dies—
One of them grabbed her arm, wrenching it behind her back. She tried to kick at another, but the swarm pressed in on her, holding her in place. The pigmen started to climb up the ladder, and Solomon pushed the Doctor away, closing the manhole behind him.
And then the only light was the thin rectangles shining from the covering. April was trapped.