XLIII
A Final Solution

The Island
Conference room 0055
The Arena

The rain eventually passes on and by early evening, the sun hangs low in the sky, giving the Island an orange glow. After a visit to Jack Gruntler, he suggested that they all should head to the Arena and make some use of it.

The Doctor parks the Tardis, with everyone inside, by one of the large tower blocks. He leads the way and they squeeze into two lifts inside the building. The lifts take them up to the top floor where they find a large conference room. Clearly this is something Heat Miles wanted to use if they won the battle and ruled over the Cytracik.

The walls to the conference room is made up of polished oak. Grey carpet covers the floor and there is the odd spider plant in the corner. Modern abstract art hangs on the walls. There is also a free standing whiteboard on one side. In the centre is a large oval table. However there is not enough leather chairs for everyone.

At the far end of the conference room are large windows stretching from the ceiling to the floor. Out the windows is a rather extravagant view of the Island. Down below is the Arena and then most of the Island can be seen out of the window, all the way to the cliff that separates them from the beach.

To everyone's relief, the beach Black Lighthouse is out of sight.

Everyone then gathers around the table. Without a word, April takes the seat closest to the window. There she turns her head and focuses on the view outside. Aaron carefully takes the seat directly opposite her and Will sits to her right.

Then the Doctor, Jack, Rose, Terry, Declan, Joseph, Max, Ireen, Martha, Sarah-Jane, Rex, Orion, Buddy, Kathyrn and Blake take seats around the table. When the seats are all taken, a few remain standing.

For a moment there is silence.

"There are three problems that must be discussed here today. And everything that is said in the room will not be discussed outside these walls. Is that understood?" Jack Gruntler says. There is a murmur of agreement and he carries on. "The citizens of the Island have spoken," he begins carefully, resting his palms flat on the polished surface of the table. "And they want Rodger Barratt executed and the remaining members of Heat Miles."

"But we blew up the base." Aaron says darkly.

"Rodger Barratt would not leave his whole army locked up in the base. There are still around fifty shape shifters and workers for Heat Miles dotted around this Island, including that Lucien. And so it is a wish from the villagers here who have survived this war that they should all be executed. And for Rodger Barratt's execution to be public."

"Is this a wise idea?" Rose asks after a long silence. "I mean Rodger Barratt is dying anyway."

"Unfortunately we cannot trust him to live the rest of his life without causing any more damage." The Doctor's voice is sullen as he speaks, staring down at the table.

Rose, however, glares at the Doctor, somewhat disgusted. "I don't think we should kill him though!"

"Rose..." The Doctor warns.

"No, Doctor, listen to me for once! Rodger Barratt has killed many people for this battle. So many people and species have lost their lives for what? For power? Yes we have the Cytracik now and we can keep it from Rodger Barratt. We have the chance to destroy it. But we should at least give Rodger Barratt the chance to live out the rest of his life with his family."

"However we don't know how long it will be till he dies." Martha speaks up.

"But killing Rodger Barratt will make us as bad as he is!" Rose pauses but then speaks her mind. "Martha, the one who killed Jason, would that make you a better person if you went after them to kill them out of revenge? Would Jason want you to do that?"

Silence hangs in the air one more time, however this time it is tense. Martha glares at Rose in a new light. It takes every part of Martha to not shout or run at Rose. Instead she just stares. Rose holds her eye contact before breaking away.

Aaron, however, finds himself watching April with caution. April remains sitting opposite him, her scowl ever so prominent as she just stares out the window. She does not show any sign that she may be listening to anything that is being said. She is cold and her distant and faraway look scares him.

"Okay so for now, before we come to a conclusion for that scenario, lets get to the second problem." Sarah-Jane says, desperate to break this tension.

"That will be Monroe." Jack says uneasily.

Will's head shoots up. "What is he doing?"

"Monroe wishes to rule this Island," Jack says. "He believe that it is his right."

"That's out of the question." Rex says sharply.

"He's not even control of his own mind." Terry mutters more to herself.

"Monroe thinks that he is capable enough," Jack Gruntler says calmly yet in an authoritative tone, trying to hold the peace. "And I am sure all of us can find a part in each of us that can understand where this man is coming from. I believe he wants to give this Island and its people peace. And he thinks he's up for the challenge."

"Well I don't think any of us are really up for this idea." Will snarls.

"I thought that this Island is supposed to be obliterated?" Rose says. "I thought that by the end of this battle, this Island will cease to exist."

This piece of news creates a stir amongst the remaining members of the revolution, but Terry quickly jumps in.

"The battle still isn't over. We're lucky enough to have been given forty-eight hours to destroy the Cytracik. If we fail then the twins will be killed, the Cytracik will latch onto its next victim which is Amelia Lustworve, and then this Island will be obliterated. But if we destroy the Cytracik, then the battle ends and this Island has a chance to live on."

Everyone is fully aware that Terry has not mentioned the safety of the twins once the Cytracik is destroyed. But her unspoken words are left hanging in the air.

"So..." Terry continues uneasily. "Monroe is a danger to himself."

"All those in favour of not having Monroe run the Island, please raise your hands," Jack announces and everyone raises a hand in agreement. "Unanimous. That settles it. Shall we get onto the third problem or return to the first?"

"How are we going to destroy the Cytracik?" Sarah-Jane asks.

"Yes that is our third problem." Jack whispers to himself.

"No one rules the Cytracik," Max says darkly before anyone can jump in. "The Cytracik rules them."

"Well aren't you the fun one at the party." Kathryn mutters.

Max looks up, staring directly at Jack. "Even if you have the power to open the Cytracik, it will still have full control over you. Not the other way round. April and I are prisoners under the Cytracik, but also supposedly the most powerful humans in the universe. Perhaps it should be up to us to destroy it. I've got less that forty-eight hours till this disease will kill me off. So we'd better make it work."

"And how are you two going to do that?" Martha snaps rather accusingly.

Max catches Terry's eye. He holds it for a while, and yet her blank expression proves to him that she knows. He guiltily looks away, knowing full well that everyone is staring at him and April. Right now will be a great time for April to speak up, but she continues to stare somewhat lifelessly out the window. Her scowl as harsh as ever.

"Wait," Martha says, her voice dark. "You know. You have a plan, don't you?" Her voice is a mixture of surprise and anger. "You both know how to destroy the Cytracik! Why haven't you done it yet?"

"Because April and I haven't had time to discuss it." Max says through gritted teeth. He looks helpless over to his sister, but all he can see is the back of her head.

"I think April wanted to destroy the Cytracik in the woods." Aaron says carefully, keeping a watchful eye on April, but even this comment does nothing to stir her attention.

Rose frowns. "But how are you going to do it?" She asks, fear in her voice.

Jack clears his throat. "That is something the twins will have to decide for themselves. And we have to support them."

"I don't like where this is going." Rex mumbles.

"So third problem solved. The Cytracik will be left to the twins. But let us go back to our first problem. Let's have a vote first of all. All in favour to have Rodger Barratt executed please raise your hands."

Nearly everyone's hand raises rather sheepishly, apart from the Doctor who instantly raises it high above his head. However Rose, April, Max and Martha are the only ones who do not raise their hands. Terry seems to be in two minds but she eventually raises her hand halfway. It still isn't clear if April is listening or even aware of this vote at all.

Rose shuffles in her seat when everyone lowers their hands. "It should at least be a unanimous decision."

"Rose, we don't have time!" The Doctor snaps.

"But it's not right!"

"It's right for this battle! We can't run the risk of letting him roam free. It could be years before he dies!"

Rose glares at the Doctor but then slouches in her seat, not saying anything more.

"So then it comes to this. It is to be a public execution. I suppose because the villagers on this Island don't trust us enough to kill him in private and deliver the news. They want to see it happen. They want the proof. So who is going to kill Rodger Barratt?"

There is a weird stillness in the air. Everyone is suddenly afraid to make the slightest movement. For for the few seconds that pass, no one looks at each other.

"I'll do it." April says as she turns her attention to the room for the first time.

Everyone looks at April in surprise, not expecting her voice. However April merely looks fed up.

"April, no." Will says softly, reaching for her hand, but she snaps it away as she slouches back in her seat.

There is a stir in the room as everyone seems to have something to say upon the matter, and no one seems entirely keen on the idea of April being Rodger Barratt's executioner.

"Truth is I don't think Rodger Barratt would want to be killed by anyone but me." April says, her voice dull and for a moment no one can deny her true statement.

However the Doctor starts to shout. "I object this out of hand! This idea is going from bad to worse and I will not let you do this-"

"Would you do it, Doctor?" April shouts at the Doctor, completely silencing him. "Would you be willing to shoot a man in the heart?" She awaits his reply for a few seconds, but when he just stares at her lost for words, April only rolls her eyes. "Of course you wouldn't." April then turns her attention to Aaron sitting opposite her, who only looks at her with concern. She does not break eye contact.

"Then it is settled. April Hollerford will execute Rodger Barratt." Jack Gruntler says.

And it is final.