Divide and Conquer

"Uh.." the Doctor backed away, fumbling in her pocket for the TARDIS key.

"Come now, Doctor, I thought you were the one with all the great speeches?" Najia did not drop her gaze as she walked towards the Timelord.

"Yeah, well, um, you know what they say about great speeches?" the Doctor babbled, locating the key and diving for the TARDIS door.

"No, I do not."

"Well the thing about speeches..." the Doctor scrabbled for the lock, "Is that the real trick…" jamming the key into the door and twisting it, "Is great timing!"

So saying she fell bodily through the TARDIS doors, sprawling on the gangway and turning to stare up at a flabbergasted Najia.

"Anyway, welcome to the TARDIS! Fancy a cuppa?"

Meanwhile, having beat a speedy retreat, Sherlock and Hakim were striking out across the estate.

"So, have we got a plan, Mr Holmes?"

"I thought that was precisely why the Captain assigned you to this task, Mr Local Knowledge," Sherlock slurred slightly haughtily.

"Oh, yes, sir," Hakim dipped his head in enthusiastic reverence, "Well, would you mind slowing down for just a second, so I can get my breath?"

Sighing sardonically, Sherlock slowed his quickstep to a normal place, "Slow enough for you?"

"Yes, thank you," Hakim grinned, panting just a little, "I don't know what it is with you young people – all this running about, it can't be healthy."

Biting back a comment about cardiovascular disease and its link with both physical fitness and growing prevalence in the Asian population, Sherlock settled for a curt nod.

"Ok, let me see," the older man scratched his head, "Sonya is always meeting friends up at the Fields – sort of local hang out, I think? Maybe we could try there first?"

"Teenagers? Hanging out in a park near local off-licenses? Indeed, I'd say that's a pretty obvious place to –" Sherlock rolled his eyes, before catching a glimpse of Hakim's crestfallen expression. "Apologies," he cleared his throat, "It's a solid starting point."

As Hakim's face brightened once more and he began reeling off other locations they might try, Sherlock allowed himself a small smile. Then, as a pair, they headed off in the direction of the large wooded park.

"So, Cheekbones, eh? Now tell me – is he as skinny as he looks? Or is that all lean, mean, muscle under that crisp linen?"

"I'm sorry – what?"

"Oh, come on, Johnny boy, you're telling me you've never soothed that hot, lusty little face of yours on his cool, alabaster abs?"

Jack raised an eyebrow and laughed at John's reddening, flustered expression, which only served to annoy the shorter man further.

"I – you – we – no!" John at last spluttered, "No we have not, because we are not a couple. Just because you're clearly obsessed with sex, it does not mean that everyone is. Now can we please get on with this, so I can –"

"Woah - you're not?" Jack swung around, his coat twirling around him in dashing fashion.

"Look, we just need to get a look around the hospital and then –"

"Firstly, that sounds a lot like avoiding the question," Jack put up a hand as John began a groaned protest. "Secondly, I can't believe you haven't even gotten to second base with that gorgeous specimen. And thirdly, exactly how far up that deep creek of denial are you?"

"Fourthly," John said firmly, and trying to maintain what was left of his composure, "We're here – now what's your plan to get us in?"

Jack smirked as John paid the driver and they exited the taxi. "Guessing the answer is 'pretty damn far' then," he said under his breath.

As they approached the sterile-smelling reception desk of the Royal Hallamshire, the American flashed a dazzling smile at the receptionist.

"Hiya, how can I help?"

"Hi, my name's Dr Watson and I've got an interview here in about half an hour?"

"Of course, doctor, now have you got an appointment letter with you?"

"Sorry, I seem to have left it at home," John patted down his pockets and put on his most charming smile, "The interview's with Dr Singh?"

"No problem, Dr Watson, if you go to the D Floor and follow the signs to the café, someone will meet you there. Your partner can go wait there if they like?"

"Thank you," Jack glanced down at the name-badge with a charming smile, "Susan. I can't have him getting lost, now can I?"

Taking the speechless John's arm, he whirled away, leaving a blushing receptionist in his wake.

"You could have just told her we weren't a couple?" John muttered under his breath

"And where's the fun in that, honey?" Jack grinned as they stepped into the lift, "Denial's your thing, not mine."

"So, you're finally official then?"

"Well, I mean, I suppose…"

"Oh, come on, you great lump" Gwen laughed, "What was it? 'If there's a star that burns brighter than my love f– ow!"

"Oh, shut it," Yaz huffed, blushing bright red and turning her attention to the computer screen.

"Well you pack a punch!" the welsh officer chuckled again, rubbing her shoulder, "Remind me to take you for a night out with the lads some time."

"How long did you say this was gonna take?"

"Tosh's device is pretty nifty – I'd say a few more minutes oughta do it, and then we'll have access to the whole database." Gwen shrugged, before scooting her wheelie chair around the desk and out of reach, "Now, fill me in on all the goss, and no more right hooks, mind?"

Sighing and rolling her eyes in mock exasperation, Yaz looked up and grinned, "Honestly, all that's going on and you want me to play kiss and tell?"

"I want details!" Gwen emphasised each word with a light tap on the desk, "How long? Have you said the word yet? Who said it first? Where? And how amazing are your parents being supportive and all that?"

It was Yaz's turn to laugh, "Woah there, Officer – one question at a time please, and I might have to ask for my lawyer first, the rate you're going!"

Gwen didn't reply, but merely fixed the younger woman with her best 'I'm waiting' expression.

"Oh, ok," Yaz held her hands up in mock surrender, "In answer to your questions: about 14 hours; yes, we have; she did – or maybe I did – I can't recall; in my room; and yeah they're really great." She watched as her friend's face visibly processed this new information.

"So, she told you she loved you while she had you pressed into your bed?" Gwen nodded, quietly impressed, "I think it was the same with Rhys – those moves are old school."

Yaz's face flooded with colour as vivid flashbacks streaked across her vision.

"Oh, you have got it bad," the welsh officer smirked, folding her arms and sitting back in her chair, "Your girlfriend's got quite the tongue, hasn't she?"

Spluttering incoherently, Yaz felt her face must be glowing with the heat of her embarrassment, "Wha-"

Gwen gave a shout of laughter, "No, no, you daft sod - I only meant that she must have a real way with words! Honestly," she continued to chuckle, "I'd only just cleared my retinas from the last time you two had a 'sleepover'. Next round is on you, pal!"

Yaz was thankfully saved from further humiliation by the ping of the data-search completion. Swivelling the screen so they could both see the results, she frowned.

"I don't understand – why would they just stop using the app?"

"I think the question you need to be asking," Gwen replied with a dark edge to her voice, "Is who stopped them using it."

The screen pinged again as further results popped into the digital display.

"But… it's all of them," Yaz stared at the screen, open mouthed. "I think it's time we got back to the Doctor…"

"If you enter those coordinates and pull the third whatsamathing from your right, we should be set," the Doctor garbled, racing around the console in her usual abstract fashion.

"The whatsamathing?" Najia raised an eyebrow, as she scanned the array of lights and switches.

"Yeah, next to the wassagij?"

"You seriously fly this thing through time and space with that level of precision naming?"

"Pfft," the Doctor shot her a wink and pushed her hair out of her eyes, "I've got all of time and space to see – names can wait. Yup, that's the one!"

Najia rolled her eyes, as she pulled down on a green handle, clearly labelled 'SCANNER 02', briefly wondering if maybe the TARDIS itself was trying to help its mad owner out.

As lights begin to flash and a soft 'peep peep' emitted from somewhere, a hologram map seemed to spring up in the centre of the console. Najia peered, open-mouthed at the outline of her local area, watching as little coloured blips began to populate it.

"Ok," the Doctor said, propping a small spanner behind her left ear, "so if we've got the dates right, this is what Sheffield looked like a few months ago."

"And what exactly am I looking at?"

"Oh, yeah, right, well each one of these lights are signals from local kids' phones, the colour changing according to which social media outlet they're pinging at the time."

"Gotcha, so what are we looking for exactly?"

"We're trying to see what's changed over the last few months – I thought maybe there might be a link between…" the Doctor trailed off as she dialled up a few switches with a bash of her spanner.

"Oh," they said in unison, as one by one, the tiny coloured pips blinked out.

"But –"

"What –"

And it was at that moment the doors creaked open and a babble of sound announced the return of the search parties.

"Doctor, you have got to see this, and we need to find Son, soon!"

"Honestly, Jack, it's like the ghost machine all over again – all these echoes."

"I mean, I still can't believe you, did you really need to make up all that… stuff… just to get the information? For the last time, I am not g-"

"Oh-ho, you should see me when I really get going! Speaking of which, how's it going handsome?"

"Huh-hmm, I'll be better when we've got this tedious business over with."

"Alright, love? Wow, this place is quite something! Somehow everything out there makes sense when you see this lot."

The Doctor's face lit-up as she took them all in, but her sigh of relief froze on her lips as she saw the worry on Yaz's face.

"Right, you lot – tea and update?"

Najia flashed the Doctor a look, "You really think we've got time for tea?"

"This is the TARDIS," the blonde grinned back at her, "there's always time."

And as the party shuffled over to the jumble of sofas and cushions, the Doctor dashed around with steaming cups, throwing half-opened biscuit packets to anyone who looked up.

Over the hubbub of voices and crackling of plastic, the knock on the door was barely audible, and it was only when the Doctor sprang up in search of Sherlock's sugar that she heard it. A folorn tap-tap on the wooden doors.

Scrunching her brow as she did a quick head-count, the Doctor walked slowly to the door, wracking her brain for who they might be missing. Just as she got there, the handle twisted and a mumbling someone half-stumbled, half-fell onto the walkway.

As heads began to turn at the noise, the chattering hummed away into quiet.

The Doctor bent to roll the newcomer over onto their side, and with a sick feeling in her stomach, swept back the curtain of familiarly dark hair.

"Oh no…"

She felt, rather than heard Yaz join her, and reached out for her hand, dreading what was coming.

"Oh my god… Son?"

*** TO BE CONTINUED ***