Unlike last time Rose did not hesitate in the slightest, not when 'Margaret' grabbed the aid. Instead, she heaved one of the chairs at Margaret's back, that resulted in Margaret crying out in pain, however, it also made her release the aid who dropped to the floor like a stone.
Rose and Harriet were instantly there helping, a heavily breathing aid to his feet just as an electric current surged suddenly causing the slitheen to convulse. Without waiting to see what will happen next all three of them legged it out of the room.
They ran into a corridor, as fast as they could only to find no escape route. "No, wait!" Harriet cried. "They're still in there! The emergency protocols! We need them!"
Suddenly Margaret or the Slitheen burst out of the cabinet room and dashed after them. Without any arguments, Rose followed Harriet with the aid as they ran again only to run into a room that Rose could only describe as a sitting room. Especially with the large settees, large drinking cabinets and a folding screen.
"We need to hide now." Rose ordered.
Rose immediately hid behind the cabinet, before the Slitheen entered the room and came to a stop. Instead, with predatory movement, the Slitheen sniffed the air before once again moving, only this time much slower.
"Oh, such fun." The Slitheen squealed happily. "Little human children, where are you?" It purred. "Sweet little humeykins, come to me. Let me kiss you better. Kiss you with my big, green lips."
Rose bit her lip hard then before as it came nearer, especially when she heard the door opened once more.
"My brothers." The croaking voice of Margaret greeted.
"Happy hunting?" One of the newcomers asked.
"It's wonderful," Margaret said with glee. "The more you prolong it, the more they stink."
"Sweat and fear." The other slitheen spoke salivating.
"I can smell an old girl." One of the newcomers conversed. "Stale bird and brittle bones." Rose once again found her hand tightening on the hem of her shirt. "Then there is the delicious aroma of terror, that is emanating from the young man."
"And a ripe youngster," Margaret said, stepping closer in her direction. Rose immediately prayed for the doctor to save them already. "All hormones and adrenaline. Fresh enough to bend before she snaps."
Rose instantly tried to jump back slightly, hitting the window, as the Slitheen pulled the curtain back.
"No!" Harriet cried, moving from her hiding place and out in the open. "Take me first! Take me!"
Only for the doctor to burst in at that moment with a fire extinguisher. Where he proceeded, to fire the C02 at the slitheen.
"Out, with me!" The Doctor ordered, Rose took this moment of distraction to yank the curtain down over Margaret before running. "Who the hell are you?" The doctor questioned, as Harriet and the aid ran towards him.
"Harriet Jones, MP for Flydale North." Harriet introduced.
"Indra Ganesh, junior secretary." The aid answered.
"Nice to meet you both." The doctor greeted.
"Likewise." Harriet replied while Indra nodded.
The doctor realized he used up the CO2, tossed the fire extinguisher to the slitheen and ran out with the others.
"We need to head to the Cabinet Room." The doctor said as he glanced over his shoulder, all while he ran down the corridor, with the others.
"The Emergency Protocols are in there," Harriet informed him. "They give instructions for aliens."
"Harriet Jones, I like you."
"And I like you too." Harriet replied.
When they got to the cabinet room, the doctor used his sonic screwdriver to open the door for all of them to pile in. Once in Rose, lock the door before watching the doctor, move to the main entrance.
The main entrance that the slitheen were now making their way too. The Doctor seized a decanter from a side table and stood in the doorway.
"One more move and my sonic device will triplicate the flammability of this alcohol." The doctor warned them. As he waved the decanter. "Whoof, we all go up. So back off." Almost immediately the slitheen take one step back in the outer office. "Right then." He said. "Question time. Who exactly are the Slitheen?"
"They're aliens." Harriet interrupted.
"Yes. I got that, thanks." The doctor sarcastically spoke.
"Who are you, if not human?" One of the Slitheen in the middle demanded.
"Who's not human?" Harriet asked, clearly confused with what the slitheen was suggesting.
"He's not human." Rose answered as she continued to stare at the Doctor's back.
"He's not human?" Harriet asked shocked.
"Can I have a bit of hush?" The doctor snapped, clearly trying to work out things.
"Sorry." Harriet replied.
"So, what's the plan?" The doctor questioned.
"But he's got a Northern accent." Harriet said shocked, clearly disbelieving that the doctor was alien.
"Lots of planets have a north." Rose said absently, as she tried to concentrate on the conversation with the slitheen.
"I said hush." The doctor snapped before continuing. "Come on. You've got a spaceship hidden in the North Sea." Once again, her fingers tightened on the hem of her shirt. "It's transmitting a signal. You've murdered your way to the top of government. What for, invasion?"
"Why would we invade this God-forsaken rock?" Jeered, the Slitheen one in the middle spoke again. Rose could only assume was the leader.
"Then something's brought the Slitheen race here." The doctor snapped. "What is it?"
"'The Slitheen race'?"
"Slitheen is not our species," Laughed the Slitheen on the middle's right side. "Slitheen is our surname. Jocrassa Fel-Fotch Pasameer-Day Slitheen at your service."
"So, you're family." The doctor stated.
"A family business." The leader spoke again.
"Then you're out to make a profit." The doctor commented. "How can you do that on a God-forsaken rock? "
"Ah, excuse me?" the slitheen on the right interrupted. "Your device will do what? Triplicate the flammability?"
"Is that what I said?" The doctor shifted uncomfortably.
"You're making it up." The leader accused.
"Ah, well! Nice try. Harriet, have a drink. I think you're gonna need it." The doctor said as he held the drink to her.
"You pass it to the left first." Harriet said, remembering British decorum.
"Sorry," he said, handing it to Rose without looking around. Which Rose took without any hesitation.
"Thanks." Rose said quietly.
"Now we can end this hunt with a slaughter." The slitheen asked with excitement.
"Doctor." Indra started though it came out more as a stutter, he was clearly terrified.
But the doctor said nothing except, lean against one of the walls.
"Fascinating history, Downing Street," He began smiling. "Two thousand years ago, this was marshland. In 1730, it was occupied by a Mr. Chicken. He was a nice man. 1796, this was the cabinet room - if the cabinet's in session and in danger, these are about the four most safest walls in the whole of Great Britain." He lifted a small panel by the door and pressed a button. Where metal shutters crash shut across the windows and doors. "Installed in 1991. Three inches of steel lining every single wall. They'll never get in."
"Yes, but how do we get out?" Rose asked, trying to contain her smile.
"Ah." The doctor stated.
000
Rose knew what was going to happen and would all work out in the end, but her mind was working overdrive.
"What have we got?" The doctor questioned, as his eyes landed on Rose. "Any terminals, anything?"
"There is nothing, doctor," Indra stated. "The only things that are allowed are what people carry with them after security triple check their items."
"It looks like he's right, the place is antique," Rose answered, as she eyed the room around her. "I tell you what I don't get though why not use the prime minister as a disguise?"
Though she knew too well, why.
"He's too slim." The doctor shrugged. "They're big old beasts. They need to fit inside big humans."
"But the Slitheen are about eight feet," Rose questioned. "How do they fit inside?"
"That's the device around their necks." The doctor told them. "Compression field. Literally shrinks them down a bit. That's why there's all that gas. It's a big exchange."
"Wish I had a compression field. I could fit a size smaller." Rose joked but there was no heart in it, however, it got the doctor to smirk.
"Excuse me," Harriet said indignantly. "people are dead! This is not the time for making jokes."
"Sorry," Rose replied sincerely, as the doctor began to look around. "You get used to this stuff when you're friends with him."
"Well, that's a strange friendship." Harriet answered, causing Rose to smile.
"Harriet Jones. I've heard that name before. Harriet Jones." The doctor asked smiling, Rose could see that he was irritated because he couldn't find the answer. "You're not famous for anything, are you?"
"Oh, hardly." Harriet replied.
"Rings a bell." The doctor said, not convinced that she was just a nobody. "Harriet Jones?"
"Lifelong backbencher I'm afraid, and a fat lot of use I'm being now," Harriet answered, clearly annoyed as she threw folders on the table. "The Protocols are redundant. They list the people who could help and they're all dead downstairs. "
"Couldn't we find the defence codes and nuclear them?" Rose questioned as she watched the doctor.
"You're a very violent young woman," Harriet spoke in incredulity. Rose didn't say anything, just continued to watch the doctor as he was in deep thought. "anyway, there's nothing like that in here. Nuclear strikes do need a release code, yes, but it's kept secret by the United Nations."
"Say that again." The doctor said, raising his brow.
"What, about the codes?" Harriet inquired.
The doctor tilted his head. "Anything. All of it."
"I don't see why you want to know about the codes," Indra injected. "the British Isles can't gain access to atomic weapons without a Special Resolution from the UN."
"Like that's ever stopped them." Rose replied.
"Exactly, given our past record. And I voted against that, thank you very much." Harriet interrupted. "The codes have been taken out of the government's hands and given to the UN. Is it important?"
"Everything's important."
"If we only knew what the Slitheen wanted," Harriet questioned. "Listen to me. I'm saying Slitheen as if it's normal."
"What do they want, though?" Rose replied. "because they are just one family, so it can't be an invasion could it? so what?"
"Maybe, gold? Oil? Water?" Harriet suggested.
"It has to be I can't see it being over technology," Indra spoke consideringly. "I doubt we are that technology advanced."
"You're very good at this." The doctor stated, studying at all of them.
"Thank you." Harriet smiled.
"Harriet Jones." The doctor started, really eyeing Harriet. "Why do I know that name?"
Just then, a phone went off, causing Harriet and Indra to jump.
"Oh, that's me." Rose said.
"But we're sealed off." Indra stated, clearly confused by all this. "How did you get a signal?"
"He zapped it," Rose said as she pointed to the doctor. "Super phone."
"Then we can phone for help," Harriet said as if that was the solution to all their problems. "You must have contacts."
"Dead downstairs, yeah." The doctor responded simply.
"It's Mickey." Rose stated, looking at her phone.
"Oh, tell your stupid boyfriend we're busy." The doctor expectorated.
Though Rose wanted to argue that point, she couldn't until she sat Mickey down and had a conversation.
"He's not stupid." Rose snapped, no matter what there was between her and Mickey now, he was still her friend. She then lifted her phone to show the picture of a Slitheen.
000
"No, no, no, no, no. Not just alien, but like, proper alien." Mickey said into the phone. "All stinking, and wet, and disgusting. And more to the point, it wanted to kill us!"
"I could've died!" Her mum shouted.
"Mickey, the doctor would like a word." Rose said as the doctor gestured to the phone. Biting her lip she handed the phone over.
"Don't talk," The doctor snapped. "just shut up and go to your computer." He rolled his eyes at whatever Mickey said. "Mickey the Idiot, I might just choke before I finish this sentence, but, er, I need you." He looked at her as he spoke, clearly annoyed about relying on Mickey. "You're going to need to go on the UNIT"
Both Indra and Harriet looked horrified at what the doctor was suggesting.
The Doctor then plugged the mobile phone into the conference phone speaker.
"Say again." The doctor stated.
"It's asking for the password" Mickey spoke.
"Buffalo. Two Fs, one L." The doctor told him.
"So, what's that website?" Her mum asked.
"All the secret information known to mankind," Mickey explained, though Rose had to cover her mouth to stop from laughing at the doctor's expression. "See, they've known about aliens for years, they just kept us in the dark."
"Mickey, you were born in the dark."
"Oh, leave him alone." Rose said, trying to keep a straight face.
"Thank you." Mickey said. "Password again."
"Just repeat it every time." The doctor answered, as he put his hands on the back of the chair nearest to him. "Big Ben - why did the Slitheen go and hit Big Ben?"
"You said to gather the experts, to kill them." Harriet questioned, as she poured out alcohol and passed one to each of the people in the room, which they all accepted.
"That lot would've gathered for a weather balloon." The doctor states clearly irritated. "You don't need to crash land in the middle of London."
Whatever the reason they need the entire planet on Red alert." Rose said as she too thought of all the angels. "But what for?"
"Oh, listen to her." Her mum ridiculed.
"At least I'm trying." Rose said with annoyance, she didn't want to but there was so much going through her head, especially when she tried to think of exactly what happened this day.
"Well, I've got a question, if you don't mind." Her mum started.
"No mum we are not doing this now."
I'm talking to him." Jackie snapped. "'Cos I've seen this life of yours, Doctor." As her mother spoke she looked towards the doctor. "And maybe you get off on it, and maybe you think it's all clever and smart, but you tell me. Just answer me this. Is my daughter safe?"
"I'm fine." Rose interrupted, absolutely not happy that her mother was putting the doctor in this position.
"Is she safe?" Her mum asked again.
Rose could see that the doctor was struggling to answer.
"Mum just stop." Rose snapped, moving her glance at the speaker. "Don't ask of something, that he may not be able to control, there are no guarantees of tomorrow only of what happens now." She could feel eyes on her but she didn't acknowledge them. "I'm doing what's right as well as the doctor."
Everyone was silent for long moments and still Rose wouldn't meet anyone's eye in the room, though she was relieved that Mickey chose to speak at that moment.
"We're in."