XxxxxxXxxxxxx

Chapter 32 - The Prisoner

The Doctor popped into the Tyler Mansion holding Sam in his arms. Sam was wearing a long sleeper and was wrapped in a blanket. He wasn't happy about it.

"See, we're here and it's chilly." He insisted.

Sam stopped fussing and rubbed his face.

Jackie heard him speaking and called to him, "We're in the kitchen!"

As he walked towards the kitchen, the smell of something wonderful filled his lungs. He stopped walking and inhaled deeply. He mumbled, "Oh, man. What is that?"

When he got into the kitchen, he was greeted by the people sitting in there.

"Who did you lose a bet with?" Jack asked him as soon as he saw his face. He stood behind the cabinet, wearing an apron and tossing pizza dough in the air.

The Doctor smiled, "I decided to have a shave. It's no big deal."

Pete and Howie, both sitting at the table together, laughed at him.

Jackie walked over him, "Yeah, tell your daughter that when she sees you."

He sighed, "She knows. She was with me."

Jackie held her hands out, "Here. Hand me this child."

He put Sam in her arms and rubbed his face.

Howie smiled. "Rubbing that ain't going to make those whiskers grow back any faster."

Pete closed the tablet they were reading something from. He chuckled, "What did Rose say?"

"She likes this. She knew me for years like this."

Jack teased, "At least you kept the sideburns. That probably lessened the blow."

The Doctor pointed at Jack. "My in-laws can hear you."

Jack laughed as he tossed an olive in his mouth. "See. You said it, not me."

Jackie never noticed what they had said. She was too busy kissing Sam, "Your Grand loves you so much. Yes, I do!"

Sam coo'ed.

The Doctor smiled and ran his hand though his hair.

Pete looked over at him, "Where are Rose and Genie?"

"Genie just woke up. Rose stayed with her to let her wake up some more before they come."

Jackie looked up at him, "I owe you a smack. You will need to remind me later when I'm not holding this child."

He put his hands in his pockets and laughed, "A smack? What have I done?"

"You. On the telly last night. You couldn't keep your hands off of Rose. Really?"

He dropped his head as Jack laughed at him. "Oh, you are in trouble with the mother-in-law! This is brilliant! Let me just soak this in."

Jackie continued, "Really. It was almost embarrassing. How short of a dress was she wearing?"

He shook his head. "It's the style that ladies are wearing now, Jac-"

"Well, it's just unladylike! And you, what, with your hands all over her."

He held his hand out and asked Jack. "Was I that bad?"

Jack laughed as put the pizza dough on the tray. "I didn't see it. But, if you were anything like you usually are, probably."

He rolled his eyes and groaned.

Jackie was able to put the tiny baby in the bend of her arm and pointed at him with her free hand. "Control yourself."

He sighed, "Is Rose getting this same speech when she gets here?"

"She's getting a speech, that's for certain."

He rolled his eyes. "Jack, where is Jake?"

"Torchwood. Lance said Lewis had them doing something."

Pete rose his head, "What are they doing?"

"Ah, we'll talk about it later. Howie. Pete. Let's pop up to the ship real quick so I can scan Howie and make sure I haven't missed anything."

Howie laughed as he slapped the table top and stood up with Pete. "About damn time I get to go see a ship! Let's go!"

"That's alright, Jackie? Can you keep an eye on Sam for-"

"Of course! Go. Don't be long though, Jack is making everyone pizzas."

Pete and Howie walked out of the kitchen behind the Doctor, who just couldn't help himself. He smiled like a loon at Jackie, "You're not cooking? It's my lucky day!"

Jackie playfully smacked him across the shoulder.

He laughed loudly as he left the room.

XxxxxxXxxxxxxXxxxxx

Howie, Pete and the Doctor appeared on the transport platform onboard the ship. The Doctor quickly stepped off, and typed in something on the keypad on the wall.

"And, welcome aboard." He told them.

Howie nodded his head approvingly as he looked around.

Pete watched his friend, "What do you think, Howie?"

Howie rubbed is chin. "Well, hang on. No need to be across lots. So far, it looks like we're in a tin can. Let's see if we can find some Forty Rod!" He said as he walked out of the door.

Pete looked back at the Doctor. He held his hands out. "I don't know how long he's been drinking."

"What the hell is a Forty Rod?"

Pete laughed as they walked out to join Howie. "Whiskey. What else?"

XxxxxxXxxxxxx

Howie sat on a bed in the med bay of the Doctor's ship. Pete leaned against the wall with his arms crossed as the Doctor put up the last little device he had used to look Howie over with.

"Yep, everything looks good Howie. Have you been drinking all day?"

Howie looked surprised, "You can tell that?"

He nodded his head. "Oh yes. No more tonight. Geez."

Howie sighed. "Damn it. He even sounds like a damn sawbones, too."

The Doctor laughed as Pete visually sighed in relief for his friend. "That is good news. Howie, you frightened the hell out of me."

Howie chuckled, "It did seem I was looking to die, didn't it? I'm not all….funkify. I'm fine. All ten up now. Not just nine down."

The Doctor shook his head and looked confused at Pete. "What?"

Pete laughed, "He's fine. Back to normal."

The Doctor pointed at Howie. "Seriously. No more drinking tonight."

Pete asked, "Can you tell us why you insisted on Howie running for President again?"

"Yeah. We're safe to talk up here." Suddenly he held up a finger. "There's a problem. I'm sorry. I need to get to the brig."

He quickly stood up and ran out of the room and down the hallway. Pete and Howie followed him, but he quickly lost them as he pulled open a panel and disappeared.

The Doctor ran into the brig just as the prisoner was walking out of the door. The Doctor touched his face and put him to sleep, immediately. The man fell unconscious onto the floor. Lance and Jake picked themselves up. It was clear there had been a struggle.

The Doctor stood over the prisoner and put his hands on his hips. "What happened guys?"

Lance rubbed his arm. "That fucker attacked us! We brought him up here, just as you said. He's been questioned all week. He hasn't said a word. Licis left and Jake started to walk through the door and he overpowered us! It's my fault. I shouldn't have let my guard down."

The Doctor nodded his head. "He's a former Torchwood agent. And he's pissed about something. Don't be alone with this guy. Here. He's coming around. Give me a hand."

Lance, Jake and the Doctor put the prisoner back in the chair. Jake handcuffed him to the table.

Lance pointed at Jake. "Next time, start with that."

"Noted." Jake agreed.

As the prisoner began to wake up, he shook his head and looked around. When he saw the Doctor, he smiled. "Well, I wondered when they would send you."

The Doctor shook his head. "You don't know me-"

"Doctor Johnathon Smith. You married her." He smiled.

The Doctor looked back at Jake. "You know my wife, then?"

The man nodded his head and smiled proudly. It made the Doctor's skin crawl.

They heard the doors open as someone walked into the brig. The Doctor pointed at the door. "That's Pete and Howie."

Jake nodded, "Right." He leaned out of the room they were in and spotted them.

The prisoner smiled, "Pete Tyler? It's been a long time."

Pete walked in the room just as the man said his name. The Doctor didn't have to feel his emotions to sense the anger that washed over him as soon as he saw the man. He pointed at him and asked Jake, "This is-"

"You understand, Director Tyler, that I had to change my name." the man said.

Pete crossed his arms and glared at the man. "Anyone else survive?"

The man shook his head. "I wouldn't tell you if they did. Send us off to our deaths and-"

To everyone's complete surprise Pete rushed to the table, grabbed the back of the man's head and slammed it into the tabletop. It knocked the prisoner unconscious. The Doctor and Lance grabbed Pete and pulled him off of the man. Pete threw his arms out for them to let him go. He walked out of the room, clearly upset.

Jake shook his head and whistled. "Okay. I did not see that coming."

Howie looked surprised back at Jake. "Have you not noticed that red hair? How long have you known this man? Shit. I think ole Pete is tee-totally techy about something."

Licis ran into the room. "I'm here. What's happened?"

The Doctor pointed at the unconscious man that lay across the table. "Handle this. I need to see Pete."

He walked out of the door to find Pete, standing in the hallway looking out the window at the blackness of space. "Pete?"

Pete was still furious. He could only shake his head. "Not right now, son."

He stood beside of him and nodded his head. "Alright."

Pete sighed as he pointed out the window at the stars. "What is that? Out there?"

The Doctor looked at what he was pointing at. "Well, in that direction is Brofiner System. It's similar to Earth. Two small settlements have been established here by now; one is an alien tourist resort with an amusement park, the other is a monastery of the monks of Shal'Troon."

He nodded his head and forced a smile, "Have you taken my daughter there?"

He shook his head, "Nah. I will someday though. She would love it. The amusement park has this coaster that goes through a waterfall. It's great. Tony and Genie would love it, too."

Pete nodded his head and became serious. The Doctor could feel his anger simmering.

"What's this about, Pete?"

Pete shook his head. "I'm sorry. I haven't lost my temper like that in a long time."

"Who is that?"

"Oh, you know of him. I thought he was dead. I told you he was dead."

He glanced back at doors. "You mean, that's one of the guys that attacked Rose?"

Pete nodded his head. "I've not seen him in years, but I'm completely sure that's him. I wanted to kill him with my bare hands just then. I…." He grit his teeth.

The Doctor ran his hand through his hair.

Pete put his hands in his pockets and sighed, "Rose should have never been able to have children. That man in there, is one-fifth of the reason why. I have no idea what you did so she would have Sam. I don't really need to know."

"What did he do?"

Pete shook his head and looked out of the window at space. "Please don't make me answer that, son. I just can't even tell you. You can probably use your imagination and figure all of this out. You're a clever man. That piece of shit, should be dead. I was told he was. I was told the entire lot of them were. That's what Rose believes, too. If he's still alive, then the others might be. That would explain who's fueling this terrorism towards the family."

The Doctor shook his head. "Damn. I hate it when I'm right."

"Son, I'm going to need you to be the voice of reason with this-"

"Shit. We are in a very bad situation indeed if you are asking me that."

He sighed as he continued to look out of the window. "I'm really good if you want to just, shoot him out in space. Be done with him."

"Pete, I can't do that."

He could feel Pete's anger. "I'm not thick. He needs to be questioned. We need to know if those other men are still alive."

The Doctor nodded, "I agree. I can find that out."

Pete pointed back at the doors to the brig, "I'm going back down to the surface. I can't go back in there. If I see him, I'm going to beat the shit out of him. But, I need answers. Knowing who this man is, can you get them?"

"Pete, I'll handle this." He said as he looked out at the stars. He mumbled, "Hell is empty and all the devils are here."

Pete chuckled at his mumbling. He pat him on the back and walked away.

XxxxxxXxxxxxxx