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Chapter 43 – Return Program One

The Doctor woke up on a metal floor. He was being tossed about. He held the side of his head and groaned as he sat up.

"Don't make any sudden moves." A man told him who had a gun pointed directly at him. Another man sat next to that guard, eating an apple.

The Doctor raised his hand to the side of his head. His hands had been tied together using plastic pull ties. He looked around and discovered he was in a metal box truck. Jake, Logan and Legate were with him. Jake sat in the corner.

"Welcome back. How long were we out?" Jake asked.

"47 minutes and 32 seconds." The Doctor told him. "I think I was laying on a bolt or something."

"Shut up or I'll really make your head hurt." The guard told them.

Legate began to come to. He moaned and sat up. "That shit gave me a damn headache."

"Shut it!" the guard insisted. The guard eating the apple laughed.

The Doctor looked over and saw that Logan was still lying on his side unconscious. He couldn't see his face, only the back of him. He asked Legate in his head. 'Is Logan alright? You can see him from where you are.'

Legate leaned down closer to him. All of their hands were pull tied together tightly. Legate shook his head. 'He looks like he's been through it.'

The Guard laughed, "Yeah, after you guys went night-night, this one decided to be a hero. Had to remind him who was in charge."

'How bad is it?' The Doctor asked.

'I can't tell. He's breathing.' Legate said.

The Doctor looked back at the guard. "I don't imagine you will tell us where we're going?"

He shook his head. "No."

The Doctor looked at Legate. 'Can you hear anyone besides me?'

Legate looked around. 'No. I think we're in a lead lined box. That would prevent that. You can still hear Rose, though.'

'No, I can't. Lewis has her. She's safe.' He admitted as looked around the box they were in.

The one eating an apple pointed at the Doctor. "This one, he's a Doctor. Did you know that?"

The other guard laughed, "Yes. Did you hear? That Rose Tyler is one, too."

The guard with the apple looked back at the Doctor. "She's pretty hot. It's a shame she didn't join us. I'd really like to see if blue bloods really have blue blood."

The Doctor looked back at Jake. He shook his head at him. The Doctor looked over at Legate. 'Don't let them wind you up. They are just trying to piss you off.'

'It's working. I'm already pissed.'

The guard with the gun looked at the Doctor, "I bet she's good in the sack. Is she?"

The Doctor bit his lip and told them. "I'm really not the sort of man you can talk like this around. I'm going to warn you only this once. Do not talk about my wife like that."

The one eating the apple laughed at him. "Get a load of this guy! Here we are with the guns, and he's threatening us."

The Doctor gritted his teeth. "That's your only warning."

Legate spoke to him. 'Stay calm, or Rose is going to get upset and trigger the Bad Wolf-'

The Doctor bit his lip. 'She can't feel my emotions right now. I can be furious and she'll never know.'

The one holding the gun said, "See, that's what I'd do. Get her, see how she is in the sack. At least twice. Maybe three times, then kill her."

Jake watched as the one eating the apple took a bite and then threw the rest of it at the Doctor. It hit his face. Then the guard said, "They say an apple a day keeps the doctor away."

The Doctor shook his head, "Not today."

The Doctor kicked the man, who had been eating the apple, in the throat. He turned blue and collapsed. At the same time, Legate kicked the other man's gun out of his hands. Jake moved forward and kicked him in the face, knocking him out.

The Doctor looked at them both as he reached in his pocket and pulled out a pair of wire cutters. He cut himself free then went to Logan and cut his hands free. He handed the tool to Legate. Then he took out his Sonic Screwdriver and scanned Logan.

"Damn. Concussion. He took a blow to the head. Bruised ribs. They also broke his arm. He must have put up a hell of a fight." The Doctor informed them as he knelt beside of Logan.

Jake looked at him. "He looks it."

The Doctor dug around in his pockets. He pulled out the injectors and licked them, one by one. When he found the one he was looking for, he gave Logan an injection in his neck.

Legate asked him. "What's that?"

"It will help with the pain." The Doctor told them as he dug in his pockets again. "Do either of you have a pen or a marker?"

Jake reached in his pocket and pulled out a pen. "I only put that in there tonight."

The Doctor rolled Logan over on his back. He pulled up his shirt and wrote on his chest. "Anything you need to tell Jack? Legate? Need to tell Poltious anything?"

Jake shook his head. "Tell him I'm alright, and I'll see him in a bit. It's my night to pick the movie we're going to watch."

The Doctor smiled. "From my collection?"

Jake smiled, "Yes. We have to get caught up."

Legate laughed at them. "Yes, tell my father that I'm well. That would be good. He will be worried."

When the Doctor finished, he handed the pen back to Jake. Then he touched his bracelet and said, "Remove."

Friday's voice spoke. "Offline. Please state your name."

"Doctor Johnathon Smith. Remove." The bracelet lit up and pulled apart. The Doctor put it on Logan's wrist. Then he held it up. "Return Program One. Doctor Johnathon Smith."

Friday's voice spoke as the bracelet tightened on Logan's wrist. "Offline. Return Program One activated as soon as a path is clear."

The Doctor nodded his head as he sat back. "That takes care of Logan."

The Doctor loosened his necktie and unbuttoned the top of his oxford. He felt around for his necklace. "Damn it. I didn't put it on. There goes that escape plan. Sorry guys. We'll have to fight this round."

Legate looked surprised, "You always wear that necklace. Why did you take it off?"

"I lay Sam on my chest to help him sleep. He was laying on it and asked me to take it off. It hurt his head." The Doctor explained.

Jake rolled his eyes, "You can talk to your infant son?"

The Doctor looked at Jake, "Of course I can! What sort of question is that? It was rather rough on the edges."

Jake laughed in disbelief. "You're full of surprises."

Legate had already tied up the two guards and had taken their weapons. He offered one to the Doctor. "Nah. I never carry one."

"How the hell can you be a Primus without carrying a weapon?" Legate asked.

The Doctor rolled his eyes.

Jake exclaimed, "They are trying to kill you! You've taken your only protection now and given to this kid. What the hell?"

"They can kill me if they like, but the moral high ground will be mine." He smiled at them.

Legate looked at Jake. "Is he serious?"

Jake shook his head. "Sadly, I think he is."

The truck stopped. The Doctor held up his finger. "Don't worry Jake. You can shoot in a bit. I know that makes you more comfortable."

Jake cocked the gun. "Hell yeah it does."

"Remember, I don't like being shot." The Doctor reminded him.

Legate asked the Doctor, "Logan?"

"He'll be fine. He's on his way back. We just have to get him out of the truck." The Doctor told them.

Legate nodded. "Alright. We'll cover you. Jake. Give 'em hell."

The back door opened and the gun fire immediately started. The bullets lit up the night sky.

Jake and Legate shot while exiting the truck. The Doctor picked up Logan and carried him on his shoulder to the back of the truck. The protection from his wristband on Logan's wrist kept the bullets from hitting either one of them. Once the Doctor reached the end of the truck, he threw Logan out of the back of it.

As soon as Logan was out of the truck, he popped away. The Doctor quickly ducked behind a box in the truck. But, not quick enough. A bullet had grazed the side of his head and another one caught him in the upper arm. He lifted his hand to the side of his head and felt the blood. "Damn it." He mumbled.

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Back at the Doctor's workshop, Rose held Sam close to her and patted his back. Pete sat with his arm around Rose and sighed. "This is torture. Seems like it's been hours. How long has it been, Lewis?"

Lewis continued to sit in front of Rose. He looked down at his watch. "52 minutes."

Tony typed at the computer at the desk behind them. He shook his head. "Jack, they've got to have them in a lead box or something. That's the only thing that would keep this from seeing him. He has a GPS and I'm trying to locate that."

Jack looked surprised, "Doc' has a GPS? What, like in his teeth like the agents do?"

Tony snapped his fingers. "Agents GPS'….. great idea." He continued to type on the computer.

Pete shook his head. "No. It's in his ring."

Rose looked surprised at Pete. "I didn't know that."

"There's one in yours, too. I thought it was a great idea. I mean, you always wear it, right?"

Tony swore loudly, "And all of the agents who popped into the Palace, have removed their GPS. They are all in an office at Torchwood."

Pete shook his head. "This is getting worse by the moment. I need to get to Torchwood and sort this out."

Lewis shook his head. "I'm sorry, I can't let you do that. You would walk right into what they want you to do. You are to remain here with us."

Pete ran his hand through his hair. "When my damn son in law gets back, we're going to have a chat."

Lewis chuckled at Pete. "That's what he said you would say."

Just then, there was a pop and Logan appeared behind the sofa with a loud thud as he hit the floor. He seemed to have fallen from about two meters in the air. Jack and Summus ran to him. Rose handed Sam to Harriet as Pete and rushed to Logan's side. Logan complained as they rolled him over. Rose took his hand. "You're with us. You're safe."

He grimaced and coughed, "Ouch. That really bloody hurt."

Pete looked at Logan as he knelt beside of him. "Damn. Are you alright?"

Logan coughed, "As long as I don't move."

Jack looked him over. "He's injured. Hang on."

Jack pulled up Logan's shirt and saw the Doctor's handwriting. Rose smiled in relief.

Jack smiled, "Got them! Ready the watches. Numbers incoming. He says to prepare for a fire fight."

Jack read off the numbers and Summus, Lance, Poltious and Timon typed them in their watches. They popped away. Jack pointed at the message written on Logan's chest. The Doctor had written, "Rose. I'm alright. Stay with Logan and keep him away from Ashena for me. I've not got that sorted, yet."

Rose looked at Jack and laughed. "He's really wound up about that."

Jack laughed. "Logan, you're going to be alright. You have a concussion, a broken arm and looks like some bruised ribs. Don't worry man, we'll take you to the med unit on the ship and take care of you. Doc's written instructions on your chest for me."

Rose held up her hand. She looked to be in a daze. "Hang on. I can feel him."

"Is he alright?" Lewis asked.

Rose looked up in Lewis. "He's excited?"

Lewis chuckled. "That sounds right. He just asked if we had Logan. Let's take him up to the ship."

Jack took the transport trigger out of his pocket and counted. "Okay, me, Logan, Rose, Pete, Harriet, Sam and Lewis. Tony?"

Tony typed something in on his wristband and shook his head. "Nah, I'm headed to the party." He popped away.

Rose looked at Lewis as Jack triggered the transporter and they disappeared.

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