Kara shut her eyes, she wouldn't be killed like this. Scientist killed by creation was way too Frankenstein.
Delete. Delete. Delete! DELETE!
Cara shot up, breathing heavily. She knew exactly what to do.
The mad bloke, suddenly whipped out something from his coat, sending a jet of golden light onto the Cybermen, the light bounced off each of them, turning the metal monsters into dust.
Kara let her hands drop, letting out a silent sigh of relief. "What the hell was that?" Rickey said, dropping his hands.
"We'll have that instead, run!" the Doctor shouted. The group scattered, Kara quickly taking lead, the sound of the hooting of a familiar horn, relaxing her jumping nerves.
"Mrs M!" Kara called.
The van skidding to a halt. "Everybody in!" Mrs M yelled. Kara opening up the sliding door, for the Doctor, blondie, duplicate and the traitor. Rickey and Jack getting in the front.
"Let's go!" Kara shouted. Mickey jumping in next to her, Kara instantly picking up her laptop, sitting next to Mickey. A few seconds later, traitor, jumped in sitting on the other side.
"Come on, get a move on!"
"Bloody hell, what are they doing?" Kara hissed, putting out her sonic-pen from her pocket. Her reading was hasty and crude at best, but at least it was something.
"Finished chatting?!" Mrs M said, the Doctor and blondie, finally jumping in. The blonde sitting next to the traitor.
"Never seen a slower getaway in my life!"
"You can complain on the road!" Kara cried, Mrs M flooring the gas, the van roaring off as the Doctor slammed the door shut.
"Who are you?" Kara said sharply, breaking the silence, (besides the sound of her typing) that had swept over them.
The blonde blinked, staring at her. Kara raised an eyebrow. "Rose," she said after a few seconds, seeming to realise she was staring, sharing a look with the Doctor.
Pete snorted. "That's the name of my dog. Still, at least I've got the catering staff on my side. Considering…" he mumbled, glancing around the van.
"Rose what?" Kara probed, her fingers still going, despite her not even looking at the keys. The blonde, Rose licked her lips. "Just Rose." she said, shifting slightly.
She was making her uncomfortable. Good. Kara was very good at making people uncomfortable, uncomfortable delivered results, far quicker than comfort did.
Kara nodded slowly. "So, what is Just Rose and the Doctor doing at a traitor party dressed as waiters that somehow are carrying a high reactive power cell in their pocket? Hmm?" she said turning to the Doctor.
"So that's what is was?" Rickey said through the grilling. "It's what Mrs M and I have been picking up, there's another signal further off. But, I followed the stronger one. What is it?" Kara said, looking expectantly at the Doctor.
The Doctor pulling the cell out of his coat, showing it to her. "Little bit of technology from my home." he said.
"It's stopped glowing. Has it run out?" Mickey asked. Kara's sharp eyes flickering between them and Rose and Pete.
Rose shifting under her gaze again. There was something so incredible strange when looking into the new-Cara's eyes. It scared her.
"It's on a revitalising loop. It'll charge back up in about four hours." The Doctor said, putting it in his pocket. "Not human." Kara said suddenly, before turning her attention to her laptop.
"What'ch you say?" Jack said instantly. "Not human." Kara repeated. "Him," she said pointing to the Doctor. "Not them." she said pointing to Mickey and Rose.
"You're mad." Jack said. "Actually," the Doctor said, scratching his ear. "She's right."
"Duh." Kara drawled. "Right. Whatever. Bottom line is, we don't have a weapon anymore." Rickey snapped, still glaring at Pete. "Yeah, we've got weapons. Might not be one of those metal things, but they're good enough for men like him." Jack said looking directly at Pete.
"Leave him alone!" Rose said, shrilly. "What's he done wrong?"
"You want the short list, or the long one?" Kara said, looking up from her laptop.
"Oh, you know, just laid a trap that's wiped out the Government. And left Lumic in charge. Helped capture innocent people-"
"If I was part of all that, do you think I'd leave my wife inside?" Pete said,
"Maybe your plan went wrong. Still gives us the right to execute you, though." Rickey growled.
"Talk about executions, you'll make me your enemy." The Doctor said sharply. "And take some really good advice, you don't wanna do that."
"Hey, take it easy, Batman." Kara said, turning to Rickey and Jack. "Executing him, is not gonna do anything you morons, Lumic doesn't care, about him." Kara said inclining her head to Pete. "Besides, you kill him, we lose all the information tucked away in his bald skull." Kara said, fixing her gaze on Pete. "So, behave."
"All the same..." Rickey said, seeming determined to have his say. "We have evidence that says Pete Tyler's been working for Lumic since 20.5."
Rose stared at Pete, seeming quite taken aback. "Is that true?" she mumbled. "Yep." Kara said popping her p, quite enjoying Pete's discomfort.
"Tell 'em, Kara."
"I'm busy."
"Tell 'em, Mrs M."
"We've got a government mole who feeds us information. Lumic's private files, his South American operations...the lot. Secret broadcasts twice a week."
"Broadcast from Gemini?" Pete asked. "And how do you know that?" Rickey snapped.
"I'm Gemini. That's me."
"Yeah, well you would say that." Rickey said. "Encrypted wavelength six-five-seven using binary nine." Pete replied sharply. Ricky and Jake glancing at each other.
Kara snorted. "No, wonder, your inscription's shit." (Not noticing (or caring) the Doctor's face, which had been varying with many emotions, whenever she spoke) "Lumic's monkey poster boy was trying to play hero." Kara mocked.
"That's the only reason I was working for Lumic." Pete snapped. "To get information. I thought I was broadcasting to the Security Services, and what do I get? Scooby Doo and his gang. They've even got the van!"
"Oh, aren't we posh. Sorry we didn't lay out the red carpet, bathed with the blood of your enemies." Kara shot back. "And for the record, if you ever watched an episode of Scooby Doo, you would know the Scooby gang always, solves the mystery and beats the villain in less than 21 minutes. Sometimes less."
"Yeah!" Mickey said, looking slightly confused. "The Preachers know what they're doing. Ricky said he's London's Most Wanted!"
Kara rolled her eyes.
"Yeah, that's not exactly..." Rickey mumbled.
"Not exactly what?" Mickey asked. "I'm London's Most Wanted for... parking tickets." Rickey said sheepishly. The Doctor smiled, Rose raising her eyebrows playfully.
"Great." Pete said sarcastically. "They were deliberate! I was fighting the system! Park anywhere, that's me." Rickey said defensively.
The Doctor smirked. "Good policy. I do much the same. I'm the Doctor, by the way, if anyone's interested..." he said.
Rose glanced at Pete, mumbling something, Kara didn't bother catching.
"Why's that, then?" Pete said suddenly. Rose glanced at the Doctor. "I just did." She said quietly.
"They took my wife." Pete said.
"She might still be alive." Rose said hopefully.
"Unlikely." Kara said, digging in her pocket, fishing out a thin pen that Mickey recognised from the Preachers HQ. "It's not how he works." she said, pressed the back of it, running a thin purple light over the laptop.
The laptop ran with code, before turning black. Kara looked up at it, pulling up the sleeve on her right arm, revealing a thin long black bracelet thing.
"What's that?" the Doctor said, leaning over Mickey's head, clearing interested in what she was doing. "Pen. Sonic pen." Kara said, the bracelet glowing the same shade of purple, in a round decorative circle. "Projection bracelet. I work better when I can see everything."
"You made that?" the Doctor asked, his face slightly twitching, as if almost holding back a smile.
"Yep." Kara said with light disinterest, seeming to have answered these questions a million times over. Mickey supposed she did.
"She's right," Pete mumbled, seeming to finish mulling over Kara's words. "'Cos that's what Lumic does. He takes the living... and he turns them into those machines."
"Cybermen." The Doctor said, making (almost) everyone look at him. "They're called Cybermen. And I'd take those ear-pods off, if I were you." he added. Pete nodding, pulling out the pods, handing them to the Doctor.
"You never know... Lumic could be listening." The Doctor said, pulling out his sonic. (Mickey catching Kara glancing at him, before returning to her fiddling.) "But he's overreached himself. He's still just a businessman." the Doctor said reasonably. "He's assassinated the President. All we need to do is get to the City and inform the authorities. Because I promise you, this ends tonight."
"Big promise." Kara said, turning to the Doctor. "You shouldn't be making those, Doctor. There's no guarantee they'll be kept."
"Oh my god!" Cara cried, slipping back onto the floor. "Come ooonnnn…" she moaned, attempting to pick herself up again. Her body felt like a mush.
Floppy and bendy in a very unpleasant way, despite being all, floopy, her body also felt heavy like she was being weight down.
"Come on!" she screamed, grabbing her bed post lifting herself up. "Ha." Cara said, wavering, but standing. "Okay, okay." Cara said, taking a step forward, letting go the bed post.
One, two, three-
"Son of—mmm!" Cara said, landing on her knees. "I'm meant to have two hearts, this is just pitiful!"
The TARDIS made a few irritating blinking noises. Cara staggered as she stood up, slipping slightly before landing again on her behind. "Agh!"
The TARDIS made a few noises, flashing her light impatiently.
"Shut up!" Cara growled, pulling at her hair, taking a deep breath. "I'm sorry, you know I didn't mean that." she mumbled, patting the floor.
The TARDIS flicked her lights again.
"I know, I know." Cara said quietly, her throat was on fire. "I need…I need to find…I need a….I need a…DOCTOR!" Cara shouted, the mind lighting with her epiphany.
She could contact the Doctor telepathically.
She hadn't done it in what felt like ages, but it was worth a shot. 'Doctor! Doctor! Doctor! Doctor! Please, please Doctor!'
Cara painstakingly crawled back, leaning against the bottom of her bed. 'Doctor! Please…please…Doctor…help me…hear me…'
Reaching out to her side table, Cara picked up the glass of the water. 'Please just hear me…'
"Please…" she whispered, taking a sip.
She made a face, looking down at the glass. It didn't really taste like water.
"Interesting." Kara said, as she the Doctor, Rose, Mickey, Rickey, Pete, Jake and Mrs M walked in the street, the van parked a few blocks away. The group watching all the people leave there homes and various places, marching in the same direction, clearly going to the same destination.
Lumic.
"What the hell...?" Jake mumbled.
"What's going on?" Rose said, turning to the Doctor. "It's the ear-pods. Lumic's taking control." he replied. Rose paused mid-way. "Can't we just...I dunno, take them off?" she said reaching out to one man, about to remove the pod.
"Hey! Take it easy Barbie! Keep your hands to yourself." Kara snapped. "You'll kill them all. Or worse get Lumic's attention."
The Doctor sighed. "She's right. Cause a brainstorm." he said warningly. "Human Race, for such an intelligent lot, you aren't half susceptible. Give anyone a chance to take control and you submit. Sometimes I think you like it. Easy life."
"Agreed. Though, I think you need to re-think your statement of us being an 'intelligent lot'." Kara scoffed, resisting the urge to prod on of them with her sonic.
"Hey." Jake called, he and Ricky crouching down near a side gate, peering around the corner. "Come and see."
Kara, the Newbies and the Preachers, followed their gaze. Kara watching a row of Cybermen march alongside the people who still wore the ear-pods. Like guards instead of oppressors.
"Where are they all going?" Rose asked. Kara looked up at her. "Seriously?"
The Doctor pursed his lips, in a way that reminded Kara of a parent holding something in. It reminded her of…she didn't need to think about that.
"I don't know. Lumic must have a base of operation."
"Battersea." Pete said. "That's where he was building his prototypes."
"Why's he doing it?"
"He's dying. This all started out as a way of life by keeping the brain alive. At any cost." Pete continued.
"The thing is, I've seen Cybermen before, haven't I? That head, those handle shapes in Van Statten's museum." Rose said to the Doctor.
"Ah, there are Cybermen in our universe. They started on an ordinary world just like this, then swarmed across the galaxy. This lot are a parallel version, and they're starting from scratch right here on earth." The Doctor explained.
"What the hell are you two on about?" Pete said in confusion. "The Doctor and Rose have seen Cybermen on their parallel world," Kara answered. "But with no Lumic and his bloody dramatic theatrics. Keep up, Scooby."
"Scooby?"
"You are definitely the dog."
"Never mind that. Come on, we need to get out of the City." Rickey said, alerting them to the approaching of the Cybermen down the street.
"Okay, split up, Mrs Moore, you look after that bloke. Kara look after the other two. Jake, distract them, go right, I'll go left, we'll meet back at Bridge Street. Move." Rickey ordered, running left. Jake nodded, running right.
"I'm going with him." Mickey said, kissing Rose before following Rickey. Kara stared after them, the inching feeling of not saying 'be careful' suddenly gnawing at her. But Rickey was Rickey. He would be fine.
"Come on, let's go." Mr Moore said, running down the street. "Shit!" Kara cursed, Cybermen marching right towards them.
"Language!" The Doctor said instantly. "Seriously!" Kara snapped back.
"There!" Mrs M shouted pointing down an alley. "Go!"
Kara skidded to a halt, ducking behind the rubbish bins, scooting to the end, to make room for the Doctor, Rose, Pete and Mrs M. The clunking of the Cybermen's heavy boots ringing down the street.
Rose practically clinging to Pete's hand. Kara peeking through the little slit between the bins and the rubbish bags, before ducking lower. Lifting her hand, showing the Doctor four fingers.
Four Cybermen.
The Cybermen stopped suddenly. Kara freezing, siding her hand into her pocket, clutching her sonic pen. The Cybermen marched closer, Rose making small noise, as she tightened her grip.
Kara looked down on the ground, their sliver boots on the pavement making her hear race a mile a minute. The Doctor slowly lifted his hand, pointing his sonic screwdriver in their direction. Blue light erupted (making Kara want to scream in frustration) the screwdriver bleeped, the Cybermen pausing before marching off again.
"How did you do that?" Kara whispered, as she stood up watching the Cybermen march on their way. The Doctor said nothing, tucking the screwdriver back into his jacket pocket, as they warily and watch the Cybermen leave.
"Go." The Doctor whispered, lighting nudging Kara on the shoulder.
The girl shooting him a look, before walking out of the dustbin; leading the group in the opposite direction.
"Son of a…mmm!" Kara growled, slapping her hand against her wrist. "Work…yes." she whispered, pulling up a holo-screen, scanning over information as they waited for Jake, Rickey and Mickey.
This other Kara bothered him, just a little.
Maybe it was because she didn't have Cara's gentle nature or childlike look in her face and eyes. This one was older, he could tell, whether it was just by the horrors she'd seen or the fact that this Kara was taller and acted and looked older.
It was strange, how starkly different, yet similar they both were. Both were clever, but this Kara was more confident in her ability's, more confident in seemingly everything. Cara was caring, whereas Kara was cold. Kara wasn't a Time Tot, not now, not like how Cara was.
He couldn't sense Kara like he had Cara. Still a Time Tot, but not quite right…Kara, this Kara...there was something wrong with her.
Something...he couldn't sense.
But it was there. It was almost irritating, like an inch he couldn't quite scratch.
"I ran past the river." Jake called, running up to them. Kara pulling down her screen, glaring at him for a few seconds before looking at Jake.
"You should've seen it, the whole City's on the watch. Hundreds of Cybermen all down the Thames."
Mickey ran down the street towards them, but Rickey didn't follow. The Doctor almost instinctively looked at Cara, Kara. She tried to make he she didn't have feelings, it just made the fact that she did louder.
Jake turned, his face instantly lighting up, Kara's staying still and neutral. She knew what must have happened. He could tell, Kara knew her Mickey, Rickey well. Well enough to know that he didn't make it.
"Here he is!"
Mickey didn't say anything, stopping in front of them. Jake furrowed his brow, making an unsure step towards him. "Which one are you?"
"I'm sorry." Mickey started. "The Cybermen. He couldn't..."
"Are you Ricky? Are you Rickey?!" Jake said loudly.
"Mickey, that's you, isn't it?" Rose said gently.
"Yeah." Mickey breathed out. Rose giving him a tight hug. Kara sighed, shutting her eyes, before tucking her hands into her pockets staring hard at the pavement.
"He tried. He was running...There was too many of them"
"Shut it." Jake said, turning around, tears forming in his eyes, his face contorted in pain. Mrs Moore glanced at Kara too, before back at Jake.
"There was nothing I could do."
"I said just shut it." Jake snapped, spinning around facing Mickey. "Don't even talk about him. You're nothing, you are. Nothing." Jake mumbled.
The Doctor took a breath, casting his eyes over the group. "We can mourn him when London is safe." he said calmly. "But now, we move on."
Cara walked into the console room of the TARDIS, the Not-Water making her feel a lot more stable on her feet. "Ah," she hissed, rubbing her foot, looking down at a much of very important bits of the TARDIS's machinery.
"Oh, who did to you?" Cara cooed, bending down touching one of the TARDIS's long cords.
A shock ran up her spine, making he flinch back, rubbing her hand painfully. "That was mean." Cara mumbled, letting out a sigh. A light blue glow coming out of her mouth, drifting around the TARDIS.
Cara stared at the glow, the TARDIS lights brightening.
"What the hell?"
Walking up the slope that overlooked the river, they stood on top of it, eying Lumic's large 'conversion factory'.
"The whole of London's been sealed off, and the entire population's been taken inside that place. To be "converted"." The Doctor said, looking at the large building.
Three floor, basement level, an underground, helipad at the top. Kara listed in her mind, she had partially memorised most of the interior of Lumic large factories.
"We've gotta get in there and shut it down." Rose said, following the Doctor's gaze locking onto the building. "How do we do that?" Mickey said, Kara and Mrs Moore setting up, Mrs M opening up her laptop, Kara pulling out her sonic, fiddling with her tech-braclet again.
"Oh, I'll think of something." The Doctor said calmly. Kara looking up. "What?" she mumbled.
"You're just making this up as you go along!" Mickey said indignantly.
"Yuuuup." The Doctor said, glancing behind him at Kara and Mrs Moore. "But I do it brilliantly." he said giving the girl a wink. "You're insane." Kara replied, keeping her straight face.
"That's a schematic of the old factory." Mrs Moore said, pointing to the various places, Kara pulling up the 3D Model on her projection bracelet "Look, cooling tunnels... underneath the plant... big enough to walk through." Mrs Moore explained.
Kara nodding, but was unnatural distracted and quieter than usual, not that Rose minded much. This Kara was incredibly sharp tongued and not always in the funny way.
"We go under there and up into the control centre?" The Doctor said, pointing on the map. Mrs Moore hummed, nodding.
"There's another way in." Pete said suddenly, making every turn. "Look who's chatty now?" Kara said dryly, turning of the projection, rubbing her head. She had a massive headache.
"Through the front door." Pete said simply. "If they've taken Jackie for upgrading, that's how she'll get in..."
"We can't just go strolling up." Jake said, joining the group. "Or, we could..." Mrs Moore started, rummaging in her bag. "…with these..." she said holding out some ear pods. The Doctor took one, running his fingers over it.
"Fake ear-pods. Dead. No signal. But put them on, the Cybermen would mistake you for one of the crowd."
"Then that's my job." Pete said, taking the ear pods from the Doctor. "You'd have to show no emotion. None at all. Any sign of emotion would give you away." The Doctor said warningly, noticing Kara sit down massaging her sides of her head.
"How many of those have you got?" Rose asked, Mr Moore. "Just two sets." The woman replied. Rose nodded. "Okay. If that's the best way of finding Jackie... I'm coming with you." Rose said, standing next to Pete.
"Why does she matter to you?"
The Doctor paused, an odd ringing in the back of his mind chiming out. 'H—e-ar me…plea-se…'
"Doctor, I'm going with him, and that's that." Rose said sternly, turning to him. "Doctor?"
'Hear…me…' The Doctor blinked, giving her a still nod. "No stopping you, is there?"
"Nope."
"Tell you what... we can take the ear-pods at the same time." The Doctor said, tossing her the ear pods. "Give people their minds back. So they don't walk into that place like sheep." he said, turning around calling out to Jake. "Jakey-boy?"
"You alright?" Mrs M said to Kara. "Fine." she mumbled, looking up from her crouched position. "You sure?" came Rose's voice, looking over the girl. "You look a little…pale…" Rose said unsurely.
Unlike her father or Rickey and Mickey, telling Kara from Cara was easy for her, but somehow right now, all Rose could see was the tiny little girl, who looked far too small and tiny for her age, curled under the TARDIS console, whimpering in pain.
The girl who she hurt far more than anything.
"Just tired." Kara said, uncharacteristically soft. She took a deep breath. "It's past my bedtime…" she chuckled lightly. "I need to sleep."
"Mrs Moore... would you care to accompany me into the cooling tunnels?" The Doctor said, bounding up to them. Mr Moore grinned. "How could I refuse an offer of cooling tunnels?"
"Kara-
"I'm coming. With you and Mrs M." she said sharply before the Doctor could get a word in.
The Doctor looked her over, calculating as if struggling with something. "It's dangerous I-
"I know these buildings better than anyone. I know Lumic. I know how he thinks. And leaving me here is leaving me a sitting duck waiting to be executed." Kara said, her eyes were tired. "I'm far too clever to be turned into a hunk of metal. So I'm coming." she said, looking up at him.
It was chess.
And now it was his move.
The Doctor pursed his lips. "Alright." he said taking of his glasses. "We attack on three sides, above, between - below. We get to the control centre, we stop the conversion machines."
The group nodded, when a voice piped up. "What about me?"
Kara blinked, the group turning to Mickey, who they seemed to have forgotten.
"Mickey!" the Doctor said with an enormous amount of vigour. "You can... ahm..."
"What, stay out of trouble? Be the tin dog?" Mickey spat. "No, those days are over. I'm going with Jake."
"I don't need you, idiot." Jake snapped. "I'm not an idiot! You got that?!" Mickey burst out, before taking a deep breath. "I'm offering to help."
Jake scoffed. "Whatever." he said, stalking off. Mickey seeming to take that as a yes, following him.
"Mickey?" the Doctor called, Mickey stopped, glancing back to him. "Good luck." he said. Mickey nodded. "Yeah. You too. Rose, I'll see you later."
"Yeah, you better." Rose said worriedly. "If we survive this, I'll see you back at the TARDIS." the Doctor said, giving Mickey a smile, that didn't match quite match his eyes.
"That's a promise."
The Doctor gave a short nod back, giving Rose quick hug. "Good luck." he said. Rose smiled, giving him a nod.
"Not to be a whiner, but London's not getting any less Cyber-free." Kara said, getting up, pulling up her sleeves. "Let's go."
Hiya!
I'm back, sorry it's a little later than I wanted it to be :(
Honestly, I had a major smack of writer's block and a little worry with this chapter, so please don't be shy to share your thoughts!
Lots of thanks to you all!
Don't forget to review, fav, follow, ect...
Thank you all to those you have, faved, followed, reviewed and read!
Till next time...