Four hours previous
Brigadier Alastair Lethbridge-Stewart, retired, stood outside the door in the most early hours of the spring morning and stared at the falling rain. The day had not yet decided on the dawn, but that seemed not to bother the officer. He remained, holding his hands behind his back, at attention, as the other officers entered the large empty warehouse. He rocked forward on his toes and rested back. A stray thought, that maybe he was too old for this sort of thing crossed his mind and was quickly put to rest.
His wait was rewarded within minutes as a blue form of a police box wheezed into existence just feet from him. A smile touched his face as he waited the moments from the box's strange appearance until the door opened. A tall man, youngish, with blond hair dressed in a cricketers outfit and a Panama hat stepped from the box, and smiled widely at the army officer. "Lethbridge-Stewart! So good to see you again."
The Brigadier shook his head with a sigh. "And you Doctor!"
The Doctor walked forward with his hand outstretched. "How are you?"
"Good grief, Doctor…this is not old home week."
"I gathered as much," the Doctor answered and turned to glance at his young, red-headed companion as the boy stepped from the TARDIS and joined them. The boy lowered his intense blue-eyed stare to the ground as he approached his old school teacher. The Doctor frowned. "No cause for rudeness, however, Brigadier. You remember Turlough, don't you?"
As the two men acknowledged each other with a grunt and a hum, the Doctor continued. "Now…this…" he produced a paper from his pocket. "I believe was sent from you on the emergency circuit and wavelength to the TARDIS. As much as I do not mind a side trip to Earth, I would rather like to know the nature and severity of this….let's see what word you used…ah yes…imminent danger. The message awakened my curiosity to say the least."
There was a sudden bark of laughter from the older Terran man. "You never were one for beating around the bush, were you, Doctor? Let's go inside and I'll fill you in." He waited a moment, looking behind the silent and sullen Turlough to the TARDIS. "Is Miss Jovanka with you? I would rather like to talk to her."
The Doctor was quiet and reached to remove his hat. He seemed to not have heard the question. Turlough spoke up, his voice quiet, but detailed as usual. "Tegan left us about six months ago…four years by the current date on your calendar."
Stewart nodded. "That might be a problem. She was one of the pieces to our puzzle."
"And what puzzle might that be?" the Doctor asked as they entered the building.
The Brigadier answered. "Daleks, Doctor…and those duplicates…"
The Doctor raised an eyebrow and lowered his eyes. "They were and are unstable….and should have deteriorated quickly."
"Quickly, Doctor…four years and they are still with us. Time Lords always did have a skewed sense of Earth time. And they are well…and I mean quite well…imbedded in the government. We are currently working with the American CIA/FBI and MI6 to weed out and remove them. You see…Huntsville in the United States has been receiving intermittent messages as has been Pharos…"
"Messages? What messages?" the Doctor asked, his eyes narrowing.
"We are unable to decipher them, Doctor," the Brigadier answered. "They are just great jumbles of prime numbers and then series of extremely long strings of nonsense numbers. But it is the timing of receipt that has us wondering. There have been several assassination attempts and bombings…both successful and unsuccessful and these messages…notes…what have you…have occurred at the same time as the attempts or shortly before…"
"And the attacks…you think they are from the inside of the governments?" the Doctor asked, knowing the answer already.
"Yes."
"The connection to the Daleks? Other than the coincidental internal connection?"
"The messages come from the approximate position that you had mentioned in that report of yours to us. Galactic 57 degrees north, 65 degrees west."
"Well…if the time corridor malfunctioned…it might be possible that they used what energy they had and…yes…quite possible as well that they established some sort of long range communications program," the Doctor answered thoughtfully. "But the Movelian virus…"
"Ah, yes, Doctor…that is the other thing. There have been several strange requisitions and information requests, and information answers of and within the World Health Organization, UNIT laboratories and the CDC complex in Atlanta, Georgia."
"And the information? Have they been requesting the stores from the UNIT extraterrestrial genetic collection?"
"Yes."
"Ah…well now…that clarifies things a bit. And what use have you of Tegan?"
The Brigadier stopped his walk, standing in front of a door. "Yes…well…Miss Jovanka was the only person on Earth that spent time with the duplicates. We need her expertise, and although rather limited, it is still more than any of us have. We need to find the duplicates and remove them."
"Fix the symptoms not cure the disease. I understand. This disease is a bit more than your race can handle at this moment. If the duplicates were to succeed, they would destabilize the government. It would be a century or more, but civilization would revert. They wouldn't need an invasion now…when the virus is still potent…in a hundred years or so they could invade with minimal effort. But you say that they are working with the genetic stores. I would put a stop to that. All in all this is quite a smashing idea…the internal attempts and the infiltration… if you don't want to overwork yourself."
The Brigadier nodded. "It made sense, therefore, for us to find the people that could help us. You, Turlough here and Miss Jovanka. You all do have an idea of what we are looking for in a duplicate. And you, Doctor, from your past association with us and with your knowledge…"
"Would be an excellent batter against a demon bowler, if you don't mind the association." The Doctor laid down his hat on the table.
Turlough tapped on his shoulder. "I think there is one small thing that we are overlooking."
"And that would be."
"That Tegan is the one person who knows about the duplicates and who is not here with us. If they are running any sort of the tight installation they would be to cleaning up any outstanding weaknesses."
The Doctor frowned. "And they would be looking for her as well."
With a clipped nod, the Brigadier agreed. "What information about Miss Jovanka do you need, Doctor?"
"Her current address would be a start," the Doctor called, running back out toward the TARDIS. "And your car."
**
12.5893.1920.1988
Directive: Supreme Commander
Alert high. Plan imminent. Infiltration of governments is complete.
Weaknesses are to be eliminated. Virus stores located; genetics team available. The invasion will proceed as soon as reassurances are made. Mistakes will not be tolerated.
All glory to the Supreme Dalek.
**
Reynolds held his hands behind his back and stared out at the gray watercolor day. In front of him, through the glass, he could see the Parliament Building, tall and proud, distinct. The rain did little to dull its impact on the landscape. As the door opened behind him, he didn't turn away from the view. As the dark voice of his compatriot sounded, it served only to warrant an answer.
"Reynolds?"
"Yes, Smith," he answered, shifting his weight. He held up a hand before the arrival could continue. "Have we heard from the Supreme Commander?"
"Yes, sir," the younger, smaller man answered. His gray suit was duller and more muted than the black suit of Reynolds. "The mission is a green."
"And the weaknesses we have discussed?"
"All humans are weaknesses…" Smith answered, dutifully.
Reynolds rolled his eyes and nodded. "You are rather down on your father race, Smith. I suppose that is to be expected." He shifted his gaze to the bridge just beyond the buildings. A warehouse was visible on the other side of the Thames. "Your original was very much a 'yes' man, I believe. Have we heard from Styles?"
"Yes," Smith was not phased by the comment on his original. He shifted his stance to appear more at attention. "The interruption of politics is to start. He has informed me that we are to take care of those names on the list."
"Very well…" Reynolds answered and sighed. "You have your orders then."
Smith nodded and left the room, closing the door with a decisive bang. Reynolds returned to his view of the outside waterworld in the silence he liked. After all, it would only be a matter of time until that silence would be shattered.
**
Turlough jogged along side his Gallifreyan friend to the small two door car that was the Brigadier's. "But Doctor…"
"Not now, Turlough…the Brigadier is correct as you were. The Dalek duplicates, if they are attempting some sort of a major military event, will attempt to clean up their weaknesses. They know me, and therefore, they will know her." The Doctor stopped suddenly and turned to the Trion exile, holding his finger up. "As they would know you. They did build duplicates for the both of you as they did me. Let me gather all of the pieces here as Alastair has said and then we can look at the situation. If you were correct, Tegan is in danger. UNIT needs her and that is enough to alert the Daleks."
Turlough puffed as he held the door open for the Doctor. "And do you think she will come with you?"
"We can but try," the Doctor sighed, sliding into the small interior. As Turlough closed the door, he asked: "You can't take the TARDIS?"
"No…no," the Doctor answered. "They have instruments that can 'feel' temporal movement. It would alert them to her and to us if done too often around an instrument such as that. Wait here with the Brigadier and find out what you can."
Turlough nodded and slammed the door shut. As the Doctor started the engine, it started to rain harder.
**
Present time
The Doctor rolled his hat and stuffed it quite decidedly into his pocket. He rolled his shoulders and let the water droplets slide from his coat. He could hear Tegan's breathing accommodating for her earlier tears, returning to normal. As she walked by him, her bare feet slapping against her now wet wood floor, he glanced at her.
She was thinner than she had been when she had traveled in the TARDIS; her hair was longer, curling at her shoulders. She wore no make-up and her sweats were definitely a different ensemble than the leather skirt he had seen her leave with just six months previously. He had to remind himself of the date- it was four years for her since she had last seen him. There were obviously other differences, not the least of which was her new name. There were a lot of things he wanted to ask…a lot that he had not been able to find in the databank on the TARDIS before he left it…but he knew that there was no time. At least not here.
"Doctor…" she drew, her accent as thick as ever. "This is a surprise to say the least. After four years…"
"Three months and four days…" he offered, matter-of-factly.
Her frown made his heart warm in remembrance. "I would have never thought that you would ever come back."
"Why ever not?" he asked, turning to face her completely.
Before she could open her mouth to answer him, he held up his hand and gave her a boyish smile. "I would love to continue this conversation, Tegan, but it will have to be away from here. Do you have your coat? The weather is rather chilly out there."
Tegan shook her head, sending her brown curls flying. "What?!"
"You need to come with me, Tegan." He bent at the waist and indicated the suitcases next to the door and the various boxes in the living room. "Were you planning a trip?"
"I'm moving, Doc…" she bit out, half in shock, half in anger. "And I can't go anywhere with you…not now…not again."
"Why not? You must," he answered, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Is your husband here? He should come as well."
"Doctor…" Tegan grunted.
"No…well then leave him a note. Timothy, wasn't it? We have to be going."
"No."
"No?" the Doctor bent at his waist, and in the way that Tegan had always found condesending, stared her in the eye. "Tegan. We have to go. This is important. You and yours are in danger." He shook his head. "Contrary to what you think of me, Tegan, I would not charge back into your life and take you out of it again if it was not important."
Tegan's face paled a little. Her breathing hitched. "Danger?"
The Doctor's eyes softened and he nodded slowly. Tegan was reminded of the gentle look he had given her all those years ago as she had left him in the warehouse. An unfamiliar bubble of deep emotion welled up in her and she had to stifle equally unfamiliar tears. "I'm afraid so."
A sudden shudder worked through Tegan and she heaved a breath. Then there was a familiar flare of anger in her eyes and her voice. "What is it with you, Doctor? Trouble and danger are all you ever tote around. Can't you just live a normal life?"
"Tegan…" he began, but ended as the front door of her flat burst open.
**
"926 E. Hanover Lane, London, aye…that's the one…" Lindon crumpled the paper and threw it behind him. "Tegan Jones?"
"She was a traveler with the Time Lord known as the Doctor when he interfered with the virus stash in the warehouse." Jameson answered.
"The first failed invasion of the Master Race?" Lindon stated, not really requiring an answer.
"Aye, that's the one." Jameson opened his car door. "Target lives alone…recently divorced. Orders are to remove the threat that she can identify us."
Lindon sighed as he closed his car door and removed his gun from his jacket. "If she is alone, this should be quick and easy."
Jameson shook his head. "Was your original in the mob? You are being a tad bit obvious, Lindon."
With a wide smile and an adjustment to his suit jacket, Lindon gave a lively step up the stairs. When Jameson joined him at the door, he kicked out with his right foot and hit the door. It splintered inward.
**
Tegan screamed and recoiled back into the wall. She felt the world tighten, becoming harsh and hostile, like a tunnel. Suddenly her living room became a dark and dirty warehouse; it became a cave on Manussa; it became a freighter hurtling toward Earth; it became tens upon hundreds of worlds that she had seen. With a strangled cry, she tossed her head back. The terror was paralyzing.
The Doctor pivoted, his coat tails flying wide. Without a spare breath, he reached behind him and grabbed Tegan by the hand, whipping her around him and pushing her toward the kitchen. "Go, Tegan! Run!"
She took two stumbling steps toward the room, ducking and curling into a ball as she heard a shot behind her. Before she could completely stop, the Doctor was running into her back, pushing her ahead of him. He wrapped his hand around her arm and ran into the kitchen. Tegan looked behind her to see her letter table on its side and a pile of coats on top of it. As they rounded into the kitchen, he reached to pull down chairs and tables.
From the front hall, there came a sound of a table breaking apart. Tegan whimpered again, trying to remove the Doctor's hand from her arm. He grunted, rocketing towards the back door. He bundled her through it bodily and went down the back steps in one long stride. "Not the most elegant way of getting away," he puffed, pulling her behind him. "But it will serve the purpose. Come on, Tegan…run!"
He pulled her between two buildings, along an alley. Her bare feet splashed through the puddles and she was soaked through to the skin in seconds.
The Doctor turned, reaching into his pocket at the same time. "How are men like wickets," he said, quietly. "Let me count the ways." Without looking, Tegan knew that he had palmed a cricket ball and it was thrown with the Time Lord's characteristic accuracy. One of the men tripped as it hit him in the shoulder. "I hate to do that. But it is a means to an end."
As they broke through the alley and onto another road, he pulled her toward a small car. She didn't speak or fight as he packed her into the passenger seat and climbed into the driver's seat. The keys were produced and the car roared to life as the two men cleared into the street.
"Down!" the Doctor called, pushing her head down toward his lap. She kept her eyes tightly squeezed shut as she felt the car accelerate and the sound of gunshots filled the air. Soon, they were speeding away from the scene, the Doctor shifting around her shoulders. She huddled, her face pressed against his knee, her shoulders tight and her knees drawn as far into her chest as she was able. She felt the car take two right hand hairpin turns and accelerate further. After several turns that she had been unable to recognize, she felt rather than saw darkness around the car.
The Doctor hopped out of the car as he shut it off and she heard a door close. She squinted out the back window, and saw him wiping his hands on his trousers. He wore his boyish wide smile as he stuck his head in the door again.
The smile faded quickly.
"Tegan?"
She stared at him, raising a hand to swipe at the tears that still fell from her eyes. It was hard for her to tell where the rain stopped and her tears began. Tegan was shaking, cold, and scared. The anxiety and fear that had been an overwhelming, often crippling influence in her life for the last four years had come to the surface again. The Doctor squinted at her and frowned.
"What's the matter?" He reached a hand toward her and she shook her head violently, inching back toward the door. The Doctor dropped his hand and tilted his head to the side with a deep sadness peeking out of his eyes. "Oh Tegan."
**
Brigadier Alastair Lethbridge-Stewart, retired, stood outside the door in the most early hours of the spring morning and stared at the falling rain. The day had not yet decided on the dawn, but that seemed not to bother the officer. He remained, holding his hands behind his back, at attention, as the other officers entered the large empty warehouse. He rocked forward on his toes and rested back. A stray thought, that maybe he was too old for this sort of thing crossed his mind and was quickly put to rest.
His wait was rewarded within minutes as a blue form of a police box wheezed into existence just feet from him. A smile touched his face as he waited the moments from the box's strange appearance until the door opened. A tall man, youngish, with blond hair dressed in a cricketers outfit and a Panama hat stepped from the box, and smiled widely at the army officer. "Lethbridge-Stewart! So good to see you again."
The Brigadier shook his head with a sigh. "And you Doctor!"
The Doctor walked forward with his hand outstretched. "How are you?"
"Good grief, Doctor…this is not old home week."
"I gathered as much," the Doctor answered and turned to glance at his young, red-headed companion as the boy stepped from the TARDIS and joined them. The boy lowered his intense blue-eyed stare to the ground as he approached his old school teacher. The Doctor frowned. "No cause for rudeness, however, Brigadier. You remember Turlough, don't you?"
As the two men acknowledged each other with a grunt and a hum, the Doctor continued. "Now…this…" he produced a paper from his pocket. "I believe was sent from you on the emergency circuit and wavelength to the TARDIS. As much as I do not mind a side trip to Earth, I would rather like to know the nature and severity of this….let's see what word you used…ah yes…imminent danger. The message awakened my curiosity to say the least."
There was a sudden bark of laughter from the older Terran man. "You never were one for beating around the bush, were you, Doctor? Let's go inside and I'll fill you in." He waited a moment, looking behind the silent and sullen Turlough to the TARDIS. "Is Miss Jovanka with you? I would rather like to talk to her."
The Doctor was quiet and reached to remove his hat. He seemed to not have heard the question. Turlough spoke up, his voice quiet, but detailed as usual. "Tegan left us about six months ago…four years by the current date on your calendar."
Stewart nodded. "That might be a problem. She was one of the pieces to our puzzle."
"And what puzzle might that be?" the Doctor asked as they entered the building.
The Brigadier answered. "Daleks, Doctor…and those duplicates…"
The Doctor raised an eyebrow and lowered his eyes. "They were and are unstable….and should have deteriorated quickly."
"Quickly, Doctor…four years and they are still with us. Time Lords always did have a skewed sense of Earth time. And they are well…and I mean quite well…imbedded in the government. We are currently working with the American CIA/FBI and MI6 to weed out and remove them. You see…Huntsville in the United States has been receiving intermittent messages as has been Pharos…"
"Messages? What messages?" the Doctor asked, his eyes narrowing.
"We are unable to decipher them, Doctor," the Brigadier answered. "They are just great jumbles of prime numbers and then series of extremely long strings of nonsense numbers. But it is the timing of receipt that has us wondering. There have been several assassination attempts and bombings…both successful and unsuccessful and these messages…notes…what have you…have occurred at the same time as the attempts or shortly before…"
"And the attacks…you think they are from the inside of the governments?" the Doctor asked, knowing the answer already.
"Yes."
"The connection to the Daleks? Other than the coincidental internal connection?"
"The messages come from the approximate position that you had mentioned in that report of yours to us. Galactic 57 degrees north, 65 degrees west."
"Well…if the time corridor malfunctioned…it might be possible that they used what energy they had and…yes…quite possible as well that they established some sort of long range communications program," the Doctor answered thoughtfully. "But the Movelian virus…"
"Ah, yes, Doctor…that is the other thing. There have been several strange requisitions and information requests, and information answers of and within the World Health Organization, UNIT laboratories and the CDC complex in Atlanta, Georgia."
"And the information? Have they been requesting the stores from the UNIT extraterrestrial genetic collection?"
"Yes."
"Ah…well now…that clarifies things a bit. And what use have you of Tegan?"
The Brigadier stopped his walk, standing in front of a door. "Yes…well…Miss Jovanka was the only person on Earth that spent time with the duplicates. We need her expertise, and although rather limited, it is still more than any of us have. We need to find the duplicates and remove them."
"Fix the symptoms not cure the disease. I understand. This disease is a bit more than your race can handle at this moment. If the duplicates were to succeed, they would destabilize the government. It would be a century or more, but civilization would revert. They wouldn't need an invasion now…when the virus is still potent…in a hundred years or so they could invade with minimal effort. But you say that they are working with the genetic stores. I would put a stop to that. All in all this is quite a smashing idea…the internal attempts and the infiltration… if you don't want to overwork yourself."
The Brigadier nodded. "It made sense, therefore, for us to find the people that could help us. You, Turlough here and Miss Jovanka. You all do have an idea of what we are looking for in a duplicate. And you, Doctor, from your past association with us and with your knowledge…"
"Would be an excellent batter against a demon bowler, if you don't mind the association." The Doctor laid down his hat on the table.
Turlough tapped on his shoulder. "I think there is one small thing that we are overlooking."
"And that would be."
"That Tegan is the one person who knows about the duplicates and who is not here with us. If they are running any sort of the tight installation they would be to cleaning up any outstanding weaknesses."
The Doctor frowned. "And they would be looking for her as well."
With a clipped nod, the Brigadier agreed. "What information about Miss Jovanka do you need, Doctor?"
"Her current address would be a start," the Doctor called, running back out toward the TARDIS. "And your car."
**
12.5893.1920.1988
Directive: Supreme Commander
Alert high. Plan imminent. Infiltration of governments is complete.
Weaknesses are to be eliminated. Virus stores located; genetics team available. The invasion will proceed as soon as reassurances are made. Mistakes will not be tolerated.
All glory to the Supreme Dalek.
**
Reynolds held his hands behind his back and stared out at the gray watercolor day. In front of him, through the glass, he could see the Parliament Building, tall and proud, distinct. The rain did little to dull its impact on the landscape. As the door opened behind him, he didn't turn away from the view. As the dark voice of his compatriot sounded, it served only to warrant an answer.
"Reynolds?"
"Yes, Smith," he answered, shifting his weight. He held up a hand before the arrival could continue. "Have we heard from the Supreme Commander?"
"Yes, sir," the younger, smaller man answered. His gray suit was duller and more muted than the black suit of Reynolds. "The mission is a green."
"And the weaknesses we have discussed?"
"All humans are weaknesses…" Smith answered, dutifully.
Reynolds rolled his eyes and nodded. "You are rather down on your father race, Smith. I suppose that is to be expected." He shifted his gaze to the bridge just beyond the buildings. A warehouse was visible on the other side of the Thames. "Your original was very much a 'yes' man, I believe. Have we heard from Styles?"
"Yes," Smith was not phased by the comment on his original. He shifted his stance to appear more at attention. "The interruption of politics is to start. He has informed me that we are to take care of those names on the list."
"Very well…" Reynolds answered and sighed. "You have your orders then."
Smith nodded and left the room, closing the door with a decisive bang. Reynolds returned to his view of the outside waterworld in the silence he liked. After all, it would only be a matter of time until that silence would be shattered.
**
Turlough jogged along side his Gallifreyan friend to the small two door car that was the Brigadier's. "But Doctor…"
"Not now, Turlough…the Brigadier is correct as you were. The Dalek duplicates, if they are attempting some sort of a major military event, will attempt to clean up their weaknesses. They know me, and therefore, they will know her." The Doctor stopped suddenly and turned to the Trion exile, holding his finger up. "As they would know you. They did build duplicates for the both of you as they did me. Let me gather all of the pieces here as Alastair has said and then we can look at the situation. If you were correct, Tegan is in danger. UNIT needs her and that is enough to alert the Daleks."
Turlough puffed as he held the door open for the Doctor. "And do you think she will come with you?"
"We can but try," the Doctor sighed, sliding into the small interior. As Turlough closed the door, he asked: "You can't take the TARDIS?"
"No…no," the Doctor answered. "They have instruments that can 'feel' temporal movement. It would alert them to her and to us if done too often around an instrument such as that. Wait here with the Brigadier and find out what you can."
Turlough nodded and slammed the door shut. As the Doctor started the engine, it started to rain harder.
**
Present time
The Doctor rolled his hat and stuffed it quite decidedly into his pocket. He rolled his shoulders and let the water droplets slide from his coat. He could hear Tegan's breathing accommodating for her earlier tears, returning to normal. As she walked by him, her bare feet slapping against her now wet wood floor, he glanced at her.
She was thinner than she had been when she had traveled in the TARDIS; her hair was longer, curling at her shoulders. She wore no make-up and her sweats were definitely a different ensemble than the leather skirt he had seen her leave with just six months previously. He had to remind himself of the date- it was four years for her since she had last seen him. There were obviously other differences, not the least of which was her new name. There were a lot of things he wanted to ask…a lot that he had not been able to find in the databank on the TARDIS before he left it…but he knew that there was no time. At least not here.
"Doctor…" she drew, her accent as thick as ever. "This is a surprise to say the least. After four years…"
"Three months and four days…" he offered, matter-of-factly.
Her frown made his heart warm in remembrance. "I would have never thought that you would ever come back."
"Why ever not?" he asked, turning to face her completely.
Before she could open her mouth to answer him, he held up his hand and gave her a boyish smile. "I would love to continue this conversation, Tegan, but it will have to be away from here. Do you have your coat? The weather is rather chilly out there."
Tegan shook her head, sending her brown curls flying. "What?!"
"You need to come with me, Tegan." He bent at the waist and indicated the suitcases next to the door and the various boxes in the living room. "Were you planning a trip?"
"I'm moving, Doc…" she bit out, half in shock, half in anger. "And I can't go anywhere with you…not now…not again."
"Why not? You must," he answered, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Is your husband here? He should come as well."
"Doctor…" Tegan grunted.
"No…well then leave him a note. Timothy, wasn't it? We have to be going."
"No."
"No?" the Doctor bent at his waist, and in the way that Tegan had always found condesending, stared her in the eye. "Tegan. We have to go. This is important. You and yours are in danger." He shook his head. "Contrary to what you think of me, Tegan, I would not charge back into your life and take you out of it again if it was not important."
Tegan's face paled a little. Her breathing hitched. "Danger?"
The Doctor's eyes softened and he nodded slowly. Tegan was reminded of the gentle look he had given her all those years ago as she had left him in the warehouse. An unfamiliar bubble of deep emotion welled up in her and she had to stifle equally unfamiliar tears. "I'm afraid so."
A sudden shudder worked through Tegan and she heaved a breath. Then there was a familiar flare of anger in her eyes and her voice. "What is it with you, Doctor? Trouble and danger are all you ever tote around. Can't you just live a normal life?"
"Tegan…" he began, but ended as the front door of her flat burst open.
**
"926 E. Hanover Lane, London, aye…that's the one…" Lindon crumpled the paper and threw it behind him. "Tegan Jones?"
"She was a traveler with the Time Lord known as the Doctor when he interfered with the virus stash in the warehouse." Jameson answered.
"The first failed invasion of the Master Race?" Lindon stated, not really requiring an answer.
"Aye, that's the one." Jameson opened his car door. "Target lives alone…recently divorced. Orders are to remove the threat that she can identify us."
Lindon sighed as he closed his car door and removed his gun from his jacket. "If she is alone, this should be quick and easy."
Jameson shook his head. "Was your original in the mob? You are being a tad bit obvious, Lindon."
With a wide smile and an adjustment to his suit jacket, Lindon gave a lively step up the stairs. When Jameson joined him at the door, he kicked out with his right foot and hit the door. It splintered inward.
**
Tegan screamed and recoiled back into the wall. She felt the world tighten, becoming harsh and hostile, like a tunnel. Suddenly her living room became a dark and dirty warehouse; it became a cave on Manussa; it became a freighter hurtling toward Earth; it became tens upon hundreds of worlds that she had seen. With a strangled cry, she tossed her head back. The terror was paralyzing.
The Doctor pivoted, his coat tails flying wide. Without a spare breath, he reached behind him and grabbed Tegan by the hand, whipping her around him and pushing her toward the kitchen. "Go, Tegan! Run!"
She took two stumbling steps toward the room, ducking and curling into a ball as she heard a shot behind her. Before she could completely stop, the Doctor was running into her back, pushing her ahead of him. He wrapped his hand around her arm and ran into the kitchen. Tegan looked behind her to see her letter table on its side and a pile of coats on top of it. As they rounded into the kitchen, he reached to pull down chairs and tables.
From the front hall, there came a sound of a table breaking apart. Tegan whimpered again, trying to remove the Doctor's hand from her arm. He grunted, rocketing towards the back door. He bundled her through it bodily and went down the back steps in one long stride. "Not the most elegant way of getting away," he puffed, pulling her behind him. "But it will serve the purpose. Come on, Tegan…run!"
He pulled her between two buildings, along an alley. Her bare feet splashed through the puddles and she was soaked through to the skin in seconds.
The Doctor turned, reaching into his pocket at the same time. "How are men like wickets," he said, quietly. "Let me count the ways." Without looking, Tegan knew that he had palmed a cricket ball and it was thrown with the Time Lord's characteristic accuracy. One of the men tripped as it hit him in the shoulder. "I hate to do that. But it is a means to an end."
As they broke through the alley and onto another road, he pulled her toward a small car. She didn't speak or fight as he packed her into the passenger seat and climbed into the driver's seat. The keys were produced and the car roared to life as the two men cleared into the street.
"Down!" the Doctor called, pushing her head down toward his lap. She kept her eyes tightly squeezed shut as she felt the car accelerate and the sound of gunshots filled the air. Soon, they were speeding away from the scene, the Doctor shifting around her shoulders. She huddled, her face pressed against his knee, her shoulders tight and her knees drawn as far into her chest as she was able. She felt the car take two right hand hairpin turns and accelerate further. After several turns that she had been unable to recognize, she felt rather than saw darkness around the car.
The Doctor hopped out of the car as he shut it off and she heard a door close. She squinted out the back window, and saw him wiping his hands on his trousers. He wore his boyish wide smile as he stuck his head in the door again.
The smile faded quickly.
"Tegan?"
She stared at him, raising a hand to swipe at the tears that still fell from her eyes. It was hard for her to tell where the rain stopped and her tears began. Tegan was shaking, cold, and scared. The anxiety and fear that had been an overwhelming, often crippling influence in her life for the last four years had come to the surface again. The Doctor squinted at her and frowned.
"What's the matter?" He reached a hand toward her and she shook her head violently, inching back toward the door. The Doctor dropped his hand and tilted his head to the side with a deep sadness peeking out of his eyes. "Oh Tegan."
**