It doesn't matter how many times the Timelord flies the TARDIS, each time without fail he manages to knock Rose and I either on our ass's or into the console to the point where I have a lovely bruise as proof. Luckily this landing I was still in my room, T has a habit of making sure your room stays reasonably level when he lands reducing the damage which can be caused. For example falling out of your bed or slipping in the shower, not to mention the risk of damaging the bits and bobs we gather throughout our travels.
"I swear to fucking God, I will go back to the Supernova - or where ever the hell you threw the manual - and get it back just to teach you how to drive your own fricking spaceship." I rant stalking into the console room still arranging my jewellery. I had been changing when Doc decided to start our journey for today, thankfully I had done my make up and was half dressed. The outfit of today is simple light blue straight-legged baggy dungarees with one strap unbuckling paired with a dark blue patterned oversized long-sleeved t-shirt. I still have my black doc martens in hand as I stumble into the room. "Don't think I won't because I'm sure T will help me, I can guarantee she doesn't enjoy being driven by a lunatic."
"Yeah whatever, like to see you try." Doc grumbles, sulking over to the doors. "Plus I didn't even mean for the landing to be so rough, some kind of signal was drawing the TARDIS off course."
"Excuses, excuses." I joke, Doc just rolls his eyes. We all step out of the time machine, looking around for any notifying landmarks.
"Where are we?" Rose questions tucking a bit of hair behind her ears, I look over at her smiling at her outfit of the day. Her hair is up in messy half up half down style, some hair left to frame her face; she has her favourite dark blue denim flare jeans on with a white tank top and a hot pink and grey zipped hoodie on top. Her look finished with most definitely overused not quite so white trainers.
"Earth. Utah, North America. About half a mile underground." Doc answers Rose, distracted.
"And when are we?" I query, wandering over to the light switch on the wall.
"Two thousand and twelve."
"God, that's so close. So I should be twenty six." Rose states, looking disgusted at the number.
"Ew I'd be twenty nine." I cringe, my face twisting in disgust. I still feel like a teenager. I watch as the Doc leans down slightly to look inside one of the many exhibits around us. I quickly reach up turning the light on helping him to get a better view. I received a small smile in thanks.
"Blimey. It's a great big museum." Rose states, spinning on the spot to look at all the cases full of alien-like artifacts.
"An alien museum. Someone's got a hobby." I comment, leaning down to look at a case containing a large meteorite looking silver rock.
"They must have spent a fortune on this. Chunks of meteorite, moon dust. That's the milometer from the Roswell spaceship." Doc riddles off as we walk past artifacts from Rose and I's future.
"That's a bit of Slitheen!" Rose exclaims, pointing to the arm of one of our Raxacoricofallapatorian 'friends' arm.
"That's a Slitheen's arm. It's been stuffed." I state, looking at it slightly disgusted, stuffed creatures has always creeped me out.
"Oh, look at you." Doc calls out, me and my blonde friend turn to see the Doctor standing on the other side of the room. The casing he's looking in held what seemed like a metal humanoid head. As soon as I look at the now dead creature a sharp pain stabs the side of my skull, I intake a sharp breath wincing at the pain.
"What is it?" Rose questions, stepping closer.
"An old friend of mine. Well, enemy. The stuff of nightmares reduced to an exhibit." Doc answers, his voice trailing off. "I'm getting old." he sighs.
"Is that where the signal's coming from?" she questions, looking at the head curiously.
"No, it's stone dead." Doc informs, glancing around. "The signal's alive. Something's reaching out, calling for help."
I turn around to get a look at another creature's head, only as I take a step towards the casing and an alarm rings through the building. I spin on the spot to see Docs fingers touching the glass.
"Seriously?" I comment, looking at the Timelord with a mix of exasperation and disappointment. He sends me a sheepish smile to which I send a small one back, although my expression falls when a thought passes by as the room fills with armed men. "If someone's collecting aliens, that makes you Exhibit A." Both of my companions faces drop at my statement, Doc awkwardly smiles at the men pointing guns at our trio.
~1~
We're escorted through corridor after corridor, whenever I slow down I receive a harsh jab in the back via the butt of a guards gun. Finally we arrive at our apparent destination, a study of sorts with two men conversing. One of the men sat down in the chair who looks like a pervert, he's a white and apparent rich man with a brown mustache and receding hairline. The other man was younger (at least 20 years old) with brown hair, this one is standing showing the older man something.
"What does it do?" the older man demands, picking up the what looked to be and instrument of sorts.
"Well, you see the tubes on the side? It must be to channel something. I think maybe fuel." the younger boy answers, a familiar british accent in his voice.
"I really wouldn't hold it like that." Doc pipes up, watching the two men with a bored expression.
"Shut it." the female leading us snaps, I glare at her sharply.
"Really, though, that's wrong." I state, staring at the two men with disdain.
"Is it dangerous?" the Brit questions, looking at me with the most disgusting look in his eyes.
"No," Doc answers, moving ever so slightly to stand in front of me causing the man's eyes to snap from me to my companion. "It just looks silly."
Doc reaches across the table towards the object, although freezes as all the guards cock their guns. I release a breath when the american passes the object over.
"You just need to be," Doc starts, he gently runs his hands across the surface of the device. A high pitched hum emits from the instrument. "Delicate."
"I want a go." I request gently taking the instrument from him, I move the tips of my fingers gently across the device sideways. Smiling brightly as the instrument releases a note slowly lowering in pitch as I go across. I continue to stroke the device enjoying the sounds it releases.
"It's a musical instrument." the American states, watching as it makes music.
"And it's a long way from home." Doc notes, gently taking the device from me.
"Here, let me." the older man essentially demands before snatching the instrument from my friends hands. As he attempts to produce nice notes he uses to heavy a hand causing the instrument to release harsh jagged notes.
"He did say delicate." I comment, wincing as he makes a significantly high whining tone.
"It reacts to the smallest fingerprint. It needs precision." Doc explains. The man takes that into account and continues to play decent sounds.
"Very good. Quite the expert." Doc compliments watching the man.
"As are you." he answers before throwing the instrument over his shoulder.
"What the fuck?" I exclaim, although I am completely ignored as the two men watch each other carefully.
"Who exactly are you?" the American questions.
"I'm the Doctor. And who are you?"
"Like you don't know. We're hidden away with the most valuable collection of extra-terrestrial artefacts in the world, and you just stumbled in by mistake." the collector states not believing it in the slightest.
"Pretty much sums us up, yeah." I comment, rolling my eyes at the Doctors cheeky grin.
"The question is, how did you get in? Fifty three floors down, with your little cat burglar accomplices." the American queries, his gaze moving from Doc to Rose and I, his eyes move up and down our figures hesitating on my chest before looking back at the alien next to me "You're quite a collector yourself, they're rather pretty."
"We're going to smack you if you keep looking us up and down like we're meat." I state, smiling sweetly at the man.
"I'm nineteen you predator." Rose snips, crossing her arms whilst glaring at the man.
"She's English too! Hey, little Lord Fauntleroy. Got you a girlfriend. Maybe even two."
"This is Mister Henry Van Statten." the Brit states, introducing the american.
"And who's he when he's at home?" Rose sasses.
"Mister Van Statten owns the internet."
"Don't be stupid. No one owns the internet." Rose retorts, rolling her eyes.
"And let's just keep the whole world thinking that way, right kids?" Van Statten answers, smirking.
"So you're just about an expert in everything except the things in your museum. Anything you don't understand, you lock up." Doc remarks, his eyes cold and hard.
"And you claim greater knowledge?" Statten taunts standing to his full height as he gradually approaches us.
"I don't need to make claims, I know how good I am." the alien boasts, holding his head high.
"And yet, I captured you. Right next to the Cage." the American states, "What were you doing down there?"
"You tell me." Doc responds, smirking as he efficiently annoys the other man.
"The cage contains my one living specimen."
"And what's that?" Doc questions, intrigued now. That is probably what set the signal off, and you can bet we are freeing them. Especially since god knows what Van Statten is willing to do to an alive person.
"Like you don't know."
"Show us." I demand, worried for the creature.
"You want to see it?" Statten states, regarding the Doc and I with curious looks.
"Blimey, you can smell the testosterone." Rose remarks, rolling her eyes at the two men.
"I know, next thing you know they'll be whipping out rulers." I add, Rose and I giggling as the two men ignore us.
"Goddard, inform the Cage we're heading down. You, English. Look after the girls. Go and canoodle or spoon or whatever it is you British do. And you, Doctor with no name, come and see my pet." Statten orders, Doc glances down at us meeting my eyes.
"Doc I'm not leaving you alone with him." I state glaring over at the man. "God knows what he's done to the poor creature."
"I can't have you coming with, you'll be safer with the harmless boy and not the predator. Stay here, look after Rose and maybe do some snooping." Doc states, smiling encouragingly at me before turning and following Van Statten.
~1~
It turns out the Brits name is Adam Mitchell, a boy that somehow managed to get a job where he does inventory for a rich twat. Adam had led Rose and I to his 'workshop', hoping to impress us I think. I just hope he focuses on Rose and not me.
"Sorry about the mess. Mister Van Statten sort of lets me do my own thing, so long as I deliver the goods." he rambles before strolling over to a table overflowing with different space artifacts ranging from weapons to pieces of metal. "What do you think that is?" Adam questions, holding one of the pieces of metal out to us. Rose takes it, glancing it over before handing it to me.
"A lump of metal?" Rose answers, unsure. She glances over at me for the real answer.
"Yeah. Yeah, but I think, well, I'm almost certain, it's from the hull of a spacecraft." Adam informs, I refrain from snorting knowing for a fact that it is a metal compound used to craft weapons by Sycorax and other creatures. Someone must have dropped whilst travelling near the Milky-way. "The thing is, it's all true. Everything the United Nations tries to keep quiet, spacecraft, aliens, visitors to Earth. They really exist." Adam reveals, we both smirk knowing full well that it is real.
"That's amazing." I reply, sarcasm dripping off my words.
"I know it sounds incredible, but I honestly believe the whole universe is just teeming with life." he replies, not noting my tone.
"I'm gobsmacked, yeah." Rose states, not sounding at all convincing, "And you do what, sit here and catalogue it?"
"Best job in the world." he boasts, I nod sarcastically before turning to a computer behind me. Curious I turned it on, Adam already signed in meaning I didn't have to try and figure out his password. Although it wouldn't be hard, I imagine it would be his name.
"Imagine if you could get out there. Travel amongst the stars and see it for real." Rose states, watching for his reaction. At Roses words I send her a sharp warning glance, there is no way in hell that man is coming with us.
"Yeah, I'd give anything. I don't think it's ever going to happen. Not in our lifetimes."Adam answers sounding upset.
"Oh, you never know. What about all those people who say they've been inside of spaceships and things and talked to aliens?" Rose questions, looking at some of his other artifacts. I roll my eyes still facing away from the pair, I have found a load of files, each a camera throughout the entire building.
"I think they're nutters." Adam answer truthfully. I snap my head backwards looking at the man with the most incredulous expression ever.
"God forbid anyone actually experienced something alien." I mumble, I do not like Adam something about him is messing with me.
"Yeah, me too." Rose lies through her teeth, wincing at the glare I send her. "So, how'd you end up here?"
"Van Statten has agents all over the world looking for geniuses to recruit." he admits, a smile plastered on his lips.
"Oh, so you're a genius." I state, studying him from where I'm now leaning on the chair near the computer. My attempts to find anything has been paused since all of the camera's are named in numbers and not their location.
"Sorry, but yeah. I can't help it. I was born clever." he claims, god his ego is huge. "When I was eight, I logged onto the US Defence System. Nearly caused World War Three." he boasts, sounding proud by the fact that he nearly caused multiple deaths.
"What, and that's funny, is it?" I demand, standing straight now.
"Well, you should've been there just to see them running about. Fantastic!" Adam joyfully exclaims, I glare at the boy.
"It's not funny Adam, nearly causing World War Three isn't something to be proud of. Nearly causing multiple deaths isn't something you should be proud of. It isn't cool and it sure as hell isn't badass." I snap, spinning on my heel to try and find the Doctor through the camera.
"You sound like the Doctor." Rose comments, indicating to the boys use of 'fantastic'.
"The Doctor wouldn't be excited over nearly causing a World War." I voice, watching as Rose's expression falters slightly.
"Are you and him?" Adam questions Rose, avoiding me slightly now.
"No, we're just friends. Him and Luna though." Rose answers, wiggling her eyebrows at me.
"Him and Luna what?" I remark, furrowing my eyebrows at her statement. "What does that mean?"
"Well good." Adam responds, a small smirk on his face.
"Why's that good?" Rose questions, watching him with a small smirk of her own.
"It just is." I cringe at their conversation, trying to block them out as I flip through the cameras.
"So, wouldn't you rather be downstairs? I mean, you've got these bits of metal and stuff, but Mister Van Statten's got a living creature down there." Rose changes the conversation, I smirk as I finally make it to the camera's on the level we were on. According to Van Statten we were near the living creature so therefore the camera's are as well.
"Yeah. Yeah, well, I did ask, but he keeps it to himself. Although, if you're a genius, it doesn't take long to patch through on the comm system." he coyly answers, moving to the computer but is stopped as I turn announcing.
"Oh well it's a good job I'm here." I move to the side to press a button my back to the screen, the screen changes showing the room containing the creature.
"It doesn't do much, the alien. It's weird." Adam states, moving to sit at the computer. He types a few things connecting the sound. "It's kind of useless. It's just like this great big pepper pot."
At his description I spin to face the screen, horror flooding me. It's the things from my daydreams, the creatures that kill everyone including the girl. I watch as a man drills into its casing, a sick sense of enjoyment fills me as I watch it scream.
"It's being tortured! Where's the Doctor?" Rose exclaims, horrified by the idea of torture. If only she knew what I've seen.
"I don't know." Adam answers, looking slightly traumatised.
"Take me down there now." Rose demands, turning to Adam. He nods slightly confused.
"I'm going to find the Doctor. Don't get hurt or anything." I order before sprinting out of the room, my boots slapping loudly against the concrete flooring.
I sprint down the stairs, making it past the Cage and towards another holding cell. As I make it into the area, three guards leap towards me. Grabbing my upper arms before dragging my into one of the many rooms.
"Where is the Doctor?! Get the fuck off of me you bastards!" I shout, wriggling in their grip. They ignore me simply dragging me into the room, I go to shout again except the words die in my throat as I see my companion strung up, half stripped. "Doctor!" I yell, his head snaps staring at me in shock. I turn to Van Statten red hot rage filling me, "Let him go you wanker."
"Ooo, little missy here seems to have a mouth." he cackles, moving towards me. The men holding me shove me to my knees, holding my arms behind me. I hold my head high glaring heatedly at the American. He places his hand on my face caressing it. I openly gag at his touch watching as his fragile masculinity is hit by my lack of respect, "Now, I wonder just what this little mouth of yours can do." he states with a suggestive smirk.
"I'm sorry, I don't go for perverts, especially when they're American." I spit, snapping my head away from his hand. In retaliation the man raises his hand, snapping it across my face. A stinging sensation spreads across the left side of my face, I cackle through spitting at his feet. "You hit like a little girl."
Am I dancing in the face of danger, almost asking for the obviously dangerous man to kill me. Probably. But it is keeping their attention off of the Doctor which is keeping him relatively unharmed.
Back to Mister Van Statten the man practically shakes with anger, although instead of hitting me he nods to the men holding me. They follow some sort of unspoken order, dragging me to my feet before dragging me to a wall. They stand behind me, each holding my arms securely behind me back making me face the Doctor. Said friend still strung up and watching me with concerned eyes. The American walks over to a technological device that I have no idea what it does, he holds his hand above a button.
"Now, smile." he states, pressing the controls causing a red laser to shoot at Doc. He gasps in pain, squirming as the light travels down his body.
"Stop it. Please, leave him alone." I yell, scrabbling in the mens hold.
"Two hearts! Binary vascular system. Oh, I am so going to patent this." the American states happily, I knew I shouldn't have let the Doctor go with him.
"So that's your secret. You don't just collect this stuff, you scavenge it." Doc snarls, panting from the exertion.
"This technology has been falling to Earth for centuries. All it took was the right mind to use it properly." Statten replies simply, "Oh, the advances I've made from alien junk. You have no idea, Doctor. Broadband? Roswell. Just last year my scientists cultivated bacteria from the Russian crater, and do you know what we found? The cure for the common cold. Kept it strictly within the laboratory of course. No need to get people excited. Why sell one cure when I can sell a thousand palliatives?"
"You're disgusting, not everything is about money you egotistical, self obsessed, son of a bitch!" I shout, struggling in the guards grip. The man turns to me, his expression dark a glint in his eye that sends a shiver through me. I inhale sharply, there is no way in hell I'm showing this bitch my fear.
"Do you know what a Dalek is, Van Statten?" Doc calls out, drawing the man's attention off of me. "A Dalek is honest. It does what it was born to do for the survival of its species. That creature in your dungeon is better than you."
"In that case, I will be true to myself and continue."
"Listen to me! That thing downstairs is going to kill every last one of us!" Doc cries out desperate to make him see reason, the name Dalek swirls in my head.
"Nothing can escape the Cage." Van Statten proudly states, denying the fact that we are all going to die. He proceeds to blast the Doctor again. My companion crying out this time, I cry out struggling in the grip. As Van Statten pauses Doc gasps breathing out,
"But it's woken up. It knows I'm here. It's going to get out. Van Statten, I swear, no one on this base is safe. No one on this planet!" he begs, hoping to sway the man.
The man doesn't reply, simply running the machine again, grinning malevolently as Doc screams. I struggle in my guards grips watching in horror as Van Statten continues to torture Doc. Suddenly the lights start flashing red as a man starts shouting over the comms,
"Condition Red. Condition Red. I repeat, this is not a drill!"
This causes my guards to freeze, their shock giving me the time to thankfully break out. I kick one in the balls, flinging my elbow into the other's face. I storm my way over to Van Statten, the man looking at me in shock. I swing my right fist into his face, cleanly into his nose. I watch with satisfaction as he cries out clutching the now broken bone in his hands. A guard grabs me as Van Statten is passed a tissue, I shrug out if the guards grip running over to Doc tugging at the chains holding him. Van Statten's eyes flick between me and the alarm going off.