Sorry for the delay in updating this. And sorry for any spelling mistakes. Hope you enjoy this chapter, not quite sure of it myself.
Thanks for the reviews, favs and follows. Please do keep giving more really helps me. Hope ya'll still enjoying this story, if you have any questions or advice i'm happy to hear.
Anyways without further ado,
Chapter 17 Lies, Secrets, and Scooby Doo
The Doctor and Lauren made it to what looked like a technician's workspace. Computer screens displayed above a workbench, blueprints laying on a stand, racks of tools and all manner of futuristic equipment that Lauren had no hope of understanding how they worked and what their purpose was, lay everywhere else. The Doctor was poking around, sonic in hand, Lauren sees the plastic wrapped over the advanced wheelchair that the old lady had used before her death; the piece of equipment was bubbling away to itself. She signals the Doctor to come over, he did and removed the plastic revealing part of the rather impressive machine – the Doctor scanned it with his screwdriver.
"Beautiful bit of kit, isn't it sir? Madam?" A voice came behind them startling both the Doctor and Lauren as a man stepped out of the shadows from where he was hiding. "The Excelsior Life Extender. It's like driving around in a portable hospital."
Oh it's the actor and comedian Frank Skinner! Lauren thought looking at him feeling weird at seeing him but knowing it really wasn't Frank Skinner, not this time.
Frank Skinner – err – whatever his character was called Lauren corrected, was holding a piece of metal, a crowbar. Hopefully he wasn't planning on using it on them for snooping.
"Yes, well, it didn't do Mrs Pitt much good, did it?" The Doctor retorted.
The man laughed, "Got me there, sir. Certainly got me there. Maybe it malfunctioned?" He suggested.
"Oh, I don't think so. The records show that the machine did everything it could to keep her alive." The Doctor clarified.
"Yeah. And almost drained the battery doing it," the man observed.
"What do you know?" The Doctor finally asked.
The man looked sceptical at the pair of them. "Well," he drew the word out, "I know that when I find a man and a girl fiddling with a chair that someone died in, it's best to play my cards close to my chest."
The Doctor smirked and raised an eyebrow. "Really? Well, I know that when I find a man loitering near a chair that someone died in, I do just the same," he countered back.
"Perkins. Chief Engineer," the man, Perkins, stepped towards them introducing himself. Thankfully Lauren wouldn't have to refer to him as Frank Skinner anymore now she has a name.
The Doctor did the same, "The Doctor. Nosey Parker."
Lauren came up and shook his hand. "I'm Lauren. You might call me Nosey Parker Junior," she grinned at him.
Perkins chuckled, now shaking the Doctor's hand. "Please to meet you, Doctor, Lauren. Course, there's a rumour that someone or something else might to be responsible," he added mysteriously.
"Well it's a good thing we're here!" Lauren announced cheerfully. "We're here to solve a mystery. Like Scooby Doo and his gang." Perkins didn't seem to get the reference. Lauren sighed dramatically, "A good reference wasted on a person from the future," she said under her breath.
The Doctor on the other hand grimaced at her comparison. "How are we in anyway like Scooby Doo and his pudding brained gang?"
"Well we're currently looking for clues to solve a mystery and that's what we, you, do on a regular basis. Plus there's always monster of some sorts," Lauren explained.
The Doctor tried to think of a comeback, he fumbled, failing, so instead resorted to saying, "Well, I'm definitely the smart one!"
"Velma?"
"Yes, that one."
"I thought you'd say Fred because he's the leader," Lauren said curiously.
"He may be the leader but he hasn't got all of the brains like me, which makes me better than him. I am the brains and the leader here," the Doctor boasted to her.
"I wonder which one I'm most like," Lauren wondered aloud.
"The dog," the Doctor said before quickly changing the subject and asked Perkins more questions on what he meant. Lauren sent death glares at the Doctor.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
They walked back to the lounge area again, Lauren padded around bare foot as the Doctor spots the man they we're looking for sitting reading to himself and points to him. "What's the most interesting thing about the Foretold?" The Doctor asks standing next to him.
"I'm terribly sorry, I don't believe we've met?" the man with a moustache and nice suit replied.
The Doctor ignored his words. "You know. The Foretold. Mythical mummy. Legend has it that if you see it, you're a dead man."
"Yes, I know what it is. You see, I happen to be –" the man tried to explain before the Doctor rudely interrupted.
"Emil Moorhouse, professor of alien mythology," the Doctor said matter-of-factly. "I'm the Doctor, this is Lauren my assistant. Pleased to meet you," he extended his hand and made a gesture for Moorhouse to shake it quickly to get the pleasantries over with. "So, the most interesting thing about the Foretold. Go." He ordered sitting down.
Lauren made a deal of shaking his hand more slowly, "Sorry about him," she mumbled to Moorhouse as she stood beside the Doctor, there not being another chair beside them.
"Err, well, it would have to be the time limit given before it kills you. I can't think of another myth where it's so specific. How does it go? Err." He thought to himself before remembering, "The number of evil twice over. They that bear the Foretold's stare have sixty six seconds to live."
The Doctor glanced at Lauren. Intense eyes questioning at her before it was quickly gone and his gaze flicked back to Moorhouse. "No, no, no. Nice try. Very atmospheric. But that's not it. Try again." The Doctor waved his hands towards his face and grinned at the other man, showing him he wanted to be impressed with something he didn't know.
"A cynical man might say that you were trying to pump me for information," Moorhouse observed.
The Doctor smiled and give a 'ha' puff of breath before deciding to explain a bit on what he knew of the tale. "The myth of the Foretold first appeared over five thousand years ago. In some stories, there is a riddle or secret word that is supposed to make it stop. Some characters try to bargain with it, offer riches, confess sins. All to no avail," he says while searching in his jacket pocket, he takes out a silver cigarette case, opening it to reveal jelly babies.
Lauren internally fangirled at this moment. He offered both Moorhouse and her one which made her fangirl even more.
"Well, you certainly know a little mythology," Moorhouse concluded taking a jelly baby.
"I know a lot. Because from time to time it turns out to be true."
Moorhouse leaned forward in his chair and smirked, "But that's the great appeal, isn't it? Earth legends are such dry, dusty affairs, and always fiction. But up here, in the stars, anything's possible. That's why I chose this field, to be honest. Hoping one day I might meet a real monster," he smiled at them merrily at the thought.
Lauren found it hard to smile at his remark knowing he was going to die at the hands of a monster. She ended up grimacing.
"Isn't that everyone's dream?" the Doctor replied.
"No!" Lauren blurted out. "Not everyone wants to meet a monster you know."
"Hush," the Doctor quieted her. Lauren rolled her eyes. "But you still haven't answered my riddle. What's the most interesting thing about the Foretold?" He asked again.
The Doctor and Moorhouse continued their exchange until Lauren started to notice people were gathering round at the back. There seemed to be some sort of commotion, people were upset. Something has happened. Then it hit her, Lauren realized someone else had just died, and she had completely forgotten. She grabbed the Doctor's attention.
"Excuse us, Professor," he said getting up and moving through the crowd. After asking the guards for information, "Someone else has died," the Doctor said realizing it happened in the kitchen, one of the cooks.
"What do we do?" Lauren asked him trying to weave herself through the crowd.
"We need to talk to Captain Quell. Come on." The Doctor walked off in the direction Quell and his guards went not waiting on Lauren ignoring her protests.
They found Quell and his guards walking down the corridor. "I think we need to talk," the Doctor stated.
Quell turned as did his two guards. "This matter does not concern the passengers," he tried to dismiss them.
The Doctor walked up to him flourishing his psychic paper.
Was that the first time Capaldi's Doctor used the psychic paper in an episode? Lauren wondered.
"We're not passengers. We're your worst nightmare." The Doctor stated. Quell grabs the psychic paper off him looking annoyed.
"Mystery shoppers. Oh, great," Quell looks at them in frustration.
The Doctor stared at the man baffled, eyebrows furrowed, "Really? That's your worst n – ?" the Doctor stopped himself. "Okay, I'm mystery shopper. I could do with an extra pillow and I'm very disappointed with your breakfast bar and…all of the dying," he added seriously.
"Yeah it's put me right off my food," Lauren claimed.
Quell sighed and reluctantly lead them to his office.
Inside his office Quell began pouring some drinks. The Doctor and Lauren inspected the things he had. There was a framed Certificate of Bravery awarded to Quell that the Doctor was studying. Lauren glanced at the clock: almost half 11.
"I say, I don't know why they've sent two mystery shoppers," Quell grumbled from behind his desk. "Do you actually know each other then?"
The Doctor picked up an object made of glass and inspected it closely.
"I assumed you two were father and daughter."
The Doctor almost dropped the object made of glass at Quell's voiced assumption.
"Oh no! We're not related in anyway but we do know each other, we're friends." Lauren explained glancing at the Doctor as he put the thing back to avoid accidents.
"This is not exactly within your job description," He continued, eyeing them with distrust.
"Come on, Captain. Where would we all be if we all followed our job descriptions, hmm? Good question. Glad you asked. In your case, you'd be doing something instead of climbing inside a bottle," the Doctor bluntly stated making a gesture to his drink.
"I have followed the procedure for accidental death to the letter," Quell said offended.
"Yes, I'm sure you have. And I'm sure you do just enough of your job to avoid complaints," the Doctor summarized for himself.
"You don't know anything about me."
"Wounded in battle, honourable discharge. And this is just a guess, but I think you've had the fight knocked out of you." The Doctor observed. "You expected this to be a cushy desk job where you could put your head down until retirement. Well, I'm sorry. As of today, that dream is over."
"There is no evidence of any attack or other parties," Quell said still ignoring the problem.
"Come on Doctor let's just leave, he isn't going to listen now," Lauren huffed.
The Doctor directed his words at Quell. "Yes, let's just sit around and wait for the evidence while the bodies pile up. Or here's a crazy thought. We could do something to stop it." Quell looked uncomfortable but didn't say anything. The Doctor had enough. "Why am I even talking to you? You're right Lauren, let's go," the Doctor said storming out his office after Lauren, slamming the door.
Perkins was waiting outside for them leaning up against the wall to Quell's office. He held a bunch of papers rolled up. "Passenger manifest, plan of the train and a list of stops for the past six months." He handed them to Lauren.
"Quick work, Perkins. Maybe too quick," the Doctor suddenly eyed Perkins in suspicion.
"Oh come off it Doctor," Lauren laughed at him.
Perkins played off the Doctor's suspicion, "Yes, sir. I'm obviously the mummy," he said in sarcastic realization for their amusement. Lauren grinned. "Or perhaps I was already looking into this," Perkins concluded seriously.
The Doctor tried to hide his smile and amusement at Perkins as he gestured with a tilt of his head for them to follow.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
The Doctor, Lauren, Perkins and Moorhouse were back in Perkins workspace. They had watched the CCTV recording of the attack on the old woman Mrs Pitt on the computer screen; the Doctor timing the whole time. Mrs Pitt died in sixty six seconds fitting the myth. The lights flickered on both accounts just before the two people saw it. Moorhouse kindly reminded them nothing could stop it.
"That makes us feel loads better!" Lauren said sarcastically to him.
A while later and after more discussions and analysis of the situation Moorhouse and Perkins had eventually drifted off into sleep. It was well into night time. Lauren was tired and almost asleep herself. But every time she was almost drifting off she suddenly jerked awake; images of a mummy and people who could be saved dropping dead. She thinks she's in the middle of developing a headache. Lauren massaged her sore head and ignored her protesting stomach that wanted food.
Lauren just wanted to enjoy the adventure and mysteries like she did while watching the show but guilt was starting to creep up on her. Having the power to stop things but knowing you can't. Is this how the Doctor feels from time to time? Lauren lazily looked over to the only other person awake in the room.
The Doctor was seemingly wide awake and pacing; the expression on his face showed he was running through millions of calculations, questions, answers, scenarios, within his mind each second. Every now and then his gaze flicked in her direction and as more minutes passed Lauren realized she could feel him staring intently at her; only realizing now that he had stopped pacing too.
Lauren could tell he was brooding over something.
"What?" Lauren asked, well more accurately, yawned at him.
"Still not asleep I see," the Doctor said.
"Woah, keen observation there Doctor," Lauren drawled.
"Grumpy, likely side effect of not having sleep yet," the Doctor said in the same neutral tone as before.
Lauren rolled her eyes. "I may be currently a grump over lack of getting to sleep but I'm not the one brooding," she said.
The Doctor didn't reply.
"So what are you brooding about?" Lauren asked.
The Doctor didn't reply again and after a few minutes Lauren didn't think he would until, "Mummy on the Orient Express," he phrased.
"Sounds like an excellent book title when you say it like that," Lauren remarked. "A detective book," she added. "I would read it."
"You would?" The Doctor asked though he didn't seem really interested in her answer. Lauren hummed a yes. The Doctor continued to watch her silently.
Lauren had tried to fall sleep to no avail, the dress was uncomfortable so she absentmindedly looked through the papers on the desk before shifting in her seat as the Doctor's constant staring was unnerving her.
"OK. What is it?" Lauren demanded, voice raised slightly as she turned in her chair to face him. Moorhouse and Perkins slept peacefully on.
"You." The Doctor stated bluntly.
"Me? What have I done?"
"I wonder," the Doctor said looking down at his hands fiddling with that ring he had taken to wearing in this body of his.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"There's a mummy monster that if you see it, it kills you in sixty six seconds," the Doctor said instead of answering her.
"Yes. I've noticed," said Lauren really wishing he'd get to the point and tell her what his problem was or what has she apparently done wrong.
"And that's not even the strangest thing. Do you know what is?" The Doctor asked staring hard at her.
Lauren shook her head.
"You knew about it, or at the very least something of it. But either way you shouldn't of."
Lauren froze in her chair. Her heart started beating quicker and dread filled her stomach. "What?" she squeaked. "What are you talking about?"
"'Mummy on the Orient Express'" He said again, "That's what you said when you were sick." The Doctor paced around again, "The space one, you remarked when I asked you about it, then just before you passed out you said sixty six seconds," he pointed at her, "I thought it was complete gibberish."
Lauren's heart skipped a beat.
Shit! No, no, no Doctor please don't do this! Lauren begged. She hadn't realized she had said anything to him, she couldn't even remember most of what happened during that time. This was too soon for him to work things out – she isn't ready. She just wants his friendship not all this distrust.
The Doctor continued, "I thought it meant absolutely nothing, until we're chasing a mummy on the Orient Express in space that, as we've just discovered kills you in sixty six seconds. Coincidence?"
What unnerved Lauren the most was the way he kept his voice low and steady; he wasn't shouting at her or demanding, he was keeping calm yet there was a storm was behind his eyes. She looked away from him.
"I was sick! I didn't know what I was saying, it really could be all gibberish. You can't assume I know anything from a few words I said when I was fighting an alien fever, making me say some random words or phrases. Hell I don't even remember any of it," Lauren tried to keep her cool yet she was breaking already.
Moorhouse and Perkins stirred but thankfully didn't wake up.
Lauren just wanted some rest and now the Doctor has decided to question her and threatening to uncover her secret.
"Listen!" Lauren said firmly. "Even if you see it as a coincidence or more this is not the time to discuss it. Let's just work on solving this whole thing and talk afterwards but just get off my back please!" Lauren pleaded. She was going to have an emotional breakdown if he wasn't going to let this go. Lauren rested her head in her hands trying to prevent the tears caused by stress.
Silence fell. The Doctor realized he could be jumping to conclusions and this really wasn't the best time to interrogate her. He didn't mean to do it now, but the whole thing was bugging him, what she said and how their current adventure was matching up to it.
"Never ignore a coincidence. Unless you're busy, in which case always ignore a coincidence," the Doctor whispered the familiar words from his past self.
Lauren laughed softy feeling some relief wash over her. "Wise words," she mumbled.
"Get some sleep," he said finally. "We have a mummy to stop."
Lauren smiled thankful that he was dropping the subject for now. She fell asleep more quickly this time.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
The next thing Lauren was aware of was being shoved awake.
"Wha -?" She grumbled.
"Wake up!" the Doctor said shaking her lightly. "Daphne is trapped." He said.
Lauren jerked awake and Perkins and Moorhouse seemed to be waking up themselves with the Doctor's shouting.
"Daphne?" Lauren asked confused.
"Otherwise known as Clara," the Doctor explained before dashing out the door. Lauren jogged to catch up.
"Oh I get it! Daphne is the one who always gets trapped or kidnapped and Clara is currently trapped," Lauren smiled in amusement. He wasn't letting the Scooby Doo reference thing go.
Lauren was happy to note it seemed the Doctor had put their whole debate behind them for the time being.
They reached the baggage car where the TARDIS was parked. Clara was trapped behind the door on the opposite side. The Doctor banged on the door calling her, phone to his ear communicating with her.
Lauren tried to push against it while the Doctor tried to sonic the panel open but instead he got shocked.
"Ow," the Doctor waved his shocked fingers. He bent down to be eye level with the panel. "Computer, can you open the door, please?" he requested politely.
'Call me Gus. I'm afraid this door can only be opened by executive order.' The sickly cheerful robotic voice of Gus said, the ting sounded off the panel as the image changed to a thumb's down.
"Oh forget it," the Doctor scoffed as he tried to use the sonic screwdriver to no avail. It's buzzing screeches and stutters on and off as the glow it emits flickers before stopping. "Oh, now the sonic screwdriver's not working," he grumbled into the phone to Clara. "…I don't know. Some sort of a suppression field, I would guess. And it has to be a guess because, as I say, the stupid sonic screwdriver's not working. What are you even doing in there?"
Clara responded, Lauren could just hear her over the phone. The Doctor stopped at her answer, "What, was I supposed to waken you up? Drag you out of bed because I had a hunch? I thought you didn't want to do this anymore?"
"Guys, this is not the time to have a domestic," Lauren butted in loud enough for Clara to hear.
Clara spoke louder on the phone but seemed to want to keep her voice down, "I think we might not be alone in here. There's a sarcophagus," She said frantically.
"Is it in there?" the Doctor whispered.
The sarcophagus started to open, lights flashing from red to green, the air hissed as it escaped. The lights flickered around the Doctor and Lauren. The Doctor turned around in alarm. "Clara, it's coming," he began working frantically on the lock. The sarcophagus turned out to be empty.
"Doctor, Lauren, move away from the door," Quell had appeared with two of his armed guards pointing their guns at them.
"Our friend's inside," the Doctor said.
"Then they're in trouble too. I spoke to Head Office. There are no mystery shoppers. You two are not even on the passenger list," Quell and his guards proceeded to handcuff the both of them dragging them out of the baggage car. "We have to mark you down for this!" Lauren grumbled.
"Oh come on, Captain. How many people have to die before you stop looking the other way?" the Doctor growled as they were shoved into the lounge.
"GET BACK! STAY BACK!" A guard was shouting hysterically firing his gun at something only he could see, backing away as he did. Glass smashed to pieces as a bullet shot through it. The surrounding passengers screamed and tried to duck to cover as he fired more shots.
Quell immediately approached the guard, "What do you think you're doing, man?" He shouted.
The guard was begging, almost crying, his back had hit the chair behind him and he fell over it, "Please, please! Stop! No."
Lauren tried to make a move but she was handcuffed and the guard behind her held her back. The Doctor also saw her attempt to move and immediately put his arms out in front of her, well as best he could with his hands handcuffed together, with a look that said 'you can't do anything' as he saw how distressed his companion was.
The guard suddenly fell back, motionless. Dead. A doctor came and checked for a pulse and shook his head.
"It turns out it's three," Quell said turning to them. "The amount of people that had to die before I stopped looking the other way."
The Doctor and Lauren were released from their handcuffs. The Doctor turned to Lauren, "Are you okay?" He asks his distressed looking companion.
"No," Lauren whispered rubbing her sore head feeling the headache growing. You're wrong Doctor, she thought, I could do something, anything, even you're suspicious of what I may know, you know I'm hiding something.
"Same as the others?" Perkins suddenly appeared by the Doctor's elbow before the Doctor could respond to Lauren.
The other guards carried their late colleague away. The Doctor was contemplating to himself before he had a realization over their current situation.
"Ladies and gentlemen, could I have a moment of your time, please?" The Doctor called to everyone in the room, he stood in the centre looking at all the passengers around him. "There's a monster on this train that can only be seen by those about to die. If you do see it, you will have exactly sixty six seconds left in which to live. But that isn't even the strangest thing. Do you know what is?" He asks turning 360 degrees, "You," he answers for them, arm raised pointing to everyone. "The passengers. Experts in alien biology, mythology, physics. If I was putting together a team to analyse this thing, I'd pick you. And I think somebody has. Someone of immense power and influence has orchestrated this whole trip. Someone who I have no doubt is listening to us right now."
The train suddenly slows, the engines screech as the whole thing lurched forward before stopping to a sudden halt; the train now drifted helplessly. Alone in deep space.
"So, are you going to step out from behind the curtain and give us our orders?" the Doctor asked eyes darting around him.
"The engines. They've stopped." Perkins said looking up at the ceiling.
Then everything disappeared in a blur. The décor of the railway carriage is suddenly replaced and they are now surrounded by a high tech futuristic laboratory. Because what use were scientists without a lab the Doctor had remarked. As soon as this happened, a number of passengers disappeared as if they were teleported.
"No. Hard light holograms," the Doctor explained. "They were never really here. Fake passengers to make up the numbers."
Quell looks in confusion at the guard that disappeared beside him, "That was my best guard."
"You need better guards then," Lauren commented.
There was a ting sound as the thumbs up icon on a monitor is replaced by a monocle. Gus speaks:
'Good morning, everyone. Around the room you will find a variety of scientific equipment. Your goal is to ascertain the Foretold's true nature, probe for weaknesses with a view to capture, after which we will reverse engineer its abilities. Isn't this exciting?'
"Shut up Gus!" Lauren shouted, her irritation at the mysterious person Gus was becoming more prominent.
The Doctor stepped in quickly, "You said capture, implying that you can't control this thing. And yet somehow you got it on board. How?" He sent a questioning glance at Lauren.
Gus highlighted the ancient scroll hung for them to see. The Foretold appears where ever the scroll is. Quell tried to throw the ancient scroll out, the Doctor and Lauren tried to stop him but it was too late, Quell immediately received an electric shock that sent him to the ground.
And they couldn't refuse to work otherwise they would all just die by the Foretold.
"But even if they agree to this, how are they supposed to study a creature that they can't even see? We don't even know what the species is," the Doctor argued to Gus.
The lights suddenly flickered. Lauren eyes went wide in horror as she turned to Moorhouse, realizing he was next.
"I'm sorry," Lauren whispered to him. She really was, truly sorry.
Moorhouse looked at her in confusion, Lauren didn't expect him to hear her, until he saw the mummy. He tried to remain calm as he estimated its height. He was doing a good job of remaining calm so far as the Doctor pumped him for details. The Doctor fired question after question, Moorhouse did his best to describe the monster as it lurched towards him. Counting down to his death. The Doctor was detached, uncaring or rather insensitive in revealing that he couldn't save him, this was the end for him so he better make it count. It was a good thing Clara didn't see this part of the Doctor's behaviour.
Lauren internally debated with herself. Screaming in her head to save him, but at what cost? Revealing her secret to the Doctor, changing the overall plot of the episode and what other unforeseen costs? Lauren was consumed by guilt and grief, she wanted to save him and the others, but her instincts told her not to.
You can't save everyone
Lauren turned away as Moorhouse gasps and slumps down the wall he had backed against. Dead.
'We apologise for any distress you may have just experienced. Grief counselling is available on request. On the bright side, I'm sure you've all collected a lot of data. Well done, everyone!' Gus spoke cheerfully.
"You're a coward Gus. Getting others to collect your data. Nothing but a sinking coward!" Lauren yelled.
'The coward survives as they say, you will mostly likely not,' Gus replied threateningly under that cheerful tone.
The Doctor quickly ushers everyone to get to work and put on lab coats. He then walked over to Lauren taking hold of her arm and bringing her to the side away from others.
"Look. I know this all might be a bit distressing but you need to focus. Don't let your emotions get in the way," the Doctor spoke in a low voice. "Chin up shoulders back."
"Yes, well. We all can't be Mr. Personal Detachment, can we?" Lauren grumbled unable to control her emotions now it seemed, her head was pounding as she turned and walked away from him. Bare feet padding along the floor.
The Doctor watched her go, debating to himself. He wondered what was going on inside her head, how many secrets? There was something nagging him, she was hiding something whether it was about what was happening around them or something more. But the Doctor couldn't help the feeling he had forgotten something. Something important.
A short while later the Doctor's phone rings. "Clara Oswald." The Doctor answered. Clara went over papers that she and Maisie found that contained perhaps some useful information. Maybe a clue.
'Please terminate your call and return to work.' Gus ordered.
Lauren tugged on the Doctor's sleeve getting his attention. "Doctor do as he says." she whispered.
The Doctor looked down at her, half listening to her, half listening to what Clara was telling him on the other side. "So, we're not the first." The Doctor said to Clara. He chose to ignore both Gus and Lauren in favour of the information Clara was providing him.
'Please terminate your call and return to work.' Gus said again more sharply.
The Doctor batted his free hand at Lauren as she tried to get the phone off him. He pressed it more firmly to his ear trying to concreate while fumbling to grasp Lauren's hands to stop her.
'Please terminate the call and return to work.' Gus said for the final time.
"I think you should do as it says," Quell said to the Doctor looking at the window. Lauren stopped and looked out in horror. The Doctor caught their gaze and saw the bodies of the catering staff and equipment floating outside in the vacuum of space.
"I told you to listen!" Lauren hissed at him.
Lauren saw the regret in the Doctor's eyes. He looked down at her, sorry. "Clara, I have to go." He said quietly, hanging up the phone. The regret and fury in his face was quickly masked by his usual stoic façade. He worked best that way. No more distractions, on with work, he would not dwell on what happened, guilt couldn't interfere.
'I'm sorry. I know that that must have been distressing for you. But if you are disobedient again, I will decompress another area containing less valuable passengers.'
"Less valuable passengers?" Lauren said in disgust. How dare Gus to decide who was less valuable.
The Doctor looked at Lauren with a sudden realization, a light bulb moment. "Less valuable passengers?" He echoed her. Lauren nodded. "How does it choose?" He asked.
"Well, I'm assuming qualifications – " Perkins began.
"No, no, no. Not the computer, the Foretold." The Doctor clarified. "How does it choose who to kill? We've assumed it's random. What if it's not? I want full histories on all the victims. Medical, social, personal."
'Well done,' Gus cheered.
"Don't mention it." Said the Doctor.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
The Doctor and Perkins we're studying his tablet intently as they read over the data trying to make connections. What did the victims have in common? What made them targets? Perkins sighed in defeat seeing no obvious connection.
"Mrs Pitt was very old and the weakest on board," Lauren called over, "Her health was declining." Lauren hinted at them to get the Doctor to figure it out quicker. He took the hint.
"Health? Of course, she was over a hundred years old. The frailest passenger on board," the Doctor gathered.
Perkins tried to argue otherwise that the chef was young and fit but Quell, who had been quiet for a while, standing staring at his feet confessed the chef was ill. A rare blood disorder that wasn't contagious but kept quiet because he worked with food the Doctor concluded. Quell explained the guard had synthetic lungs. Perkins got Moorhouse's medical records on his tablet. He was physically fine but suffered from regular panic attacks.
"It's picking off the weakest first. Sensing the illness somehow. The fake organs, even psychological issues. But this is good news, because it means we can work out who is next. I want the medical records of everybody alive who is still on board. If anyone's had as much as a cold, I want to know about it." The Doctor ordered to Perkins, then swiftly pulled Lauren off to the side again.
Lauren protested until he took out his sonic screwdriver aiming it at her. "What are you doing?" Lauren asked confused as the sonic buzzed.
"You got sick remember? Alien fever, you've only just recovered but traces can still be found in your weakened immune system, it would be able to sense that, which makes you vulnerable," the Doctor looked at her, he was worried, and now Lauren was worried.
Of course the creature would be able to sense if someone just recovered from anything from a cold Lauren understood now, If anyone's had as much as a cold I want to know about it. How did she not realize this sooner?
"You're, err, also a mess of chemicals," he said gazing at the readings then back at her wide eyes. They were stressed, tormented, she looked to have a headache. The Doctor mentally smacked himself, the more emotional torment she was going through, the creature could also potentially sense – psychological issues. He hoped the fact that she was young played an advantage in her not being picked so far, and hopefully not next.
She could be next though, the Doctor thought. Lauren saw he was slightly scared. Even she was now, even if she knew the word to save yourself.
"So, am I next then?" Lauren whispered feeling slight dread in her stomach.
The Doctor refused to say or even suggest it. He remained silent but still held eye contact. He wasn't going to lose a companion. Not now.
Quell came up behind the Doctor. "You really think it can sense psychological issues?" he asked him.
The Doctor held his gaze to Lauren a moment longer before turning to Quell. "It seems so. Why?"
Quell explained his PTSD, his nightmares and reliance on sleeping pills. The Doctor glanced back to Lauren. Maybe she might not be next he thought hopefully, there could still be time for her. Quell's PTSD was a serious condition that put him in a more vulnerable state than Lauren.
"Which means that you are probably next. Which is good to know," the Doctor said relieved it was likely not going to be Lauren.
Quell on the other hand was far from relieved. "Well, not for me," he said angrily.
"Well, of course not for you, because you're going to die. But I mean for us, from a research point of view." The Doctor walked near to Perkins.
Quell snapped. "You know, for a doctor, your bedside manner – "
The lights flickered. The mummy appears for Quell. Perkins starts the clock. Quell draws his gun to the protests of the Doctor and the rest of the passengers looking nervously on. He shoots hitting a flask. The Doctor places himself in front of where Quell described the mummy was, it went through him according to Quell. Perkins clarified it wasn't a hologram. When Quell moved it teleported to behind him. At twenty seconds left Quell came to terms with his death. He thanked the Doctor much to his confusion before describing the mummy's hands reaching for his head. Quell let out a gasp of pain, dropping dead on the floor.
"I'm so sorry," Lauren whispered, feeling tears in her eyes. Part of her did hope she could have been next, then Quell didn't have to die. She was crying silently but she didn't care if everyone seen it. She failed to save no one because she was scared of the consequences. She felt like the worse person in the world at this moment. She wanted to curl up and cry her eyes out. She wanted the rest of the world to disappear but she heard the Doctor continue on.
The Doctor immediately began to speculate on the teleporter. Teleporter meant tech. Sixty six seconds were too specific. But what for? The Doctor rambled aloud his thoughts and questions. Perkins interrupted him wanting a minute to mourn Quell. The Doctor wouldn't allow it. They couldn't mourn he said, they didn't have time.
"Everybody, what takes sixty six seconds to charge up, or to change state? Anyone?" the Doctor asked exasperated at the lack of answer.
He looked to Lauren briefly, she lowered her gaze. That wasn't an answer she was meant to know. "Am I surrounded by idiots?" He shouted. "If only I could see this thing!"
"Don't even joke about that," Perkins warned him.
"I'm not joking about it. One minute with me and this thing, it would be over!" the Doctor shouted at him.
"You know, Doctor, I can't tell if you're a genius or just incredibly arrogant."
"Well, ah, on a good day, I'm both." The Doctor was hit with a thought. He pointed at Perkins. "Ancient tech," he breathed. "This thing has been around for centuries. How? Tech that keeps it alive. Tech that drains energy from the living." He clapped his hands together, "Scanner." He ordered.
The Doctor scanned Quell's body throwing the thing back to Perkins. He was leached of almost all his energy on a cellular level. The Doctor still couldn't work out what took sixty six seconds to charge until Perkins suggested Phase. Phase that was it the Doctor now understood. But still didn't answer of why it was doing all of this and what it was.
"Doctor," Perkins said quietly, he handed him the tablet.
The Doctor looked at it. There was a moment were his facial expression was completely unreadable to Lauren. "So who's next?" She asked wiping her eyes, she was expecting it to be Maisie. The Doctor glanced up from the screen and back to the readings.
When Lauren moved to take a look at the screen the Doctor quickly held the tablet to his chest. He smiled at her.
Uh oh. Lauren thought. He's smiling trying to be reassuring.
"It's Maisie," the Doctor said.
"Then let me look at the screen," Lauren said calmly.
The Doctor couldn't look her in the eye. Lauren was next. Well, the readings showed either her or Maisie, but the computer summarised Lauren was most likely to be first, then Maisie. Great time to have a breakdown Lauren he thought sarcastically, great time for your immune system to be weak. But that wasn't her fault.
"Doctor just tell me, I know it's me," Lauren said remaining calm still.
"It's Maisie," the Doctor spat, then paused before restraining himself.
"Is it?" Lauren sighed.
The Doctor couldn't understand why she was so calm now, despite her watery eyes, after all her distress and now she's calm?! Regardless if Lauren was next Maisie needed to be brought here. And he secretly hoped it would be her instead of Lauren. He wasn't going to lose a companion, friend, and Clara would kill him unless they all died by the hands of the Foretold before she could.
The Doctor phoned Clara and tried to convince her to bring Maisie here. He refused to believe in the simulations currently running that provided a clearer result that Lauren was next. The Doctor harshly told Clara to lie to Maisie and just get her here. The Doctor threw the phone down and walked away from everyone.
Gus opened the door to let Clara and Maisie in. Maisie introduced herself to everyone.
"Good for you," the Doctor mumbled, pushing her forward bringing her to stand beside Lauren.
"We passed the TARDIS on the way here. Thought about getting inside, hiding, pulling the levers and hoping for the best. But we couldn't even get in. There was a forcefield around it," Clara said walking behind the Doctor.
The Doctor was scanning Maisie, circling around her, he then did the same with Lauren, pointing the device at her head and circled around her too. "It's probably Gus trying to block our escape route," he explained.
Clara came up to him, "But how does he even know what it is? Cos if he knows what it is, then he knows what you are."
The Doctor stopped the scan and looked hesitate to answer her. He leaned against the counter. "Well, he has tried to entice me here before," he confessed. "Free tickets, mysterious summons, he even phoned the TARDIS number. You know how difficult a number – "
Clara came right up to his face, "You knew," she said angrily. "You knew this was no relaxing break. You knew this was dangerous."
The Doctor rolled his eyes and tried to reason with her, "I didn't know. I certainly hoped," he added.
"Okay, this. You see, this. This is why I'm leaving you," Clara hissed. "Because you lied. You lied to me again. And now you've made me lie. You've made me your accomplice," Clara looked horrified at the thought.
"Doctor," Lauren warned him.
"What? Sorry? When did you lie? Clara?" Maisie asked nervously, fidgeting.
Lauren stepped between the Doctor and Clara. "Doctor! Tell Clara the truth right now. It's me."
Clara looked between Lauren and the Doctor. The Doctor looked upset and angry at himself. "What's going on?" Clara demanded.
The Doctor lowered his glaze and Lauren sighed. She turned to Clara and Maisie. "It was between me and Maisie but now it's confirmed I'm next, not Maisie. The Doctor wanted to bring Maisie out just in case."
Clara couldn't believe it. Lauren was next to die. And the Doctor lied about it and made her bring Maisie here, making Clara believe it was her because the Doctor wanted it to be Maisie instead of Lauren.
Clara eyes went wide in shock and horror and rage. "How could you lie about something like that?!" Clara shouted at him. She raised her hands to her head in despair. "How could you even do that?" Clara cried wanting to hitting him so badly he would regenerate. She didn't want her friend to die but how could he hope it would target and kill someone else?
"Clara – " Lauren tried.
"How could you do that to me? How could you not tell me the truth? But most importantly how could you do that to Lauren and Maisie?"
"Clara," Lauren took hold of Clara's hand.
"Oh my Lauren," Clara said bring her into a hug instead. If Clara were to squeeze her any tighter she might have to worry about being squeezed to death rather than the mummy. "Doctor tell me you can save her!" Clara demanded him still clutching Lauren.
"Clara, it's okay – " Lauren tried to reason, she knew she would be alright, of course they didn't know, but – Lauren couldn't help the gasp that escaped her lips as the lights flickered and she saw the mummy.
The Mummy growled, arm reaching for her. It was beyond terrifying, seeing it for real. Lauren was thankful she was holding onto Clara for support. Knowing what happens didn't mean she wasn't scared.
The Doctor grabbed the scanner and darted forward, Clara let go of Lauren.
"Do we start the clock?" Perkins asked.
"Not yet," the Doctor said determinedly standing in front of Lauren pointing the scanner in her face.
"Focus. Focus. Focus! All of that is your grief, your stress, your pain, your fear, your resentment. And now," the Doctor put the scanner to his own head and zapped himself.
"Ah!" He gasped, screwing his eyes shut as the shock went through his head, and he stumbled backwards. "It's mine."