Outside, the storm settled in the area, lighting bleeding through the windows, thunder rattling the frame of the mansion, wind slamming into the sides of the mansion as they blow through, the energy from this storm's buzzing in Theodore's ears, like exposed wiring, sparks flying.
Still chaotic and uneven, sometimes the energy's strong enough for him to use, but it falters too quickly, that he can't trust it, and his father always told him not to force a rift open.
It wasn't wise to force a rift open in a universe with unstable energy, even if Theodore thinks he had enough time to make one and use it before it closes from the instability.
Even using existing tears wasn't ideal, they'll easily collapse due to the instability and Theodore couldn't always rely on his abilities to keep them open long enough, either.
Universes are fickle in nature, after all.
Problem's that this one's fickle nature made it difficult to use his father's pocket watch, while Theodore didn't have problems using it, before, the nature of the storms caused interference.
Always one of those things!
Fortunately, none of the servants were out and about at this hour, allowing him to walk through the mansion with relative ease, the storm outside providing him light, as he'd given Lila his Sonic Screwdriver.
Checked everywhere he could, even the library, but Harold wasn't there, he couldn't have taken the secret passage in the fireplace, not while holding Grace.
There weren't any other hidden passages in the library he could've taken, that Theodore suspected that he went up to the first floor with Grace, rather than risk someone seeing him.
He's about to head up to the first floor, wanting to check the rooms Harold forbid them from entering, because why of course, he must, when someone tells you not to go somewhere, it's somewhere you must go, it's scientifically proven, as his father once told him.
As his foot touched the first step, Theodore heard the booming thunder echoing throughout the mansion.
The servants wouldn't come to the first floor unless explicitly asked by Harold, so Theodore didn't worry about one catching him, as he stealthily walked, mindful of his steps, timing them well, watching for Harold, instead.
His icy blue eyes moving, Theodore didn't see any movement, as he moved along the elegant rug draped through the first floor, he's jolted when he hears the door beside him unlocking on its own.
He jumped to the side, his back pressed against the wall, waiting for someone to step out, but no one did, and he wouldn't move for a minute, until he heard… tapping.
Tapping coming from the door, low, towards the ground.
It's subtle, but Theodore hears Morse code.
DOOR. OPEN. COME.
His brow furrowed, Theodore went to the door he avoided, and opened it.
Briefly, the room's engulfed by a bright flash of lighting, nearly blinded Theodore, as he recoiled, covering his eyes.
When the flash dissipated, Theodore lowered his hand, and he's greeted by a darkened room.
More tapping.
FOLLOW. FOLLOW.
In horror movies, people who follow this end up dead or worse, but for Theodore, he didn't have much of a choice.
Against all reasons, Theodore went into that room, he couldn't tell what it was, but it wasn't possible for him to turn back, the door behind him closed.
Sharply, he turned around and reached out to grab the knob, but it's locked, and in the darkness, he couldn't unlock it, Time Lords don't have night vision.
FOLLOW. FOLLOW. FOLLOW!
He heard the rapid tapping coming from behind him.
Terse, this.
It caught up to him, that Theodore realized this must've been the individual trying to communicate with him when they were assaulted by the books.
He couldn't ask any questions, because the tapping grew insistent, and Theodore hesitantly heeded the tapping, as it's guiding him to the wall on the left.
Carefully, Theodore's following the tapping, until he felt the top of his loafer pressing against a bookcase.
The tapping shifted to the side of the book case, above him, when he looked up, he heard a book sliding out of its spot on the shelf, the bookcase opening before him.
When the next lighting hit, Theodore sees a passage behind the bookcase, but not who tapped.
Low rumbling of thunder echoed in the distance, as Theodore forced himself through the passage.
The brickwork muffled the thunder as he walked into the darkness, finding the path, not knowing where he's going, except that he's led by the tapping noises.
FOLLOW. FOLLOW.
There are scratching noises, like what he and Lila heard the other day.
Harkening back to what he knew, not only did they hear it, Professor May and Uncle Irvine heard it, as well.
It's no coincidence and Theodore thinks he's getting his answers sooner than he thinks, the way he's being led through the passages in the darkness, hearing the Morse tapping.
On his mind, Theodore began going through what they've experienced and learnt.
Uncle Irvine heard the same noises and Theodore suspected that Uncle Irvine's nature drew him into investigating the scratching noises on his own, but ran afoul with Harold Thornton the Second.
The Second didn't want him telling anyone what he found and given what they learnt about Uncle Irvine from Arthur, he didn't sound like a man who'd turn a blind eye easily.
Theodore theorized that the Second attempted to reason with Uncle Irvine, but the stubborn academic man wouldn't budge, whatever he saw, something too great for him to overlook.
In his haste, the Second killed him or immobilized him, with the hidden walls, easily escaped into the deeper parts of the mansion without anyone knowing.
With knowledge of the mansion, the Second easily kept authorities from discovering the hidden walls and deeper parts of the mansion.
Enough hiding places, no one would know.
There's no question that they'll be lucky to find Uncle Irvine's school pin, it's been decades, and while underground's capable of preserving bodies, Harold Thornton the Second's not taking chances of someone discovering so much as a finger bone.
On the matter what Uncle Irvine found, that remains a mystery, but he cannot rule out anything.
The tapping continued, Theodore followed it, it even told him when there's sudden drops, due to the even ground, and when the tapping finally stopped, Theodore found he's behind a wall.
It's subtle, but he heard noises, and with a gentle push of his finger, a strong odor hit his nose, the astringent smell of paints.
"No, officer, I'm not sure what happened," he heard Harold muttering to himself as he sat on the chair, deep in thought, as he's reciting what he'll tell authorities. "I saw him at dinner, I went up to my room. I bid her goodnight on the way up the stairs. No, officer, I'm not sure. I think she left. Hm."
Why on earth is he rec—Douglas.
Harold alluded to someone when he argued with Grace, Theodore thought he meant Arthur, but it wasn't him.
The only other person that would have reasons to speak with the servant's Douglas.
Harold's going to lie about what happened to Grace the same way his father lied to Arthur.
"Lee?" Theodore telepathically called out to her.
For a moment, she didn't answer him, and when she did, she went, "What in the hell's going on, here?"
She told him what'd happen, didn't know what happen to Hammond and Grace, but Hammond has the Sonic Screwdriver, whatever attacked her's got the knife.
"I think I know where they might be," Theodore realizes as his icy blue eyes slowly moved around, before catching a faint sight of glowing eyes peering back at him.
He couldn't react, because he heard Harold stand up, after retrieving his handgun from a drawer, causing him to jolt as he panicked, but heard the tapping noises.
COME. FOLLOW. HURRY!
Glowing eyes aside, Theodore's not going to look a gift horse in the eyes!
He followed the tapping as he heard the secret passage open, already Theodore knew what Harold's going to do, and he warned Lila that he's coming, but she says that she and Douglas can't find their way out of the hidden lab.
The only door leading out's blocked off and they found a sealed doorway in a tunnel leading up to what Douglas says is the garden.
"Al!" Theodore panicked.
He heard back a singsong, "In the flesh, baby!"
Theodore immediately tells him what's happening and Al says, "Don't worry, your refreshed machine's on his way!"
He's going to retrieve the two and asks what Theodore's going to do, which Theodore summed, "What I do best, Al."
The tapping led Theodore around the corner, but it suddenly stopped.
A panicked scratching noise echoed through the tunnels until it ceased, disappearing, leaving Theodore in the darkness, alone.
"Well, well, my mouse problems have exacerbated these last few nights, hasn't it?" Theodore heard someone behind him, when he turned, all he saw before he felt the gun slam into the side of his head, were brightly glowing eyes.