My eyes widened in horror, "Now, hold on! Wait a minute! Listen", the Doctor said quickly.
"Why", the Chief asked, "Because, believe it or not, we are not husband and wife, and I'm not the Great Architect. My name's the Doctor and this is Acacia", the Doctor introduced us, as he gestured between himself and I.
"Oh? The Doctor and Acacia, now is it? He, always the artful one, the Great Architect; even nicknaming his "wife" after a tree", the Chief said mockingly, "Make the preparations will you Deputy", the Chief ordered.
"Very good Chief", the Deputy said, "Is that it", I asked angrily, "What", asked the Deputy.
"What she mean's is? You cannot condemn us without a trial, without evidence, or proof? We don't even know who the Great Architect is. Do we", the Doctor asked me nervously.
"No", I stated, but they ignored us, and I was on the verge of tears…we were going to be killed for what?! For being mistaken for some the "Great Architect" and his wife? What did they ever do to them? I was so angry and upset, that they weren't even listening to our testimony. The Doctor held my hand comfortingly as I tried to calm down.
"The 327 appendix 3 sub-section 9 death, I think", the Chief told us, "Very good Chief", the Deputy said.
"Alert, Alert", said a man over the speaker on the Chief's desk, "Yes, what is it", asked the Chief after picking up the phone.
"Oh, dear…that would happen just now…the poor man. What now? Yes, alright, alright…There's no need to quote the rule book back to me. I'm on my way", the Chief said into the phone, before hanging up.
"Something the matter", the Doctor asked curiously, "Nothing that isn't under control. Thank you, Great Architect", the Chief told him.
"One of your own was harmed, wasn't he", I asked, the Chief stared at me as the Doctor looked over in surprise.
"How could you possibly know that? Did you have something to do with it", the Chief asked, "No, but that is what you were talking about…wasn't it", I asked, wanting confirmation.
"…An unfortunate accident has happened to one of our Care-Takers…yes. I am required to go and investigate it. Your execution will be postponed until I return and in the mean-time, you will be held here until I return. Make sure to guard them with your lives, do you understand", the Chief asked his Deputy.
"Yes Chief", the Deputy replied, before the Chief walked out and once he was gone, the Deputy ordered us to sit down. So, we did as I glared at the man.
"You know what puzzles me most", the Doctor asked me, "The Cleaners", I asked, "Exactly, the Cleaners that we had so much trouble with", the Doctor told me as he let go of my hand and then placed it under his chin.
"What about them", I asked, "Well, presumably they're part of the Sanitation Apartment of Paradise Towers…like the Care-Takers. Why should they attack them", the Doctor asked me.
"Maybe their sentient", I said, half joking, "I hope not, if their sentient, aware of what's going on around them, and attacking people…that would make them very dangerous", the Doctor whispered in a serious tone.
"And another thing", the Doctor loudly, "I don't know why you're so keen to kill the Great Architect. I thought you'd be delighted to have him here to put things right", the Doctor asked the two Care-Takers in the room.
The Doctor glanced at me and I got the hint, "Yeah…you know, it doesn't make any sense", I added, shaking my head, "No, it doesn't", the Doctor agreed.
Our guards ignored us, and the Doctor sighed, "I'd hate to have to live my life by some boring old rulebook like you do", the Doctor told them as he crossed his arms, "You must get fed up? Well, do you", the Doctor asked them.
"Doctor...", I whispered, "I'm trying to get a reaction", he whispered back. "No", replied the Deputy and my brows raised in surprise, it worked? The Doctor glanced over at me all smug, "Never", the Doctor asked him, "Never", the other man replied.
"I suppose how you guard us is in that rulebook", the Doctor asked, "Yes", the Deputy replied annoyed.
"May we have a look", I asked, "We are condemned after all", the Doctor added; the Deputy pulled out the Care-Takers rulebook, flipped through the pages, and read a passage before narrowing his brows.
"Yes…we can count that as your last request...for both of you. You're each entitled to one", the Deputy said before handing me the book, "Not a pretty way to go", he said amused, before I snatched it away, annoyed.
The Doctor tapped my shoulder and held out his hand for the rulebook. After I handed it to him, he opened the book and then began to laugh.
"How extraordinary…no, no, it can't be true", the Doctor said as I raised an eyebrow at him questioningly, "Just go with it", the Doctor told me telepathically. Then he showed me the book and pointed to a random passage.
"Oh dear", I said awkwardly as I played along, then both of our guards looked at us confused, "What is it", the Deputy asked.
"No, no it could be wrong", I told the Doctor, "Yes, just couldn't be possible", the Doctor added.
"If it's in there then it's true", the Deputy told us, "If you say so", the Doctor told him awkwardly, "But we really don't want to make a fool of you", I added.
"Read out loud what it says", the Deputy ordered, "Well, it says here about 327 appendix 3 subsection 9 death, it includes that after the condemned prisoner or prisoners have been guarded for…", the Doctor looked at his wrist watch, before continuing, "Thirty five minutes, you all must stand up", the Doctor told them.
"But, if we- ", "Yes, yes, I find it strange as well. We don't really expect you do it…but it is in there", the Doctor said, after cutting off the Deputy. The Care-Takers hesitated for a moment, before they finally stood; the Doctor and I glanced at each other, we couldn't believe this was working.
"The Care-Takers present must then move five paces away from the prisoner or prisoners", the Doctor told them boldly, they hesitated again before doing as the Doctor said.
"Close their eyes", the Doctor said as we started standing up, "Put their hands above their heads", the Doctor said as he moved closer to the Care-Taker.
He paused just as the Deputy glanced back with his eyes closed and my hearts dropped, "Is that really what it says", he questioned, and the Doctor couldn't answer since he was right behind the Care-Takers.
The Doctor looked back at me, "Yes, it does", I said as the Doctor nicked the key card off the Deputy and then quietly returned back to me, then he motioned for us to exit through the doors.
The Doctor placed a hand on my back as we moved towards the door as he grabbed his umbrella, "How long do we have to do this for", the Deputy asked, and we jumped just as he said this. We were relieved when we looked back to see that they were still in the same position.
"For about a minute and a half…you see that all they need", the Doctor told them as we quickly and quietly ran for the door.
"To do what", the Deputy asked, "Oh…you know", I said as the Doctor swiped the key card and opened the door, "To escape", I finished, before we exited and then closed the door behind us. We saw a glimpse of their faces before making our escape, then we ran down the stairs, and down the hallway as we called out for Mel.
As we ran down the hall in search of Mel, we examined the walls that were covered in graffiti which gave us some sort of a clue as to what was going on around here. Then we went to a phone where the Doctor took it off the machine to see if it was working, he sighed when it wasn't, and then slammed it down on the machine, and that's when a load of coins started pouring out which he filled his hat up with.
After examining one of the coins, the Doctor figured out that "The Great Architect" was Kroagnon, "Who's that", I asked, but before he could answer my question were suddenly surrounded by a group of Cleaners. We ran to the far side of the wall, then leaned against it, only to fall through a hologram, and onto the floor.
We groaned as we slowly stood to look around the room and found the room to be filled with Red Kang members, which took us by surprise.
"What are the odds of running into them again", I asked the Doctor, "Not that much", the Doctor replied.
"Welcome, Doctor and Acacia", we heard a voice say and then turned our heads to see Fire Escape, we sighed in relief, "What's happened?"
"We were…well…being chased by Cleaners and then we leaned against that wall over there", I told her as I pointed towards the wall where the Doctor and I fell through.
"Where you fell in", Fire escape answered, "Where's the other one", she asked us.
"We don't know", I told her, "Yes, and we are indeed glad to see you again, but we do need to get going", the Doctor said, before grabbing my hand. However, before we could make our exit, Bin Linear walked in front of us as she blocked the way.
"No way", she told us, "You two, stay here. We'll make sure it's safe", then Bin Linear walked away.
"I'm getting the impression we are not believed", the Doctor said, "Cleaners kill…you would not be here if you ran into them", Fire Escape told us.
"We escaped", the Doctor told us, "By blind luck", I added, "Yes…why don't you tell us about these Cleaners", the Doctor asked her, before Fire Escape turned her head as she was ignoring us.
"What is that matter with everyone", the Doctor exclaimed, "Fire Escape", I said, and her eyes looked at me, "The Cleaners are killing people and, yet nobody is doing anything about it.
"They're dangerous", she told me, "We know, we've seen them, and the Care-Takers are just like you…allowed themselves to be killed off and they've done nothing about, just because it's not in their precious rulebook", the Doctor said annoyed as he pulled out the Care-Takers book from his coat.
"So, their- ", "Yes, load of good it will do know", the Doctor told her as he placed the book back into his coat.
"There's a picture on the wall of a door with smoke coming out of it…what's that about", the Doctor asked, but they ignored him, "Just another mystery I see."
"Look, we just want to know what's going on", I told them, before Bin Linear returned, "Cleaners are gone, they've gone through the gas", she told us.
"Gas", I asked, "Thank goodness for that…if I were you, I'd find that door and discover what's behind it. Until you do, we are all at risk. We need to find Mel", the Doctor said.
"Agreed", I told him, then there was an alarm, and the rest of them scattered; Bin Linear looked through a make-shift telescope that reached through the ceiling.
"Care-Takers", she exclaimed, "Get away from us", Fire Escape yelled as she pointed her crossbow at us, "They brought them here…they intend for us all to be killed!"
"What?! That's ridiculous, we don't want you dead", I told her, "Lies", she sneered.
"No, you don't understand…the last thing we want is to see the Care-Takers. We're in just as much danger as you", the Doctor told them.
"They're getting closer", Bin Linear warned, "Please believe us, we have to work together", I said as the other Red Kang members used a metal door to seal the way out, so that the Care-Takers couldn't come in.
Fire Escape was silent, "She's right…the head of the Care-Taker's is off his rocker. If we don't stop the wipe outs, who will", the Doctor asked her
She looked confused, but lowered her crossbow, "Thank you", I said, "Now, is there a secret exit…a secret passage way", the Doctor asked as the Care-Takers used a blow-torch on the metal door.
"…We have an unseen exit, but- ", "But what", the Doctor asked, cutting off Bin Linear as she was walking towards us.
"The Care-Takers will get through before we could use it", Fire Escape answered, "So, you need time", I asked, and they nodded.
"I see…well, we will buy you that time…we are the reason why the Care-Takers are here. Now go, make your escape. Go", the Doctor ordered as they hesitated, before finally leaving through the hidden exit.
"You could go with them", the Doctor said, "I'm not leaving", I told him, he sighed but then smiled before the metal door flew across the room. We stood back as the Care-Takers entered the Red Kang's hide out as they look around suspiciously.
"Greetings", "Hello", the Doctor and I said at the same time as the Deputy came before us, "You seem surprised to see us, can't imagine why. It was us you came for, was it not", the Doctor asked.
"He doesn't seem happy to see us", I said as I was acting confused, "No, he does not", the Doctor said equally confused, but he wasn't acting. I glanced at him confused as the Deputy ordered his Care-Takers to, "Seize us", as he was annoyed. The Care-Takers did as they were ordered to do and grabbed us, holding our arms behind our backs.
"You two weren't alone before, were you", the Deputy asked us suspiciously, "As a matter of fact we were", the Doctor told, but the Deputy only smirked.
"You don't fool me Great Architect; she may be your wife…but why would she be down here with someone like you? Admit it, the Kangs were here", the Deputy told him, and I narrowed my brows angrily at the man.
"And why wouldn't I be? He is my husband after all and I'd rather be with him then with someone like you", I said the last part with a sneer as I continued to play along as if we were different people. Didn't stop the Doctor from looking at me surprised.
The Deputy looked angrily at me, "Take a look around yourselves and you'll see that there no Kangs. Go on, if you don't believe us", the Doctor told him, before the Doctor pulled me close, so we could get out of their way. When they were done, they concluded that there were indeed no Kangs in that room and they managed to not find the secret exit that was hidden behind a hologram.
The Deputy and the other Care-Takers dragged us back to the station where we saw the Chief, "Welcome back Great Architect and…his wife, I'm relieved that it you both and not my Deputy who will receive death. If it were only him, I would have to fill out an enormous amount of paperwork", the Chief told us amused.
"Chief", the Deputy called, "Yes", the Chief replied annoyed, "Chief as I was coming in I heard that other Care-Taker have disappeared- ", "I'm well aware of that", the Chief said as he interrupted him.
"But Chief…if this continues on with the Cleaners out of control, how many of us are going to be left", the Deputy asked, clearly concerned. The Chief narrowed his brows and then walked up to the Deputy dangerously.
"Deputy Care-Taker, by talking out of turn you have broken so many rules and regulations that it would take me hours just to innumerate them. Wait outside", the Chief ordered.
"Yes, Chief", the Deputy said as he left, giving back the Doctor's umbrella along the way. "The Chief needs to get his head out of his ass", I commented annoyed, "What did you say", the Chief asked me angrily.
It looked like he heard me, "So…there not allowed to question anything you say, just…you know…go along with your orders. Is that it", I asked.
"Yes", the Chief replied, "And I think it would be a good idea if we had one more final conversation before you die", he said, before dragging us both to an interrogation room and had us sit in a couple of chairs.
As we sat there, the Chief smiled creepily before finally flashing a bright lamp in our faces, "Are you the Great Architect and are you really married", the Chief asked, and the Doctor scoffed at that.
"You mean you're not certain anymore" the Doctor asked, "Oh, I shall have you both killed anyway, but it would be interesting to know", the chief told us cruelly.
"What makes you think that we are? Have you ever seen them", the Doctor asked, "He disappeared, just as Paradise Towers was being completed, under mysterious circumstances. Never to be seen again", the Chief told him.
"How odd", the Doctor commented, "Odd indeed for a being and his wife who shared what was apparently extravagant future plans, but I always knew in my bones they'd turn up one day. Start altering things just when I've got them the way that I wanted", the Chief told him.
"So, you think you could get away with it and continue as it's always been by killing us or them", I asked, "Yes", the Chief replied with that same creepy smile.
"Like everyone else, you seem too terrified to free up to the reality of what's happening in Paradise Towers", the Doctor told the Chief as we stood, "I mean killing us won't help you find out who's sending out those robotics out to kill people." The Doctor circled the Chief as he was saying that, until he stood to face the Doctor, and the Doctor just stood in front of his towering figure.
I walked over to the Doctor as he said, "And that's a problem that isn't going away", "Unless he's the one giving the orders himself…he could just stop it", I added, and the Chief looked at me offended.
"What a ridiculous idea", he told me, "Perhaps", the Doctor said and then gestured for the Chief to sit down, which he did.
"No doubt you've been allowing those robotics to kill off some of your people as well as the Kangs, for reasons that are beyond me, but then again I'm not a power crazed psychopath", the Doctor told the Chief trying to get a reaction, which he did.
"What did you say", the Chief yelled as he stood angrily, before he was being pushed to sit back down by the Doctor, "Look, you're going to kill us anyway, so you may as well make use of our intellect", the Doctor told him.
The Doctor sat across from him and I stayed standing up with my arms crossed, "What we also think what's happening, besides your activities. Is that your having everyone killed off without instructions from you and that's why you're worried. You have no idea who's doing it", the Doctor told the Chief and then flashed the same lamp into his face.
"Oh, don't I", the Chief sneered, "You don't have to pretend anymore, your face says it all", I told him, and the Chief glanced at me baffled, before the Deputy and other Care-Takers ran into the room.
"Report from 109 Chief! Two of the oldsters have apparently disappeared and it's believed they've gone down the XY3, standard issue waste disposal unit", the Deputy told the Chief who then stood.
"What", he exclaimed, "It's unheard of Chief! I should remind you that the under emergency regulation numbers-", "Alright, Alright! I better go and investigate this myself. Deputy, I leave you in charge. I don't need to remind you of the consequences of a second mistake", the Chief threatened.
"No, Chief", the Deputy said, and the Chief gave us a "Welcome to Paradise Towers", advertisement disk to watch before he left.
Then we heard someone come in and then a crash behind us, both the Doctor and I saw Bin Linear and Fire Escape tying up the Care-Takers.
"Are you alright", Bin Linear asked us after they were done, "Yeah", I replied, "How did you get in here", the Doctor asked.
"We tracked you, then we snuck in after the Chief left, knocked out the rest of these Care-Takers, and tied them up", Fire Escape told us.
"Well, we're glad to see you", I said as the Doctor ejected the disk and grabbed his umbrella, then we all snuck out and went back to the Red Kangs hide out.
"Glad to be back, but before we can do anything…we must view this disk that shows the illustrated prospectus", the Doctor told us as he dug through his pockets in search of it.
I shook my head, "It's in your right coat pocket, Doctor", I told him, he glanced at m before checking his right coat pocket, "Ah! Thank you, Acacia. Now, we just need a television and a disk player to play this", he told me as Bin Linear left and then came back. She was rolling a cart that carried a small T.V. and some sort of D.V.D. player set up.
"It's all ready", she told us, before the Doctor placed the disk in and then we skipped to the part where they showed a map for the entirety of Paradise Towers. It specifically said that Paradise Towers was built by Kroagnan, who was the real "Great Architect." Then the video started listing off the things that he had built including Miracle City, which the Doctor exclaimed.
"Doctor who was Kroagnan and what's so important about Miracle City", I asked, "A brilliant architect and Miracle City was his master piece, only…he refused to move out and let anybody move in", the Doctor replied before taking out the disk and gave it to Bin Linear.
"He thought that people would destroy the beauty of his work", the Doctor said, "So, what happened", I asked, "They got him, only those who dared to move in lived to regret it", he told me.
"He killed them", Fire Escape asked, "Yes and nothing could prove that he was the one who did it and space is a big place. He has other works of course…including Paradise Towers", the Doctor told them.
"There were clean walls and Cleaners roamed the corridors", Bin Linear said as she was not believing what she was hearing.
"Yes, but it was like that before the Kangs came I'm sure and the Cleaners probably weren't as violent as they were before", I added.
"Indeed, and then Kroagnan disappeared…perhaps, my dear Red Kangs, perhaps your ancestors thought they were being very clever by trapping the, "Great Architect", in his own building so he wouldn't be able to finish it. If they did, it was a very foolish thing to do", the Doctor told them.
"Because…he's exactly where he wants to be", I said in realization, "Exactly", the Doctor agreed as we turned to face the Kangs.
"What shall we do", Bin Linear asked, "We want to help", Fire Escape added, "Yeah", the rest of them yelled.
"Well, first we have some things we must know first", the Doctor said, interrupting them, "That door, with the smoke coming out of it…what is it?"
They were all silent as Bin Linear and Fire Escape glanced at each other unsure, "Please, we have to know", I pleaded, "It' important", the Doctor added.
Bin Linear hesitated at first, but finally said, "In the basement…the cleaners have a secret elevator. We've used it before and we saw…", she paused as she was still unsure if she should continue.
"What did you see", I asked gently, "Things we can't speak of", she told me, and the Doctor sighed.
"Then we're going down to the basement to find out what is going on", the Doctor said as we began to make our way to the exit.
"Wait", Fire Escape exclaimed, and we turned around to face her, "You won't be able to find it without us", she told us.
"Fine, Fire Escape and Bin Linear you come with us. The rest of you stay here", the Doctor told them as we made our way through the holographic exit to walk into the hallway. Once outside we saw that the Blue Kangs were right outside waiting for us and after a lot of convincing their leader decided to come with us to the basement.
We went down the Cleaners elevator making sure we weren't seen, then when the doors opened we snuck down the hallway, and hid behind a wall once we saw the door that had smoke coming out of it.
Inside we saw the Chief Care-Taker where he was being trapped inside by a Cleaner, "They bodies you were giving me weren't right for me to live in", we heard a mechanical voice say from within the room.
"To live in? I don't understand…I gave you those bodies, so you could eat them, but now more and more bodies are disappearing. People are starting to notice", we heard the Chief said as my eyes widened in horror.
"No matter", said the mechanical voice, "What", the Chief asked confused, "I have a plan and I'm ready now", the mechanical voice said as we all got a little closer, but making sure we weren't seen.
"Look it's nice to have you chattier than usual, but I think you might be a little too grateful for all I've done for you", the Chief said as the Cleaner pushed him further into the room.
"You've done all I need you to do and now I only need one more thing", the mechanical voice said as my hearts started to beat faster.
"Oh, do you now? And suppose I don't give it to you", the Chief said defiantly, "You have no choice. I am Kroagnan, the Great Architect, and I will put an end to you and everyone in Paradise Towers", the Mechanical voice bellowed.
Then a loud and horrific scream could be heard from within the room. There was a beeping sound, we all noticed that a Cleaner had spotted us. So, we began to back away from it as it came closer and closer.
Fire Escape tried shooting at it with her crossbows, but he Cleaner seemed entirely unfazed, "That's not going to- ", I gasped as I felt something grabbing my throat. As I tried to grab whatever was there, I felt nothing but when I looked back I saw that a Cleaner had its claw grasped around the Doctor's throat. All I managed to squeak out was, "Doctor."
Bin Linear and Fire Escape grabbed my arms confused as the Blue Kang leader shot multiple times at the Cleaner that had its claw around the Doctor's throat until it let go. Then we ran back to the elevator, "What just happened", Fire escape asked me, "It's a long story", I told her.