Our breathing went back to normal and when the door opened again, we ran down the hall.
"Wait, stop, please", the Doctor said as he sat down catching his breath, "Doctor, we need to keep moving", I told him.
"Yes, alright...but I wouldn't mind getting my breath back, are you alright", the Doctor asked me, "I'm running on adrenaline", I told him, he nodded as his breathing slowed.
"We're in serious danger, we need to get the Kangs together", the Doctor told us, "Is the Chief Care-Taker really dead", Fire Escape asked.
"As himself…yes, but you all saw what happened. Up until now Kroagnan's simply been a mind without a body, as you ancestors had left him. I fear he may have spent his time down there devising a way of transferring his mind…his memories and knowledge, into a host's body", the Doctor told us.
"What happened to the Chief then", I asked, "His very sense of self was shoved out to make room for Kroagnan's mind. Very sloppily done at that, everything about him will be clumsy", he told me.
When we all returned to the red Kang's base, Bin Linear began to warn everyone to return to their base and to watch out for the Cleaners.
"Are all the Kangs here? Red and blue", the Doctor said as he looked around, "It would appear so…all except those who are gone", I told the Doctor,
"Yes, well when Fire Escape gets here, we must all make for the Great Pool in the Sky", the Doctor told us as my eyes widened in realization, through all the excitement how could I forget?
"Mel", I whispered, and I had a feeling she was in danger, "Yes, we've said we'd meet her at the pool…what is it", the Doctor asked as he turned his head towards me.
"We need to go now", I told him as I grabbed his hand, pulling him along as he held his hat steadily on his head.
"What's going on", he asked me as we went into the elevator, "Mel's in danger", I told him, and he hit the controls to the elevator, then we went up, but not before some Kang members joined us.
After the elevator doors opened, we ran down the hall and walked through a silver and purple colored hologram. As soon as we did, we saw that Mel was safe on the other side and she gasped in fright as soon as she saw us.
"Doctor and Acacia", she said in relief, "We didn't mean to give you such a fright, Mel", the Doctor told her, "Sorry", I added awkwardly.
"I suppose this is where the Cleaner service lift appears to come out", the Doctor explained to Mel as he gestured towards the silver and purple hologram, that blended in perfectly to the wall.
I gave the Doctor an odd look, "You made that sound very weird, Doctor", I told him, "What? Oh! I didn't even think of it like that", the Doctor said and then shook his head.
"Oh! It's good to see you guys again", Mel said as she gave us both a hug, mine was a little awkward since I hardly knew her.
"How do you do", the Doctor greeted as a man came up to stand right beside Mel, "This is Pex", Mel introduced.
"How do you do", Pex greeted, "Nice to meet you", I greeted, and the man nodded politely towards me, then the Kangs walked up next to us. Pex and the Kangs didn't seem to like each other all that much.
Mel began explaining what had happened to her in the pool, all the hardships that her and Pex went through, but at least the old women they met were nice.
"But imagine a beautiful building like this filled with mechanical killers", Mel told us, "I can believe it, we saw another not too long ago", I told her.
"The rest of Paradise Towers would have been like that if Kroagnan had his way. A killer around every corner", the Doctor said, "Like guards", I added, "Exactly", the Doctor agreed.
"Are you sure Kroagnan's become loose", Mel asked, "I'm afraid so", I told her, "He's had years to plan that we know nothing about and we have no time to come up with a counter plan", the Doctor told us.
As we stood there we overheard the Kangs teasing Pex for being coward and not being able to save Mel, who was actually the one to save herself from the mechanical pool creature.
"They shouldn't treat him like that", I heard Mel say, "Yeah", I said angrily, I hated bullies.
"I'm afraid that's Paradise Towers in a nutshell…no one trusts each other, and everyone despises poor old Pex. How are we going to unite the People of Paradise Towers to defeat the Great Architect", the Doctor said.
"I'm sure they will", I assured the Doctor, "We'll find a way", Mel added, then I overheard the Kangs calling Pex a coward and a deserter; they were getting angry with him at least until he stormed off.
"What is wrong with you…all of you? You think calling him a coward and a deserter makes you somehow superior? As I recall you all ran away from the Cleaners just like the rest of us", I told them as I shook my head.
"We would've fought them", Fire Escape told me, "Would you? After all the people the Cleaners have killed? The Yellow Kangs, the Care-Takers, and the elders- ", "I…that is…we", I heard a voice say behind me and when I turned around I saw three elder women.
"We, the Rezzies…the remaining Rezzies that is, want to talk to all of you", the Rezzie in the middle, who wore a yellow dress said as she stepped forward a bit.
"I think we may need your help", she told us all, "How", I asked as a few people turned their head to look at me.
"I…I have a map…maybe we can figure out a plan together", she asked, and the Doctor stepped forward towards the woman.
"Show us the map and tell us what's happening", the Doctor said, and she nodded then took out her map to set it on a table nearby. The Kangs, Pex, Mel, the Rezzies, the Doctor, and I surrounded the table as we all looked at the map.
"I believe the Cleaners are being ordered by the Chief Care-Taker to clean everything in the corridors that are deemed contaminated. I believe the Cleaners have reached floor one-fifteen by now. So, all the Rezzies, that can, have moved up to the higher floors, but not everyone is quick enough", the Rezzie in the yellow dress told us.
"And you're sure that person ordering the Cleaners to do this is the Chief Care-Taker", the Doctor asked, and she nodded.
"But he's dead Doctor, we saw it", Bin Linear told him, "Not if the Great Architect took over his body", I reminded her, and she shuddered at that.
"Why should we believe her? The Rezzies are liars", Fire Escape exclaimed, "Why do you say that", I asked, "They lie and steal our food", Fire Escape explained.
Then the Doctor shushed us and the Rezzie in the yellow dress apologized to the Kangs for what the Rezzies did and promised they wouldn't do it again, because they did need each other's help after all. I understood why the Kangs didn't trust them, but I hoped now they could work together.
The Doctor glanced at me before looking at the others, "Well Kangs, what do you say to that", he asked, then the Red and Blue Kangs spoke amongst each other, until they came to an agreement.
"I won't say Rezzies are completely bad, we can tell she isn't lying…we can help each other", Bin Linear said.
"Do you all agree", I asked, "Pex", the Doctor questioned and the Kangs remained silent and crossed their arms as we all waited for an answer until he eventually nodded.
Everyone agreed to work together except they wouldn't work with the Care-Takers, that is until we heard an awkward cough. We turned towards that direction and saw the Deputy Care-Taker waving awkwardly at us.
"Talk about irony", I half joked, "Excuse me, I'm sorry to intrude like this, but I wondered if I might have a word with you all", the Deputy asked us awkwardly, he gave us basically the same speech the Rezzies did, and we all agreed to work together.
"We have very little time, so we must think clearly. Now Kroagnan, is firmly installed in your headquarters. Am I right, Deputy-Chief", the Doctor asked.
"Yes Doctor", the Deputy replied, "Is there a way to get him out", I asked, "We'll need to find a way", the Doctor told me.
"Set a trap", Bin Linear suddenly said, "Precisely", the Doctor agreed, "We need a way to lure him out", I told him.
"Well, he is a very proud and clever being and as such would like to be appreciated by his equals", the Doctor told us as the others were getting enthused about throwing bombs at the Cleaners.
"Now, I think if he had the chance to meet such a person he would leave his lair to do so", the Doctor told us.
"Doctor…you not going to go an- ", "Are you sure", I asked as I cut off Mel.
"I've no choice, I will be the only obvious candidate", the Doctor told Mel and I, my hearts were beating fast as I felt Mel's frustration boil over.
"You'll go out there, show yourself, and you'll be killed. Why aren't you saying anything", Mel asked the last part to me.
"She knows there will be danger and I won't allow myself to be killed. I'll allow myself to be seen, and then somebody will go to Kroagan to lead him to me into our trap. Now, that person has a far more difficult and dangerous mission than I", the Doctor said.
Everyone stayed silent and before I could speak up, Pex said, "I will go to Kroagnan", "Pex, are you sure you want to do this", Mel asked him, "Yes, I am", he replied.
"So be it", the Doctor said before walking off and before I could follow, Mel ran up to me and asked, "You're going to follow him aren't you", "Yep", I replied.
We all went to the Red Kangs base to get ready, "You know what to do", the Doctor asked Pex, "Yes", he replied.
"Are you sure you want to go through with it", Mel asked Pex, "I won't be afraid again", he told her firmly.
"Yes, well you need to be careful while doing do", I told him, "Yes, Miss", he told me, and I became embarrassed, "Just call me Acacia", I told him, and he nodded.
"Remember Pex, you must get him out of the Care-Takers Headquaters as quick as you can, so that he doesn't know what's happening to the Cleaners, but once you're out take as long as you can. We need time, no heroics, just a cool clear head", the Doctor told him.
"I can manage", Pex told the Doctor who nodded, "Good luck", he told him before Pex left. After that the Doctor told me I couldn't go with him, if something were to happen it would be better if Mel and I stayed with the Kangs. Then he left and after a while everything seemed to be going fine until Bin Linear came back and told us that Kroagnan was coming way too quick and that we needed to move fast.
We all left through the air duct to see the Doctor and Kroanan disguised as the Chief Care-Taker down the hallway. Then I went a little closer and made sure I wasn't seen as did the others.
"Ah, Kroagnan, how very nice to see you", the Doctor greeted after giving all of us a warning glance. The Doctor began criticizing the "Great Architect" about his design of Paradise Towers and specifically focused on a door that they stood next to.
"There was nothing wrong with it when I built it, unless humanoids have damaged it", we heard Kroagnan disguised as the Chief Care-Taker say.
"Well, speaking as an expert I'm prepared to tell the universe that you couldn't design a simple door knob. I mean look", the Doctor said, and we heard Kroagnan huff in annoyance. When I glanced around the corner I saw Krognan stand in front of the door to examine the door knob. The Doctor pressed a button that opened the door which turned out to be an elevator and tried pushing Kroagnan through, but failed to do so.
I ran towards the Doctor as the Chief grabbed the Doctor's throat and grabbed my own as I felt an invisible hand crush my own.
"What's wrong with her", I heard the Deputy yell, "Her mind's connected to the Doctor's. Whatever he feels, she feels, and vice versa", I heard Mel explain.
I was trying very hard to block the Doctor's mind when Pex showed up with a dynamite on hand, I managed to grab the dynamite from Pex's hand.
"Kick him in", I ordered Pex which he did and Krognan fell through the elevator shaft as I threw in the already set dynamite; then it exploded with the "Great Architect" inside.
I took in a deep breath as I smiled as everybody came in cheering, everybody was ready and willing to work together even with Pex who decided that he wanted to join the Care-Takers since they weren't no longer corrupt.
When everything was done, we headed back to the Tardis, "We're sorry you have to go, but we've made you honorary Kangs", the leader of the Blue Kangs said as she handed us blue and red woven scarves. The Doctor wore his around his neck as I tied mine around my waist as a belt and tied it at the hip.
"All my best wishes for future Paradise Towers", the Doctor told them as Pex and Mel were saying they're goodbyes.
"You know I just realized, if they mixed blue and red. They'd make one large Kang called the Purple Kang", the Doctor told me.
"Then there would be no game", I told the Doctor, "Ah, right. Come on, Mel", the Doctor called as we all walked towards the Tardis, before the Doctor greeted a metal stature nearby.
"Doctor", I asked, "You can never tell", he told me and I just shook my head and smiled amused before we all entered the Tardis. Then the bright white light engulfed me and the same force as before pulled me forward through time.