Chapter Twenty-Two

The escalators had been out of order ever since the first attack, but at least they could be used as a flight of stairs, however exhausting it might be to descend them. For some reason the stairs always seemed to be slightly too high to make comfortable steps.

"Good thing this isn't Covent Garden," Mickey said when they reached the second sublevel. "I hate that circular staircase."

"Yeah," Rose gave back monosyllabically, her eyes slowly adjusting to the darkness around her that was only occasionally illuminated by emergency lighting. She shivered involuntarily. Everything here just felt wrong, the darkness, the absence of people, the silence. Even though the Nameless barely set foot on Earth, the tube stations were dangerous because they could be easily accessed from the surface. So the refugees had sought shelter deeper in the tunnels, avoiding the stations and the dangers that lurked there as much as possible.

"Right," Mickey said, interrupting her thoughts. He looked at the tracking device. "Still no signal. I guess there's still too much concrete between Tony and us. Maybe we can locate him when we're on the same level." He paused for a moment, trying to make out the direction signs in the dark. "The signal was following the course of the Northern Line earlier. That'd be one floor down." He pointed in the direction of the next escalator. "That way."

His behaviour, while completely professional, was a far cry from the way they normally interacted, and Rose knew the reason. She laid a hand on his arm, stopping him. "I'm sorry, Mickey. I shouldn't have called you an…, well, you know."

"A complete moron?" he asked scathingly.

Rose winced. "Yeah, that."

"Or an idiot with the empathic skills of a stone?" he added, once again starting to walk into the direction he had indicated earlier.

She winced again. "And that."

"Or a –"

"I'm really sorry, Mickey," she repeated, interrupting him. She didn't want to be reminded of what else she had said to her oldest friend. She had been wrong and she knew it.

"I know that we'll have to tell Tony what happened to Mum, Mickey. I know that. But she's my Mum, and I won't give up hope. Not yet. Not until we know what happened to them."

"Rose, you know what the people from Intelligence say. They're most likely dead -"

She shook her head. "They can repeat it as often as they like, I won't believe it. If they simply wanted them dead they wouldn't have had to transmat them. It just doesn't make sense."

"…and even if they aren't they might as well be, because we can't get to them." Mickey continued his sentence as if Rose hadn't said anything.

Rose sighed. "Let's not get into that again. I don't think one will persuade the other today. I'll tell Tony that Mum was abducted by the Nameless, but first we have to find him."

Mickey nodded. "I guess I can live with that."

But even if he had accepted her decision and probably even her apology, Rose felt that they had lost something irretrievable. The friendship that had begun on a cloudy day on that small playground on the estate when she was four years old had taken a huge blow, and she didn't know if they would ever be able to fix it. She would probably lose her oldest friend, and it was her fault.

She gave him a tiny smile, once more concentrating on the task at hand. "But the point still stands, Mickey. It's almost five miles from Torchwood Tower. A four year old child would never have made it so far on its own."

"Maybe he has run into a group of scavengers," he suggested.

Rose shivered involuntarily. Most scavengers were pretty harmless, looking for food or water in abandoned houses, but she had heard too many rumours of some of them having resorted to eating the weakest members of their respective communities not to believe that there was a grain of truth to them.

Mickey noticed her discomfort and took her hand. "Hey, you can't just assume the worst. Maybe they just picked him up because he was alone and they wanted to help him."

Rose nodded, but more for his sake than for hers. With everyone fighting for their own survival and for the survival of their next of kin, acts of kindness had become extremely rare. And even if the rumours of cannibalism were probably exaggerated, she couldn't convince herself that Tony was safe until he was back in Torchwood Tower.

Eventually they reached the next sublevel, and Mickey activated the tracking device once again.

"Nothing."

Seeing Rose's expression he added, "That doesn't mean anything. He's probably still out of reach…"

Rose tried to remember this London's tube map. For the most part it was identical to the one she had used for almost twenty years, but some parts of the tube system were different.

"Let's assume he really is with a group of people. They first followed the Jubilee and then the Northern line, and that's when you lost the signal, right?" The DLR was mostly overground here as well, so she could rule that out.

Mickey nodded.

"I guess in that case it's safe to say they've already passed this station. They didn't use Waterloo & City, because if they wanted to go in that part of town, why take the Northern line at all. That leaves us with the Northern line, Central and District, since Circle doesn't exist here."

Mickey grinned, despite the situation. "I love it when you go all Doctor on me!"

Rose grinned back, albeit a bit forced. "People are mostly hiding in the old tube stations that are no longer in use," she continued, thinking aloud. "There's British Museum on the Central line, St Mary's/Whitechapel Road and the old part of Tower Hill on the District line, and City Road on the Northern Line in the relative vicinity. Apart from that, no idea."

She looked at him, trying to keep her feelings out of her voice and miserably failing. "We just have to take a shot and hope we're right."

"Wanna throw a coin?" Mickey asked with a grin designed to cheer her up, but failing as well.

Rose straightened her back. "Let's start with the two stations on the District line. If we're wrong, we can always follow Hammersmith & City back to Moorgate and go northern from there."

~o~o~o~

The air in the tunnels was stale and stuffy, the ventilation system out of order since a few weeks. Rose and Mickey both had donned filter masks as soon as they had entered the tunnels to keep most of the particles they raised with every step out of their lungs, but it was hard to breathe nonetheless.

Most of the emergency lights in the tunnels still worked, not enough to ensure they could see everything, but at least they could determine their surroundings without a torch. Even though both had night vision devices, they had decided against using them, because they would have to give account for draining the batteries on a mission that technically wasn't even officially approved.

Instead Mickey had picked up a thin metal rod he moved carefully in front of him to detect obstacles when the emergency lights were not enough to help him determine the state of the ground. Rose had wrapped the lower end of the rod in a cloth she had found in one of her pockets, so it wouldn't make a sound if Mickey hit something. They couldn't afford to be detected prematurely by whoever had Tony.

After a few hundred metres of stumbling through the darkness they reached their first destination, Tower Hill. The station seemed completely empty, even the old part that could have served as shelter. Both briefly activated their NVDs, taking a closer look at their surroundings, then deactivated them again.

"Why do you think nobody is here?" Mickey asked.

"I dunno. But there's lots of open ground around the station. Maybe there were just not enough people left in the area after the first attacks to come down here in seek of protection. Or they are just too afraid of the Nameless to stay so close to the surface. It's only a few hundred metres from the entrance of Tower Hill to the old part of the station."

"Or they are hiding from us."

Rose nodded. "That's another possibility. Too many people think the attack is somehow Torchwood's fault, or that at least we should have prevented it. We'll just have to keep our eyes and ears open, in case someone follows us."

They exchanged glances, then quickly crossed the open space between the tunnel ends, until they were once again in the relative safety of the tunnel, and continued their search.

They were already near Aldgate East, when Mickey missed a step and twisted his ankle.

He tried to put weight on the foot, only to wince so hard that Rose could see the motion in the near-darkness around them.

"I think it's sprained," he said. "Damn Matthew Powell and his latest attempt to save money by always choosing the cheapest supplier. These boots are rubbish." He quietly cursed the former head of biological research who had followed Jane Cunningham as budget controller, after Pete had taken away his former responsibilities, not really trusting that the other man's ethical standards actually were those needed in such a sensitive position.

"Do you think you can still walk?" Rose asked worriedly.

Once again Mickey tried to put weight on the foot, only to shake his head. "Maybe after a rest."

"And what now?" she asked, fearing that a delay would put Tony into danger.

He shrugged. "You go on looking for Tony."

"And what about you? I can't leave you here. We don't even know if there isn't someone following us!" she protested. "Let alone that they'll have our heads if we split up."

"Don't worry about me. I'll try to follow you slowly and have your rear. And since when exactly do you actually follow the 'Don't wander off' rule?" Mickey added nonchalantly.

Rose hesitated for a moment, then her fear for her brother won out on her worry about her friend. "Thanks, Mick!"

She hugged him briefly, then picked up the rod and once again followed the tunnel towards Aldgate East.

~o~o~o~

Aldgate East seemed to be as deserted as Tower Hill, and while she had expected it, with people hiding deeper in the tunnels, the deserted station still gave her the creeps. She briefly activated her NVD, but couldn't discern more than she already had. The station seemed empty, but she couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched.

For a moment her thoughts went back to Mickey, hoping that he was alright and able to follow her. She hadn't liked leaving him behind, but she also needed to get to Tony.

Rose quickly crossed the open space of the station, then entered the tunnels again. Only a few hundred metres until she reached St Mary's/Whitechapel Road, and if the abandoned tube station was empty as well, she would have to make a decision. Return to the surface and call Jake to get Mickey back to Torchwood, or go on looking for Tony. Rationally she knew what she should do, that it was incredibly dangerous to continue searching for Tony on her own, but he was her little brother. She couldn't just leave him.

She paused for a moment to wipe her forehead and get her rambling mind back under control. She just couldn't afford to be distracted, or else she wouldn't be any help to Tony anyway. For a brief moment she closed her eyes and concentrated, trying to distance herself from her fear for Tony, then picked up the rod again and continued her way through the tunnel, even more careful than before, still unable to shake the feeling that someone was watching her.

About a quarter of an hour later, Rose finally reached her destination. She stopped about two metres from the point where the tunnel opened into the station itself and crept nearer to the edge inch by inch and took a quick look around. St Mary's/Whitechapel Road had been closed almost eighty years ago, and the platform had been separated from the rails by a large brick wall, so a rather large part of the station was blocked from view. But even if what she could discern of the station looked empty, it certainly didn't feel that way.

She leant against the wall of the tunnel for a moment and considered her options. She was almost certain that she was walking into a trap, which at least made it more likely that she would actually find Tony here. Unfortunately in that case the 'good Samaritan' theory was moot. And unless she waited for Mickey to catch up, she was going into this alone, against an unknown number of opponents. Less than ideal conditions, but she had no choice.

Straightening her back, she sneaked towards the wrought-iron door in the wall that would lead her to the platform, careful not to make a sound. At least she would have the moment of surprise in her favour.

She hoped.

~o~o~o~

Fortunately the door opened in the direction of the platform, not the rails. It took Rose some time to pick the lock, and she silently vowed to brush up her lock-picking skills soon. Even if it had been part of her Torchwood training, until now she had never had to use it, because if they had needed that sort of expertise there had always been team members who were better at it.

Eventually the lock gave way, and she opened the door a few millimetres without making a sound, which only served to increase her worries. Even if the station had served as a service entrance for the personnel of the London Underground, she doubted that they would have spent resources on the maintenance of a door they only seldom used.

But without surveillance technology or backup, she had no choice. She had to use the moment of surprise while she had it. She got up and closed her eyes for a moment, then unholstered her automatic and pushed against the door, so hard that it crashed against the inner wall, at the same time raising her weapon.

Unfortunately the scene unfolding in front of her was exactly like she had feared. Five or six men were standing on the platform, all wearing clothes that once had been of good quality but were now nothing more than rags barely covering gaunt bodies. Scavenged goods were piled up against the far wall. But then she discovered something that made her blood run cold.

A small human skull.

Rose shivered involuntarily. So the rumours were true.

"A visitor!" the man standing in front of the group of scavengers said in a mock-cheerful voice, interrupting her thoughts. "And from Torchwood, too!" he added, referring to her gear. "Looking for someone?"

He pulled at the leash he was holding and Tony stumbled to the front, the end of the leash around his waist, a blindfold covering his eyes.

Rose gritted her teeth, then collected herself, but before she could say anything, the man continued, "I had no idea they were sending girls barely old enough to buy their own booze on a rescue mission. That explains a lot. Next they'll be recruiting girl scouts."

The other men laughed.

"You'll notice I'm not carrying a tray with cookies," Rose replied, trying to keep her voice even. "Let the boy go, and-"

"Rose!" Tony cried out, apparently having recognised her voice. "They–"

The rest of his sentence was cut off, when the man who had spoken before snatched Tony's arm, pulled him closer and pressed a knife against his throat.

"Ah, so you know him," the man said, considering her once more with cold eyes. "That makes things easier. Lay your weapon down or he dies."

Rose was frozen to the spot, unable to move. The emptiness in his gaze made clear that he wouldn't listen to reason. Intellectually, she knew that she couldn't give in. If she did they'd be dead. But losing Tony would kill her, too. Now she knew what it must have cost the Doctor to tell the Daleks 'No' on the Gamestation.

The hand holding her automatic trembled slightly. And the man saw it. An ugly grin played around his lips and he increased the pressure of the knife against Tony's throat. Tony whimpered, too afraid to even cry.

"You are one of those who are supposed to protect the planet?" the man said, disdain in his voice. "You'd better go home and play with your dolls, puppet. I know you won't shoot. You just don't have the guts for this. You wouldn't survive a day down here."

Suddenly his attention shifted slightly to a point over her left shoulder, but before Rose could react the muzzle of a gun bore into her side. Rose silently cursed herself. She should have listened to her instincts. There had been someone watching her. But what about Mickey? Had they got him too?

The newcomer slowly went around her, his weapon still trained at her, and took her automatic out of her hand.

"Thanks, babe," he said with a dirty grin. "Nice gun, but I think we have better uses for it than you."

He took a few steps away from her and put both weapons away, not even bothering to search her for another weapon. Rose tried to hide her relief at his mistake.

"Is she alone?" the leader of the group asked.

"Yeah."

So the guy had been on outlook in one of the stations she had entered after Mickey had injured his ankle and therefore was unaware that she wasn't as alone as he thought. Well, if Mickey had made it this far.

"So, what am I going to do with you?" the man mused. "I mean, I already know what I'm gonna do with the boy, but, well…"

"Can I have her, boss?" one of the other men asked, licking his lips. "It's been too long since I've had a pretty girl…"

"You see, my men haven't had any fun for some time, not since our last female company… left us."

His eyes flickered, and Rose was fairly certain what he was implying.

She thought quickly. She could take a chance with her hidden weapon, but that would also put Tony into even more danger. It would be easier with backup, and for that she needed Mickey. But with his injury he would be moving slowly, so she needed more time. She didn't think she could talk them out of what they were planning, but maybe she could stall them long enough.

"Let the boy go," she said.

"And why would we want to do that?" the leader of the group of scavengers said. "In case you hadn't noticed, you are alone and unarmed."

"I'll do whatever you want if you let him go. Please!"

"I like it when they beg," one of the other men threw in.

"Please! He's just a boy. Let my brother go! I'll do what you want, and I won't fight it! Just let him go!" She didn't have to fake the desperation in her voice.

"Your brother, hmmm?" The leader eyed her speculatively. "That opens up lots of interesting possibilities. What am I going to do with that information?" He paused, pretending to be thinking. "But as promising as your offer is, we already have plans with the boy," he said, licking his lips. "You see, we've run out of supplies, and now we're hungry."

Once again he grinned at her, and Rose thought she was going to be sick.

"Oh, what a feast this will be. Such tender flesh. I'm gonna kill him first, I think. That's kind of me, isn't it? I might even let you try a bite."

A shiver ran down her spine. He was insane. And he was holding a knife to her brother's throat. She couldn't turn her gaze away from Tony's terrified eyes. She silently begged for strength. She couldn't lose him. Not like this.

She came to the conclusion that even being exterminated by a Dalek would be more humane than this. She knew what kind of death she would prefer.

She made a decision.

Time slowed down.

She drew the small blaster she had kept hidden in her combat gear and took aim, stilling completely, not even blinking. Then she pulled the trigger.

The bolt expanded from the muzzle, a tail of light in air suddenly as thick as water.

She could see it hit the leader in the chest, could hear the impact, saw him falling in slow-motion.

She moved her arm to the man next to him and took aim. He was guilty of the same crime. They all were. And the verdict was the same.

"Rose!"

Someone was calling her name. She ignored it, bending her finger, slowly.

"Rose! Don't!" she heard again, faintly, over the blood roaring in her ears.

They deserved it. They had been part of this group and would have let their leader kill her little brother.

"Rose, they're not worth it!"

Louder this time, harder to ignore, but she did it none the less. Just a little more pressure on the trigger, another breadth of a hair…

Whatever the man saw in her face, it caused him to exchange glances with his comrades. Then they stumbled backwards, in the direction of a tunnel, but she knew she could still get at least one of them…

"Rose!" Mickey screamed again, finally breaking the spell.

Time sped up.

With great effort Rose let go of the trigger, feeling sick. She had killed somebody. Again. And worse, she had wanted to kill him, all of them. She would have done it, if Mickey hadn't stopped her. She lowered her arm, secured her weapon and released the breath she had been holding. Then she ran towards Tony and engulfed him in a tight embrace.

~o~o~o~