Chapter 2 - Lemme At 'Im

Rose was unusually quiet on their way to the TARDIS. The Doctor was busy scooping marmalade from the jar and licking his fingers as they walked. But as they approached the ship, he finally gave in and asked, "Are you alright?"

"Hmm? Yeah, jus' thinkin'," Rose answered vaguely.

The Doctor opened the doors and allowed Rose to enter ahead of him.

As they stood at the console, the Doctor beginning his search to locate Elton, Rose broke out of her musings - with a vengeance. "It's just, Mum's s'posed to be the safe one, livin' back here on earth! I'm out who-knows-where with you, an' now she's got people pokin' into her business because of me!"

The Doctor was saved from trying to answer her, when the TARDIS announced a positive match. "Got him," said the Doctor, and a still-stormy Rose came to his side to look at the display. "Seems he used his real name, at least. Elton Pope, member of the 'London Investigative 'n Detective Agency', or 'LInDA', for short," he read. "LInDA, why does that name sound familiar? Oh." The Doctor rolled his eyes, remembering.

"What?" Rose asked.

"Oh, five regenerations ago. They had my TARDIS surrounded, ended up begging for autographs. Seemed pretty harmless. But that was years in the future. What're they up to now? Says here they're headquartered under an old library on MacAteer Street."

"Alright. So, what're we waitin' for?" asked Rose.

"Hold your horses," said the Doctor, working at the console. "From what I remember, and going by this website, they'd seem like amateurs; but they did track us to your Mum. I'm just doing a quick scan to see if they might be getting some outside help

"For... alien tech?" asked Rose, a smile finding its way to her face despite her fuming about Elton.

"Scan for alien tech," confirmed the Doctor, "and a successful one at that," he added, pointing at the screen.

"What is it?" Rose asked.

"Not sure," said the Doctor. "Field generator of some kind. But it's on MacAteer, and it's not from this planet."

"Perfect," said Rose. "Let's go. An' when we find this Elton, I want at him first," she said, flexing her hands.

"Wouldn't dream of getting in your way," said the Doctor, truthfully.


To be continued...