The Doctor wanted to stop to check on Chris but he knew that they didn't have the time for that. They needed to do something about the Slitheen before he could figure out what was wrong with Chris.
"Oi! If you want aliens, you've got them," The Doctor announced, entering a room full of armed police men, "They're inside Downing Street. Come on!"
The men followed The Doctor back to the briefing room only to find Green and Asquith standing in a room full of now deceased experts. The men turned towards General Asquith as he finished zipping up his suit.
"Where have you been?" Green snapped, "I called for help. I sounded the alarm. There was this lightning, this kind of, er, electricity, and they all collapsed."
"I think they're all dead," A man, Price, said as the policemen checked the bodies.
"That's what I'm saying." Green asserted before pointing an accusing finger at The Doctor, "They did it! That man and woman there.
"I think you will find the Prime Minister is an alien in disguise," The Doctor informed half heartedly, knowing it wasn't going to work. He glanced at Chris who seemed to be more aware of her surroundings now, only being half supported by The Doctor, "That's never going to work, is it?"
"No," a balding policeman said, advancing on The Doctor.
"Fair enough," The Doctor said before taking off at a sprint down into the corridor, dragging Chris behind him.
He skid to a stop mere feet into the hall as he found himself surrounded by two groups of armed men. The Doctor scanned for a way out before accidentally hitting the call button on the elevator.
"Under the jurisdiction of the Emergency Protocols, I authorise you to execute these two." Asquith ordered.
"Well, now, yes, you see, er, the thing is, if I was you, if I was going to execute someone by backing them against the wall, between you and me, little word of advice." The Doctor said, stalling the execution, "Don't stand them against the lift!"
The Doctor entered the lift, tugging Chris in after him and soniced it closed. He pressed a button and waited impatiently as the lift went up, not paying attention to the human beside him. He was more focused on finding his companion and ensuring her safety through this all. He opens the lift to see a slitheen trying to get at Rose and the old woman that she had been left with.
"Hello!" He called, distracting the Slitheen so that Rose and the woman could escape. He soniced the doors shut then and turned his attention to Chris.
"You alright?" The Doctor asked, seemingly shocking Chris out of a trance.
"What?" Chris asked, staring at The Doctor with wide gray eyes, "sorry, yeah. That was just quite the shock."
The Doctor eyed her skeptically as the young woman shook her head. She then looked up at The Doctor with a small smile.
"Thanks," She said, surprising him.
"For what?" He wondered.
"For not leaving me behind." Chris explained, "I know you don't like or trust me, I can feel it."
He looked at her in shock. Did she really think he'd let her die because of something like that? He almost felt indignant but she had already looked away from him and now was not the time.
The lift opened and The Doctor and Chris ran out, him no longer having to pull her. She went ahead, leading him to a staircase which she followed down the stairs, vaguely remembering that Rose and Harriet would be on the second floor.
"Fire extinguisher," Chris grins, grabbing one off the wall and tossing it to The Doctor, "they run off of oxygen so CO2 should slow 'em down."
"Smart thinking," The Doctor complimented, causing Chris to grin.
The two of them hide as the lift arrived just ahead of them. Chris watched in disgust as the two slitheen exited and walked towards the sitting room.
I'm not usually one to judge based off looks, Chris told Rain, But honestly, this smell is worse than I imagined.
"My brothers," the Slitheen who used to Margaret greeted.
"Happy hunting?" Green asked.
"It's wonderful," Margaret hissed gleefully, "The more you prolong it, the more they stink."
"Sweat and fear," Asquith acknowledged.
"I can smell an old girl," Green taunted the two humans who were currently hiding behind the curtains, "Stale bird and brittle bones."
"And a ripe youngster, all hormones, and adrenalin," Margaret teased, "Fresh enough to bend before she snaps."
She pulled back the curtain and Rose screamed, trying to get away. Harriet revealed herself from behind her curtain, not wanting the younger woman to be injured.
"No! Take me first! Take me!" She pleaded when The Doctor and Chris entered the room, both now wielding fire extinguishers and spraying the slitheen.
"Out, with me!" He ordered, gesturing for the women to leave ahead of him and Chris, who were still spraying the Slitheen. Rose quickly pulled a curtain over the struggling Slitheen before following The Doctor's orders.
"Who the hell are you?" The Doctor asked Harriet who had paused next to him.
"Harriet Jones, MP for Flydale North," Harriet greeted.
"Nice to meet you."
"Likewise," Harriet said before taking off as the two ran out of fuel.
"We need to head to the Cabinet Room," The Doctor ordered once the four of them were in the corridor.
"The Emergency Protocols are in there," Harriet informed, "They give instructions for aliens."
"Harriet Jones," The Doctor said with a smile, "I like you."
"And I like you too," she smiled back.
"One more move and my sonic device will triplicate the flammability of this alcohol," The Doctor bluffed the the Slitheen after grabbing a decanter, "Whoof, we all go up. So back off."
The four of them were in the cabinet room while the three Slitheen were in the outer office. Chris stood next to The Doctor while Rose and Harriet stood just behind them.
"Right then," he said, lowering the decanter once the Slitheen had backed up, "Question time. Who exactly are the Slitheen?"
"They're aliens," Harriet said.
"Yes," The Doctor agreed, looking over his shoulder at her, "I got that, thanks."
"Who are you, if not human?" Green questioned.
"Who's not human?" Harriet whispered to Rose.
"He's not human," Rose whispered back.
"He's not human?"
"Can I have a bit of hush?" The Doctor demanded.
"Sorry," Harriet apologized.
"So, what's the plan?" The Doctor demanded.
"But he's got a Northern accent," Harriet continued a moment later, not believing that he was an alien.
"Lots of planets have a north," Rose informed
"I said hush," The Doctor reprimanded. "Come on. You've got a spaceship hidden in the North Sea. It's transmitting a signal. You've murdered your way to the top of government. What for, invasion?"
"Why would we invade this God-forsaken rock?" Asquith wondered.
"Then something's brought the Slitheen race here," The Doctor continued, "What is it?"
"The Slitheen race?" Asquith scoffed.
"Slitheen is not their species," Chris said at the same time that Green said: "Slitheen is not out species."
"Slitheen is our surname," Green continued, giving Chris what she was sure was a confused look, "Jocrassa Fel Fotch Pasameer-Day-Slitheen at your service."
"So, you're family," The Doctor concluded.
"A family business," Green assured.
"Then you're out to make a profit," The Doctor realized, "How can you do that on a God-forsaken rock?"
"Ah, excuse me?" Asquith interrupted, "Your device will do what? Triplicate the flammability?"
"Is that what I said?" The Doctor tilted his head to the side, raising his sonic.
"You're making it up." Asquith accused.
"Ah, well! Nice try," The Doctor grinned, he then tried to pass the decanter to Harriet over his right shoulder, "Harriet, have a drink. I think you're gonna need it."
"You pass it to the left first," Harriet said, clutching the red Box tighter to her chester.
"Sorry," The Doctor said, handing the bottle to Chris who had moved to his other side. She gave the bottle to Rose.
"Thanks," Rose said, accepting the decanter but not doing anything with it. "Don't you think we should run?"
"Fascinating history, Downing Street," The Doctor said, gaining everyone's attention, "Two thousand years ago, this was marsh land. 1730, it was occupied by a Mister Chicken. He was a nice man. 1796, this was the Cabinet Room. If the Cabinet's in session and in danger, these are about the four most safest walls in the whole of Great Britain. End of lesson." He smiled at Chris who had lifted a panel by the door, he presses a button and grins as the door slid closed, "installed in 1991. Three inches of steel lining every single wall. They'll never get in."
"And how do we get out?" Rose asked.
"Ah," The Doctor said, having not thought that far ahead.
"He's safely contained," Green said from outside the cabinet room, "Now, cut off communications inside that room, then summon the family. It's time we finished with this insane planet for good."
Jackie and Mickey were currently inside Mickey's apartment. Jackie had had an encounter with the Slitheen, who had somehow realized she was connected, even if it was only vaguely, to The Doctor. She was still shaken up by it and in desperate need of a drink to calm her nerves.
"Got anything stronger?" Jackie asked, looking through Mickey's cupboards.
"No chance," Mickey said, stopping Jackie in her tracks, "I've seen you when you've had a few. This ain't time for a conga."
"We've got to tell someone," Jackie said weakly, not even knowing where they would start with a story like this.
"Who do we trust?" Mickey asked her, "For all we know, they've all got big bog monsters inside of them. I mean, this is what he does, Jacks, that Doctor bloke. Everywhere he goes, death and destruction, and he's got Rose in the middle of it."
"Has he got a great big green thing inside him, then?" Jackie asked the worry she felt for Rose constantly since she'd left with The Doctor spiking.
"I wouldn't put it past him," Mickey shrugged, "But like it or not, he's the only person who knows how to fight these things."
"I thought I was going to die," Jackie said before she suddenly starts crying. Mickey gives her an awkward hug.
"Come on, yeah?" Mickey said as reassuringly as he could, "If anyone's going to cry, it's going to be me. Now, you're safe in my flat, Jacks. No one's going To look for you here, especially since you hate me so much."
"You saved my life," Jackie said in awe, "God, that's embarrassing."
"You're telling me," Mickey agreed.
"He wanted me dead," Jackie realized, "And he's still out there, Mickey. That policeman. That thing."
Chris couldn't watch as The Doctor dragged Ganesh's body into the cupboard where the Prime Minister's body was currently stashed. She was still trying to get over all the deaths she had witnessed earlier. Though to be honest it was easier to do than she thought it would be, which was more disturbing than she'd like to admit.
"What was his name?" The Doctor asked, glancing at Harriet.
"Who?" She wondered.
"This one," The Doctor said, gesturing to Ganesh. "The secretary or whatever he was called."
"I don't know. I talked to him," Harriet said, suddenly horrified, "I brought him a cup of coffee. I never asked his name."
"Ganesh," Chris supplied from where she was sitting at the table, staring at the woodwork, "his name Patrick Ganesh."
"How d'ya know that?" Rose asked, almost glaring at Chris.
"Have I not told you before?" Chris asked, lifting her head to look at Rose, "about how I know things?"
"All you've said is that you jump around his timeline," Rose said, nodding to The Doctor, nothing really about knowing the future."
"Damn future me leaving it for me to explain," Chris grumbled, "basically I come from a different universe where this is a TV show."
"Seriously?" Rose asked, eyes wide and filled with an obvious disbelief.
"Sorry. Right, what have we got?" The Doctor said suddenly, drawing everyone's attention away from Chris, "Any terminals, anything?"
"No. This place is antique," Rose said, obviously catching on that they were moving to a different topic, "What I don't get is, when they killed the Prime Minister, why didn't they use him as a disguise?"
"He's too slim," The Doctor said, "They're big old beasts. They need to fit inside big humans."
"But the Slitheen are about eight feet," Rose said, "How do they fit inside?"
"That's the device around their necks," The Doctor informed, "Compression field. Literally shrinks them down a bit. That's why there's all that gas. It's a big exchange."
"Wish I had a compression field," Rose joked, trying to lighten the mood, "I could fit a size smaller."
"Excuse me, people are dead!" Harriet snapped, seemingly overwhelmed by the situation but not wanting to show it. Chris stood up and walked over to her, laying a hand on her arm, "This is not the time for making jokes"
"Sorry," Rose apologized guiltily, "You get used to this stuff when you're friends with him."
"Well, that's a strange friendship," Harriet observed, smiling at Chris gratefully.
"Harriet Jones," The Doctor said, "I've heard that name before. Harriet Jones. You're not famous for anything, are you?"
"Oh, hardly."
"Rings a bell," The Doctor continued, "Harriet Jones?"
"Lifelong backbencher I'm afraid," Harriet said sadly, "and a fat lot of use I'm being now. The Protocols are redundant. They list the people who could help and they're all dead downstairs."
"Hasn't it got, like, defense codes and things?" Rose wondered, "Couldn't we just launch a nuclear bomb at them?"
"You're a very violent young woman," Harriet admonished.
"I'm serious," Rose told her, "We could."
"Nuclear strikes need a release code," Chris informed as she took a seat at the end of the table, "and the UN has the release codes. Thank god, can you imagine if just any prime minister had access to those codes? We'd be onto world war ten by now."
"She's right," Harriet agreed, "which means there's nothing we can do."
"Say that again," The Doctor demanded, looking between Harriet and Chris.
"What, about the codes?" Harriet asked, glancing at Chris who merely shrugged.
"Anything," The Doctor urged, "All of it."
"Well, no country in the United Nations can gain access to atomic weapons without a Special Resolution from the UN," Chris said again with a casual shrug.
"Like that's ever stopped them," Rose hummed.
"Exactly, given our past record," Harriet concurred, "And I voted against that, thank you very much. The codes have been taken out of the government's hands and given to the UN. Is it important?"
"Everything's important," The Doctor informed.
"If we only knew what the Slitheen wanted," Harriet sighed, "Listen to me. I'm saying Slitheen as if it's normal."
"What do they want, though?" Rose asked, looking from Chris to The Doctor.
"Well, they're just one family, so it's not an invasion," The Doctor mused, glancing at Chris to see if she would help. Chris simply smiled at him encouragingly, "They don't want Slitheen World They're out to make money. That means they want to use something. Something here on Earth. Some kind of asset."
"Like what, gold?" Harriet suggested, "Oil? Water?"
"You're very good at this," The Doctor complimented, observing the woman again.
"Thank you," Harriet said, pleased.
"Harriet Jones," The Doctor muttered again, "Why do I know that name?"
"Oh, that's me," Rose said when a phone beeped.
"But we're sealed off," Harriet protested, "How did you get a signal?"
"He zapped it," Rose shrugged "Super phone."
"Then we can phone for help," Harriet said, turning to The Doctor, "You must have contacts."
"Dead downstairs, yeah."
"It's Mickey," Rose informed
"Oh, tell your stupid boyfriend we're busy," The Doctor whined.
Chris raised an eyebrow at The Doctor as she caught his eye. 'Rude' she mouthed to him, he merely shrugged, turning back to Rose, making her huff.
"Yeah, he's not so stupid after all," Rose said, showing the screen which had a picture of the Slitheen on it.
"No, no, no, no, no," Mickey said, willing Rose to understand, "Not just alien, but like, proper alien. All stinking, and wet, and disgusting. And more to the point, it wanted to kill us!"
"I could've died!" Jackie whined.
"Is she all right, though?" Rose wondered, "Don't put her on, just tell me."
The Doctor walked over to Rose and took the phone, earning himself a glare from the human for his lack of manners.
"Is that Ricky?" he said with a smirk, "Don't talk, just shut up and go to your computer."
"It's Mickey, and why should I?" Mickey protested, rolling his eyes at the audacity of the alien he was talking to.
"Mickey the Idiot, I might just choke before I finish this sentence, but, er, I need you." The Doctor said with a truly disgusted look on his face.
"Oi," Chris called, getting his attention, "if you're gonna be that way I can talk to him," She offered only to receive a glare from The Doctor, "or not. But you could always be a little nicer. He's not that bad."
"It says password," Mickey informed, having hacked the Unit website, per The Doctor's instructions.
"Say again," The Doctor asked him to repeat after glaring at Chris again.
"It's asking for the password," Mickey repeated, shifting the phone in his grip.
"Buffalo. Two Fs, one L," The Doctor said, hearing Chris mutter the password under her breath. He shot her a surprised look but the young woman was staring at the table again.
"So, what's that website?" Jackie asked from over Mickey's shoulder.
"All the secret information known to mankind," Mickey informed her, proud that he'd managed to hack into it. "See, they've known about aliens for years. They just kept us in the dark."
"Mickey, you were born in the dark," The Doctor quipped, pleased with himself for the jab.
"Oh, leave him alone," Rose protested, glaring at The Doctor.
"Thank you," Mickey said appreciatively, "Password again."
"Just repeat it every time," The Doctor ordered before turning the phone to speaker and setting it down, "Big Ben - why did the Slitheen go and hit Big Ben?"
"You said to gather the experts, to kill them," Harriet reminded.
"That lot would've gathered for a weather balloon," The Doctor told her, "You don't need to crash land in the middle of London."
"The Slitheen are hiding," Rose mused, "but then they put the entire planet on Red alert. What would they do that for?"
"Oh, listen to her," Jackie said, having mixed feelings about her baby girl trying to save the world.
"At least I'm trying," Rose snapped.
"Well, I've got a question, if you don't mind," Jackie said, "Since that man walked into our lives, I have been attacked in the streets. I have had creatures from the pits of hell in my own living room, and my daughter disappears off the face of the Earth."
"I told you what happened," Rose protested.
"I'm talking to him," Jackie interrupted, "'Cos I've seen this life of yours, Doctor. And maybe you get off on it, and maybe you think it's all clever and smart, but you tell me. Just answer me this. Is my daughter safe?"
"I'm fine," Rose assured, not wanting her mother to embarrass her.
"Is she safe?" Jackie demanded, ignoring Rose, "Will she always be safe? Can you promise me that?" There was silence on the other end, "Well, what's the answer?"
"Jackie Tyler," Chris said suddenly from her spot at the table, "I've been thinking about the answer to that question since the day I met Rose. Of course that was in the future. But let me tell you one thing, you're asking The Doctor to make an impossible promise here. No one can promise absolute safety. Not even you."
She glanced at Rose with a small smile. "Now Rose here is amazing, absolutely beautiful, brave. Just completely fantastic. And you would be doing her, and the world, no favors by trying to keep her here. Sometimes the very most dangerous path is the one that we have to take.
"Now, I'm not going to promise you that she's always going to be safe. Despite my vast knowledge of everything that might happen to her in the future I cannot one hundred percent know. What if she get's a paper cut I knew nothing about? Anyways. While she might not always be safe, I can promise you this, Jackie Tyler. Rose Tyler will always be protected."
"We're in," Mickey said, not giving anyone the chance to reply.
"Now then, on the left at the top, there's a tab, an icon." The Doctor said, getting back to business after shooting Chris a thankful look, "Little concentric circles. Click on that."
"What is it?" Mickey wondered, watching the screen change.
"The Slitheen have got a spaceship in the North Sea and it's transmitting that signal." The Doctor told him, "Now hush, let me work out what it's saying."
"It's some sort of message," The Doctor informed.
"What's it say?" Rose wondered, having just gotten over the shock of hearing what Chris had said.
"Don't know," The Doctor shrugged, "It's on a loop, keeps repeating." The doorbell rang on the other side, interrupting his thought process, "Hush!"
"That's not me," Mickey protested before turning to Jackie, "Go and see who that is."
"It's three o'clock in the morning," Jackie protested, wrapping her robe tighter around herself
"Well, go and tell them that," Mickey snapped. Jackie walked away in a huff.
"It's beaming out into space, who's it for?" The Doctor wondered.
There was a commotion on the other side of the line that had Chris on her feet. She grabbed the phone from the table and started talking.
"Mickey, you need to go to the kitchen and grab anything with vinegar," Chris ordered, "anything at all. I know you've got some pickled onions in there. Gross as that is, and dangerous to me, grab those and anything else you can find. When the Slitheen gets in there throw it at him and then duck."
"Why vinegar?" Harriet asked.
"Raxacoricofallapatorius," Chris said simply, nodding at The Doctor, only feeling slightly guilty for stealing his glory.
"Raxi what?" Rose said, completely confused.
"Raxacoricofallapatorius," The Doctor repeated, "of course! Chris, you're a genius."
"No," Chris denied shaking her head, "I've just got a decent memory. Now Mickey, vinegar, do you have it?"
"Just like Hannibal," Harriet said, understanding somewhat what was going on.
"Just like Hannibal," Chris agreed with a smile as they got confirmation from Mickey, she turned to Rose "I don't know how you could kiss that man."
"Hannibal?" Rose asked Harriet instead of acknowledging Chris' comment.
"Hannibal crossed the Alps by dissolving boulders with vinegar," Harriet told her.
"Oh," Rose said with a nod, "Well, there you go then."
Chris watched as the other three took a drink of the port from the decanter. She smiled when The Doctor spit it out before turning her attention back to the phone.
"Mickey," Chris said, gaining everyone's attention, "are you watching the news?"
"Yeah," Mickey replied, his voice sounding distorted by the speaker.
"What are they saying now?" She asked, "our fake government?"
"They're saying something about a threat in the sky, some sort of missile," Mickey said, sounding slightly panicked.
"they're making it up," The Doctor said, "There's no weapons up there, there's no threat. They just invented it."
"Do you think they'll believe him?" Harriet asked.
"They did last time," Rose said.
"That's why the Slitheen went for spectacle," The Doctor said, finally understanding, "They want the whole world panicking, because you lot, you get scared, you lash out."
"They release the defense code," Rose said, also understanding.
"And the Slitheen go nuclear," The Doctor finished.
"But why?" Harriet wondered.
"You get the codes, release the missiles, but not into space because there's nothing there," The Doctor said after opening the metal shutters to reveal the Slitheen on the other side. "You attack every other country on Earth. They retaliate, fight back. World War Three. Whole planet gets nuked."
"And we can sit through it safe in our spaceship waiting in the Thames," Margaret informed, "Not crashed, just parked. Only two minutes away."
"But you'll destroy the planet, this beautiful place," Harriet protested, "What for?"
"Profit," Chris and The Doctor said at the same time, The Doctor continuing: "That's what the signal is beaming into space. An advert."
"The sale of the century," Margaret agreed, "We reduce the Earth to molten slag, then sell it piece by piece. Radioactive chucks, capable of powering every cut-price star liner and budget cargo ship. There's a recession out there, Doctor. People are buying cheap. This rock becomes raw fuel."
"At the cost of five billion lives," The Doctor protested.
"Bargain."
"I give you a choice." The Doctor offered stoically, "Leave this planet or I'll stop you."
"What, you?" Margaret laughed, "Trapped in your box?"
"Yes." The Doctor agreed, "Me."
He closed the shutter on the Slitheen and turned back to the room, his eyes locking on Chris who was already looking at him. She tilted her head to the side as if trying to read him.
Do you really want me to give it away?
The voice in his head made him jump. He wasn't used to telepathic communication. Certainly not anything from a human. He considered for a moment before shaking his head. It's not that he didn't believe she knew things about the future, he'd seen proof enough of that. It was more that he wasn't sure what she could or would do with her knowledge of the future.
He almost wanted to lock her in the Tardis and keep her from interacting with anyone ever again.
But he wasn't going to do that. For one it was cruel and unusual punishment. For another he had the distinct feeling that the Tardis would protest to it. She had give Chris a room before he'd even asked her. It had taken him almost three days to get a room for Rose to use.
"All right, Doctor," Jackie's voice sounded on the phone, making everyone in the cabinet room jump, "I'm not saying I trust you, but there must be something you can do."
"If we could ferment the port, we could make acetic acid," Harriet said, observing the amber liquid.
"Mickey, any luck?" Rose asked.
"There's loads of emergency numbers," Mickey informed, "They're all on voicemail."
"Voicemail dooms us all," Harriet groaned.
"If we could just get out of here," Rose said with a sigh.
"There's a way out," The Doctor said finally looking away from Chris, who nodded in approval.
"What?" Rose said, eyes widening in shock.
"There's always been a way out," The Doctor reiterated seriously.
"Then why don't we use it?" Rose questioned.
The Doctor turned his attention to the phone, his tone very serious as he addressed Jackie, "Because I can't guarantee your daughter will be safe."
"Don't you dare," Jackie warned, her grip on Mickey's seat tightening, "Whatever it is, don't you dare."
"That's the thing," The Doctor said, "If I don't dare, everyone dies."
"Do it," Rose commanded, confidently.
"You don't even know what it is," The Doctor protested, "You'd just let me?"
"Yeah," Rose agreed.
"Please," Jackie pleaded, "Doctor. Please. She's my daughter. She's just a kid."
"Do you think I don't know that?" The Doctor said, "Because this is my life, Jackie. It's not fun, it's not smart, it's just standing up and making a decision because nobody else will."
"Then what're you waiting for?" Rose demanded.
"I could save the world but lose you," The Doctor protested.
"Except it's not your decision, Doctor," Harriet interrupted, "It's mine."
"And who the hell are you?" Jackie demanded, staring incredulously at the phone.
"Harriet Jones, MP for Flydale North," Harriet introduced, "The only elected representative in this room, chosen by the people for the people. And on behalf of the people, I command you. Do it."
The Doctor looked at Chris who had been silent throughout the exchange. She smiled at him.
"Jackie, remember what I said earlier," Chris said addressing Jackie but maintaining eye contact with The Doctor, "your daughter is protected."
"How do we get out?" Rose questioned then, drawing The Doctor's attention to her.
"We don't," The Doctor said confidently, striding to the Red Box that was sitting on the table and grabbing the Emergency Protocols, "We stay here."
"Mickey, use the Buffalo password, It overrides everything." Chris said, beating The Doctor to it, who raised an eyebrow at her, "told ya, I've got a good memory."
"What're you doing?" Jackie demanded, placated for now by Chris' promise.
"Hacking into the Royal Navy." Mickey told her before addressing The Doctor, "We're in. Here it is. HMS Taurean, Trafalgar Class submarine, ten miles off the coast of Plymouth."
"Right, we need to select a missile," The Doctor said.
"We can't go nuclear," Mickey reminded, "We don't have the defense codes."
"We don't need it," The Doctor said, "All we need's an ordinary missile. What's the first category?"
"Sub Harpoon," Mickey informed, "UGM-A4A."
"That's the one," The Doctor said, "Select."
"I could stop you," Jackie threatened Mickey, who turned to look at her.
"Do it, then," Mickey challenged. Jackie shook her head, instead going to sit on the couch.
"You ready for this?" The Doctor said over the phone.
"Yeah," Mickey agreed, sounding more confident than he felt.
"Mickey the idiot," The Doctor said almost affectionately. "the world is in your hands. Fire."
"How solid are these?" Harriet asked, gesturing to the walls around them.
"Not solid enough," The Doctor informed, "Built for short range attack, nothing this big."
"All right, now I'm making the decision," Rose said strongly, "I'm not going to die. We're going to ride this one out. It's like what they say about earthquakes. You can survive them by standing under a door frame." She walked over to the cupboard that they had put Ganesh and the PM in earlier, "Now, this cupboard's small so it's strong. Come and help me. Come on."
Chris and Harriet move to help Rose clear the cupboard. Chris very nearly throws up at the sight of the lifeless bodies, but after a deep breath she powers through, knowing this was the only chance that they had of survival.
"It's on radar," Mickey's voice came over the speaker. "Counter defence five five six."
"Stop them intercepting it," The Doctor ordered.
"I'm doing it now," Mickey told him.
"Good boy," the Doctor grinned.
"Five five six neutralised," Mickey said as The Doctor turned the phone off speaker.
The four of them climb into the now cleared out cupboard. It was cramped but they felt marginally safer inside.
"Here we go. Nice knowing you three," Harriet said before calling out, "Hannibal!"
The cupboard started to shake and everyone covered their eyes as a bright white light enveloped Chris and suddenly she was gone.
"Made in Britain," Harriet commented, patting the sturdy material proudly, "where's Chris though?"
"She does that, apparently," The Doctor commented as Price came up to them.
"Oh, my God," Price said, addressing Harriet,"Are you alright?"
"Harriet Jones. MP, Flydale North," Harriet introduced, "I want you to contact UN immediately. Tell the ambassadors the crisis is over. They can step down. Go on, tell the news."
"Yes, ma'am," Price said immediately standing taller.
"Someone's got a hell of a job sorting this lot out." Harriet said, turning back to The Doctor and Rose, "Oh, Lord. We haven't even got a Prime Minister."
"Maybe you should have a go," The Doctor said with a shrug.
"Me? Huh," Harriet said."I'm only a backbencher."
"'d vote for you," Rose said with her signature grin.
"Now, don't be silly," Harriet said before turning to gesture to the mess around them, "Look, I'd better go and see if I can help. Hang on! We're safe! The Earth is safe!" She addressed one of the men that was searching the rubble, "Sergeant!"
"I thought I knew the name," The Doctor said as they watched Harriet, "Harriet Jones, future Prime Minister. Elected for three successive terms. The architect of Britain's Golden Age."
"The crisis has passed!" Harriet called, "Ladies and gentlemen, I have something to say to you all here today! Mankind stands tall, proud and undefeated. God bless the human race."
A/n: Hey Y'all! Thank you for all the reviews, favorites and follows! You guys keep me motivated. I'm glad everyone is enjoying this story nearly as much as I enjoy writing it! Up next we've got TWELVE!
-Ryn