"Houston, we have a problem." I hear Alex say to himself as he reads a newspaper. His eyes are wide as he leans against a rack in the general store, and his grip on the paper tightens as he continues to read. His outburst causes the three of us to stop looking at the clothes on the racks.
"What is it?" I ask, placing a shirt back on the rack before approaching him. I place my hand on his shoulder as his eyes meet mine. Alex closes the paper.
"Follow me, all of you. I gotta show you something."
I follow Alex, Taylor and Micky right behind me. I look at them, as we share a look of confusion. Alex leads us to a closet at the back of the store, and locks the door behind us. He turns around with a look of horror on his face, "we're wanted."
"Of course we are," Taylor replies, folding her arms, "just explain Harkness."
Alex open the newspaper to a headline, 'WANTED TEENS ESCAPE ALBERTA HOSPITAL' written in bold black ink across the top of the page. Underneath is a picture of me, with the words 'dangerous mutant' below it. Is that what they're calling me now? Dangerous? After I've done how much in history?
"When did this come out?" Micky asks, grabbing the paper and skimming the words, confusion spreading across her face as she reads.
"Two days ago," Alex replies, "and Ajax and them all managed to lie between their teeth 'bout it all. Keegan's wanted...we all are. They'll be looking for all of us wherever we go now. All of space and time is against us. Sorry Jack." Alex mutters the last part, as if trying to keep it so none of us would hear it.
"So what do we do?" I ask, trying to glance over Micky's shoulder to read bits of the article. "I mean, now that our pictures are published, it may be a little hard to hide."
"Plus we got no money, so we can't buy tickets to anywhere else." Micky adds in, dropping the paper.
"Girls," Alex starts, picking up the paper, "we don't need to leave to anywhere. One thing we have to do is hide as best as we can. Which means ditching these old rags, getting shoes for Keegan, and cutting all you girl's hair."
"That might work." I agree, "it did back in 1810 when I ran away, so why not this time? Especially if we keep low."
"Yes, but was no one listenin'?" Micky asks, "Clothes and shoes require buying. Buying equals money, which we don't have."
Taylor grins, "I can handle that, you three wander the back of the store as if you're looking at stuff 'till I get back." Her eyes flash orange, and she is out of the room before any of us can protest.
We exit the room and begin looking at stuff. Micky goes to the clothes while Alex goes to look at switchblades. I look at my bare feet, red from the walking and even running we have had to do over the past few weeks. I wander to the shoe section; as usual everything is too big for my foot. I notice there are children's shoes as well; I fit my foot into a size 5. Perfect, and they're cheap.
A hand grabs my shoulder, pulling me out of my daze. Immediately I throw a punch out to whoever grabbed me.
"At ease Keegan!" Taylor says as she falls down from avoiding my punch. I soften my gaze and stance, helping her off the floor.
"Sorry," I apologise, "habit from everything."
"I get it," Taylor says, "at least you didn't pull out the claws. Here." She hands me a blue wallet with a man dressed as a bat on the front. Obviously it's a kid's wallet.
"It's the best I could do, thought you'd like Batman since you're the hero of the group," Taylor replies before I can say anything. I open it; there is probably enough money for a new shirt, pants, jacket and shoes.
"Thanks Taylor, I- wait, what is on your hands?" I ask as I notice her hands are a different shade then the rest of her tan arms.
Taylor widens her eyes, and avoids my gaze, "n-nothing...uhh what are you-"
I grab her hands and hold them up. From the middle of her lower arm down, her arms are heavily painted scarlet red. "What the hell Taylor?!"
"Got in a fight."
"And what? Ripped their guts out?" I ask sarcastically.
"Well actually I-"
"Don't answer that."
"Okay."
"I'm gonna ask why though."
"They looked at me. They're fine, shut up and take the wallet."
I hesitate, before taking the Batman wallet. She nods, and sets off to find the others. I look down; did I make the right choice?
I look at a shirt, a plain blue one. I pick it up, along with a pair of jeans. I'm about to try the short on, when something shiny catches my eye. I look around, trying to find whatever it was. Eventually I find it, hidden behind some boxes.
It's another one of those totems, the carvings form a bird, and the back has a white butterfly on it. I pick it up, 21 years since I've seen one. Surely white could mean something good. I turn it over.
Sirens can be heard in the distance while a sunset glows over the horizon, a boy comes up beside me.
"They won't catch you, you're safe."
-
I place the totem down once again, what could that one mean? No one dies, so I guess that's good, but who was that in the vision? I quickly abandon the thought, grabbing a jacket and a pair of children's shoes.
I pay for the clothes, luckily not getting recognized, and stand outside by an alley while waiting for the others. Micky is already done as well, so we take turns changing into our new clothes. The denim jeans a jacket feel strange to me, so do the shoes. I look at Micky, who has on a pair of black pants with a purple short and a denim jacket as well. She takes out a switchblade, and proceeds to rip her old clothes into strips.
"Let's tie our hair back," she begins while handing me a strip of cloth, "Alex'll cut it first an' we can keep it out of the way."
Just as she finishes, Alex and Taylor walk out of the store. Alex is wearing a leather jacket, jeans and a muscle shirt, while Taylor is dressed similar to Micky, except she is wearing a red shirt.
"That was easy," Taylor eventually states, "no one recognised us."
"We got lucky." Alex replies, bringing out a switchblade and a large bottle of peroxide. "Who's first?"
"What's the peroxide for?" I ask, confused.
"Turns your hair a lighter blonde Keegan," Alex answers, "keep your cover, your eyes already scream 'I'm suspicious.'"
"No! You're not touchin' my hair with that!" I state, covering my hair with my small hands. "Just cut it, I don't wanna be a blonde. Besides, I'll just hang low, keep my cover. I've done it before, or I'll try and shape shift again into m World War Two form."
"You're too memorable, you got change it." Micky says, "how 'bout if you just bleach the ends?"
"We can do that, I'll cut it first." Alex offers, already measuring how much hair needs to come off. My hair goes down my torso, reaching below my lower back.
I sigh, "fine, just don't take off too much, just maybe centre back or below my shoulders."
Alex smirks, "got it." He opens his knife and begins to saw through my hair.
Time skip
I will admit, my head feels lighter.
Alex cut my hair to the base of my shoulder blades, and bleached a quarter of it from the ends. He did the same for Taylor and Micky, except bleaching Taylor's full head. After the peroxide dried, Micky cut Alex's hair very short.
"We ready yet?" Taylor eventually asks, standing up and looking outside the alley where we are hidden.
"Yea, but Alex and I were talking 'bout something." Micky replies, suddenly looking very upset about something. `
"What's wrong?" I ask, sitting beside her. Did something happen in the shop?
"I saw something in the store," Alex begins, voice quivering, "like a piece off a totem pole. Listen, this is going to sound crazy but...we have to split up. All of us."
Taylor suddenly stands up, "what? No! After everything we've been through. We're the Daleks, we have to stick together!"
"With what I saw in that totem, we can't. Someone's gonna die if we do...I can't let that happen," Alex says, putting his hands up in defence, "besides, if we split up they won't find us as easily. They'll be expecting us to stick together because we are the 'Daleks', and Daleks are always in a group. I wish we didn't have to, but just this once can't everybody live?"
"Zero- I mean Taylor, listen to Alex," Micky states, voice cracking and tears forming in her eyes, "if we have to split up in order to stay alive, we gotta do it!"
"I hate to say this but it's true." I speak up; Taylor looks at me, betrayal in her eyes. "I don't want any of us to be sent back. Let's split up, in pairs? That way none of us will be alone if they find one of us. Back-to-back combat is stronger." No one speaks against me; we all know what has to be done. None of us want to admit it though, we have grown so close, come so far, been together through so much.
"So this is good-bye then?" Taylor asks, looking around. There is a hesitation in everyone.
"Yes," Alex eventually answers, grabbing Micky's hand softly, "this is. I'll go with Micky. No dark wizard will hurt you as long as I'm here." He lets go of Micky's hand quickly, walking over to Taylor.
"Can I look at you?" He asks her, "or will you kill me?"
"I would never kill any of you. Just because I can, doesn't mean I always do."
Alex looks Taylor in the eye, then pulling her into a hug. "Promise me something?" He says as they pull away from each other.
"Hm?" She replies, raising an eyebrow.
"Stay away from Amelia Pond, or else he will come." Alex states, eyes growing hard.
"Who?"
"Exactly." He leaves Taylor staring at him, confusion radiating off her face. Alex approaches me, reaching into his leather jacket.
"Here Raven," He hands me his sonic screwdriver, along with a weird piece of metal. The metal has lights on it, as well as weird layers making it look like a piece from a robot. "You will need these more than I ever will. Be careful with that Cybermite." Alex grins, "part of me wishes I never met you, I was better off a coward. The other part wishes I met you earlier." He pulls me into a hug. I feel him kiss the top of my head.
"Alex," I say, he looks down at me, his eyes meet mine, "I hope you find your brother...and everyone else. Even if they have to fall through the...vortex?"
Alex smiles, "you got it Raven. Believe me though, someday and somehow we will meet again." He winks and walks towards Micky. He grabs her hand, and they begin to jog away. Taylor and I watch them, until we can no longer see them. Tears form in my eyes, I wipe them away.
"What now?" Taylor asks me.
I'm about to answer when a voice cuts me off.
"Hey greasers!"