Chapter nine – hide and seek
Jack whirled around. The mini-computer on his wrist was programmed to sense the energy signals in the room. In the minute dr.Brynon pressed the button, he knew about it. Maybe it was time to the next phase. A little sooner than he expected, but it didn't bother him. He's always had a plan B. He turned back to the scientist.
„What give me away," he asked in a cheery voice, „Was it the questions, or Black'd never send a newbie to guard this floor?"
„The senior staff and the field agents are all trained to recognise physic paper," answered the man, his voice shaking slightly.
Martha was confused. What was Jack talking about? She wanted to clear the things up, so went up to the man and asked before he had the chance to continue Brynon's interrogation.
„Jack? What's going on? Is there somethingI should know about?"
„Actually there is," said Harkness, pulling a large gun out of his coat pocket, and pointed it at Martha, „I neither know, nor care about who are you, but move another inch, and I'll shoot you."
„Jack, what…" then it downed on her, „You're the other one."
„The other what?" he asked suspiciously, then, „Never mind, I'll deal with you later." He turned back to the other scientists, „As for you, good night," he pressed a button on his gun, and a red light emitted from the end of it. Everybody in the way of the light dropped on the ground, knocked out. He turned back to Brynon, „Now, where were we? Right. You were telling me about the activation of that blaster."
„No, I wasn't. I won't let you get your dirty hands on it. The guards are already on the way, you have no way out," he pulled out his own gun, and pointed it at Harkness.
„Oh, the little geek is playing hero. Well, I can't let that," and with that, Jack shoot Brynon in the head. The doctor dropped on the ground, and soon a pool of blood began to form around him.
Martha screamed.
Meanwhile outside everybody froze. All of them were thinking the same thing. Who was that? Why did she scream? Is she still alive? Is Harkness there?. The Doctor and Jack were coming up with excuses in their minds, like 'The scream doesn't mean, that it was Martha' or 'It might be another technician'and 'Maybe a rat is on the loose in the labs and a woman over-reacted it'. Rose, Violet and Ben weren't that optimistic. They knew, that no women were working on that level, and there was no chance of other reasons. Finally Rose voiced what everyone thought.
„Martha," she said, „We should get going. The scream came from there," she pointed out the way and started to walk in the direction.
They hurried after her. They passed several doors, all of them were locked, only security cards could open the doors (or a sonic screwdriver, the Doctor thought, but he wasn't allowed to prove his theory). The Torchwood trio checked in every lab on the way, making sure, that everything's alright. In every lab, they got the same answer. Nobody entered or exited since the lockdown. Soon they reached the last door. They immediately could see the problem with it.
„It's locked," pointed out Ben.
„We already gathered that. Let's move," quipped the Doctor.
„No. I mean, it's locked. But not by the system. Somebody locked it, from the inside," answered Ben, already working on the lock, trying to open it.
„Oh. Let me try," said the Doctor, already pulling his screwdriver out.
„Don't!" ordered Violet, then she explained, „It's not a simple lock. If you try to open the door with force, or false card or a sonic screwdriver, it will send a message to the security, who will have your arse arrested in forty seconds. I know, I tested it."
„Forty seconds?" chimed in Rose, „I almost got in when they caught me. All I missed was to reach for the knob."
„Amateurs," said Ben, without turning his attention away from the lock, „I got in, liberated Brynons laptop and got out without anyone noticing it."
„You're ardenian. You don't count," added Jack.
„You're ardenian? I totally forgot. You soooooo have to help me tinker with the TARDIS," said the Doctor, then he noticed that not everyone follows his line of thinking, he added, „Ardenians can control mechanical things, like some kind of mind control. With other wors, they're technopaths."
Before he could continue, the lock gave out a quiet beep, and Ben announced, „It's open."
When he pushed the door open, it revealed an empty lab. He went in first, and soon stopped, motioning the others to follow his example. He pointed to the left, and the others noticed five unconscious technicians. On further investigation they found the dead body of Brynon. Ben crouched down to search for a pulse.
„He's dead. Shot in the head by a sonic blaster. Sounds familiar?"
„His work is also gone," said Violet, who was examining the scientist's desk, while the others were trying to wake the other technicians, „Do you know what he was working on? Looks like nobody bothered to tell me, altough I'm the head of this bloody department," she fumed.
„Chill, Vi," tried to calm her Ben, „He was working on the shield breaker Carlei brought back from his latest mission. And the Director wanted to keep it in secret, 'cause it's stolen."
„Torchwood almost always steals the technology. What's the diference now?" asked Rose.
„Carlei stole it from the ptelonians. So it's top secret."
„They're allies," said Rose, then something occured to her, „How do you know about it?"
„This way," said Jack, showing them the stack of files Ben was reading on the roof, before he shoved them into his hands while he was picking the lock.
„Are those the 'top secret' files?" asked Rose, but she was cut off by the Doctor, before she could continue.
„While you were chatting I checked the security cameras. It seems, that the guards won't come for a while. The whole floor is locked the same way the door was. They can't get through."
„Did you find Martha?" asked Jack.
„Yeah. And it's not good. While Ben was picking the lock, she was teleported away," he said, then turned to the Torchwood band, „Has your Harkness had a plastic surgery? 'Cause either the bloke dragging Martha isn't him, or he has an appearance manipulator with him."
„Must be the latter," answered Rose, „Fifteen minutes ago he looked normal"
„Can either of you trace them? Or find the point they transported to," asked Violet, turning to Jack and he Doctor.
„I'm already on it," answered Jack, while furiously typing on his wrist-computer, „I've got them. The place is a run-down hangar in Cardiff. The area is full of empty warehouses. Perfect to place to hide."
„We have to get there. Soon," said Violet, and reached for her phone to call Pete, to alarm the special-ops. But before she could dial, Ben caught her wrist, and pulled her phone from her grasp, „Hey! What're you doing?"
Ben didn't answer her, instead he turned to Jack and asked, „You were a Time Agent too. Do you have your vortex manipulator?" when Jack nodded, he continued, „Give it to me."
„It doesn't work. Not even the Doc could repair it," he said, handing it over.
„Because it's a good for nothing, unrepairable…er….space hopper," mumbled the Doctor, and Rose had to stiffle a laugh at Jack's hurt expression.
„Boys and their toys," she sighed, smiling.
The Doctor was about to answer her comment, with pointing out her obsession with the pink color. But he couldn't talk, 'cause he was cut off by a loud conversation.
„What the fuck do you think you're doing?" asked Violet from Ben – or more like screamed at him.
„What does it look like?" came the calm reply.
While the others were teasing each other, Ben took the vortex manipulator and Violet's phone to the nearest desk, took them apart, and started to switch the parts. It looked like he built the phone into the device, save some parts. However Violet saw it from another angle, so she answered.
„It looks like you killed my phone. Again," when the man didn't react, she continued, „It's the third in this year. And it's only April. Why don't you use your own."
„I don't have one," answered Ben, then turned to the others, „It's done," he held up the transporter, then passed it to Jack, „I replaced a couple of things in it, so it'll be a one-way trip."
Rose and Jack were grinning at the Doctor, who looked gobsmacked. He knew, that he will be the subject of lot of jokes, when the emergency was over. He wanted to save some of his dignity, so he held out his hand, and said,
„Pass the thing to me. I can adjust it, so we'll arrive there about twenty minutes ago. That will give us enough time to set up a trap to Harkness, and get our friend back."
„Are you sure you can do that?" asked Rose, „Maybe you could leave it to Jack. That way we won't end up there a year later, or in a different galaxy…" she grinned.
„You're right Rose, but there is a little problem," said Jack, „After Ben's meddling, I have no idea how to make it work. So, it's up to you," he gave the device back to his almost son.
Said almost son rolled his eyes, and began to type the coordinates and the time into the transporter, „Done. On three we're on our way. Ok?"
All of them nodded, and the Doctor spoke, „You sure you want to come?" he addressed Violet.
„Yeah. One, I'm a trained field agent. Two, there is no chance in hell, that I stay and face the Sataness alone. So, on three?"
„Come closer," instructed Ben, and they did so, „One, two, three," and he pressed the button.
The vortex opened behind them, and they were sucked into it. Moments later the journey ended. While the men were able to remain on their feet, Rose and Violet weren't that lucky. Both of them were thrown on the ground, and they landed with a loud thump. Violet was the first to speak up,
„Ok. I'm never doing that again," she said.
„Same here. I just realized how much I love the TARDIS, even with the Doctor's driving and landing skills," said Rose, getting up.
„Oi. I'm still here you know," said the Doctor, but Rose ignored him.
„Is this the good place and time?" she asked her partner.
„Yeah. 18:12. Twenty minutes befor we left. Harkness and Marsha,"
„Martha," corrected the Doctor.
„Martha will arrive in fifteen minutes," finished Ben the sentence.
„There are containers on both side of the hangar. We can take cover behind them, then suprise the evil-me," suggested Jack, „You," he pointed to the Doctor, „and Rose could go behind the blue ones," he motioned towards the containers on the right side. „Ben and Violet behind the ones across you on the left side. I'll go to the front, and secure the exit."
The addressed four nodded, and moved to take up their positions. Jack sent a silent prayer to anyone who's listening up there, and hoped that Martha didn't tell her captor that she's from a parallel world, and she knows his other self. That would muck up the rescue plan. If Harkness knew about him, the man probably would know about the vortex manipulator too. With that information in his possesion Harkness would expect them. He quickly finished his prayer and moved to take up his spot.
Behind their cover the Doctor and Rose were talking. They figured out, that they need to catch up on each other's lives, and now they had fifteen minutes to do so. It wasn't much time, but at Bad Wolf Bay they learned to appreciate every second.
„How long have you been travelling with Martha?" asked Rose.
„About six months. Jack joined about three weeks ago. Martha and I accidentally travelled to the end of the universe, and when we stepped out of the TARDIS, we foud Jack lying on the ground. The idiot was clinging to the door while we traveled through the vortex," he remembered.
„What happened then?"
„We found another Time Lord. Don't get your hopes up," he said, noticing Rose's happy expression, „He was the Master, I already told you about him. Anyway, he ended up killing a big part of the population, with the help of the Toclafane. He created them from the last humans. He even cannibalised the TARDIS, so she became a paradox-machine. Then Martha and Jack saved the day with spells and well-placed bullets. They reversed time. The Master died; he refused to regenerate," he finished his tale.
Rose sensed that he didn't want to talk about it anymore, so she changed topic. „Wow. You certainly had interesting years. And here I thought, that my life was complicated," she joked.
„What happened with you?"
„The first three years were hard. After I got my A-levels, I went to college. Psychology major. I met Violet there. I almost left after my third year, 'cause I was working for the Institute too, and I hardly could keep up with my studies. I got Ben as a partner then. He was fresh out of college, and knew what I was going through. He and Violet practically pushed me through my last year. Vi helped to study when I was home, and collected notes for me when I wasn't. Ben tutored me in everything he could, quizzed me. Sometimes, when I had a big test, he wrote my mission reports. Hartmann was delighted; she thought the similarities between his and my reports were because we work so well together," she laughed at the memory.
„Sounds like they're good friends."
„They are," she answered, „Anyway I graduated with honors. I continued at Torchwood, in the diplomacy department. I solved conflicts, prevented war and oversaw treaties. A year ago I was promoted, so I'm the head of the department now."
„Wow. You made quite a life for yourself. I'm proud of you," he said, trying to cover up his other feelings. Namely his selfishness. She had a good life here, and he wanted to ask her to leave it behind. At that he felt guilty, 'cause he knew, that she'd do it. She'd leave everything she accomplished behind, not to mention her family and friends. His musings were cut short, because Rose spoke again,
„I know what you're thinking. That I'll have to leave everything to go with you," he didn't dare to meet her eyes, so she cupped his face with her hands, and forced him to look up, „Don't feel guilty. Even after our goodbye I hoped You'd come. I knew, that this moment might come, 'cause I believed that you'll find a way. I said it once, but I can repeat it. I made my choice a long time ago, and I'm never gonna leave you," she smiled at him, „Of course, only if you'll have me."
„Forever."