(The note on the last chapter pretty much says it all. Again, thanks to DreamWeaver1985 (my brother) for beta reading these last two chapters.)
"Okay!" the Doctor exclaimed. "Since I don't know what I'm getting into this time, for once I'm being discrete. Putting the engines on silent" he said, pulling a lever.
A metallic screeching sound filled the control room, making Lyra, Rory, and Amy cover their ears. Rolling her eyes, River set the lever back into its original position.
"Did you do something?" the Doctor asked River.
"No!" she assured him. "Just… watching."
"Putting the outer shell on invisible." he continued, eyeing River suspiciously. "Haven't done this in a while, big drain on the power."
"You can turn the TARDIS invisible?" Rory asked in surprise.
The Doctor flicked a switch, flashing a grin at Rory. "Ha."
Bright lights suddenly shone and River shook her head, once more fixing the Doctor's mistake. "Very nearly." she murmured, winking at Lyra when she giggled softly.
"Did you touch something?" the Doctor asked, yet again looking at River with apprehension.
"Just admiring your skills, sweetie." River lied.
"Good. You might learn something." he said, noticing Lyra trying not to laugh. "Okay. Now… can't check the scanner, doesn't work when we're cloaked. Just give us a mo'." he said, running to the door, the others following closely. "Woah, woah, woah, woah!" he exclaimed. "You lot, wait a moment. We're in the middle of the most powerful city in the most powerful country on Earth. Let's take it slow." he finished, smiling and exiting the TARDIS.
Unfortunately for him, he exited into the Oval Office, the president just ahead. President Nixon was facing the window and the only other person in the room was sat looking away from the Doctor, the two of them listening to a recording.
"Hello? Who is this? This is President Nixon. Who's calling?" he asked, pausing. "Is this… you again?"
"Mr President?" a girl asked.
"A child?" enquired Canton, shocked.
"This is the President, yes." answered Nixon.
"I'm scared, Mr President." the girl said. "I'm scared of the space man."
"A little girl." guessed Canton.
"Boy." Nixon corrected.
"How can you be so sure?" asked Canton.
As the recording continued, the Doctor quietly pulled a small notebook from his pocket and began taking notes.
"What space man? Where are you calling from? Where are you right now? Who are you?" asked Nixon.
"Jefferson Adams Hamilton." answered the girl.
"Jefferson, listen to me." Nixon said.
The recording beeped marking the connection cutting. "Surely this is something the bureau could handle, sir." stated Canton.
"These calls happen wherever I am." Nixon observed. "How do I know the bureau isn't involved? I can't trust anyo-" Nixon stopped abruptly as he turned around and saw the Doctor.
Canton turned to see what Nixon was looking at then stood. Looking up from his pad, the Doctor gestured for the two to carry on talking and returned to his note taking. After a few seconds, it dawned on the Doctor that he may be in quite a bit of trouble and he looked up once more.
"Oh! Hello. Bad moment. Oh look, this is the Oval Office. I was looking for the… uh, oblong room. I'll, I'll, I'll just be off, shall I?" he said, turning and walking right into the invisible TARDIS.
The control room shook when the Doctor bumped into the TARDIS. "Every time." sighed River.
"Don't worry! Always does that when it's cloaked." the Doctor said, exclaiming when Canton grabbed him and forced him to the ground.
"He said the scanner wouldn't work." said Lyra when River started fiddling with it.
"I know." she replied, working to fix it. "Bless."
Guards poured into the Oval Office, securing the Doctor and aiming their weapons at him. "River, have you got my scanner working yet?" he called, panic rising.
"Oh, I hate him." growled River.
"No you don't!" the Doctor called, an instinct telling him that River had once again expressed her 'hatred' of him. The guards began to lead the President out of the room. "River, make her blue again!" he urged.
River pressed a button and pulled a lever and the TARDIS became visible again. The guards, the President, and Canton all froze in shock.
"What the hell is that?" asked Nixon.
In their shock, the guards didn't notice the Doctor move from the floor to the President's chair. When they realised he was no longer contained, they all spun and pointed their guns at him.
"Mr President." the Doctor began in his American accent. "That child just told you everything you needed to know, but you weren't listening. Never mind, though, 'cause the answer's yes. I'll take the case. Fellas, the guns? Really? I just walked into the highest security office in the United States and parked a big blue box on the rug. You think you can just shoot me?" he asked.
"They're Americans!" River exclaimed as she stepped out of the TARDIS.
When the guards moved their aim to River, the Doctor leaped up. "Don't shoot, definitely no shooting!"
Rory stepped out of the TARDIS with Amy and Lyra, all three of them raising their hands. "Don't need to shoot us either. Very much not in the need of getting shot! Look, we've got our hands up!"
"Who the hell are you?" Nixon asked the four newcomers.
"Sir, you need to stay back." warned Canton, his gun also aimed at the four.
"But who… who are they? What is that box?" Nixon pressed.
"It's a police box. Can't you read?" the Doctor said, on full alert now his friends were at risk of being killed. "I'm your new undercover agent, on loan from Scotland Yard. Code name The Doctor. These are my top operatives. The Legs, The Nose, The Heart, and Mrs. Robinson." he explained, pointing to Amy, Rory, Lyra, then River.
"I hate you." repeated River, this time sounding like she almost meant it.
"No you don't" responded the Doctor, not noticing the slight difference in the way she said it.
"Who are you?" Nixon asked again, growing impatient.
"Nah, boring question. 'Who's phoning you?' That's interesting. 'Cause Canton 3 is right, that's definitely a girl's voice. Which means there's only one place in America she could be phoning from." said the Doctor, seeming to no longer be bothered by the guns pointed at himself and his friends.
"Where?" asked Canton, his curiosity getting the better of him.
"Do not engage with the intruder, Mr Delaware!" ordered one of the guards.
"You heard everything I heard." stated the Doctor. "It's simple enough. Give me five minutes, I'll explain. On the other hand," he said, sitting back down, "lay a finger on me or my friends and you'll never ever know."
"How'd you get it in here?" Canton asked the Doctor, referring to the TARDIS. "I mean, you didn't carry it in.
"Clever, eh?" replied the Doctor, smiling.
"Love it." said Canton.
The guard who had warned Canton not to engage with the Doctor gave him a disbelieving look. "Do not compliment the intruder!"
"Five minutes?" asked Canton.
"Five." the Doctor confirmed.
"Mr President," began the guard, "that man is a clear and present danger to-"
"Mr President," Canton interrupted, "that man walked in here with a big blue box and four of his friends. And that's the man he walked past. One of 'em's worth listening to. I say we give him five minutes, see if he delivers."
"Thanks, Canton." said the Doctor.
"If he doesn't, I'll shoot him myself." Canton promised.
The Doctor's expression fell. "Not so thanks." he muttered.
"Sir," the guard began, once more trying to convince the President that the Doctor was dangerous, "I cannot recommend-"
"Shut up, Peterson!" ordered Nixon. "Alright." he said, addressing Canton.
"Five minutes." repeated Canton, looking at the Doctor.
The Doctor moved so he was in a less casual position and grinned. "I'm going to need a SWAT team ready to mobilize, street-level maps covering all of Florida, a pot of coffee, twelve jammie dodgers, and a fez."
Canton stared at the Doctor for a moment, thinking that trusting him might not be such a good idea after all. After a few moments, he broke his silence. "Get him his maps."
