Author's Note
In his search for Rose, the Doctor discovers a mysterious hatch, which can only lead to trouble.
The Disclaimer: I own nothing. All rights belong to Russell T. Davies and BBC. I make no money and intend no harm.
Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoy it, any reviews or comments would be great.
The Doctor ran into Paul and Ringo after parting ways with the stranger. "What have you been up to? Seen anything odd?" he asked them.
"Well, there was a man in a funny hat over there a while ago, but I think he was harmless." said Paul.
"Well, I've found something out." said the Doctor. "Let's find the others and get back to the T.A.R.D.I.S."
"I saw John and George over there a while ago, C'mon." said Ringo leading the way.
Several minutes later, they found John and George in conversation with two burly men. Seeing the Doctor, they broke away and joined him.
"Well that was pointless." said John. "They didn't know anything. What've you found out?"
"The Doctor's got something." said Paul.
"Really? What is it?" asked George.
"Hold on." said the Doctor. "Where's Rose?"
"I dunno, we split up a while ago, she went off somewhere." said John.
"We have to find her and get out of here, I don't think we should hang around here anymore." said the Doctor worriedly.
"Well, I think I saw her heading that way." said Ringo pointing towards O'Neil's office.
"Right." said the Doctor. "Let's go, be quiet and be careful."
The Doctor reached the door to O'Neil's office and pulled out his sonic screwdriver. He pointed it at the lock and a second later, he was standing in the darkened room. He turned around and spotted a light switch on the wall, he flipped it and the room was flooded with light.
"She's not here." said Paul.
"Maybe she left." suggested John.
The Doctor noticed the open window, with a growing feeling of unease, he took a step towards it and his foot collided with something on the floor. He bent down and picked it up, his worry increasing. It was Rose's phone. It probably fell out of her pocket when she was looking around and she just didn't notice, he told himself, but he didn't believe it.
"What's that?" asked Ringo pointing at the phone in his hand.
The Doctor's answer was cut short by a cold voice that suddenly filled the room. "She's gone, Doctor, and you will never see her again."
The Doctor searched for the source of the voice and found a small speaker on the desk. "Where is she?" he shouted at it. "What have you done with Rose?"
"She's alive, for the time being." said the voice. "My masters will take care of her. I don't like to get my hands dirty, you see."
"Who are you? What masters? What are you planning?"
"So many questions." the voice said with a bemused chuckle. "All in good time, Doctor. You will know everything quite soon I expect. Oh, and if you're planning to stop us and save the world and all that, I'd get moving. Time is short. Goodbye Doctor, until we meet again." And with a soft click, the voice was gone.
"Who was that?" asked George nervously.
"I'm guessing that was the elusive Mr. O'Neil." said the Doctor. "So, that's why he didn't want people finding out about the water. Let's get out of here." The Doctor looked longingly around the room once more before he turned to leave.
The others followed him back into the cold winter morning. The Doctor rounded on them, looking serious. "Listen"
"No, you listen." said John forcefully. "We should have been with her. We shouldn't have let her go off on her own like that. Now you protest all you want, but we're coming with you. We're going to get Rose back and stop O'Neil together, got that?"
The Doctor seemed lost for words as he looked from one determined face to the next. He didn't have time toy argue, he had to find Rose, and so, begrudgingly he nodded his acceptance.
"She can't have gone far. C'mon think. Have you seen any place they may be keeping her? Secret places, keep out signs, people lurking round, looking threatening.
"No, I haven't seen anything like that." said Ringo, dejectedly.
"Wait!" cried John, beaming. "Remember George, when we were talking to those men?"
"Of course!" said George, realization dawning on his face.
"Anyone care to share this epiphany with me?" asked the Doctor, slightly annoyed.
"Yeah, right, sorry." said John. "Well, there's a place just like you said. It looked like a hatch to a basement or something, and there's a fence around it and a no trespassing sign. The men we were talking to were all crowded around it; they looked really mean. I thought they were just on lunch, but maybe they were guarding it."
"That could be it." said the Doctor thoughtfully. "Whatever this thing is it's all to do with that water and if that hatch leads underground, it may be O'Neil's way of contacting his masters."
"And a good hiding place for Rose." added Paul happily.
"Yes, but how do we get in?" asked the Doctor, frustrated. "O'Neil will have told those men to look out for us. The second they spot us it's over."
"Maybe not," said John, a wicked grin spreading across his face. "Sounds to me like we need a distraction. I think we can whip one of those up, can't we boys?
"Right you are, John." replied Paul.
"Alright Listen." said the Doctor. "I'm only agreeing to this because it's an emergency. You do what you have to, to draw them out, but be careful. This could be dangerous."
"We said we wanted to help, and we will." said Ringo.
"Okay, once those men are gone, I'll be clear to get in there but they'll be after you. I want you to take this…"
The Doctor produced a spare key to the T.A.R.D.I.S from one of his many pockets and handed it to John. "This is a key to the T.A.R.D.I.S, once you've distracted them, get into the T.A.R.D.I.S and lock yourselves in. Even if they follow you they won't be able to get inside."
John opened his mouth to protest but the Doctor cut him off. "Now don't argue with me, this is way too dangerous for you lot. I was mad to get you involved in the first place. You lock yourselves in and stay there, got it? Your part in this is over."
They nodded looking mutinous. "Just stay out of sight, we'll be able to give you a few minutes, but no more than that." said Paul.
"How will I know when it's time?" asked the Doctor.
"Oh, you'll know." replied John shortly.
The four of them hurried off, back towards the ships, while the Doctor settled down behind a pile of crates to wait. He wouldn't have long at all.
John led them out of the shipyard and into the street. "Where are we going, John?" asked George.
"He was right here earlier." said John to himself.
"Who was here? What's you plan?" asked Ringo.
"There he is!" shouted John excitedly, pointing at a little boy in the street.
The others looked at each other, confused before they followed John as he bounded over to the little boy.
"Hello," he said. "What's your name?"
"Jimmy." the boy replied.
"Well, Jimmy, I wondered if, maybe you'd like to help us cause a little trouble."
"Yeah!" said Jimmy with a mischievous gleam in his eye.
"Right, have you got any fireworks, you know, the loud ones?" asked John.
"Course I do." replied Jimmy matter-of-factly.
"Give em here and you just sit back and watch the show, alright?"
"Cool!" said Jimmy handing John a large handful of firecrackers.
"How did you know he'd have those?" asked George amazed.
"All the kids have em these days, don't they?" replied John simply. "Now let's get going."
John led them back to the shipyard and behind a pile of broken crates, steel drums and other detritus. "Alright." he said. "I'll run out and set these off and then come back. Now those guards are thick enough to think it's gun shots and they'll come running. The Doctor will have enough time to get down that hatch and find Rose."
He crept out from the safety of his hiding place and straightened up looking innocently about him. He took a few steps forward and bent down as if to tie his shoe. He stood very quickly and hurried back to join the others. Seconds later the firecrackers went off, emitting a series of loud bangs.
They watched as panic broke out. People, already on edge from the explosion, were running around screaming about exploding ships and men with guns. They left their hiding spot unnoticed and stood hesitantly, not knowing what to do.
Paul broke the silence. "Are we really going back to the T.A.R.D.I.S?" he asked doubtfully.
"Not a chance." said John, and the others nodded their agreement.
"We can keep a lookout at the hatch, make sure those guys don't come back before the Doctor gets Rose out." suggested Ringo.
"Right then," said George. "What are we waiting for? Let's go."
With that, they left the panic behind them and made their way back towards the hatch.
The Doctor's legs were starting to cramp when he heard what sounded like gunshots. He saw the men guarding the hatch run off in the direction of the sound. Smiling he stood up and approached the fence surrounding the hatch. It was padlocked; he made short work of it with the sonic, and closed the gate behind him as he stepped towards the hatch. He knelt next to it saw that it too was padlocked. He opened it with ease thinking how lucky it was that is wasn't deadlock sealed.
He climbed down a ladder into a very dark chamber. He was looking around, waiting for his eyes to adjust, when he saw her.
"Rose!" he cried joyfully. At that exact moment, a large heavy object collided with the back of his head and he slumped to the floor, unconscious.