Chapter 3
Commander Shaw stood waiting for the arrival of Martha and the Doctor. With three more people discovered this morning, the situation was steadily getting worse. They were fresh out of answers and his superiors were threatening to removed him from the operation if he did not solve this soon. From the Doctor's file on his work with the UK division, he and Martha were his best bet in finding answers.
before long, the Commander's heard a whrooping sound accompanied by rushing wind filling the command centre. He watched as a blue police box materialized before him and out walked the Doctor and Martha.
Commander Shaw strode to them and saluted.
"Welcome to UNIT Sir, it's an honour," he said.
"Always with the saluting," the Doctor said irritated.
Commander Shaw lowered his hand,"Good to have you back Doctor Jones. Please follow me to my office and I'll give you both a full briefing."
The Commander led them to his office, and upon entering he and Martha took opposing seats whilst the Doctor remained standing periodically pacing.
"Doctor Jones, we omitted some things when we initially briefed you on the mission," Commander Shaw began.
"You don't say," Martha said sarcastically.
Without acknowledging her statement he continued, "We were first alerted to a problem in the city when the number of missing people suddenly shot up."
"Wait, there hasn't been any reports of missing people in the news or papers," Martha said.
"There hasn't been any," the Commander said. "We have been squashing the reports to keep this out of the public's eye and avoid panic. Though it's getting harder to keep under wraps as more people go discovered a possible connection to the hospital when we learned the victims were either treated at the hospital shortly before their disappearance or a family member or friend had been."
"That's when you called me up," Martha said.
"Yes, we needed someone immediately and you were highly recommended," the Commander said. "The missing eventually turn up but with gaping lacerations on their torso. Well they did, until you called us from the hospital. The woman you found had the same bodily mutations without any of the injuries. We had assumed the physical injuries led to the mutations but we now know that is not the case."
"But why not tell me this from the beginning and keep me in the dark?" Martha inquired.
"We weren't sure what ties you still had with Torchwood," the Commander answered.
"It was about inter-agency competition? Seriously?" Martha said irritated. "And how many people have gone missing thus far?"
"From this morning," Commander Shaw hesitated and said, "We have found thirty-five bodies with potentially ten more people missing."
"Forty-five!" Martha involuntarily exclaimed in shock.
Martha had to work to suppress her growing frustration, and the Doctor's pacing wasn't helping. It was putting her on edge as she could not help but wonder what he was thinking.
Taking a deep breath she said, "Doctor, what do you think?"
"Yes, right," the Doctor said stopping his pacing. "I need to have a look at everything you found at the house."
"The medic's house?" Commander Shaw asked
"His name was Steve Evans," Martha interjected.
"Unfortunately before we could contain the alien it had destroyed everything in the basement. However, we have transported Mr. Evan's body to the medical bay for an autopsy. Doctor can you give us any information on how this alien is connected to the disappearances and deaths?" Commander Shaw asked.
"That's what we are here to find out," the Doctor said.
"I'll take you down to the medical bay then," the Commander said standing up.
Commander Shaw guided them to a medical bay which had two guards positioned outside, which was odd considering they would be guarding the dead.
Before entering Martha stopped and asked, "Where are you keeping Shelley?"
Seeing the confusion in the Commander's eyes she added, "The nurse from the hospital, Miss Robinson." The Commander could at least try to learn the names of the victims she thought.
"She is in the adjust facility," he nodded to the guard at the door.
"I'll go and see how she is doing," Martha said before turning and following after the guard.
The Doctor watched his former companion walk away. He smiled to think Martha, his doctor, was by his side again. It felt right but he knew it wasn't permanent. Martha had made a life of her own which did not include him. And after the way he had just treated her on the Tardis it would not have surprised if she had cursed him out. But regardless, he had ruined her life once and he was not going to do it again. Once this was sorted they would part ways again.
The Doctor entered the room and saw Steve's body laid out on one of the examining tables.
Commander Shaw walked up to the table and said, "He is our first male victim."
"What?" the Doctor asked surprised.
"All the rest were female," the Commander said. "We thought the disappearances were linked to gender in someway. This of course contradicts that."
The Doctor removed his screwdriver and ran it across his body. An explanation began to form in his mind but he had to make certain.
"Where are you holding the Mannar," the Doctor asked the Commander.
To the Doctor's surprise the Commander walked to the other side of the room. He stopped in front of a wall lined with chambers. He punched in a code which opened one of the compartments.
The Doctor walked over and watched as the Commander pulled the compartment out and unzipped the bag. Within lay the lifeless body of the Mannar.
"This is what you call containing?" the Doctor accused.
"My team had no choice, it had injured two of my men before they subdued it," Commander Shaw defended.
Begrudgingly the Doctor examined the Mannar with an increasing dislike for the man beside him.
Martha left knowing she would need to talk to the Doctor. Something was definitely wrong, but knowing the Doctor she would have to force it out of him. She had to wonder if something terrible had happened. The Doctor had been a broken man when she first met him because of the loss of Rose, what would it do to him if he lost her a second time. And where was Donna? She refused to believe he would just dump her back at home when he got Rose back. And what of his twin, if she could call him that, what happened to him. She ran through different scenarios in her head but eventually she decided there was no point speculating. She could only get answers from the Doctor.
Martha was led to a separate unguarded medical unit. Upon entering the room she saw Shelley had been connected to a number of machines which feed into a computer. The results were displayed on a screen to the left of her where a blond doctor stood writing silently.
"Hello Shelley," Martha said.
Shelley turned her head and saw her, "Martha they brought you too!"
Martha walked to Shelley's side and asked the doctor standing nearby, "Do you mind if we have a minute?"
The woman looked up finally acknowledging Martha's presence. She seemed annoyed at the disturbance but she said, "Of course" and walked to a computer station.
Once alone Martha asked, "How are you feeling?"
Shelley tugged against the wires, "I was ferried away like a criminal without explanation to a secret base, where they have stuck me to machines and run numerous on me. How would anyone feel?"
"Fair point," Martha conceded.
"Is there something wrong with me? Everyone is refusing to answer any of my questions," Shelley asked.
Martha considered telling her the truth but again decided against it, "I'll see if I can get answers from your doctor."
Martha approached the doctor who was now transfixed by the screen in front of her.
"Hello, I didn't introduce myself before. I'm Doctor Martha Jones."
"I'm Doctor Cathy Williams," she said barely looking up.
"Can you tell me anything about her condition?" Martha asked.
"It like nothing I've ever seen before. Her DNA is mutating at a rate which should be medically impossible." She pointed to a screen with intrigue which showed fluctuating numbers, "Even her vitals are changing every minute! It's like her body is rewriting its self before our eyes, only I'm not sure into what yet," she said with fascination.
Frowning Martha said, "I thought she was a patient not a lab experiment."
Cathy took her eyes away from the screen and cleared her throat. With dampened enthusiasm she said, "Of course not, our first priority is treating her."
With fake sweetness Martha replied, "Just making sure you know that."
Martha turned away from the clearly offended woman and rejoined Shelley.
"Did she give you any answers?" Shelley said.
"Not really," Martha said.
"This is about that woman who died in the hospital isn't it?" Shelley asked.
"I'm afraid so. But you have the best doctor working on a solution. He'll figure it out," Martha assured.
"Are you here because you were infected as well?" Shelley asked.
"Don't worry about me," Martha said dismissively.
"Martha"
Martha turned to see the Doctor walk in. She smiled and he came to join her.
"Is this the friend you spoke about?" he asked.
"Yes, Shelley this is the Doctor," Martha said.
"Another doctor?" Shelley whined.
"Hey, his not just any Doctor," Martha said giving the Doctor and quick smile.
"Do you mind if I ran a quick scan?" The Doctor said.
Shelley looked to Martha who nodded her head. "Okay,"
The Doctor took out his screwdriver and ran it over her. He looked at it for a moment and put it back in his breast pocket.
"That's it?" Shelley asked confused
"Yep," the Doctor said popping the 'p'.
Shelley eyed the Doctor skeptically.
Martha also gave him a look but said nothing.
"Shelley, we've got to leave but I promise to return as soon as I can," Martha said.
They left and headed back to the command centre.
"Find out anything?" Martha asked.
"Yep," the Doctor said again.
"And are you going to tell me what it is?" Martha asked.
"Come along, I'll tell you in the Tardis," he said.
Commander Shaw was back in the commander centre and spotted the Doctor and Martha headed for the Tardis.
"Wait, what did you find out?" he said trying to stop them.
"I'll be inside," the Doctor said entering the Tardis.
"I'll call with an update," Martha said before also entering the Tardis and shutting the door.
Commander Shaw stared powerless as the Tardis dematerialized.