Vworp vworp vworp. Thoum. Krrik.
"Doctor, there's something that's been bugging me," Katie said as she stepped out of the TARDIS.
"And what's that?" the Doctor asked, adjusting his coat collar as he joined her. He looked at his watch and peered down the street. Katie knew he was listening despite his seeming to ignore her.
"Though the Boston Massacre wasn't exactly pretty, it wasn't a massacre. Only five people actually died, and that was because the Brits were defending themselves from a mob of colonists."
"So why did Paul Revere leave town when he had a perfectly spectacular business, contacts, and a large family?" the Doctor finished. "I've been wondering that same thing. We'll have to ask; he should be here soon."
Katie gestured to the house across from them. "The meeting's going on here?"
The Doctor grinned. "Yes! In five minutes, a few patriot leaders are going to meet in that building with Paul, Dr. Warren, William Dawes, and one or two people that have been leading the spy network in Revere's absence."
Katie smiled wistfully. "Oh, how I'd love to sit in on that. Revere must have done a fair bit of traveling to keep abreast of current events." She stuck a finger in the Doctor's face. "You sir, are going to tell me every single detail of the meeting."
The Doctor looked at Katie, just a tad confused. "You aren't coming in?"
"As I said," she commented, sighing. "I'd love to. However, I am a fifteen year old girl wearing slacks and smelling of sand, seaweed, and salt. I probably wouldn't be welcome. Since I've seen him, it would make more sense if I searched for whatever Jak has left behind while you make sure the meeting turns out the way it should." She glanced sideways at him. "You do know how it all turns out, right?"
"Take that tone out of your voice. I know more about this country's history than you do. It's just more fun seeing your reaction when I pretend not to." The Doctor grinned at her, relishing the look she was treating him to.
"If this were simply a pleasure trip, I'd probably hurt you for that." She turned abruptly, as if hearing something. "They're on their way. Unlock the door again, would you? I need to pop back to my room for something before I get started."
Katie adjusted her jacket before slipping into the alley to the right of the meeting house. It looked as though everyone was inside. She just hoped the Doctor was doing his job.
"It's not that I'm insanely jealous," she muttered. "I just wish I didn't have to be the walk about. Least he could have done was give some sort of tracking device. Like the sonic. Oi vey do I want one of those." Lifting up a box and finding nothing under it, she continued talking to herself.
"Alright then Moore. If you were trying to blow up a building, or destroy it in general, how would you do it? Of course, that would draw quite a bit of attention, and probably just make the colonists even more determined to turn against England. Rebels and traitors to the end, that's us." She straightened, realizing something. "So to kill a batch of people without causing instant response, you poison them. Oh dear."
Katie stepped backwards, looking up at the roof of the house the meeting was in. She sighed. "He gets to hang out with patriot leaders and spend an afternoon walking and chatting with Revere, while I climb buildings and run from the bad guys. So not fair."
It had taken Katie only fifty-six point two seconds to clamber onto the roof of the house. She figured that Jak would find it easier to hide something in a fireplace, rather than contaminate the food. He's probably installed some sort of device that deposits cyanide or another kind of vaporizing poisonous stuff into the fire itself, then fans the smoke into the room. Katie thought. Of course, he could simply drop pellets into the flames, then cover the top of the smoke stack.
She frowned and shook her head. Nah, he would have been the one to prep the bomb, and he added in the potassium to create the purple flames. And then he showed off a bit instead of killing me outright. Goes for the flashy bits, that one.
Though architecture wasn't really her thing, Katie knew a little about how houses were constructed in the 1700's. There wouldn't be many rooms, and should only be two chimneys; one for the kitchen, and one for the sitting room/parlor/front room. Because the kitchen would be farther in the back, and hardly a proper place for a chat, the chimney that went with the parlor would be her best bet.
She crawled over to the chimney, grateful for the approaching night. Using the little light she had left, she flipped open the pouch on her belt and pulled out a small, purple-brown, sectioned rectangle, with a clear piece of glass on one end, and a screen on the other. Pulling on a small tab at one end, she extended the rectangle until it was about three feet in length, then, bending it in a few places, she turned it into a rather odd looking periscope.
Katie pressed a small button next to the end with the screen. A small slot with different dials slid out. Lowering the opposite end of the periscope into the chimney, Katie extended it by twisting one of the dials.
"I knew this thing would be useful. The Doctor's going to kill me when he finds out I've been borrowing his stuff without asking. Still, maybe I'll finally get a chance to ask him where it comes from. If I remember correctly, this button gives me night vision. There we go." She smiled smugly. "Take that, Mr. 43rd Century Vortex Manipulator Expert."
Slowly turning dials, Katie lowered and rotated the periscope, until she had scrutinized every inch of that chimney. Nothing was there.
"Huh. I was certain…unless!"
She had a suspicion that whatever it was that Jak was using was hidden in the fireplace itself. Extending the periscope even farther, Katie cautiously lowered it past the fireplace mantel, peering into the room beyond, then rapidly drew it back. She had seen no one in the room, so she chanced a longer look, this time turning on the microphone, hoping to hear something.
There was nobody there.
Crumbs! Katie thought. Did they change location? Hold. Oh, how could I have missed that? An open door, and another room. Large house.
Switching to normal view, she fiddled with the zoom until she could see a group of men, of varying ages, sitting around a table. She could only see about half of the table.
Hmmm. If I remember correctly, this gizmo has a barely working x-ray thing. Doesn't see too far, but I might make it past the wall.
Katie turned yet another knob, and her view flickered with static. She frowned and hit the side of the periscope, and the screen became almost clear.
"Works better with a wrench," she muttered. "I'd have a perfect view if I could hit this with a wrench. Unfortunately, that seems to be the only thing the Doctor doesn't have. I'll have to get one somewhere. No matter, let's see what we can see."
Turning her attention back to the group around the table, she looked at the others there. To her shame, she could only recognize about half of them. The Doctor was a given, looking just as out of place as usual in his blue pinstripe suit and brown shirt as he always did. Revere, Dr. Warren, and the other main messenger, William Dawes, were easy enough to pick out, but the other men weren't. Well, there was-
Katie nearly dropped the periscope when she saw him. There, sitting at the table, calm as you please in his soldier's uniform, was Jak.
"Oh, I could really use a swear word about now," Katie ground out. "I've got to warn the Doctor! No, first I need to know why Jak's down there. Gah, doesn't matter, I'll get the story out of the Doctor later. How to communicate, how to communicate? Ah!"
Drawing the periscope back in with one hand as fast as it would go, Katie rummaged through her pouch with the other. She grinned uncharacteristically when she found what she was looking for.
"Let me see… a bit of duct tape -never go anywhere without that- a small green laser…attach that next to the lens…make sure the remote is working…and there!"
Katie inspected her work. She had fashioned a crude, yet hopefully successful, way to talk to the Doctor with Morse Code. She ran the scope back down the chimney, then hit the top of the chimney when she realized the flaw in her plan.
"You had to sit behind the wall, didn't Doctor? Fine. I'll go with Plan B, but I'm blaming you if I get caught."
Rotating the scope just a bit, Katie pointed it at the wall across from where the Doctor was sitting. Turning the x-ray back on so she could see the Doctor's responses, she took a deep breath, and started clicking the remote control.
To gain his attention, she tapped out "Old aliens need to pay attention to young ones," knowing that if any of the others saw and understood it, they would have no idea what it meant. The way the Doctor closed his eyes and rubbed his face told Katie he had seen the message. Surreptitiously, the Doctor put one of his hands under the table and started tapping on his leg.
"Where are you, and what the hell are you doing?"
"Wow. I managed to evoke a swear word. Shocked. What's the name of the red-coat?"
Katie was impressed by the way he kept up the conversation while managing to answer her. "This isn't the time for who's who!"
"Okay, later you have to tell me how you yelled in Morse Code. Just give me his name. I wouldn't be doing this if I didn't need to know."
"Jackson Tanner. He's a spy. Not part of the history as I know it, but history's already being messed with."
"His real name is Jak. He's from the 43rd century, and he already tried to shoot me once. What's he been saying?"
"Revere knew him on sight. Good friends apparently."
Katie gasped as she put three and three together. As rapidly as possible, she tapped out, "You numb-skull, don't you see? He's the one who convinced Revere to move in the first place! He's probably been trying to convince everyone that nothing will happen until the 20th, or that it's tonight, or something simple like that! Everyone will obviously know the regulars are shifting, but not the specific when. What sort of tripe has he been pushing?"
"Now that you mention it," the Doctor sent her, while telling Dr. Warren that sending up flares when the British started to move would be a bad idea, and why shouldn't they use lanterns instead, "He has been saying something like that."
"And you were too old to notice. You've given me plenty of lectures on fixed points, and I think I can recognize one by now. Lexington is one of the fixed points America rests on, isn't it."
The Doctor hesitated for a split second before tapping a short, "Yes."
"There, you see? Having me around isn't all bad. Sounds like your meeting is wrapping up. Meet you outside. Oh, and remind me to get a wrench. Nothing knocks a machine into shape like a wrench."
"What?"
"I'll explain later. Just keep an eye on our traveling friend there; I have a feeling this isn't going to be pretty."
*Constructive critisisim welcome, praise happily accepted, flames not wanted*