Chapter 16
"It's the sample," The group gathered around Owen's chair as he pointed to the screen. "At first the computer was having a hard time tracking down other particle carriers, so I narrowed the search and and now it's pinpointed someone in this building." he explained.
"Can you give us a floor?" the Doctor asked impatiently. Owen tapped away at the keyboard, the screen zooming in on the map before him. "19th floor, looks like fourth door to your right." Owen looked up at him. "Don't even think about it." Martha remarked suddenly. The Doctor looked up at her, his eyebrow arched. "All floors above the 15th are lent out to private companies and employees are kept strictly out of their hair. If you so much as look at the floor number I could lose my job." She glared at him sternly and his stood to his full height, eyeing her with concern. "You've changed Martha Jones." he commented, leaning back on his heels. Her jaw tightened and she looked away. "Whoever is in that room has come in contact with the mutated TARDIS, and we need to find out why." he looked back at Owen, still watching Martha out of the corner of his eye.
"Can you track it?" Owen made a face. "Not consistently, the computer isn't programmed to track moving objects and the search would have to be restarted every couple minutes." he said. The Doctor scowled and looked back up at Martha. She sighed and pulled out her phone. "Fine. I'll see what I can do..." she grumbled. She pulled out her phone and frowned at him. "But only because you'll go blundering in anyway." "Oi!" the Doctor exclaimed. "I don't blunder!" Donna snorted, trying to hide her chuckle. "How much longer have we got here?" Owen asked, taking a peek at the clock. He was bored and very ready for a night on the town. The Doctor sat on the desk and shrugged. "Not much we can do right now..." He looked at him. "You haven't left all day, why don't you take a break and see the city?" Owen grinned and stood up. "How about that drink River?" he looked up at her mischievously. River smirked back, taking his arm as he offered it to her. Rose and Donna stared open mouthed as the two walked out the door, shock on their faces. River paused just outside the doorway, winking at them. "We'll be back, don't wait up!" she waved and disappeared. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~OIA~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jack stared at the Vortex manipulator in his hand. He didn't even know what to think; they'd found it on the wrist of an alien that was picked up in Times Square, but how did the alien get it? He frowned as he walked back into the lab with Gwen, passing Owen and River. He almost didn't catch them, but River was smirking as she passed, looking quite pleased with herself. Gwen giggled beside him, the two were so oddly paired she just couldn't help it. Jack held up the manipulator for the Doctor to see as they walked in. "Stole this off a rather drugged up Hthalo in Times Square..." He handed it to the Doctor. "Time Agents can't afford to be careless, you'd have to kill one to get his manipulator."
"I know." the Doctor replied, waiting for Jack to finish his thought. "You don't think the Time Agency is involved, do you?" Jack asked. Gwen sat down and raised her hand. "Isn't that where you and Hart worked?" she asked. "What would they want with all of this?" "The Time Agency changes time, small things without being noticed. They could be trying to change something in the future, but they're not usually this bad at botching things up." Jack commented. "We've also got a lead on that air sample Owen took," Rose interuppted just as Martha returned, glaring steadily at the Doctor. "You've got an appointment for tomorrow morning with Bill Robinson of Cage Enmity, I told them you'll be taking a secretary so you can take Rose." She shook her pen at him. "Don't cause trouble. I'll have Owen give you a portable scanner and any bugs you want." "Cage Enmity? What kind of company name is that?" Donna asked. "Cage Enmity?" The Doctor frowned. "'Didn't they patent the first manipulators? They shouldn't be around for another couple of centuries." "Do you think they have anything to do with the Time Agency?" Jack asked. The Doctor looked at the group and smiled. "Theres only one way to find out."