Chapter 21
Author's Note: OMIGOSH it's been prolly a hundred years since I last uploaded and I am SO sorry! I was having serious block and a load of plot bunnies...lemme know what you think!
The room had gone completely quiet as the group stepped inside. Everyone had turned in their seats to stare at the newcomers. There was a quiet rustle of paper as a tall, older man stood and stepped forward. He moved slowly, dragging his body as if from exhaustion, but he kept a strong stance and glared at them through piercing blue eyes. "What is the meaning of this? I assure you that I can have your licenses suspended for disturbance." his voice was steady and threatening, matching the look in his eye. "It's a good thing we don't have licenses then." River commented, stepping forward and scanning the room. The setup looked much more like a parliament then a meeting; a main table graced the center of the room, where the man stood watching them, and around it were steel bleachers. The bleachers were engraved to match the door, with writing on the columns that held them up.
"What do you mean you don't have licenses? Are you not part of the Agency?" the man asked. "Fortunately no." the Doctor said, matching his gaze. "I shouldn't have to ask you to leave." the man reached up and adjusted the glasses that were perched on his nose. "I just hope you know what you're doing." the Doctor slipped his hands into his jacket pockets. "Sorry?" the man paused, looking suspicious. "It seems like you've got a big project going on, with all the aliens across the world and the TARDIS you've hidden away, what's it all for anyway?" the Doctor took several steps into the room, beginning his obligatory pacing. The man's eyes widened and murmurs began to echo throughout the room. "How did you know about that?" he asked. Owen snorted. "How couldn't we? Aliens showing up across the globe, strange signals we've never seen before. Even the skeptics were beginning to think something was up." Owen said. "Who are you?" the man leaned heavily on the cane in his hand. "That doesn't matter. What matters is we're here to stop you." The Doctor stopped pacing and looked at him, clenching his jaw. The man just chuckled at him. "You don't even know what we have planned."
"Doesn't matter, you're threatening the planet, and I have to warn you that it won't go down without a fight." the Doctor straightened to his full height, feeling suddenly less worried. Physically he knew Rose wasn't there, the distinct emptiness in his hand proved that, yet he felt that she was still with him somehow. The entity in his mind had taken up space in his head, something he'd tried to ignore the past several days. Now he let his mind hone in on it, relishing the contact and drawing from its strength. "We seek only to create a better life for the human race, by making them equal with the gods." the man said. " "Don't you understand the consequences of that?!" the Doctor asked wearily. Donna noticed the slight slump in his shoulders. "With great power comes great responsibilty." she commented. The Doctor nodded, smiling at the reference. "Are you ready for that? Are you ready to take on the responsibility?" he asked. "and what if this doesn't work? You could create a blackhole destroying your own past. The human race would cease to exist." the buzz of the parliament whispering became louder and the man knocked loudly on the table beside him, the ring of the steel quieting the group.
"It will work." he said firmly, looking back at the Doctor. "And we will not be stopped. You have no idea what you're up against." The Doctor pressed his lips together and turned to Owen. "Tell them we're headed back, I want a report on thise readings." he said, his voice tight. River looked up at the parliament, her face deadly serious. "You really should think twice before you do something stupid, fortunately for you, he won't let me use unnessesary violence." River let her hand rest on her blaster. "However, my way tends to be faster and less complicated. He's giving you a chance, and I advise you don't waste it." "Security will escort you out." the man nodded curtly at the door and incessant talking began again. The Doctor turned on his heel and walked out, nearly running into Jack and several agents standing outside the door. "We've got your back. Get outta here."
Jack rubbed his hands together. "Two years I've been investigating these guys, waiting for them to slip up. I think it's time to stir things up..." he grinned and winked at them. "Two years?" the Doctor's jaw dropped, a grin forming on his lips. "You go get 'em Captain." Jack grinned and saluted him as they ran off. "Two years!" The Doctor crowed running into the TARDIS. "That...that is brilliant!" "Shouldn't we be worried about this changing time or something? Will this change him?" Donna asked. The Doctor grinned and jerked a lever on the console. "That's the beauty of it...whatever he's plotting, it won't succeed and the Time Agency is going wipe his memory. Two years of his life, gone. He'll leave the Agency to try and get his memory back, and that's how he meets us!" the Doctor laughed. "Brilliant!" "So if we can unlock Jack's memory, we'll have an inside perspective." River stated. The Doctor nodded, his grin never leaving his face. "You are loving this aren't you?" Owen said, leaning against the console. The Doctor looked up at him. "Oh yes!"