I super apologize for the enormously long wait between chapters. I had to travel for work and didn't realize there would be little to no internet access in the area, but I'm back so I'll get the rest of the chapters up asap. :)

The Master opened his eyes. He was lying on the floor in an office. Rose! He sat up quickly and looked around the room. Gone. Her rescuer must have succeeded. Oh, he would find her, find her and then…Wait. He saw something…something…earlier. When they first arrived at the bar. There was…He went through his memories.

They arrived at the bar. He pulled her through the crowd toward the counter. He heard the murmur of voices, people chatting, music playing, and…and as he wove his way through the room there was…another noise. A beep, low, almost unnoticeable, but it was there. He glanced to his left and…her rescuer. He stood not more than a foot back and in his hand he held…something small, handheld…a scanner. He was scanning the room, but for what?

The Master hadn't paid attention, hadn't noticed. He was too focused on finding someone for Rose to practice on. He sat down at the bar with her, but when he turned around to look over the crowd. He saw…he saw…the man, he was there to the Master's right, standing behind a few people, blending in, but the Time Lord could see him now. He held the scanner and was pointing it at Rose. What the hell was he doing scanning her?

He wasn't trying to rescue her. He was trying to capture her and he succeeded. Why did he want her? But he knew the answer to that. Something came up on his scanner. The time energy? Possibly. Something came up on that bloke's scanner telling him she was different…special…unique. Why hadn't he gone after the Master? He probably chose Rose because he thought she'd be an easier target, which she was, well, at least until she found out what he was doing, but then he might be prepared for that, depending on what he wanted her for.

No, the Master had to find out who he was and what he could possibly want with her. The Time Lord had to find her. Had to save her because…because he needed her to…kill the Doctor. Yes, that's why he needed to save her.

He remembered seeing her rescuer talk to another bloke. He had to find that man and get answers. One way or the other he would find out who her rescuer was, track him down, kill him, and take back what was his.

Rose opened her eyes. She was lying on a hard, metal floor. She groaned. Her head was throbbing. Slowly she sat up. Bars. She was in a…she looked around…cage? What the hell was she doing in a cage?

Then she remembered. Her rescuer, who turned out to have other motives. He wasn't trying to help her, he was trying to capture and he'd done just that. What was he planning on doing with her?

He might've caught her off-guard by stunning her, but as soon as he made an appearance she'd show him that she was capable of defending herself.

"Awake already?" a man asked and a moment later her rescuer, who was actually her captor, stepped in front of the cage.

"Who the hell are you?" she snapped.

"My name's Cavin, not that that's important. You won't be with me for very long."

"You're right about that."

She reached out with her mind, sending a scream to tear through his head, but he just stood there. Unaffected. She tried again and again failed. What the hell?

"You look very…focused. Not trying to use some sort of telepathy are you?" Her eyes widened. How could he know? "You really don't think you're the first telepathic creature I've captured, do you?"

He'd captured other people? What did he do with them? What were his plans with her? She was in trouble. Real trouble.

"What are you going to do with me?"

"First, I'm going to find out what you are and then I'm going to sell you." Fear trickled down her spine. "When I followed that bloke into the bar to acquire the Eye of Doran, a power source he stole from one of my…clients…I lost him in the crowd. So, I scanned the room to locate the power source and in turn locate the Eye, but I must say I was surprised when my scanner detected readings that, well, defied logic. A power source to rival a star. When I traced the power to you I thought you must be carrying it, but when I scanned you I found that you weren't carrying the power source, you are the power source. So," he leaned on the cage, "what are you?"

"I'm just a girl. A human girl."

He laughed.

"Human? No, you're definitely not human, but it's no matter. I'll find out…very soon."

"Not bloody-" But that's all she got out as he pulled his blaster and shot her.

The Master pulled his sonic out and changed the setting from kill to torture as he followed the man Rose's rescuer had talked to down the dark street. He needed answers so he couldn't kill the bloke…yet.

The man turned down an alley and the Master trailed him. He aimed his sonic and was about to fire when the bloke spun around, a blaster in his hand. The Master pressed the button on his sonic before the man could fire and the bloke screamed, dropping his blaster to the ground. The Time Lord held the button down on his sonic as he closed the distance between them and then kicked the blaster away. He released the button and the man gasped.

"Who…who are you and why…the hell are you following me?" the man asked.

"Now, this is how things are going to work," the Master instructed. "I'm going to ask the questions. You're going to answer and if you're very lucky I'll let you live." The Master pushed the button on his sonic, making the man scream before releasing him. "Do you understand?" The man nodded. "Good. Now, who was the bloke you were talking to in the bar? The one who was scanning the area?"

"His…his name's Cavin."

"And what does Cavin do?" The man just stared at him so the Master gave him another taste of torture. The bloke panted when he was released. "Do I need to repeat the question?"

"He…he acquires things."

"Acquires things?"

"He has…clients and they hire him to find things. Something that was stolen from them or something they need."

"What was he looking for in the bar?"

"I…I don't know."

The Master could tell he was lying. He needed a lesson on that. The Time Lord pressed the button on his sonic and held it down for a bit longer than before. The man dropped to his knees in pain. He started talking as soon as he was released.

"He…was looking for…a power source…I don't know exactly what…it was, but he said it…it was worth a lot of money that's why…I…I agreed to help him."

A power source? The Master's hearts tightened in fear. Cavin had been scanning the bar for a power source. Rose! The time energy! It must have come up on his scanner and…Oh, that was really bad. It would've come up much stronger than anything he'd ever detected and someone like Cavin…he'd sell her as soon as he figured out what she was, probably even if he didn't know if he could find someone that would buy her and anyone with an inkling of what she was…this was really bad. The Master had to find her before it was too late.

He switched the setting on his sonic and pointed it at the man.

"What're you-"

He fired the sonic killing the man before he could finish his question. Then he turned and raced back to his TARDIS. If she was still on the planet he should be able to find her.

The Doctor tried to ignore Jack's impatient shifting, but it was beginning to grate on his already frayed nerves. Yes, he'd like to be looking for Rose instead of crouching near the stairs waiting for the Master to bring her back to the TARDIS. He had no idea why the other Time Lord stopped on that planet or what he could be doing with her out there, but he knew the Mater wouldn't leave her anywhere. He wanted revenge against the Doctor and dropping her off somewhere wouldn't give him that. Neither would killing her, but what he planned to do with her the Doctor couldn't think about. It would drive him over the edge of madness and he had to keep his wits about him.

The TARDIS doors opened then closed. He heard footsteps and hand to put a hand on Jack's chest to keep him from running up the stairs. The impossible man pulled both blasters out and glared at the Doctor, motioning toward the stairs with his head, but the Time Lord shook his head and motioned for Jack to stay put. He was waiting, hoping the Master would send Rose out of the control room. He didn't want her in the line of fire or to be an easy shield for the other Time Lord.

As he listened he realized that there was only one set of footsteps. Could it be Rose? Could she have gotten away from the Master? The steps were hurried. Maybe. He motioned with his head to Jack and ran up the stairs with his sonic out.

He made it almost to the top of the stairs before he spied the other Time Lord at the console. The noise drew the Master's attention.

"Doctor," the Master said in surprise.

He reached for his sonic.

"Don't move," Jack commanded, training both blasters on the other Time Lord.

"Where is she?" the Doctor demanded.

He was sure the Master would keep Rose with him. Everything was riding on that fact and now…where the hell was she? Did he leave her somewhere? Did he…No, he wouldn't have killed her…he couldn't have…if he did…Time Lord or not the Doctor would kill him.

"She?" the Master asked as if he had no idea who the Doctor was referring to.

"You bloody well know who I'm talking about!"

"Temper, temper…I like the new look by the way…very…college professor. Well, except the face…if you keep getting younger-"

"Tell me what the hell you did with her!" the Doctor demanded, cutting him off.

"Or what?"

"Or you're a dead man," Jack said in a low, even voice.

The Master glanced at Jack as if he forgot the other man was in the room. His eyes fell on the blasters, but he didn't betray any sign of fear, instead, he smiled.

"Jack. Haven't seen you since the last time I died. You've put on a few years I see. So, how's that whole immortal thing working out for you?" the Master sneered.

"Tell us what you did with Rosie or so help me…" Jack growled, so angry he couldn't even finish the sentence. He motioned with the blasters for emphasis.

"If you must know she was taken."

"Yeah, like we're going to believe that. Tell us what the hell you did with her."

"I didn't do anything. She really was taken. I was going to use the TARDIS to find her until you so rudely interrupted me."

"Taken?" the Doctor asked. "By who?"

"By a trader."

Fear lanced through the Doctor's hearts. If a trader had Rose and he had any idea of what she was…

"Find her," he demanded.

"Doc," Jack protested.

"A trader will sell her," the Doctor explained while he crossed the room to the console.

He heard Jack follow.

"Fine, but I'm not taking my eyes off him," Jack said, motioning to the Master.

The Doctor, also, kept his eyes on the Master. He didn't trust the other Time Lord, but they needed to find Rose before that trader sold her, but as soon as she was safe he'd deal with the other Time Lord. He wasn't entirely sure what he was going to do, but he knew as long as the Master was free he'd be a threat to Rose and the Doctor wouldn't have that.

Thank you to all my readers! You guys are brilliant! As always if you have time reviews are always welcome. :)