7.
"Hello there," said the Doctor cheerily as the Japanese youths surrounded them. "Or should that be 'Arigato'?" There were at least twenty altogether and the Doctor couldn't see a way past them. "We haven't got any Yen I'm afraid – even if my friend is wearing a very expensive dress."
"Thanks," muttered Amy, her eyes wide with fear as she watched the gang get closer. She may have been a judo black-belt, but overwhelming numbers trumped skill any day.
"Don't mention it," smiled the Doctor and then lowered his voice. "Get ready to run."
Amy looked sideways at him. "In these heels?"
"You chose 'em... now!" The Doctor pointed his sonic screwdriver at the electronic board that announced the train time and destinations. As the screwdriver emitted a high pitched whine, the board exploded in a shower of sparks.
Amy had only just managed to kick off her shoes as the Doctor propelled her forwards. They pushed through two stunned youths, and hand in hand darted off down the platform. But the gang members were only stunned for a second before they started off in pursuit, shouting angrily in Japanese.
Just then, a train whooshed into the station and glided smoothly to a halt.
The Doctor skidded sideways, and as the train doors slid open automatically, leapt aboard dragging Amy with him.
Amy glanced behind her. The gang were moving forwards like a swarm of angry wasps. "The train'll never get going in time!" she yelled, but the Doctor didn't pause. He pulled her across the train, past the few stunned passengers, to the sliding doors on the opposite side. With another burst from his sonic screwdriver, the doors slid open to reveal the adjoining platform.
But there was an empty track between the train and the platform. A track that Amy knew was electrified!
"You can't be-" she shouted, but the Doctor just nodded and squeezed her hand.
Amy closed her eyes and held her breath as they launched themselves into space.
A moment later they landed on the opposite platform, just as the train accelerated out of the station.
The Doctor and Amy never slowed down, darting up a flight of steps and away from gang that stood helplessly on the other side of the train tracks.
A moment later, the gang of youths suddenly parted as if by an unspoken command, and a tall, thin figure strode forwards. He pulled back his faded orange hood to reveal a European youth with short black hair, almond green eyes and a wide mouth. He looked sullenly across the tracks to the steps where the Doctor and Amy had fled.
"Why do you smell so different?" he murmured, his eyes narrowing. "Never mind – you won't escape Lucius a second time!"
8.
Demora spun the wheel around, her tyres squealing on the road as she took the corner too quickly, erupted onto a main street and narrowly avoided hitting an oncoming taxi. Vehicles around her angrily blasted their horns, but she just ignored them and glanced in her rear-view mirror. The dark sedan from the Osato building was still following her.
She saw a dark and seemingly deserted side street to her left and without thinking, spun the wheel again and screeched across the path of another car.
This time however Demora misjudged her speed and clipped the curb with her back tyre. The impact threw her sideways and she lost her grip on the steering wheel. The car lurched out of control, smashing into the wing of a parked car.
Without warning, two figures – a man and a woman – were caught in the headlights only a few feet away.
Demora managed to grab onto the wheel with one hand and yanked it to the right as the man pushed the woman out of danger. Demora screamed as her car spun around and, with deadly force, crashed into a row of short concrete pillars that were lined against the pavement. The bonnet buckled completely under the impact as the car came to a sudden halt.
The dark sedan paused at the end of the side-street and then continued up the main road and into the night.
The Doctor picked up Amy from where he had thrown her behind the pillars and onto the pavement. "Are you alright?"
Amy nodded, her heart hammering in her chest. "I think so," she managed and then looked down at her ripped and dirtied new dress. "Not sure about this thing though."
The Doctor smiled and brushed some dirt from his tuxedo. "Don't make 'em like they used to."
Amy let out a long breath. "What is it with us tonight? Tokyo's gone mad!"
"Well, this is my lucky tuxedo." The Doctor turned towards the car that had crashed into the pillars next to them - steam still coming from the exposed engine. "Let's see if anyone survived..."
He walked quickly across and bent down to look through the cracked windscreen. Inside, thrown back against her seat, was a young Japanese woman, blood trickling from a nasty gash on her forehead. The Doctor wasted no time in tugging on the driver's door and to his relief it clicked open. He leant in and put his fingers on the young woman's neck.
"Is she alive?" asked Amy from behind him.
"Yup, I can still feel a pulse. Come on," the Doctor said, releasing the woman's safety belt, "let's get her out."
9.
"Did you get her?" The woman's voice was like the crack of a whip.
Teru Osato closed the double mahogany doors behind him and then turned to face her. "No need – she was killed in a car crash."
The woman broke into a wide smile, revealing perfect teeth. "Just as well," she purred and then sighed. "Will you join me in a glass of champagne Teru?" She gestured to a magnum that sat opened inside a silver bucket, two crystal glasses on a tray next to it.
Osato looked at her silently for a moment. She was certainly attractive; in her late forties but with clear skin, high cheekbones, a long elegant neck and bright green eyes. A mane of red-brown hair fell about her shoulders and onto the jacket of her designer midnight-blue business suit. "Thank you, Miss Danvier," he said eventually.
Danvier clicked her tongue playfully as she poured two glasses of champagne. "Teru, Teru, Teru – I keep telling you - call me Mya."
Osato took one of the glasses and nodded briefly, forcing a smile. "I am sorry...Mya."
"That's better." Mya Danvier took a sip of champagne. "I adore Dom Perignon." She sighed again, crossing the penthouse office to stare out of the enormous glass window. The breath-taking vista that was Tokyo at night was all around them.
Osato watched her carefully, his champagne untouched.
"What a wonderful city Tokyo is," continued Danvier, "so perfect for my...our needs." Her eyes drifted to the dark silhouette of Mount Fuji that stood imposingly in the distance. "I think we should start the next phase." When Osato said nothing in reply, she swung around, her eyebrows raised. "You don't agree?"
Osato studied his glass for a moment. "Is this speed wise?" he asked. "Should we not investigate Miss Naki further – perhaps there are others who know what she did?"
Danvier rolled her eyes. "Then it is better, surely, not to give them any time to regroup." She swigged at her champagne. "Honestly Teru – you can be such a plodder sometimes!"
Osato said nothing, the slight on his honour and abilities going un-rebuked, but his cheek twitched.
Danvier smiled coldly - enjoying the hold she had over the old Japanese businessman, and turned back to the view of Tokyo. "What about our other...fugitive?"
This time Osato was much quicker to respond. "My agents are searching the streets all over the city but he vanishes like smoke into the night."
"Yes he would," Danvier murmured, almost to herself. "But he must be here before the experiment enters the final phase..."
10.
The Japanese woman's eyes suddenly fluttered open and she gasped as she saw the Doctor leaning over her.
"Hey, it's alright, take it easy," he said gently.
"We got you out," added Amy.
The Doctor and Amy had managed to free the woman from the wreckage of the car and had dragged her a safe distance from it. But the woman pushed herself away from them in fear and looked around wildly. The effort was too much however, and she swayed before the Doctor hurried forwards again as she dropped. He knelt down next to her, propping her up in his arms.
"Whoa – not so fast – you had quite a crash..."
The woman put her hand to her temple and winced. "I...thank you."
"Glad to help. I'm the Doctor, this is Amy."
"Demora," whispered the woman in reply, making an effort to focus her eyes.
"You nearly killed us," said Amy, and shrugged as the Doctor turned to glare at her. "What?"
"I know...I'm sorry," replied Demora muzzily. A sudden thought hit her and she twisted around to see the end of the side-road behind her.
The Doctor instantly saw the sudden fear in her face. "What happened, Demora?" he said quietly.
She didn't turn back but continued to stare up the road. "They were following me – I think they would have killed me."
The Doctor glanced up at Amy, who sighed and folded her arms in front of her.
"Who was trying to kill you?" asked the Doctor.
But Demora wasn't listening as she remembered her satchel and its contents. With a gasp, she hauled herself to her feet and tried to hobble back to her car. But she had only managed a few metres before the pain in her leg overwhelmed her and she fell to the pavement again clutching at her thigh. "Please," she said, turning back to the Doctor and Amy, her face contorted in pain, "you need to get my satchel – it's on the front seat."
The Doctor got to his feet. "Why?" he asked.
"I need it – please?"
"I'll get it," said Amy and ran across to the crashed car. She peered through the open driver's door and saw the small brown satchel on the floor in front of the passenger seat where it had been thrown forwards with the impact. "Got it," she shouted as she leant in and retrieved the satchel.
"Give it to me," said Demora sharply.
Amy looked at the Doctor. He wore a frown of concern, but nodded.
"Hey!" cried Amy as Demora almost snatched the satchel from her. The Japanese woman rummaged through the satchel and then sighed with relief as she discovered the vial was still intact.
"What's that?" asked the Doctor, peering over her shoulder at the glass tube of yellow oil.
Demora looked up at him but then her eyes rolled upwards and with a gasp she fainted.
The Doctor caught her before she fell back onto the pavement and picked up the glass tube as she dropped it. He glanced up at Amy as he pulled out the rubber bung and took a cautious sniff. The pungent, acrid smell was almost unmistakeable. "Oh no," he whispered.
11.
The service tunnels below the subway networks were in almost complete darkness, but Lucius strode along them as if they were bright daylight, his footsteps echoing on the concrete floors. His faded orange hood was thrown back, and in the gloom his green eyes glittered like those of a cat, reflecting the paltry light of the occasional dim bulbs that were above the access doors.
He reached one of the doors and kicked it. It swung open with a groan of rusty metal and Lucius swung himself through, sliding down the short ladder on the other side. He landed gracefully and looked up and down the corridor. It was silent and empty.
Lucius paused to belch and wiped the remains of his supper from around his mouth. He rubbed his hand along his jeans, leaving red-brown streaks on the denim. He hadn't enjoyed it – he never did when it was so easy. He hated it even more when they pleaded.
"Mind your manners."
The soft female voice came from nowhere but Lucius saw the slight movement in the deep shadows to the left and spun around. "It's not my fault if they repeat on me," he replied petulantly. "Anyway, you're hardly my mother."
The figure of a slight, very pretty Japanese girl with long black hair, shifted in the gloom. Her long black leather skirt, jacket and gothic make-up were of the latest Harajuku style. "Would you care for some ...dessert?" She smiled at him as she gestured back from where she had emerged.
Lucius could clearly see the twisted remains of a body – another girl – lying on the floor, a pool of still-fresh blood beginning to dry on the concrete.
He shook his head. "No thanks Akiko, besides," Lucius grinned savagely, suddenly showing long and pointed canine teeth, "you know I'd much rather play with my food."
Akiko smiled with him and reached up to stroke the side of his face, her long, black nails gently caressing his cheek. "Oh my love," she purred, "perhaps we should dine together?"
Lucius caught her hand just as the nails began to dig into his flesh. A frown flickered across his brow as he kissed Akiko's hand. "Not yet Akiko – you are...safer here - at least for now."
Akiko bent her head to one side in mock sorrow, and for the first time the dim light of the access door bulb fell upon it. Rather than smooth, pale human flesh, one side of her face was covered in leathery pink skin and a large green eye rolled in its socket.
12.
The Doctor pushed the slatted blinds of the hotel window apart and gazed out at the city beyond with worried eyes. The red light of dawn was just blossoming into morning and Tokyo was already bustling with traffic. He took a sip of his orange juice, the last remaining part of their ordered breakfast, as Amy pushed open the door to her adjoining room, a piece of half-eaten bagel in her mouth.
"I've got to say it," she mumbled, taking the bagel from her mouth, "that was a fantastic bath!" She was dressed back in her usual jeans and trendy sweatshirt with a fluffy white towel wrapped around her still-wet hair. She threw herself down onto the sofa of their shared lounge. "Good idea to come here Doctor – much swankier than the TARDIS and," she looked around the expensive suite appreciatively before taking another bite from her smoked salmon bagel, "you do have style!"
The Doctor gave a small smile. "It was nearer than the TARDIS and a great deal safer with our 'guest' in tow." He gestured to the other bedroom. "How is she?"
Amy rubbed at her damp hair with the towel. "Still sleeping I think when I popped my head in."
"Probably the mixture of shock and mild concussion," nodded the Doctor.
"Unlike you then – not slept a wink have you?" asked Amy, pointing an accusing finger at him. "You even nipped back to the TARDIS to get our usual clothes."
But the Doctor ignored her question and turned back to the window. Amy rolled her eyes. "Come on, what's in the glass tube then?" But her question was greeted with silence. "Doctor..." she warned.
There was another long pause. "Something that shouldn't be here," he said eventually.
"What do you mean?" Amy glared at his back. "God, you can be so annoying sometimes!" Then he turned to face her and Amy saw the worry in his eyes. "It's alien, isn't it?" she asked.
"That's what I thought."
The Doctor and Amy both turned to see Demora standing in the doorway to her room, wearing a white dressing gown
"How are you feeling?" asked the Doctor.
Demora put her hand to her head but managed a weak smile. "Bit of a headache, but I'm fine. I think I need to thank you both again."
"That's alright," smiled Amy with a shrug, "we do it all the time."
"Perhaps you should tell us about that oil?" suggested the Doctor quietly.
Demora nodded and crossed the room to sit on the sofa next to Amy. "Then I need to tell you all about Osato Chemicals..."
13.
Miss Danvier, her appearance immaculate as always, marched from the lift and down the long corridor that led to the labs of Osato Chemicals. She smiled glacially at the occasional employee that scurried past her until she reached a particular lab door.
Danvier slid a card through an electronic security reader next to the door and it rolled open with the pneumatic hiss of compressed air.
The lab beyond was large and filled with row upon row of benches, all covered with sophisticated electronic and chemical analysis equipment. Several white-coated scientists staffed the lab, all bustling about like busy colony ants – each with their assigned task. Danvier surveyed the activity with a satisfied smile on her face.
One of the scientists looked up from where he had been checking a microscope and entering results into a laptop. Japanese, in his mid-thirties, and handsome in a stern way, he crossed the lab to meet Danvier. In contrast to the looks of awe that she received in the corridor, he just gave a small, respectful nod.
"Are we progressing Dr. Kau?" Danvier asked briskly.
Kau nodded. "Yes Sister -" But Danvier glared at him and he lowered his eyes, immediately realising his error. "Yes, Miss Danvier. I anticipate the next phase of synthesis will be completed today."
Danvier's irritation was replaced by a calculating smile. "Excellent – then we are proceeding to schedule." She walked over to a batch of long glass tubes. Each contained a viscous, yellow oil that was being passed through a heated catalyst and into smaller gaseous storage vials.
"The first few batches should be ready to be shipped out by tomorrow morning," Kau continued, following behind her. "Are the conversion units operating correctly?"
"I am assured that they are," nodded Danvier. "I'm sure our 'customers'," she smiled coldly, "are also ready and waiting."
"The assimilation process is very different this time."
"Indeed – a new dawn in so many ways." Danvier took a breath and surveyed the busy lab approvingly. "Well done Kau, but sadly I can't stay. I must try and direct Osato's efforts to finding our lost brother."
"He is cunning – if he turns against us, the experiment could be compromised."
"Don't you think I know that?" snapped Danvier. "And Osato's men are fools and incompetents. How he has risen to his position baffles me!" She turned back towards the lab door. "But I'm telling you Kau, I don't want to end this without seeing our brother by my side – either once more under our wing, or," her eyes flashed angrily, "crucified as a pariah!"