Molly, Tallulah, and Lazlo made it to Hooverville before it got dark. There wasn't any sign of the pigmen yet, but Molly wasn't taking any chances. The moment she arrived, she asked to be taken to Solomon. Lazlo had covered his face with a hat, a turned-up coat collar, and a scarf, but he still seemed nervous around the great mass of people in Hooverville.
Solomon was quick to greet them, but he was less welcoming of the news they brought. "You're good to warn us, but there's no way we can run. Hooverville's the place of last resort; there's nowhere left for any of us to go. We'll have to stand and fight, we ain't got no other choice."
"There's got to be somewhere," Molly said desperately. "This isn't permanent, it's just until we can save the Doctor and get this whole thing sorted out. You've got to scatter, you're sitting ducks out here in the park. Hide out in the city alleyways, flee out to the country, do whatever you have to. We have to hurry, there isn't much time."
"But isn't there a way to reason with these creatures?" Solomon asked.
Tallulah let out a snort. "Reason with 'em? Have you seen those guys?" She turned automatically to Lazlo with a quick, "No offense," then turned back to a bemused Solomon. "They took my Lazlo, the sweetest guy I ever met, and they tried to turn him into a pig."
Solomon turned to Lazlo with renewed interest, eyes narrowing as he took in his face. The pigman said in a low, husky voice, "She's right. They would have taken my mind too if I'd given them the chance. There's no talking to or reasoning with them. They're monsters, and they'll make monsters of us all."
"You've got no choice, Solomon," Molly practically pleaded with the man. "If you stay here, you will die, and if you try to fight, you're going to lose people. Running's the only option."
Solomon looked at her thoughtfully for a moment. "You really believe in this Doctor guy, don't you?"
"Completely," Molly answered without hesitation. Her own certainty surprised her for a moment; she'd only known the man for a few days. But those days had taught her more than years of conversation ever could, and she knew that no matter what, the Doctor would do what it took to save people in need.
The Hooverville leader continued giving her that evaluating look a few moments longer before giving a weary sigh. "I already lost Frank. I abandoned him out of fear. I won't lose cost more people their lives out of pride. We're running."
Molly released the breath she'd been holding, and Tallulah and Lazlo shared a relieved glance.
SCENEBREAK
It took a few hours to clear out Hooverville. People were reluctant to leave, but Molly eventually convinced Lazlo to show them his face, and that was enough to scare them into agreeing. Some were sent to hide in the city itself, while others headed out to hitch rides on trains or run cross-country. Most planned to return to Hooverville in a few day's time; none of their escapes would work long-term. They had a deadline, but for now, everyone was safe.
By the time it was dark, just a few people, Solomon, Tallulah, Lazlo, and Molly were left in Central Park. Solomon was just getting the last party ready to leave when a sentry let out a warning call. Solomon grabbed for a discarded rifle, and Molly stiffened instinctively.
The sentry, a boy even younger than Frank, hurried into camp. "There's people coming, boss!"
Molly relaxed. There was no way the sentry would be this calm if he'd seen the pigmen, and Lazlo had said the masters looked strange and metal. She felt a rush of hope. Maybe the Doctor had managed to get free.
A few moments later, a group of worn and wearied people came trudging into camp, looking winded from running. At their head, to Molly's surprise, was someone she hadn't thought she'd see again. "Frank!" She hurried to give the boy a quick hug, then hurried to get out of the way as Solomon came in to give him a huge bear hug.
"We thought we'd lost you, boy," Solomon said as he pulled back, grinning with relief at the young man.
Frank grinned back. "Me too, for a bit, but the Doctor convinced 'em to let us go."
"Convinced who?" Molly asked.
"Some sorta robot or something. He called them 'Daleks.'"
Lazlo let out a low growl. "The masters," he confirmed for Molly.
She frowned thoughtfully. "The Doctor's never mentioned Daleks before," she mused.
Frank shrugged. "He seemed to know them. Whoever they were, they didn't like him. The other three tried to kill him, but their leader stopped him."
Solomon laid a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Slow down, son. Tell us what happened."
Molly made a quick decision. "Actually, Solomon, you and the others should get going. If Frank and the others managed to get here as slow as they're going, the pigmen can't be far behind." Solomon started to protest, but she cut him off. "Just get the rest out of here. They need you, Solomon."
He gave her a searching look, then nodded.
SCENEBREAK
Solomon headed out with the last party, which consisted of the last citizens of Hooverville and all of the returned prisoners, excluding Frank. He'd insisted on staying in helping. "The Doctor saved my life," he'd told Molly firmly. "I'd like to repay the favor, if I can."
Molly had hoped he'd follow Solomon where he'd be safe, but in the end she reluctantly allowed him to stay.
"So what now?" Tallulah asked after Solomon's group left.
"Now we get the Doctor," she replied wearily. The pathologist was getting increasingly anxious about the whole thing. What if she'd been wrong about sending people out of Hooverville? What if she'd just put them in more danger? This is why she hated being in charge. She never knew whether she was doing the right thing.
Molly still had the Doctor's coat draped over her lap. She slipped a hand absentmindedly into a pocket, starting slightly when her hand brushed against metal. The sonic screwdriver. She pulled it out, twirling it slightly in her hand. That screwdriver had solved a lot of their problems before; maybe it would be useful now. The pathologist set it beside her and turned back to his pockets. Maybe something else in there could help too.
A quick search revealed quite an impressive amount of clutter. Tallulah was sitting on a barrel across from her with Lazlo crouching beside her. They watched her search with raised eyebrows. "Sheesh, how big are those pockets?" Tallulah asked.
Her eyes widened as Molly shoved her entire arm down the pocket, up to her shoulder. The pathologist gave her a sheepish look. "They're bigger on the inside," she explained apologetically. She managed to pull out several useless or alien bobbles and bits, but the one thing of interest she found was a familiar leather wallet. The psychic paper, she realized.
Suddenly, angry squealing sounded from the distance. Molly froze. They're coming. We're out of time.
An idea came to her – a long shot, a wild hunch, but worth a try. She closed her fingers around the leather wallet, concentrating on what she needed it to say, then turned to Tallulah. "Tallulah, listen, there's something I need you to do. Take this," she handed her the psychic paper, "and do what it says. Please, just trust me."
Tallulah looked at her with wide eyes, but after sharing a quick glance with Lazlo, she nodded. Molly felt a rush of relief. "Good. Listen, just hide in here." She drew back the flap of one of the tents.
Tallulah gave her a quick, scared glance, then drew her into a hug. "Good luck." With that, she, Lazlo, and Frank disappeared into the tent, leaving Molly alone in Hooverville.
She took a deep breath, trying to calm her anxious doubts, before starting off for the edge of the camp. Once at the edge of Hooverville, she could see a small army of pigmen approaching, tusks bared and squealing loudly. She took a few steps forward, hands raised slowly above her hand. "I surrender," she called out calmly. "I'll come quietly."
The pigmen slowed, staring at Molly with blank, confused eyes. A few came up and grabbed her, pinning her arms behind her back. She flinched slightly but didn't struggle. The rest of the pigmen headed into Hooverville, letting out shrill, angry shrieks when they found no one inside. Tallulah, Lazlo, and Frank must have hidden themselves pretty well, for the pigmen came out empty-handed, squealing angrily at her.
Before they could do anything other than bare their tusks in anger, a strange whirring sounded from overhead. She looked up to see a strange metal robot of sorts floating overhead, a strange eye-stalk gleaming down coldly down at her. "WHERE ARE THE HU-MANS?" it demanded in a shrill, metallic voice.
Molly guessed that that was one of the Daleks Frank had been talking about. The companion stared up calmly, trying to mask the way her heart felt like it was going to pound out of her chest. She could only hope she'd made the right choice. "They left. They all left. They ran when they heard about the pigs."
The Dalek glared down at her. "BUT YOU STAYED." It managed to be both statement and question.
She nodded. "I have something the Doctor needs," she explained.
The metal creature jerked back at this. "YOU ARE A COM-PAN-ION OF THE DOC-TOR?"
"Yes," she answered clearly, "and I have something of his. Something he'll need in order to help you properly." Slowly she pulled the sonic screwdriver out of her pocket and held it out for the Dalek to see. She silently hoped it knew what it was, or would believe her description of it.
The eyestalk focused on the thing metal screwdriver. "THE DOC-TOR'S SONIC DE-VICE!" it shrieked.
Molly let out a relieved breath. "He needs this to help you," she repeated clearly. "Take me to him so I can give it to him, and I'll come quietly." Once she was with the Doctor again, she'd be able to figure out a way to help him, or he'd come up with a plan she could follow. Either way, they'd be better off working together again.
The Dalek hesitated, shifting back in forth in place, before finally ordering, "THE COM-PAN-ION WILL FOLL-OW." It turned and started back towards the sewers, not waiting to see if Molly followed; not that she had a choice as the pigmen dragged her after the Dalek. She let out the breath she'd been holding; her part was done. Now all that remained was to reunite with the Doctor, and pray that she hadn't been wrong in her guess.
SCENEBREAK
The Doctor followed Dalek Sec, more than a little intrigued, as he led him into another wing of the lab. "We… tried everything to survive when we found ourselves stranded in this… ignorant age," Sec explained in his slow, halting way. "First we tried… growing new Dalek embryos but their flesh was too weak."
The Doctor felt bitter loathing returning. "Yeah, I found one of your experiments," he spat. "Just left to die out there in the dark."
Sec nodded, seeming almost sad about the loss. "It… forced us to conclude… what is the greatest resource of this planet – its people." He switched on a light by the wall, lighting several overhanging lights and revealing several bodies lying on clinical gurneys. The Doctor felt a rush of guilt at the sight; here were more people he'd failed to save.
Sec drew back the cloth covering one of the bodies. The man's body lay there cold and still, eyes closed. The Human Dalek stared at him, thoughtful. "We stole them. We stole human beings for our purpose. This…is the extent of the Final Experiment."
The Doctor stared down at the man, feeling sick at the thought of what he would be asked to do. "Is he dead?" he asked dully.
"Near death," Sec corrected, "with his mind wiped ready to be filled with new ideas."
"Dalek ideas," he spat, no longer trying to hide his loathing. He'd been wrong, Sec wasn't any different from the others.
"The Human-Dalek race," Sec sighed, almost…tenderly. The tone made the Doctor reconsider. Maybe there was something more to Sec after all. Maybe there was still something to hope for.
"All of these people," he said softly, looking up at the other bodies, the other people with their lives stolen for the Dalek cause. "How many?"
Sec followed his gaze. "We have… caverns beyond this storing more… than a thousand."
"Is there any way to restore them?" the Doctor had to ask, even though he already knew the answer. "Make them human again?"
Sec shook his head sadly. "Everything they were has been lost," he admitted.
"So they're like shells. You've got empty human beings ready to be converted." He let out a low whistle. "That's going to take a hell of a lot of power. This planet hasn't even split the atom yet. How're you gonna do it?"
Dalek Sec looked up at him. His worst enemy in all of the universe smiled, and began to explain. And he found himself listening.
SCENEBREAK
Molly allowed herself to be led roughly through the sewers once again, the pigmen offering no conversation as they dragged her through. They came up through a different ladder this time, which led her up into a fancy-looking building. She had no time to admire the interior, however, for the pigmen quickly pulled her into the elevator. After a few minutes, they arrived.
She was led into a lab with a wide window view. Two Daleks waited inside, the third having just arrived before Molly and the pigmen. "I FOUND THE DOC-TOR'S COM-PAN-ION," it told its fellow Daleks. They turned to watch her pass with cold, gleaming eyestalks, then followed her as she went past.
Molly was led past them into another wing of the lab. The first thing she saw was an alien with one eye and tentacles on its head. It was a strange sight, but the last few days had shown her so many strange sights that it only gave her pause for a moment. That's when she saw the Doctor, safe and unhurt, wild hair sticking like always. She was surprised at the depth of relief she felt, but she supposed that's what friends were for. "Doctor!"
He turned to face her, breaking out in a huge grin. "Molly!" Without warning he wrapped her into a quick hug, which Molly accepted after getting over the shock. The Time Lord pulled back, still grinning as he asked, "How're things over in Hooverville?"
"Pretty quiet," Molly admitted with a smile. "Solomon got everyone out."
His grin only increased. "I knew there was a reason I brought you along!"
Before Molly could do more than blush at the compliment, the tentacled creature from before spoke. "You mean… no one in Hooverville… has been captured or killed?"
They both turned to face the creature. "That's right," Molly replied cautiously. She wasn't sure what he was or what his part in this was, but the Doctor didn't seem too worried about him, so maybe he was on their side.
He let out a sigh, almost looking relieved. "That is… good. There is no more… need for bloodshed. We have what we need."
The Doctor blinked at him in surprise. "You think death is meaningless?" There was heavy irony in his tone. Behind him, the Daleks shifted nervously.
The creature nodded. "Humans… for all their faults, they show great courage."
"And that's good?" the Doctor asked incredulously.
"That's excellent," the creature insisted. "We have… much to gain from humanity. I am Dalek Sec, the first… human Dalek, and I have learned from our founder's mistakes."
If anything, this just made the Doctor even more baffled. "I'm sorry, did you just say your founder made a mistake?!"
Before Sec could reply, one of the Daleks gave an angry shriek. "THAT IS IN-CORR-ECT!"
Another one added, "DA-LEKS ARE SU-PREME!"
Sec shook his head. "No, not anymore."
"BUT THAT IS OUR PUR-POSE!" the second Dalek insisted.
"Then our purpose is wrong!" Sec snapped. "Where has our… quest for supremacy led us? To this. Hiding in the sewers on a primitive world. Just four… of us left. If we do not change now then we deserve extinction."
Molly didn't understand entirely what was going on, but she got the gist enough to understand that Sec was trying to change his species, and his species didn't seem to want to cooperate. She slid closer to the Doctor. "What are we doing?" she asked quietly.
"Sec is building a new species of human Daleks," he explained quickly. "He's got himself a couple hundred human bodies with their minds wiped, and he wants to fill them with Dalek DNA and Dalek minds, but keep the element of humanity."
"And we're going to stop him?" Molly asked.
The Time Lord shook his head. "We're going to help him," he corrected. "We can't do anything to reverse what's been done to those people, and this is the first time I've ever seen a Dalek evolve past killing. I have to hope this means they can change, and change for the better." He almost seemed to be trying to convince himself as much as her. She sensed he and these Daleks had a pretty heavy history, but she didn't ask.
Instead, she held out his sonic screwdriver. "Then I guess you'll need this."
He took it with a grin. "Molly Hooper, you are brilliant!" He turned back to Sec. "So, we need to make a human Dalek species in the next eleven minutes before that solar flare comes. Let's get to work!"
So here's another chapter for you. I'm trying to get as many out as I can before I leave on Saturday. You'll notice further departures from canon here, and I'm not done yet.