"The Benevolent Doctor"

31. Blindfolds

Sometime in New New York

The moment, only seconds after they'd been let into the mansion, they were strong-armed toward the basement by some of the guards, Brittany and Martha were quick to act surprised, even though they had expected it so much they had practically held still, the better not to be hurt when they were led off.

When they were pushed through the door back into the room with the cells, they were equally unsurprised to discover that those who had turned on them, declaring themselves loyal to Benedict were back in their cells and looking absolutely crestfallen. Aspen and Risha had been telling them all along, but they wouldn't listen. Benedict did not care for them. If they died, they died, and alive or dead, they were nothing more than test subjects to him. The only thing they had done worth thanking was to get rid of his 'invaders,' and he had expressed this gratitude by NOT killing them or throwing them out on the street. He had put them back where he had use of them instead.

At least they couldn't accuse Benedict of not being a cautious and smart man. When Brittany and Martha were put into two vacant cells, their hands were bound behind their backs and they were blindfolded.

After the guards had left, the moment the door had shut, the other prisoners had started singing a different tune, begging for Brittany and Martha to help them, to get that friend of theirs to help them out. There were so many of their voices all at once that neither of the blindfolded girls realized something was happening outside at first. They only caught on to the fact that the number of voices was diminishing when there were only a few left, three or four, then two, then one, then none… The room was quiet.

"Martha? Are you there?" Brittany asked, her voice trembling.

"I'm here," she confirmed.

"What's happening? Where did everybody go?"

Before Martha could say anything, which wouldn't have been more than 'I don't know,' she heard the door to her cell slide open. She scrambled, suddenly all too aware that she was a sitting duck, bound and unseeing. But then there was a woman's voice.

"It's alright, I'm not here to hurt you," she said.

"Who…"

"I'm going to take your blindfold off, alright? Don't move." The light wasn't so bright down in the basement, but still Martha blinked for a moment, letting her eyes adjust. As they did, she found the source of the voice being a dark haired woman with a kind smile. She wore a hooded robe, the hood just barely pulled back so her face was visible.

"What's happening?" Brittany called up, still blind to the situation. Martha couldn't help but notice that when the woman looked over and saw the cat girl, there was a flash of recognition, almost like she knew her and she was stunned to find her this way. But then she turned back to Martha.

"I need you, both of you, to stay quiet, alright?" the woman asked, turning from one to the other even though Brittany was still blindfolded. "If they catch me in here, it won't be pleasant for any of us. Here," she fished something out of her pocket, moved about to get around Martha, and placed the thing in her hand. "This should help you get those hands free, just… use it wisely," she nodded. "Now I need to put that blindfold back on," she pointed to her eyes apologetically.

"Wait, no, hold on," Martha stretched out of reach. "Who are you?"

"Can't tell you that," the woman smiled like there was some kind of hidden joke in this statement. "One day, hopefully, it'll all become clear, but until then…" She was fast, and in the next moment Martha's sight was obscured once more, the blindfold sliding over her eyes. "Do me a favor? Look after him?" Martha stared up at her, at least up to where she heard her voice come from.

"Do you mean… The Doctor, you know him, don't you?"

"Can't tell you that either."

"But you just said…"

"I know what I said, now promise you'll do it."

Martha hesitated for a moment, considering her helpful stranger. The first thing she'd thought of was that she might be someone from the city, maybe someone who knew the truth, who'd lost a family member or something. But now with the introduction of this request, she thought she would have to be a friend of the Doctor. The more time went on though, the more she thought somehow this was a companion of the Doctor, same as she was, only she couldn't have been his now, could she? So was she from his past or his future?

"Hello? New New York to Martha Jones?" the woman snapped her fingers near her face, and Martha startled.

"I swear. I'll look out for him."

"Good. Thank you," the woman replied, and this was not at all sarcastic. "You can't tell him about me, not even that I was here, do you understand?"

"Yes," Martha nodded in her general direction.

"That goes for you, too, cat girl."

"Okay," Brittany blinked into her blindfold when they acknowledged her again.

"Why are you doing this?" Martha still had to ask. There was silence for a beat, and Martha thought the woman might have left.

"It's just what I do. Now when he asks what happened, you tell him someone helped you, but that's all. Got it?"

"Got it," Brittany answered.

"Got it," Martha followed. She waited for her to say something else, but now the silence continued. "Hello? Are you still there?"

"I am, I'm right here."

"No, not you, Brittany," Martha turned her head toward the girl's cell.

A few seconds later, they began to hear the stirrings of the other patient prisoners, who sounded as though they were waking up. With the sudden and unexpected arrival of her mystery helper, Martha had not even bothered to look around and see why they had all gone silent. Whatever she had done to them, it was now wearing off, and they were none the wiser. The only one who had a new advantage was Martha herself, with the tool she kept tucked in her hands, ready to use when the time came.

TO BE CONTINUED (WEDNESDAY)