Disclaimer: I don't own any of this!
Chapter 3
Luke's Secret
"Luke... LUKE!"
Luke opened his eyes and had to shut them again due to his piercing migraine. He felt strong hands slowly lean him against the wall.
He slowly opened his eyes again. Kneeling in front of him was a very pale and wide- eyed Sanjay. They were both in an empty cellar only about half the size of Luke's dorm, lit only by a single naked bulb dangling from the ceiling.
"What happened?" Luke asked.
Sanjay gulped. "Some... Thing attacked you. Luke, it was huge and green and looked like some sort of alien. I heard commotion out in the hall and went to investigate. When I did, I saw the creature looming over you. It zapped me with this electric weapon. When I woke up, we were both in this dump."
Luke remembered Max Marshall seemingly coming out of his own skin and realized the horrifying truth.
"Slitheen..."
"What?" Sanjay shot back.
"It's the Slitheen, Sanjay. They must have come back for revenge or something. Max and his mother, I think. They want to get back at me for helping to defeat their family." Luke noticed the blank expression on Sanjay's face. "Sit back, Sanjay. I have quite a bit to explain to you."
Sanjay began pacing the cell back and forth. He tried several times to speak, but nothing ever came out. At one point, he stopped walking, stared at Luke, opened his mouth to talk (Luke was sure he would get something out this time) but then began pacing again.
"I know it's a lot to take in," Luke commented.
Sanjay finally stopped pacing and took a deep breath. "So let me get this straight: you were created just a few years ago by a race of aliens called the Bane who were trying to use a beverage to take over the world. You were then adopted by a woman who used to travel in a blue police box through time and space with another man called the Doctor. Then you and your friends defend the Earth against dangerous aliens."
"Yeah, that about covers everything," Luke replied.
"That's mad," Sanjay gasped. "I wouldn't believe a word of it if we weren't, you know,, being held against our will by large green aliens."
Luke looked away, suddenly feeling guilty. "I'm sorry to drag you into this, Sanjay."
Sanjay sat beside Luke and took his hand. "I brought myself into this. Though fat load of good I've been. I tried to rescue you and only got us both kidnapped."
Luke smiled at him. "I appreciate the thought."
"Ahem."
Luke and Sanjay jumped to their feet. Professor Marshall appeared, dressed in her human costume. She glared hungrily in Luke's direction... Then promptly farted.
Marshall giggled. "Oh, and I was doing so good in controlling that! No matter. I'll be free of this thing soon anyway." She pulled out the electric weapon Max had used at Oxford. "You'll be coming with me, Mr. Smith. As for you," she added, shooting a contemptuous glance in Sanjay's direction, "you'll stay back if you know what's good for you."
Luke tried to give Sanjay a reassuring look without betraying any of his own quickly building terror as he followed Marshall out of the cell. The pair of them came up into a brightly lit spacious antechamber. A purple carpet cushioned the winding staircase up two other floors. Professor Marshall was clearly doing well for herself.
She led Luke off to a side room which clearly served as a study. There wasn't much decoration. A desk, a warm light from the fireplace, and a floor- to- ceiling bookshelf. On the desk was a framed picture of Professor Marshall and Max, smiling happily back at the camera. Luke suspected, with a surge of red- hot anger, that this picture had been taken before the arrival of the Slitheen.
Professor Marshall farted again. The sulfurous stench made Luke want to puke. Marshall giggled. "Oh dear me, dear me!" She unzipped herself, stepping out of the confining extra skin. "There won't be any more need for that."
"What do you want?" Luke demanded.
"Quite a lot of things, Luke Smith. We'll start with Sarah Jane. Once she hears we have you in our custody, Sarah Jane Smith and her adolescent companions will no doubt rush over to your rescue. Then we will destroy you all, just as you have destroyed members of my own race!"
"You'll never get away with it," Luke snapped. "My mum has defeated enemies way worse than you."
"We'll see," Marshall retorted. "As for your little boyfriend, there's not much point in keeping him around."
Luke's heart almost stopped. "What?"
As if on cue, the door to the study opened once again. Max, in his natural form as well, entered, holding his electric weapon on Sanjay.
"Don't hurt him!" Luke pleaded. "He doesn't have anything to do with this!"
"Ah," Marshall said with an air of false sympathy, "if only that were true. Kill him, my dear!"
"NO!" Luke cried.
At that moment, there was a flash of red. Books and papers went flying, and smoke filled the air. Through the smoke, Luke could see K9, firing defensive lasers. Luke had never been happier to see the robot dog.
Sanjay kicked out at the younger Slitheen, freeing himself. "Luke, let's go!"
"Come on, K9," Luke ordered.
The Slitheen stumbled to their feet. But by the time they got their bearings and the dust settled, their prisoners had escaped.