"What have you done with her?" Luke demanded, stepping forwards slightly. "Do you not like it? I mean, I know art is subjective. But I think she looks as pretty as a picture." The Mona Lisa smirks. "Well, most pictures. I think we can all agree I'm in a different league." Again, with the arrogance! "Debatable. I personally never saw the hype." I saw. "Ooh, is someone jealous?" She asks patronizingly. "Of what? People gawking at me? No thanks, sounds terrible. Hanging on a wall? Nah, I'd get bored. Oh, you mean the fact that people have hyped you up so much that you've bought into your own legend? Nah, I'm good thanks. You aren't all that." I sass back. Really? Me, jealous of her? Is that the best she's got? "Get my mum out of that painting. Now!" Luke cuts in angrily. "So you can say 'sowwy?'" Excuse me?

"What?"

"Well, only an hour ago, you didn't need her. Nothing gets passed me, kids." I hate her. "You were all, 'we can do this ourselves.'"

"Leave him alone." Clyde tells her. "Not such the hero now, eh?" She sighs condescendingly. I am so close. "Don't worry, young man. Your mother is perfectly safe. Just like Miss Trupp here. As soon as Mona Lisa finds her brother, she will release them both, I'm sure." Mr. Harding tries to reassure Luke. Mona Lisa just nods, unconvincingly. "No, she won't. She has absolutely no intention of releasing anyone. Also, brother? What brother?" I am very disappointed in Mr. Harding. It would seem he is simply another spineless human being who only cares about the pictures, not the actual humans she's trapped in them. "It's...another painting." The growl from earlier echoes again. "I think." Mr. Harding amends. "You mean that?" Rani asks in shock. Honestly, same. "Oh boy have we got trouble." Clyde remarks, not at all calm. "Too right, sugar. If you know what's good for you, I'd butt out." Mona Lisa says, obviously underestimating us and our stubbornness. "I can't do that. Whatever you're doing, my mum was going to stop you...and that means now, I have to." Luke walks forward, the Mona Lisa copying his movements. If he just stops...perfect. We've all followed them to gather in front of a little sofa type thing just perfect if she were to be given a little push. "Aw, couldn't you just eat them, Harders? They're so sweet. And they think they can handle me." "And do you wanna know why?" Rani asks sarcastically. "Because we can." Luke tells her, shoving her as hard as he can in the stomach. I run to the picture of Sarah Jane while Clyde and Rani run for the door. "Luke, Asha! What are you doing?!" Clyde yells. "My painting!" Mr. Harding yells. "His/my mum!" Luke and I shout back.

At some point during the mad run away, we enter the part of the gallery that is being renovated. I pass the picture to Luke, knowing that he'd feel better if he was the one holding it. "We've lost them." I pant as we slow down. "Do you have any idea how she could have done this?" Clyde asks Luke and me. "No, I don't understand any of it." Luke admits. "I have theories. But all more outlandish than the next. My current theory is the minerals used to make the paints in the Mona Lisa and whatever painting she's calling her brother came from some sort of meteorite. Probably something like Odd Bob." I rattle off. "The Mona Lisa has existed for 5 centuries. There has to be a reason she's come to life, and it has to be about this gallery." Luke joins in the brainstorming. "Most likely whatever is roaring it's head off down there like a cadged bear, with gut ache." Clyde finishes off. "Her brother." we're all distracted by the rattling of cowboy boots. Like, actual cowboy boots, the ones you'd see in old movies. We turn to face the door we just came through. "What was that?" Rani asked. "You heard it too?" Clyde asked. I gave him a look of confusion. Obviously, we all heard it. "I thought I was just getting ringing in my ears." He shrugged sheepishly. Suddenly, a black robbed person entered. They were wearing the cowboy boots I mentioned earlier, lower face covered by a black bandanna. We all quickly ducked behind the crates scattered around the area. "Where did he come from?" Rani asked. I shrugged. I'm not an expert in art, and I don't quite have Luke's photographic memory. "William Bonneville's painting, The Dark Rider." Luke blurts out, quietly, as we start to back away, slowly. "Painted 1802." Luke carried on. "I thought you didn't know anything about art?!" Clyde whisper shrieked. Luke shrugged. "I don't, but I remember everything I see. I can't help it." He hissed back. "Not the time." I reminded them. Just as I said that the highwayman (I'm guessing) whipped round and drew the two guns they had in their holsters. "RUN!" Clyde yelled, grabbing the back of my jacket and pulling me around the corner. "THIS WAY!" he yelled back to Rani.

We ran down the hall, which spat us out into the main foyer stairs. We dashed down the stairs and ran to an alcove thing. Just as we ducked into it, a gun was fired. I clamped my hands over my ears and tried so hard not to shriek. In my panic, I didn't completely absorb the conversation, but I was aware enough to run when the others did. The gun was fired again, fortunately missing us completely. I'm not entirely comfortable with how close it came, but at least it missed. We ducked into the next alcove and then, just as we started to make for the gift shop, the gun was fired, this time, separating Clyde and I from Luke and Rani. "Clyde! Asha!" Rani yelled to us. I felt Clyde tug me back. "Split up! He can only follow one of us!" I turned and ran with him as fast as we could. Being friends with Sarah Jane has really improved my running skills.

I ran down the corridor on the left. Clyde took the stairs on the right. I did not stop until I was certain I couldn't hear the boots. When I stopped, I was in a dark, dusty room. Okay, I may have gone down more than a few flights of stairs, but I highly doubt...okay, how am I kidding? I'm pretty sure I've accidentally stumbled across their vault/basement thing. I finally gave my surroundings a proper look and mentally started berating myself. Seriously? A corridor with no other exits that the way I just came? That's rule number one of running away! Never run into a dead end. Not unless you have another way out. Which I clearly don't. I found a cupboard that I was able to pry open, which I ducked inside. I left the door open just a crack when I was able to get myself situated. I'm just going to give myself a minute to process the panic attack that's been brewing before looking for my friends.

I could feel my heart beating faster and harder than I really needed it to. My breathing was also much faster and probably louder than advisable. I clamped one of my hands around my mouth and bit down hard on it. My brain was going at 100 miles an hour. I couldn't stop going over the worst-case scenarios about what if the bullet had actually hit one of us, or what if the highway man went after the others? Are they all okay? I don't think I can fully calm down until I see them all. I stay curled up for another few minutes, really focussing on regulating my breathing and getting my pulse down to a normal rate. I then heard voices coming from the corridor.

I peeked out and saw Lisa, Mr. Harding, the Highwayman, and... CLYDE! What happened? Is he hurt? Where are the others? I was too scared to move. I strained my ears to hear what they were saying but could only make out a few words. They all seemed to be about some Giuseppi dude. Probably another famous artist. They all stopped at the locked doors at the other end of the corridor. After another minute, the door was unlocked and in they went. I slipped out and ran back upstairs. I need to find Luke and Rani. Now.

I bolted down hall after hall, desperately trying to find my friends. "LUKE? RANI?" I called. I slammed right into Rani, who screamed. "Sorry! It's just me!" I apologised, picking myself up from the floor. "Asha!" Luke dragged me into a hug. "Are you okay? Where's Clyde?" he demanded, grabbing my shoulders when I pulled back. "I'm fine. They've got Clyde! They're down in the vaults. Clyde and I split up and I ended up in a cupboard in the corridor leading towards it. I think they know where the brother is." I ramble, clinging onto Luke's arms as I try to explain. "We think we know what they need." Rani told me, wrapping a gentle arm around my shoulders and leading me through the gallery.

We came upon the box we were looking at earlier. "Giuseppe's puzzle box. I knew I'd seen it!" Luke grinned when we double checked the description plaque. "Like I said, I remember everything I see." I grinned at him. "Pretty useful." I comment. "I knew this was something else. Not art." Luke started explaining. "It's part of a locking mechanism. Quite complicated from the looks of it." I said, picking up the box and analysing it. "Part?" Rani asked disbelievingly. "This is the key to the Abomination." Luke said confidently. "It must have been knocked out of place and catalogued as another work of art." I said, turning the box over in my hand. "And no one ever realised what it was." Luke agreed with me. "So, if the Mona Lisa wants to free the Abomination, she's going to need this." Rani said, running a finger over some of the buttons on the box. "And we can use that to force her to release Mum." Luke smiled. I started to then froze. Someone's coming. "You're going to bargain with her?" Rani asked, the shock pouring out of her voice. "Guys." I nudged Luke in the back from where I had turned to face the newcomers. I had quickly moved the box behind my back. Lisa had the blaster pointing directly at Mr. Harding's head. "It's a nice idea, kid. But I don't do deals. Not while I'm packing heat." Does she ever shut up? Seriously, doesn't it get annoying? "Go fetch." she said in a condescending voice, gesturing for Mr. Harding to take the box from us. He looked startled to be addressed so rudely before he made his way towards us. "If you fire that blaster at us, you'll destroy the puzzle lock." Luke warned her. "Well, that's why I'm not gonna fire it then." she drawled. "Unless you do something stupid, like smash the puzzle. Which you won't" "Don't tempt me." I muttered under my breath. "What was that?" she snapped at me. "Nothing." I smiled angelically. "Good. Because I've got your friend. Clydey." She announced. "If you've hurt him, there will be consequences." I tell her fiercely. "Don't worry. He's alright." Mr. Harding reassured me. I glared at him. "Funnily enough, I don't trust you." I growled at him. he sighed. "I'm afraid you'd better give me the puzzle lock." Luke and Rani exchanged glances. He nodded and Rani rolled her eyes slightly. Luke turned to me and I raised my eyebrow. Are you sure about this? I hoped I was conveying. He nodded slightly. I squinted. He blinked once, which means he definitely had some sort of plan. I sighed before reluctantly handing over the box.

"Now it's me you're bargaining with." Mr. Harding said firmly, moving away from us slightly, the box gripped firmly in his hands. Okay, plot twist much? Has he finally realised he's working with a woman who is willing to literally murder everyone just because she finds it funny? Apparently, I'm not the only one confused, because Lisa lets out a "what?" "I've been a fool." He tells her. "Well, I coulda told you that, any day." She laughs, before turning serious again. "Now give me the puzzle." She puts her hand out, but he ignores it. "I thought you were wonderful." He starts. I wonder where this is going, he looks quite upset. "I've dedicated my professional life-no, my life! -to bringing you to this gallery!" "I know, I know, you're my number one fan." she rolls her eyes at him, and I am so confused right now. This feels like a more private conversation, but oh well. "Now give me the puzzle lock." Mr. Harding...did not? Okay, what's going on? Not only is he not giving her the puzzle lock, but he's putting it on the floor? He raises a foot over the lock and issues his demands. "Not until you have released Miss. Trupp, and this young man's mother." He points back at Luke when he says this. It's sort of sweet, but also much too late. "Oh, you can threaten me with your ray gun, it makes no difference. I'm responsible for this mess. It's time I took a stand." Lisa just laughed at him. "You won't. You wouldn't dare." she says. Ooh. Bad move. You never tell a person what they do or don't dare to do. They'll often prove you wrong. (I personally normally do it out of spite.) just as he's about to stomp on it, she starts pointing the blaster at the pictures. "All these pretty pictures are too precious to you. All that history, all the colours.

He did it anyways! He just broke the puzzle lock! Now she's got no way of getting what she wants! But why do I get the feeling that that wasn't the end? It never is with these kinds of situations. The Abomination's growls echoed through the halls. I flinched back and grabbed my ears, trying desperately to block out the noise. I heard Lisa say something, but the exact words escaped me.

"No! Don't! There's another way to release the Abomination. I can help you!" Luke says, pushing in front of Mr. Harding. "What?" I ask, following him and Rani. "You?" she sneers at him. "Luke?" Rani asks nervously. "But first, you have to take me to Clyde." Luke ignored us. For the first time in a while, I don't know what his plan is. He's definitely got one, but I don't know what it is.

We're escorted down to the vaults. I can hear Clyde talking before we see him. We dash over to the gated area. "Clyde!" Luke shouts. "Guys! I knew you'd show up!" Clyde exclaims, walking over to us. "Trouble is, I've still got Silent Bob here." he says. Great, he's named the highway man. The enormous crate starts shaking, a loud growling noise echoing from inside. "I'm guessing that's the Abomination?" I ask. "Yep." Clyde tells me. Lisa and Mr. Harding have caught up. "Oh, ey up. I do love a good reunion, me. Now, whatever it is you're gonna do, you get on with it." Lisa is pointing the blaster in Luke's direction. I stare fixedly at the crate, hoping that it might lessen the anxiety of being so close to it. The Abomination starts growling again. "My brother's becoming restless." Lisa tells us. Yeah, no kidding! "What's going on?" Clyde asked, looking very nervous. Understandable, I believe, seeing as Luke is the only one with any idea what they plan is, and he isn't exactly able to tell us. "Luke's got a plan." Rani says passive-aggressively. Luke sighs, then shrugs Clyde's bag off his shoulder. "You're going to release the Abomination." He tells Clyde, digging around for the guidebook and his sketchbook. "I'm what?!" Clyde shrieks. "Mr. Harding destroyed the puzzle lock. You can draw a new one." Luke places both in his hands. "I can?" Clyde asks, shocked when he hears Luke's 'plan'. Clyde then opens the guidebook and looks at the puzzle lock. "Okay, I can. But why would I?" Yeah, I'm wondering that myself. "Mona Lisa will make it real and use it to unlock the Abomination." Rani's voice is doing this thing when she's angry and is about to take it out on someone she knows she'll regret yelling at later. She's also giving Luke an unimpressed look. "Yeah, then they'll go off on a murder spree, and probably destroy the earth." I really hate disagreeing with Luke, but I still can't work out his logic here. "And everyone who sees the Abomination will either go mad or die. Probably both." Clyde says. "I want Mum back." Luke is glaring at us a bit. "I know you do; we all do. But you can't trust her. Listen, I trust you, I'm sure you know what you're doing. None of us have a clue, so please, just promise me you have a solid plan." I say, hoping that they all calm down. We can't afford to be fighting each other right now. Luke and I made eye contact. "Asha, I promise I know what I'm doing. Clyde, you have to do it. She can't use the photograph to bring it back to life, she has to use something that's been drawn, something that's been invested with human energy!" He's pulled us into the enclosure. "Luke, are you sure about this?" Rani asks him again. "I know you're upset about Sarah Jane, but this seems wrong!" she carries on. "Sarah Jane wouldn't want us doing this. It's not her way." Clyde tries to reason with him. "Unfortunately, that doesn't matter. Sarah Jane isn't here. If Luke says he has a plan, I trust him. Unless you have any other ideas?" I ask pointedly, knowing that Luke's the only one with a plan. "Asha's right. I'm not doing this Mum's way. This is my way. Draw it, please!" Clyde reluctantly sits down and starts drawing. He's not happy about this, none of us are, but what other choice is there? Hang on, the last page drawn on is K-9...I think I've worked out his plan. "I can't believe you're doing this." Rani glares at him. "Just trust me." Luke pleads with her. I nudge him slightly. "Dog." I whisper to him. He grins at me. Bingo. The Abomination is getting really impatient. Lisa is still talking to it, but I turn my focus back to Clyde. I tune out Lisa and Mr. Harding's argument. I really can't be bothered with either of them. "That's it. you mustn't do this Clyde! I'm tearing it up!" Rani yells. "No!" I grab her before she can reach it. "It's finished. I'm sorry." Clyde tells Rani. "And now, it's time to release my brother. Give it to me." Lisa demands. Luke takes the book from Clyde and goes to show her. I'm still holding Rani back, so I can't hear what she's saying, but I don't need to. I've spoken to her enough times to know that it's patronising and rude. "I really hope you know what you're doing!" Rani yells right next to my ear. "He does." I whisper in her ear.

I have my back turned from the cage, so I can assume that it's being unlocked from all the clanging metal. "We should get down." I tell the others, ducking behind the wall. Just in time too, as the vault fills with a glowing red light. The roaring intensifies, and I keep my hands clamped over my ears and my eyes squeezed shut. I can hear muffled yelling, and I'm fairly sure I hear K-9's laser going off, but I couldn't move to check. When everything seemed to still, I unclenched my hands and stood up. I took a second before opening my eyes because I was a bit lightheaded. When I did open my eyes, the highway man was gone, as was the Abomination and the blaster.

"I can't go back into that frame. I won't." Lisa was reaching out to us, desperate. "You've got no choice." Luke said firmly. "Please! That room that you promised me, a living work of art, that's what you said." She was talking to Mr. Harding now. "I'll do it! I'll do anything if you let me stay here, and you let me live." She was begging now. "It's not up to us, He can't help you, and neither can we." I tell her. I feel sort of bad for her. Not enough to be sad that this is happening, but I can understand not wanting to back to where you can't be fully yourself. "You're going back to the way Leonardo created you... paint and board." Clyde snaps at her. "But I've always been able to think, and to feel." She tells us. "And you still will. Just back in your painting." Luke reassures her. "Where you belong." Mr. Harding tells her. "I want to be flesh!" She shouted. Suddenly, she starts glowing red. "NO!!!" she screams, cracks starting to form, like long dried paint on a wall. She just, fades away. "That's the last of her, I hope." Rani waltzes in front of us. "With the Abomination destroyed, she's never coming back." Luke tells us. "K-9! My man..." Clyde trails off when he realises that K-9 isn't actually here anymore. Rani and Clyde look around for him before looking back at Luke. "He was just a drawing too?" Rani realised. "Luke made Clyde draw on the opposite side of K-9's picture." I laughed at their faces. "Luke wanted me to draw it so when Lisa brought the lock into existence, she brought K-9 to life, too." Clyde's worked it out too. "You mean, you knew what he was up to?" Rani asked incredulously. "Of course, I didn't. But I trusted him" Clyde said simply. I smiled at Luke. I was so proud of him. Not only for his quick thinking, but also because he was willing to stand his ground against all three of us. I really wish he could understand just how amazing he is. Clyde drew him in for a side hug before Luke pulls us away to find Sarah Jane.

"Mum!" Luke yells when we see Sarah Jane, just as we enter the main foyer. "Luke!" Sarah Jane is tackled into a huge hug as soon as Luke is within arm's reach. "Oh, you're safe!" she pulls Clyde and Rani into a hug then I'm being hugged. I hug back just as tightly, using the firm hug to ground myself further. When I let go, she gives Luke another hug, which is interrupted by Mr. Harding running past us. He stops for a moment, almost as if verifying that Sarah Jane is back before running off again. I think I know where he's heading. "Where's he going?" Clyde asked obliviously. "Miss Trupp should have been released." I point out, trying so hard not to giggle. I start walking after him, curious as to how that reunion will go. Especially given the fact that she's probably watched her crush fawn over Lisa, right in front of her.

We walked in on Mr. Harding telling Miss. Trupp to use his first name. She...didn't like that. She started yelling at him for simping over the Mona Lisa, especially after what she had done. She stormed off, with him calling after her desperately. "Uh oh. Looks like you've painted into a corner there, Harders." Clyde teases him. I snort. He runs off, presumably after Miss. Trupp. Sarah Jane walks closer to the Mona Lisa. "A living coniousness, imprisoned like that. I almost feel sorry for her." Sarah Jane says. "Yeah. I would too, if she were nicer about it." I agreed. "Yes, well, you can go off someone when they trap you in a picture." Sarah Jane nods, closing the matter. "But I knew you four would be there for me. I knew you wouldn't let me down." Sarah Jane says, the pride so obvious it hurts. "Well, it was all down to Luke, really." Clyde admits. "I know. And I'm so proud of you. My wonderful, clever, resourceful, dependable son." She tells him. He looks so happy to hear that she's proud of him. As he should, he deserves it after what he's done today. "And messy?" Luke teases. "Oh yes. That as well." Sarah Jane nods along, agreeing with the simple fact that Luke is not a naturally neat person. "But then, nobody's perfect." "Yeah, look at Mona Lisa." Rani jokes. "And I'll sort out my room when we get home. I promise." Luke tells her, dead serious. "And while you're doing that, Clyde and I will have a little char about Sontaran blasters." Clyde winced at that. Fortunately, Sarah Jane was laughing, so I don't think she's too upset. We all laugh at the look on Clyde's face before Sarah Jane bundles us into her car.

A/N: I do not own anything other than Asha.