A/N: Welcome back! Let's continue!

You know the drill: I do not own Doctor Who. All I own is this story and my OC.

Please review and no flaming will be tolerated. Thank you :)

Happy reading!

UNWELCOMED METAMORPHOSIS

"Don't give us none of your aggravation.
We had it with your discipline
Saturday night's alright for fighting
Get a little action in
Get about as oiled as a diesel train
Gonna set this town alight."
– Nickelback: 'Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting)' (The Long Road [2003])

A random street

Katy and Mickey make their way through the streets, not really in a hurry to get anywhere, just taking in the sights of this alternate London and making the most of it before they had to head back to the TARDIS. Mickey glances at Katy, frowning at her curiously.

"So, what made you decide to tag along with me?" He wondered, and Katy just gave him a flat look.

"Does it really need saying?" She retorted, and Mickey let out a sigh before responding.

"Look, Katy. You know by now what Rose is like." Mickey points out, and Katy grimaces at the reminder.

"I do, that's the problem." She stated, folding her arms defensively across her chest, in a way that Mickey recognised as her defense mechanism. "And I keep falling for it, every single time."

"You really shouldn't let her get to you; you know. What she says is bullshit." Mickey reassures Katy, who almost smiles at his words.

"I'm not." She insists, and Mickey rolls his eyes.

"Yeah, sure you're not." He mutters sarcastically. Katy decides to change the subject as she takes in the slightly familiar surroundings she and Mickey were walking through.

"Where exactly are we going?"

"Just checking something out." Mickey responded, somewhat vaguely.

"Why do I get the feeling that something bad is gonna happen?" Katy asked rhetorically.

"Because you've been hanging around the Doctor too long. His paranoia is rubbing off on you." Mickey points out, as they walk past a vacant lot and head towards an army roadblock.

"Thanks very much. I'm not paranoid." Katy stated defensively, but Mickey ignores her in favour of addressing a soldier standing beside the roadblock.

"Are we all right to get past?" He asked the soldier who nodded curtly at them both.

"Yeah. No bother," the soldier responded. "Curfew doesn't start till ten."

"There's a curfew?" Katy questioned, raising an eyebrow in surprise. The soldier laughs in amusement.

"'Course there is." He said, giving Katy an appreciative once over, which she scowls at him for. "Where you been living, luv? Up there with the toffs?" He indicates to a zeppelin hovering right above their heads.

"Yeah, I wish." Mickey scoffs, as both he and Katy duck under the roadblock when the soldier raises it up for them. "See you."

Katy glances back over her shoulder at the soldier, giving him a perplexed look before turning back.

"What do you suppose that was about?" Katy wonders and Mickey shrugged, just as curious.

"Search me."

Another street

At the same moment, the Doctor and Rose were making their way down another street in London. This one also had armed soldiers patrolling the place too, much to their confusion. The Doctor was mostly quiet, Rose noticed, due to his cold demeanour the very second he had caught up to her, and he barely acknowledged Rose's questions with more than monosyllabic answers or curt responses. She suspected it had to do with what she had said to Katy earlier, and she resented her sister big time for it. Why did the Doctor always side with her? Eventually, Rose decided to make small talk, despite the Time Lord being pissy with her. She had a feeling that Mickey was investigating something involving his personal life, so she told the Doctor a little bit about her ex's early years. At least at that point, the Doctor started paying attention.

"Mickey's mum just couldn't cope," She explained. "His dad hung around for a while, but then he just sort of wondered off. He was brought up by his gran." Rose smiled at the memories. "She was such a great woman. God, she used to slap him!" She giggled, before her face fell in sadness. "And then she died. She tripped and fell down the stairs. It's about five years ago now. I was still in school."

"I never knew," the Doctor winces sympathetically, surprised that Mickey had such a sad childhood.

"Well, you never asked." Rose pointed out, snippily.

"You never said," the Doctor retorted, reverting back to being pissy.

Rose glowers at him, before sighing.

"That's Mickey. I suppose I, no we just take him for granted." The blonde frowned curiously. "Do you think she's still alive, his gran?"

"Could be," the Doctor shrugged. "Like I said, parallel world, gingerbread house." He suddenly became serious. "We need to get out of here as fast as we can." He insists, and Rose scowled, once again about to protest that she just wanted to see Pete, when there was a beeping noise, and everyone around them suddenly stops still.

Both of them glance around in astonishment.

"What're they all doing?" Rose questioned.

"They've stopped." The Doctor realised, before he raised an eyebrow when the ear pods in everybody's ears flash. "It's the earpieces. Like Bluetooth attachments, but everyone's connected together." Rose's eyes widened in realisation and she digs around in her pocket.

"It's on my phone. It's automatic, look." She wakes up her phone from hibernation and both she and the Doctor glance down at the contents on the screen. "It's downloading. Is this what they're all getting? News, international news, sports, weather…" The Doctor takes her phone from her to study it closer.

"They get it direct. Downloaded right into their heads."

"TV schedules, lottery numbers…" Rose listed out loud. The Doctor couldn't believe what he was witnessing. It was very disturbing, and frankly … wrong.

"Everyone shares the same information. A daily download published by Cybus Industries." He said, sounding disapproving. The word 'Joke' pops up on Rose's phone, and on cue everyone around them laughs, before continuing about their business. Both the Doctor and Rose looked creeped out. "You lot, you're obsessed." The Doctor began to rant with irritation. "You'd do anything for the latest upgrade."

"Oi, not my lot," Rose took umbrage at that comment. "Different world, remember?"

"It's not so far off your world," the Doctor scoffs insistently. "This place is only parallel." He continues scrolling through the contents of what he was seeing on Rose's phone. "Oh, look at that. Cybus Industries, owners of just about every company in Britain, including Vitex. Mister Pete Tyler's very well connected." He paused, his own curiosity itching to come out and investigate. The Doctor's brown eyes swiveled in Rose's direction to see the blonde smiling innocently at him, knowing very well that he was going to give in.

Damn you!

"Oh, okay. I give up. Let's go and see him." The Doctor reluctantly caves, tossing Rose her phone. He ignores her when she all but smirks at him triumphantly and does a little victory dance.

I wonder what Katy and Mickey are up to? He ponders absently, then mentally scowls.

They better stay out of trouble…

Waterton Street
SE15

Mickey and Katy walk up an ordinary looking suburban London Street filled with flats. They stop in front of one and Mickey rattles the knocker on number 1.

"Are you sure you want to do this, Mick?" Katy questioned him, worried about what the bad memories associated with losing his beloved grandmother prematurely would have on him.

"Yeah, I'm sure." Mickey confirmed, swallowing hard. Katy bites her bottom lip, fretfully, grabbing her best friend's hand for support, just as they both hear somebody approaching behind the door. Both of them freeze with uncomfortable expectations.

"Who's that there?" An elderly woman's voice calls out to them, before the door opens revealing an old woman, dressed in an ankle-length grey skirt, collared shirt and jumper, house slippers, wearing sunglasses and carrying a white cane (indicating that she was blind). Like everyone else in this universe, she was wearing ear pods. Both Mickey and Katy went pale, exchanging sad looks with each other and swallow hard as they listen to Rita-Anne angrily scolding them.

"Who is it?" She demanded, waving her cane about. "I know you're there. Shame on you, tricking an old lady." Tears well up in Mickey's eyes as he observes the woman who had brought him up standing before him. "I've nothing worth stealing. And don't think I'm going to disappear! You're not going to take me." She warns.

Mickey summons his courage and speaks up.

"Hi," He greets his grandmother, and Rita-Anne freezes.

"Is that you?" She mutters, sounding strangely hopeful. Katy raises a questioning eyebrow at the hopeful tone, but Mickey remained oblivious, too overjoyed to see his grandmother again after so many years of her passing away while he was still in school with Rose and Katy.

"It's me. I came home."

"Ricky?" Rita-Anne questioned, and both Mickey and Katy blink in surprise.

"It's Mickey," He corrected automatically, so used to doing this when the Doctor used to call him by the wrong name. Oh, the irony.

"I know my own grandson's name," Rita-Anne chides gently. "It's Ricky. Now, come here." She opens her arms out in Mickey's general direction, and he willingly hugs her. Katy beams happily at them.

"Okay, I'm Ricky." Mickey concedes with a smile. "Of course, I am. Ricky, that's me." Then Rita-Anne slaps him on the arm without warning, both Mickey and Katy jump in surprise. "Ow!" Mickey whines.

"You stupid boy. Where have you been?" Rita-Anne demanded, annoyed. Katy stifles a giggle, remembering all the times she and Rose had witnessed Mickey getting scolded this way by Rita-Anne back in their own reality. Mickey glowers at her.

"Ow! Stop hitting me!"

"It's been days and days!" Rita-Anne continues as though she hadn't heard him complaining. "I keep hearing all these stories. People disappearing off the streets. There's nothing official on the download but there're all these rumours, and, and whispers. I thought that God had disappeared you!" Mickey looks properly scolded, even though he had nothing to be sorry for. By the chance he spots the very thing that had been the cause of her premature death years before back in his world.

His face falls in anguish.

"That carpet on the stairs, I told you to get it fixed." Mickey chides. "You're going to fall and break your neck." He despairs at the memories. Rita-Anne's face softens.

"Well, you get it fixed for me."

"I should've done way back," Mickey admits, tearfully. "I guess I'm just kind of useless."

"No, you're not, Mickey." Katy pipes up, firmly but understandingly. He glances at her in surprise, just as Rita-Anne frowns curiously.

"Who's that?" She asks, and Mickey smiles gratefully at his best friend before answering her question.

"Sorry, gran. This is my best friend, Katy." Mickey introduces Katy to her, and winces when Rita-Anne once again slaps him on the arm. "Hey!"

"Why didn't you introduce her before? Where are your manners?" She scolds him, before smiling and offering her hand in Katy's general direction. "What was your name again, dear?" Katy takes Rita-Anne's hand and shakes it politely.

"Erm, Caitlin Tyler. But my mum, sister and friends call me Katy." She replied, awkwardly.

"Tyler? You wouldn't happen to be related to that Pete Tyler?" Rita-Anne questioned. Katy stiffened but offered a white lie.

"No, not at all, ma'am."

"Oh, well." Rita-Anne brushes it off dismissively, before changing topics. "I think I know what you both need: a nice sit down and a cup of tea. You got time?" She asks, and both Mickey and Katy smiled.

"For you, I've got all the time in the world." He promises, and Rita-Anne snorts.

"Oh, you say that, but it's all talk." She states. "It's those other friends of yours. I don't trust them."

"What friends are they?" Mickey asks.

"Don't pretend you don't know," Rita-Anne snaps. "You've been seeing them. Missus Chan told me." Mickey and Katy look confused. "Driving about all helter skelter in that van."

"What van's that, then?" Mickey asks again, and this time Rita-Anne gets irritated by his questions.

"You know full well! Don't play games with me." And at that moment, a white van suddenly appears and does a handbrake turn in the road behind Mickey and Katy, who fail to notice it. "Now get inside, both of you." Katy goes to assist Rita-Anne inside, and Mickey follows them, when Jake; the boy who witnessed the homeless men being rounded up by Clive earlier, jumps out of the van and grabs Mickey.

"I've been looking for you everywhere!" Jake growls at Mickey. Katy turns around when she hears this and goes to intercept.

"Hey! What the hell are you doing!? Let him go!" She yells, but Jake ignores Katy and pushes Mickey into the van, and it drives off. "Mickey! Mickey!" Katy swore underneath her breath.

"Ricky! Ricky!" Rita-Anne had also heard the commotion and is worried for her grandson's safety. Katy immediately turns to comfort and reassure her.

"Don't worry, Mrs. Smith. I'm gonna find him, I promise." She tells Rita-Anne who relaxes a little and nods. "Go back inside where it's safe."

The minute Rita-Anne closes the door behind her, Katy takes off running down the street she had last seen the white van driving down.

Oh, great! The Doctor is going to have kittens!

Van

Meanwhile, Mickey is completely confused about what had happened, then worried because Katy had been left behind and alone in a strange world. He too swore underneath his breath, knowing that the Doctor was going to kill him if anything happened to her because of this random kidnapping.

"Ricky," He looks over at Jake, accusingly. "You were the one who told us you don't contact your family because it puts them in danger." Mickey's eyebrows rose. Okay, so this wasn't a kidnapping. But it still didn't make him feel any better. These jokers could be taking him who knew where. He decided to play along.

"Yeah. Ricky said that." Mickey acknowledged. "'Course I did, just testing." Jake pulls out the cam recorder from earlier and shows Mickey the footage he had gotten. Mickey's eyes widen in horror when he sees this.

"I saw them," Jake explains. "I taped them. They went round Blackfriars gathering up the homeless like the child catcher. They must've took four dozen." The driver of the van, an older blonde woman, shouts back at them.

"The vans were hired out to a company called International Electromatics. But I did a protocol search. Turns out that's a dummy company established by guess who?"

"I don't know. Who?" Mickey answers honestly.

"Cybus Industries!" Jake and the blonde driver respond, sounding a little exasperated with him. Mickey's eyes widen at the familiar name. Jake grins triumphantly.

"Well, now we've got evidence."

"Bad news is, they've arrested Thin Jimmy," the blonde reports back, sounding frustrated. "So that just leaves you."

"Leaves me what?" Mickey questioned.

"The Number One. Top of the list. London's Most Wanted." Jake tells him, and Mickey can't help the flattered, almost smug grin that spreads across his face.

"Okay, cool. Say that again?"

London Street

Katy turned down yet another street following the directions from a random passerby when she questioned if they had seen a white van go past, driving erratically. After a couple of frustrating wrong turns, running into dead ends, and back tracking to where the van had last been seen travelling, Katy was getting increasingly concerned about Mickey's safety.

She just sincerely hoped she'd be able to find him, or at least find the Doctor and Rose, so that they could help her find their missing friend and rescue him from his kidnappers.

Although why they have chosen him to take was a mystery…

Lumic's Zeppelin

A presentation is currently underway, and both the President and Pete were very uncomfortable with what they were currently viewing on the slide projection in front of them.

"The most precious thing on this Earth is the human brain, and yet we allow it to die," Lumic lectured. "But now Cybus Industries has perfected a way of sustaining the brain indefinitely within a cradle of copyrighted chemicals. And the latest advances in synapse research allows cyberkinetic impulses to be bonded onto a metal exoskeleton. This is the ultimate upgrade. Our greatest step into cyberspace—"

"I'm sorry. Could we stop it there? I don't need the pitch," The President interrupted abruptly. He had seen more than enough to last him a lifetime. "I think we all know what this ultimate upgrade entails." He scowls disapprovingly at Lumic. "And I'm here to tell you, John, the answer is 'no'. My government does not give you permission. And I think no government ever will."

Pete privately seconded that.

"I prepared a paper for the Ethical Committee." Lumic argued, but the President scoffs in disgust.

"Oh, come on." He retorted. "It's not just unethical, it's obscene."

"Mister President, if I might make a personal plea," Lumic tries again. "I am dying, sir."

"I'm aware of that," the President looks at him with pity, but remains resolute. "And I'm very sorry."

Lumic narrows his eyes in anger.

"Without this project, you have condemned me. My inventions have advanced this whole planet. Would you have all that perish?"

"You're a fine businessman, John," The President concedes. "But you are not God." He states firmly. "I'm really very sorry, but I think we should end it there." He gets to his feet and turns towards Pete who also gets to his feet and accepts the President's outstretched hand to shake it. "Mister Tyler, I'll see you tonight. I think we could all do with a drink." He nods towards Lumic, politely. "Mister Lumic." The President leaves with a man in a white boiler suit. Pete smiles politely to a fuming Lumic.

"Still, it's not the only country in the world. There's always New Germany." He suggests, his smile faltering a little when Lumic glares at him.

"This is the homeland. My birthplace," Lumic insists. "You may leave." He tells Pete who looks relieved.

"Thank you, sir." Pete goes. Lumic turns to the large projector screen and presses a button, which activates and reveals Crane.

"Mister Crane?"

"Ready and waiting, sir." Crane confirms.

"Did the override work?" Lumic demands.

"Well, needs a bit of fine tuning. We weren't exactly delicate, given the rush, but—"

Control Room

"—Yeah, yeah. It's all working." Crane confirms, turning towards the same group of homeless men that he had 'collected' earlier that afternoon. All of the men have flashing ear pods on, and they stare straight ahead with blank expressions. "I've been testing the system, sir. They've grafted on a treat, these have. Given a little persuasion." Crane picks up a nearby remote control. "If you care to observe, sir." He presses a button. "And turn to the right," the homeless men obey. "And back to the left." Once again, they turn without question.

"Are you having fun, Mister Crane?" Lumic questions, sarcastically. Crane fumbles with the remote and flushes a little from embarrassment.

"Oh, no, no. Not at all, sir no." He reassures. "It's just, well, it's irresistible." Crane admits sheepishly.

"Then resist!" Lumic snaps, curtly. "Start the upgrade."

"Did we get permission?" Crane looks surprised.

"I am governed by greater laws, old friend." Lumic states, dismissively. "The right of a man to survive. Now begin!" Lumic signs out of the conversation, and Crane lets out a sigh before turning back to the homeless men.

"And turn to the left. Forward march." He instructs, and the controlled men walk off through a door. A few minutes later, more screaming starts causing Crane to flinch and shudder. "Oh, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Let's cover up that noise," He decides. "Er, give us track number nineteen."

Wimoweh – The Lion Sleeps Tonight by the Tokens starts playing through the speaker system, and Crane immediately relaxes; able to ignore the slashing blades and cutting wheels activated above his head carrying on with their mutilating job.

Street

The white van carrying Mickey, Jake, and Missus Moore (Mickey eventually found out what her name was when Jake addressed her) arrived at what looked like to Mickey as an abandoned mansion of sorts. Jake narrows his eyes when he spots a light on in one of the mansion windows.

"There's a light on. There's someone inside the base," He leans over the front seats to talk to Missus Moore. "We've got visitors." She nods looking stern, before putting the van into park and grabbing a nearby gun. Jake holds up his own, as Mickey's eyes widened in horror when he sees the weapons. All three of them get out of the van, and head inside the front doors. Cautiously, they sneak along the mansion's corridors towards the room Jake had spotted the lights in, and they prepare themselves to barrel in, guns blazing to interrogate the intruder. "On three. One, two, three, GO!"

Base

Jake and Missus Moore burst into the room and raise their guns against the intruder … a very familiar figure who causes Mickey's jaw to fall open in shock when he sees him. The figure scowls at them with suspicion.

"What the hell are you doing?" He demands, and a confused Jake retorts.

"What're you doing there?"

"What am I doing here?" the familiar young man repeats. "What am I doing there?" The young man, who turns out to be Ricky, raises a finger and points at his doppelganger Mickey, whom Jake and Missus Moore immediately turn their guns on.

Mickey sheepishly raises both his hands in surrender.

Meanwhile, Katy finally manages to catch up with them. Irritated, tired and out of breath, she pauses for a moment to hunch over and draw in deep lungsful of air before jogging over to the lit-up window and cautiously looks inside.

"What the hell?" Katy mutters out loud to herself when she takes in the unusual scene in front of her. "Oh, Mick. What have we gotten into now?" She ponders fretfully as Jake and Ricky strip Mickey down to his boxers and tie him down onto a nearby chair.

Outside the Tyler Mansion

A black stretch limo drives past the Doctor and Rose as they both walk up the white gravel driveway towards the mansion. The party looks like it is in full swing, and both the Doctor and Rose look on with interest.

"They've got visitors." The Doctor stated unnecessarily. Rose frowns contemplatively, realising something about the date.

"February the first," Rose mumbles and her eyes widen in realisation. "Mum's birthday!" She takes in the celebration going on inside the mansion and a fond smile spread across her face. "Even in a parallel universe, she still loves a party."

"Well, given Pete Tyler's guest list, I wouldn't mind a look." The Doctor observes, mildly impressed as he dug a hand in his coat pocket. "And there is one guaranteed way of getting inside…" He pulls free the leather wallet and waves it in front of Rose's face and a triumphant grin appears on the blonde's face.

"Psychic paper."

"It's too bad Katy's not here, she's gonna miss out on all the fun." The Doctor commented a little disappointedly and ignored the annoyed pout on Rose's face. "So, who do you want to be?" He smiles mischievously.

The Tyler Mansion

Rose and the Doctor, both dressed like traditional silver service wait staff, carry trays of canapes and champagne for the guests scattered through the ground floor of the extravagantly decorated mansion. Rose had a disgruntled scowl on her face.

This was so not what I had in mind… She thought.

"We could've been anyone," Rose bitched to the Doctor who rolled his eyes at the blonde's petulant attitude.

"It got us in, didn't it?" He reminded her.

"You're in charge of the psychic paper. We could've been guests. Celebrities." She grumbles. "Sir Doctor, Dame Rose. We end up serving. Did enough of this back home…" The Doctor sighed patiently.

We're here to gather information, not to shmooze with the rich and shameless… The Doctor retorts in his head, as he nods his head politely at a nearby guest who takes a champagne coupe glass from his tray. The guest just gives him a haughty glare in return, which the Doctor shrugs off as he responds to Rose's complaint.

"If you want to know what's going on, work in the kitchens." He points out. "According to Lucy, that man over there—"

"Who's Lucy?" Rose interrupts, frowning.

"She's carrying the salmon pinwheels," the Doctor indicates with his head towards a nearby blonde-haired waitress carrying a tray of canapes, casually. Rose scowls jealously.

"Oh, that's Lucy, is it?"

"Yeah," the Doctor replies curtly before continuing with his explanation. "Lucy says, that is the President of Great Britain."

"What, there's a President, not a Prime Minister?" Rose blinks.

"Seems so." The Doctor shrugged.

"Or maybe Lucy's just a bit thick…" Rose mutters underneath her breath, then freezes when Pete appears on the staircase.

"Excuse me! Thank you very much." The party guests, wait staff and the Doctor and Rose, stop what they are doing and give him their full attention. "Thank you, if I could have your attention, please?"

"Pete! Go on, Pete!" a random male in the crowd calls out to him.

"Thank you very much!" Pete grins appreciatively.

"It's about time you did some work!" the same man jeers, jokingly.

"I thought you liked them young." Another man pipes up, earning a wave of laughter and sniggers from the rest of the guests. Pete flushes a little and clears his throat before continuing.

"Um, I'd just like to say thank you to you all, for coming on this, this very special occasion. My wife's thirty-ninth—"

"Don't believe that one." Another man pipes up, earning another round of laughs.

"Trust me on this," Pete grins jokingly, quoting his business slogan. "And so, without any further ado, here she is, the birthday girl. My lovely wife, Jackie Tyler." Pete steps back down the stairs as Jackie makes her entrance down the staircase, dressed in a skintight black cocktail dress and her hair done up in a neat chignon, to general applause. She stops a few steps before the bottom and flashes a fake smile at her guests.

"Now I'm not giving a speech. That's what my parties are famous for: no work, no politics, just a few good mates and plenty of black-market whiskey." She giggles, then spots someone in the audience. "Pardon me, Mister President." He smiles politely and nods in acknowledgment. "So, yeah, get on with it. Enjoy, enjoy." Jackie encourages before walking the rest of the way down the stairs and linking arms with Pete as they go off to mingle with their guests.

Rose watches all this with a depressed expression on her face.

"You can't stay," the Doctor is quick to remind her. "Even if there was some way of telling them."

"'Course I can't." Rose agreed. "I've still got Mum at home. My real mum. I couldn't just leave her, could I?" She glances back at her 'parents' and sighs sadly. "It's just, they've got each other. Mum's got no one…"

"She's got you, and Katy." The Doctor reminds her. "Those two haven't." He sighs in frustration. "All these different worlds, not one of them gets it right."

"Rose!" Both their heads snap in the direction of Jackie, who appears to be calling for someone. The blonde then flushes in embarrassment when the little Yorkshire terrier trots over to Jackie. "There's my little girl! Come to mummy, come to mummy!" Jackie coos at the little lap dog and Rose scowls as she watches Jackie scoop up the dog. "Yes, good girl! Good girl, aren't you?"

The Doctor can't hold it in any longer and snorts with laughter. He sobers a little when Rose glares at him.

"Sorry…"

Loading Bay

Metal humanoid figures stomp heavily across the tarmac towards waiting lorries. Crane and other of Lumic's lackeys watch uncomfortably.

"Platoon zero two now boarding. Platoon zero two now boarding." One of the metal figures announces in its robotic voice. A couple of the lackeys shudder with disgust, earning an understanding but stern look from Crane in response.

"Stop staring," he advises.

"What are they, sir?" the driver of the lorry asks, nervously. Crane gives a reluctant look back at the metal humanoids still embarking on the lorries and sighs heavily.

"I'm told they're the future," He replies with a false cheerfulness. "Ain't technology wonderful?" The lorry driver doesn't smile. "Go on, get in the cab. Start her up." Crane orders.

"Sir," the driver nods and heads for the driver's side door, hopping in. Crane's phone rings and he pulls it free from his jacket pocket.

"Mister Crane, are we mobile?" Lumic questioned him before Crane could answer the call.

"Just about to hit the road, sir." Crane acknowledged. "And yourself?"

"I'm arriving, Mister Crane." Lumic confirms. "Prepare the factory. Now, send them forth, old friend. Let the good work begin."

Base

Back at the abandoned mansion, where Jake, Ricky, and Missus Moore have hunkered down and claimed it as their base; Mickey was still tied down to the chair, sitting in his boxers as he is carefully scanned from top to bottom. He cooperates, looking and feeling both anxious and nervous, while Katy continues to watch this from outside the window, feeling somewhat helpless.

What's going on here exactly? Katy ponders, as Jake finishes off his inspection of Mickey's body and gives up the results to Ricky.

"He's clean. No bugs." He reports, looking perplexed and highly suspicious. Ricky scowls at Mickey as he leans in closer to examine his face.

"But this is off the scale," Ricky states. "He's flesh and blood. How did that happen?"

"Well, it could be that Cybus Industries have perfected the science of human cloning … or your father had a bike." Missus Moore theorises, as Katy makes a face at the implication. Jackson Smith wasn't the perfect father, and he had his faults, but he was hardly the type to do something like that, even if he was a deadbeat father.

"And your name is Mickey, not Ricky." Ricky confirms to Mickey who nodded.

"Mickey. Dad was Jackson Smith. Used to work at the key cutters in Clifton's Parade. Went to Spain, never came back."

"But that's my dad," Ricky's eyebrow rose skeptically. "So, we're brothers?"

"Be fair," Jake protested. "What else could it be?"

"I don't know," Ricky shrugged. "But he doesn't just look like me, he is exactly the same." He glances over at Jake, curiously. "There's something else going on here, Jake." They untie Mickey from the chair and allow him to put his clothes back on. He uses this opportunity to learn more about his doppelganger and his team. He couldn't help but feel somewhat intrigued and impressed that Ricky appeared to be the exact opposite of him, personality wise.

"So, who are you lot?" Mickey asked, curiously.

"We?" Ricky gestures between himself, Jake, and Missus Moore. "We are the Preachers. As in Gospel Truth." He explains, gruffly. "You see?" He gestures to his ears and Mickey realises belatedly that none of them were wearing ear pods. "No ear plugs. While the rest of the world downloads from Cybus Industries, we, we have got freedom. You're talking to London's Most Wanted, but target Number One is Lumic, and we are going to bring him down."

"From your kitchen?" Mickey questioned.

"Have you got a problem with that?" Ricky narrowed his eyes at Mickey, who shakes his head.

"No, it's a good kitchen." He acknowledged. Missus Moore, who was clicking away at a computer nearby, suddenly speaks up. She sounded urgent and almost triumphant at the same time.

"It's an upload from Gemini." She announces. Mickey looks over with intrigue.

"Who's Gemini?" He asks, but he is ignored.

"The vans are back. They're moving out of Battersea." Missus Moore reads from the computer monitor. "Looks like Gemini was right; Lumic's finally making a move." She realises.

"And we are right behind him," Ricky declared, making a move towards some automated weaponry they had lying around. "Pack up, we're leaving."

Everyone except for Mickey, start gathering up their weapons etc. and head out the door, with Mickey following close behind. Katy glances over at the white van that had brought Mickey here in the first place and quickly runs over to it. She opens up the back doors and climbs in, ducking behind some nearby boxes and crates, and throws a random blanket over her head to hide herself from view, just as Jake, Ricky, and Mickey hop inside. The lorry carrying the load of metal humanoid figures drives past the base, and the white van quickly follows it.

The Tyler Mansion

Rose watches gloomily as Jackie laughs with the President from across the room. She was now holding a tray of champagne glasses, and the Doctor had long since snuck off to find a working laptop to investigate further into what was going on in this universe. Rose jumps a little when Pete sidles up to her.

"I remember her twenty-first," Rose turns and gives Pete her full attention, completely surprised but pleased that her 'father' was striking up a conversation with her. "Pint of cider in the George." He had a small fond, but sad smile on his face as he reflected upon the memory. Rose snapped out of it and hastily remembered she was supposed to be playing the part of a waitress.

"Sorry. Champagne?" She offers, and Pete glances down at the tray with a small smile. He shrugged.

"Oh, might as well. I'm paying for it." He takes a glass and sips from it. Rose decides to continue the conversation.

"It's a big night for you," She mused, and Pete continued looking over at Jackie across the room.

"For her," He reminds Rose. "Still, she's happy."

"She should be. It's a great party." Rose complimented Pete, who looks slightly flattered.

"Do you think?"

Rose shifts the tray from her right hand to her left, awkwardly raising her right hand into a thumbs up gesture.

"You can trust me." She awkwardly quotes, earning a chuckle from Pete.

"You can trust me on this." He politely corrects her, and Rose giggles and nods.

"That's it, sorry." Pete waves it off as no big deal and takes another sip from his glass. "So, how long have you two been married?" Rose asks, cautiously.

"Twenty years." Pete replies, sadly.

"And no kids, or…?"

"We kept putting it off. She said she didn't want to spoil her figure." Pete confirmed, and Rose deflated dejectedly. "I've got a niece, though." That perks Rose up a little bit, sparking her curiosity. "Studying at University over in Scotland, right now."

"That's nice," Rose nods. "Still, it's not too late for kids. She's only forty." She reminds him.

"Thirty-nine." Pete winks at her, jokingly.

"Oh, right. Thirty-nine."

"But it's still too late," Pete insists, and Rose's face falls once again. "I moved out last month, but we're going to keep it quiet. You know, it's bad for business." Then Pete pauses and frowns, realising that he was telling all this personal stuff to a complete stranger. "Why am I telling you all this?" Rose froze, looking like a cornered puppy. "We haven't met before, have we?" Rose still doesn't say anything, just looked at Pete as he continued to babble to himself, getting increasingly flustered. "I don't know, you just seem sort of…"

"What?" Rose encouraged him.

"I don't know. Just sort of… right," Pete just frowns at her, looking somewhat accusing, like it was Rose's fault that he had revealed such personal things, before turning and spotting someone off across the room. "Stevie! How's things? How's it going at Torchwood?" Pete quickly walks away, leaving Rose looking and feeling somewhat troubled.

Outside the Tyler Mansion

The white van has made it to the party and has parked somewhere out of sight. Ricky and Jake disembarked and headed towards some bushes nearby the mansion, hiding in them and talking into walkie-talkies connected back to Missus Moore, Mickey, and a still unseen Katy, who was listening into every word, and waiting for the right moment to escape from the van without being spotted.

"I don't know what they're doing, but this seems to be the target." Ricky reports into the walkie-talkie. "Big house, fair bit of money. Now we have got to find a way to get in." He stated determinedly.

Van

Missus Moore gains access to some information, with Mickey looking over her shoulder at the screen.

"I've identified the address. It belongs to Peter Tyler, the Vitex millionaire." Missus Moore confirms, and both Mickey and Katy stiffen with shock.

What? Katy mentally exclaims.

"Pete Tyler?" Mickey double checks. Missus Moore acknowledges him distractedly.

"He's listed as one of Lumic's henchmen," she tells him, and both Mickey and Katy react with horror. "A traitor to the state."

No! Not possible! Katy vehemently denies.

"But…" Mickey hesitates, stunned by what he had just learned.

Outside the Tyler Mansion

"… We've got to get in there." Mickey insists through the walkie-talkie. Ricky glares at the device in his hand.

"Now, shut it, duplicate. That's what I just said." He growls in annoyance.

Ricky and Jake watch as the driver and Crane lower a ramp down from the back of the lorry and open the back doors before taking a step back. Heavy marching feet can be heard approaching, and the metal humanoid figures slowly march down the ramp and onto the white gravel driveway. Both Ricky and Jake's eyes widen in horror.

"What the hell are they?"

Pete's Office

The Doctor had managed to find his way into the Tylers' office and gained access into the laptop. He finds a copy of Lumic's presentation and presses play.

"… The most precious thing on this Earth is the human brain…" Lumic's voiceover on the video states, as the Doctor's intelligent brown eyes dart across the screen contemplatively, a grim expression on his face.

Patio

Still feeling troubled by the conversation she had just had with her 'father' earlier, Rose decides to wait until Jackie goes off by herself, and follow her, to try and get to the bottom of their problems and help them. Her opportunity comes when Jackie excuses herself from her current conversation with one of her party guests and goes outside to sit on the patio, taking in the cold night air. Rose approaches cautiously, still holding a tray of champagne in her hands. She knocks timidly on the doorframe.

"Missus Tyler, is there anything I can get you?" Rose questioned.

"The last twenty years back," Jackie sighed. Rose swallows hard and summons up her courage before stepping out onto the patio and walking over to Jackie.

"I can manage a glass of champagne or a nice cup of tea?" Rose offers, and Jackie immediately perks up and smiles at the thought.

"Oh, that'd do me." She grins. Rose takes a seat beside her 'mother'.

"My mum loves that. End of a long night she never goes straight to bed, she always stays up just to have that last cup of tea." Rose reminisces, never looking away from Jackie's face.

"Oh, I'm the same." Jackie nods.

"Two sugars."

"And me." Jackie sighs again and leans back her head to look up at the star-speckled sky above their heads. "Pete always says, you know…" She stops herself and backtracks quickly. "Ah, never mind him." Rose sees her opportunity to talk about Pete and pounces on it.

"I was talking to him earlier. He's a nice man. You know, bit of a Jack the Lad, I suppose, even if he has got money, but he's a good bloke. Better than most." She smiles understandingly at Jackie. "He's worth a second chance." However, instead of looking touched by Rose's words, Jackie immediately snaps her head in her direction and glares ferociously at the younger blonde.

"Are you commenting on my marriage?" She snaps, icily. Rose jerks back in shock and hurt; she had never seen that kind of expression on her mother's face before and realises too late that she had overstepped her boundaries. She immediately attempted to explain herself.

"No, I was just—"

"Who the hell do you think you are?" Jackie shouts, angrily. "You're staff. You're nothing but staff. You're just the serving girl, for God's sake. And you are certainly not getting paid." Jackie gets to her feet, turning for the patio doors. "Don't you dare talk to me." Jackie goes back inside, leaving Rose sitting there looking shocked, with tears gathering in her eyes. Suddenly, floodlights come on, blinding Rose who moves to shield her eyes from the light. The floodlights backlight rows of marching figures, dainty as elephants.

What the hell are they?

Pete's Office

"…This is the ultimate upgrade. Our greatest step into cyberspace." The Doctor's eyes widen in horror, as he stabs pause on the keyboard and runs for the door.

"Cybers!" He mutters fearfully.

Drawing Room

The Doctor and Rose find each other and run for the nearest window in the Drawing Room. Rose had never seen the Doctor looking as terrified as he did at that moment.

"It's happening again." He revealed, terrified not only for Rose's safety, but also for Mickey and especially Katy's safety, as they were still somewhere out there in the middle of London somewhere.

He feared the worst.

"What do you mean?" Rose asked, worried about his reaction.

"I've seen them before."

"What are they?" Rose asked, impatiently.

"Cybermen." The Doctor replied succinctly, as the Cybermen smash through a series of French windows in the other wall, while others smash in through the house. Soon all the guests and staff are surrounded by them. The President's phone rings in his pocket, and he pulls it out, looking confused and disturbed, then angry when he sees who the caller is.

"Mister Lumic." He greets the aforementioned man, coolly.

Control Room

Lumic gives the President a smirk that is a mingled combination of smug, triumphant, and defiant.

"Mister President. I suppose a remark about crashing the party would be appropriate at this point." He joked.

Drawing Room

The sight of the fruits of Lumic's labour only serves to increase the politician's ire higher as he stares at the surrounding cybermen fencing himself and the rest of the Tyler's guests in like cattle, with a stony face.

"I forbade this!" The President barks down the line, eying the metal men (and women) with well-hidden nervousness. Lumic chuckles darkly.

"These are my children, sir. Would you deny my family?" He questions back. The Doctor stands with his body shielding both in front and beside Rose protectively, as he scans the situation in front of him with serious brown eyes. Outwardly, he is projecting a picture of calm and focus, but in reality, he was panicking … big time.

"They're people?" Rose looked a combination of both confused and scared.

"They were," the Doctor confirmed. "Until they had all their humanity taken away. That's a living brain jammed inside a cybernetic body, with a heart of steel." Rose's eyes widened. "All emotions removed."

"Why no emotions?" Rose looked like she wanted to know and also didn't. The Doctor looks at her with solemn eyes.

"Because it hurts." He takes a quick glance outside, looking worried. Was Katy safe wherever she was with Mickey, away from all this?

"I demand to know, Lumic. These people, who were they?" The President requested, firmly.

"They were homeless," Lumic replied indifferently. "And wretched and useless. Until I saved them, and elevated them, and gave them life eternal." The President makes a horrified face. "And now I leave you in their capable hands. Goodnight, sir. Goodnight, Mister President." Lumic hangs up, and one of the cybermen steps forward to address the President, who looks at it warily.

"We have been upgraded," It reveals. The Doctor steps forward to be of assistance.

"Into what?"

"The next level of mankind. We are Human point two. Every citizen will receive a free upgrade. You will become like us." The cyberman explains, and everyone in the room shudders in horror.

"I'm sorry," He acknowledges it sympathetically, before moving closer to it, ignoring when the Doctor attempts to stop him from doing so. "I'm so sorry for what's been done to you but listen to me. This experiment ends tonight." He states, firmly.

"Upgrading is compulsory," the Cyberman insists.

"And if I refuse?" the President challenges it.

"Don't!" the Doctor suggests, urgently. The President eyes him and the Cyberman skeptically.

"What if I refuse?" The President insists.

"I'm telling you, don't!" the Doctor stresses, causing the President to turn and frown at the Doctor partially for interfering and also to legitimately ask.

"What happens if I refuse?" He wanted to know.

"Then you are not compatible," the Cyberman answers matter of factly. The President looks disturbed and concerned.

"What happens then?"

"You will be deleted." The Cyberman then reaches forward and puts his hand on the President's neck and electrocutes him. The Doctor then promptly turns and grabs Rose's hand, both booking it for the exit. The party guests scream as they are grabbed by the other Cybermen and killed. Pete immediately calls out for his wife.

"Jackie! Jackie!"

Outside the Tyler House

All hell has broken loose, and the Doctor and Rose have just managed to jump through a broken window to safety and are sprinting down the long lawn outside the Tyler Mansion. The Doctor looks back at the mansion with regret, but Rose is his main priority at the moment to keep safe.

"There's nothing we can do." The Doctor states, as Rose looks back worriedly.

"My mum's in there!"

"She is not your mother!" the Doctor reminds her harshly, before tugging her along the lawn. "Come on!" However, a row of Cybermen appear and stop them from running across the lawn. They backtrack and run around the side of the mansion, just as Pete comes out through the window, having obviously not found Jackie. Rose spots him and waves him over.

"Quick! Quick!" She urges, and Pete doesn't hesitate and follows her and the Doctor.

"Pete, is there a way out?" the Doctor questioned him.

"The side gates," Pete replied automatically before frowning at the Doctor in confusion. "Who are you? How do you know so much?"

"You wouldn't believe it in a million years," the Doctor responded hastily, as they all come skidding to a halt when more Cybermen suddenly cut them off. Ricky and Jake, armed and ready to fire, come sprinting up to them across the lawn in front of the floodlights.

"Who's that?" Rose demands, temporarily blinded by the lights until Ricky responds to her question.

"Get behind me!" He orders, before he and Jake open fire on the Cybermen. However, the bullets just bounce off their metal bodies. But surprisingly, they stop. Rose finally gets a proper look at their rescuers, and flings overjoyed and relieved arms around a confused and irritated Ricky's neck.

"Oh my God, look at you." Rose exclaimed as she hugs Ricky tight. "I thought I'd never see you again!"

Ricky immediately shrugs Rose off.

"Yeah. No offence, sweetheart, but who the hell are you?" Ricky questions a confused and hurt Rose.

"Rose!" All heads (except for Ricky and Jake) swivel round towards Mickey who is sprinting down the lawn towards them. "That's not me. That's like the other one." He explains poorly as he runs up and hugs Rose. The Doctor makes a face.

"Oh, as if things weren't bad enough, there's two Mickey's." He groaned, then promptly realises something, and reacts in horror. "Wait a minute. Where's Katy?" He demands Mickey, who doesn't respond for a moment. "Where is she!?" The Doctor growls at him, immediately thinking the worst.

"Oh, my God!" Rose frets worriedly. Mickey opens his mouth to explain what happened but is immediately cut off.

"DOCTOR! MICKEY! ROSE!" Everyone turns to see a tired, disheveled, and dirty looking Katy running towards them, looking both relieved to see them finally, and horrified by what's going on.

"Katy!" the Doctor, Mickey, and Rose exclaim in relief as the Doctor immediately breaks away from Rose and Mickey, and steps towards Katy who nearly bowls him over when she jumps into his arms and hugs him with relief.

"Oh, thank God!" the Doctor mutters into her hair, squeezing just as tightly back.

"Katy?" They both look over to see Pete looking at them in both shock and confusion. "What are you doing here? I thought you were still in Scotland?" Pete demands, and both the Doctor and Katy scramble for words.

"Er…" Katy stammers.

"There's more of them!" Mickey, thankfully, interrupts the awkward moment to bring to attention the Cybermen in front of them. The Doctor pulls Katy closer to both Mickey and Rose, the former pulling his best friend into a relieved hug before turning and shielding both Katy and Rose bravely.

"Put the guns down," the Doctor orders firmly to Ricky and Jake, who look at him with disbelief. "Bullets won't stop them." Jake ignores him and opens fire on the Cybermen before the Doctor stops him. "No! Stop shooting, now!" He insists before stepping towards the Cybermen. "We surrender! Hands up." He gestures for everyone to follow his example and raise their arms into the air. They obey. The Doctor turns back to address the Cybermen. "There's no need to damage us. We're good stock. We volunteer for the upgrade program. Take us to be processed."

"You are rogue elements," the Cybermen points out.

"But we surrender." The Doctor replied.

"You are incompatible."

"But this is a surrender!" the Doctor insists, looking a bit anxious that his plan wasn't working.

"You will be deleted." The Cyberman in front of him, states. The Doctor immediately starts backing up, pleading their cases.

"But we're surrendering! Listen to me, we surrender!"

"You are inferior," the Cyberman argues. "Man will be reborn as Cyberman, but you will perish under maximum deletion." The group of Cybermen hold out their deadly arms and advance towards the group.

"Delete. Delete. Delete!"

A/N: Stay tuned for the next episode. TTFN!