Chapter 32
Thing is, I don't trust this guy. I have a spooky idea of what's happening, and I reaaaally hope I'm wrong.
"So what's the best thing about working at the Agency?" I ask him.
"Lower your voice, the more unnoticed we go the better", he replies, whispering.
Also, this guy's not fun. He's taking the whole thing way too seriously. I would ditch him and go by myself, but the place is a maze. Government building architecture doesn't evolve as much as I thought in the next 30 centuries, turns out. Same goes for interior design, the place looks very… retro. At the fifth turn to a corridor with hanging lightbulbs and wooden doors with see-through glass panels I groan.
"Are typewriters still around?"
He shushes me again. The nerve! I've tried to start a conversation with him for the whole walk and I'm getting nothing from him.
"Is there a special reason why you don't like me? Something I should know?".
"Hm" he says, looking back to look at me. "Why, do you always expect to be liked by everyone?".
"I don't expect it, but that's how it usually goes". I smile. I will not let be silenced by this annoying boy.
He turns around again "There's a first-" he says, abruptly stopping, also stopping me with his arm, then pushing me back around the corner. He swiftly puts his hand on my mouth.
"Shh"
I look as a group of agents walk past us, not looking in our direction. I don't see their faces but, oh, I'm sure one of them is Chloe. Because of course, this basement is a maze but I still managed to run into her again. I internally roll my eyes.
Ray lets me go and we resume our walk to the storage room. There's a metallic cage around shelves with evidence, and a desk with a bored agent eating pie and watching a tv show on a tablet. 51st century, big on nostalgia. Yep.
"Ray! What brings a top-floor here?" The agent asks, cheerful.
"Crane, evidence from today, you filed those yet?", he asks, trying to be casual. I don't think he's the best actor, but something about the way he says that makes me suspicious.
"Naah", he says. "it's all still there", he adds, pointing at a large case against the metal cage. "Got stuck on reruns of Grey's anatomy".
I smile at him, keeping an eye at Ray. "Which season?".
"5105", Crane adds. "The old cast was much better, now it's all new people, I can't watch it anymore".
"Right", I grin, looking from the leftover paperwork on Crane's desk, to Ray, who is going through the contents of the case.
"Just if you take anything from there you need to let me know, right?". Crane adds, looking at him, then turns to me. "Hey, I didn't notice you've cut your hair".
I quickly turn to Ray, casually smiling again. "Need help?". I walk over to him at the case.
"No need", Ray grunts. "It's not here", he silently tells me.
"What do you mean it's not here?", I hiss back.
"What are you lookin for?", Crane asks, standing up. I glance at his table again. Grey's anatomy still casts hot people in the 51st century. The screen buzzes with interference, and in a blink I see the face of Rose Tyler. I glare, but as I blink the interference comes back and I'm again looking at hot people in scrubs.
"Hmm, just thought Carol's badge ended up in there", Ray says, lifting up.
"Let me double check", I quickly say, getting to the case too and crouching to check, but he's right. The case is full of things, all neatly ziplocked into transparent bags, but my vortex manipulator isn't there.
"Since when are you working with Carol?" Crane asks, scratching his head.
"Thanks anyway, Crane, you're the best". Ray pulls at my arm and almost pushes me out of the room.
"…Bye?" I say, confused. When we step into the corridor again, I face Ray. "What the hell?What's the rush?".
"Look, despite his chill attitude, Crane is not stupid. Better not stay long. The prototype isn't there", he says.
"You don't seem too worried about it".
"Look - I don't know what to tell you. It's not there". He's not worried and pretending to be casual, but his mood is suddenly angrier. Something is bothering him.
"Before, you said somebody would analyze it. Do you have any suspect? Anyone inside the Agency who could be investigating, besides your secret task force?".
"No, nobody is looking into it", he stops, then adds, faster. "Not really any definite suspect, but… an unregistered vortex manipulator could attract anyone from the tech department", he shrugs.
So, not Crane.
"Which floor is the tech department?" I ask him, keeping the lift door open. He groans again.
I feel a weak nudge from the Doctor through the psychic link. I thought we were still keeping the shields up, so he's probably making a strong effort to get through. I shake my head, alert, but keep the shields up.
And of course, when we get to the floor, in front of the lab door, there's Carol and Mossey, the bully who arrested us. And they have questions.
"Ray? What are you doing on this floor?". She looks confused. "Hi there", she tells me, casually.
"Hm, just looking for an update on the… the reports for today's cases", he replies. Bit vague much? I would't know what he's talking about, but Carol looks just as puzzled as me. He's not fooling her, but also, she glances at me, and I'm not fooling her either.
"Hey!" She exclaims, pushing me to the wall. "What the hell?".
"Look, if you just let me explain-" I try, but Mossey switches places with Carol holding me to the wall. His arm crushes my face and I can't speak. Not that I wouldn't do the same if our positions were inverted, but come on, there are nicer ways to shut up someone.
"Ray?" Carol asks. "You better explain"
"I would, but you don't have clearance", he says, a bit too cold for my taste.
I'm starting to think he - damn, if I'm right, he's more clever than what I thought. He wanted me to come up here because he knew they would stop me, and he made it so that it was my idea.
"Are you for real?" She insists. "I already didn't like that you're giving tours to the trainee, and now you just… stroll around the palace with the Time Lady I arrested today? I don't give a fuck about clearance, tell me something!".
"Oh, please, we don't have to do this here", he replies, "and please lower your voice", he hisses.
"You were an administrative officer until five minutes ago! You better come up with something better than this!".
Honestly, so Ray hasn't even been a field officer that long? Why the hell was he put on an operative task force with Jack? No wonder it hasn't produced results yet. Mossey stiffles a laugh.
Okay.
I gather my strength, and pull at Mossey's arm so tightly that he lets the guard down. Quickly, he tries to turn but I crouch and turn, so now we are face to face. I try to kick him in the sack but he hits me with his head, I move fast and I roll down with a twist, so I can hit his ankles.
I'm sure it's a very entertaining fight, and in fact Ray and Carol are just… standing by, looking at us.
"I don't need help", I say, out loud.
Carol stays silent another beat, then speaks. "So, you were on a "secret case" with an escaped Time Lady, you get caught and you let her be kicked by a bully? What's happening? Ray?".
Mossey lifts a whole desk over his head ready to crash it on me, when Justin - sweet, bullied Justin, suddenly appears from a doorway and pushes him hard enough for him to lose his balance. He stumbles upon the desk and oops, lands with his head on my elbow.
"Ha!", I say, when he's finally lying down in pain, gathering my breath and wiping my face, "So, thanks, Justin. Now, anybody seen an unmarked vortex manipulator in there?".
They exchange a blank look. They have no idea of what I'm talking about. I quickly scan the inside of the lab, it's a small room, with neat desks, no prototype in sight.
I shake my head, again feeling a nudge from the Doctor.
"Just as I thought". I say turning again to them. "So", I sigh, "want to join a secret task force?".
"What about… Ray?" Justin asks, shyly.
"What about him?" I repeat, and I realize. "Ooooh, he's gone, right?".
Carol shakes her head. She looks on the edge of tears, but it feels like she's more angry than sad. "You're trying to solve the anomalies, right?".
"Stress on trying, so far", I sigh. "We need to get out of this building".
"This way", Carol shows, then starts walking fast. "And hide your hair a little better, please".
We don't even make it to the elevator when we hear an alarm ringing. "Trainee suspected of theft on the loose. All operative agents, locate Chloe Richards".
Right.
Without checking if anyone saw me, we start to run, as fast as we can, down the emergency stairs. At the window I look down, trying to locate the van. It's not there anymore. Ok. Think, Zoe.
"Nobody's following us", Justin says. "Let's get to the lobby, we'll mix with the crowd".
"And maybe lose that trainee jacket", Carol suggests. "What did you steal, anyway? I thought you were still looking for something. Is this a scavenger hunt?".
I take the jacket off and lose the cap, letting my hair try to cover most of my face. We slow down before opening the door to the lobby. It is pretty crowded, a lot of people in line for the museum and for the reception desk. Some families and older couples looking at the big painting at the other side of the hall. The alarm is not sounding here. The Doctor did say that the Agency work was sloppy, but I didn't expect to fool them so easily.
We start making our the exit, trying to be casual, when I have a sudden uneasy feeling. I stop, holding my head.
"Not the best time for a break, my lady", Carol warns me, looking around.
I can't move. I lose my balance and fall to the ground, blinking. What is-
Through the crowd and the kids, I spot a man staring right at me. A man, but -
Oh. I really didn't expect that.
He looks older, but handsome. He's not tall, but his gaze is confused and menacing at the same time. A piercing noise starts ringing in my ears. My head is exploding. I close my eyes again, in pain.
"Let's try to get out from the parking", Justin says, and both him and Carol try to steady me up. "I don't think she's all right", he adds.
I blink again and he's standing just in front of me. My head hurts as he's still trying to take down all the shields.
"Someone's got some explaining to do", he hisses. His voice is stern and angry, but at least he doesn't feel threatening. He pushes me through the emergency door that leads to the stairs. Carol and Justin are so surprised it takes them a beat to follow, just in time to get the door almost slammed in their faces.
"Hi there", I say, trying to smile. I properly look at him. His face is battered and tired, but his eyes are strong and fierce. It's the face of a warrior. "Can you… stop with the psychic attack? It's hurting… a lot, and I can tell you… it's not going to work".
He doesn't. He's holding the door shut, looking around. He groans. "I don't understand, and I am very very smart. So you're going to tell me who you are, and tell me now". Bit more threatening now. You won't be able to save the one you fear the most, the words of the soothsayer in Pompei ring through my mind, all of a sudden. Why did I think I wanted to see him again? How, why, at some point, did I really wish for this to happen?
"Stop it - You… were not supposed… to run into me here. These… shields you're trying to take down" I pant, "you're the one who put them there."
He looks at me, puzzled, and lets go of the mental grip. He opens his mouth to speak, but waits, weighing the words. "But we… we're bonded?".
"Aren't you lucky", I say, ironically, still panting. "I can't tell you anything. We're out of synch. Time travel, ha?".
He's not satisfied with the answer. "It's not just that, though, is it? You're a Time Lady, but…you're…new. Something is strange about you".
I giggle. "You can say that". Some noise from the stairs leading to the underground parking.
"This psychic link… it has my imprint all over the place. What are you?", he repeats, staring deep into my eyes.
"Again, I cannot tell", I reply. "And even if I did, you would forget as soon as you know".
I believe this is the first actual dialogue I ever had with him. He didn't exactly chat with me when I was trapped in the Tardis during the year that never was.
"So, you want to play this game? If I put those shields up, I can also take them down, whether you want it or not". He's snarky now.
"You're the one who doesn't want it".
"Want to bet, dear?", he hisses, putting his forehead against mine, pushing me against the door, his hand on my head to keep me in contact.
The pain is exhausting. I think I'm about to lose consciousness, what will happen then? The shields are his, but I am actively trying to hide everything else. What if I faint? What if I can no longer resist?
"Come onnnn", he screams, and the pain in my head releases like a tidal wave. Everything is falling down.
He snaps back away from me, and he looks terrified. "Wh.. what", he just says, staring at me. "You-" a slam, and he falls to the ground. As he falls down, the shape of Jack appears behind him, the fire extinguisher that he used to hit him still in his hands.
Aaaand now I feel allowed to faint again, and I do.