By the time Hally and The Master arrived back at the penthouse, Armitage had already hacked into the UNIT server to poke around for any information they might have on the death they'd both just witnessed.
"You didn't need to do that, my login is still active." Hally cocked an eyebrow towards him, her mouth curving into a smile. While she could feel adrenaline still burning through her veins she could also feel The Master's contempt bleeding into her thoughts. He was adamant their 'investigation' could wait until the morning. Impatience shivered through him.
"It's more fun this way." Armitage quipped back.
She snorted. "Oh… I wasn't sure fun was a concept you understood."
He ignored her and turned the laptop around to show them what he'd found. UNIT had indeed picked up on a string of similar disappearances and deaths throughout the city but so far no one had managed to get their hands on a body to investigate. A small team had looked into it further and had suggested the involvement of some kind of ingestible compound. A drug. But no concrete extra-terrestrial leads had been discovered so the investigation had fizzled out.
Armitage hovered over the schematic of a map, pointing out where deaths had been confirmed. They were mainly concentrated around inner Manhattan with a few incidents further out and towards Long Island. "UNIT concluded that whatever the compound is, it's being circulated through clubs and venues rather than by street dealers. Hence why they didn't manage to get any samples. More red tape and UNIT aren't exactly what you'd call stealthy."
Hally crossed her arms over her chest, resting her weight into her hip as she considered him. "Do they have any information on where it could be coming from? Who's circulating it?"
"Nope."
"What about anything on the known dealers within the city? Even if they're not running it, surely someone will know something about a new compound being spread over the city?"
"UNIT didn't really look into them. We're better off checking in with the NYPD."
"Can we hack into the NYPD? I doubt it's a complete newbie on the scene selling a brand new compound to these venues. Some of these places are pretty exclusive, we're looking for someone with connections."
Armitage hummed, a line creasing his forehead with a hint of a frown. "I can partially hack in… although… It looks like a lot of their data is still held in physical copies so I'm only seeing maybe a quarter of what they've got."
"I guess we'll have to go and get them the old fashioned way." John remarked, drawing their attention towards him. He winked, giving his gun a confident click.
Hally responded with a sarcastic smile. "Yeah. No. You can go in, sure, but you can take him…" She gestured towards The Master. "And do it the quiet way."
John raised an eyebrow in question as The Master grumbled irritably. Hally paused, bracing for the tantrum she could feel brewing inside her husband.
He clicked his tongue against his teeth. "Who exactly put you in charge?"
"Me. I put me in charge." She declared, levelling her voice as she shot him a sickly sweet smile. "Because the main reason you're not already dead again is me. The one with a vaguely functioning moral compass is… me, oh and the one who made up this whole plan is… right… me!"
After a long moment of intense staring, The Master's jaw twitched in resolute irritation. The only sign that he was begrudgingly backing down. She shifted, changing tack. "Plus, it's really great for our optics to have a woman in charge." She purred, the corners of her mouth tilting up into a smirk. She gave him a gentle pat on the chest. "But don't worry, you'll always be my favourite, darling."
The Master grunted.
Snorting, she looked back at the humans. "Alright. Then John and The Master will go and get the files tomorrow, during acceptable working hours." Her voice lilted with mocking as she snuck a look back up at Koschei. A gleeful spark ignited back inside his eyes at the realisation that her words meant they could go to bed.
"Happy?"
"Goodnight Gentleman!" Master announced loudly with unnecessary flair, his hand slipping up her back to cup the nape of her neck, steering her away from the living room to their bedroom. The hum of poorly concealed challenge vibrated through from him. "I think you've forgotten who your Master is."
"Perhaps you can remind me?" She practically purred back.
Tension ticked at his jaw as he manoeuvred her through the door to their bedroom, slamming it impatiently behind them.
While The Master and John ventured downtown to 'acquire' the files they needed, Hally and Armitage spent the morning delving into the scarce data UNIT had managed to put together on the web of missing people and possible deaths relating to the compound. Hally sensed as Armitage's attention shifted toward her. She looked up from her laptop screen, a curious expression on her face. "What?"
He hummed, a contemplative tone underscoring his words. "Nothing, ma'am."
Hally winced at the formal address. "Well, now I know there's something. I've told you to never call me that." A small smile tugged at her lips.
"No… So far… this plan of yours is going… surprisingly well."
"I'm sensing a 'but'…"
"It concerns me. The more you're in the public eye, the more the public are going to be looking for a reason to fall out of love with you. The more famous you become, the more risk there is."
Exhaling, Hally paused in her research. "I know. But luckily for us, being 'famous' isn't the end goal. We're not after exponential attention. Just enough to keep us untouchable."
She could sense there was more on Armitage's mind. "It would only take one slip-up to bring this whole thing crashing down..."
Offering him a confident smirk, she reassured him, "We're not going to slip up."
However, Armitage's expression remained unconvinced, a subtle scepticism lingering in his features.
Hart bounded in like an overexcited schoolboy. "He hypnotised them! We just waltzed in and took the files. Oh man… you've gotta do that to me sometime." John grinned, dropping the box of files down next to Armitage triumphantly.
The Master skulked into her line of sight, his face a mask of unimpressed, but she could sense that John's excitement had definitely inflated his ego somewhat. She chuckled, her eyes lighting up with amusement. "Well, why do you think I sent him with you?"
The Master flopped down on the sofa opposite, huffing. "I feel used."
She offered him a sympathetic smile, pouting at him in a manner very reminiscent of his own sarcastic sympathy that he often directed her way. "Consider it repaying me a favour." He responded with a sharp glare but didn't rebuff her.
Armitage unpacked the box, and the four of them meticulously sifted through the information, slowly piecing together a more coherent picture. Names of victims, last known locations, forensic data, blood tests as well as a whole web of information on the known drug dealers in the city. There was a name that stood out, mainly due to the little evidence the NYPD had against him. A Mr Alexander Harrington. She recognised that name. He owned upmarket and VIP venues. She and The Master had been to a few of them over the last month or so. Unnecessarily lavish and exclusive. "Wait…" She flipped back a few pages. "Both of these victims went 'missing' at Velvet Elysium in Tribeca but were found in other locations… one down by the docks and the other in some back alley…"
"Suspicious much?" Hart chimed in.
"That club is one of the ones owned by Sterling and Co. CEO, one Alexander Harrington…" Armitage added.
She shared a look with him. "Quite. Can you cross-reference the number of 'missing' people against the number of people last seen at any of his venues for me?"
Armitage nodded and after a few minutes, he hummed. "Certainly a percentage high enough to not be a coincidence. I would consider him a definite person of interest. The issue is investigating him without drawing attention… considering everyone knows our faces." He shot Hally a meaningful look, one she could almost mistake for 'blame.'
She hummed in noncommittal agreement. "I'm sure we can make it look natural. Get our PR team to secure invites to all the flashiest clubs and bars throughout the city, including his… We've been seen all over town; it's not unlikely we'd head there. Organise paparazzi to photograph us going in. I mean, if we make it loud, it doesn't look like we're doing anything suspicious, right?"
The Master cleared his throat, evidently finished with his silent sulk. "Just the two of us." He caught her gaze. "Make it look like publicity, rather than 'Team Torchwood'."
"Exactly." She shot him a wry smile. "Maybe we can get a sample of the compound and get it out?"
As they always did, Hally and The Master dressed with meticulous precision for the night ahead. They'd spent the week being seen in as many exclusive venues as possible, with tonight their venture to Harrington's largest venue, 'The Vault'. The Master had gone with his usual, a sleek black shirt and trousers, while she had decided to lean into the 'club' like vibe, donning a dark purple, strapless mini-dress. Armitage played driver, dropping them just outside their destination.
They entered the club, their names sailing them through, granting them entry into the sensory overload. The venue sprawled across multiple levels, its expanse resembling a colossal warehouse, with metal grids forming stairs leading to various sections. The distant and yet ever-present thump of music emanated from all sides, almost leading them down into the packed crowd buzzing between the dance floor and bars which seemed to stretch around the edge of the whole room. The Master's hand found the small of her back immediately.
Armitage's voice crackled through the undetectable comm both she and The Master were wearing. A small, clear disk, pressed behind both of their ears. "Blend in. There are three VIP lounges, take a look around, see what you can find."
"Yes, Sir." The Master muttered, pressing her forward and guiding them both over towards the bar. The heat of his body remained close, a thrum of heated possession settled over him as they moved through the crowd. Flashes of recognition greeting them as they did so.
With a drink in one hand and The Master's hand in the other, Hally pulled them away from the bar and towards the stairs, intent on taking a look around. He let her lead them upstairs, easily finding and entering one of the three lounges. Offering a slightly quieter respite, furnished with dark leather booths and a less busy bar, yet it remained a hub of noise and movement. Although, nothing out of the ordinary. She twisted, intent on exiting the way they came but The Master caught her waist, pulling her into his chest as his mouth found the juncture between her neck and shoulder, completely exposed to his teeth due to her choice of outfit. She hissed with surprise, clearing her throat to cover any other involuntary noises as the sharp pain of his bite warmed with the flick of his tongue.
He pulled back, eyes glittering. "Slow down. We're blending in, remember. Racing around every room is going to look rather irregular." His mouth curved with a smirk.
"You bit me…" She scowled up at him. His smirk widened into a grin and he unapologetically raked his eyes over her appreciatively.
"I did." His gaze flicked back to her face, he leaned in close, his breath tickling her ear as he spoke. "But do remember we're in public… so don't…" His mouth made contact with the sensitive area of skin just underneath her ear. "...make…" A sharp tug of his teeth had her jolting in his arms. "...a…" His assault continued down her neck. "...scene…" She didn't have the foresight to cover up the breathy gasp that fell from her mouth this time.
"Master…"
A chuckle rumbled from The Master and she bristled. "It's Harry, darling." He released her and took a slow sip from his drink, eyes gleaming with smug satisfaction at his little game.
"You're such a wanker." She muttered, blaming the red-hot heat of her cheeks on the number of people packed into the venue.
He flashed a grin before taking her hand in his and pulling her from the room, leading her through a maze of dark corridors. There seemed to be nowhere completely devoid of people. The club was massive. They flitted through the many different areas, The Master acquiring them drinks along the way. She'd clocked multiple closed doors, some guarded by vigilant bouncers. Although she hadn't seen anyone enter or exit through those doors while she'd been watching. As the hours ticked on, she could feel The Master's interest in their task rapidly diminishing. His attention instead, falling solely on her. They'd meandered back downstairs, into the main room with the heaving dancefloor and as Hally finished the remainder of what was now her fourth drink, she felt The Master tug on her wrist.
"Dance with me." His eyes had darkened, laser-focused on her.
"We're supposed to be working…" She cocked a warning eyebrow up at him, eyes drawn away from him to the throngs of people, hoping to catch a glimpse of any sort of lead.
Of course, her reasoning did nothing to deter him and he pulled at her again, backing deeper into the throng of moving bodies. "Dance. With. Me." The command in his voice left no room for refusal and so she succumbed to the strangely magnetic pull of the music. He wrapped his arms around her, capturing her against his body. Or perhaps, protecting her from the mass of bodies around them. It was really very difficult to remember one's mission with The Master's eyes staring so intensely at her. Bodies gyrated to the music, fostering an air of uninhibited freedom. As the beats pulsed through the air, The Master's hands began to wander as he moved them. Palpable heat rocked through her, not helped by the untethered tsunami of want rolling through the bond from him. The lights cascading from above cast dynamic shadows on the throng as the bass vibrated inside her chest. But within the crowded chaos, the only presence she felt was his. Firm and unyielding.
"... Any luck?" Armitage's voice in her ear had the hint of impatience of a man fully aware of their current 'detour'.
The only response Armitage got was a low growl from The Master as he reached behind his ear and pulled off the comm device. Hally, pressed her hands against The Master's chest, forcing a modicum of distance between them. "Come on…" This time she grabbed his arm and using more strength than necessary, dragged him out of the crowd and back up the stairs.
They were here for a reason.
And she wasn't going to let The Master and his wandering hands derail everything.
She led them down a dark corridor, doors lined either side. Promising. However, all ended up being locked. Although, they had managed to find an area seemingly unexplored by guests. A similar thought had evidently struck The Master as his hands grasped at her body, redirecting her and pressing her up against the closest slither of wall. Perhaps she could blame it on the alcohol, or the fact that the whole club practically screamed 'sex', but for a moment, Hally gave in and let him force her attention back onto him. His mouth crashed onto hers, coaxing an increasingly fervent kiss from her. His hands, persuasive and insistent, explored along the curves of her body, blocked only by the fabric of her dress.
She knew Armitage was talking again, she could hear his voice, but what he was saying didn't register as The Master's fingers coiled into her hair, pressing his body hard against her own, trapping her between him and the wall. His other hand brushed behind her ear and all too late she realised he'd pulled off her comm, halting Armitage's interruption. The Master's lips left hers to roam down her throat, low hums of need vibrating from him. His persuasive hands palmed at her as his mouth left a punishing claim on her neck. Hally momentarily forgot to care about anything other than the feeling of his body on hers, his impatient arousal obvious against her hip.
He broke away from her neck and found her mouth once more. The Master kissed her as if he was starving, a sentiment she was all too happy to return.
This was bad…
And getting rather out of control…
Her rational train of thought was cut off with a throaty moan as The Master's fingers dug into her thigh, pulling her leg up to his hip allowing him to press closer against her.
It was dark.
It was possible that she was actually considering letting him have his way…
A sound broke through the haze, a very real sound, a very close sound of a poorly concealed chuckle. Hally immediately tried to wriggle herself out of The Master's grip, but he didn't budge. Burning irritation fizzled through him as he fixed her with a dark warning stare.
"If you need a private room, I'm sure something could be arranged for you Mr Saxon." Slick amusement dripped off of the voice of the intruder, a man, Hally could just make out his silhouette in the shadow of the corridor.
"Or you could simply… Fuck. Off." The Master growled, Hally could sense the rising murderous intent bristling within him. She shifted, placing her hands over his two, rapidly beating hearts as she willed a calming pressure through to him.
They were there for a reason.
He prickled but didn't prevent her calming presence from surrounding him. The intruder simply laughed off The Master's rebuke, apparently finding it highly amusing. He shifted forward, entering further into their space and held out a hand towards The Master. The offer of a handshake.
"Alex Harrington." The voice introduced.
Ah.
The Master's top lip curled upwards in distaste as he reluctantly moved away from her in order to shake Harrington's hand. Hally, awkwardly straightening her dress, let out a soft noise, almost like a hum of acknowledgement towards the man but The Master would no doubt hear the edge of pleading for him to fall in line and behave.
The Master recovered quickly, plastering on a charming smile and capturing the offered hand in his, squeezing harder than necessary. "Pleasure."
"Quite." Harrington responded, voice still dripping with a sort of sticky amusement. Although all three of them were still mainly hidden in shadow, she felt as his eyes left The Master's face to roam across to her, his gaze started at the floor, slowly gliding upwards to her face.
Harrington chuckled, squeezing his hand away from The Master's grip and flexing his fingers. "Oh please…" He flashed them both a wide, toothy grin. "It's more than evident you're in need of a 'quieter' area."
She could feel The Master's temper spiking again so Hally stepped in, exhaling a soft, breathless laugh. "It would seem we've been caught out. How embarrassing…" A gentle smile graced her lips.
"Not at all." Harrington countered. "We cater to all of our most important customers' needs." The wink he gave her sent unpleasant chills crawling up her spine but she kept the smile in place on her face.
"Well, that certainly sounds promising." She hummed, keeping her voice light and vapid. "I must apologise for my husbands…" She pretended to search for an appropriate word. "...rudeness. He's not inclined towards sharing."
"Just so." Harrington clipped back, the smirk audible in his tone. He motioned behind him. "Please… let me show you to a more secluded area."
"Thank you…" Blushing, Hally shot Koschei a look and tugged him along after Harrington. They followed their newfound host through one of the bouncer-guarded doors, ascending a staircase that led them away from the noise of the bass downstairs. In fact, it was as if they'd completely left the club behind as they entered into the private bar. The room wasn't dissimilar to the other private lounges they'd already searched through. Although, it was certainly a lot less busy. Adorned with dark circular booths and sofas, the atmosphere was one of relaxed elegance. The light hum of conversation drifted throughout the room, the low lighting painting the dark furniture with a warm glow. One or two familiar faces, the elite of the elite, many of whom they'd already seen at the varying events they'd attended as part of their charade. Towards the back of the lounge, behind the bar, dark archways led off to what Hally assumed were the 'secluded' areas Harrington had mentioned.
Switching into the new part Hally had decided to play, she led The Master away from Harrington and towards the bar, ordering them both a drink. Although, their host's eyes never strayed from them. Predictably, The Master reached out for her, running a hand down her side to catch at her waist. She leant into his touch, a soft blush splashing her cheeks as she shot him a shy smile. The Master caught it immediately.
"What are you doing?" The Master silently inquired.
"Playing dumb… seeing if our host makes us an offer."
The Master's eyebrow twitched, but he tilted his head down an inch in a nod. They found themselves a seat over in the corner of the room on one of the black sofas. Once settled, Hally and The Master engaged in a carefully choreographed theatrical display of sorts. He would press her with deliberate touches, and heated kisses all while she responded in mock, although not completely false modesty. Although judging by the sharp increase in The Master's heart rates, he was more than enjoying the excuse to touch her.
It worked.
Not even ten minutes had passed before Harrington sauntered back over towards them, extending yet another invitation to use one of his private rooms should they have the need. The Master didn't verbally respond to him, instead possessively pulling Hally closer towards him. She let out a soft laugh, attempting to give their host an apologetic smile. "Oh… we couldn't… Harry is far too paranoid about secret cameras…" She smiled, glancing towards The Master.
"I really couldn't give a shit about cameras, Hal." The Master quipped, once again forcing the onus onto her.
"Dick."
"I would happily fuck you right here."
"Yes, that is becoming abundantly clear." Her eyes flashed with a concealed glare before she forced out a shy giggle, pinching The Master's arm. A movement which Harrington noticed. He smiled, cold and calculated.
"Perhaps you're in need of something a little stronger than whiskey?" He suggested, voice lilting with mock innocence as he cocked an eyebrow towards The Master.
"Yes, yes, yes, lean into him." Hally's thoughts pressed against The Master's mind.
The Master remained cold and disinterested. "It's not me you'll need to convince." He looked down towards his wife, a blush painting her cheeks as she rolled her lip between her teeth. A picture of uncertainty.
Harrington clicked his fingers, summoning a waiter who placed a mid-sized wooden box on their table. "I'm sure we have something of interest for the both of you." The server opened the box, revealing a myriad of 'options'—powder, pills, patches. Hally bit her lip, instinctively curling inwards towards The Master, a gesture not lost on Harrington.
Not missing a beat, he placed another box on the table, this one smaller and black and unlocked it with a key from his own jacket pocket. "This one is something a little more special, if you're looking to lose those pesky inhibitions."
The Master's fingers dug into her hips as she pressed calmness onto him. Calm, calm, calm—maintain composure, even as Harrington's eyes trailed over her hungrily.
She took a look at the revealed patch—colourless, except for a bright blue streak through the middle. The same shade they'd seen in the dead man's eyes...
"That has to be it…"
"We're not going to be able to walk out of here with it in our pocket, sweetheart." The Master voiced in her mind, knowing. Koschei's eyes met hers, a flicker of uncertainty passing behind them. Determined and not yet ready to give up, she looked up at Harrington innocently.
"Well… if you recommend it. It'd be rude not to try…" She shot 'Harold Saxon' a mock glance of sweet shyness.
"That's not what I meant." The Master's voice in her mind was stern, but she brushed off his concern. Harrington grinned and removed the patch from the box and in a move that had the hairs on the back of her neck standing on end, he handed the unassuming slip to The Master.
"It's best absorbed under the tongue." He informed him, observing the pair of them keenly.
The Master shifted, turning towards her. He had tempered his rage, the only outward sign of his fury the burning behind his eyes. He wanted to rise to his feet and pull Harrington's eyes from his skull. Watching them. Forcing them to put on a display just for him by handing the compound to The Master. Hally pressed herself in towards The Master, taking hold of his free hand as she opened her mouth and lifted up her tongue.
"Are you sure? We have no idea the effect it's going to have on you…"
"I trust you."
His eyes narrowed and for a second she thought he might deny her, however, instead, he gave her hand a short squeeze before releasing it in favour of holding her jaw while he gently placed the patch underneath her tongue. He sealed her mouth with his own lips against hers, the kiss hard and passionate. The Master pulled back and took himself a small pink pill from the box still open on the table, he licked the top of it testing it, before popping it into his mouth, assured that the chemical wouldn't have much of an effect on him.
"Enjoy your night…" Harrington purred, leaving them both with a satisfied smirk. The Master had already mentally dismissed him as he pulled her onto his lap. She curled into him, content to simply exist in his arms. It took a few moments. But Hally was certain, that with each passing second, the world was beginning to expand. Colours sharpened. Magnificent colours. Smooth and bright and loud. Everything, in fact, everything was so loud.
The feeling was not pleasant.
Koschei.
She could feel Koschei. But then again, she could always feel him. Although… something was different. Loud. Drums were banging against the edge of her mind. She wasn't… herself anymore. The drums were everywhere. Why was it so loud? Her mind seemed to slowly catch up to her with the realisation that it wasn't just the drums banging inside her head. It was everyone. Voices. She could hear voices. Unfamiliar and unwanted knocking and shouting at the walls of her mind. Surrounded. Everywhere. They were everywhere and she could feel all of them.
The man serving behind the bar, he wanted to hit on the man sat two booths away from them. The blonde. Images flashed in front of her eyes, images seen through another's eyes. Like a dream. Accept it wasn't. Thoughts that weren't hers or The Masters bled into her mind. The shouting. Not shouting. It wasn't real. Thoughts forced their way into her mind. The barrier to her mind had faded. There was no solid barrier. Thoughts crossed indiscriminately from the outside to inside. She was drowning. There was a vague feeling of chaos. Suffocating. Hands squeezed her waist and she vaguely became aware that she was still sitting on The Master's lap.
"Are you alright?" His thoughts, his voice was louder against the noise. But only just.
Alexander Harrington. She could feel him too. His thoughts. She could feel all of them. They were in an entire club full of humans and all of them were pressing against her mind freely. Linking. Like the chains of a necklace. Magnetic. Uncontrollable. She could hear them all.
'Two Strawberry Daiquiris and a Paloma.' 'I swear this was supposed to be the VIP lounge…'
'I should have worn the red dress.' '$55 for two single vodkas? Seriously?'
Hally groaned and closed her eyes, fabric pressed against her forehead and her brain remembered she'd pressed her head into Koschei's chest. As if that might drown out the noise.
Incessant noise.
"Hally talk to me…" His voice. Outside her mind, his hand pressing against her jaw to force her head upwards and her eye line towards his.
Her hand came to her own temple and she whimpered. "Loud."
She could feel his eyes fixed on her. "Let's get out of here."
"No…" "No…" She couldn't differentiate between what was inside or outside of her mind. "Not yet…"
"Suspicious. Us leaving. Can't leave. Stay."
The Master's disapproval washed over her immediately.
"Distract me Koschei."
He swallowed. "Now is not the time…"
"Fucking distract me…Can't leave now."
"Suspicious."
"Koschei please…"
His mouth was on hers. Warm. When, she wasn't sure. But it pushed the voices to the side. She could focus on him. Just him. His mouth. His warmth. Hands shifted her on his lap so that she was straddling him and she obliged as strong arms wrapped around her waist, keeping her against his body.
Here. She was safe.
"Tell me you're ok."
"Fine," "Fine." "Fine…"
She let herself fall into the safety that was him. His mouth on hers. She rocked her hips forward, he moaned into her mouth. She wasn't sure she could see. Everything was sort of dark and blurry and spinning and everywhere.
But there was Koschei.
He was there. An anchor. Always.
"I can see you…" She murmured against his mouth.
"I'm right here." He took her head between his hands, holding her against him.
"I love you."
"I know you do. I love you too." His hands dug into her skin, the pain forcing her mind back into the present. A gentle laugh escaped from her mouth.
"No… no, I really fucking love you."
His hands moved to squeeze at her waist. "I know. I've got you."
"I'm going to burn this whole fucking planet for you…" She murmured, eyes rolling back into her head.
"We're ok… just stay with me." There was something in his tone, it sounded familiar.
"Koschei…" A soft breath fell from her. "I'm going to destroy everything…"
Hands pulled her closer. "You're ok… I've got you. I've always got you. Breathe Hal…. Breathe for me."
"I am fucking breathing…"
She might have passed out then… she wasn't too sure. The next thing she remembered was being lifted, the world jolted into horizontal. Worry fizzled through from The Master above her. Hmm… above.
There was still noise.
So many voices screaming inside her mind.
He was carrying her.
That was kind of funny.
Although he certainly didn't seem amused. She inhaled the scent of their car. Leather and expense. She might have laughed to herself. Someone was holding her. Probably Koschei.
She fucking hoped it was Koschei.
Felt like Koschei.
Oooh, they were driving.
Lights flashed passed them. Drums knocked at her mind as voices shouted into the space outside of her mind. Moving closer and then further away.
Driving.
Armitage.
Armitage was nearby.
Driving?
Armitage was driving.
She could feel it.
He was concerned.
And a tiny bit pissed off.
Almost laughable.
Oh shit.
They'd removed their comms.
That would be why he was pissed.
Whoopsie.
The Master manoeuvred her in his arms, holding her close to him.
"Hi…"
"Shhh…"
Eventually, the car stopped and arms helped her out. Then they moved into the familiar white of their apartment. Or was it more like a condo? She wasn't really sure. She was, however, definitely staring at the ceiling.
Lying on the sofa?
Yes. Yes! Sofa. Cool. Good.
At home.
Well, that was good, right? Safe and sound.
Armitage moved into her field of vision and out again, he was talking. To someone other than her.
Rude.
"So where is the compound?"
There was a pregnant pause that she wasn't really aware of, staring up at the perfectly smooth ceiling. Like cake. Or icing. Or snow. So fucking smooth. Up above. Weird.
She swallowed and turned her head to the left, eyes catching onto Armitage who was staring at her. "Are you kidding?" Armitage turned to look up to The Master who hummed in an apologetic admission. Hally's face split into a grin. Feeling their attention swivel back to her.
"Hi…"
"Fucking hell…" Armitage grunted.
"Hey!" She pouted towards him. Offended for a reason she wasn't sure of.
He huffed and moved towards her, manoeuvring her firmly but not roughly into a seated position. He took her chin in his hand, tilting her head from left to right. Checking for something. He seemed semi-accepting of whatever he saw, before pressing her back into the sofa. "Stay still."
"Ok, Mr Bossy…" She slurred, sticking her tongue out at him. He came back to her with a butterfly IV needle. She pouted at him which he ignored, pulling her arm into a position that worked for him and pressing the sharp end into her skin.
"Owwwww…" She whined, huffing with a sad pout on her face as both The Master and Armitage held her still as Armitage took a few vials of her blood. John was asleep. She could feel him. See his dreams. Armitage was forever patient. Dipping in and out. There was Armitage now and there was Armitage before now. She could see both. Their minds an open book. Or even easier. A film. Snapshots of the film of Armitage playing out in front of her eyes. And then there was The Master. A black hole of darkness and fucking undeniable need.
Oh, dear…
She slowly became aware of her own… need.
Huh. It was uncomfortable. Warm. Tense.
She really wanted to drag him to bed, but there was a certain resistance to him.
Whatever.
She wanted him.
Needed him.
She tried to curl in towards him but he gently but firmly pushed her away, pressing a gauze to her arm as Armitage pulled the needle from her.
Hally let out a soft giggle, her head drooping to the left.
The Master's eyes drifted from her, knowingly towards Armitage. Whose face didn't give away anything.
"Have you never…? Wait…" Hally ran a hand over her face. "No! Never have I ever! That's my favourite game." She fell into a happy cackle.
"Shh, it's alright sweetheart. I'm going to take you to bed." The Master propped her back upright, his voice a low hum.
"Please do take me to bed." She threw her head back, laughing at her own joke. "No, but… but! Ok… ok listen though… because Army…" A burst of giggling escaped her at the nickname. "Have you never…" She covered her own mouth with her hand, as if the words themselves were trying to prevent her from speaking. "Never, ever, ever… thought about it? I mean like… you've seen me mnaked… no…! No.. I mean like us… one… two… three?" She sprawled over The Master. "Never ever ever?"
Armitage barely reacted to her, looking instead towards The Master. "I'll have it tested in the morning."
The Master nodded and Hally growled in protest. "No, no, no! That's not fair! You don't get to pretend… I can see inside your tiny little head…"
The Master's hand covered her eyes. "Alright, little one. I think that's enough from you."
"Shhhhhhhhhh!" She batted away his hand. "I can seeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!"
"Mhmmm… time to sleep …" The Master pressed his hand across her eyes again.
Everything went black.
A groan of pain escaped her lips as she filtered back to consciousness. Her head pounded angrily. She attempted to roll over, hiding her face against the pillow. However, a pair of arms restrained her, pulling her closer to the warmth beside her. Despite the churning in her stomach, she tried to remain still, hoping the discomfort would fade away. But, alas, it persisted, forcing her to abandon the sanctuary of the bed.
With a hurried dash, she made her way to the bathroom just in time to eject whatever was in her stomach into the toilet. Moments later, a presence approached, hands delicately pulling her hair back and soothingly rubbing her back as she retched again. The limited contents of her stomach refused to be anywhere other than the bowl of the toilet.
"It's alright." The Master's voice was low, not too loud. She could feel herself trembling. "You're alright." Another bout of retching followed, met with the supportive rubbing of The Master's hands across her back.
When she finally stopped retching, Koschei moved her into the living room and deposited her on the sofa. Her brain felt like it had been tossed into a blender. Armitage had run her bloods through the night, providing The Master with the results.
"It's not a compound known on Earth." He confirmed. "Not human, certainly. But it's also not synthetic."
"So something of alien origin?" Hally wrapped herself up in the throw from the back of the sofa, her voice wavering in effort.
He nodded.
"Alright, so we tail them to figure out where they're running it from."
A frown immediately marred The Master's face and he turned to shoot her a scowl. "You're going nowhere."
"I'm fine Koschei…"
"You're not fine. Armitage and Hart will do the surveillance. You're not moving from that spot." His eyes darkened with the command, willing her not to fight him.
She let out a soft sigh and although she wanted to disagree, her insides still felt as though they were clawing to climb up her throat. "Fine."
The Master brought the phone up to his ear upon seeing Armitage's name light up the screen. Of course, the moment he started to speak he awoke the sleeping form of his wife still confined to the sofa. "Did something spook them?"
He felt her wriggle her way into his mind to see the context of his conversation. Armitage and Hart had tracked the compound shipments back to a warehouse near the east docks, but it seemed they were clearing out and quickly.
Her skin still had a sickly pale tinge to it and he could see the effort it took her to speak. "If they run, we'll be back to square one. We need to go in and find their source."
The scowl on The Master's face deepened as he realised that she had managed to extract herself from her blanket cocoon. "No. We find Harrington and bring him in. He's obviously the one circulating it. If we stop him, we stop the rest of them." The Master replied, still on the line to Armitage.
"We don't know that for sure. We have to take out his source!" Hally rebuffed.
The Master huffed in frustration. "Find Harrington and bring him in. I'm on my way." He ordered before abruptly hanging up.
Hally got to her feet, never one to let him go without voicing her full opinion first. "We should be going after whatever he's making this compound from, Koschei. If we bring him in, someone else might just take over from where he left off."
"There's no guarantee they're storing the source at the same location. We'd be wasting time." He clipped back.
"Well, we could at least go in and look!"
The Master, exasperated, pinched the bridge of his nose. Turning back to her, he gripped her shoulders, manoeuvring her back onto the sofa where he promptly wrapped her back up tightly in the blanket. She scowled at him consistently throughout. "You're sitting this one out. You can barely stand without shaking, and you look like shit."
"Thanks…" She grumbled irritably.
"I will call you once we've got Harrington."
"Alright… but we still have to do this my way. You can't kill him." She levelled him with a glare.
The Master huffed loudly. "I can't promise you that."
She nudged his shin with her foot, her arms trapped by the blanket else he was sure she would have hit him. "Koschei, we need him alive. Until we find the source of the compound, no killing him."
Pouting, he pecked her on the forehead. "Fine."
A small smile played on her lips, apparently taking that as a victory. "Thank you…"
His hand captured her chin, forcing her head up. "You're missing something."
She exhaled a soft laugh. "Thank you, Master."
He smirked, straightened up, and left.
Hally got comfortable and drank the peppermint tea The Master had left her with.
She tried to stay put.
She really did.
For a whole twenty minutes, she sat there.
Before, eventually, inevitably, she got up. Unwrapping herself from the protective cocoon of blankets, she hastily descended to the street below, her hand waving down a passing cab. The notion that The Master was on his way to capture Harrington didn't deter her from the belief that securing the source of the compound was equally crucial. She tried to not think about how angry The Master was going to be when he realised she'd gone off on her own. It wasn't like she'd lied. She just… couldn't quite let herself sit and wait while The Master captured Harrington and possibly let the source of the compound slip through their fingers. She could just make it up to him later. It'd be fine.
With a determined stride, she got out of the cab and approached the seemingly deserted warehouse. Its exterior hinted at a hasty departure, yet there were lingering traces of a presence. Undeterred, she entered the building, her senses on high alert. The signs of a hurried exit were evident, but perhaps there was still something she could find that would point her towards answers.
She sensed the presence behind her before the rough cloth was shoved against her mouth.
She could have fought him. Blasted him off of her. But instead, Hally made the split-second decision to let her attacker believe he had the upper hand.
The back of her throat burned as she inhaled the harsh chemical scent. Whoever had emptied the warehouse had been waiting for her. Or they'd been waiting for one of them. They knew they were onto them. Which she hoped meant… she really hoped… otherwise she was in a lot of trouble… that they were knocking her out for a reason. The compound source was no longer in the warehouse, if it ever had been… but perhaps wherever they were planning on taking her, she'd find something.
Blackness encroached her vision and she passed out.
As consciousness reluctantly returned, Hally found herself bound to a chair, her head throbbing. Ah, she probably should have considered that. It was highly likely that she was going to throw up again…
Squirming against the tight restraints, she assessed her surroundings. Though bound, she knew escape was well within her capabilities if she decided to exert herself. The door to her left creaked open and Harrington sauntered in, an annoyingly smug expression adorning his face. Evidently, The Master's plan to capture him was not going as intended. "Well, hello there." He leered down at her, slowly circling behind her. As much as she longed to throw him to the floor, she resisted, anticipating that he might indulge in a villainous monologue and give her everything. "Nothing to say?" He drawled. "How's your head?"
Glaring at him, she retorted, "Terrible, thanks for that."
Chuckling, Harrington crouched down in front of her and tugged on something that pulled pain from the back of her hand. She followed his line of sight, noticing two transparent tubes pulling a red liquid from… oh… crap.
He was collecting her blood.
He offered her a wide grin. "I've never seen it react like that before…" His eyes scanned over her, assessing her reaction.
"What do you mean? What is it?"
He cocked his head to one side. "We've been calling it DreamState… a little on the nose. It opens up the human mind, connects you to the world around you. People. Living things. Like you're awake inside a dream. But it's what it did to you that really interests me." He chuckled. "Because I felt you… I felt you inside my mind. Two-way psychic sharing."
Hally laughed awkwardly, dismissing his claims. "Right… ok, I think maybe you're mistaken."
"The compound also shows no unstable activity in your blood."
"Yeah, because accidentally killing your customers doesn't look so good, huh?"
"Exactly," he replied with a sinister smile.
Frustration boiled within her as she demanded, "Where do you get it from? What is it?"
Harrington chuckled, his tone dripping with arrogance. "Trade secrets."
She growled in frustration. "So what's your plan here, drain my blood and dump my body in the river?"
He pulled a face. "Oh, no… nothing so macabre. Plus, if I kill you… I'd run out of your blood." He shot her a stupid grin.
The sudden eruption of gunshots, blasts, and sharp shouts interrupted their conversation. Hally looked up at Harrington, offering a small, sympathetic smile as a familiar presence washed over her. "Well, this little chat has been lovely. But it sounds like my ride is here."
Harrington shifted his gaze from the door to Hally just as it blasted open, The Master storming inside, Laser Screwdriver in hand. He was covered in… what she could only assume was someone else's blood. His pupils were dilated, practically black, emanating a bloodthirsty rage that sent a shiver down even her spine. Harrington backed away from him, placing himself behind her, she felt the unmistakeable cold of a knife against her throat.
"You take another step, and I'll slit her throat." Harrington warned, but she could hear the slight tremble in his voice.
The Master ignored him and advanced further, his eyes fixed on Harrington. A hunter preparing to tear apart its prey. "Did you not hear me!? I'll slit her fucking throat!" Harrington cried, pressing the blade harder against her skin.
"Go ahead…" The Master raised the Laser Screwdriver, aiming it at Harrington's head. "If you don't, maybe I'll do it myself." His eyes locked onto hers, anger radiating through his glare. She cocked an eyebrow at him, returning the dangerous gaze.
"You can't kill him yet. We need the compound source." She pressed towards her husband, attempting to prevent his inevitable murder.
His gaze moved from her back to his target, she knew that look. He was most certainly going to kill him. "Koschei. Don't you dare. We're supposed to be doing this by the book!"
The knife at her throat pressed harder, and she hissed at the sharp sting of the blade breaking the skin. "Put the weapon down." Harrington demanded, his voice tinged with confusion. He didn't understand their bickering.
A blast sounded, followed by the sudden absence of the knife at her throat as Harrington's lifeless body crumpled to the floor. Hally swiftly freed herself from the restraints, tearing the IV from the back of her hand. She turned toward the now lifeless body, a dark burn mark marring the centre of his forehead. Anger surged within her as she rounded on her husband.
"I told you we needed him alive!"
"And I told you to stay at home!" The Master advanced, unbothered by the corpse. He wound his hand into her hair, pulling her head back. She moved to push him off, only to realise his eyes weren't on her face but on her neck. "You're bleeding." The anger persisted in his expression, but beneath it, something else lurked.
Breath fell from her lips. "Master, I'm fine. I could have gotten myself out of here in an instant if I'd tried. Not that I don't appreciate the dashing rescue." She flashed him a cocky smile, but it didn't lighten the heaviness of his anger. Her gaze then shifted back to the lifeless body. "But now he's dead… we have no way of finding out where the drug was coming from." Her tone lilted with impatience as she fixed him with a stern stare.
The Master huffed and pulled her out of the room by the arm, leading her along a corridor and through into what must have been a laboratory. Hart and Armitage were already inside, her attention moved from them over towards a circular glass column fixed against the wall. Inside the glass, was a creature, or perhaps not even a creature. Something. Something alive, although its form was seemingly fluid, and yet still confined. Whatever it was had been suspended in liquid, multiple wires forced inside. What was most striking, was its bright blue skin.
Master motioned to the creature. "Happy now?"
She let out a begrudging sigh, although her eyes softened. "Well… yes… but you still weren't supposed to kill him."
"My hand slipped." He quipped back insincerely, although danger still glittered behind his eyes.
The Master had directed her to accompany him home while Hart and Armitage took care of the 'mess'. As they stepped into the lift to take them back up to the penthouse, the tension radiating from him became impossible to ignore. "You're mad at me…" Hally's statement wasn't a query; it served as an acknowledgement of the obvious, an invitation for a conversation.
"Yes. You went off on your own when I told you not to." He snapped back, smacking the floor number on the lift as his face scrunched up with a scowl.
"I was fine…" She tried to reason gently. "I am fine. Wolverine remember?"
"That's not the point." His scowl deepened as he spat the words. "The point is, you didn't have to go alone. You knowingly put yourself in danger, and you knowingly did so without telling me."
Her eyes softened, understanding the concern beneath his anger.
The Master's gaze finally met hers, capturing her. "It was stupid, and it was selfish. You will not waltz around playing the hero. You are not infallible. Do you understand?"
His words hit her with unexpected force, the venom behind them revealing the depth of his hurt. With a pang of guilt, she recognised the sentiment, recognised echoes of conversations she'd had with her father.
Shit.
"Yeah… no… I agree. I'm sorry, I didn't… I didn't think about it. I'm sorry."
He studied her for a few moments, contemplating her sincerity before deciding to accept her apology. He nodded, the tension in his shoulders slightly easing, as the lift doors slid open he stepped out, leaving her to consider his words alone.