“Alright?” said the Doctor, looking back at Danny.
“Are you sure you’ve not disguised this ship as a washing machine?” said Danny, going green in the face.
The Doctor forced a smile and then returned to his manic movements around the console.
“What’s happening?” asked Danny.
“I couldn’t land the ship. Me breaking into the interior dimensions have caused them to blow open. Unfortunately.”
“Unfortunately?” said Danny. “Does that mean everyone back in Thornsby is in danger?”
The Doctor looked at him, his lips narrow. “Yes.”
“You need to be more careful,” said Danny. “How many times do we have to tell you that? You’re too reckless.”
“No,” said the Doctor, one leg up on the console to hold down a lever, “not reckless. Just willing to try things that maybe I wouldn’t have once attempted.”
“And look what you’ve done,” said Danny.
“They were going to get through anyway. Now Jayne will have no choice but to open the door and let me through the front entrance.”
Danny sighed.
There was a huge explosion from underneath the console and the TARDIS span around, throwing Danny off the sofa and against the back wall.
Down in the stasis room, where Matthew Cole was being kept asleep, the lights flickered.
And then the power went off…
Inside Cole’s container, the power fluctuated and then went off. All was silent.
And then Cole’s eyes flicked open.
His eyes darted around, looking all around him. And then he pushed open the lid and slowly rose, like Dracula from his coffin.
“What - ?” said Cole, a little disorientated.
And then he remembered, and a smile played on his face. But it wasn’t a pleasant smile. It was the smile of someone who knew exactly who he was and what he needed to do.
He clambered out of the container and made his way towards the console room.
The Doctor had managed to get things under control and they were now heading back towards Thornsby.
Danny was rubbing the back of his head where he’d banged up, when he suddenly gazed up at the interior door.
Standing there was Cole, his hair a little longer and stubble around his jaw and mouth.
“Doctor,” said Danny.
The Doctor looked across the room. “No, no, no,” said the Doctor. “Back in your container.
“The power’s gone, Doc,” said Cole quietly.
The Doctor checked a few of the readouts on the console. “So it has,” said the Doctor, worriedly.
“Look,” said Cole, “I don’t know what you want of me. I have no idea what’s going on here. I’m as in the dark about myself as you are.”
“Are you really?” said the Doctor.
“Of course I am,” lied Cole. “As far as I’m concerned I’m you. I have your memories. I have everything that you were.”
“But you’re not me,” said the Doctor. “And until I can find out who you are then -”
“Then what?” interrupted Cole. “You can’t keep me locked up here.”
“True,” said the Doctor. “I can’t leave you alone in the TARDIS.”
“Maybe we should keep him with us,” said Danny.
Cole turned and smiled at Danny. “What an excellent suggestion.”
“At least we can keep an eye on him,” said the Doctor.
“And maybe I can help in whatever predicament you’ve landed yourself in this time,” said Cole.
“Hmm,” said the Doctor. “Maybe.”
“Doctor,” said Danny, suddenly remembering, “there’s something I’ve got to tell you. Something Adrian showed me back there.”
The sound of the TARDIS engines slowly filled the room.
“Not yet, Danny. We’re landing now,” said the Doctor.
“So easily?” said Danny.
“Obviously nothing’s holding us back this time.”
There was a thud, signifying the TARDIS had landed, and the Doctor switched on the scanner. The Doctor and Danny watched on in horror as the Apparites swooped down around the centre of Thornsby, snatching and transforming people.
The snow continued to fall, layer after layer slowly covering the town.
The man ran as fast as his legs could carry him into what was know as the Alexandra Dock Retail Park. It consisted of a large car park with shops around the side and part of the river running alongside it. The river was lined by trees and bushes and the once lush green grass was covered in snow and the trees were bare of any leaves. The river had frozen over and the ducks had sheltered on the snowy bank.
Bolts of lighting struck down at the side and back of the panic stricken man, making him to stumble and fall. He made it onto the curved bridge which crossed the river and headed towards the shelter of the Metro Hotel which rose up into the sky like a huge glass beacon. As he neared the middle of the bridge he tripped and fell. There came the sound of echoing horse hooves moving closer and closer.
The man looked up to see one of the ghosts sitting on a shadowy, black horse. The rider smiled at him and then galloped around his shaking form and off the bridge. For a moment the man relaxed, thinking he was safe, but the ghost turned again and raised it's arms. There was a shudder from under the bridge and cracks began splintering in the concrete. A bolt of lighting struck down and the bridge crumbled taking the terrified man down into the river. The ghost laughed as the man tried to swim through the ice cold water towards one of the banks. The ghost raised it's arms again and another bolt of lighting hit the water in the river. For a split second the lake was electrified. The man was flung in the air and began shaking like a rag doll before splashing face down back into the water. The ghost dismounted it's horse and walked into the water, cracking the ice as it waded in. It grabbed the limp form of the man and wrapped it's cloak around him.
Slowly the man mutated into another, identical creature, and the two continued their rampage through the town.
“You stupid, bald, twit!” scolded Jayne.
“What has my lack of hair got to do with my grasp on the situation?” said the Doctor, slightly hurt.
“Nothing. And that’s what worries me,” said Jayne.
They had all assembled in the control room in the crypt. The Doctor, Danny and Cole had managed to avoid any Apparite attacks - just.
There had been a slightly dodgy moment where Cole tripped and fell face first into the snow. The Doctor, for a split-second, had considered leaving him, but then his better nature had taken hold and he had helped the mysterious stranger to his feet and dragged him inside the church.
They had all filled Cole in on the situation, but Jayne was still reluctant to open the doors to the shed-TARDIS.
“It’s the only way, Jayne,” said the Doctor again.
“The Doctor’s right,” said Margot.
Jayne looked to her friend. They had been through a lot together, but Margot had always trusted Jayne’s judgement, even when she found it too extreme.
“I beg your pardon?”
“The Doctor is right,” said Margot again. “They’re out now. They’re free. We have no other choice.”
Ben nodded. “It’s damage limitation.”
“But what about Adrian and the others inside?” said Danny, worriedly.
“I can try and get them out, if there’s enough time,” said the Doctor.
“And what about the ones out here?”
“They don’t need saving,” said Jayne bluntly.
“Even Brandon?” said Margot. “Jayne, your brother is out there somewhere.”
“I know that,” said Jayne, looking flustered, “but he made his choice. He obviously doesn’t care what he does. They’re tearing the town apart.”
“It’s pure, animal rage,” said the Doctor. “He doesn’t really know what he’s doing. It’s the sick, twisted, psychic projections from that damaged TARDIS that are doing it.” He pointed towards the doorway to the TARDIS room, as if to emphasise his point.
There was a knock at the door and Caroline entered. She smiled at the group.
“Caroline!” said Danny, happily, giving her a hug. “How did it go?”
She guided Danny and the Doctor over to the corner, out of earshot of the rest of them. “It’s fine. He’s going to be okay.” She frowned. “Didn’t you dissapear with Adrian.”
Danny nodded at the Doctor. “He did a suicide run and got me back. Adrian’s still stuck in there.”
Caroline smiled weakly. “I’m glad you’re safe.”
The Doctor looked a little uncomfortable. “Did you…?”
“Tell my Mum? Yes, I did,” she said.
The Doctor nodded.
“We had an argument. A bloody big argument,” said Caroline. “But…well, it’ll take some time, but I’m sure we’ll be okay. Eventually. Bygones and all that.”
A thought suddenly flashed through Danny’s head. Something he had forgotten to tell the Doctor about. “Caroline. Doctor. There’s something I really need to tell the both of you.”
“Hey!” said Jayne. “Can we have the Friends Reunited thing later on?”
“Friends reunited?” said Caroline. “You’re a bit behind the times.”
Jayne smiled sarcastically at Caroline.
“But I really need to tell you this,” said Danny.
“Later, later,” said the Doctor, guiding Caroline over to look at the banks of computers lining the walls.
Outside, Thornsby had changed completely. Everywhere was covered in deep snow drifts that ran up the walls of buildings and even through some of the windows. Some shops had crumbled under the unusual force of the snow. It was as if it had tried to push it's way into the buildings and ended up knocking them down. The town was deserted.
The dimensions were spilling into this world.
The snow had become heavier over the last hour. Most people had escaped to their homes. Those that had made it out of the town centre, that is. The ones that were still trapped…well, they had no chance now. The snow had fallen, covering everything and knocking out power to the town. Many of the people stranded in the middle of the chaos had attempted to evacuate to the outskirts. Some made it and some hadn’t. The roads were blocked off and public transport was down. By now helicopters had attempted to land to bring medical supplies and rescue, but most of them had been unable to get through the blizzards.
Back in the crypt the Doctor had finally convinced Jayne that travelling into the shed-TARDIS was the best course of action.
“I’m going on my own, though,” said the Doctor.
“Like hell you are,” said Jayne. “You need back up in there. You need me with you.”
“I prefer to operate alone,” said the Doctor.
“Never have more falser words been spoken,” said Jayne. “You love your companions.”
“Miss Robson -”
She held up a finger. “This is my problem, and I’m helping to deal with it.”
The Doctor smiled followed by a long, large sigh. “Okay, you can come with me. But follow my lead. You must do everything I tell you. No questions.”
“What about us?” said Caroline.
“Everyone else stays in here, in the crypt and out of danger.” He pulled Danny and Caroline to the side. “And I need you both to keep an eye on Mr. Cole. I’m sure he’s aware of a few more things since we last spoke. I think he’s hiding something from me.”
Danny and Caroline nodded.
The Doctor was about to continue with the rest of the plans details, when the crypt door opened. Ben went for a chair and held up, ready to fight back whatever had entered the room.
Standing there was Adrian.
Danny frowned at him. “Adrian! How’d you get here?”
“I walked. Through one of the gaps into this world. There’s nothing stopping them - or anything else - now.”
Danny noticed he was holding something. A small, white bundle in his arms. “Is that…?”
Adrian nodded.
“What is it?” asked the Doctor. “What have you got?”
“This is what I was trying to tell you both about,” said Danny, frustrated with himself.
Adrian held out his arms. The Doctor and Caroline peered down. Inside the blanket was a small, sleeping, scrunched up pink face.
“It’s a baby!” said the Doctor.
“Yep,” said Adrian. He looked at Caroline. “To be more specific, it’s your baby, Caroline.”
Next time: Someone gets mortally wounded in the crypt...Coming Tuesday 19th November.
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