FIC: Tin Men - Chapter 5
Oct. 21st, 2009 12:33 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
nentariTitle: Tin Men - Chapter 5
Author: Me
Beta-Reader:alouzon
Fandom: Doctor Who
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 4722
Disclaimer: Doctor Who and all its characters belong to the BBC. I own nothing - not even the Fourteenth Doctor.
Summary: Someone is kidnapping the Doctor's former companions. Who is behind all this... and why?
Chapter 5
Victoria jumped when she heard the cell door unlock. Her heart raced, as imagination and hope made her briefly believe a potential rescuer (Craig? The Brigadier? Or even the new, rather deranged-looking Doctor?) was on the other side and about to release her and Polly. This vain hope was shattered, however, as the sinister figure of Packer entered, carrying a tray. "Dinner time," he said curtly.
"So you're our maid?" Polly asked with a sneer.
Packer did not seem at all disturbed by her mocking. "That's right," he said, returning the sneer. "Unless of course, you want one of my metal friends to bring your meals, instead of me." He placed the tray on the floor and stepped back through the door. "I'll come back later to collect the tray," he added. "If you ain't finished by then, tough." Looking pleased with himself, he closed the door. Victoria made a face at it.
Packer terrified her. She had seen quite a few sadistic men when she travelled with Jamie and the Doctor - and quite often, they were even worse than the monsters. The memory of Salamander and his henchman Benik still filled her with dread, and Packer was cut from the same cloth. She knew Packer's veiled threats about what he could do to them were not idle ones.
However, she was not about to sit there in the cell waiting to be rescued, jumping every time the door opened. Next time, Packer might be there for the mere reason that he felt bored. She shuddered at the thought, and her eyes met Polly's. The blonde glanced at the camera, and then gestured at her to come closer. "Yes?" Victoria asked.
"Bring me my plate, please," Polly said in a loud voice, glancing at the camera again. "I'm afraid I'm not able to bend like I used to, in my condition."
"Oh, of course," Victoria said. She retrieved the tray and removed the lid, revealing two plates and cutlery. She handed one of them to Polly as she sat next to her on the bed. "I honestly don't know why he had to put these on the floor."
"He probably thought it would make for an entertaining image," Polly grumbled, nodding towards the camera.
"Disgraceful." Victoria sniffed primly, took a bite of the mashed potatoes, and turned her face away from the camera, speaking in a low whisper, "We must find a way out of here."
"Yes, I was thinking the same," Polly hissed in return. "We can't just sit here doing nothing." She took a bite of her mystery meat and said in a loud voice, "Yeeerch, this is terrible."
"Do you have any ideas?" Victoria whispered once more. Jamie had once told her that Polly was a great strategist.
"Something a bit basic, but which I think might work," Polly replied, looking at the tray. "Here's what we'll do..."
***
Tobias Vaughn watched the two women whispering to each other on his security screens and smirked. Their voices were too low for him to understand, but he had some idea of what they were planning to do. He wouldn't expect anything less of them, after all.
Escape was a foolish idea, and they likely knew it. They had no idea how the building was laid out beyond their cell, and they knew there were Cybermen on the premises somewhere - and they were under the impression that these were real Cybermen, and not the cheap copies he had built for this plan. Furthermore, Mrs. Jackson's condition did not allow for them to run or hide easily. But, as former companions of the slippery Doctor, they would still try their luck. And that was just what he wanted them to do.
Of course, they were valuable - priceless, even - as hostages. And because of that, they were not to be harmed, no matter how much Packer was dying to satisfy his sadistic urges. But if his plan was to succeed, he needed them to be able to see more of the main administration building, not just their small cell. He only hoped they would be clever enough to follow the carefully disguised route he had planned for them, one which would lead them to a certain room...
***
Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart was not a happy man. Seeing his authority undermined by a bureaucratic buffoon with more connections than sense usually had that effect on him.
Well, maybe buffoon was too strong a word in this case, not only because Mrs. Hawthorne (no, Alistair old chap, it's Miss Chaplet now, isn't it?) was a woman, thus making it an entirely inadequate expression, but because she had been a staunch ally in the past: she and Sir Charles Summer had always voiced the strongest support whenever there was a problem with getting permission for UNIT to do something a little less orthodox.
However, the Brigadier was finding it difficult at the moment to remind himself of that. Miss Chaplet was being less than cooperative; in fact, she was practically running the entire operation. She had ordered Benton to get them a plan of the compound, and was now leading the discussion on what each group was about to do.
"So, Doctor," she said, "you and Mr. McCrimmon will approach the kidnapper directly, right?"
"I think that's the best option right now," the Doctor replied, giving the Brigadier a wary look that seemed to signify that she felt it was the only option they should be taking. Although he was still trying to accept the fact that the Doctor was now a woman, he was glad to see that she seemed a bit more reasonable than her predecessors. Not that agreeing to go to the lion's den with nobody but McCrimmon as company was altogether reasonable, but this would mean only two people would be risking their necks - and one of them had UNIT training.
"Very well," Miss Chaplet continued, pointing at another part of the map. "I can see there's a railway track here."
The Brigadier gave a little cough. "Yes. That used to be one of the means through which material and products would travel between the factory and the HQ."
"Aye, and that's how they took Zoe and Isobel to the compound the last time," said McCrimmon, before adding with a delicate shudder, "And the crates with the Cybermen."
"Yes, that's how Vaughn helped the Cybermen to carry out their invasion," the Doctor agreed. "They landed at the compound, and were taken to the IE headquarters for reanimation." She turned to the Brigadier. "Of course, the railway line was closed and dismantled, wasn't it?"
"That's correct," he replied. "However, roads and dwellings have been built over the line. Even if the HQ still belonged to IE, it would be impossible for the line to link the two places."
"But even so, there would still be wagons inside the compound?" Miss Chaplet insisted.
"Oh, yes," the Brigadier replied, trying not to take umbrage with Miss Chaplet's tone. "It was only the railway line outside of the compound that was destroyed. Inside, it still looks the same."
"Which means the wagons could be used in various ways," Miss Shaw suggested.
Miss Chaplet nodded. "A holding cell, for instance. Or more storage." She pointed at that part of the map once again. "Logically, this building right next to the tracks would be the storage building. Again, a good place to hide hostages if they didn't want to go for the obvious." She looked at the Brigadier. "I would like to inspect this part of the compound personally."
"I have no idea why you're looking to me," the Brigadier said warily, "as you well know my opinion on that matter."
"I would like your support, Brigadier."
The Brigadier clasped his hands firmly behind his back, and stood at his full height before pacing halfway around the table. "Then you should follow my recommendation - let my men handle the situation."
She sighed. "Brigadier, we have already discussed this..."
"At least let someone from UNIT accompany you."
"If it's not a problem, I would rather have Lieutenant Jackson with me." She looked at Jackson. "What do you say, Ben?"
"Oh yeah, count me in."
The Brigadier rolled his eyes. He had nothing against Jackson. In fact, the man's file was impeccable - if he wasn't part of the Merchant Marine as opposed to regular Navy, he would have even requested him to be "loaned" to UNIT like Sullivan and Strachan. But he still hoped to have someone with UNIT training and connections take part in the operation. "Well," he tried, "are you willing to let anyone from UNIT besides from my scientific advisor embark on this suicide mission? We are actually capable of doing things besides standing around doing nothing, you know," he added.
"Sarcasm does not agree with you, Alistair," the Doctor murmured, as she tapped his arm in sympathy. "The Brigadier does have a point, Dodo dear," she added. "I am relieved that you have decided to have Ben go with you, as I would trust him with my life-" she looked at Jackson, who beamed at the compliment "-but I would be happier if the rest of the exploration of the compound - if there has to be more, which I really don't feel necessary - was made by professionals." She looked at Miss Shaw and Miss Moon. "I hope you two won't be offended."
Miss Moon seemed a bit disappointed at this, but Miss Shaw shrugged. "No offence taken. In fact, I think I know a way in which my services could be better employed."
"In what way?" Miss Chaplet asked.
"I could accompany the Brigadier to the central point of the cordon he's organizing around the compound - I presume you shall be there to monitor things, won't you, Brigadier?" He nodded in affirmative. "If anyone finds anything of an electronic nature that needs to be explained or analyzed and the Doctor is still inside the compound, I will try and work on it in her place. What do you think?"
"I think that's an excellent idea, Miss Shaw," the Brigadier said with a smile. The two of them had had many conflicts in the past, back when she was working for UNIT, but he had always valued her judgment and level-headed reasoning - and was glad to see that she had not lost her practicality while working in academia. "Anyone stepping inside the place shall be given a radio transmitter, of course, and should contact me and Miss Shaw."
"Yes, that is a perfectly sensible idea," the Doctor said, looking warmly at Miss Shaw. "Well, Dodo?" she then said. "Now that this is settled, what do you have to say about the Brigadier's suggestion?"
"He is right, of course," Miss Chaplet said. She then turned to the map, and pointed at some unmarked red lines. "What are these?"
"Well, those indicate buildings that no longer exist," the Brigadier said. "Some of the places became dilapidated, and are now either in ruins or completely destroyed. In this case," he pointed at a large spot on the map, "we tore it apart ourselves, as it was the place where the Cybermen pods arrived and we had to make sure the alien technology would not be left lying around, but with the others it was just the result of time and negligence."
"Well," the Doctor said, pointing at the central block on the north side, "this means the only place left is the main administration building."
"It's also the most likely place, since that's where Miss Heriot and Miss Watkins were kept last time."
"Exactly," the Doctor said, tapping her lip. "They were kept captive on the tenth floor, though I doubt they'd keep Polly and Victoria in the exact same place Zoe and Isobel were last time."
"I shall go, then," Strachan volunteered quickly before the job could be assigned to someone else. The Brigadier studied him briefly. He had confidence in Craig Strachan - a fine chopper pilot, and a fellow Scot, whose transfer to UNIT he himself had requested from the RAF. However, he had to admit the young man was also rather impulsive and hot-tempered, and with his wife being one of the missing women, he was afraid it might be a bit too personal for him.
However, he worked well with Sullivan, who was level-headed enough to balance things out. "Fine. Sullivan, you'll go with Strachan."
"Right-o, sir."
Strachan gave McCrimmon a jealousy-laced look of one-upmanship that made the Brigadier wonder if he had made the right decision.
***
Jamie's eyes moved towards Strachan, who was sitting with Sullivan and Dr. Shaw over a cup of tea in a corner of the tent. The Brigadier's men had erected it in the middle of the woods outside the compound, to serve as a central point of the cordon. He was still trying to adjust to the fact that Victoria had married (and that the Doctor never told him anything!) but he felt he could sympathise with the man - they were probably experiencing the same worry and apprehension towards Victoria's fate at that moment.
And then a thought came to him: knowing Victoria and Polly, if they were together there was an excellent chance they were scheming, plotting an escape. Who knew, maybe they were out of their place of confinement at that very moment, thanks to Victoria's talent for picking locks (Jamie always wondered where on earth the lass managed to pick up a skill like that), and were relying on Polly's talent for coming up with complicated strategies to make their escape without the need of any outside help. The idea, although pleasing at first, quickly made Jamie's insides freeze with apprehension - as far as they could tell, the fake Cybermen might still prove themselves as dangerous as the real ones. And what if Vaughn had managed to cheat death and was the person responsible for the kidnapping of the two lasses? He dared not think of what Packer would do to them if they crossed his path.
Oh, great, he thought. Now the feeling of dread would not go away, no matter how much he tried to convince himself that they would probably stay put. These were Polly and Victoria, after all - there was no way either of them would be contented with crossing their arms and waiting to be rescued.
"Doctor," he asked in a whisper, "D'you think Polly and Victoria are all right?"
"Of course they are, Jamie," she replied with a comforting smile. "Right now, they are more valuable to the kidnapper alive than dead."
"You know what I mean," he insisted. "And what those lasses are like. D'you not think they'll try to make a run for it themselves?"
The Doctor sighed. "Yes, Jamie, the thought did cross my mind. Let us hope they haven't decided to do anything foolish this time." But Jamie could tell from the Doctor's tone that she hadn't convinced herself, either.
The Brigadier handed a small radio to Dodo. "Here it is, Miss Chaplet. This is already set for our frequency in case you need to contact us for any reason."
Dr. Shaw stood up. "Also," she said, pointing at some side buttons, "these have been preset to switch the frequency for that of the other radios issued, in case you need to talk to the other teams. Switch them all off, and you'll be back to us."
"Very ingenious," Dodo said approvingly.
"One of my creations, back when I was stranded here," the Doctor muttered to Jamie with a slightly smug tone. "I got bored at times."
"And I'm sure I don't need to explain you how to use one of these, Jackson," the Brigadier said, as he handed a standard UNIT-issue pistol to Ben, who accepted it reluctantly but handled it with confidence, slinging the holster around his hips.
"No, sir. I've got it covered."
"Yes, I figured as much. You'll be entering the compound by the east side, not far from the point where we're standing. There's a gap in the fence, back from the time the railway tracks existed. Strachan and Sullivan, you'll be going the same way, since there's no other point of entry you can go through without attracting attention."
"Right, sir," Strachan and Sullivan said in unison.
"And Strachan... no gallivanting or doing anything foolish, did you hear me?"
"I wouldnae dream of doing anything of the sort, sir," the Lieutenant said in an indignant tone, but the Brigadier didn't seem very convinced. Jamie was starting to feel a bit apprehensive as well. If the Brigadier, who knew Strachan much better than Jamie, thought the Lieutenant might do something foolish regardless of the stakes, then there was a good chance something might actually happen - and Polly and Victoria would suffer as a result.
"I mean it, man," the Brigadier said sternly. "Fake or not, Cybermen are nasty business. You'll need quick feet and a cool head."
"Dinnae worry, sir - my head's cool enough."
Jamie exchanged a worried glance with the Doctor, who looked just as unconvinced by this as he felt. "Brigadier, if I may," she suddenly interrupted, "may I suggest a regrouping of the teams?"
"In what way, Doctor?" the Brigadier asked.
"I think perhaps it would be better if Harry accompanied me, while Jamie sneaked into the building with Mr. Strachan."
Jamie was taken by surprise by this sudden decision. "What? No!" he exclaimed, while at the same time Strachan gave a dissatisfied growl.
"Jamie, calm down," she said to him, before turning her attention back to the Brigadier. "I feel that, for this particular operation, it might be better if someone who has already been inside the building were to lead this incursion. Since I cannot go myself, Jamie is the only other option..."
The Brigadier was still not convinced. It was a weak argument: the Brigadier knew that Jamie had actually more experience dangling on a rope ladder outside the building than walking through it. But clearly the Doctor thought there was some advantage to be had. "Well..."
"Doctor, are you sure this is a good idea?" Sullivan asked, while Jamie was still arguing with her, "But had you not said you needed me to help convince people you are you?"
The Doctor waved for silence from both of them. "...and even though these are fake, Jamie has had experience dealing with Cybermen, and Strachan hasn't. And if the people responsible for all this do not know Harry has travelled with me for a while, they will be aware of his position as a member of UNIT. That should be enough."
Sullivan nodded, as the Brigadier said, "Yes, I can accept that."
But Jamie was still not convinced, "But, Doctor-"
"And besides, Jamie," she interrupted, "I think you're just the right person to keep an eye on our Mr. Strachan and our two friends, should you find yourself successful in our mission." She looked at Strachan with a mild frown.
"Och, I didnae need a minder," Strachan complained.
"Indeed you don't, Mr. Strachan," the Brigadier said, with his most authoritative pose, "but nevertheless you and Mr. McCrimmon here will be entering the main administrative building together - and you shall cooperate with him whenever he gives an order or feels an action is necessary. Is that understood?"
"Yes, sir," the Scot grumbled, clearly unhappy with this new state of affairs.
"Doctor..." Jamie tried to make a last-ditch appeal to the Time Lord.
"Jamie," she said in a voice low enough only for him to hear, "I trust Harry as much as I trust you, and I'm sure he would be able to put Strachan in his place, but I maintain what I said: it's better if one of you knows his way around the compound from first-hand experience." Before he could protest, she added, "Don't argue, please. Just focus on what is truly important in this: finding Polly and Victoria and getting them away from this place. I'll try and figure out why."
"D'you think it's a trap?"
"I know it's a trap."
Jamie was confused. "Then why..."
"Call it a diversion tactic. Hopefully I'll be able to distract them while the rest of you find our friends."
"And if you get caught? You'll need me there."
"Don't worry, Jamie. Harry will be with me."
Jamie looked at Sullivan with a doubtful expression. He hadn't had the chance to have a proper talk with him yet, but found him a polite, pleasant man - and the fact that the Doctor had spoken so highly of him in the past had also helped to give Jamie a good impression of the fussy-looking officer. However, he couldn't help but wonder whether the Navy Lieutenant would be able to protect the Doctor as carefully as he would.
As if guessing what was on his mind, the Doctor said, "Jamie, during his travels with me Harry met Daleks, Sontarans and real Cybermen, and managed to survive the lot. Don't worry so much - I shall be in good hands. Just make sure Polly and Victoria will be just as safe."
Jamie sighed, defeated. "Aye, if you say so, Doctor."
"McCrimmon," the Brigadier said, approaching the two of them. "I've already arranged things with the others, now it's your turn." He gave him a radio. "You understand how to switch the frequencies, right?"
"Aye, it's this wee button to call the Doctor, and this here for Ben," he replied, pointing at the two buttons on the side of the object.
"Good man. Now, Strachan is armed, and I'm sure you're prepared as well."
"Oh aye," Jamie replied, briefly displaying his knife in its sheath.
"Well, good luck. Anything you need, just contact us," the Brigadier concluded, shaking the Highlander's hand.
"Thank you, Brigadier."
"Good luck, Jamie," the Doctor said, giving him a hug and a reassuring smile, which he returned.
"You too, Doctor."
He saw her grab Sullivan's arm. "Well, Harry, it looks like it's the two of us again," she said, as she pulled the Lieutenant with her to talk to Dr. Shaw.
"Good luck, Jamie," Hye said, approaching him.
"Aye, thank you, Hye," he replied. Then, noticing the expression on her face, he added, "You're not still upset because you're not going, are you?"
"I know I can help," the lass said stubbornly. He had heard her repeat this a few times during their journey from the UNIT HQ, which they made in a strange yellow car that had caused the Doctor to let out a scream of recognition when she first set her eyes on it.
Jamie sighed and clapped a friendly hand on her shoulder. "Listen, the Brigadier is right, there are too many people involved in this already. I know it's never easy waiting, lass, but it will be better if you stay here." Hye grimaced, but said nothing. "We'll be leaving now," he added, as he saw Ben, Dodo and Strachan preparing to leave. "I'll talk to you when I get back." His eyes glittered briefly with mischief. "Keep out of trouble."
"Be careful," she said, as he followed the others outside the tent.
***
Bessie passed through the front gates of the International Electromatics compound, and Harry felt himself holding his breath for a second. He knew it was silly, but he was expecting a group of Cybermen to jump on them the moment they stepped inside.
Of course, he knew he had nothing to worry about - yet. This was obviously a trap, but there was no reason for it to be set off at that very moment. If he had learned anything about his long sojourn through time and space in the company of the other Doctor and Sarah, it was that villains liked to lure their prey right to the centre of their lair, and only think about capture after gloating had been achieved. He shook his head slightly. This parallelism almost made those bizarre adventures aboard the TARDIS sound like James Bond movies.
His eyes moved to his right, to the Doctor. It was hard to imagine that this small woman who was driving Bessie (with such relish that he couldn't help but be reminded of Toad of Toad Hall during his sports car fever) was once the tall, curly-haired lunatic who invited him for a short trip inside his telephone box, a quick jaunt that ended up becoming a long walk across the universe. Of course, he knew about regeneration, but he had never actually seen it in action. Up until the moment the Brigadier called him to take care of the Doctor he had never met the man personally, even though he had already been serving with UNIT for quite a while. He had quickly adapted to the man's unusual physiology and behaviour, but the rest of the things he knew the Doctor was supposedly capable of were nothing but bizarre concepts he learned from UNIT records.
"You seem awfully quiet, Harry," the Doctor eventually said.
"Oh, it's nothing," he said, brushing it off.
Bessie stopped in front of the main building. "Well," the Doctor said, "here we are." She looked at him. "Ready, Harry?"
"I'm not sure," he replied. "What's the plan?"
"There isn't one."
Harry was taken aback by this. "What, you mean we'll just step into what might very well be a trap and see what happens?"
"Exactly." She broke into a wide smile. "Just like old times, eh, Harry?"
A familiar combination of uneasiness and exhilaration twisted in Harry's stomach. Yes, this was definitely like "old times," though the events were still too fresh in his memory for him to call them that. The only thing missing was the small bag of jelly babies that would have been offered to him at this moment by the other Doctor.
He sighed. "Right-o, let's go, then." He got out of the car and helped his companion out. Just because this was the Doctor with a different body didn't mean he shouldn't behave like a gentleman.
***
A buzzer sounded. Tobias Vaughn pressed a button and glanced at the security screens, allowing a smile to rise to his lips as he saw the figured they showed.
"Packer..." he called through the intercom.
His faithful henchman entered the office instantly. "Yes, Mr. Vaughn?"
"We've got company."
Packer looked at the man and woman shown on screen with an eager expression. "Do you want me to deal with them?"
"No, Packer. I want you to show them in."
Packer's face fell, much to Vaughn's amusement. He loved to thwart the man's violent tendencies - not because of an abhorrence of violence (God forbid!) but because tormenting the lackey amused him immensely.
"But it's not the Doctor!" Packer said.
"You should have done your homework, Packer," Vaughn replied, pointing at the woman. "That is the Doctor."
"What, her?!"
"But of course." He sat down as he kept talking. "You forget the information we've found in our records - the Doctor seems to change his looks like other people change clothes. And one of the documented profiles we have is that of a short, dark-haired woman with garish clothes."
"But... That's impossible!"
"More impossible than you and me being here having this conversation?" He smiled. "But let's not waste time discussing inconsequential trivia. Just go along and greet them while I inform our associate of their arrival."
Packer gave him an uncomfortable look at the mention of their ally. "Yes, sir," he finally said, before leaving.
Vaughn shook his head. Packer still didn't trust their associate, even though they've been working together all these years - and now that they had finally began to set their plan into motion, his uneasiness and mistrust were stronger than ever. Sometimes, Vaughn wanted to smack him up the side of the head and tell him to relax - but whenever the urge came he would remember the betrayal of the Cybermen, and how Packer had actually been right that time.
Still, there was nothing to worry about. Even if their friend foolishly tried to betray them, Vaughn was prepared for any eventuality - and things would be even better once he gained what he wanted from his old friend the Doctor.
Author: Me
Beta-Reader:
alouzonFandom: Doctor Who
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 4722
Disclaimer: Doctor Who and all its characters belong to the BBC. I own nothing - not even the Fourteenth Doctor.
Summary: Someone is kidnapping the Doctor's former companions. Who is behind all this... and why?
Victoria jumped when she heard the cell door unlock. Her heart raced, as imagination and hope made her briefly believe a potential rescuer (Craig? The Brigadier? Or even the new, rather deranged-looking Doctor?) was on the other side and about to release her and Polly. This vain hope was shattered, however, as the sinister figure of Packer entered, carrying a tray. "Dinner time," he said curtly.
"So you're our maid?" Polly asked with a sneer.
Packer did not seem at all disturbed by her mocking. "That's right," he said, returning the sneer. "Unless of course, you want one of my metal friends to bring your meals, instead of me." He placed the tray on the floor and stepped back through the door. "I'll come back later to collect the tray," he added. "If you ain't finished by then, tough." Looking pleased with himself, he closed the door. Victoria made a face at it.
Packer terrified her. She had seen quite a few sadistic men when she travelled with Jamie and the Doctor - and quite often, they were even worse than the monsters. The memory of Salamander and his henchman Benik still filled her with dread, and Packer was cut from the same cloth. She knew Packer's veiled threats about what he could do to them were not idle ones.
However, she was not about to sit there in the cell waiting to be rescued, jumping every time the door opened. Next time, Packer might be there for the mere reason that he felt bored. She shuddered at the thought, and her eyes met Polly's. The blonde glanced at the camera, and then gestured at her to come closer. "Yes?" Victoria asked.
"Bring me my plate, please," Polly said in a loud voice, glancing at the camera again. "I'm afraid I'm not able to bend like I used to, in my condition."
"Oh, of course," Victoria said. She retrieved the tray and removed the lid, revealing two plates and cutlery. She handed one of them to Polly as she sat next to her on the bed. "I honestly don't know why he had to put these on the floor."
"He probably thought it would make for an entertaining image," Polly grumbled, nodding towards the camera.
"Disgraceful." Victoria sniffed primly, took a bite of the mashed potatoes, and turned her face away from the camera, speaking in a low whisper, "We must find a way out of here."
"Yes, I was thinking the same," Polly hissed in return. "We can't just sit here doing nothing." She took a bite of her mystery meat and said in a loud voice, "Yeeerch, this is terrible."
"Do you have any ideas?" Victoria whispered once more. Jamie had once told her that Polly was a great strategist.
"Something a bit basic, but which I think might work," Polly replied, looking at the tray. "Here's what we'll do..."
Tobias Vaughn watched the two women whispering to each other on his security screens and smirked. Their voices were too low for him to understand, but he had some idea of what they were planning to do. He wouldn't expect anything less of them, after all.
Escape was a foolish idea, and they likely knew it. They had no idea how the building was laid out beyond their cell, and they knew there were Cybermen on the premises somewhere - and they were under the impression that these were real Cybermen, and not the cheap copies he had built for this plan. Furthermore, Mrs. Jackson's condition did not allow for them to run or hide easily. But, as former companions of the slippery Doctor, they would still try their luck. And that was just what he wanted them to do.
Of course, they were valuable - priceless, even - as hostages. And because of that, they were not to be harmed, no matter how much Packer was dying to satisfy his sadistic urges. But if his plan was to succeed, he needed them to be able to see more of the main administration building, not just their small cell. He only hoped they would be clever enough to follow the carefully disguised route he had planned for them, one which would lead them to a certain room...
Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart was not a happy man. Seeing his authority undermined by a bureaucratic buffoon with more connections than sense usually had that effect on him.
Well, maybe buffoon was too strong a word in this case, not only because Mrs. Hawthorne (no, Alistair old chap, it's Miss Chaplet now, isn't it?) was a woman, thus making it an entirely inadequate expression, but because she had been a staunch ally in the past: she and Sir Charles Summer had always voiced the strongest support whenever there was a problem with getting permission for UNIT to do something a little less orthodox.
However, the Brigadier was finding it difficult at the moment to remind himself of that. Miss Chaplet was being less than cooperative; in fact, she was practically running the entire operation. She had ordered Benton to get them a plan of the compound, and was now leading the discussion on what each group was about to do.
"So, Doctor," she said, "you and Mr. McCrimmon will approach the kidnapper directly, right?"
"I think that's the best option right now," the Doctor replied, giving the Brigadier a wary look that seemed to signify that she felt it was the only option they should be taking. Although he was still trying to accept the fact that the Doctor was now a woman, he was glad to see that she seemed a bit more reasonable than her predecessors. Not that agreeing to go to the lion's den with nobody but McCrimmon as company was altogether reasonable, but this would mean only two people would be risking their necks - and one of them had UNIT training.
"Very well," Miss Chaplet continued, pointing at another part of the map. "I can see there's a railway track here."
The Brigadier gave a little cough. "Yes. That used to be one of the means through which material and products would travel between the factory and the HQ."
"Aye, and that's how they took Zoe and Isobel to the compound the last time," said McCrimmon, before adding with a delicate shudder, "And the crates with the Cybermen."
"Yes, that's how Vaughn helped the Cybermen to carry out their invasion," the Doctor agreed. "They landed at the compound, and were taken to the IE headquarters for reanimation." She turned to the Brigadier. "Of course, the railway line was closed and dismantled, wasn't it?"
"That's correct," he replied. "However, roads and dwellings have been built over the line. Even if the HQ still belonged to IE, it would be impossible for the line to link the two places."
"But even so, there would still be wagons inside the compound?" Miss Chaplet insisted.
"Oh, yes," the Brigadier replied, trying not to take umbrage with Miss Chaplet's tone. "It was only the railway line outside of the compound that was destroyed. Inside, it still looks the same."
"Which means the wagons could be used in various ways," Miss Shaw suggested.
Miss Chaplet nodded. "A holding cell, for instance. Or more storage." She pointed at that part of the map once again. "Logically, this building right next to the tracks would be the storage building. Again, a good place to hide hostages if they didn't want to go for the obvious." She looked at the Brigadier. "I would like to inspect this part of the compound personally."
"I have no idea why you're looking to me," the Brigadier said warily, "as you well know my opinion on that matter."
"I would like your support, Brigadier."
The Brigadier clasped his hands firmly behind his back, and stood at his full height before pacing halfway around the table. "Then you should follow my recommendation - let my men handle the situation."
She sighed. "Brigadier, we have already discussed this..."
"At least let someone from UNIT accompany you."
"If it's not a problem, I would rather have Lieutenant Jackson with me." She looked at Jackson. "What do you say, Ben?"
"Oh yeah, count me in."
The Brigadier rolled his eyes. He had nothing against Jackson. In fact, the man's file was impeccable - if he wasn't part of the Merchant Marine as opposed to regular Navy, he would have even requested him to be "loaned" to UNIT like Sullivan and Strachan. But he still hoped to have someone with UNIT training and connections take part in the operation. "Well," he tried, "are you willing to let anyone from UNIT besides from my scientific advisor embark on this suicide mission? We are actually capable of doing things besides standing around doing nothing, you know," he added.
"Sarcasm does not agree with you, Alistair," the Doctor murmured, as she tapped his arm in sympathy. "The Brigadier does have a point, Dodo dear," she added. "I am relieved that you have decided to have Ben go with you, as I would trust him with my life-" she looked at Jackson, who beamed at the compliment "-but I would be happier if the rest of the exploration of the compound - if there has to be more, which I really don't feel necessary - was made by professionals." She looked at Miss Shaw and Miss Moon. "I hope you two won't be offended."
Miss Moon seemed a bit disappointed at this, but Miss Shaw shrugged. "No offence taken. In fact, I think I know a way in which my services could be better employed."
"In what way?" Miss Chaplet asked.
"I could accompany the Brigadier to the central point of the cordon he's organizing around the compound - I presume you shall be there to monitor things, won't you, Brigadier?" He nodded in affirmative. "If anyone finds anything of an electronic nature that needs to be explained or analyzed and the Doctor is still inside the compound, I will try and work on it in her place. What do you think?"
"I think that's an excellent idea, Miss Shaw," the Brigadier said with a smile. The two of them had had many conflicts in the past, back when she was working for UNIT, but he had always valued her judgment and level-headed reasoning - and was glad to see that she had not lost her practicality while working in academia. "Anyone stepping inside the place shall be given a radio transmitter, of course, and should contact me and Miss Shaw."
"Yes, that is a perfectly sensible idea," the Doctor said, looking warmly at Miss Shaw. "Well, Dodo?" she then said. "Now that this is settled, what do you have to say about the Brigadier's suggestion?"
"He is right, of course," Miss Chaplet said. She then turned to the map, and pointed at some unmarked red lines. "What are these?"
"Well, those indicate buildings that no longer exist," the Brigadier said. "Some of the places became dilapidated, and are now either in ruins or completely destroyed. In this case," he pointed at a large spot on the map, "we tore it apart ourselves, as it was the place where the Cybermen pods arrived and we had to make sure the alien technology would not be left lying around, but with the others it was just the result of time and negligence."
"Well," the Doctor said, pointing at the central block on the north side, "this means the only place left is the main administration building."
"It's also the most likely place, since that's where Miss Heriot and Miss Watkins were kept last time."
"Exactly," the Doctor said, tapping her lip. "They were kept captive on the tenth floor, though I doubt they'd keep Polly and Victoria in the exact same place Zoe and Isobel were last time."
"I shall go, then," Strachan volunteered quickly before the job could be assigned to someone else. The Brigadier studied him briefly. He had confidence in Craig Strachan - a fine chopper pilot, and a fellow Scot, whose transfer to UNIT he himself had requested from the RAF. However, he had to admit the young man was also rather impulsive and hot-tempered, and with his wife being one of the missing women, he was afraid it might be a bit too personal for him.
However, he worked well with Sullivan, who was level-headed enough to balance things out. "Fine. Sullivan, you'll go with Strachan."
"Right-o, sir."
Strachan gave McCrimmon a jealousy-laced look of one-upmanship that made the Brigadier wonder if he had made the right decision.
Jamie's eyes moved towards Strachan, who was sitting with Sullivan and Dr. Shaw over a cup of tea in a corner of the tent. The Brigadier's men had erected it in the middle of the woods outside the compound, to serve as a central point of the cordon. He was still trying to adjust to the fact that Victoria had married (and that the Doctor never told him anything!) but he felt he could sympathise with the man - they were probably experiencing the same worry and apprehension towards Victoria's fate at that moment.
And then a thought came to him: knowing Victoria and Polly, if they were together there was an excellent chance they were scheming, plotting an escape. Who knew, maybe they were out of their place of confinement at that very moment, thanks to Victoria's talent for picking locks (Jamie always wondered where on earth the lass managed to pick up a skill like that), and were relying on Polly's talent for coming up with complicated strategies to make their escape without the need of any outside help. The idea, although pleasing at first, quickly made Jamie's insides freeze with apprehension - as far as they could tell, the fake Cybermen might still prove themselves as dangerous as the real ones. And what if Vaughn had managed to cheat death and was the person responsible for the kidnapping of the two lasses? He dared not think of what Packer would do to them if they crossed his path.
Oh, great, he thought. Now the feeling of dread would not go away, no matter how much he tried to convince himself that they would probably stay put. These were Polly and Victoria, after all - there was no way either of them would be contented with crossing their arms and waiting to be rescued.
"Doctor," he asked in a whisper, "D'you think Polly and Victoria are all right?"
"Of course they are, Jamie," she replied with a comforting smile. "Right now, they are more valuable to the kidnapper alive than dead."
"You know what I mean," he insisted. "And what those lasses are like. D'you not think they'll try to make a run for it themselves?"
The Doctor sighed. "Yes, Jamie, the thought did cross my mind. Let us hope they haven't decided to do anything foolish this time." But Jamie could tell from the Doctor's tone that she hadn't convinced herself, either.
The Brigadier handed a small radio to Dodo. "Here it is, Miss Chaplet. This is already set for our frequency in case you need to contact us for any reason."
Dr. Shaw stood up. "Also," she said, pointing at some side buttons, "these have been preset to switch the frequency for that of the other radios issued, in case you need to talk to the other teams. Switch them all off, and you'll be back to us."
"Very ingenious," Dodo said approvingly.
"One of my creations, back when I was stranded here," the Doctor muttered to Jamie with a slightly smug tone. "I got bored at times."
"And I'm sure I don't need to explain you how to use one of these, Jackson," the Brigadier said, as he handed a standard UNIT-issue pistol to Ben, who accepted it reluctantly but handled it with confidence, slinging the holster around his hips.
"No, sir. I've got it covered."
"Yes, I figured as much. You'll be entering the compound by the east side, not far from the point where we're standing. There's a gap in the fence, back from the time the railway tracks existed. Strachan and Sullivan, you'll be going the same way, since there's no other point of entry you can go through without attracting attention."
"Right, sir," Strachan and Sullivan said in unison.
"And Strachan... no gallivanting or doing anything foolish, did you hear me?"
"I wouldnae dream of doing anything of the sort, sir," the Lieutenant said in an indignant tone, but the Brigadier didn't seem very convinced. Jamie was starting to feel a bit apprehensive as well. If the Brigadier, who knew Strachan much better than Jamie, thought the Lieutenant might do something foolish regardless of the stakes, then there was a good chance something might actually happen - and Polly and Victoria would suffer as a result.
"I mean it, man," the Brigadier said sternly. "Fake or not, Cybermen are nasty business. You'll need quick feet and a cool head."
"Dinnae worry, sir - my head's cool enough."
Jamie exchanged a worried glance with the Doctor, who looked just as unconvinced by this as he felt. "Brigadier, if I may," she suddenly interrupted, "may I suggest a regrouping of the teams?"
"In what way, Doctor?" the Brigadier asked.
"I think perhaps it would be better if Harry accompanied me, while Jamie sneaked into the building with Mr. Strachan."
Jamie was taken by surprise by this sudden decision. "What? No!" he exclaimed, while at the same time Strachan gave a dissatisfied growl.
"Jamie, calm down," she said to him, before turning her attention back to the Brigadier. "I feel that, for this particular operation, it might be better if someone who has already been inside the building were to lead this incursion. Since I cannot go myself, Jamie is the only other option..."
The Brigadier was still not convinced. It was a weak argument: the Brigadier knew that Jamie had actually more experience dangling on a rope ladder outside the building than walking through it. But clearly the Doctor thought there was some advantage to be had. "Well..."
"Doctor, are you sure this is a good idea?" Sullivan asked, while Jamie was still arguing with her, "But had you not said you needed me to help convince people you are you?"
The Doctor waved for silence from both of them. "...and even though these are fake, Jamie has had experience dealing with Cybermen, and Strachan hasn't. And if the people responsible for all this do not know Harry has travelled with me for a while, they will be aware of his position as a member of UNIT. That should be enough."
Sullivan nodded, as the Brigadier said, "Yes, I can accept that."
But Jamie was still not convinced, "But, Doctor-"
"And besides, Jamie," she interrupted, "I think you're just the right person to keep an eye on our Mr. Strachan and our two friends, should you find yourself successful in our mission." She looked at Strachan with a mild frown.
"Och, I didnae need a minder," Strachan complained.
"Indeed you don't, Mr. Strachan," the Brigadier said, with his most authoritative pose, "but nevertheless you and Mr. McCrimmon here will be entering the main administrative building together - and you shall cooperate with him whenever he gives an order or feels an action is necessary. Is that understood?"
"Yes, sir," the Scot grumbled, clearly unhappy with this new state of affairs.
"Doctor..." Jamie tried to make a last-ditch appeal to the Time Lord.
"Jamie," she said in a voice low enough only for him to hear, "I trust Harry as much as I trust you, and I'm sure he would be able to put Strachan in his place, but I maintain what I said: it's better if one of you knows his way around the compound from first-hand experience." Before he could protest, she added, "Don't argue, please. Just focus on what is truly important in this: finding Polly and Victoria and getting them away from this place. I'll try and figure out why."
"D'you think it's a trap?"
"I know it's a trap."
Jamie was confused. "Then why..."
"Call it a diversion tactic. Hopefully I'll be able to distract them while the rest of you find our friends."
"And if you get caught? You'll need me there."
"Don't worry, Jamie. Harry will be with me."
Jamie looked at Sullivan with a doubtful expression. He hadn't had the chance to have a proper talk with him yet, but found him a polite, pleasant man - and the fact that the Doctor had spoken so highly of him in the past had also helped to give Jamie a good impression of the fussy-looking officer. However, he couldn't help but wonder whether the Navy Lieutenant would be able to protect the Doctor as carefully as he would.
As if guessing what was on his mind, the Doctor said, "Jamie, during his travels with me Harry met Daleks, Sontarans and real Cybermen, and managed to survive the lot. Don't worry so much - I shall be in good hands. Just make sure Polly and Victoria will be just as safe."
Jamie sighed, defeated. "Aye, if you say so, Doctor."
"McCrimmon," the Brigadier said, approaching the two of them. "I've already arranged things with the others, now it's your turn." He gave him a radio. "You understand how to switch the frequencies, right?"
"Aye, it's this wee button to call the Doctor, and this here for Ben," he replied, pointing at the two buttons on the side of the object.
"Good man. Now, Strachan is armed, and I'm sure you're prepared as well."
"Oh aye," Jamie replied, briefly displaying his knife in its sheath.
"Well, good luck. Anything you need, just contact us," the Brigadier concluded, shaking the Highlander's hand.
"Thank you, Brigadier."
"Good luck, Jamie," the Doctor said, giving him a hug and a reassuring smile, which he returned.
"You too, Doctor."
He saw her grab Sullivan's arm. "Well, Harry, it looks like it's the two of us again," she said, as she pulled the Lieutenant with her to talk to Dr. Shaw.
"Good luck, Jamie," Hye said, approaching him.
"Aye, thank you, Hye," he replied. Then, noticing the expression on her face, he added, "You're not still upset because you're not going, are you?"
"I know I can help," the lass said stubbornly. He had heard her repeat this a few times during their journey from the UNIT HQ, which they made in a strange yellow car that had caused the Doctor to let out a scream of recognition when she first set her eyes on it.
Jamie sighed and clapped a friendly hand on her shoulder. "Listen, the Brigadier is right, there are too many people involved in this already. I know it's never easy waiting, lass, but it will be better if you stay here." Hye grimaced, but said nothing. "We'll be leaving now," he added, as he saw Ben, Dodo and Strachan preparing to leave. "I'll talk to you when I get back." His eyes glittered briefly with mischief. "Keep out of trouble."
"Be careful," she said, as he followed the others outside the tent.
Bessie passed through the front gates of the International Electromatics compound, and Harry felt himself holding his breath for a second. He knew it was silly, but he was expecting a group of Cybermen to jump on them the moment they stepped inside.
Of course, he knew he had nothing to worry about - yet. This was obviously a trap, but there was no reason for it to be set off at that very moment. If he had learned anything about his long sojourn through time and space in the company of the other Doctor and Sarah, it was that villains liked to lure their prey right to the centre of their lair, and only think about capture after gloating had been achieved. He shook his head slightly. This parallelism almost made those bizarre adventures aboard the TARDIS sound like James Bond movies.
His eyes moved to his right, to the Doctor. It was hard to imagine that this small woman who was driving Bessie (with such relish that he couldn't help but be reminded of Toad of Toad Hall during his sports car fever) was once the tall, curly-haired lunatic who invited him for a short trip inside his telephone box, a quick jaunt that ended up becoming a long walk across the universe. Of course, he knew about regeneration, but he had never actually seen it in action. Up until the moment the Brigadier called him to take care of the Doctor he had never met the man personally, even though he had already been serving with UNIT for quite a while. He had quickly adapted to the man's unusual physiology and behaviour, but the rest of the things he knew the Doctor was supposedly capable of were nothing but bizarre concepts he learned from UNIT records.
"You seem awfully quiet, Harry," the Doctor eventually said.
"Oh, it's nothing," he said, brushing it off.
Bessie stopped in front of the main building. "Well," the Doctor said, "here we are." She looked at him. "Ready, Harry?"
"I'm not sure," he replied. "What's the plan?"
"There isn't one."
Harry was taken aback by this. "What, you mean we'll just step into what might very well be a trap and see what happens?"
"Exactly." She broke into a wide smile. "Just like old times, eh, Harry?"
A familiar combination of uneasiness and exhilaration twisted in Harry's stomach. Yes, this was definitely like "old times," though the events were still too fresh in his memory for him to call them that. The only thing missing was the small bag of jelly babies that would have been offered to him at this moment by the other Doctor.
He sighed. "Right-o, let's go, then." He got out of the car and helped his companion out. Just because this was the Doctor with a different body didn't mean he shouldn't behave like a gentleman.
A buzzer sounded. Tobias Vaughn pressed a button and glanced at the security screens, allowing a smile to rise to his lips as he saw the figured they showed.
"Packer..." he called through the intercom.
His faithful henchman entered the office instantly. "Yes, Mr. Vaughn?"
"We've got company."
Packer looked at the man and woman shown on screen with an eager expression. "Do you want me to deal with them?"
"No, Packer. I want you to show them in."
Packer's face fell, much to Vaughn's amusement. He loved to thwart the man's violent tendencies - not because of an abhorrence of violence (God forbid!) but because tormenting the lackey amused him immensely.
"But it's not the Doctor!" Packer said.
"You should have done your homework, Packer," Vaughn replied, pointing at the woman. "That is the Doctor."
"What, her?!"
"But of course." He sat down as he kept talking. "You forget the information we've found in our records - the Doctor seems to change his looks like other people change clothes. And one of the documented profiles we have is that of a short, dark-haired woman with garish clothes."
"But... That's impossible!"
"More impossible than you and me being here having this conversation?" He smiled. "But let's not waste time discussing inconsequential trivia. Just go along and greet them while I inform our associate of their arrival."
Packer gave him an uncomfortable look at the mention of their ally. "Yes, sir," he finally said, before leaving.
Vaughn shook his head. Packer still didn't trust their associate, even though they've been working together all these years - and now that they had finally began to set their plan into motion, his uneasiness and mistrust were stronger than ever. Sometimes, Vaughn wanted to smack him up the side of the head and tell him to relax - but whenever the urge came he would remember the betrayal of the Cybermen, and how Packer had actually been right that time.
Still, there was nothing to worry about. Even if their friend foolishly tried to betray them, Vaughn was prepared for any eventuality - and things would be even better once he gained what he wanted from his old friend the Doctor.
