h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Earth 2001, London.

Earth is under attack by a hostile alien force, the population is being threatened, many have fallen on either side and the invaders has only just started their assualt...

Good grief! If luck hadn't just come our way- our hero the Doctor is on hand to end the madness, destroy the invaders and save the day!

So ends the tale or does it?

What is agenda of the threat that faces the Earth?

Are the Invaders truly what they seem?

.......................... DOCTOR
........................... WHO

..........................Cerberus


The room was dark; the owner preferred it this way. No power to light the warm comforts of this room, this room was like its owner, cold uncaring and dark.

‘Well?’ asked the tall, broad-shouldered man as he faced the shutters of his office glancing out at the bleak view below. The training ground, the compound watching a few technicians/ scientists. It was too hard to tell from this angle but he was aware of the black blurring around the persons’ faces- gas masks.

‘We have detected a faint signal Sir. It’s been located at Piccadilly Circus, well within the evacuated areas’ replied a lesser man standing three feet away from the plastic-like desk.

‘Do the same signatures match up?’ asked the taller man and lesser man quivered slowly, he couldn’t help it. It was the nerve implants in his shoulder. Though it was decidedly better than having a blunt, useless stump hanging by his side. With this new arm he merely had to flex it to know that he held power though it had only been two days since the operation and he had noticed the benefits but also the loss.
He couldn’t feel anything in the right shining silver hand that protruded from his coat sleeve, all temperature was alien to it. Too alien as was its origin to this planet.

‘Yes sub-supervisor. Contact could be made in five minutes if you so order it?’ he said and the Supervisor smiled as he watched the white clad technicians pulling free a series of cardboard targets out into the centre of grey, stone compound.

‘Order the force to monitor his movements, alert me immediately the moment visual contact is made with the target. Upon confirmation you will escort the target to ground zero. There must be no mistakes, do I make myself clear?’ the sub-supervisor replied turning round to spy the lesser man quivering and immediately his eyes narrowed.

‘Something wrong with your implant? You should see a technician’ the sub-supervisor said but it sounded like an order?

‘Just a bit numb, that’s all sub-supervisor’ he said quickly.

‘It better be, I do not wish to see this success of this mission compromised by your weakening arm. You will see a technician before you leave here. There must be no mistakes!’ the sub-supervisor snapped before turning back towards the window.

‘There won’t be any mistakes supervisor, we’ve been very careful so far?’ the weaker man said.

‘Don’t correct me. Never correct me! I am the supervisor of this division and I have the right to have to formerly reprimanded for your incompetence! We never tolerate failure within our ranks, you’re new here aren’t you?’ the sub-supervisor replied coldly.

‘Yes sub-supervisor, one and half weeks on the job’ the lesser man said glancing down at his right metallic hand, three inhuman fingers ‘looked’ back at him and he felt slightly sickened and quickly looked away from it.
Even now he could still hear his screams. Three days into the job and on investigating the vats section, the cell disposal grinder’s whirring blades had caught at his tie. When a specimen coded nine-three-seven-stroke-five had been lowered into the machine he had tried to pull the tie free but then…. His screams.

‘You have done many things for us, Stebbings is it?’ the sub-supervisor asked.

‘Yes sir, Walter Stebbings’ he said but the man before him raised a hand for silence.

‘Since you are new here Mr Stebbings, all personal names and effects were pulled from existence. Your accident for example was labelled as fatal. You understood the terms when you signed on the dotted line. A dead man is much freer than a living one. The implants from the process are just the greatest example of how efficient our system is. We take care of our employees’ the sub-supervisor replied.

‘Yes sir I must thank you once again for having it done, as for the target I shall leave at once. I will not fail you’ Stebbings replied retreating back to the door.

‘Two things Stebbings, get that arm seen to and remember- you are officially dead. If you fail this mission then you may be descended to a lower level of the system and you’ll have more than your arm to worry about! Do not fail us’ the sub-supervisor replied politely.

Stebbings nodded slowly and pulled open the door with his right silver hand he walked slowly from the door and out into a dimly lit corridor.

The moment the door closed, the supervisor’s wandered briefly around the office regarding the many strange items that lay around his office. Many papers were attached, pinned to walls while a series of trophies, shining in the dim light of the room while a screen saver flashed briefly across an active computer screen at the side of the desk.

The sub-supervisor breathed deep as he looked down through the blinds, down into the compound and saw that the final touches were being made.
*************
Everything was ready for the test. The three white-clad technicians signalled to each other with a steady wave and a second later a loud wailing siren rang out throughout the compound- the evacuation alarm. The technicians immediately upon hearing this crossed over to a large lead-lined shield set against the concrete wall and as the last walked calmly to the shelter he swivelled around to face a raised balcony and to a figure dressed in blue.

This person took up a box to the side of him and pressed a green control on the side and immediately from a large archway beneath him, a metallic portcullis slid up and immediately a steel grey metallic shutter slid up to admit a dark tunnel before everyone assembled.
Slowly something was moving, swiftly across the smooth ground and into the light, the technicians behind the shelter pulled free clipboards and started to take notes.

‘Perfect’ breathed the sub-supervisor from his place at the window.

The Assault units had just passed out of the containment tunnel, the shutters slid slowly back into place, fixing slowly with a steady click, the white-clad technicians present walked away from the area and the supervisor watched as each one of the creatures raised their scanners. A split-second later there was a blast of heat and intense light, catching even at the darkness in the room.

As the glare and smoke cleared away, the supervisor squinted deeply to spy four heaped piles of charred black ash. The Assault units swivelled around seeking out new targets around the compound before spying a lone technician. This one, assuming that the danger had passed had stepped free from the shelter and was proceeding towards the creatures. As they brought their weapons to bare, he had no time to run or flinch as his eyes widened with horror behind his goggles as a white-hot blast caught at him, sending him into oblivion.
***************
‘Interesting? Yes, they hold great potential’ the sub-supervisor breathed before turning away from the window and sitting down at the desk, he moved the mouse and immediately the screen saver blinked off and the man started to write at a document.

‘Evaluation report: Subject number- Four-zero- six. Code-named: Assaults. Perfect sensory perception, weaponry test excellent, results prove highly successful however the control of this generation is still uncertain. Recommendation that this present generation is recycled and a new division is prepared by section thirty-seven. Sub-supervisor Denton reporting’ he said as he clicked the save button and pressed send, there came a brief whirr and then the message faded from his screen.

‘Excellent’ he breathed as he sat back, pulling free another phone and pressed the control in its centre and immediately there came a voice at the other end.

‘This is sub-supervisor Denton to containment unit seven. The Assault units in the training area fail to respond to commands. They are to be eradicated on sight and their remains taken to be recycled. That is all’ he said and lowered the receiver swiftly and sat back in his chair.

Immediately he clicked a flashing orange icon in the corner of the screen and a small window opened up displaying a shot of Piccadilly Circus, a man walking along the empty, deserted street.

‘Fascinating? A new incarnation but definitely the same target. Whatever your form Doctor, you have at last returned to help us!’ he said coldly staring at the black and white image before him.

****************************
‘London, home and glory. The capital of England but what period of history am I currently in? I forgot to check the co-ordinates on the console, not like me at all?’ the Doctor breathed as he stood there in the middle of the Piccadilly junction glancing around at all the dim, grey buildings.

‘How very odd. Even during say- a Sunday this place should be packed with traffic and yet nothing. Which is a good thing or else the TARDIS would be splintered to pieces by some very double-decker bus or taxi?’ the Doctor added.

Lifting his head slowly he angled his head listening out for any kind of sound but both surprisingly and shockingly no such sound met his ears. Realising that the area in question was deserted of life, both animal and human he decided to glance around the streets looking for a clue that might point him in the right direction?

Glancing around the street he walked cautiously into the street looking about him as he went and stopping briefly, he slid his hands into his trouser pockets and then he continued, whistling as he went, its echo carrying far along the deserted streets.

‘Hmm? Either it’s half-day closing or there appears to be some sort of emergency put into operation? Haven’t seen London as deserted as this since…. Well for some considerable time?’ the Doctor replied looking about him.

Noting that there appeared to be no vast Earth domes of shining glass lining the dark horizon, the time of day appeared to be late morning and not a sign of advanced technology in sight. So he wasn’t anytime during the twenty-third century onwards but as he walked, his shoes echoed loudly across the flat, weathered tarmac.

‘Come on now? Even in a London like this there must a sign of civilisation? No invasion party descends from the clouds, scoops up the population with conflict and spirits away all the litter with them? Well aside from the Zame but I doubt that even they would step to these measures of hygiene control?’ the Doctor muttered noting the lack of dust on the pavements.
*****************
As he passed by an alleyway he failed to notice a dark silhouette sliding back into the shadows, the being was dressed in black, armour, twin red lights glowed in head mounted goggles. A black respirator concealed the remnants of a human face but the owner was breathing hard, and carefully reached up to the side of his mask and pressed an obscured switch.

‘This is Tomcat to Jerry. Target now entering sector fifteen. He is without companion and no visual record of target matches known images. Advise?’ the figure asked and second later there came a buzz of static before it stopped.

‘Spike to Tomcat, follow target’s movements. Direct him to ground zero, do not allow him to see you, repeat: Do not allow him to see you’ came the reply and ‘Tomcat’ nodded slowly.

‘Orders confirmed Spike. Tomcat moving into position’ he said and pulled free a sharp, dangerous looking rifle with him before advancing ever closer towards the gap of the street and peered out cautiously.

The Target- the man was continuing up the street gazing along up at the buildings before consciously looking around him and quickly ‘Tomcat’ pulled himself back into the safety of the shadows.

Again ‘Tomcat’ raised a hand to the switch on his helmet and pressed it.

‘This is Tomcat to Jerry. Target is continuing along the west of sector fifteen, one male Caucasian dressed in old closes, clean shaven, dark hair. He should approach your position in two minutes’ he said.

There came another buzz of static from his radio before a gruff Scottish voice answered him.

‘Cut out the description Tomcat, he’ll be the only person on the streets. Wait a mo? I’ve got him in my sights, he seems curious to me, well from where I’m looking?’ ‘Jerry’ replied.

‘How is the weather up there on the roof?’ ‘Tomcat’ called and immediately there a short chuckle before ‘Jerry’ answered him.

‘The weather? Not bad a bit more colder than I’m used to but at least it’s safer, how is it down there at ground zero?’ ‘Jerry’ asked and ‘Tomcat’ almost choked before glancing around for any sign of movement but instead his infra red vision gave no such bad luck.

‘Don’t scare me like that! Now that the target’s here, we’ll be safe. It’s what control has been on about’ ‘Tomcat’ retorted loudly.

From his position in the corner of the flat roof stood another identically dressed figure glancing down the barrel of a highly sophisticated sniper rifle. The sightings were fixed firmly on the figure of the Doctor as he wove about the street searching for something.

‘That’s if he’s the target? From up here he looks like nothing special just another midday shopper’ ‘Jerry’ replied teasingly.

‘Well even if he is, he’s going to be disappointed by the fact that all shops are closed and won’t be opening again for any time soon. Just keep an eye on him; tell me when he’s turned a corner so I can double-back on him. Anticipate his next move, control said that we should keep him moving on to Ground Zero, which means: Zero point!’ ‘Tomcat’ replied.

‘He all ready has’ ‘Jerry’ simply said.

‘You what? Please confirm your message?’ ‘Tomcat’ asked pressing the switch on the side of his helmet.

‘He went a few minutes ago, turned left while you were talking’ ‘Jerry’ said and chuckled as he could hear the frantic cries and moans of his comrade. ‘You’d better hurry after him then?’ ‘Jerry’ added.

‘Tomcat’ tapped his radio once again and walked tentatively out into the open street, he felt both nervous and anxious and it showed as his rifle rattled loudly in his hands.
Looking about him carefully making sure that the target was nowhere to be seen, he pressed the radio switch once again.

‘Please confirm his direction, Jerry? And be serious please?’ ‘Tomcat’ asked quickly, he was panting, coughing as he went.

‘Left up the top, you’d better after him or else control will find out? And that won’t do will it?’ ‘Jerry’ said taunting but his tone was grim and as he looked away from the sighting momentarily he glanced down to the distant figure of ‘Tomcat’ and waved once and saw ‘Tomcat’ repeat the action.

Quickly Jerry resumed his place back at the rifle and glanced quickly along to spy the distant bobbing head of the target, a wall was obscuring the majority of his body leaving only the top half of the head available to his sight.

‘Tomcat this is Jerry, he is turning North now towards Zero point, you just better catch up before he is tempted to go west!’ ‘Jerry’ reported.

‘No need to worry then, there are roadblocks everywhere in that area, he’ll carry straight on into the nest. I’ll follow him though in case he backs up, you get a team down to the source. Have it contained and ready for transport’ ‘Tomcat’ ordered.

‘Orders understood and Tomcat, don’t get too above your station, you’re only a Corporal’ ‘Jerry’ said and ‘Tomcat’ nodded.

‘Too true Jerry but you are a private and you will abandon your position now and contain the Target’s source!’ ‘Tomcat’ countered harshly before slinging the rifle over his shoulder and ever so swiftly and quietly he hurried down the abandoned street, his vision shaking as he went.
Ever more cautious than the target because only he and his team knew what else was lurking around there!
**************

The Boardroom sat in dim light as three people dressed in expensive look business suits sat at the table discussing matters. Matters of importance to them and no one else.

Their present location although a little darker, the faint rays of the evening sun penetrated through the blinds but no one present cared about such trivial matters.

‘Then it is agreed that we hold back the further testing until Project Zero Point is finalised’ said the tall, grey haired man in a pin-striped suit and thick greying hair.

‘I am still unclear about this. Zero Point is a failure, an unwanted failure in the eyes of everyone here. Supposing Zero-Point succeeds in its allotted task. It was designed to act as a diversionary tactic and it is pretty unstoppable’ retorted a darker looking man with a beard.

‘Zero-Point may have been designed as a unique weapon but it has its flaws. If it continues to run around like this it will and has to be taken care of! Only the target can take care of this mess’ countered the grey-haired man.

The third man, who had remained silent for sometime rose slowly from his seat and crossed over to a blank-looking screen, as he came within three feet of it, a ray of blue light arched from the screen and traced across his body and then immediately the screen blinked into action.

‘Project: Zero-Point has been the culmination of three years hard work compromising seven science masters including myself. This creature, no, this weapon is not to be underestimated. We prepared it fully for any given situation, making use of all the surgical technologies from the archive. You should listen to Mr Wood, supervisor Shaw. Zero-Point has been one of many of my most profound creations; it can surpass anything the opposition throw at it- radiation, chemical weapons- and it comes out of it grinning! It was the most recent project to be given green light and what better place to have its birth but as close to the source of ‘our’ birth at section five training facility’ the man replied turning to the others.

‘I do not doubt it for a second Professor Rosewood, whatever the result from this demonstration I shall be intrigued as to how it will fare outside the training centre within hazardous conditions?’ the grey-hared man supervisor Shaw replied.

Professor Rosewood raised a hand towards the blank screen and a wire-framed three-dimensional hologram hovered out onto the surface of the Board table. Rosewood conceal a satisfied grin beneath a quick feign of coughing before he stood there addressing his audience.

‘Shall I remind you all present that Zero-Point was the subject of intense molecular treatment, its atoms are quite capable of shifting their position into any form. Its body therefore can successfully mimic any form possible giving it the means to surprise and shock the enemy.
However as you might have noticed, the barbs covering its skin, these are the piece de resistance- these are triggers very much triggered like saliva in the mouth, only this substance is far from pleasant. It is formed from the most deadliest forms of toxins located on Earth and beyond…. It is invincible, I made it so!’ Rosewood replied turning to the others.

‘Excellent work Professor, no doubt it will surpass the other projects currently awaiting greenlight around the globe. Though tell us, if we wish to explore how far its limitations go- what is its intelligence factor? And may I ask what exactly is its weakness points?’ Wood asked staring in awkward fascination at the hologram before his eyes.

Rosewood looked down at him. Wood was just an executive in an expensive suit, just a pen-pusher from the higher office blocks of the System.
How could any of these pompous fools begin to understand how great and powerful Zero-Point was to the world.
His crowning glory to his division, to the people around him he was a titan right up from middle-level experimental division.

‘Weakness points? There are none. Zero-Point was finalised as one of many great achievements of my division. It is unstoppable and virtually invincible! Limitations, I ask you? We designed it using many unforeseen elements derived from the lower levels of the central archive. There not one thing that Zero-Point can do, not one thing that it cannot complete’ Rosewood breathed triumphantly although the atmosphere was short-lived as Shaw politely coughed interrupting him.

‘You see very sure of its success Professor but remind me, how many valuable subjects you had to destroy in order to finalise this being? As for containment arrangements how exactly do you intend to contain Zero-Point once the test is complete?’ he asked and for a moment Rosewood remained silent before crossing in front of the revolving hologram.

‘Zero-Point has only one slight flaw to its design, it cannot tolerate extremely cold temperatures. It was stored at minus seventy degrees Celsius, any attempt to rise about zero and the molecules are instantly activated, it will obey orders of beings it identifies, my image and those of my team’s are locked within its cerebral cortex. Well it was after the accident but those back stabbing fools never could see how powerful Zero-Point was until the last moment of their lives! As for its intelligence levels, they are middle-high like that of a dog’s, simply instinctive but become ever roused with the absorption of new material, new matter’ Rosewood replied coldly, his eyes staring down at them both harshly.

‘We shall see then Professor, how these tests prove? However, if there is any disruption brought to this programme may I remind you that we never tolerate failure- any failure!’ Shaw retorted in pleasant sounding harshness leaning forward across the table towards Rosewood and for a moment he lost his cool but then the hologram faded away and noticing this Rosewood spun around anxiously.

The screen before them glowed brightly and then a series of dark text set onto the glowing page:

EMERGENCY! EMERGENCY!

THIS IS AN EMERGENCY WARNING FROM SYSTEM SECTION FIVE TRAINING FACILITY TO SYSTEM CENTRAL CONTROL.

AUTHORISATION CODE IS REQUIRED TO ACCESS THE INFORMATION.

‘Authorisation code Z-Z-one supervisor Shaw’ Shaw replied and immediately the message faded away to be replaced by another.

TOP PRIORITY MESSAGE TO SYSTEM CENTRAL CONTROL.

MESSAGE READS:

WEAPONS’ UNIT DESIGNATED: PROJECT: ZERO-POINT HAS ESCAPED CONTAINMENT FROM THE TRAINING FACILTY AND IS MASSING THROUGH THE CITY OF LONDON.
UNKNOWN FAILURE HAS RESULTED IN THIS ACTION BUT THE TARGET DESIGNATED: ‘THE DOCTOR’ HAS ENTERED THE SITUATION. EMERGENCY SECURITY DIVISIONS HAVE BEEN DEPLOYED TO CONTAIN THE SITUATION.

MESSAGE ENDS

‘Invincible, didn’t you say Professor? Oh dear this doesn’t fare well for us’ Wood asked and slowly Rosewood nodded before turning round on Shaw looking shocked and nervous but Shaw’s face was grim.

‘I did Mr Wood, supervisor Shaw but this is an unforeseen moment, can’t you see how anxious my Zero-Point is to start the kill? What do I care if a few hundred lowlives go the way of all flesh? This way they will witness superiority and there will be no witnesses! This is a worthwhile risk, do you not see?’ Rosewood snapped looking down on these pathetic fools before him.

‘I was to understand by your evaluation report that it was not yet to be used in this kind of situation? It could blow the lid off everything that we have strove to make, have you considered that Professor?’ Wood retorted smugly watching how maddened Rosewood was getting.

‘I have to agree with Mr Wood on this one Professor Rosewood. You have been a great asset to the System for many years. Your work for us has opened many doors to newer areas, new avenues of our investigations, however like all good things they must come to an end’ Shaw stated loudly spying the fear present in the middle-aged Professor’s eyes.

‘How can you place blame on me? I created it to be a superior, unstoppable weapon to be placed in a fitting situation and here we are now!
A cover-story can be easily deployed to hide any mention of this action? However by terminating my contract you will have no one else who will make all the decisions that you want made. I know the Directors, I know that I and my work is vastly important in this organisation’ Rosewood declared but then he looked from Wood to Shaw and knew that he had overstepped his mark.
It felt like poison to his body, as though he’d been hurt dealing with the toxins intake into the Zero-Point as he acted.

He stepped forward, before the table, Shaw and Wood sat there staring or looking straight back at him and angrily he ground his teeth.. His head was low, his chin resting on his chest looking to the floor. The emergency might not be his fault but he was the project director on Zero-Point, a secret project unleashed upon the unsuspecting, guilty British public and he had created it, it was his vision. He knew exactly what to say next, they were words he regretted with every spoken syllable.

‘I won’t beg, knowing that you would never accept such a thing. I have failed the System, we never tolerate failure, my fate is in your hands’ Rosewood replied in a calm and clear voice.

‘Exactly so Professor Rosewood. You are our clay and your usefulness is… not yet over. You may be responsible for Zero-Point’s creation but not for the accident itself, against our policy yes but instead we should concentrate our investigations on the accounting department.
Section Five has for sometime been suffering a great loss in funds to its containment policies, not enough money has been used to safeguard against such things, many months have been spent with specimens running riot, we have had to cut losses in that section.
You, Mr Wood are responsible for the accounts for sections four to seven’ Shaw replied and looked to Wood.

Wood looked a little surprised, glancing at that faded smile across Shaw’s face but gradually the face became grim and Wood found himself rising from his chair.

‘You cannot be serious, supervisor Shaw? You cannot honestly hold me responsible for this act?’ he cried but instead he and Rosewood turned to look at him, to stare at him.

‘You were responsible for safeguard and the well being of section five, many valuable artefacts and personnel have been lost because of this act orchestrated by you. You were in charge of this position and you failed. The System never accepts failure!’ Shaw snapped coldly.

Wood’s eyes were pleading to them both but instead Rosewood has stopped shaking regarding this display with virtually no emotion present. Wood looked to Shaw but that stare was driving deep into him as he backed away against the blinds.

‘Since you are officially dead then why should we continue the illusion?’ Shaw asked towards Wood and slowly he reached into his pocket and withdrew a silver and grey cylinder and levelled it at Wood.

‘It’s a rouse by Rosewood no less, a ploy. I’ve seen the reports on telepathic control. You’ve got to supervisor Shaw haven’t you Rosewood?’ Wood cried angrily but Rosewood simply shook his head, rage was building in him.

‘Zero-Point will fulfil its task, it is unflawed in such acts as to betray the System, its creators! You are the worst form of life, you are a waste of genetic matter Mister Wood!’ Rosewood hissed but stopped as Shaw raised a hand in his direction prompting silence.

‘Since you are an accountant, then you should know how much we are going to save by loosing you’ Shaw added and he triggered the weapon.
Immediately Wood’s face and exposed hands started to glow red for a second and then the glow faded.

‘You… you were testing me? Is that it?’ he asked panicky but Shaw instead smiled grimly as Wood examined his hands, the flesh was starting to age, becoming wrinkled all ready, no it was tightening, shrinking on his body.
Blood burst from the pores of skin all over his body as he screamed hoarsely before his wet, red and hastily dissolving body crashed to the ground with a wet splash.

‘Interesting technology, the modifications you engineered have proved interesting Professor’ Shaw replied and Rosewood, becoming animated bowed his head with respect.

‘Thank you supervisor Shaw. What further action do you want me to take?’ he asked and immediately Shaw rose from his seat, his gaze never loosing Rosewood’s.

‘I want the weapon’s delayed result increased to two minutes, let the opposition believe that we have failed. A surprise offensive if you will, as for the incident, I want Section Five contacted immediately. I want to know all details about the target’s movements- the Doctor, here at last’ Shaw replied triumphantly.

‘I will comply with what you have said supervisor but what of Zero-Point? Do you think the security forces will be able to contain it in time?’ Rosewood asked.
‘You are the scientist, the creator of such a beast. Your instincts Professor should tell you that this will be a test, and such a test too. If Zero-Point is fazed by the Doctor then further research will be needed, if not and the weapon succeeds then it will be fortuitous for us on standby’ Shaw replied.

‘I shall prepare the team at once and brief them on the task in hand, with your permission sir?’ Rosewood asked and Shaw nodded but then another thought crossed his head.

‘One moment. Section Five, training facility holds that artefact, the special unidentified unit. That unique puzzle device we retrieved from Palaeolithic caves in Iceland that our science teams have been trying to crack for years? Why should we wait as patiently as ever when we could have the answer awaiting us?’ Shaw suddenly said.

‘Forgive me sir but I do not follow you?’ Rosewood retorted backing away from the door.

‘The Doctor despite his flaws can still be of use to us. He can help us’ Shaw decided.

Rosewood looked confused, which was now a first in his scientific years, the grey streaks present through his dark hair were marks of stress, which he had done best to ignore.

‘You mean that we should invite him here or at the very least, make him aware of us? Will that be dangerous to us?’ Rosewood asked but Shaw shook his head.

‘Why should that be? He made us and now I think his children should show their love for him by showing what we’ve done and allowing for him to make the greatest donation to our work!’ Shaw breathed at last.

Rosewood could do nothing more then agree, nodding slowly, his mind in awe. A chance to let the Doctor view their work, he was their father after all in a metaphorical manner. A shame that he would not be there in person but doubtless there would come a time when that would change?

‘I shall inform my science teams of the situation, we must remain prepared for any such developments, if you will excuse me supervisor Shaw?’ he asked and to answer this Shaw simply closed his eyes in unison.

Rosewood turned slowly and walked eagerly to the door, as he pulled open the door and a glimmer of light shone down onto the corridor outside Shaw called out to him.

‘Oh and one more thing Rosewood, inform the waste technicians to have this taken down to the lower divisions for study’ Shaw said gesturing to wet bundle of clothes and red, wet flesh congregating on the carpet besides the blinds.

‘Yes Sir’ Rosewood simply said before he closed the door leaving supervisor Shaw alone, he in turn turned about and glanced out of the blinds and annoyed by this restricted image, he pulled free the cord at the side to reveal an evening sunset with the twinkle of light passing just behind the fringe of the distant snow-topped mountains in the distance.

‘Wonderful, simply wonderful’ Shaw breathed as he stared into the distance, his dreams and fantasies blending easily with his vision of the outside world.
***********************
‘Alone and cold, well only slightly with a western breeze over my shoulder and no one but myself in this city. I really should checked the co-ordinates before I left the TARDIS, I don’t exactly want to turn a corner and spy me and UNIT six regenerations down the line’ the Doctor said as he walked to a bus stop at the side of the road and spying no one else around he sat down on the bar inside.

Rubbing his hands together briefly he settled them on the surface of his knees and breathed a loud and glanced up and down the street for any sign of movement.

‘The first law of Detecting in any situation like this is not allow any matter to go with consultation. For all I know I could have arrived at an abandoned film set in a vast studio somewhere?’ he said glancing up through the dark glass covering above him and then he leant forward a bit to confirm what he was seeing.
The lush, warm glow of a bright blue sky met his piercing eyes, so no sign of cameras or artificial lights, though he did not rule out that he might be in a holographic simulation in the forty-ninth century.

‘Yes I should be cautious rather than tripping over my feet and scarf on many occasions since. This is a new regeneration, a new body. My Ninth and I wouldn’t want to loose it so quickly to whatever danger might be lurking out here? Am I being more paranoid in this form? Not like me at all, well it was once but that was a long time ago and I had companions back then. I wonder whatever did happen to Jamie and Zoë?’ he said.

Sighing again, he covered his mouth politely and stretched his arms widely. He was tired, tired of waiting for something to happen and better happen soon or else he might as well return to the TARDIS and find somewhere more interesting for him to become embroiled in.

He stopped thinking. Was he so ever predictable?

To go flying around the universe but never explore and appreciate life but instead save it against this people/ monsters/ demons/ villains.

Glancing about him, he spotted at last a sign of civilisation. To the right side of him shoved between the twin bars of the bench lay a twisted, distorted yellow wrapping?
Tentatively reached out to grasp the wrapping, his fingers touched the rough but soft surface. It was paper, a yellow single sheeted pamphlet.

Pulling it open, he glanced at the faded writing scrolled across it. Computer printed in Algerian font no less, so he was in the twentieth century.
Scrolling down he looked at the words, a party invitation for the December the thirty-first, nineteen-ninety-nine and for a brief moment a chill passed through him.

The date of his seventh regeneration but if this was London then across the expanse of water that was the Atlantic ocean lay himself in an earlier regeneration but then a moment later he discounted it. The pamphlet must have been there for sometime, possible a year or so, six months at the least so the year could be two thousand?

‘So in the year two thousand, London, Great Britain I arrive. Yet this place should be brimming with life? No what was it that they made? Ah yes the dome, hopefully crowds won’t be a problem so perhaps I should pop along and see what marvels the human race has crafted in two thousand years?’ the Doctor replied as he folded up the pamphlet and pocketed it.

‘Though perhaps… I wonder? Maybe they might have a stall on me? For their two thousand years I’ve seen it and known it all right. Though it would seem a shame that they did not honour me, nothing great but perhaps at the very least a pedestal with the words: Doctor, defender of the Earth. Born…. Died…. In that case best not’ he said and straightened his tie before he carried on his way along the street, turning right and moving along slowly.

Behind him the bus stop stood there silent but as the Doctor faded from its sight, the thing started to reverberate slowly, its once solid form seemed to melt as though it were a wax candle in the rays of the sun.

The bus stop ceased to be a bus stop as a monstrous shape lay in its place. Looking through a clear, gelatinous view, it moved swiftly up the street silently. A new taste entered its form, its new target stood there admiring a building before carrying on.

The target had been marked. It understood its orders and its need to feed….
*******************

‘That settles it, I am very worried about the state of London. Perhaps I should have checked the instruments in the TARDIS before I left instead of being too hasty to get out and stretch my legs and look up the old friends?’ the Doctor breathed as he continued onwards across the flat, remarkably clean pavements.
As he walked he glanced up into the many windows of shops, and offices that he crossed noting the place of blinds obscuring the light within or even any possible signs of human occupation.

‘No signs, warning or otherwise. I am In London, presumably this is around about the year two thousand but on a day like this, this street should thriving with happy shoppers going about their day. And with the roads empty of all traffic, it could suggest that something unexpected has happened. Did war break out at sometime, if so only a neutron bomb could do such damage yet I feel fine. No dizziness or headaches just normality I suppose?’ the Doctor pondered as he sighed slowly.

His hands thrust deep into his trouser pockets as he glanced around him and then up at a clothes shop, noting the headless manikins present in the window, at first he almost flinched looking not at the clothes but closely at the only figures present so far since his arrival ten minutes or so ago.
Pulling free his hands he stepped cautiously closer to the window eyeing the forms carefully as he went, after much deliberation spent crossing from one side to the next, he concluded that the danger was over.

‘No slit along the left or right hands and with no head I do wonder even if they were what I thought they might be, they- A: Cannot or could not see me though I do wonder how far their senses would last?
And- B: This window is not broken so they certainly cannot be responsible, no they’re just ordinary shop window dummies’ the Doctor breathed not caring if anyone saw or heard him.
Better to be cautious then unprepared, he thought.

Straightening up from his position he glanced along to spy what the dummies were actually wearing thus able to confirm his suspicions of what era that he was now present in?

The figures, all three of them stood in jaunty ‘happy’-like stances against a plain blank yellow card background while the dummies’ colour was cardboard brown in colour and despite the heads missing from the chin down the figures were complete.

One of them was a man, dressed in a business suit, pinstriped complete with a blinding white shirt and oddly coloured tie, while a black briefcase accessory sat in an available hand.

The two woman were dressed quite similarly, though one wore an attractive looking black jacket and lilac blouse, while a black skirt and red high heels topped off the manikin.

The other stood in a trouser-suit, pin striped like the male manikin’s while a white blouse topped the centre.

The Doctor smiled as he glanced up at the clothes, realising that little had changed that he was still in an age of elegance that had not abandoned its roots, well the future was very uncertain- the Jean-Marc Caelon was foe example a good sign while the trivial pursuits of such experimental candidates as Louisa Marcel Zberigna were definitely ones to miss.

He patted his clothes as he stepped away looking up at the logo above, it was printed in a black background while dressed in gleaming gold the words: Tres Bien.

‘Interesting, yes’ he said as he patted his pockets again but then noticed how faded and battered his clothing looked. This old costume had sustained him throughout his eighth lifetime, the dark green crumpled velvet coat now left on Skaro in the hands of Kaeya.

A noble sacrifice to the end and although he was wearing the same clothes, he did start to notice the wear and tears surrounding its edges.

‘I think it’s time for a change. I know this is hardly the time nor indeed the place but I cannot continue unless I feel comfortable. A new chance, a new life awaits me and unless I have a look to match my new form I know it will aggravate me inside. As fate has presented me with this sign, perhaps I should take a leaf from the situation I’m in?’ the Doctor breathed as he patted the only thing he considered was really for him, the tweed jacket.

Deciding that it would be better, he walked a few paces on towards the door and reached out to the closed door noting the absence of light and yet as he reached out to the door handle, it was not locked but open.

‘How very odd, whatever happened here certainly came as a surprise?’ the Doctor replied and as he pushed open the door, he momentarily glanced down to spy a twinkling cluster of metal objects shining back at him.

Keys.

Pausing slowly he knelt down slowly and picked free the cold, silver keys from the pavement. Bringing them up closer, he noted the weathered edges on the keys, noting their use and then shrugged.
Pausing for a further moment, he took up the keys and inserted one of them into the lock but it wouldn’t fit? Slightly irritated by this, he tried the second key and was rewarded as it slid into the lock and turned it. Seeing the bar slide back several times, he breathed a sigh of frustration.

‘Ah, so it was a sudden attack but definitely not a neutron bomb or else I would have felt the effects by now? So why are the streets so clean of dust/ dirt or indeed people? Further mysteries excite the mind- who said that? Does it matter? Yes it does. Something other than an unnatural incident has occurred in this city’ the Doctor replied and after saying this he stepped over the hearthrug by the door.

As the door closed behind him, the bell above him rang slowly, its chime carrying far through the darkness as the Doctor unperturbed by this hastened off into the depths of the shop.

Out on the streets ‘Tomcat’ suddenly appeared, the Corporal masked in black, rifle over shoulder suddenly stopped, glancing back down the way he had come he noted the absence of the distant bus stop and swore silently.

In one fluid movement, he slung his rifle forward, covering the street before him with heavy powerful assault rifle. Although this was simply combat instincts shining through, in reality his heart was beating quickly through his body, vibrating against his uniform and resounding through his helmet.

Breathing deep and fast he glanced quickly this way and that before reaching up to the side of his helmet and pressed the communication switch.

‘Jerry, Jerry!’ he cried nervously, no longer caring if the panic showed up in voice as he yelled across the microphone.

‘Yes Tomcat I hear you, stop yelling and get a word out. What’s wrong?’ came ‘Jerry’s’ reply devoid of panic but alertness and strength.

‘Two things. I’ve lost all visual contact with target and a single bus stop located to the east of me, twenty metres away is missing, repeat missing. Can you confirm it was ever there and I need that info five minutes ago’ ‘Tomcat’ cried frantically looking about him, around the silent street.

There came a crackling across his radio that sounded like interference but was really ‘Jerry’ pulling free his copy of the ordinance map from his rucksack and looking at the appropriate area, his eyes behind the goggles scanned the map quickly before pin-pointing the precise are and froze.

‘Come in Jerry? Come in, do you confirm the presence of a bus stop?’ came Tomcat’s frantic cries across his radio, taking his hand off the rifle, he pressed the switch on the side and cleared his throat as he started to speak in a calm, clear tone.

‘Negative Tomcat. There is no bus stop registered in those co-ordinates’ Jerry replied and as those words hit Tomcat, his heart bounced in his chest as he looked around in panic for any sign of movement.

‘Jerry, I will have to try a re-position of the immediate area. I am evacuating this position temporarily until it deemed clear’ Tomcat replied in a steady but shaky voice.

‘Understood your decision Corporal but with respect don’t you dare run! That thing can detect movement’ Jerry replied quickly but calmly.

‘Jerry, this isn’t the time. I am at ground zero here and I am not going to stand here while that thing takes up cat and mouse with me, are you hearing me?’ Tomcat yelled as he looked suddenly down the street, the blood pumped fast in his veins.

Was there a shadow?

No it was nothing but as he continued to look around jittery of the normal but unknown surroundings, he felt thirsty and sick simultaneously as he continued to wave his rifle around him confidently, hoping that in some way that this action might prove successful enough to ward off the unknown but even he was not convinced.

‘Tomcat, Corporal we don’t know the full story. Only know what we’ve been briefed, even they don’t know what it’s capable of. Don’t move, don’t run!’ Jerry warned as he glanced down the barrel of his rifle and on seeing nothing, he picked up the rifle and the stand and crossed across the flat warehouse roof.

Setting it down some feet close to the other side by the lip of a fire escape, while a cold once white ladder, now flaked away stood a foot away from him as he set down the stand a re-positioned the rifle, looking down the barrel through the sights at the lone black clad figure standing alone in the street.

‘Tomcat, do not move from your position!’ Jerry cried loudly into the communicator but instead he could see his colleague twisting nervously around waving the rifle dangerously about.

Hastily Jerry’s mind was moving quickly, glancing around at the area around him, then he saw something glinting in the sunlight, he felt hot beneath his uniform but strove to keep his mind focussed as he adjusted the scope quickly and focussed in on the shop windows, at the key present in the lock of the door.

‘Tomcat, this is what I want you to do. Now listen up, I don’t know where it the Zero is but to the north of you there is a shop, a key’s in the lock. Now, hopefully you can use that building as cover while I try and get some reinforcements and hopefully more data on this thing’ Jerry cried and saw Tomcat nod slowly before he heard the reply.

‘Are you mad? That thing could be anywhere, even the ground beneath me!’ Tomcat cried frantically, his panting breath echoed fast throughout his mask.

‘Look, if you want to run, then run Tomcat but there’s a good chance that that thing will get to you first! Don’t argue with someone who couldn’t careless if you got blown up on the training course, get over to that shop and stay there, if it tries anything I’ll give it a few shots!’ Jerry retorted roughly.

‘You think your bullets can stop that thing? You can see what it’s done here, I mean look!’ Tomcat cried gesturing with his arms.

‘Well just remember that every time you wield that rifle of yours you might as well scream at it because they won’t do anything, standard use bullets. Just move, now!’ Jerry replied as he flicked off the safety-catch and watched as the lone figure remained.

‘You stupid great idiot Corporal, move it!’ he muttered as he glanced down the barrel at the street before him and then he heard Tomcat’s nervous voice.

‘Jerry, Jerry can you hear me? Jerry?’ he cried, his fevered words filtering through to his mind and for a moment he considered re-aiming his sight at his colleague, end his pain before it starts.

Then suddenly he saw Tomcat running, he could see the black clad figure tearing across the street but as he glanced, there was no sign of it.

Wait there in the top right hand corner- movement, quickly he rotated his view around centring on a tall lamppost.
***********
The creature started to unfold from his camouflage; it could see the movement, sense its movements as irregular and therefore a viable target.

Seizing its chance it shed its disguise and suddenly its arm of light split outwards into long jagged tendrils reaching far into the open sky, its movement was silent as Tomcat hurried on, alerted by its presence as Jerry’s heavy sniper rifle as it spluttered bullets quickly, impacting loudly with the surface.

The creature’s tendrils fanned out imitating the stalk of some vast inverted umbrella that flexed this way and that before suddenly slithered forward now growing progressively larger and wider as bulk replaced tendrils.

For a moment, out of desperation Tomcat wheeled around on the thing and pulled a few rounds, grabbing the thing’s attention firmly until Jerry stopped and wheeled on Tomcat, catching at the area close to his feet abruptly stopping his fire.

‘You stupid, thick headed idiot!’ Jerry muttered as he re-aimed at the creature and fired, the bullets streamed through the air hitting at the ‘flesh’, their impact smacking echoing hard like rain again inflated rubber.

The creature, whose appearance now bore a striking resemblance to some vast sea lion, whose features although crude, its form transparent to the air, to the light like a living piece of moving gel. It swiped out a vast claw in the direction of Jerry but it could not reach its attacker, instead its flailing arm descended crashing down hard across the top of a building spilling debris in all direction but Jerry continued to fire.

Finally Tomcat reached the safety of the shop and hurriedly barged in and closed the door before rolling down behind a clothes rack and remained still, breathing quickly, his heart pounding, while his eyes tightly shut as all he could hear was the rounds as they impacted with the creature and then a second later- the ground.

Suddenly there came a movement behind him, he turned desperate to discover the source of the disturbance, his night vision goggles applied as he saw a man rush forward into the body of the shop, a man partly dressed?

Though he was devoid of shoes and socks, the shirt untucked and his tie hanging around his neck he was still the same man he had seen only minutes before- the target.

‘Good grief! By Rassilon’s star what is that thing? Or more precisely where did it come from? The source perhaps of the disruption to this chunk of London, the population destroyed by that thing, that creature?’ he breathed as he glanced out of the window.

Looking from side to side, a sock he held in his hand, he lifted his left leg free, trying his best to keep his balance, he pulled the sock on.

‘As for that gunfire, a welcome sign of life I must say, though I wonder who that is?’ the Doctor muttered and taking this point, Tomcat stood up, clicking the safety-catch off and on attracting the Doctor’s attention immediately.

‘That is private Douglas Johnson- code-named ‘Jerry’ and you are a looter amongst other things?’ Tomcat hissed, his voice muffled by the mask he wore.

‘Forgive me but I didn’t realise the air was polluted? How do you do, I’m the Doctor’ he said but Tomcat raised the rifle quickly.

‘You are under arrest for looting. Now get back against the counter over there’ he ordered and the Doctor although alerted and a little afraid tapped the weapon’s muzzle.

‘An assault rifle, infra red sighting, double release pump action would mean you would have had a grenade launcher amongst other things attached to this formidable looking weapon. As for yourself, typical black uniform, gas mask, goggles, infra green or red, special helmet. Black ops but working for whom? You’re not the SAS so some other government agency- am I right?’ the Doctor replied but instead Tomcat just ushered him along, back towards the counter.

‘Very well and as for my current state, no I’m neither a flasher or a looter. I just need to get some shoes and indeed another sock, do you mind if I get dressed properly?’ the Doctor added as he reached the counter.

Tomcat watched him suspiciously, spying if he was going to make any move but it seemed logical, the man was half-dressed and if they had to suddenly move it would be impractical and embarrassing too.

‘Move it then to the changing rooms and make no attempts to sneak out when you’re done!’ he warned to which the Doctor saw as being quite amusing.

‘Go, go where? If London is as abandoned as it is because of that creature out there then I believe you need all the help you can get? As for dispatching two people, either you’re very good at your job or the agency employing you has proved to be very impractical and a horrible blunder has ensued in this action- am I right?’ the Doctor asked and Tomcat simply stepped forward towards the Doctor.

‘Just get dressed and stay quiet!’ he hissed.

‘Very well then’ the Doctor replied and fished into ‘his’ trouser pocket to pull free another sock and hastily pulled it onto his naked right foot, finishing the buttoning, he tucked in ‘his’ shirt and fixed the tie around his neck, a tartan bow-tie, before he reached out to his jacket and pulled on a silver waistcoat, buttoning it.

‘Hurry up now!’ Tomcat cried and the Doctor seemed to take no notice as he pulled on his tweed jacket and set about looking for shoes.

‘What’s the hurry, if I may ask? We’re effectively pinned in here and unless you have some means of arousing reinforcements then it means we might be trapped here indefinitely? Black or brown?’ the Doctor replied and jarring Tomcat’s eyes he glanced around to see the man kneeling by the shoe rack.

‘Just put some shoes on Doctor and keep quiet!’ Tomcat hissed and with that the Doctor shrugged, I’ve been living in shadow too long, he thought.

Pulling free a brown shoe, he measured his own foot to the shoe in question and shook his head, while outside the hail of bullets suddenly stopped.
Tomcat swiftly crossed over to the window of the door to see the creature still rearing up in the street, while behind him, the Doctor finished tying up his new shoes.

Then as he stretched, he crossed over to the counter taking free a discarded pen from the side, he scribbled a note and then plucked into his tweed jacket a small purse and brought out a sparkling, twinkling rock the size of a man’s fingernail and dropped it on the paper.

‘There now, that should cover everything. Now what’s going on out there Mr Black Ops?’ the Doctor replied as he pocketed the purse and advanced timidly over towards the window, managing to capture a glimpse through a shard of exposed glass not taken up by his ‘captor’s’ frame.

‘Oh dear, oh dear. Yes that creature is definitely responsible for the mass absence of the population here’ the Doctor breathed and immediately he was given an odd look from Tomcat.

‘You really deduced that from this brief encounter? No wonder you’re such a liability to them at head office’ he said half-heartedly expecting this man to frown but instead he smiled.

‘Nice to know I’m creating such a unique reputation in my absence. So you know roughly who I am and that you represent some sort of emergency defence protocol initiated to tackle this emergency?’ the Doctor asked and Tomcat blinked in surprise from behind his goggles.

Incredible, how could this man. The target know everything or virtually everything?

He found himself nodding slowly to the Doctor’s query.

‘Then perhaps you might explain the relevant details starting with what that creature is, how and where did the attacks start and who you are working for?’ the Doctor asked looking quite determined to getting an answer, those piercing eyes, so sharp that they seemed to cut into his self-control as he found himself starting to explain everything.
**************
Jerry’s finger tightened on the trigger as he fired again and again as he looked down at the vast globulous creature as it ascended high above the many buildings dwarfing them into the dirt. He could quite believe it; ground zero in all its refinery was enormous and unstoppable.

Turning around his focus on the ground before the creature, he could see scattered about the ground, bullets. Unused, unexploded bullets lay where they had rebounded onto the cold grey tarmac of the street.

On seeing this, he stopped firing, taking his finger of the trigger as he breathed quickly, frantically through his mask before in one fluid move he rolled to the side leaving his weapon unattended as he crouched low behind the four foot high wall.

His mind was racing as he stared to the grey, gravel-like overlay of the flat ground while behind him, he could hear the heavy rumbling as the creature’s almost curious nature came into play, it was seeking out the source of its attacker but there was no sign of it?

Instinctively along its slippery skin there formed many mounds becoming ever slimmer and sharper, their points becoming jagged. The vast creature resembled some grotesque leviathan from every child’s deepest nightmare as it straightened high above the city point, glancing this way and that.

Jerry hurriedly pressed at the second communicator switch to his right, triggering the operations circuit.

‘Control, Control this is Jerry to Control, Jerry to Control, are you receiving me?’ he stammered as he pulled himself tighter into a ball beneath the shadow of the wall.

In the centre of Trafalgar square there sat a blank, unmarked van while a mass of many speckled pigeons continued to peck in fevered attempts they gain some sort of breadcrumbs that might have remained but as creatures of habit went, they continued their relentless chore.

‘Control are you receiving me?’ came Jerry’s partly muffled voice across the speakers within the large van. While the interior sat in thick, deep shadows, three masked figures sat at desks before the controls. Technicians or partial technicians as opposite them there stood propped up against the wall three assault rifles, fully loaded and awaiting use.

As Jerry’s fevered cries continued to penetrated the harsh static that filled the semi-darkness of the van, one of the operators turned to the side and pulled a clipboard from the side and flicked on a shoulder light attached to her uniform.

Climbing from her place slowly and silently as not disturb the remaining workers at their place, she walked silently towards the far end and knocked once. Immediately they slid back revealing a further room inside. Unlike the monitoring section this one was all ready lit up and while one man occupied it, he stood before a fixed black metallic table. Upon this was a map but nothing made from paper, instead the table’s surface seemed to be a glass- like substance and upon it was a projection of London.

The operator saluted as the man before her noticed her presence, he raised his right hand instinctively, the silver alloy shining beneath his sleeve was bright to the operator’s eyes, even beneath the goggles though she did her best to try and ignore it as she approached him still clutching the clipboard tightly to her chest.

‘Report?’ he asked in a slightly nervous tone, doing his best to keep control of the rushing anxiety in him.

This should not be happening, he thought. None of this should be, yet he was here now and he had been given a job to do.

‘Sir, I have received word from the field. Operative Jerry reports that a full-scale attack has occurred, he sounds concerned’ the operator replied.

Her commander wheeled around on her, fixed her steadily, tracing the lines of her rounded figure through her uniform and for a very brief moment he felt attracted to this being but a moment later he knew otherwise.
She was not human, although her form was human shaped, it was as far as she could be referred to as human.

‘As do you. This task has asked for many things from us, our concentration fully on such matters but that does not excuse you from going against your function’ the commander replied, even as he said this he looked down at his right arm, still feeling the cold numbness as the machine arm ‘stared’ back at him.

‘Of course not sir, I was merely reporting to you the condition of our operatives on the field’ she replied through the muffled confines of the mask she wore.

It was incredible, he thought as he stared idly at ‘her’ body at beneath that uniform she was nothing but a collection of circuits- sophistication of the most expertly created technology was promised when he had signed up on that contract.

She and her team stationed here were part of that technology, salvaged and re-engineered for use in the field, even now he remembered that he was the only human in that team, why send a machine unit to deal with a human problem. He was half machine now.

His arm, his new arm- the result of the ultimate survivors- a product of the ultimate technology devoted to ensuring survival and as he turned it over now, feeling the numbness as he flexed it, he wondered how the whole body could live with these things?

‘Sir?’ asked the operator suddenly, dragging his consciousness back into the real world he snapped quickly into a decision. The incident had occurred; his supervisor had failed to report it to central control, which made him seem unreliable.

Eighteen security troopers had been sent into that area and now it seemed only one remained and the Doctor was at the centre of the operation. His next decision was controversial but he knew it to be the correct move.

‘Do not inform section five of the following instructions, is that understood?’ he replied staring into the lifeless goggles of the figure before him.

‘It is sir, what action should we take to?’ the operator asked in a calm, inhumanly calm tone.

‘Contact System central control, inform them of our current situation. I am not going to wait in a queue like everyone else just so that our supervisor can make another mistake’ Stebbings said,

‘System Central Control?’ repeated the operator, provoking an immediate reaction in him.

‘Immediately! The situation is extreme in content, we need their advise at once to stop the incident from advancing further’ Stebbings ordered.

‘Yes Sir’ replied the operator and with that ‘she’ saluted him before she turned towards the table and as Stebbings slid back, she operated a few controls in a concealed area and immediately the map display faded away leaving behind a blank screen.
This then folded itself up, travelling backwards on rails until it stood vertical before him.

The screen flickered into life with a blank static line; this lasted for a few seconds before it was replaced by bold, light green block- capitals.

PLEASE STANDBY… GATE-LINE NOW ACTIVATED.

‘This is Field Operative Stebbings located in the Emergency situation at Trafalgar Square, Section five’s controller Supervisor Denton deployed eighteen security units into the area, only one so far has been confirmed alive. The Doctor is still alive at the centre of this incursion, we require immediate advise from you, please?’ he said as he stood before the screen.
A moment later it faded away into static.

‘Now we wait, inform me the moment information comes through. I’m going out to get some air’ Stebbings replied turning away from the operator and crossing promptly to the interlude door.

‘Yes sir’ replied the operator as he closed the metal door and immediately ‘she’ took up a place before the screen and waited patiently, she understood her orders well.
*******
‘This is Field Operative Stebbings located in the Emergency situation at Trafalgar Square, Section five’s controller Supervisor Denton deployed eighteen security units into the area, only one so far has been confirmed alive. The Doctor is still alive at the centre of this incursion, we require immediate advise from you, please?’

Stebbings’ image filtered into the darkened regions of the Boardroom while super-visor Shaw stood behind his chair, resting along the edges of it as he stared deep into the image projected from the emitting panel in the ground.

As the message ended another hologram took over its place- it was of the city of London and as the plan revolved, zooming in several icons appeared across the surface.

‘Interesting, the Zero-Point seems to have proved a perfect example, the field test is now complete’ breathe Shaw as he glanced at the hologram.

At the end of the boardroom the doors silently slid back to reveal Professor Rosewood and an attractive woman dressed in a similar smart trouser suit. She was tall and slim, possibly within her middle thirties but unlike Rosewood, she seemed more in control as she walked before him, taking up much of the space in which he was walking.

‘You requested our presence super-visor Shaw?’ she asked in a Polish-sounding tone.

‘No Doctor Hawthorne as I’ve been trying to explain to you, if you would get out of my way that I was supposed to be seen’ Rosewood argued angrily but the woman- Hawthorne ignored him as though he were nothing but an irritating mosquito.

‘I did indeed Doctor Hawthorne, Professor Rosewood. If you would kindly take your seats then perhaps this meeting can be dispensed with as quickly as possible’ Shaw replied gesturing to the two chairs beside him.

Two chairs, side by side. Quickly Rosewood took to the first chair and sighed as he sighed with much relief as Hawthorne took to her place and just to be sure that he was not going to pick up any irritating points from her form, he shoved his chair a few inches away from her before resting forward onto the shining table.

‘Are you finished with your pathetic display of furniture ballet?’ Hawthorne asked in a snobby manner towards Rosewood but her eyes were fixed on Shaw as she turned away from him, unable to retort, unable to reply to another insult.

‘Perfectly so Doctor, Hawthorne’ Rosewood slowly said no longer finding a reason to openly display his arrogance and superiority for this upstart beside him.

‘If you both finished bickering then, we have a state of emergency. Since Professor Rosewood here understands the situation, I shall be brief, as I know what has occurred. Your presence here Rosewood is take notes of what I will say. While you, Doctor Hawthorne can aid the situation’ Shaw replied as he crossed along the table, past the rows of vacant chairs and past the still wet patch of the corner carpet that reeked of disinfectant.

Rosewood looked a little astonished while Hawthorne smiled thinly towards the hologram as Shaw walked to the centre of the room.
‘Forgive me sir but am I to understand that you are placing the situation in this woman’s hands, with respect sir, I am the senior scientist present and she is nothing more than a jumped up chemist! The situation is extreme, yes but sacrifices have to be made in the name of science’ Rosewood suddenly said provoking Shaw’s look towards him while Hawthorne merely stared onwards at the emitters in the floor.

‘Zero-Point has all ready proved its success in the field, which is why, Professor, that you are here however with estimated three hundred casualties recorded- enough is enough! Doctor Hawthorne here may come from a different department as you but she is qualified enough to handle the situation further’ Shaw replied in his mock-pleasant tone which snapped Rosewood into immediate silence.

Hawthorne smiled teasingly before she leant forward across the table, her hands resting on the surface steadily.

‘Thank you super-visor Shaw, you Rosewood have really bodged up this test with your over pedantic rhetoric of so-called self-placed superiority to my department but we are nothing but to sides of the same coin, I represent the heads while you are tails and ugly-looking tails at that’ Hawthorne suddenly said adding a mock look towards him.

‘Why you stupid, insane woman! My department is superior to you! Zero-Point’s testing was nothing to do with me, it has survived, it will survive. I made it so, I made it Doctor Hawthorne!’ Rosewood cried angrily, no longer fearing to show as the barriers of self control broke away and by the time he had finished his sentence he had noticed Hawthorne’s smirk spread far across her all ready confident look.

‘Enough of these departmental conflicts!’ Shaw snapped staring down at the two scientists before him as the holographic map twirled before him, revolving this way and that as Shaw pointed to the centre of the image and immediately it became stationery.

‘Zero-Point has outlived its usefulness to us, the testing has been completed. Rosewood, you are to collect the relevant details from your department and you are to reconstruct the growth threshold of that organism. It must not expand beyond a given size of seven- eight foot, the creature has claimed the lives of over three hundred human beings, it is threatening to expand therefore the cover-story given will be inconclusive’ Shaw retorted loudly freezing Rosewood into his seat.

Shaw pointed to the larger flashing icon on the hologram.

‘Zoom in on this sector’ he ordered and immediately the image blurred before becoming larger and clearer, a flashing red icon say not far from the moving grey icon.

‘As you can see, the Doctor is present within the ground zero area, he must not be compromised in anyway, that is why Doctor Hawthorne is present, due to extreme invulnerability of the Zero-Point I am charging you Hawthorne with the responsibility. Deploy the Cerberus Program!’ ordered Shaw.

‘What?’ was all Rosewood could say in a paralysed tone.

‘Extreme emergencies as this require immediate action Professor Rosewood. It will take precisely one hour to initiate the successful growth of one Cerberus organism’ Hawthorne replied confidently but Rosewood’s horrified face remained.

‘Feeling squeamish, Professor?’ Hawthorne asked mockingly.

‘Cerberus isn’t necessary Hawthorne, Zero-Point can be contained. It will just require freeze bombing and that is all. It can be contained’ Rosewood argued but Shaw simply shook his head.

‘No time for that Rosewood, Cerberus is the containment policy. You will fly to London in one hour’s time, you will supervise the clean up of the remains of the Zero-Point creation. Containment will be deployed over London, you will report to the field operative and ensure that there are no further incidents’ Shaw ordered harshly.

‘But Sir, you cannot… I mean very well sir, I will comply with your wishes’ Rosewood replied as he made to go but Shaw raised his hand signalling him to remain.

‘Don’t go yet Rosewood. I want you to see the rest of the operation, Doctor Hawthorne I expect that the growth process can be increased on the organism?’ Shaw asked looking first from Rosewood and then over his shoulder towards the silent sitting woman.

‘Not without causing considerable harm towards the mental stability of the creature, we wouldn’t want a further calamity upon the catastrophe that Rosewood here has unleashed upon us’ she said sending a further cheeky look towards him, spying the anger building in his veins as he sat there behind a cold mask.

‘A shame therefore Professor, I see that you have something to add?’ Shaw asked noting also Rosewood’s agitated glare at the over-confident woman beside him.

‘Yes, supervisor as a matter of fact I do. If you are going to use Cerberus then I suggest you apply some hydration bombs to the immediate area, since there is no one within that area, the sudden drop of water will cause Zero-Point’s structure to temporarily loosen for a process of ten to twenty minutes at the most?’ Rosewood said as he rose from his seat.

‘And there you weaken it? I thought you claimed that Zero-Point was invulnerable?’ Hawthorne asked and Rosewood, having difficulty controlling himself restricted himself to a slight cough as he continued.

‘It is, if you bothered to read my reports instead of having them dispatched to the incinerator the moment it arrives on your desk. I suggest hydration bombing be used at once?’ he added eyeing the woman carefully before resuming his place at the table.

‘Good, that will work perfectly, our cover story will be updated then- a terrorist bomb has been upgraded to a gas explosion in central London. As for discipline of the incident that has occurred, I want the supervisor of that lesser section demoted’ Shaw replied as he waved his hand over the hologram and it changed, warping into another shape.

‘His work on the Assault units has proved interesting to read so far however he was primarily responsible for this incident to occur’ Rosewood added and immediately Shaw shot him a look that indicated silence.

‘Indeed, the System does not tolerate failure of this magnitude’ Shaw said aloud to both of them while the image changed to a database, opening files as he went, he homed in on a man’s face.
Beside it was a name: DENTON, SUPERVISING CONTROLLER OF SECTION FIVE.

As he pressed a control next to the image, a red cross folded across his face until the text beneath this went blank, the title next to his name vanished, it became blank.

‘What action do you think I should take with disciplining this man’s actions Doctor Hawthorne?’ Shaw asked looking up from the hologram and straight at Hawthorne opposite him.

Hawthorne uncrossed her hands as she looked up at him and smiled coldly, looking around the room with clinical precision as she answered him.

‘The System does not tolerate failure, he was given a rank, a place within this organisation and the responsibility was his. He failed, since the only success he has engineered has been the Assault units. He should make a sacrifice, a sacrifice to the system in the name of science. Have him modulated into an Assault unit’ Hawthorne replied coldly and surprisingly Rosewood agreed with her decision.

‘So be it, Denton, former Supervising Controller of Section Five will be demoted to the experimental level three at the Section Five. He will be converted into an assault unit and will be used to fulfil a survival test under a live barrage, sentence to be carried out immediate’ Shaw answered as he typed in the relevant data into the holographic keyboard before finally the image of Denton’s face faded away.

‘Now then Professor Rosewood, Doctor Hawthorne the meeting is adjourned, temporary control will pass into Field Operative Stebbings’ hands. I will send a confirmation of this information together with the order for revivification of a Cerberus embryo from storage within… within Section Five. I want this problem contained’ Shaw added as he turned away from the hologram.

‘Yes supervisor Shaw’ Hawthorne said quickly and immediately Rosewood gave a respectful bow towards him.

‘Yes sir’ he said quickly before rising from his chair.

‘Collect the relevant equipment you need Professor, a car will be ready to take you to the airport in forty-five minutes and remember, we expect success, the System does not tolerate failure, no matter what the cause is!’ Shaw ordered and as Hawthorne met his look with an icy stare.

‘Yes sir, there will be no errors sir. I can assure you of that’ Rosewood replied in a pleasant, calm tone before he walked off towards the door, it slid open as he pulled it gently aside before he faded from their sight.
************
‘Unbelievable, that what it is. I’ve heard better explanations from the cell of the Marquis de Sade then I have from you, well that was after he started ranting those obnoxious ‘poems’ of his’ the Doctor said as he peered over the edge of a counter looking across the shop floor and through the gaps in the background of the shop window.

‘Believe what you want to believe Doctor but that is the truth’ retorted Tomcat has he shoved the rifle’s muzzle closer against the Doctor’s cheek, feeling the cold metal as an irritant the Doctor brushed it away as though it were a mosquito.

‘Really? So tell me where is the artillery arrays, the huge but distant multitude of police sirens as they warn the public back from the cordon they’ve put up? Why are there so few soldiers in the street and why are dressed as a black ops?’ the Doctor asked as looked first from the window to his ‘captor’.

Control was right about this man, he was powerful. The same man who had cropped up three years previously with the Zarlon Menace? But he had had a girl with him and he was tall and broad with curly hair and a long scarf. Was this still the same man?

‘Well? I am waiting for an answer’ he said patiently and somehow Tomcat found himself answering the man crouched beside him.

‘That is not an agent from a hostile extraterrestrial power but instead that is project Zero-Point, a life form that has broken free from its containment unit and as you can see is roaming central London’ Tomcat explained.

The words hit the Doctor suddenly and harshly.

‘That creature was created? Who by? No, wait let me guess by the same organisation that employs you, by an offshoot of the government’s defence forces. I bet even UNIT doesn’t know you exist- am I right?’ the Doctor replied looking back towards the window as the Zero-Point creature continued to swarm this way and that, uncertain of where it should move?

‘Very Doctor, you know too much for your own good’ retorted Tomcat loudly no longer caring as the harshness flowed forth from his mouth, he couldn’t stand this harsh git one bit.

‘Too much? I’ve only just started which is what the creature is doing out there, presumably it is intelligent. It’s weighing us down or you down, saw you come inside and now it’s trying to work out how to get at you, see the way it’s moving about out there? It’s curious’ the Doctor replied.

‘Curious! That thing out there has eaten/ absorbed sixteen of my colleagues and everyone in this area- that’s why it’s so big! It could tear this place apart if it wanted’ Tomcat argued, frustrated that he was unable to do anything. Plus, this man’s ramblings were getting right on his wick! If he continued to blather on and on and on then he might have to shoot him- no matter what his orders were.
‘So that’s it’s secret, its motivation. Hunger and I imagine that it held a brief intelligence but now its certainly smarter to realise that camouflage is an effective means of trapping us. No longer does it use instinctive rhetoric but it’s hunting us.
Why on Earth should your people create that monstrosity and how? The last time I was here, you had only cracked the secrets of the double helix- there was no sudden jump from there to making creatures of your own!’ the Doctor muttered as he climbed to his feet, his eyes still fixed on the swirling mass outside the window.

Suddenly a shapeless globule moved quickly against the window cracking it all across the smooth surface but as Tomcat huddled, clicking the safety off, the Doctor remained stationery throughout.

‘Interesting, it appears curious of the barrier sealing us in here- namely the glass. Now what we need to do is locate an emergency exit of some sort?’ the Doctor said as he tried squeeze past Tomcat, who suddenly reacted pointing the rifle at him.

‘You’re going no where Doctor!’ he cried as he brought the weapon to bare.

‘Well either you want to hang around here and get eaten like your friends or take a chance and escape- or re-group as you black ops say?’ the Doctor asked looking down at him, almost as though he could make out the panicky looking eyes framed behind the gas mask.

Suddenly there came a low but distant hum in the sky, it was some way off but forever getting closer with each passing second.

‘It seems that your organisation has not abandoned you after all, the cavalry arrives at last’ the Doctor said and as Tomcat rose up, the sound became clearer- whirring blades, they were helicopters.

‘Perhaps we should try and find a way out so that they can find us for a pick up?’ the Doctor suggested and with nothing further to do or add Tomcat managed a brief nod before turning to the Doctor and clicked the safety back on.

‘Lead the way Doctor’ Tomcat ordered and with little to do but agree the Doctor exchanged his nod as he started along the vast clothing floor towards a door marked: Staff only.

As he tried the door behind the counter, he found it to be locked, no matter how hard he tried the handle refused to turn.

‘Allow me Doctor!’ Tomcat said and as the Doctor stepped aside Tomcat raised the barrel of his rifle and with one fluid action he clicked off the safety and fired at the lock and clicked it back on.
He pushed open the door and the Doctor simply stood there, hands around his ears.

‘Ah, yes conventional as ever. So here we go’ replied the Doctor as he lowered his hands and took the lead into the bare, briefly room.
Filled with a table and three chairs, a black padded sofa sat by the door next to a stained wooden coffee table while a coffee machine sat vacant and dead in a corner.

‘There’s no fire exit in here? I feel like complaining to the building society for this error?’ the Doctor said as he looked around the room in frustration.

‘No Doctor, over here in the corner’ Tomcat cried as he led the way over to the corner of the Fire Exit and pushed open the bar to reveal a grey, bleak street beyond.

‘Yes and out we go into the….’ the Doctor’s speech was interrupted as a vast tremor that knocked them hard to the ground, as Tomcat fell against the doorframe he could hear angry, agitated cries across his communicator from Jerry.

Reaching up to the side of his helmet, immediately the cries broke off as he started to speak.

‘Calm down will you? What is going on up there?’ he asked in a frantic, almost equally scared tone as his colleague’s.
On the roof Jerry continued to crouch down as another helicopter whizzed over, the heavy rattle of its blades nipped at the air over him as he tried to return the answer.

‘Multiple Chinook helicopter squadrons are in the area, they are dropping some sort of charges, can’t quite get a look without getting caught by the shock waves!’ Jerry cried as another monstrous machine sped over the roof.

From the open compartment in the side of the aircraft two uniformed men pulled another large silver casket into position, the size and shape of a dustbin before hauling it over the side and watched as it cascaded through the air before impacting hard with Zero-Point creature.
It almost bounced as it lay in the jelly-like mass before the cask suddenly exploded spreading a mass of water in all directions, with an effect like acid, it started to burn at the ‘skin’ of the creature as it flailed about in agony.

Great fumes floated up from the burning patches of skin, a scent of scalding meat the likes no one could ever believe swallowed up the air within the region.

‘Whatever they’re using against that thing, it seems to be working. Though keep to your place, it could still be causing trouble!’ Jerry added.

‘Are you mad? That thing could crush us completely’ cried Tomcat as he looked about to see the Doctor climbing to his feet and funnily enough brushing himself down.

‘Dear me, it looks like they’ve got the heavy guns out?’ the Doctor replied before looking towards Tomcat.
‘Shouldn’t we be getting out of here before we’re crushed/ exploded or eaten?’ the Doctor added looking towards the black ops soldier.

‘Jerry, we are pulling out. I have target one with me, contact Control, inform them of our current position’ Tomcat replied before straightening up and gestured to the Doctor.

‘This way Doctor!’ cried Tomcat as he leapt through the gap, his rifle still held tightly as another explosion rocked the area.

‘Yes, thank you. Perhaps we should head South, towards the river, maybe we can reach the cordon?’ the Doctor suggested but Tomcat shook his head.

‘No, we go this way, back to control, they can deal with Zero-Point until now!’ He said and as the Doctor looked either way he nodded and followed after the soldier, knowing never to disagree with someone carrying a gun like that.

On the room, the link broke with Tomcat and so hurriedly Jerry waved frantically towards the nearest helicopter as it roared over him, pressing his hand to the other communicator switch he pressed fiercely until a clear line became present.

‘This is ‘Jerry’ to Control, Jerry to Control can you hear me- over?’ he asked frantically and thankfully someone answered him, a woman.

‘This is Control, relay your position to us’ the reply said but Jerry instead carried on relentlessly.

‘This is Jerry, target one and Tomcat are in Ground Zero, repeat: target one and Tomcat are in the Ground Zero area. We need immediate evac, repeat- immediate evac?’ Jerry cried but the line just went into static.

Above him, through the headsets of the pilots and co-pilots instructions were being relayed from control, nodding and confirming their instructions, the pilot of the closest Chinook pressed the intercom switch into the back.

‘Orders from Control, there are to be no witnesses to the incident, only target one is to be secured alive, all other units are unwanted, if you see one of them, shoot to kill’ ordered the pilot and he switched off the COM.

Immediately in the back one of the uniformed men spotted the lone, crouched figure of Jerry on the rooftop and immediately one of them walked to the wall-mounted COM and pressed the call.

As Jerry squinted up at the bright sky as a vast Helicopter descended towards him, the beating of its blades was almost deafening as it swooped in but what was more surprising to his heart, beyond the though of rescue was that one of them men standing was holding a machine gun.

Suddenly a stream of bullets shot out catching Jerry in the chest and unable to do or say anything, he simply slumped to the side, as one of the men descended on a harness, Jerry’s eyes weakly flickered as he became aware of someone walking towards him.
Suddenly someone was pulling at his uniform, tugging free his insignia from his jacket and then the light blazed into his weak eyes as the gas mask was pulled from his face and then the figure retreated back towards the awaiting helicopter.

The horrific smell stung his dying lungs as it hit it viciously knocking the air from out of him. As he took one more coughing breath he collapsed forward and lay quite still as blood trickled from his nose and eyes onto his arm.

However the Zero-Point has suffered too much now, its aching, flailing tendril, weak from the bombardment lashed out at the helicopter, grasping hold of the blades. Instead of splattering into many directions it gelled around the blades.
As the remaining soldiers on board fired hard into the seething mass the creature merely flicked the craft into the air but as the pilot frantically tried to restart the engines it proved too late as it hit the pavement of a street, sparks flew in all directions as it clattered into a shop window of WHSMITH and exploded into flames.

‘Come on old chap, keep running, whatever that was I can assume that it was on your side?’ the Doctor breathed hoarsely as he hurried on down the street followed by Tomcat at his heels.

‘How can you work that out?’ Tomcat panted as he tried to follow after this very energetic man.

‘Merely because a short burst of gunfire followed by a whopping great explosion doesn’t exactly signify success particularly when they’ve started bombing! They’re becoming desperate- what I want to know is- where is UNIT when you need them?’ the Doctor replied as he slowed his pace noting the long space between him and Tomcat.

Turning a corner they came across a towering inferno as flames grew up the side of the building, evil dark smoke has all ready claimed the sides of the towering structure as more books went up under the fires’ barrage.
The remnants of a twisted helicopter tail sprouted out from the fiery inferno that now claimed the not so distant street, even from where they stood, they could feel the searing heat radiating around them.

‘As I said, where is UNIT when you need them?’ the Doctor added as he stared into the fiery mass from which living beings had once been in.

‘This way Doctor’ Tomcat said as he led the Doctor onwards towards another street, back towards Piccadilly- no less.

The TARDIS wouldn’t be too far away he thought as the soldier led him on through empty streets, the smell of burning floating around their nostrils, the only sound being their urgent footsteps as they hurried along the dark grey faded tarmac.

‘Such a waste, looks like I’ll be talking to your superiors, when they turn up, there are many questions I want answered’ the Doctor said as he reached another corner and thankfully at that moment he glanced up to see the nearby form of the TARDIS sitting lonely.

‘And there we are, Shangri La, paradise, sanctuary whatever you wish to call it’ the Doctor beamed as he turned the corner, sighing deeply he didn’t seem to wait as Tomcat stared in a curious way towards the blue box marked: Police Box?

‘What good is that Doctor?’ Tomcat asked as the man before him hurried across to it.

‘Wait and see, I shall get right to the horse’s mouth with the TARDIS or didn’t they brief you on that?’ the Doctor called but as he reached the ‘island that it sat on there came a screeching of tyres in some unknown direction and both looking around, a black marked van skidded to a halt behind Tomcat.

‘What in…?’ the Doctor breathed as the side door slid open and three similarly dressed figures to Tomcat climbed out carrying machineguns.

Before Tomcat could react, the three black ops opened fire, the rattle was jagged, as was the pain as Tomcat crumpled to the cold ground, his rifle fell seconds later.

‘No!’ the Doctor cried as he abandoned the now open door to his TARDIS and hurried over to Tomcat’s body, as the three Black ops advanced, one of them resembling a woman raised her gun at him but the Doctor instead froze raising his hands slowly.

‘You will come with us Doctor, you will not resist!’ warned the ‘leader’ but the Doctor simply fixed them all with a glare of anger.

‘That was not called for, you shoot him down as though he were a common pest?’ he spat but instead the other two advanced closer to him.

‘You are required Doctor, you and your craft will be transported to Control’ the woman’s muffled reply came but the Doctor simply shook his head.

‘I think I would rather go to hell, then go with his murderers but first you’ll have to catch me!’ the Doctor said suddenly as the two closed the remaining space when he suddenly broke off and ran off towards the open doors of the TARDIS.

The first guard raised his gun and fired a short burst, bullets hitting the blue doors just as they closed and a moment later the blue box vanished in a mysterious groaning wheeze.

‘He has escaped. We must report this to control, as for this traitor, remove the appropriate equipment’ the leader instructed and as the two figures pulled free the gas mask, the jacket and assault rifle and helmet before walking back towards the van.

Inside the TARDIS the Doctor busied himself around the controls, on the scanner he could see more bombs exploding in the city before it was replaced with a news programme.

‘Now what do we have here?’ the Doctor muttered as he adjusted the volume to hear the attractive woman’s voice as she sat at a desk while a red banner across the bottom of the screen read News Flash.

‘The unexpected explosions have claimed the lives of over three hundred casualties within the central London district, as fire crews attempt to cope with the blaze the police have announced that all power within London will have to be discontinued within five minutes until this disaster has been contained. On a further risk that your loved ones may have been caught in this hazard please use three numbers shown below’ the presenter said in a clear voice.

The Doctor frowned as the story continued further:

‘The source of these explosions appears to have been started by a terrorist known as Doctor John Smith, the small explosive device appeared to rupture many all ready weakened gas mains within that area. We will bring you coverage from our other studios every hour on the hour…’ the programme continued but the Doctor was fuming at the sight of his picture blazed up like that.

‘So much for checking up on old friends, branded a criminal for resisting those people. I feel sickened; perhaps I should try somewhere else? Somewhere less familiar?’ the Doctor replied as he pressed a few controls and managed a weak smile as the time rotor rose and fell.

‘Report your progress supervisor Shaw?’ barked a deep; precise clipped voice across hidden speakers as Shaw stood before a holographic image on a man sitting in shadows.

He appeared to be dressed in a jet-black uniform as he addressed the holo-camera eyeing the man before him down.

‘My apologies Director but the Target one appears to have slipped through my fingers, the area has been successfully contained and the Cerberus programme has been deployed’ Shaw replied as he stood in the empty, dark boardroom.

‘Yes, I have noticed this supervisor Shaw, let there be no more failings like this in the future. If this incarnation of the Doctor has gone from our possession then be on the look out for further sightings. The Doctor will help us, no matter his form; he is essential to the success of the proceedings’ said the Director as he leant forward into the light in his ‘office’.
His face though still looking young in patches held grey or white hair, a beard surrounding his upper lip and chin while gelled, combed hair glistened in the light.

‘Yes Director Ste… I mean yes Director; we are directing all temporal scanners to all surfaces of the globe. We will find him, I can assure you of that’ he said looking towards the holographic face, watching eyes that burned coldly.

‘You would better supervisor Shaw, the System does not tolerate failure, not from me or you or anyone!’ the Director hissed harshly, the chill his voice carried passed down Shaw’s spine and deep into his nightmares.

‘Remember Shaw, we are all dead. Therefore we are not missed, especially you. Now find that Doctor!’ the Director snapped coldly.