"Hmm. So, weakest first, weakest, weakest…. Miss Pitt! Nico, Joe, with me!" the Doctor announced, dashing out of the train car.
*
"This Doctor. He's your what, exactly?" Maisie asked, as Alison attempted to open the door. "What? He's not my anything." Alison laughed nervously as she took apart wires. "Oh, you mean you're just friends." Maisie clarified. "Of course we're just friends. Oh. Well, not even friends, not any more. Not now…. well, this." she muttered. "Well, that clearly isn't true." Maisie said, a little cheekily. "It's true. It is. It's very true." Alison said, reassuring herself more than anything else. "You do seem to be here together." Maisie pointed out. "Seriously? We're stuck in this carriage, probably all night, and all we can talk about is some man?" Alison snapped. "Some man?" Maisie asked incredulously. "Not that kind of… well, I don't even know at this point." Alison sighed.
*
"Alright, I've figured it out. It can sense psychological issues, so that means that the lovely Miss Pitt is next." the Doctor said, zapping open a few doors. "Computer, let me in!" the Doctor demanded when he came to Alison's door. "Call me Gus. I'm afraid this door can only be opened by executive order." Gus said cheerfully. "Sod the executive orders, our next victim is in there. We do need to gather data, correct?" the Doctor argued. Then, the door swung obediently open. "Doctor!" Alison said, rushing into her friend's arms. She didn't want to let go, she was safe here, nothing possibly bad could happen in his embrace. "Joe?" Alison said, looking up.
Nico hesitates before setting Will down, kissing his forehead and chasing after them. He looks at the doctor. "So. The girl who is with Alison is dying next. Okay. I don't see the point this computer is trying to make. This is weirding me out. I'm used to friggin monsters, God's, and other shit. But technology is not my thing. I'm from the 1950's for Hades sake." He mutters as he watches the doctor. He smiles when he sees Alison. "Welcome back."
"Miss Pitt-"the Doctor began. "Maisie. What do you mean I'm next?" she squeaked. Suddenly, the lights flickered. But it wasn't Maisie who was the target. A shout, followed by gunshots, came from the other room. "Quell. He should have told me that there was something…. damn!" the Doctor pulled away from Alison, and ran back to the train cab. He cast a fleeting glance towards the TARDIS in the cargo hold, a force field keeping them from entering surrounded it.
Nico glances around. "what's going on?!" he demands as he runs after them. His eyes are wide with fear.
"No, that won't work! It didn't do your man any good!" the Doctor shouted, running inside. "What kind of a soldier would I be, dying with bullets in my gun?" Quell snapped. "For the record, it didn't even flinch."
Nico rolls his eyes as he watches them. "How childish.* He thinks to himself and as he stands there.
Tired. You?//
(Well, I passed out a little while ago, but otherwise fine.)
"What can you see?" the Doctor demanded. "Almost feels out of focus. Gives me a headache looking at the blasted thing." Quell said, throwing aside his gun now it was empty. "Where is it now?" the Doctor asked. "Approximately twenty feet in front of me and closing." Captain Quell said. "Am I close?" the Doctor asked, standing in the indicated spot. "It's passing right through you, like a ghost." Quell said, breathing quickly. "When you said I'd lost the stomach for a fight, I wasn't wounded in battle as such, but. My unit was bombed. I was the sole survivor. Not a scratch on me. But post-traumatic stress. Nightmares. Still can't sleep without pills. Doctor, will you be able to save me?" Quell asked. "If you move, will it follow?" the Doctor ignored the Captain's question. "Do you want me to move? Because I can certainly do that." he said, beginning to step away. "Keep looking at it, but back off quick as you like." the Doctor said calmly. "It's teleported away. It's behind me." Quell said, snapping his head around.
Nico watches, taking mental notes. How interesting. He takes a deep breath, trying to keep calm. Calm…
"I think this is it. Still, suppose it's not a bad way to go. Blood pumping, enemy at the gates and all that. And thank you, Doctor, for waking me up. It's reaching for me. Hands on my head." Quell said, and then collapsed. "Zero." Perkins said suddenly, looking up from his stopwatch. "Teleporter. That means tech. Then sixty six seconds to do what? Sixty six seconds. That seems very, very specific. Too specific for organic. So, what, more tech? What? More? A countdown clock? Something charging?" the Doctor asked. "A man just died in front of us. Can we not just have a moment?" Joe said, a quiet rage bubbling inside him. "No. No, no, no. We can't do that. We can't mourn. People with guns to their heads, they cannot mourn. We do not have time to mourn. Everybody, what takes sixty six seconds to charge up or to change state? Anyone? Am I surrounded by idiots? If only I could see this thing!" the Doctor shouted, frustrated. Alison and Maisie tentatively entered the room, and Alison immediately rushed to the Doctor's side, fear in her eyes.
Nico watches his eyes narrowed. The doctor was having a panic attack, people were dying. He looks at the body, pressing a hand to the dead man's forehead and focusing.
"Phase. Moving energy out of phase. That takes about a minute, doesn't it?" Perkins said. "That's why only the victims can see it. It takes them out of phase so it can drain their energy. You, sir, are a genius! This explains everything! Apart from what it is and how it's doing it. Sorry, I jumped the gun there with the you're a genius, that explains everything remark." the Doctor said, then looked to Nico. "Listen, don't play and Prince Of Death shenanigans. Leave this to the expert." the Doctor chastised.
Nico looks up, his eyes flashing. He chuckles. "Please doctor. Prince of death is my thing. But I'm reaching the dead souls to get answers. Now please. Hush. I'm trying to listen."
"Hmm. Won't get anything from him, most likely." the Doctor snorted.
Nico rolls his eyes. Mortals. Annoying aren't they? Nico starts. Dad? Hades could be seen in the back of his mind. Honestly. They never learn.
"We passed the TARDIS on the way here. Thought about getting inside, hiding, pulling the levers and hoping for the best. But we couldn't even get in. There was a forcefield around it." Alison offered, watching the Doctor scan Maisie. The blond blinked twice, uncomfortable. "It's probably Gus trying to block our escape route." the Doctor said calmly. "But how does he even know what it is? 'Cos if he knows what it is, then he knows what you are." Alison pointed out. Well, he has tried to entice me here before. Free tickets, mysterious summons, he even phoned the TARDIS number. Do you know how difficult a number-" "You knew. You knew this was no relaxing break. You knew this was dangerous." Alison glared, grabbing him by the collar. "I didn't know. I certainly hoped. And I don't appreciate being strangled, Alison." the Doctor wheezed. He noticed there was some sort of psychic disturbance in the room, and pulled out of his angered companion's grasp. "Nico?" the Doctor asked.
He growls. "You dragged us into this? Are you trying to get us killed doctor?" He growls, his eyes dark.
"Okay, hold up. Are you seriously saying he dragged us into a deathtrap, hoping it was a deathtrap? You're insane you are!" Joe squaked angrily. "Listen, this is what my life is like! You needed to know what you were getting into! And this was the perfect opportunity!" the Doctor defended. "Seriously? A deadly quiz?" Joe asked angrily. "Doctor, are you kidding? Will and Nico, Joe and I, everyone here could die because of this insanity!" Alison shouted. "And speaking of, you haven't even let either Will or Nico get their opinions in. How do you think they'd feel? How long have you been alone? You need someone to stop you, and your robot sure wouldn't even if he could. Nico, you back me on my observations that the Doctor is going insane, right?" Alison said. Maisie simply observed in fear. This "Doctor" was obviously the one with all the answers, but did she have the right questions? And she was apparently going to die, which would be a downer for anyone.
(Hey, how are you, Bleu?)
Not as good as I would want to be.//
Nico growls, shadows warping around him. He was pissed. "YOU ENSANGERED ALL OF US! ALISON, JOE, WILL! DO YOU HAVE NO SELF CONTROL?! NO THOUGHTS OF OTHERS?!" He takes a calming breath. "Alison and Joe are newly wed. Will and I still have a future to plan. I've had enough war in my life, Doctor. I don't need any more shenanigans." He hisses. "We're figureing out how to get out of here. And once we do. I never want to see you again." He hisses.
"I… don't. If you want to leave, that's fine. Now, I-" the lights suddenly flickered as the Doctor spoke. "Oh!" Maisie exclaimed. "Do we start the clock?" Perkins asked, worriedly. "Not yet." the Doctor said. The Doctor stood in front of Maisie and flashed the scanner in her face. "Focus. Focus. Focus! All of that is your grief, your trauma, your resentment. And now…." he put the scanner to his head, zapping himself, the shock sending him reeling. "It's mine." he continued. Suddenly, in his vision, a grotesque figure matching all descriptions appeared. "It's gone." Maisie let out a relieved sigh. "No. No, it's not. Not for me. 'Cos now it thinks I'm you." he said quietly. He threw the scanner onto a table. "Start the clock." he told Perkins, who complied. "Nico, if I die, try to save them. Please." the Doctor begged, looking over to the demigod.
(Wanna talk about it? I'll listen.)
Not necessarily//
Nico starts when he was addressed. "What sre you doing?" He barks sharply. But he stops and nods, taking a deep breath and trying to relax. He narrows his eyes and gives the doctor a look of encouragement.
(Well, if you ever need to rant about anything, I'm here. I care, I really, truly do.)
"Hello." the Doctor said to the mummy. "I'm so pleased to finally see you. I'm the Doctor and I will be your victim this evening. Are you my mummy? Never mind, you weren't around for that one, tell you later, team!" he looked back at the others. "Assuming I live through this. But you can't hurt me until my time is up. I think. So are there magic words? Is there a way to stop you in your tracks?" he asked it, then turned to Maisie. "Oh, you really didn't like your gran, did you? There's something visible under the bandages. By the way, you weren't being paranoid. She really did poison your pony." he said sympathetically. "Oh!" Maisie squeaked. "Markings like the ones the scroll. Oh, and your father. Sorry." the Doctor continued. "What?!" Maisie said. "Sorry, trauma, resentment, I did say it's mine now. Ish. Now, a tattered piece of cloth attached to a length of wood that you will kill for." the Doctor mused. "Thirty seconds." Perkins said. "That doesn't sound like a scroll. That sounds like a flag! And if that sounds like a flag, if this is a flag, that means that you are a soldier, wounded in a forgotten war thousands of years ago. But they've worked on you, haven't they, son? They've filled you full of kit. State of the art phase camouflage, personal teleporter," he started to back away towards the wall, slowly. "And all that tech inside you, it just won't let you die, will it? It won't let the war end. It just won't let you stop until the war is over. We surrender!" he shouted desperately. "Zero…?" Perkins said, surprised the Doctor hadn't died. Maisie gasped. "I can see it again!" she said. The mummy stepped back from the Doctor and lowered its arms from his head. "It's okay. I think we all can." Alison said slowly. "Do I start the clock?" Perkins asked. "No. It's over." the Doctor said, relieved. The mummy saluted the Doctor. "The clock has stopped. You're relieved, soldier." the Doctor said. The mummy then disintegrates into a pile of dust and old bandages. There was a piece of technology visible in the pile. "And that's…. that's how you do it. Take notes, I'll be grading you!" the Doctor said to the group.
Nico starts and smiles a little. "Good work Doctor." He says quietly. Slowly he looks towards the pile of ashes. He bites his lip, trying to remember what Sadie had said… He taps his lip in thought. "Doctor? If I may… May I take the ashes back to camp with me? I have a few friends who could give him a proper burial."
