HELTER SKELTER

Chapter Twenty One

When they got back to the med bay, Paul let himself be checked out. Everyone else had been checked and healed with the quick healing salve. The only ones that needed any further care were Miranda and Benjamin and they both had saline drips in their arms while they lay on comfortable beds at the back of the med bay. After making sure they were comfortable, the Doctor let them rest while he led everyone else back to the console room for a meeting. He started off by explaining the situation and telling them about the departing lorries and that they might have to search the buildings to make sure they were clear of everyone and make sure they found all captives and any important files and papers they might need. After he was finished with that, he went on to his next topic.

"Paul has asked that he and William stay on the TARDIS with us since he feels that his life is still in danger," the Doctor said. "He also feels that perhaps it would be best at present if all of you stayed on board and perhaps brought your friends and family on board, anyone extremely close to you that you think the Illuminati might target in retaliation because make no mistake, they'll strike back especially since several of them are getting away as we speak."

"For how long?" Ringo asked. "We can't stay here forever. Eventually we have to do our band business and do the interviews and stuff like that. We're about to release another album."

"I told Paul that if we can find a way for your management to call his mobile and keep in contact with him, I can take you to any appointments you may have if you wish to stay here…"

He held up a finger when they heard the TARDIS rumbling above him. They watched while he closed his eyes and silently communicated with her. He opened them after a few minutes and smiled.

"As most of you know, my TARDIS is alive and she can hear what we're saying. She is able to alter the interior of the TARDIS to suit my needs or anyone else's. She said that if you wish to stay here for awhile, she can create a recording studio for you so you can continue to record your music in safety. Then once it's finished, you can deliver it to George Martin or whoever is in charge of that. She can also create an entire living environment for you so you can have a home of sorts. So…she's just letting you know that if you decide to stay here until it's safe."

"Please, mum and dad, stay here for awhile," Jane said. "It's not safe out there. They're starting to target everyone Paul's associated with and I know I'm probably a target and you are as well."

"Is it safe in here?" Margaret asked. "Can anyone get in here?"

"Very, very few," the Doctor said. "And they'd have to have very sophisticated alien technology which can affect TARDISes which I seriously doubt the Diablons have. As for ordinary humans, no. As long as the shields are up which they are at all times, you could hit that front door with a missile and it would explode and not leave so much as a dent. But…on the off chance someone did get in here, I have several security measures and since the TARDIS can see what's going on, I can give her leave to trap anyone who isn't one of us. I can also activate a thing called temporal grace which means that no weapons can be fired in here. And…"

He beckoned to everyone and led them to the back door.

"TARDIS, seal the back door," he said to her.

Everyone was taken aback when the door disappeared and was replaced by a wall. The Doctor walked up to it and knocked on it.

"My TARDIS can absorb doors and seal them up, making them into walls that no one can get through. So if someone is in here, she can seal off rooms or whole sections, making them inaccessible. Okay, TARDIS, bring the door back."

Everyone murmured in wonder when the door came back. The Doctor turned to them.

"If you stay here, my TARDIS will do everything in her power to ensure your safety because you're my friends and she protects the people I care about. I'm not trying to pressure you, just demonstrating that you will be protected here should you and your friends and family decide to stay."

"Well…" Richard said, "I think it would be wise to stay here for the moment, at least until all this dies down. And if Janie's a target, I want her somewhere where she's protected. I'll stay."

"And I will as well," Margaret said while Jane hugged them.

Paul looked at his friends and raised his eyebrow.

"I'm staying and I'm sure William is as well, what about you lot?" he said.

John looked at George, Ringo and Roger.

"Normally I would say no but after what I went through…I don't think I wanna be anywhere where they can get ahold of me again or risk Cyn and Jules. I'll stay and have my family stay here."

"Yeah, I definitely don't want to go through all that torture and beatings again. I think I can convince Patti to stay if I'm stayin'."

"And Maureen and Zak, I want them safe and far away from these maniacs."

Everyone looked at Roger. Roger turned his gaze towards the Doctor.

"Does this invitation include my band mates? If they come after me, they might come after them," he said.

"My TARDIS could hold the entire rock and roll community if need be. You can bring whoever you can convince to come on board."

"Come on, Roger," John said. "If this ship is making a recording studio for us, we can share time and work on projects to pass the time."

"I think I might be able to get the band to join me, not sure about anyone else but as long as Pete, John and Keith are safe…I don't think anyone else would be at risk. It's Paul they're after, I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. But what about you?" he said to Carol and Devon.

"I don't think so. I think we'll be safe," Devon said while Carol nodded. "Like you said, I think it's Paul and his immediate friends and family who are at risk. We're just acquaintances."

"That's fine. I just need to know who you're thinking of bringing onboard before I go and get them. And…if you need to make some phone calls, I have a phone you're welcome to use."

"I better go get Dad and Mike," Paul said. "I'd rather they were in here than spend time wondering if they were safe."

"Well, I s'pose we should start making some calls then," John said. "We have to explain about the Doctor being an alien anyway."

"While you lot are doing that, I think I'll go and check the building and see if there are any more captives," Amy said.

"Yeah, I'll come with you," Rory said.

"And me," Paul said, looking behind him. "I only have two phone calls to make; I can wait till everyone's finished."

"And me. I think my family will be safe, it's me they want, not them," William said.

"Well, I'll come with you since my brother and sister are in Europe and they're on the move. I don't think they'll be bothered," Jane said. "And my mum and dad are right here so I don't need to make any phone calls."

"If you're gonna do that, I'll go and check on Benjamin and Miranda and see if I can interrogate Altok and see if he'll tell us where the lorries are heading to," the Doctor said.

He walked over to the group of searchers and handed Amy his screwdriver.

"Be careful out there; be on your guard in case there are still some people left in the building. You still have your communicators on so we can still hear you."

They nodded and waited while the Doctor hurried back to his lab to fix William's glasses. By the time he was done, John was on the phone with Cynthia explaining the situation. The Doctor gave William his newly repaired glasses and he and everyone else wished the search party good luck. Margaret held Martha back while they went out the door.

"So…" Amy said as the Doctor closed the door behind them, "when are you having the wedding?"

"As soon as possible," Jane said while they walked.

Paul squeezed her hand and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"You know, love, I think we should have the alien ceremony first. I would love to see what people on other planets do for a wedding."

"Just as long as they don't have us take our clothes off, I'll be okay with that," Jane said while they laughed.

When they reached an unfamiliar corridor, they began their search. To their surprise, a vast majority of the doors were unlocked or left standing open so they gave those a quick search just to be on the safe side. As they searched they went from searching in one group to searching in a loose confederation, checking in groups of one and two but staying fairly close to each other. But when they saw most of the doors were unlocked or open, they started to thin out, keeping in contact with each other through their communicators. So far they had no luck finding anything of value but they decided to search for another hour before heading back.

William, who was by now all alone, turned down a corridor and glanced around. He saw a few doors standing open at the other end of the hallway. He tried the first door on his left and opened it. He saw an empty room, looked around and closed the door. He turned and gasped when he saw Jane checking the door behind him.

"I'm sorry, William, I should have said something to you," she said, patting his arm.

"Nah, it's okay, I'm just glad it's you. Have any luck?"

"Not a sausage, you?"

"Same. I have a feeling everyone's left or been moved," William said as they headed to the next set of doors.

They checked them and didn't find anything of value. Slowly they moved down the hallway, William checking the left side and Jane checking the right. They finally neared the end and the unlocked doors. William went into the one on his side and found two camp beds and a little nightstand between them. He opened the drawer in the nightstand and checked, rifling through some papers and odds and ends. Suddenly, he heard Jane's scream coming from across the hall. Alarmed, he spun around and sprinted out. When he got outside, he saw an open door across the way and one next to it. He quickly checked the one across the way and found it empty, then he went into the other open door and grunted when a fist went down on his head the moment he entered. He fell to the floor while Jane screamed in alarm and shook his head, trying to shake off the disorientation. He gasped when someone seized him by the back of his shirt and jerked him to his feet. A big red hand grabbed him around the throat from behind and pressed him against a red muscular chest. He looked into the face of a sneering Diablon while Jane fought to get out of the grip of a second one.

"Well, well…see, Ranos, I told you if we were patient, the fish would come to us and look, we got the biggest fish back. Our little slave. We've been looking for you."

"Take me then, let Jane go," William said.

The Diablon looked at Jane who was struggling to get free of Ranos's iron grip.

"Who is that one?" he asked Ranos.

"His lover, I think," Ranos replied.

"Oh, in that case. We'll take her as well. We'll leave McCartney alone since we can use his double for someone else but the little shit must be punished for trying to undermine us."

"No, let her go, leave them alone!" William said. "Just take me and leave everyone else alone."

"No," the Diablon said, "I think we'll take you both. Perhaps if you're good, you can have her all to yourself, just like you would have if no one interfered with our plans. Ranos, activate the transmat. McCartney can find a new girlfriend."

"No!" they heard Paul say in the distance, his voice ragged and breathless from running.

"Paul!" Jane screamed as she struggled, "help us! Doctor! Help us!"

"I'm coming, Jane, stay calm!" the Doctor said in her ear.

While Jane and William struggled to get free, Ranos pulled out a small black box and pushed a button on it while the other Diablon pulled William over to him. As a bright light began to surround them, Jane screamed. A few seconds later, Paul was at the door, his face slackened in horror as his friend and lover started to vanish in a ball of white light.

"Too late, McCartney," Ranos called to him. "But at least we'll leave you and your friends alone now. We have what we want."

"NO!" Paul said as he ran forward.

The last thing he heard was Jane screaming his name before the ball of light vanished, taking the Diablons, William and Jane with it. Paul stood frozen in shock; his jaw open and then slowly he sank to his knees as the horror of what happened sank in. His horror increased when he realized that he could still hear Jane and William as the transmat finished taking them to the other location. His eyes misted over when he heard Jane's scream of terror and William pleading with their captors to let her go. He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up to see Amy and Rory behind him, their eyes moist with tears. Amy fell to the ground beside Paul and she embraced him as he sobbed quietly.

Back                         Home                              Doctor Who Main Page                          Next

Your Name or Alias:      Your E-mail (optional):

Please type your review below. Only positive reviews and constructive criticism will be posted.