THE HIVE

Chapter Twelve

Jack stood outside Jeremy's cell staring at him quietly, while he flew around it. He ached inside knowing he was helpless to save him and Monica from their fates. He always hated it when innocent people ended up suffering like this. He had seen so many, far too many people, who had been killed senselessly. This, to him, was worse. This was a living death in his opinion. Not only had Jeremy and Monica been mutated into gigantic insects, but also, their identities had been stolen from them, and their minds enslaved to some insect queen who didn't care what happened to them. If they didn't need them alive for study, Jack would kill them, as an act of mercy. He only hoped that somehow, someway, he and his team could find a cure for them, and the others who had been transformed, but he didn't hold out much hope of that at the moment.

He looked over when Rose walked up to him.

"Doctor, alright?" he asked.

"Yeah, he's in an abandoned warehouse in London."

She stared at Jeremy, who had now stopped flying and was hovering in mid-air staring at them with his obsidian eyes.

"Do you think he remembers anything about being human?" she asked Jack.

"Who knows? I doubt it, though. I'm sure that queen is controlling every thought that goes into his and Monica's head. They probably think that they've always been this way."

They gasped when Jeremy began ramming his body into the Plexiglas trying desperately to get at them. Jack sighed.

"I guess I'll have to get Owen to knock him out again before he hurts himself," he said, bitterly. "Stay here and keep an eye on him, Rose, we'll be right back."

Rose nodded. She watched, as he walked away and turned her attention back to Jeremy. She backed up slightly, as he continued his assault. She figured the Plexiglas could hold him, but just the same, it made her uneasy standing in front of a huge wasp with an enormous stinger. A stinger that could transform her into one of them. She wished the Doctor hadn't decided to leave. She would feel a lot more comfortable, if he was here beside her.

Jeremy suddenly stopped ramming his body into the wall, and Rose relaxed figuring he was calming down. He turned his body and stared at her, and Rose suddenly felt someone in her mind. She tried to run away, but something was preventing her from moving. She stood and stared at Jeremy, while images of the Doctor flashed through her mind. Finally, it stopped on her phone conversation with the Doctor.

So, the Time Lord is in London, is he?

Rose gasped, when she heard the queen's voice in her mind. She tried to back away, but couldn't move her legs. She heard the queen laughing.

You cannot get away, Rose, I can read your mind now. It seems it is not as strong as your Time Lord lover. He could block me, but you, a mere human cannot, and now, I know what has become of our enemy.

"Don't hurt him, please!"

The queen laughed.

You are helpless against my army and me. You and all your friends. You will set my children free, and then, you will come to me. I will use you as bait to lure the Time Lord to my hive.

"No, I won't help you! I'll never help you hurt the Doctor!"

"Rose, what's going on?"

Rose turned her head and saw Jack and Owen walking towards her.

Immortal one! You will free my soldiers and allow Rose to go with them, or she will suffer!

Jack gritted his teeth.

"Leave her alone!"

Free my subjects now! I have control of Rose's mind, and I will make her scream, if you do not do as I say.

"Jack, what's going on?" Owen said, looking at him and Rose.

"The queen is in our minds speaking to us. She's got a grip on Rose's mind, and if I don't free Jeremy and Monica and let Rose go with them, she'll hurt her."

"What do we do?" Owen said.

You will set my children free and allow Rose to go with them.

"And then what?" Jack said. "What will happen to Rose?"

That is none of your concern.

"On the contrary, everything that happens to my friends is my concern."

You cannot stop me, or my army.

"No, you got it backwards. You cannot stop us, or the Doctor. All you are doing is delaying the inevitable."

Free my children, immortal one.

"If you will just listen to us, the Doctor wants to help you and your children. He can find you another planet where no one will threaten you, if you will just surrender and allow us to find a way to remedy this, and---"

He was cut short, when Rose suddenly grabbed the sides of her head and fell to the floor, screaming in agony.

I grow tired of this, immortal one. If you do not do as I say, I will destroy her mind. You underestimate me. I do not need the help of mammals. I will not go to another planet. This planet has all I need, and soon, all life on it will become a part of Swarm. Now, will you free my children and allow them to bring Rose to me, or will you watch her die?

Rose screams increased in intensity.

"All right, all right, just stop!" Jack yelled, frantically. "I'll do what you say, just leave her mind alone!"

You will allow my children to leave unopposed.

"Yes, if you give me my word that you will not harm us, or Rose."

I will do what I want. You cannot stop me. You do not know where I am, so your threats are useless. Now, do as I command, or else!

Jack looked at Owen.

"Go back, and get everyone to safety," he said, to him. "I don't want any of you endangered."

"Jack…"

"Do it!" Jack yelled at him.

Owen nodded. He turned and ran, as Jack reached into his coat pocket for the key to the cell. As he neared Rose, he noticed that the mental torture had stopped, and she was whimpering in pain, as she slowly got to her feet.

"Rose, are you alright?"

Rose nodded.

"Jack, don't do this."

"I have to, Rose. I can't let you die. The Doctor will never forgive me. I swear we'll find you and save you, no matter what it takes."

He gestured for Rose to stand back and inserted the key in the lock. He opened the door and moved back, when Jeremy flew out. He hovered near his body, stinger at the ready, while he moved to Monica's cell.

"You may think you've won, but the Doctor will stop you," he said to Jeremy, as he opened the door.

He quickly backed away when Monica flew out.

Now, mammal, let my children outside, and I won't order them to find and attack your friends.

Jack sighed angrily. He walked in front of everyone and glanced back at Rose. He held out his hand to her, but the wasps quickly surrounded her.

She is with us now. Just go.

"I swear, if you turn her into one of those things, I will find you and kill you myself." Jack muttered, as he led them towards the lift.

The lift stopped, and Jack and Rose stepped off it onto the street. The wasps hovered over their heads, staring at them intently.

"I'm sorry, Rose, I'm so sorry," Jack said, sadly.

Rose managed a smile.

"You sound just like the Doctor now," she replied.

"I mean what I said, we will come for you, and so will the Doctor."

"I know you will. I have faith in all of you."

She gasped when Jeremy flew down, enfolded her in his legs, and lifted her into the air. Rose managed to give Jack a brave smile before Jeremy turned and flew with Monica into the sky. Jack cursed under his breath, activated the lift, and descended into the Hub, hoping that they would be able to track the wasp's movement and find out where the hive was, before it was too late for the Doctor and Rose.

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