Praeses Domina Ultimum - Doctor Who

Chapter Two - Our Man in Havana

Freddie's POV. 

I left the school building to find mum waiting by the car.

"So, how was school?"

"It was school." I shrugged. She ruffled my hair and laughed as I pushed her arm away. I got in the car and shut the door.

"I spoke with the new physics teacher, Mr. Smith?" I looked at mum. 

"Do you think he's a part of this?" I looked at mum.

"I don't know. If I had to guess, I'd say he's doing the same thing we are." I thought back to the chips. Mum turned on the blinker and left the parking lot. "I think he's investigating."

When we got home I changed out of the stupid uniform and called aunt Nyssa and auntie Tegan to wish them a happy anniversary. They both lived in Australia with their son, Adric. I didn't get to see them in person very much. 

Later that night, mum and I broke into the school through one of the downstairs windows I may or may not have left unlocked at the end of the day.

"You know where to go?" I nodded. Mum pulled me into a hug then kissed my forehead. "Be careful."

"Mum, I'm fourteen. I'll be fine." I went off and headed towards the maths room, fidgeting with the locket around my neck. I rounded a corner to find another man trying to open the locked door. "Hello?"

He jumped. 

"Hi, um, what are you doing here?" He crossed his arms, trying to look cool as I walked towards the door.

"Same thing you are I think." I pulled two bobby pins from my curls and picked the lock.

"So you're investigating?" The door swung open, answering his question. Before I could go in he held out a hand. "I'm Mickey."

"Fred." I shook it. "Why are you investigating?"

"UFO sightings." I nodded. "What about you?"

Our supercomputer Mr. Smith had told us about it. I couldn't say that without sounding crazy, so I lied. "Same."

"Great minds think alike." He smiled. 

I smiled right back.

Nothing in the room seemed out of place. I was about to suggest moving on when he opened the supply cupboard and screamed.

A few minutes later, mum, Mr. Smith and some blonde girl came running in. Mickey pulled himself off the floor and began to apologize. "Sorry! Sorry, it was only me. You told me to investigate, so I started looking through some of these cupboards and all of these fell on me."

"Oh, my God, they're rats." The blonde stared at the packages on the floor. "Dozens of rats. Vacuum packed rats."

"And you decided to scream." Mr. Smith picked up one of the packaged rats.

"It took me by surprise!" Mickey tried, and failed, to defend himself.

"Like a little girl?"

"It was dark! I was covered in rats!"

"Nine, maybe ten years old. I'm seeing pigtails, frilly skirts." I was laughing so hard I had to use a table to stand.

It was then that mum saw me. "Oh, Freddie. Thank goodness you're alright!"

I pointed at the four of them while trying to form words, but I just kept laughing.

"Hello, can we focus? Does anyone notice anything strange about this? Rats in school?" I don't think the blonde even knew I was there.