Through the Universe [2]

II. The Age of Steel

A trap door opens into the cooling tunnels. Mrs Moore descends a ladder, followed by the Doctor and then me. "It's freezing here." Mrs Moore says.

"Any sign of a light switch?" the Doctor asks.

"Can't see a thing. But I've got these..." Mrs Moore laughs. She rummages through her bag and hands both the doctor and me a light that can be tied around his head. "A device for every occasion..."

"Ooh!" the Doctor gasps.

"Put it on." she tells us. She finds herself one and we all put them on.

"Haven't got a hotdog in there, have you? I'm starving." the Doctor tells her causing Mrs Moore and me to laugh. "Of all the things to wish for! That's mechanically removed meat!" I laugh out.

"I know. It's the Cyberman of food, but it's tasty." the Doctor tells us and I roll my eyes at him. "A proper torch as well." Mrs Moore says, handing him in a torch.

"Let's see where we are." the Doctor says as he switches the torch on and takes a few steps forward. The first thing the light falls on is a Cyberman. "Why did I think this was going to happen?" I ask the Doctor, causing him to shrug his shoulders. After a few moments of hesitation, Mrs Moore and I follow him. The Doctor pauses and raps one on the nose, or where the nose should be, which has no response. "Let's go slowly. Keep an eye out for trip systems." the Doctor says. We edge slowly and warily down the tunnel, past lifeless Cyberman after lifeless Cyberman. I grab onto the Doctor's hand in worry and he squeezes it the try and calms me down.

The Doctor, Mrs Moore and I continue to make our way along the tunnel. "How did you get into this, then? Rattling along with the Preachers?" the Doctor asks.

"Oh, I used to be ordinary. Worked at Cybus Industries. '95. 'Til one day, I find something I'm not supposed to. A file on the mainframe. All I did was read it. Then suddenly, I've got men with guns knocking in the middle of the night. Life on the run. Then I found the Preachers. They needed a techy, so I... I just sat down and taught myself everything." Mrs Moore tells us.

"What about Mr Moore?" I ask Mrs Moore.

"Well, he's not called Moore. I got that from a book store, Mrs Moore. It's safer not to use real names. But he thinks I'm dead. It was the only way to keep him safe. Him and the kids. What about you? Got any family, or...?" Mrs Moore asks, trailing off.

"Oh, who needs family? I've got Galaxy and Rose and the whole world on my shoulders. Go on then, what's your real name?" the Doctor asks her.

"Angela Price." Mrs Moore says. The Doctor and I nod, smiling. "Don't tell a soul."

"Not a word." the Doctor says.

"Won't be saying anything." I tell her.

In the corner of my eye, I see a Cyberman's hand twitch slightly, causing me to jump. I think that Mrs Moore saw it as well because she looks at us in worry. "Doctor? Did that one just move?" Mrs Moore asks, scared.