Soul's Shadow (Doctor Who - SI)

Part VIII (VIII)

"You... what?" Dumbfounded, I blinked a few times.

"I'm vaccinating earth's population against this silly little virus." The mug ended on the table, right next to where I was sitting on it - now empty. "I helped develop the formula. Or rather... I did develop it and then leaked parts of it to several people, so they would speed up the process."

His answer completely caught me off guard, rendered me literally speechless for quite a while. I even forgot to be smug about the stupid chocolate.

"That's... a lie?" I finally stated, although it was clearly a question.

The Master got up from his chair, straightened his back as if he had sat for a little too long and walked up in front of me. He stopped so closely we were almost touching and he also bent down the tiniest bit, observing my stunned face.

"It's the truth," he told calmly. "Don't you believe it?"

Perplex I blinked, opened my mouth without saying a word and simply shook my head. Without a warning the Master shot forward, placed both hands on either side of me on the table so I had to bend backwards. His stare was intense, the smile on his lips, however, subtle.

"You don't know a thing about me," he stated, a slight accusation suddenly swinging in his voice. "Why don't you believe it? Because the Doctor told you I'm evil? Probably said I'm insane as well, didn't he?"

Had he? I didn't remember it well. Everything had been so fast and had left me with no time to think about everything. The derisive smile grew wider on the Master's face, all while I was still trapped in such close proximity to him. So close that I could feel the warmth of his body and could almost sense his heartbeat.

Something real.

It took every ounce of my composure not to reach out a hand and to place it on his chest. After all the unexplainable occurrences, after my whole existence seemed to be nothing but a déjà vu, he was the only thing, so far, that felt truly... real. Even after hours had passed. And having him so close only amplified the sensation, making my head almost spin.

"So" - unaware of my inner turmoil he went on - "only because a man you barely know said so, you assume I'd be up to no good. Is that right?"

"I..."

"He hasn't even told you anything. Not about me, not about our history. I bet he hasn't even told you that he held me captive for years. For no other reason than because he believes to be superior."

The hate in his eyes was now burning hot. I could literally feel it seeping into my consciousness, unpleasantly tingling within my very soul. And finally I pushed my hands against his chest, trying to get a little more distance between us. My fingers brushed soft cloth, spread against firm muscles and felt... felt the beatings of... two hearts.

Like a drumbeat

The same moment I thought it, the sound also appeared in my head, scratched at the edges of my consciousness.

"Okay, I had no clue who you were when I came here," I admitted. "That's true." The pleased expression on his face made me feel almost sick. I swallowed, trying to ignore the beating rhythm under my fingers.

"You still think I'm bad." A statement, not a question.

"You hurt me."

What else did it need for me not to trust him? There was no reason to do so. And the beating... the ever repeating heartbeat in his chest, steady, strong. So alive. A crescendo of sound, of an increasing drumming within my own head.