Through the Time [3]

II. The Runaway Bride

The lift pings when it reaches the lower basement and the Doctor, the Protector, Donna and Lance step out into a long, dark corridor, which is dimly lit with an eerie green light. "Where are we? Well, what goes on down here?" Donna asks.

"Let's find out..." the Doctor says.

"Do you think Mr Clements knows about this place?" Donna asks.

"The mysterious H C Clements? I think he's part of it." the Protector says.

"Oh, look, transport." the Doctor says as something catches his eye.

**********

The Doctor, Donna and Lance trundle down the corridor, the Protector standing behind the Doctor, her arms around his waist, hugging him with her head turned towards Donna, as there were only three electric scooters. Donna looks towards the Protector, the Doctor and Lance before bursting out laughing. The Doctor and the Protector begin laughing alone but soon enough, the electric scooters stop, so the Protector gets off so the Doctor can get off. The Doctor and the Protector walk over to the door which says TORCHWOOD – authorised personnel only, so naturally, the Protector and Doctor open the door. A ladder is revealed so the Doctor and the Protector peer upwards before turning back to Donna and Lance. "Wait here. Just need to get our bearings. Don't..." the Doctor begins before pointing at both Donna and Lance. "... do anything." he finishes before both he and the Protector get onto the ladder and begin to climb up it. "You two had better come back." Donna tells them, making the Protector shake her head.

"We couldn't get rid of you if we tried." the Protector jokes, making Donna smile and laugh slightly before the two of them continue to climb the ladder.

Soon enough, the Doctor and the Protector reach the top of the ladder where they are confronted with the underside of a manhole. He opens it and they both climb out and into the daylight. They're overlooking the Thames Flood barrier.

**********

Thames flood barrier! Right on top of us! Torchwood snuck in and built this place underneath." the Protector says as she and the Doctor jump off the last rung of the ladder. "What, there's like a secret base hidden underneath a major London landmark?" Donna asks, clearly shocked.

"I know! Unheard of." the Doctor gasps as they enter some kind of laboratory, full of massive test tubes effervescing away and chemistry equipment. "Oh, look at this! Stunning! Particle extrusion!" the Doctor smiles.

"What does it do?" Donna asks confused.

"Particle extrusion. Hold on..." the Protector begins to say before she rushes over to one of the effervescing tubes and taps it. "Brilliant. They've been malfunctioning Huon particles. I case our people got rid of Huons, they unravelled the atomic structure." the Protector explains.

"Your people? Who are they? What company do you represent?" Lance asks.

"Oh, we're freelancers. But this lot are rebuilding them. They've been using the river! Extruding them through a flat hydrogen base so they've got the end result, Huon particles in liquid form." the Doctor says as he picks up a small test tube full of Huon particles. "And that's what's inside me?" Donna asks. The Protector nods her head as the Doctor gently turns a knob at the top of the test tube, making the contents glow gold and Donna with it. "Oh, my God!" Donna gasps.