Apocalypse Rising (Book Three)

Last of the Time Lords

This . . . this was a heartbreaker to write. Dear Lord, I never want to write something this heartbreaking again . . . though I know I will eventually. By the way, the picture attached is by JodietheWriter, which I think is pretty good for Paint! Clockwise from the left hand corner, it's Caly, the Master, Jack, Rose, and Peri. :)

Anyway, the teaser for you guys . . . it's been a long year for Martha, promises about the Master are kept, and how does the Master do threatening his little sister? More importantly, what does the in-law think of our last Experiment?

Enjoy!

***

One year later, and Martha's list of things to hate about the Master had grown fairly large.

Barely after she'd left, she'd learned that the Master had forced her family to work for him, all except for Leo, who was safe elsewhere. Jack, as far as she knew, was being treated decently. The Apocalypse was watched over at all times, but some sort of psychic link kept her from using her Experiment powers.

And the Master still reigned over the world. All in all, it had been a hell of a year.

She climbed out of the boat she was in and walked up to the man waiting for her. "What's your name, then?" she asked.

"Tom Milligan," he answered. "No need to ask who you are. The famous Martha Jones. How long since you were last in Britain?"

"Three hundred and sixty five days," she sighed. "It's been a long year."

"So what's the plan?" Tom asked as they walked off.

"This Professor Docherty. I need to see her. Can you get me there?"

"She works in a repair shed, Nuclear Plant Seven. I can get you inside. What's so important about her?"

"Sorry," Martha shook her head. "The more you know, the more you're at risk."

"There's a lot of people depending on you. You're a bit of a legend."

She smirked. "What does the legend say?"

"That you sailed the Atlantic, walked across America. That you were the only person to get out of Japan alive. Martha Jones, they say, she's going to save the world. Bit late for that."

"How come you can drive?" Martha asked as they climbed into a flat bed van. "Don't you get stopped?"

"Medical staff," he explained. "Used to be in pediatrics back in the old days, but that gives me a license to travel so I can help out other labor camps."

"Great," she rolled her eyes. "I'm traveling with a doctor."

"Story goes that you're the only person on Earth who can kill him," Tom added. "That you, and you alone, can kill the Master alone."

Martha scowled. Evil or not, he was still the Apocalypse's brother. It would be her in the end who would make the final call. "Let's just drive," she muttered.

***

There were benefits to being the Prime Minister's sister, the Apocalypse supposed. For one, she was granted special privileges . . . though as far as those went, it was pretty much just playing follow the leader.

And she wasn't about to mention the aspirin still lingering in her system. There had been a hellish amount in that single dart, and she could still feel it slightly. It was just like the Void. Just a little bit, and her powers were kaput.

And the Master had been ruling as overlord of Earth for nearly exactly a year. "It's ready to rise, BJ," he told her as he walked up to her side from where she stood at the window, looking over Earth, Lucy hovering by the door. "The new Time Lord Empire. It's good, isn't it? Isn't it good? Anything? No? Anything?" She refused to answer. "Oh, but they broke your hearts, didn't they? Those Toclafane, ever since you worked out what they really are. They say Martha Jones has come back home. Now, why would she do that?"