ashes ➝ Doctor Who²

VIII

Felicity kept sniffling in the back, and the confident attitude she brought with her into the car wasn't present anymore. The Finance Minister had been cutting it close almost as soon as they entered his office. Some snarky comment about finally bringing a man along and trying to get them to laugh along to the age old phrase; never get a woman to do a man's job.

All of them ignored it, the men had been strictly instructed to act like her superiors and make him think that he's actually funny. Basically to put on an act for the hour - or a hopeful half an hour - whilst they went over the finance records. Penelope had greeted the secretary warmly, eager to sit down and start, introducing Felicity as the mastermind behind Torchwood's finances.

They got to work, filling everything out and going through all the changes in finance since the last time they were there. Which wasn't much, considering this ungrateful bastard had called them here for the third time in only two months. Suffice to say, Penelope was pissed that she had to waste time there when the world had better use of her.

It was as they left that this man pushed very close into boundaries that he doesn't even want to imagine. Laughing like many fat, old and rich men do, he bid them goodbye from their office, even offering them a passing statement. What he thought would be a passing comment anyway.

"And, next time Penelope, would you find someone to watch the child. Can't stand having children in my office. Dirty things they are."

He even had the nerve to turn and pick up the stray pen that had been left on the table. It was a little covered in paint and ink. Something out of place. With a struggled breath that he thought no one heard, he wafted the pen in Felicity's face.

"Here, child, try to clean up after yourself next time. It's a good thing you're nice to look at or else you'd never have gotten that job, huh. Which one hired you then?"

Felicity took the pen, not looking up at him. And for the very first time, as Penelope glared through this disgusting man, she contemplated using her gun. It's not exactly ideal to finally use the gun that Jasper gave her to kill a person. But at this point she wasn't even sure he was human. There was idle chatter from Jack as the question was avoided and Jasper whispered to Penelope, trying to convince her that he wasn't worth it. Despite the fact that he, himself, had gone to reach for his gun - that he unfortunately left in the car. They made it out eventually, no blood spilled, Penelope forcing herself to stop thinking about all the ways she could've made him apologise to start comforting Felicity.

That's how they got here, Penelope talking quietly to Felicity in the back of the car whilst Jack and Jasper sat up the front, the latter driving. It was quiet aside from the soft sniffles and the hum of Penelope's voice, neither man being able to decipher what she was saying.

It was like this for an hour or so, the dead silence killing the men. They had resorted to quietly determining the best way to go back and ask him - very politely - if they could remove his tongue. Although this was quickly forgotten as Penelope suddenly shouted at them to stop the car.

Slamming on the brakes, Jack almost smacked his face on the dashboard and Penelope flew into the back of the drivers chair.

Quiet descended over them again. Jack's groans of pain were easily disregarded, they had seen him die several times. Jasper was a little confused as to why they had to stop, but watched Penelope in the driver's mirror and she was still, watching the ruins on the hill behind Felicity. He followed her gaze and gripped the steering wheel tighter.

"Is that-"

"Yes."

"What do we do? It still isn't confirmed how it's transferred to living hosts." They were both quiet for a moment, watching as a thin black mist seemingly spilt out into the surroundings around the castle ruins.