Lost (Book Five of the Melody Series)

Escape

The Doctor's POV

"Melody!" I shouted, kneeling by her side. "What happened? Why did she fall over like this?" I snapped, glaring up at the siblings.

Caroline smiled. "Poor girl, just fell over. I don't think being hit by a baseball bat after being infected helped her after all."

"Infected?!" Clara repeated incredulously. "You mean, with the virus?"

"No, I mean she's got a fungus. Yes, you idiot, the virus."

"She's got the virus," I repeated numbly.

"You all do," Caroline said softly. "Everyone here."

"Then how come we're not...dead?" Clara asked quietly. "Shouldn't we be?"

Caroline clucked her tongue. "I've forgotten you don't belong here. The virus is slow. The first to go is your sight. Then your sanity. And your memory. Then, eventually, it turns your whole immune system against itself and you. It's an autoimmune disease. That is, if you don't kill yourself...first."

"That's demented," Clara said.

"They're all blind. All of them. They just have contact lens that see for them," William said. "Everyone in the Quarantine."

"I think it's time to go," Caroline said abruptly.

William looked at his sister. "Right you are, Caroline. Goodbye, Doctor, Clara, Melody. Have fun dying on this godforsaken ship."

He held up a key. "Poor Doctor, dropping the TARDIS key. Too bad we need to leave. I'd give it back otherwise...maybe."

He dropped it in his pocket and turned to leave. Before he did, I had pulled my screwdriver out of my pocket and had pointed it at it. He glanced over his shoulder. "A machine that makes pretty lights. I'm sooo scared. You really think that's going to do something?"

"Yes," I said, "because that machine with the pretty lights can enhance things such as, oh, I don't know, the cameras.

I pointed the screwdriver at the cameras (there was one on the ceiling every 20 feet). "So, let me get this straight. You and your brother have a chemical in your body that's the cure. That's your secret. So you and your brother, instead using it for the greater good, decided to release the virus."

"That's correct," William said.

"You, William, released it, while Caroline-albino because of this chemical-stood by. You've been hiding in this place while your sister was captured over and over, you freeing her. Am I right?"

"Yes, Doctor," Caroline said.

"But why?" I asked. "Why would you do something like this?"

"Why?" William repeated. "Because we're sick of humankind. Humans do nothing but harm. It's better to wipe out the whole race and start new with the immune people. They're the only ones worth living."

"You just proved your point," Clara said. "You're doing harm, and you're human. And what makes you think immune people-as you call them-are better? Is it because there's less humans, less harm? What if you're the only ones? What will you do?"

"But we're not, though," Caroline said earnestly. "We know it. Don't you see? It would be much better, much much better. Less population, easier to control."

"So this is your typical the villain's motivation. To take over the world," Clara said in a bored voice.

I noticed Melody coming around out of the corner of my eye. Instead of saying anything, I just said, "Well, thank you for your cooperation. You see, the whole building heard every word you said. I'm not bluffing either. The key, please."

William scowled and dropped it on Melody's head. She groaned. "Ugh...I feel like crud."

"Why don't you go back to the TARDIS and rest," I suggested. She nodded and pushed herself to her feet. She staggered a little, clutching onto me for balance. "Gahhh..."

Clara turned around. "We've got company."

I looked over my shoulder to see Ty and others running down the hallway. I noticed several were squinting.

I guess they didn't have enough contact lens for everyone.

"Doctor!" Ty said, panting. "What the hell was that all about?"

"I found your cure," I said, beaming. I gently pushed William and Caroline to the front. Ty stared at him for several seconds. "You traitor!"

"I did what I had to do," William said. "Goodbye."

He tapped his wrist, and so did Caroline. They slowly disappeared.

"That's not good, is it?" Clara asked.

"They can teleport," I said numbly. "Teleportation devices in their skin. Oh, that's clever, real clever!"

"Now we don't know where they are," Clara said.

"We'll get the police," Ty said. "They'll find them. They haven't failed yet."

"Can we go now?" Melody mumbled. "I need to find a bed and pass out."

"Ah, yes, sorry, Melody," I said. "Well, it was pleasant meeting you all. Have fun! Don't let that virus get you down!"

"Good luck with the search," Clara said with a grin.