The Orphan and Her Family

Chapter Fifty-Seven

He doesn't tell them what his plan is, he simply asks for their TARDIS keys. Confused, the group hand them over. He grabs Sophie's phone and Martha's laptop, and heads over to the dining table. He uses his sonic to weld pieces of both the phone and the laptop to the TARDIS keys.

She sighs, "RIP phone, you shall be missed."

Jack chuckles, and wraps an arm around her shoulder, "I can get you another one."

"No, Jack, you just got me that one, I can't ask for you to get me another phone. I shouldn't let it near the Doctor."

"Hey, I take care of my family, kiddo. I'll get you a new phone."

The Time Lord turns around, four keys hang from his fingers by strands of twine, "Four TARDIS keys. Four pieces of the TARDIS, all with low level perception properties because the TARDIS is designed to blend in. Well, sort of. But now, the Archangel Network's got a second low level signal. Weld the key to the network and, Martha, look at me. You can see me, yes?"

She nods affirmatively, "Yes."

He drapes a key around his neck, and it becomes hard to look directly him. It's as if he's moving out of view, "What about now?"

"It's like I know you're there," she starts, rubbing her eyes, "but I don't want to know."

He takes the key back of, and drapes it in his hand again, "And back again. See?" He steps forward, and takes Martha's hand for a moment, "It just shifts your perception a tiny little bit. Doesn't make us invisible, just unnoticed." He then let's her go, and hands the keys out, before turning to grab his coat, "Oh, I know what it's like. It's like, it's like when you fancy someone and they don't even know you exist. That's what it's like."

Martha sighs, and looks down sadly. Jack places a hand on her shoulder, and half smiles, "You too, huh?"

The group step out onto the street, and the Doctor starts talking in a low voice, "Don't run, don't shout. Just keep your voice down. Draw attention to yourself and the spell is broken. Just keep to the shadows."

"Like ghosts," Jack adds.

"Yeah," the Doctor agrees, "that's what we are. Ghosts."

They set off down the dark streets stepping around groups of people, so that they aren't walked into.

*Airport*

Sophie stands with Jack on one side and the Doctor on the other with Martha on the other side of the Time Lord. The Master and his wife stand, waiting as a black car rolls up beside them. The President of the United States steps out, and buttons his suit jacket. The Master steps forward, and jumps into a sarcastic salute, "Mister President, sir."

President Winters does not look amused, "Mister Saxon, the British Army will stand down. From now on, UNIT has control of this operation."

"You make it sound like an invasion."

The President glares at the Master, "First Contact policy was decided by the Security Council in 1968, and you've just gone and ignored it."

"Well, you know what it's like," he shrugs, "New job, all that paperwork. I think it's down the back of the settee. I did have a quick look. I found a pen, a sweet, a bus ticket and er, have you met the wife?"

"Mister Saxon, I'm not sure what your game is but there are provisions at the United Nations to have you removed from office unless you are very, very careful. Is that understood?" The Master feigns zipping his lips shut. "Are you taking this seriously? To business. We've accessed your files on these Toclafane. First Contact cannot take place on any sovereign soil. To that purpose, the aircraft carrier Valiant is en route. The rendezvous will take place there at eight am." The Master pretends as though he can't speak, and the President's patience wanes, "You're trying my patience, sir."

Saxon pretends to unzip his lips, and then meets Winters' eyes, "So America is completely in charge?"

"Since Britain elected an *ss, yes. I'll see you onboard the Valiant."

"It still will be televised, though, won't it. Because I promised, and the whole world is watching."

The President sighs, "Since it's too late to pull out, the world will be watching. Me." He then turns, and walks back toward his motorcade.

"Bl**dy Americans," Sophie whispers.

"That is literally the Master," the Doctor responds in kind, "and you're upset about the President acting high and mighty?"

She turns her head slightly, "What can I say, I'm English. I like my country. And Americans always act like they're better than us."

"Shh," Jack says, and nods at the police van that comes rolling to a halt. The Master sprints over, and pulls the doors open. Clive and Francine Jones are pulled roughly out of the vehicle, and Martha gasps. The Doctor moves slowly, and holds her hands.

"Don't move," the Time Lord whispers to her.

"But the–"

"Don't."

Martha's parents are shoved into a nearby Range Rover, and Master continues to talk with them, the police, and his security guards.

"I'm going to kill him," Martha grumbles.

"What say I use this perception filter to walk up behind him and break his neck?" Jack snarls.

The Doctor eyes him, without moving his head, "Now that sounds like Torchwood."

"I personally think it's a good plan," Sophie states.

"He's a Time Lord, which makes him my responsibility. I'm not here to kill him. I'm here to save him."

The Master joins the Jones' in the Range Rover, and the car rolls off. Jack rolls his shoulders, and checks his Vortex Manipulator, "Aircraft carrier Valiant. It's a UNIT ship at fifty eight point two north, ten point oh two east."

"How do we get on board?" Martha asks.

The Time Lord nods at the device on Jack's wrist, "Does that thing work as a teleport?"

"Since you revamped it, yeah." He types something on the keypad, and then glances up, "Coordinates set."

They all place their hands on the Vortex Manipulator, and then the world goes wobbly.