Untold Knowledge (Doctor Who x Genius Fem! Oc) [Book 1]

Chapter 135: Partners in Crime

After arriving at the storage cupboard Echo and her Doctor had been hiding in all day, he immediately began to remove the room's contents. "Well, that's one solution. Hide in a cupboard. I like it." Donna commented.

Once cleared, he then revealed a big green machine by sliding the back wall out of the way. "We've been hacking into this thing most of the day, because the Matron's got a computer core running through the center of the building. Triple deadlocked. But now we've got this, we can get into it." he explained as he began to use Miss Foster's sonic pen.

"Seeing as she's wired up the whole building, we're gonna need a bit of privacy." Echo went to a bundle of wires and created an electric force field to stop any guards that could give them any trouble. "And don't worry, my dears. It'll only be strong enough to stun them this time."

"Why's she wired up the tower block? What's it all for?" the Doctor wondered aloud as he, too, began their work.

A long moment of silence passed over them as Donna stood by to watch them meddle with the machine. "You both seem older..." she commented softly. It wasn't so much their physical appearance. It was their energy, mannerisms and the subtle change in their all seeing eyes. "Are you both still on your own?"

"Yup?" Echo answered as she played with another wire.

"Well, no." the Doctor corrected. "We had this friend. Martha, she was called. Martha Jones. She was brilliant. And we destroyed half her life... But she's fine, she's good. She's gone."

With a short nod of understanding, Donna voiced her main curiosity. "What about Rose?"

Both travelers paused for a brief moment before he finally met her gaze. "Still lost."

Knowing just how sensitive the subject was for them, Echo chose to change it. "So, Donna. You said you were going to try and travel the world. How did that pan out for you?"

She shrugged, knowing it wasn't impressive in the slightest. "Easier said than done. It's like I had that one day with you and I was going to change. I was going to do so much. Then I woke up the next morning, same old life." The sorrow in her words was obvious as she spoke. "It's like neither of you were ever there. And I tried. I did try. I went to Egypt. I was going to go barefoot and everything. Then it's all bus trips and guidebooks and don't drink the water. Then two weeks later, you're back home. It's nothing like being with the two of you. I must have been completely mad to have turned down that offer."

Echo gave her a comforting pat on the shoulder. "Everything happens in its own time. You were given a rare change to reevaluate yourself and how you want to live your life. Unlike most, you were able to prepare yourself for the impossible." As she spoke, Donna felt herself longing, yearning to be their traveling companion even more than she already did. "And you know what? I refuse to let you leave us again without at least one trip under your belt to brag about." she informed playfully.

Her eyes widened in joyous surprise. "Really? Oh, thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" Donna exclaimed and pulled her into a fond, relieved embrace that even made the Doctor smile.

"Inducer activated." the machine suddenly announced, effectively ending the joyous moment.

"Oh shit, she started the programme." Echo said with a frown and slightly wider eyes.

Seeing the distress in their quick movements, Donna wanted more than anything to be able to help. "What does that mean? What will it do?"

"So far they've just been losing weight. But the Matron's gone up to emergency pathogenesis." the Doctor explained as he tried another string of fiddlings.

"That's when they convert skeletons, organs, everything. If we don't stop her, a million people are going to die." the beautiful brunette explained further so their highly intelligent friend could understand as well.