Ties Between Time and Space

✦36✦

Chapter Thirty-Six
Faceless Duplicate

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The Doctor was fast enough this time. He caught sight of how exactly the so-called police managed to escape him and Emma last time. It seemed impossible seeing how close behind them they were. It was a dead end with nowhere to go, but it wasn't. Some sort of secret operation where the base was hidden behind a market stall. Just like earlier, there was someone sweeping the alleyway while another picked up rubbish. It was all just a cover so no one saw anything.

"Oh, very good," the Doctor smiled brightly. "Very good."

He turned the scooter around and hid it somewhere close by while he went to explore. He hoped Emma would show up soon. He found a small door hidden inside the big gates and he used his sonic screwdriver to open it. The Doctor glanced around in the darkness before sneaking inside and closing the small door behind him.

In the yard, he watched as two men padlocked a wired door before walking off somewhere. He made sure no one was nearby as he crossed the open space and used his sonic again on the padlock. There were people on the other side of the wired door, locked away in a cage, faceless people. A lot of them. Quietly, he got closer to them before unlocking the cage that kept them bundled together like a flock of sheep.

He switched his torchlight on and shone it from one person to the next. As he did they'd turn to face him. Their fists clenching and unclenching at their sides, but just like Tommy's grandmother none of them had faces, not one of them. Suddenly the main light of the yard switched on and the Doctor squinted at the brightness.

"Stay where you are," a voice commanded.

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"Oh, I'm sorry, Miss. I'm afraid you're too late. I was just about to lock the door."

Emma walked inside Magpie's Marvellous Tellies. She closed the door behind her and found Magpie behind the counter fiddling with something, a normal screwdriver in his hand.

"Really?" Emma asked with a smile. "Because I wanted to buy a TV."

"Come back tomorrow, please," Magpie said, his voice almost strained.

"Aren't you going to be closed though?" Emma asked, ignoring the tone.

"What?" he looked up at her.

"For the big day," she reminded him. "The coronation."

Magpie shook his head slightly before nodding. "Yes, yes, of course. The big day. I'm sure you'll find somewhere to watch it. Please go."

Emma tilted her head a little before walking up to the counter. She placed her hands down on the edge of it and lost her smile to a serious look.

"Half of London's got televisions," Emma stated, glancing around the shop. "You're practically giving them away."

"I have my reasons," Magpie muttered.

"And what would they be?" she asked, leaning closer to him.

Emma blinked and frowned when a static noise filled the shop. She looked around and saw every TV's screen fizz with black and white pixels. Then only one TV in particular cleared up to show a picture of a woman. Emma didn't recognize the program, then again this was 1953 so of course she didn't recognize it.

"Hungry! Hungry!" the woman on the screen exclaimed.

"What's that?" Emma asked, turning to look at Magpie.

"It's just a television," he dismissed. "One of these modern programs," he tried to lie with a smile. "Now, I really do think you should leave," Magpie grew serious. His voice got louder as he rounded the counter, but Emma didn't give up and stood her ground.