Dreaming of a Blue Box ✧ Doctor Who ¹ ✓

25 - World War Three (Part II)

Continuing from 'World War Three - Part I'

✧

SINCE IT WAS THE SAME ROOM WHERE LILY, ROSE, AND HARRIET WAS FIRST INTRODUCED TO THE SLITHEEN, the bodies of the ID man and the Prime Minister were still on the floor. The Doctor was currently dragging them into a small store room. Lily wanted to help but mentally couldn't do it. She watched him lower one lifeless body next to the other and silently prayed they were both in a better place. "What was his name?" The Doctor asked, looking down at the ID man. "The secretary?"

Harriet, who was watching from the doorway, just shrugged with a sad expression. "I don't know." Her voice was grave. "I talked to him. I brought him a cup of coffee." She walked away, muttering to herself. "I never asked his name."

The Doctor crossed the man's arms onto his chest. "Sorry." He looked sad for just a moment but then sprung back into action. He left the room, which had no door to close, and started scanning the sealed-up windows with his sonic. "Right, what have we got? Any terminals, anything?"

Lily was in the middle of checking cabinet drawers to only close them when she saw they were empty. "No," She stepped away and examined the room with her eyes and hands on her hips. "This place is antique. Nothing useful at all."

"But what I don't get," Rose joined the duo. "when they killed the Prime Minister, why didn't they use him as a disguise?"

"Too slim." The Doctor answered, scanning the other window. "They're big old beasts. They need to fit inside big humans."

Lily stood beside Rose- ecstatic to have her sister on board. "But the Slitheen are about eight feet." She raised her hand like she was trying to measure something. "How do they fit inside?"

"That's the device around their necks." The Doctor strolled across to room and worked on the other window. "Compression field. Literally shrinks them down a bit. That's why there's all that gas. It's a big exchange."

"Wish I had a compression field." Lily joked to Rose. "I could fit a size smaller."

"Excuse me," Harriet, who now sat at the long table with the briefcase opened, gave Lily a disapproving look. "People are dead. This is not the time for making jokes."

Lily frowned because she knew Harriet was right. "I'm sorry." She apologized. "You get used to this stuff when you're friends with him." Lily nodded her head to the Doctor.

Harriet gaped. "Well, that's a strange friendship."

"Harriet Jones." The Doctor stopped his pacing at the fireplace- just behind where Harriet sat. "I've heard that name before. Harriet Jones," He directed to the older woman. "You're not famous for anything, are you?"

Harriet snorted, paying no attention to the Doctor's puzzled look. "Oh, hardly."

"Rings a bell." The Doctor continued- repeating her name thoughtfully. "Harriet Jones."

"Lifelong backbencher I'm afraid, and a fat lot of use I'm being now." Harriet sighed, waving a hand over the papers she produced from the case now sprawled out in front of her. "The Protocols are redundant. They list the people who could help and they're all dead downstairs."

"Hasn't it got, like, defense codes and things?" Rose questioned, walking closer and crossing her arms. "Couldn't we just launch a nuclear bomb at them?"

Harriet gave Rose a horrified gaze. "You're a very violent young woman."

"I'm serious!" Rose looked to her sister for help but Lily was only sniffling back a smile- probably due to Harriet's comment. "We could?" Her voice grew small as she looked at the Doctor next.