Out of Time

Chapter Fourteen

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

 

 “I’m coming mum!”

 Anna was running up some winding steps, there was a loud slamming of a door, she stopped in her tracks and realised Ida was no longer with her and her mother’s cries of help could no longer be heard. Anna looked around her and realised she was in a long corridor which reminded her of the TARDIS, there were endless metallic doors which behind them probably contained cells. She must have come through one of the doors but in her disorientation Anna had no idea which one…The only thing she knew for certainty was that the prison had found a way to get her inside its walls.

 “Oh no, how could I have been so stupid?…But it’s not real, whatever happens in this place and whoever I see, it’s not real. It’s just an illusion.” Anna clenched her fists and closed her eyes. Somewhere in the distance the sound of footsteps could be heard, it was an army marching in perfect unison, it was a sound that had bled into all her worst nightmares for months after she had left the Doctor. The army stomped at a relentless speed and it was growing nearer but this was no army of flesh and blood, it was steel…”Cybermen.”  Anna shook involuntary, her mind devoured by fear as she quickly opened a door beside her and leapt inside to be confronted by a room full of mirrors…

 “It is good to see you again Doctor…A shame it could not have been under more pleasurably circumstances.”

 Alfred gave a regretful shrug, then stretched out his legs, his bones clicking, it seemed the Doctor’s old friend was in no great rush and seemed to be at infinite leisure, a calming air pervaded the tiny sparse interior. Ivana stood behind Alfred like she was his body guard as Adam and the Doctor perched tentatively on a springy old couch which if it had been inclined to talk would have had plenty of interesting tales to tell.

 “Truth be told it wasn’t the holiday I was hoping for, the much needed rest I was desiring…Word got out that I was here and I’ve had nothing but visitors across all the known Universes, claiming I was some kind of deity…And I was responsible for all the ills that had befallen their worlds…” Alfred sighed heavily. “My mother was right; I should never have involved myself in the affairs of mortals.”

 Ivana rolled eyes and looked at the Doctor, prompting him to speak.

 “Alfred…I don’t like to rush you old chap but I came here very much hoping for some advice…A little brain storming session and the sharing of knowledge perhaps.” The Doctor stood up, a bundle of nervous energy though mainly because the sentient couch had become frisky and was undulating beneath him. “Time’s running out, literally running out, the whole Universe will soon be caught up in this time acceleration which has originated from Verdopolis. If we don’t do something soon, the Universe will have descended into a state of irretrievable chaos, you’re talking expansion, heat death, all the stars going out…The Universe ending billions of years before it’s time.”

 “Not just this Universe but all other Universes Time Lord…The whole of existence.” Alfred replied gravely, his perception suddenly as sharp as a knife.

 “So what can we do?!” Adam asked with alarm, everything had seemed unreal up until now but his contribution was seriously undermined as he suddenly yelped, something had pinched his backside. He stood up quickly and stared down at the couch which juddered aggressively.

 Ivana the assassin made no attempt to smother her gravelly laughter.

 “Oh hello young man.” Alfred trilled, seeing Adam properly for the first time. “You must be one half of the anomaly, the little stitch in time.” The Doctor was standing behind Adam and frantically trying to stop Alfred from saying another word because he really wanted both Anna and Adam to find out together as he shook his head vigorously and placed his fingers to his lips but to no avail as Alfred continued with a knowing glint of mischief in his eyes. “We try to correct these little hiccups when we can.”