Walk The Earth: Doctor Who/Studio C [Book 2]

Minister or Master?

Minister or Master?

(The Sound of Drums: Part 1)

"What this country really needs, right now... is a Doctor." -Harold Saxon

"Pick up, dammit!" With great effort, Matt resisted the urge to throw his phone across the room. "What good is universal roaming if you won't answer?"

Air came into his lungs in great, staccato gasps. The smile of Harold Saxon, frozen on the screen, mocked him.

He was supposed to have a year. A year, or maybe a little more, Cyndi told him. Not a month. Not one glorious, perfect, incredible month with the love of his life.

He wasn't ready.

"Matt." A moment later, Jason was standing in front of him and had a firm grip on his shoulders. "Breathe."

He did, trying to banish the thoughts and focusing on air. A few moments later, he shuddered, but at least the room had stopped spinning.

"Now sit down and tell me what's going on."

"Okay." A moment later, he sank to the couch, hardly remembering how he got there. "You're going to think I'm crazy."

"Please, Matt, I know you're crazy."

Jason's attempt at humor was enough to get one, solitary chuckle from Matt. "Okay. So remember when Mal disappeared in the middle of the show?" He got a slightly blank stare in return and nodded. "Yeah. Of course you do. And then she came back, with a man called the Doctor." Jason nodded in return and Matt took a breath before blurting, "He's an alien."

Jason blinked. "Okay...?"

"He's from a race called the Time Lords. The last Time Lord. And he has this ship, called the TARDIS. It's bigger on the inside and it travels anywhere in time and space." He searched his friend's gaze. "Do you believe me?"

There was a long pause, before Jason said, "With everything that's going on right now, you really think I wouldn't?" He laughed. "It certainly explains why you keep up and vanishing. And there was Utah Lake—"

"That was us."

"What?"

"We did that, with the Doctor. See, the Empress of the Racnoss..." Matt trailed off. "Actually, I'll save that story for another time."

Jason raised his brows. "The hospital in London?"

"Also us."

"And now... Harold Saxon." Jason glanced toward the TV. "What's his deal?"

"I... don't know," Matt admitted. "But I can tell you he's bad news." His friend gave him a prompting look. "Don't ask me how I know, because I can't tell you."

There was a long pause. "How bad?"

The words were strangled when they finally escaped. "He's going to kill Mal."

~~~

Back at the end of the universe, the Futurekind were still scrambling to get in, Jack and Mallory were still braced against the door, and the Doctor was still staring blankly at the space where the TARDIS had been.

A moment later, the Time Lord was darting back, pressing himself against the door as well, yanking his screwdriver over his pocket and grabbing at Jack's wrist.

"Hold still! Don't move! Hold it still!"

"I'm telling you, it's broken!" Jack yelled, evidently having figured out what he was doing. "It hasn't worked for years!"