The Pale Cage

Chapter 5

Determined to become stabilized, Raeburn worked. He fiddled and he tweaked. He worked for 12 hours straight, barely resting to drink a cuppa and munch on jammy dodgers. Despite Roangy being on the wrong side, she was swiftly becoming his favorite person. After wiring in the last wire he came to a stop. He was tired...but soon...very soon. He would see Amelia again.

“This is it?” Roangy asked with obvious excitement.

“Take it to these coordinates, it'll collect enough to sustain me. Easy as that.”

“You are brilliant.”

“Well...yeah.” Raeburn gave a half smile.

“Well I guess I'll be off to collect some Artron Energy...You look worn out...you should go rest...take a break from the Jammy Dodgers.”

“Not going to happen. But I think I'll go for a rest...”

“You need it.”

“Right.”

Roangy took the device and left the lab. Raeburn nodded to his guard...Roangy insisted they were there to help him...just in case...but Raeburn wasn't quite so naïve. His guard took him to his room and Raeburn plopped down onto his bed and closed his eyes.

He barely had them closed for a minute when four scientists entered his room without warning. Raeburn's eyes flashed open and he sat up. “What-?”

Martin, Roanby and Grand Fuhrer and another scientist, Raeburn didn't know, approached him.

“Can I help you good sirs?” Raeburn had a bad feeling.

They didn't speak to him. Dr. Roane nodded to the other three and they pulled Raeburn up and restrained him.

“What are you doing?” Raeburn demanded. But they were silent.

“It is time.” Dr. Roane told him.

“No, but Roangy just left, she shouldn't be back for another hour.” Raeburn announced.

“Not for that. You are stable...and you will remain stable as long as you are within Cardiff...Our use for you can be operated right here...there is no reason for us to permanently stabilize you...yet.”

“No.” Raeburn struggled, but he was held tightly.

“It is time for you to help us change the world.” With that Dr. Roane left the room, while the other three dragged the struggling Time Lord from his room and into another lab. In the center of the room was a table, a table with straps.

Raeburn bucked and tried to get free, but he was tired and the three who held him were strong. “Roanby, don't do this. Please!” he begged, but Roanby didn't answer him. Raeburn was dragged to the table and forced down, while Dr. Roane strapped his flailing limbs. He continued his struggle, panted for air and tried not to panic.

Sweat rolled off of his body as they scanned him. They left him in his pants. His body jerked involuntary when he saw the scalpel.

“Please don't do this.” Raeburn's voice was a whisper. He tried not to let panic set in.

He was ignored and Dr. Roane cut into his flesh. He pulled back Raeburn's flesh to expose the muscle. The other scientists poked, prodded, picked and pulled at his insides. Raeburn moaned, wishing for the Doctor to arrive and save him. He choked in pain when Dr. Roane cut pieces of muscle off. After an hour Dr. Roane nodded to the others, “Alright, seal him up.”

They put his flesh together and used a tool to mend the incisions, leaving no trace of their intrusion. But they offered no analgesics. Raeburn was convinced that Dr. Roane enjoyed causing Raeburn pain. He didn't show it or break his 'professionalism'. But the least he could have done was to knock him out...

Dr. Roane took the pieces of muscle he cut from Raeburn and left the lab, with Raeburn still strapped to the table. Martin and Roanby cleaned the droplets of blood and sweat left behind.

“If you want to get some sleep before your next session, now is the time.” Roanby told him.

“Going to just leave me here?” Raeburn whispered. He was so tired. He tried to control the pain in his chest, but he couldn't focus. He was just too tired.

“Yeah, after you donate some blood.” Martin sneered.

“What?” He closed his eyes. He couldn't help it.

“Just go to to sleep Montmore.” Roanby told him. “It'll be over soon.”

That was a lie. But he was too tired, he couldn't even struggle when they took his blood.

He slowly opened his eyes. The pain in his chest was reduced, but he was very weak. He didn't even need to see the bags of blood they carted away, he already knew they had taken too much. They were greedy, this lot.

He didn't have any energy to waste as they removed the straps. They put him in a wheelchair, his head slopped to the side, his hearts pounded wildly. They wheeled him down the hall and into his room. Martin left with a snicker, but Roanby helped Raeburn to his bed.

“Where is Roangy?” Raeburn whispered.

“You won't be seeing her again. Grandfather said that she got too close to you. He's afraid she'll lose her nerve. He won't risk allowing you two to spend anymore time together, he's sent her on a new project anyway.”

Raeburn gulped, his throat was so dry. “Kindness is not a weakness.”

“You say that, but do you really believe it? We are trying to change the world, and there is a price to pay. There is always a price to pay. You just happen to be it. I'm sorry, but there isn't any other way.”

“No, there's always a way...always a way out.”

“Where would you go? Your life happened two hundred years ago. Even if you did leave here...which you would be unable to leave Cardiff, y'know. You won't be fully stabilized until you have that 'surge of Artron Energy thing...What are going to do?”

“Go back to the 1950s.” Raeburn muttered, but Roanby didn't hear him.

“You aren't going to go anywhere. You are going to stay here and help us. Now, get some sleep, next session we're going to check out your binary cardiovascular system, the boys are super psyched about that.”

“No--” Raeburn moaned, but Roanby was already out the door.

He closed his eyes only for a second, it was enough to send him back to dreamless sleep. Light footsteps brought him back to the surface. His eyes lids were heavy and he was still tired. But someone was at his door. He wanted to run. But he was so tired. Someone opened his door. Someone was getting closer. He could hear them breathing as the came right up to the side of his bed. He braced himself- ready to be grabbed or maybe drugged.

Nothing happened. When nothing happened, he managed to open his eyes.

“Roangy” He whispered, relieved to see a friendly face.

“Are you okay?” She asked him. Her hand touched his forehead. Roangy's hand was cold...that was wrong. But he was so tired he couldn't remember why.

“I'm okay.” He lied. “They took my blood...that can't happen. Its too dangerous.”

“I'm sorry they took so much...I just came to bring you a cup of tea...and I sneaked in some jammy Dodgers...”

“No...- Roangy!” He grabbed her wrist to stop her from leaving. “Please, they're going to hurt me. But you can stop them....You can help me.”

“I can't, I'm sorry.”

“No, you can, did you collect the Artron Energy-?”

“I'm sorry Montmore. I can't help you. We brought you back so you can help us in advancing the medical field...if that means removing your hearts to save people, then that is what I will do. I don't want you hurt...but I am trying to change the world!”

Raeburn let go of her. “Taking my hearts won't do you any good. Mucking around with a Time Lord's body is dangerous! Anything could happen. This is not the way you change the world. You'll regret this... all of it. Please, if anything you'll lose your humanity.”

“I have to do what I can for my family and for the world, I'm sorry Montmore...I really am, but I will show that you do not weaken me.” With that she turned and left him alone.