Can't Love You {Sequel to "Not Sherlock Holmes"}

Chapter Twenty

Veronica's POV

Out of the box steps a surprisingly young-looking man. He appears to be only a few years older than I, maybe early 30's, and he sports a pinstriped suit of all things. He looks around at the sad sight surrounding him.

We only lost a few, but their remains look absolutely horrendous. I can't bear to see their mutilated forms. I can feel the tears building up, but I remain calm.

"Who are you?" I demand, stepping forward. If I'm to be a leader, I must act like one. The man squints at me.

"Earth. I'm on Earth. Interesting. What's your name?" he asks, thrusting his hand toward me, approaching me. I back away.

"Hang on, I asked you first. Who are you?" I ask a little more firmly this time. He's obviously oblivious to the 3 dead bodies amongst us.

"Gee, touchy. Alright, I'm the Doctor. At your service." He bows. We all stare at him unimpressed.

"Doctor?" Benedict limps to the front and stares at the man. "You're not the same man who took me, though." He looks so confused, so completely lost. The Doctor pats Benedict sympathetically.

"You must have met me while I was in a different form." Benedict stares blankly, and the Doctor rolls his eyes. "You met my future self. I've never met you, sir." The Doctor barely finishes the statement before Benedict has punched him hard in the face.

"Ben!" I call, surprised. But he shoves the well-dressed man into a nearby tree.

"Stop acting like this is all a joke! This isn't, 'Mr. Doctor'! You screwed up, you know!" The Doctor stares at him, panicked.

"What did I do, exactly?" Benedict almost explodes.

"You picked me up in your spaceship, and you dropped me off TEN YEARS LATER." The Doctor looks completely confused.

"Why did I pick you up?" Benedict looks ruffled.

"Well, I was shot, and drowning-"

"Oh, so it sounds like I saved your life!" The Doctor is chipper again.

"You ruined my life!"

"Listen here: Obviously, I saved you for a reason. I'm not sure why, yet, but I'm sure that it will soon become apparent. But while we're still on this topic, d'ya mind telling me what I might have told you while you were on my TARDIS?" Ben bristles.

"You said a whole lot of nonsense-"

"Yes, I do that a lot, but did I give you any instructions?" Benedict thinks.

"You were saying things about saving the world, and I told you you had the wrong person. And you said that there were aliens on Earth, and that you were going to come and help us..." Comprehension dawns on Ben's face. "Those Soldiers... Those are the aliens?" The Doctor shrugs.

"Not sure. Didn't see 'em. Did I tell you what the aliens were called?" Ben thinks again.

"I know you told me. I just... can't think of it-"

"Well you better think of it because your life depends on it."

"It was something that starts with an 'L'..."

"Yes, good start," the Doctor encourages.

"Lumi..."

"Nope."

"Luna..."

"Not that, either."

"Lumar..."

"Lumaros?" The Doctor's eyes widen, and so do Benedict's.

"That sounds right." The Doctor's face turns white.

"Lumaros are completely deadly. They have powers of strength and speed beyond that of any human." I finally speak up, tired of listening to the two of them go off.

"Yes, we just witnessed a bit of that," I say, irritated. Ian steps up, as well.

"You're saying The Soldiers are aliens?" The survivors around us mutter to themselves.

"You both sound like raving lunatics," Ian continues.

"Yes, yes, I know it sounds crazy, but it's true." Ian shakes his head. I place a hand on his arm.

"Ian, you saw what those Soldiers could do," I prod gently, but he pushes me away.

"You believe this? You're just as crazy." I throw my hands up in the air.

"What choice do we have but to believe him?! I don't want to face these Soldiers by ourselves!" The Doctor nods his ascent.

"She's right. I'm your best bet." Ian laughs humorlessly.

"We aren't doing anything until we all pull ourselves together and we give this Doctor a real interrogation." The Doctor's face falls at that.

"Oh, goodie. That doesn't sound like any fun." Ian's voice sounds menacing.

"It won't be."