Revenge of a Time Lord

Chapter 33

When the Doctor wanted to open the door to where he had Cobb imprisoned, Donna grabbed his arm and turned him around to look him in the eyes.

'Please, Doctor. I know that I can't stop you from whatever you are planning to do to that man. He has killed your daughter and I can understand why you are angry. But I am asking you to listen to me, don't kill him. Whatever you are going to do, show him mercy. Even though he didn't give any to you. That's all I want to say to you, do with it what you want,' Donna said, letting the Doctor go.

The Doctor just nodded in return, slightly calming down when he saw the calm and reassuring eyes of Donna and Rose. But still, he felt such hatred raging through his blood, he couldn't just ignore what Cobb had done. He pushed the door open, and both Rose and Donna followed him, closing the door behind them.

The General looked up when he saw the Time Lord entering the room. The Doctor saw that the man was trying to look as if nothing was bothering him, as if he knew no fear. But he knew that Cobb was only pretending, he knew that the man was frightened. During his years as a soldier, he had learned to hide his fear and to never give up while he was still alive. He had learned to fight till death, to never give himself over to the enemy.

The Doctor felt a grin forming on his own face when he thought of the fun he could have with a soldier who would do anything to fight back. Who would never give himself over.

'So...' the Doctor whispered, hatred very much audible, 'I am back for you... Have you been enjoying your cell? Have you prepared yourself for what is going to happen to you?'

Cobb looked up with an equal amount of hate in his eyes. 'I am glad you came back. There is no honour in dying out of thirst in a stinking cell full of blood. God knows what you have been doing here.'

When Cobb mentioned the blood, Donna's eyes wandered off to the floor, which was indeed covered with blood.

'Doctor! What have you been doing here?' Donna demanded, ignoring the smug smile Cobb was giving the Time Lord now.

'I... Nothing,' the Doctor said, trying to sound innocent.

'This blood... it is Shaun's, isn't it? Please, answer me,' Donna said, all the colour draining from her face.

'I've told you... he is fine,' the Doctor replied irritated.

'I want to see him. Now,' Donna said, her voice barely controlled.

'Donna... Calm down... We'll talk about this later,' Rose said softly, wrapping one arm around her.

'If he is hurt... In any way...'

'Not now, Donna!' Rose warned.

The Doctor waited for Donna to calm down, and then he turned back towards Cobb, who was still glaring at the Time Lord.

'Trouble with the ladies?' Cobb asked.

The Doctor chose to ignore him and he came closer to Cobb, looking down on the man. 'Have you seen these... tools in this room? I can bring you a lot pain with those. The worst physical pain possible. You can't even imagine how that must feel... I can do that to you... Leave you behind, broken, barely alive. And I would enjoy every second of it. I won't feel any form of remorse. I would love to see you in pain...'

The Doctor stopped for a moment, his eyes boring into Cobb's, as if he was daring him to say anything. Then he picked up a metal stick, with green spikes on it.

'This, for example, if I hit you hard enough with it, can make you bleed like hell. And you won't stop bleeding until I give you an antidote. You can bleed forever. And the green spikes, here, they will make sure that your wounds keep stinging. Forever,' the Doctor said grimly, and he could almost feel that Rose and Donna were holding their breath. 'Do you want me to do that to you?'