Apocalypse Rising (Book One)

The Apocalypse Dances

Rose looked around, shaking as the patients approached, but the Apocalypse cleared her throat. "Go to your room," she stated firmly. The patients all stopped, looking at her oddly. "Go to your room," she repeated. "I mean it. I'm very, very angry with you. I am very, very cross. Go to your room!"

Rose watched in astonishment as the patients hung their heads and returned to their beds. "What the?" Jack asked in surprise.

"Well," the Apocalypse said slowly. "I'm really glad that worked. Those would have been terrible last words for 'Al Qaeda Assassin.'"

Jack winced at that as Rose looked around. "Why are they all wearing gas masks?"

"They're not," Jack said. "Those masks are flesh and bone."

"How was your con supposed to work?" the Apocalypse asked, folding her arms.

"Simple enough, really," he said with a shrug. "Find some harmless piece of space junk, let the nearest Time Agent track it back to Earth, convince him it's valuable, name a price. When he's put fifty percent up front, oops! A German bomb falls on it, destroys it forever. He never gets to see what he's paid for, never knows he's been had. I buy him a drink with his own money, and we discuss dumb luck. The perfect self-cleaning con."

"Yeah," the Apocalypse drawled out sarcastically, rolling her eyes. "Perfect."

"The London Blitz is perfect for self-cleaners. Pompeii's nice if you want to make a vacation of it, though, but you've got to set your alarm for volcano day." He laughed, but stopped when he got the glare Rose deemed "the Apocalypse is coming" glare from the Apocalypse. "Getting a hint of disapproval," he said, clearing his throat.

"Take a look around the room," the Apocalypse advised, narrowing her eyes. "This is what your harmless pice of space junk did."

"It was a burnt out medical transporter!" Jack protested. "It was empty!"

"Rose," the Apocalypse called, heading for the door.

"Are we getting out of here?" Rose asked, following her.

"We're going upstairs," she replied.

"I even programmed the flight computer so it wouldn't land on anything living!" Jack continued. "I harmed no one! I don't know what's happening here, but believe me, I had nothing to do with it!"

"You want to know what's happening?" the Apocalypse asked, turning and raising an eyebrow. "Fine. I'll tell you what's happening. You forget to set your alarm clock. Wake up and smell the smoke, Jackie boy. It's volcano day!"

A siren wailed overhead, and Rose looked around. "What's that?" she asked.

"The all clear," Jack answered.

"I wish," the Apocalypse muttered, running out the door.

Rose quickly ran after her, followed by Jack, but the woman was gone. "Miss Spock?" Jack called.

"Apocalypse?" Rose called as well.

The Apocalypse poked her head out from over the railing of the staircase. "Have you got a blaster?" she asked.

"Sure!" Jack replied as he and Rose ran up.

"The night your space junk landed, someone was hurt," the Apocalypse said, gesturing to the door behind her. "This was where they were taken."

"What happened?" Rose asked.

"Let's find out." She nodded. "Get it open."

Jack pulled out a fancy looking gun, and Rose looked at the Apocalypse. "What's wrong with your sonic screwdriver?" she asked.