Time Book I

World War Three

CHAPTER 22| SAFE

   "That's why the Slitheen went for spectacle. They want the whole world panicking, because you lot, you get scared, you lash out," (Y/N) says leaning on the table arms crossed.

   "They release the defense code," Rose says catching on.

   "And the Slitheen go nuclear."

   "But why?"

   (Y/N) opens the metal shutters. "You get the codes, release the missiles, but not into space because there's nothing there. You attack every other country on Earth. They retaliate, fight back. World War Three. Whole planet gets nuked."

   "And we can sit through it safe in our spaceship waiting in the Thames. Not crashed, just parked. Only two minutes away," Margaret says.

   "But you'll destroy the planet, this beautiful place. What for?" Harriet asks.

   "Profit. That's what the signal is beaming into space. An advert," the Doctor says standing next to (Y/N) as she talks to Margaret.

   "The sale of the century. We reduce the Earth to molten slag, then sell it piece by piece. Radioactive chucks, capable of powering every cut-price star liner and budget cargo ship. There's a recession out there, Doctor. People are buying cheap. This rock becomes raw fuel," Margaret says smiling at the two Time Lords, if you could call that smiling.

   "At the cost of five billion lives."

   "Bargain."

   "I give you a choice. Leave this planet or we'll stop you."

   "What, you? Trapped in your box?"

   "Yes, him and me," (Y/N) says closing the shutters.

   It's the next morning, a long night has it been. "If we could ferment the port, we could make acetic acid," Harriet says.

   "Mickey any luck?" Rose asks.

   "There's loads of emergency numbers. They're all on voicemail," Mickey says through the phone.

   "If we could just get out of here."

   "There's a way out," the Doctor says.

   "What?"

   "There's always been a way out," (Y/N) says joining in.

   "Then why don't we use it?"

   "Because we can't guarantee your daughter will be safe," (Y/N) responds sadly looking at the Doctor as he wraps an arm around her.

   "Don't you dare. Whatever it is don't you dare!" Jackie says.

   "That's the thing. If I don't dare, everyone dies," the Doctor says.

   "Do it," Rose says.

   "You don't even know what it is You'd just let me?"

   "Yeah."

   "Please! Doctor! Please! She's my daughter. She's just a kid!" Jackie screams through the phone.

   "Do you think I don't-we don't know that? Because this is our life, Jackie. It's not fun, it's not smart, it's just standing up and making a decision because nobody else will."

   "Then what're you waiting for?" (Y/N) asks.

   "I could save the world but lose you," he says lightly. (Y/N) stares at the Doctor.

   "Except it's not your decision, Doctor. It's mine," Harriet says.

   " And who the hell are you?" Jackie says.