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The police station only had two cells, both small and infrequently-used. Henry had been put in one, while the other was currently playing host to Jamie, Gia, Zoë, Victoria and Samantha. Most of the latter were trying to catch up on their sleep after the past few strenuous hours. Of course, there was always an exception. "Isobel's been gone a long time," Samantha said. "Sssh," Gia whispered. "She got a phone call. It isn't fair. They should have given us all one." "Sssh." "Just 'cos she was flirting with that copper." "Sssh - what?" "Well, she was. And her a feminist, too. I wouldn't do anything like that." "Apart from your friend Mike at the garage," Gia couldn't help reminding her. "And Jamie, though I don't think he's blameless there." Jamie opened one eye. "I heard that." "They don't count," Samantha said. "Oh, so I don't count, do I? Well, let me tell you--" The cell door opened and Isobel walked in. The others looked up. "How d'you get on?" Samantha asked. "I got to make my call," Isobel said. "Don't worry, we won't be stuck here too long." Victoria rubbed her eyes and yawned. "Why's that? Did you send for UNIT?" "That's right." "And? Isobel, you're grinning like the cat who got the cream. What else did you do?" Isobel adopted an air of mystery. "You'll find out, soon enough." - * - With its customary wheezing, groaning sound, the TARDIS arrived in the forecourt of the police station. The Third Doctor emerged, followed by Jo and the Brigadier. "Now, Lethbridge-Stewart," the Doctor was saying. "You just leave all the talking to me. I'm sure we'll get this sorted out in no time." "Doctor, the message from Miss Watkins was quite clear that she'd been arrested. Frankly, that doesn't surprise me in the least. It's quite probable that she deserves everything she's got." "But you can't leave her to rot in a police cell," Jo pleaded. "And what about Jamie and Victoria and the others?" "Well, we shall just have to see, won't we?" the Doctor said, walking into the police station as if he owned it. The Brigadier followed; as Jo was about to go in as well, she heard the sound of an approaching vehicle. A large, black SUV with stencilled TORCHWOOD markings skidded to a halt, nearly blocking the road. From it emerged two armed men and Yvonne Hartman. "Where is he?" she asked Jo, without preamble. "Who?" "The Doctor, of course. The Watkins girl said he was here." "He's in there," Jo said. "Good. You two, wait here and keep an eye on this girl. If she tries anything funny, shoot her." "Hey, just a minute..." "Whatever alien technology his little friends have found, it's ours," Hartman said. "And if he tries to complain, we'll have that--" she indicated the TARDIS "--as well." She disappeared into the police station. Jo hardly had time to catch her breath before a second, identical SUV arrived from the opposite direction, stopped no less abruptly, and disgorged the familiar figure of Jack Harkness. "Jo Grant," Jack said, striding towards her. "Or are you Jo Jones at the moment? A pleasure to see you, whichever you are." He glanced at the soldiers holding Jo captive. "You two, stand down. That's an order." "Thanks," Jo said, as the men lowered their weapons. "What are you doing here?" "A little bird told me there was some alien tech knocking about here. So I came to make sure it didn't fall into the wrong hands. See you later." He dived into the police station, from which raised voices could now be heard. Before Jo could so much as look around, a second TARDIS materialised. The door was flung open, to reveal the Sixth Doctor in his full, multicoloured, retina-searing glory. Behind him emerged Peri, a vision in what Zoë or Gia would have called 'gorgeous period dress' and anyone else would have called 'one of the worst excesses of the nineteen-eighties.' "Rescue is at hand," the Sixth Doctor declared, striding across the courtyard. "As usual, I have arrived in the nick of time, to save my faithful companions from disaster. Wait here, Peri." Like the others, he marched into the police station. Peri folded her arms. "Figures. We never get to be in on the good bits." "I think I'd rather be out here than in there with that lot," Jo said. "Yeah, maybe." Peri listened briefly to the sounds of animated discussion. "If I want an argument I can get that any time I like." Jo idly looked up and down the street. "Keep an eye out," she said. "What for?" "Well, in case anyone else turns up." "Like who?" "Black helicopters," Jo said solemnly. "Or men in dark suits and darker glasses." "This is supposed to be England, isn't it? Next you'll be telling me the FBI are here." "Stranger things /have/ happened." At this point, the door of the police station was flung open. The Sixth Doctor emerged wearing a satisfied expression, followed in order by Isobel, Zoë, Victoria, Samantha, Gia, Jamie and Sergeant Peters. "Get out of here at once," the Sergeant growled. "Before I do something I'll regret." He stamped back into the police station, slamming the door behind him. "There we are," Isobel said. "Told you I'd get us out in no time." Jo rushed over to her. "What did they *do* to you in there?" she gasped. "You look dreadful." Isobel grimaced. "That isn't police brutality," she said. "That's just wear and tear. You don't tend to look your best after you've been playing a nerve-wracking game of cat and mouse against a gang of smugglers all morning and half the night as well." "Sounds thrilling. What happened?" "Well, it all started--" "It'll have to wait," the Doctor interrupted. "You lot were only released into my protective custody on condition that I took you away from here with all possible dispatch. Apart from anything else, we need to retrieve that car you've left lying around. Come along." Isobel gave an elegant shrug. "Oh, well. See you later, Jo." One by one, the Doctor, his six charges, and Peri filed into the TARDIS. Jo waved until the police box had faded from view. In the TARDIS, the image of Jo receded on the scanner screen. "Oh," Zoë said. "I should have asked Jo if she wanted to come with us next time." "Before that, I should like to recover from this time," Victoria said. "A very good point," the Doctor said, bending over the controls. "And, since you _are_ all in my custody, I think I need to supervise your rehabilitation. Perhaps a little community service would be appropriate. Some of the gutters back at the Round haven't been cleaned out for years." "Aye, and they need more exercise," Jamie added helpfully. "Not that I mind, lassies these days are too skinny anyway. But they need tae practise their running." The Doctor nodded. "I'm sure Mel will welcome some more recruits to her fitness classes. Yes, this is all looking quite promising..." Chapter 11: I Would Be Busy Too
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