Touch The Sky: Doctor Who/Studio C [Book 3]

No Such Thing as the Perfect Murder

No Such Thing as the Perfect Murder

(Original Story: Part 7)

Not again.

Mallory was surprised at how level her words were. "So give him some of the antidote you do have," she said. "And the three of us if we start getting sick, since we're the only ones who can get the Doctor on our side. Matt's the first, he's the only one the timing's tight on. We should be able to get to the Doctor and back again before anyone else dies."

Cyndi eyed the bottle for a moment before returning to her desk and flicking her gaze toward Mallory's. "No."

From the latter's point of view, her argument made perfect sense—it took a moment for the single word to sink in. "Excuse me?"

"I said no," Cyndi said flatly. "I told you, I'm attempting to figure out how to replicate this, and I need as much of it to test as I can."

"You don't have to figure out how to make it, I told you the Doctor can do it—"

"I don't particularly care to rely on other people for something I can do myself," Cyndi said flatly.

"How long have you been testing that, anyways?" Donna put in. "What makes you think you can do it in two days?"

Mallory shot her a thank you glance before glancing back at Cyndi's stony face and finding it unmoved. "Okay, so just Matt then, don't worry about the three of us. Though I imagine if you get sick in the next few days you're gonna need some yourself to continue your tests."

"What part of no do you not understand?" Cyndi snapped. "Can you stop and realize it's not just him? There are over five hundred people above our heads that are going to be dead or dying within a week if I don't stop this. I thought you, of all people, would be able to see the big picture here."

"I see it," Mallory said coldly. "I'm very good at seeing the big picture, actually. I just want to point out... I am the only reason you're standing there right now. I'm the only reason history as you know it didn't end over two thousand years ago when a megalomaniac Time Lord took over the Earth, and I'm the only reason those five hundred people are above our heads. Am I someone you really want to go head to head with?"

Cyndi didn't even have the decency to look impressed. She merely quirked an eyebrow and said, "If push comes to shove, yes."

Mallory crossed her arms, blew out a breath, and ignored the sideways glance Donna shot her. "Okay. You're in charge."

"Thank you." With sudden vigor in her step, Cyndi moved around the room, gathering test tubes and books and several other things that Mallory didn't recognize. "I am not against enlisting the Doctor's help. I just don't think we should put all our... what's the phrase in your century? All your scrambled eggs in one box?"

"All your eggs in one basket," Donna corrected, an odd look in her eyes.

"Close enough." Cyndi dropped into the seat behind her desk, flicking open a large tome. She gestured to the staircase with one hand. "Don't leave the bookcase open."

"Sounds like a dismissal if I've ever heard one," Donna muttered, exchanging a look with Mallory.

She merely shrugged.

It wasn't until the two were on Cyndi's porch that the redhead finally spoke again. "You lost your thunder awful quick."

"Did I?" Mallory asked mildly.