The Doctor Of War ³

Face The Raven pt.2

Outside a crowd stands at a discreet distance while an old man and woman talk to Ashildr.

"Lock me up, throw us out, anything but this. Please. I only took it to save her" the old man says.

"How many minutes left?" Ashildr asks, Rump checks the back of the man's neck.

"Two, Madam Mayor" Ashildr addresses the crowd. The Doctor, Clara, Rigsy and I have come outside too.

"This man stole medical rations. He broke a rule of the street and he stole from all of you. And yes, I can remove the chronolock. But I won't. Our rules keep us safe" Ashildr says.

"Give it to me. Please. Tell me I can have it. One word. Say it. Say yes", the old woman says.

"I did this to save you, you silly old thing. You really think I could lose you now?" the old man asks, Ashildr breaths in and closes her eyes. The tattoo on her neck becomes smoke and leaves her.

"What's happening?" Rigsy asks.

"It's called a Quantum Shade. It's kind of a spirit. Once it's bound to a victim" the Doctor says, the Raven turns to smoke and leaves its cage "you could flee across all of time and all of the universe, it would still find you" the old man and woman embrace, then the Raven lands on an awning above a stall and caws. The old man is frightened.

"Don't run. Stay with her" Kable says, the old man runs into a house.

"Don't go!" the old woman shouts.

"Why do they always run?" Kable asks, the Raven flies through the closed door. The old man runs out of another.

"Help me, somebody, please!"

"At least give him a merciful death," the Doctor says.

"Oh, no! Oh, no!"

"Do you think a Cyberman fears a merciful death?" Ashildr asks.

"Help me! Help me, please! Please, please, anybody."

"Peace on this street depends on one thing. To break it in any way is to face the Raven" Ashildr says.

"No! No! Please help me!" the old man runs through the street maze until the tattoo on his neck changes to zero, then the Raven flies into his back. The old man arches his back and screams, then falls to his knees as smoke billows out of his mouth. Kabel goes to comfort the old woman as the man falls sideways, dead. The Raven flies away and the Quantum Shade tattoo returns to Ashildr's neck.

"I have no wish to harm your friend if he is innocent, Doctor. Question anyone. Examine the body. But it's not me you need to convince of Rigsy's innocence. It's them" Ashildr leaves with her police escort. The Doctor looks at a watch then rubs the back of his neck. Rigsy makes a phone call in the background.

"Ok, we split up. Cover more ground. I'm good cop, your bad cop" Clara says pointing at the Doctor.

"No, no, no, we don't have. Can I not be the good cop?"

"Doctor, we've discussed this. Your face."

"Oh, yes. Well, forget about cops, right? Forget about finding the real killer. You heard Ashildr. All we have to do is persuade these creatures that it isn't Rigsy. And fast."

*Time skip*

"Rump? It's er Rump, isn't it? That man's wife. She said something. Give it to me, tell me I can have it. What did she mean?" Clara asks.

"Two ways to survive a Quantum Shade. The Shade's master removes the chronolock, or you can give it to someone else" Rump says.

"Give it? You can just..."