The Fate of Persephone (10/OC) (DISCONTINUED)

Chapter Sixteen: The Resolve of an Amarthin

         'Persephone', much to the Doctor's surprise, lead him straight to the computer terminal over by the lift as if she did this every day. He watched with suspicion as his Amarthin (who he knew had never seen alien technology as far as she could remember) expertly tapped and typed on the screen with complete confidence. Something was going on with her, and he did not like it.

            However, the Time Lord refrained from interrogating her, as he knew the hospital was up to something already, and if possessing Persephone was the Sisterhood's way of luring him in to 'dispose of him' or whatever, then he would have to tread very carefully, as showing that he knew their plan with her could cause them to harm her.

            So he schooled his features and leaned around the young woman, tapping on the screen himself. "Nope, nothing odd," he concluded. And indeed, everything about the blueprints and information given to him lined up perfectly with the practices of the hospitals of this century. "Surgery, post-op, nano-dentistry... No sign of a shop! They should have a shop!"

             "No, it's missing something else," Persephone stated, one hand resting on her hip as the other stroked her chin. She looked deep in thought. "When I was downstairs, those nurse cat nuns were talking about Intensive Care. Where is it?"

                The Doctor's theory was being proved right once again, though he didn't let it show. "You're right. Well done." He looked down at the girl with a critical eye, trying to see past her physical features in order to gain clues as to what the Sisterhood was doing to her. How did they possess her in this way? Was it a CBM (Converted Brainwaves Manipulator)? Was it a drug? Hypnotism? Whatever it was, he would have to keep a close eye on her, as her brain was extremely fragile and any type of manipulation or overthrow could cause tremendous damage! This vulnerability was due to the fact that her mind (though she likely didn't know it) was in a state of metamorphosis. For as long as Percy could remember, she thought she was a human, but when she met the Doctor, her mind remembered what it really was and immediately began trying to fill in the blanks. Essentially, she was being born again and at the moment, her mind was as fragile as a Time Lord child's would be. Any meddling with her head could prove deadly.

             Not for the first time (and certainly not for the last) he wished their bond was more developed so he could find out what was wrong immediately.

                "Why would they hide a whole department," 'Percy' mused. She then turned back to the terminal and started tapping around. "It's got to be here somewhere. Search the sub-frame."

               The Doctor decided to conduct a few more experiments. "What if the sub-frame's locked?" Percy looked at him with an expression that said 'I thought you were supposed to be smart.' "Try the instillation protocol." "Yeah, of course. Sorry." The Doctor used the sonic to scan the interface and not a moment later, the entire wall slid down, revealing a dark corridor.

                "Intensive Care," the Doctor mused, poking his head in and looking around. He was subconsciously looking for dangers that could potentially harm his bonded. "Certainly looks intensive!"

               Before he could say anything, Percy strutted past and entered the darkness, leaving the Time Lord to scramble to catch up with her, wincing as the wall snapped shut behind them, causing only the dim bulbs that hung overhead to be their light.

             The flooring was made of filthy mental grates with machinery and buttons and nozzles and wiring covering the walls. Every few meters, there would be a rusty staircase that would take them down farther and farther into the heart of the hospital.

               At last, the walls and ceiling opened up into a cavern of sorts and the two were confronted with a haunting scene: For as far as the eye could see, both up and down, there were thousands upon thousands of pods that glowed eerily green. The Doctor made his way over to one and after sonicking the locking mechanism, he pried the door open, the machinery letting out a hiss and a beep.