The two Kates glare at each other over the metal table, and the bright red countdown clock continues dropping. It reads two minutes and fifty-nine seconds.
"One word from you could cancel the countdown," says the Zygon.
The real Kate nods. "Quite so."
"It's keyed to your voiceprint."
"And mine alone."
"Cancel the detonation," the Zygon orders, looking at the clock, and it freezes.
The real Kate looks as well. "Countermanded," she states. It starts back up again.
"Cancel the detonation!"
"Countermanded!"
Both have stood to their feet, eyes squinted in hatred and voices raised to shouts. The Zygon copies of Osgood and McGillop blink, unfazed. The doppelgänger inches its face closer to the original's. "We only have to agree to live," it tells her.
"Sadly, we can only agree to die."
The petrified real version of Osgood folds her hands in a sort of prayer, rocking back and forth on the balls of her feet nervously. Tears stain her cheeks as they flow freely from her eyes. "Please, Doctor," she whispers. "Please save us. Please save us. Please save us..."
YOU ARE READING
The Time of Change
FanfictionThere are some people who seem destined for greatness. There are others who seem stuck on the path of failure. For most of her life, Annalise Song felt as if she was the unhappy median between the two: bound to be nothing more than mediocre and soli...
