Don Noble stepped around the brick wall of the abandoned storefront, motioning Rose and Ewan to stay behind him as he checked out the long narrow alley running between two buildings. The very air smelt of rubbish and decay. Steam, rising up from the vents, carried the stench of a dead body, making everyone's stomach roll with disgust. Don glanced down at the petite blond next to him quivering in obvious anticipation of meeting whatever monster lurked down in the tunnel underneath those grates.
"Are you sure you're tracking Ned? I really want to know before I go down there," Rose muttered to Ewan.
"We could back off and get Daniel," Don quipped. "Make sure the signal is working correctly."
"Right, we just packed Nora off and you want to yank him. By now, he is probably sitting in front of the fireplace cuddled up, watching Robbie play with the dog," Rose replied.
"At least, he's warm," Ewan groused. "Are we doing this because it's bloody cold?"
"Before we do, I just want it understood that no one uses my shower after being in these tunnels. Took an hour to scrub the muck away from last our venture," Rose said.
"Right," Don said with a grin, "Once more into the bowels of this city. I can't believe I gave up a perfectly good DI position just to help you lot stay out of trouble with the locals."
Don handed his torch to Ewan and used a pry bar to lift the covering off the grate. Three torches sent shafts of light down the hole to the floor of the tunnel. The lights reflected off puddles of water. "I will go first. Ewan, take up the rear," Don ordered. He turned and crouched as he stepped off the edge, letting his foot find the first rung of the ladder leading into the steam tunnel. Halfway down, the torch light flickered as Rose followed, descending into the darkness. Don worked his way down a few more steps, then jumped the last three feet to the bottom.
The dank puddle splashed up his trouser legs when he hit the ground, bringing an uncharacteristic bit of colourful profanity. He kept one eye on Rose as she descended the ladder and the other down the tunnel watching for any movement. When they were together, Ewan pointed the scanner first left and then swivelled right. The bleep of a bio-signature grew slightly louder. "That's definitely Ned, but he has a partner. I have two heat signatures."
"Come on, then." Rose stepped in front of the two men and followed the track. They hugged the wall as close as possible without actually touching the slime-covered walls. Fifty metres west of their original position, the tunnel divided off into a V. The air grew thick with humidity from the steam generated from ancient heating systems that were still relying on water. The steam pipe above their heads vented excess steam into the street above, adding to the oppressive feel. Ewan walked ten feet ahead of Don and Rose, watching the beeps on the scanner grow fainter. He turned back, taking the left side of the tunnel only to return.
"I guess we go right. They are down here, but they could go up one of these vents. There is another piece of good news." Ewan looked up at his boss. "The body heat signatures are increasing, but you won't like what they are."
"Don't say it. Please, don't say it," Rose grimaced.
"Okay, I won't say it," Ewan said, with a shrug of apology.
"How many?" Don grimaced with the question.
"Not many, really. I've seen worse since I came to work for Torchwood."
"Right, so let's go. What's a couple of thousand rats?" Don grimaced again. "Ow," he yelped when Rose punched him.
"I told you not to say!" Rose snarled. Rose pulled out the repellent, drew a breath and followed Ewan into the right side of the tunnel. They eased through the tunnel, hiking through the stench and muck, hunting the two aliens who, by now, had no doubt shifted to mimic their surroundings. The muck grew thicker underfoot, as the air grew more foetid the further under the city they travelled. Don followed the curve of the tunnel watching for vents, but when they disappeared, he knew they were crossing under the river to the warehouse district.
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Born of Fire (Doctor Who AU)
FanfictionBook One of the trilogy: The Life and Times of Daniel Ulysses Barrow A man created in the stars during a war is abandoned to a world with nothing but a body that he doesn't understand. Not even his memories, including his love for a woman, are his o...
