To Be Human

Chapter 6 - Gridlock

Gridlock, part 2 -

"If you won't take us", the Doctor looked from Jane to Brannigan, "We'll go down on our own."

"What do you think you're doing?", Brannigan complained as the Doctor kneeled in front of Jane and soniced the floor.

"Finding my own way, I usually do. May wanna take a step back there, Jane", Jane did as she was told just before a door in the floor opened.

"Capsule opened", the computer stated as Jane looked down, seeing a car right below them.

"Here we go", the Doctor said, throwing his coat to Valerie, "Look after this. I love that coat. Janis Joplin gave me that coat."

"But you can't jump", she told him, worried.

"If it's any consolation, Valerie, I'm having kittens", Jane laughed at that as Brannigan spoke up again.

"This Martha. She must mean an awful lot to you."

As Jane nodded frantically, the Doctor replied, "Hardly know her. I was too busy showing off. And I lied to her. Couldn't help it, just lied", he gave Jane a meaningful look as if to apologise before looking through the door again, "Bye then!"

The Doctor jumped and looked up, waiting for Jane to follow. "He's completely insane", Valerie breathed.

"That, and a bit magnificent", Jane grinned before she jumped as well to be somewhat caught by the Doctor, so she wouldn't lose her balance on top of the other car.

He then immediately kneeled again to open the hatch into the car. They jumped in to find a very pale man in a white suit sitting in the driver's seat. As the Doctor kneeled to the floor hatch again, the man spoke up, "Who the hell are you?"

"Er, Sorry, Motorway Foot Patrol. We're doing a survey. How are you enjoying your motorway?", Jane improvised.

The floor hatch opened and the Doctor waited for a car as Jane was still keeping up conversation, "Well, not very much. Junction Five's been closed for three years", the driver told her, staring at the Doctor and the open floor hatch.

Jane looked down quickly to see a car, coming to a stop below them, "Thank you. Your comments have been noted. Can I borrow this?", she asked, picking up a white scarf, the man shrugged, "Thanks. Have a nice day!", and then she jumped after the Doctor again with the scarf wrapped around the lower half of her face.

"Clever", he noted before kneeling again. In the next car they found two women, whom Jane opened the same conversation with.

Before they jumped again, the Doctor picked up a purple bandana, "Can I borrow this?", he repeated what Jane had asked earlier, "Not really my colour, but thank you very much."

The next car had a naked couple in the seats and the two turned away as the Doctor opened the hatch, "Sorry, don't mind us", Jane chuckled.

They kept going like this until they reached the lowest layer before the fast lane. "Excuse me, is that legal?", the gent in the driver's seat asked.

Jane pulled down her scarf. "Sorry, Motorway Foot Patrol, something, whatever. Do you have any water?", she asked as the Doctor pulled down his scarf as well, and nodded in a ditto gesture.

"Certainly. Never let it be said I've lost my manners", the man said, handing each of them a small cone of water.

"Is this the last layer?", the Doctor asked, after gulping down the water.

"We're right at the bottom. Nothing below us but the fast lane", the driver replied.

"Can we drive down?", he asked.