Bon Voyage

"Mr. Jones, they're here!" one of the scientists yelled as they threw themselves through the doorway, Clara throwing a glass of water over Flynn, making him splutter back into consciousness.

"Whangamanga!" Flynn sputtered, shaking his wet hair dry like a dog.

"It's time to make tracks, troops," Clara said smartly, hauling him to his feet.

Flynn staggered, his eyes rolling back in his head, Clara rolling her own eyes, grabbing his tie and dragging him forth like a dog on a lead for the umpteenth time, the gesture becoming quite the tradition.

"I would really appreciate any ideas you might have," Ezekiel fired at Clara, wringing his hands, losing his customary cool.

"Modulate your power up to fifty three per cent," Flynn gasped, grabbing a desk for support, "and at the same time, see if you can raise it into the Clevenger field effect range" -

- "I have no idea what you're talking about," Ezekiel said, backing away from him.

"Just do as he says," Clara ordered the scientists, overruling Ezekiel, making what was left of his team spring into action.

"It's the Odic force," Flynn wheezed, "the Clevenger field is where telepathy occurs - see what I'm thinking!?" He broke down into manic laughter, making Clara glance sharply at him, suddenly reminded of the old insane Flynn. For a moment he was there with her, as though he'd never been gone, but then Flynn doubled over, bursting into hysterical tears, shattering the illusion.

"Flynn!" she snapped, shaking him by the shoulders, making the teeth rattle in his head. "Get a grip!"

"If magic exists in this reality, what you have is a spirit energy overlay," he wept, "the Odic force" -

- "My speciality is tech and security," Ezekiel shouted above the screams, "not obscure Victorian occult phenomena" -

- "History is your blind spot," Clara said, rounding on Ezekiel, "and that's why you're in this mess in the first place! You never saw the bigger picture!"

Ezekiel stared at her, like he was seeing her for the first time.

"Team Jones, keep doing what this man is telling you!" Ezekiel ordered, straightening his lab coat before stalking down the stairs, leaving Clara on her own with the still sobbing Flynn.

"Team Jones, give me your shoelaces!" Flynn suddenly cried, grabbing a handful of sparking wires, startling Clara.

As they obeyed him, chucking shoelaces at his head, Clara took off after Ezekiel, only to stop dead at the sight of him trying to hold back the dead with a whiteboard. Grabbing him by the shirt collar, she dragged him back up the stairs, just as the whiteboard gave way, Ezekiel letting out a yelp as he missed a step, falling backwards, knocking Clara over at the same time, the dead descending -

"Begone foul apparitions!" Flynn intoned, brandishing what appeared to be a hose constructed of plaited wire and shoelaces connected to the computer mainframe, before flicking a switch and scrunching up his eyes, spraying sparks like water, electrocuting the undead. As they trembled like blancmanges, his contraption suddenly exploded, sending him flying backwards, head over heels, the dead collapsing at the same time.

"Flynn!?" Clara cried, crawling over to him, turning him over. His face was still, almost slack, but then a snore escaped his lips, a strange ululating sound that made Clara slump forwards with relief.

"He did it!" Ezekiel exclaimed in disbelief, making Clara glance up in shock. All around them, the living awoke from their long slumber, the dead slipping back into the shadows where they belonged. As everyone started cheering and hugging each other, Ezekiel stood up, smoothing back his hair. "I want full data on that energy spike," he ordered his team, before marching over to Flynn, and slapping him awake.

"Whangatankatonka?" Flynn said blearily, swaying from side to side.

"You just saved the world, you blithering idiot," Ezekiel snapped, slapping him again.

"I did?" Flynn said, confused. "With what?"

"A wooden spoon," Ezekiel said, deadpan.

"Really?" Flynn said, impressed against his will.

"No, with magic," Ezekiel said, rolling his eyes, "and some shoelaces."

"It was more misunderstood mathematics," Flynn said primly, picking up his spectacles, before stumbling to his feet.

"Flynn, you're fading," Clara said suddenly, making him freeze.

"So are you," Ezekiel said, taking a step back.

Clara glanced down at her hands, only to see they were see-through. "What in the name of Long John's long johns is happening!?" she demanded, not understanding why Ezekiel was grinning. "What's so funny?" she spat, grabbing Flynn's hand, only for it to slip out of her non-existent grasp.

"I haven't heard you say that for a long time," Ezekiel said, rumpling up his hair, "the long John thing."

Clara just stared at him, the tears springing to her eyes.

"I'm melting!" Flynn wailed, falling to his knees.

"No, you're travelling between time-lines again," Ezekiel explained, circling them, "so I guess it's bon voyage..." As he spoke, they faded out of existence completely, leaving only empty space behind, Ezekiel Jones alone once more.