Chapter 14 (Time Heist)
A/N - And we're back! I know I've been taking lots of breaks with this book, but I've recently gotten inspired again. I really wanna get us to the next book and FINALLY reveal Elise's love interest, so stick around if you wanna fine out!
Clara was clearly getting ready for another date when Elise and the Doctor arrived.
The Doctor was watching her laundry spinning in the washing machine while Clara checked her makeup.
"The Satanic Nebula," the Doctor suggested. He stared at her goldfish. "Or the lagoon of lost stars. Or we could go to Brighton. I've got a whole day worked out."
"Sorry, but as you can see, I've got plans." Clara gestured to her outfit.
"Have you?"
"Look at me."
"Yeah, okay."
"No, no, no. No. Look at me." Clara flipped her hair.
"Yep, looking."
"Seriously?"
"I think you look beautiful," Elise told Clara.
"Thank you, Ellie."
"Why is your face all colored in? Are you taller?" the Doctor asked.
Clara raised her foot. "Heels."
"What, do you have to reach a high shelf?"
"Right, got to go. Going to be late."
"For a shelf?"
"Bye." Just as Clara was about to leave, the phone in the TARDIS started ringing. "There you go, you've got another playmate."
"Hardly anyone in the universe has that number."
"Well, I've got it."
"Yes, from some woman in a shop. We still don't know who that was."
"Is that her now?"
"There are very few people that it could be."
"Maybe it's Kate," Elise suggested. It'd been a while since they'd seen the head of UNIT.
The Doctor reached out to answer it.
"Don't," Clara said.
"Why not?" the Doctor asked.
"Because, if you answer it, something will happen."
"What?"
"A thing"
"Huh. It's just a phone, Clara. Nothing happens when you answer the phone." He picked up the receiver.
The next thing they knew they were sitting at table, each holding a memory worm.
Clara and Elise screamed.
"Doctor?" Clara asked.
"Don't touch it."
"Where are we? How did we get here?"
A man and a woman sat across from them at the table.
The man had half his head shaved with computer chips attached. "Who are you? Sorry, what's going on? I don't understand."
The woman was dark skinned. Her cheeks transformed into the worm's horns before fading. "Ah! What is that thing?"
"It's a memory worm," the Doctor told her.
"What happened to your face?" Clara asked.
"Deletes your memories."
"Did you see her face?"
"How did I get here?" the woman asked.
"The same way we all did, but we've all forgotten," the Doctor said.
"And who are you?"
A metal case sat in the middle of the table. It played a recording.
"I am the Doctor, a Time Lord from Gallifrey. I have agreed to this memory wipe of my own free will."
"I am Clara Oswald, human. I have agreed to this memory wipe of my own free will. Do I really have to touch that worm thing?"
"Yes, you do. And change your shoes. Elise, you're next."
Elise heard herself sigh. "Do I really have to do this?"
"Yes."
"This is a bad idea. Fine. I am Elise Smith, daughter of the Doctor and River Song. I have agreed to this memory wipe of my own free will."
"Okay, you're next, Psi."
"I am Psi- augmented human. I have agreed to this memory wipe of my own free will." Psi took a chip from his head and examined it.
"I am Saibra, mutant human. I have agreed to this memory wipe of my own free will."
The case unlocked and a golden light shone from within. Two screens popped up. A golden K in a circle was shown on the screen before a hooded figure appeared.
"This is a recorded message. I am the Architect. Your last memory is of receiving a contact from an unknown agency. Me. Everything since has been erased from your minds. Now, pay close attention to this briefing."
A planet appeared and zoomed in to show a bank. An advertisement started to play as the Architect spoke.
"This is the Bank of Karabraxos, the most secure bank in the galaxy. A fortress for the super-rich. If you can afford your own star system, this is where you keep it. No one sets foot on the planet without protocols. All movement is monitored, all air consumption regulated. DNA is authenticated at every stage. Intruders will be incinerated. Each vault, buried deep in the earth, is accessed by a drop-slot at the planet's surface. It's atomically sealed, an unbreakable lock. The atoms have all been scrambled. Your presence on this planet is unauthorized. A team will have been dispatched to terminate you."
Someone banged on the door. "This is bank security. Open up."
The video kept playing. "Your survival depends on following my instructions."
"Open up and you shall be humanely disposed of."
"There's another exit," Saibra said.
"All the information you need is in this case," the video said.
Psi took a chip from his head and plugged it into the case.
"What are you doing?" the Doctor asked.
"Downloading," Psi told him.
"Ah. Augmented. Nice."
"The Bank of Karabraxos is impregnable," the video said.
The Doctor took a device from the case.
"Please stand away from the door. We do not wish to hurt you before incineration," the guard ordered.
Elise rolled her eyes. How considerate.
"The Bank of Karabraxos has never been breached. You will rob the Bank of Karabraxos."
Soon, the five of them were running down a corridor.
"Okay, okay, okay. Stop, stop, stop. Far enough," the Doctor said, panting.
Can't handle all the running, old man? Elise asked. She received an eyeroll in response.
"Augmented human. Computer augmented, yes? Mainframe in your head?"
"I'm a gamer. Sorry, who put you in charge?" Psi asked.
"You're a liar. That's a prison code on your neck."
"I'm a hacker slash bank robber."
"Good. This is a good day to be a bank robber. Mutant human. What kind of mutant?"
"Like he says, why are you in charge now?" Saibra asked.
"It's my special power. What's yours?"
Saibra sighed and took Clara's hand. They watched as she transformed into Clara. When she let go, she was herself once again. "I touch living cells, I can replicate the owner."
"Your face, when we first saw you..."
"I touched the worm."
"You can replicate their clothes too?"
"I wear a hologram shell."
"Like Christmas," Elise said, even though only the Doctor and Clara knew what she was referencing.
The Doctor pulled out the object he took from the case. "Human cells. DNA from a customer, maybe? A disguise to get us in?"
"We're actually going to do it? Rob the bank?"
"I don't think we have a choice. We've already agreed to."
Saibra sighed and touched her thumb to the object.
Elise had to admit that the bank was beautiful.
"How long can you maintain the image for?" the Doctor asked Saibra.
"For as long as I like."
They entered the bank.
"Question one. Robbing banks is easy if you've got a TARDIS. So why am I not using it?" the Doctor asked.
"Question two, where is the TARDIS?" Clara countered.
"Okay, that probably should be question one."
"Hopefully it's not having a temper tantrum this time," Elise said.
The Doctor turned to her. "At least we're not stuck on a pirate ship with a murderous mermaid."
An alarm started going off and security grills came down around all the exits. "Banking floor locking down."
"They know we're here," Saibra said.
"Banking floor locking down."
A woman entered with two men dressed in suits. They walked up to a man with a briefcase.
A monster wearing an orange jumpsuit and a straight jacket entered. It had two eyestalks and was led by two armed guards.
Elise, instead of being scared, just felt sorry for the poor creature.
"What is that?" Saibra asked.
"I don't know. Hate not knowing," the Doctor said.
"Excuse me, sir. I regret to say that your guilt has been detected," the woman said.
"What? That, that's totally ridiculous," the man said.
"Is it, sir? Well then, we will certainly double-check. The Teller will now scan your thoughts for any criminal intent. Good luck, sir."
The man put down his briefcase.
"Interesting," the Doctor said.
"What is?" Psi asked.
"The latest thing in sniffer dogs. Telepathic. It hunts guilt."
The creature emitted a high-pitched noise that caused the man to grab his head in pain.
"What about our guilt?" Clara asked.
"Currently being drowned out," the Doctor told her.
"What's he doing?"
"If he has a plan, he's trying not to think of it."
"Ever tried not thinking about something?" Psi asked.
"No," Clara said.
"You may have to," Saibra said.
The creature roared.
"Ah, criminal intent detected. How naughty. What was your plan? Counterfeit currency in your briefcase, perhaps?" the woman asked.
"No, not at all. For God's sake," the man said.
"It doesn't really matter, we'll establish the details later. The Teller is never wrong when it comes to guilt. Your account will now be deleted, and obviously your mind. Suppertime."
The armored guards held onto the creature's chains as it moved closer to the customer. It's eyestalks came together and a ray was focused on the man's head.
"It's wiping his mind. Turning his brain into soup," the Doctor explained.
Elise felt tears well up in her eyes.
"Your next of kin will be informed, and incarcerated, as further inducement to honest financial transactions," the woman said.
The man started screaming.
"We've got to help him," Clara said.
"He's gone already. It's over," the Doctor told her.
"He's in agony, look at him."
"Those aren't tears, Clara. That's soup."
The creature pulled it's eyestalks apart.
The man stopped screaming and one of the suited men caught him. The front of his head was caved in.
"Account closed. Take him away. He's ready for his close-up. Apologies for the disturbance. Everyone have a lovely day."
Elise was right. This was a very bad idea.
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