They made their way to Corwin's office and he immediately handed them his findings. His eyes were lit up in excitement. "It seems you might be on to something, Harold. There was been at least ten deaths or missing people, and each of them have a loose link with Rebecca."

"Loose link doesn't help us much," Rose replied.

"It looks loose on paper, but each person that either died or went missing was either a classmate of Rebecca or a neighbor or had some form of contact with her. And here's the interesting thing. Each one was highly intelligent."

"Each of these are an exact year apart," The Master stated, poring through the pages.

"Glad you noticed that. Thought I was going to have to point it out," Corwin replied sarcastically.

The Master ignored the jibe. He was focused entirely on what he was reading. "According to this, the first dead body turned up when she was about thirteen years old."

"That's about the time puberty hits in humans," Rose offered.

"Hmm. I think we need to get that DNA diagnostics from Susie. If I'm right, which I usually am, I may know what she is and why she's doing it." He turned to leave and then stopped, turning to Corwin. "Good job. I'm surprised." And he turned and left.

"For him, that was a compliment," Rose muttered to Corwin, before she left to follow the Master.

They went down to Susie. "Care to tell me what you think is going on?"

"I will when I have proof," he said, drumming his fingers impatiently against his thigh.

They went to Susie's office. She looked up from the microscope in surprise. "You have those DNA results?" he asked brusquely.

She pushed her glasses higher up on the bridge of her nose. "I do. She's human."

Rose frowned in disappointment, but the Master looked surprisingly pleased with this diagnosis. "Is that her strand of hair you're looking at through the microscope?"

"Part of it. I had to use the other part to mix in with the chemicals to run through the DNA Diagnostic machine."

"Move over. Let me have a look," he ordered.

"You can ask nicer than that," Rose chided.

He looked up at her as he sat down in the chair Susie had just vacated. "Yes, I could. But that would be nice." He peered down into the lens of the microscope. Two minutes ticked by and Rose was starting to wonder if this was all a wild goose chase. Then he looked up at her, a slow grin spreading over his face. His brown eyes held triumph. "Come take a look at this, Rose. You may have to wait two minutes."

She went over to him and peered in the microscope. She saw the strand of hair, a golden yellow in color. Under the microscope it looked like a rope fibre. "What exactly am I looking for," she asked, her back starting to ache from bending over.

She felt his lips against her ear as he replied in a low voice. "Wait for it. Should happen soon."

She tried to concentrate, but his close proximity was distracting. Then she felt his hand on the back of her thigh, slowing inching up. "Wait for it," he whispered.

She shivered, but kept her eyes resolutely on the hair strand. She gasped as the strand shimmered and then solidified. It happened so quickly that if she hadn't been looking for it, she would have missed it. She straightened up and looked down at the Master who was grinning at her with a salacious grin, his hand still on the back of her thigh, his thumb idly stroking.

"What just happened?" she asked. She was determined to stay focused on the job and this mystery.

"That, dear Rose, is metamorphosis."

"Really?" Susie asked.

The Master stood, his hand reluctantly falling away from Rose's leg. "Take a look."

They made room as Susie sat down.

"So metamorphosis. That's the ability to change form or shape, right?" Rose asked the Master.

"Yes. You humans usually refer it to insects when they change from larvae stage to the insect phase. But in aliens, metamorphosis refers to the ability to change appearance, shape or form."

"So Rebecca is a..."

"Ever heard of a Plasmavore?"

Rose snapped her fingers. "Actually I have. The Doctor ran into one on the moon. She drained the blood from her victims to simulate being a human. Is Rebecca a Plasmavore?"

"No," he replied.

Rose had a not too impressed look on her face. "Then what is she?"

"Not sure. But something similar to a Plasmavore. But instead of draining the blood to simulate being a human, this alien is draining the brain for fuel. And also using it to simulate being a human. The higher the intelligence the less she has to feed, thus reducing the chance of getting caught."

"So she's not really trying to simulate their intelligence?"

"No. She's intelligent on her own."

Rose chewed her bottom lip. "But why was the body stripped of all markings?"

The Master gave her a coy smile. "It had everything to do with the energy she used. I didn't get a good reading because by that time it was almost diminished. But think of that energy like acid, eating away at the outer layers. I'd say even her clothing was vaporised."

"Ok. So the next question is, is she dangerous?" Rose asked.

"Oh yes. The ability to incapacitate her victim and feed requires immense power. So if you're planning on taking her down, you'd better have some good weapons. Question is, do you want her dead or alive?"

"Torchwood protocol is to bring them in alive, but if the situation becomes hostile then it's not frowned upon if the alien is killed. The paperwork is a bitch is cases of death so we try our best to keep 'em alive."

"Send Amelia down to the Vault when she and Matt get back. We'll select or create some appropriate weapons. When do you want to do the take down?"

Rose thought for a bit. "Tonight. She'll be home from University."

"Right. I'll be in the Vault. Don't forget to send Amelia down," he said and left.

Rose turned to Susie. "You'd better be on standby tonight. Things could get ugly. Bring whatever you think we might need to heal an attack by...whatever she is."

Susie nodded and Rose left, dialling Amelia's number as she walked to the elevator. As she suspected, no one on Delores' list raised any red flags with Amelia and Matt. Time to get the team into gear. But first, she needed to make a stop to Samuel and let him in on the loop.

She walked past the receptionist, Wendy, and headed straight for Samuel's office. Technically, she was still the owner of Torchwood, though she wanted nothing to do with being head of it. It was just too boring, having to deal with bureaucracy and paperwork. She wanted to be part of the action and adventure. If she couldn't travel the stars, then out in the field was second best.

She paused at the wooden door with Samuel's name on it. For so long it had been Pete's office and then Tony's. Coming here bought up so many memories. In a way, this was one of the reasons she avoided coming here, only when she really had to. She sighed and knocked on the door before opening it.

Samuel was a tall man, his skin a dark espresso color. His honey brown eyes looked up at her in warmth, his hair peppered with grey. When he had first trained under her, over twenty years ago, he had been gangly and spritely. He had filled out, gaining muscle tone on the job. His body, now well into his forties, was still lean and well defined, and looked sharp in the grey suit he wore. He looked respectable and well capable of the job of being President of Torchwood, though Rose had never doubted it when she had recommended him.

He stood and embraced her warmly. "Rose Tyler. So lovely to see you. It's been a while since you were last up here," he said in his rich, baritone voice. She always imagined his voice to be like smooth brandy.

"Good to see you, too, Samuel. How's the job treating you?" she asked as she went to sit down in one of the plush armchairs by his polished oak desk.

He sat down in his oversized leather chair, leaning back and steepling his fingers in front of him. "You know how it is. All politics. Honestly, I miss being in the field."

She smiled warmly at him. "I know. But you have the mentality for this. And the patience. Something I lack."

He chuckled. "Don't I remember. So what brings you here? Does it have something to do with the Sheela Clark case?"

She nodded. "Yes. We suspect her ex-girlfriend, Rebecca McAlister, of killing her. Harold obtained a hair sample and has identified her as alien, though he can't pinpoint what species exactly. Something close to a Plasmavore."

Samuel nodded solemnly. "If she's as dangerous as what a Plasmavore is, then I advise you to exercise caution."

"Yeah, Harold and Amelia are working on some weapons that we can use."

"How are things working with our Time Lord?"

She gave him a crooked smile. "He and Corwin certainly won't be best buddies. But otherwise, he's actually doing better than I expected."

Samuel nodded, pleased with what he was hearing. "Well, I trust you to make sure he doesn't get up to any trouble. Your Doctor certainly kept us on our toes."

Rose laughed as memories came back of the Doctor and times he wreaked havoc when he got bored. Sometimes intentionally. Sometimes accidently. She sobered, the ache in her heart returning, the crippling ache of heartbreak at missing him so much.

Samuel saw her expression. "It's never easy losing a loved one, especially someone as special as the Doctor. But I see a lightness in your eyes that hasn't been there for a long time. Does this Harold Saxon have something to do with it?"

She looked at Samuel sharply. He held up his hands in surrender. "My apologies, Rose. It's not my place to pry in your personal life. Just an observation."

She nodded, biting her lower lip. She still didn't know how to feel about Harold. Even though they were treading into what she assumed was a relationship, it was still early days yet. But she had to admit that the chemistry was there. And in a way, she knew that he did care for her. He was showing her daily in his own way. In a way, it was different from what she had experienced with the Doctor, and that was to be expected. He was different. But she did know one thing. She didn't want to lose him. It was like she had found a way to breathe after holding her breath for so long.

"He's...he's not the easiest man, Samuel. But there's something there, something good. And he's proving to be an asset to the team," she concluded, deflecting from anything more personal. She was good friends with Samuel, but this was not something she wanted to share with him.

He nodded, accepting the deflection. "So when do you want to bring Miss McAlister in?"

"Tonight."

"Do you have reasonable grounds?"

She handed him the reports that Corwin had dug up on her. Samuel read through it and then he looked up at her. "And you suspect that these deaths are related to Rebecca?"

Rose nodded.

Samuel sighed and rubbed at the bridge of his nose. "It could all be coincidental. There really is no proof. If you can bring in proof, then you can have the go-ahead to bring her in."

"So you want us to wait another year for her to strike?" she asked indignantly.

"Unless you can find something iron clad. I'm sorry, Rose, but there are rules and procedures."

Rose groaned in frustration. But she knew he was right. Unless they caught Rebecca in the act or found some solid proof, there was nothing more they could do. She stood and he followed suit. "Thanks, Samuel. Hopefully we'll uncover something."

"I hope you do. This is the part of the job that sucks. I prefer the hostile aliens for the sole purpose that they give us the excuse to spring into action." He held out his hand and she shook it. "Hope to see you soon."

"You and me both," she replied and left the office. On the way to her office, she called each of her team on the phone and gave them the message, the last one being Amelia. She asked her to relay the massage to the Master. She drummed her fingers against her desk as she stared at the bare wall. Once upon a time, there had been pictures of her and the Doctor. But those memories were too painful and she had packed them away, stored away safely in the house.

"So you mean to tell me that we need more sound proof? Can't I just go in and destroy her and claim she tried to suck my brain out?" the Master said from her doorway.

She didn't bother looking at him, still staring at the wall. "If I didn't care so much and was less morally stringent, then I would let you. I hate this. I hate this part of the job. We have a job to do and we get road blocked whenever we try to do it," she said bitterly.

He stood there silently, looking at her. "Corwin might turn up something on Sheela's laptop," he said finally.

"Probably not. Nothing comes in a nice little box with a ribbon saying 'Here's the evidence. Take it'."

He came to sit in the chair by her desk and she still refused to look at him, instead glaring daggers at the wall. "Since when did you become so pessimistic?"

"Since life showed me that there is no happy ending."

"It's just a small hiccup. We'll get the evidence."

She finally turned to look at him. "Since when did you become so diplomatic?"

He grinned. "I was Prime Minister, remember?"

"You were a dictator."

He shrugged. "Same difference."

She cracked a smile. He was right. They would find the evidence. "I thought you would be more angry about the news?"

"Oh, I am. I'm seething. I think I might just take over Torchwood and make a few changes, if you'd let me. Would you?"

"Nope," she said, shaking her head, her grin spreading wider.

"Well, there goes that option. But I'm looking at this as a way for us to outsmart this alien and come up with a better plan. I didn't like that we were going to rush in there, not knowing fully what she's capable of. Strategy is key, Rose."

"You're so different from him. He was always springing into action, charging in head first without thinking things through fully."

He smiled, but it was without humor. "I'm not him."

She reached over and took his hand. He looked at her with expressive eyes. There was an almost fragility in those depths. "I know. And I'm glad you're not. I'm starting to appreciate you for you. Honestly, I wouldn't have you any other way."

"Really?" he asked in a low voice. He looked more confident, and she never wanted to see him lose that confidence.

She grinned, her tongue poking between her teeth. "Really."

He grinned widely, a genuine grin. "How about we get out of here. Knock off work early and go home and relax."

She debated whether this was a good idea. They had work to do. Granted, they were at a stalemate. But the anticlimax had left her feeling sort of deflated. But she could really do with some stress relief right now.

He stood and wiggled his fingers at her, knowing that her resolved was waning. She chuckled and stood, taking his hand and grabbing her jacket and handbag. She called each of her team members on their elevator ride down to the underground parking, letting them know where she was going and to keep her updated.

They arrived home and she went to sit on the couch. The Master went upstairs and about five minutes later he came downstairs and went to the kitchen. Soon he came back with a glass of white wine. "The bathtub is ready for you. Go have a long soak."

She blinked in surprise, taking the glass from his proffered hand. "Uh, thanks," she said, but he just shooed her in the general direction of the bathroom. She went with uncertainty and found the bathtub full of water and bubble bath. She shook her head in wonderment, grinning.

She soaked in the bathtub, letting the warm water and bubbles soothe her and sipped at her glass of wine. She could get used to this. It had been a while since someone had pampered her. Her human Doctor certainly had spoilt her, not shy in showing his love and affection. But he was gone now and she had resigned herself to a life of lonely solitude. Her thoughts drifted to the Master, a self-proclaimed tyrant. But she wondered where that man was. Sure, he was arrogant and had a mean streak in him, but with her, he was different. Softer. Kinder.

She let the water out the tub and wrapped the towel around her body. She wiped the steam off the bathroom mirror and took a hard look at herself. What did he see in her? What did he see that made him want to change, to be a better man? She realised that she was also changing, since she had met him.

She went to her room and changed into sweatpants and a blue tank top. She went down to the kitchen, where to delicious smell of food greeted her. She walked in and stopped. The kitchen table was laid with a crisp white tablecloth and napkins and even candles and wine glasses. The Master turned from his position from the stove and gave her a smile.

"Dinner is just about done."

"Smells good. What is it?" she asked as she sat down by the table.

"Something simple. Steaks and vegetables." He dished the food onto their plates and then sat down, smoothing the napkin over his lap and she followed suit. She cut a piece off the steak and groaned in appreciation. It was tender and had a delicious taste to it.

"You're going to have to teach me how to cook."

"If you haven't learned by now, then there's no hope for you," he retorted.

She grinned at him. "True. Guess I'll just leave all the cooking to you."

"You already have. Don't know why you had to state it."

She chuckled and he winked at her. She marvelled yet again at how playful and lighter he was around her. And she felt the same around him.

They finished their meal and wine and he cleared up. "I figured you could watch a movie and I would work on something that I think may help with our little alien fiend," he said.

She nodded and sat on the couch. She flicked on the TV and he sat down next to her, pulling out a contraption from the depths of his pocket and started fiddling with it, every now and then doing something to it with his screwdriver. She settled on a movie and then lay back, placing her feet on his lap. He placed his gadget on top of her legs, using her as a workstation, and continued without comment.

"So what's that gadget supposed to do?" she asked after a few moments had passed.

"Incapacitate her."

"So make her weak enough to bring her in alive?"

"If she behaves," he commented darkly. "Keep still. This is delicate work here."

She jiggled her foot, making the gadget wobble precariously on her legs. He shot her a glare. "Careful, Rose. Your feet are in the perfect position for a tickle."

She grinned wider. "And my feet are in the perfect position for a swift kick in your groin if you so much as tickle me."

His eyes darkened and he swiftly placed the gadget and his screwdriver in his pocket. "Was that a challenge?" he asked, his hands holding her firmly by her knees.

She swallowed hard, knowing that trying to squirm her way out of this was not an option. He had her firmly held in place. "Maybe," she teased back, feeling bold, and maybe wanting to know how far he was going to take it.

He rested his arm on her leg and she could feel the strength and power he wielded. She had forgotten how deceptively strong Time Lords were. And in a flash, his other hand started tickling her feet.

She shrieked, trying to thrash and get out of his grasp. "Stop!" she giggled.

He stopped, but those brown eyes twinkled with mischief. In move so fast she barely registered it, he was straddling her. Her eyes widened in surprise. "Now I've got you where I want you. I wonder what I should do with you?"

She tried to be fast, to reach up and try and tickle him back, but he grabbed her wrists and held them down on either side of her head.

"So many things I could do to you in this position," he growled, his face so close to hers, his eyes dark with desire.

"Then why don't you?" she challenged.

"Question is, do you want me to, Rose?" he challenged back. His eyes held no restraint or misgiving. In this way, he was very, very different from the Doctor. Where the Doctor restrained himself and was unwilling to cross those boundaries, the Master had no compunctions about doing just that.

And it was a reasonable question. Did she want him to cross that line? The heat pooling within her was definitely saying yes.

He leaned down, his lips brushing feather-light against hers. "Say yes, Rose."

"Do you want to cross that line?" she whispered back, her lips brushing against his with each word.

"Yes," he whispered back simply and without hesitation. She could taste the truth in his words. He was willing to go the full mile with her and stay by her side. He had promised as much. And she knew he meant to keep that promise.

She closed the distance and she felt him respond. They kissed languidly, tasting each other and treasuring the moment. Then some urgency uncoiled inside them both and he rested his body weight on her, his hands entangling in her hair as he deepened the kiss. She wrapped her legs around his waist, her own fingers scraping against his scalp. He groaned and bit her bottom lip softly before deepening the kiss again. She could feel him growing hard as she pressed her core against him and she groaned at the sensation.

He pulled back and sat on his haunches, his brown eyes dark they looked almost black. She thought he was withdrawing, but he swiftly unbuttoned his suit jacket and shrugged it off. His nimble fingers undid his tie and that landed on the floor with his jacket. She sat up and started unbuttoning his shirt and he watched her heatedly as she popped open each button. She undid his cuffs and he shrugged out of his shirt. She ran her fingertips over his bare chest, revelling how her touch made his stomach muscles clench. He wasn't a hairy man, with sparse hair smattering his chest. He wasn't muscular, but was lean and defined. She looked up at him with a heated gaze and he captured her lips again. She felt him tugging at her top and she lifted her arms as he pulled the shirt off.

She had opted out of wearing a bra and now she sat before him, her upper body bare and she felt self-conscious. She bit her lower lip and looked down. She felt his fingertips under her chin as he tilted her head to look up at him.

"You are so beautiful," he murmured, his eyes holding nothing but awe and sincerity. He caressed her cheek. "Absolutely beautiful." He kissed her again, more tenderly than before and slowly pushed her back down on the couch. They took their time kissing and caressing and he slowly kissed along her jaw and down her neck, sucking and biting at her pulse point, making her arch into him. He made his way lower until he reached her breast, slowly teasing her nipple with his tongue. Her hands were in his hair, urging him for more. His other hand cupped her other breast, slowly squeezing it and then pinching her nipple. He took her nipple in his mouth and gently bit down on it, making her cry out. She was shamefully panting, her face flushed. He rolled his eyes up to look at her and smirked salaciously. He started kissing lower, going down to her stomach and then lower.

He sat up and hooked his fingers in the waistband of her sweatpants and she lifted her bum off the couch slightly so he could pull them and her panties off. They landed on the floor with a flourish and he sat there, drinking in the sight of her naked body with hungry eyes. He stood and unbuckled his belt and took his pants and underwear off, standing before her, naked. He stood proud and erect before her and she had to admit that he was a glorious sight. She stood and closed the distance between them, his erection pressing against her stomach. He leaned down and kissed her, pulling her even more firmly against him. His hand lowered to cup her ass. He pulled back slightly to look at her. Reassured by the look in her eyes, he kissed her again and walked her back to the couch, lowering her gently into a lying position. She wrapped her legs around his waist, feeling his erection pressing against her entrance. His hand snaked between them, to guide himself into her.

The ringing phone interrupted them before he could enter her and she groaned in frustration.

"Ignore it," he murmured against her neck.

She cupped his head in her hands and kissed him fiercely, trying hard to ignore the ringing cell phone. She wiggled her hips, urging him to enter her.

The ringing stopped and he sighed in relief. And then it started again, sounding more urgent than before. He looked down at her and she looked up at him, her eyes showing her ire. He sat up and she scrambled for the phone in her sweatpants.

"This had better be bloody good!" she snapped when she answered it.

He saw her stiffen, her body becoming alert to the news that she was being told. She murmured something and ended the call.

She stood and started getting dressed. "Corwin found something on Sheela's computer. Said that it's important."

"It could have waited till the morning," he said inordinately. "Nothing could be more important than what he interrupted us from doing."

She smiled, though her face still held the frustration and annoyance of being interposed. "Couldn't agree with you more."

"So back to Torchwood?" he asked unenthusiastically.

"Yeah, and it better be good or else I'm going to punch him in the face."

He chuckled and started getting dressed. His dislike for Corwin was starting to have merit.

They arrived at Torchwood thirty minutes later, the night sky enveloping them in darkness. She stormed to Corwin's office, tension radiating off of her in waves. He followed behind her more calmly.

"Ok, Corwin. This had better be good or else you are going to seriously regret it," she growled.

Corwin looked up, quirking an eyebrow. He took in her face and his eyes flickered to the Master and he came to the conclusion. "Ah. Well, in my defense, you did say to call you if anything came up."

Rose looked like she wanted to blast him into the next room. "What did you find?" she asked through gritted teeth.

"Come and watch. I think you'll find it interesting," he said, a triumphant smile on his face.

Rose and the Master made their way to stand behind Corwin. He selected a file on Sheela's laptop and pushed the play button.

A video came up showing the living room of Rebecca McAlister. She recognised the white couch and shag carpet.

"Notice the date?" Corwin asked.

Rose leaned down and saw the date and time on the lower corner of the screen. She straightened as realisation hit her. "Monday night. Ten at night. This was before Sheela was murdered."

"Exactly," Corwin exclaimed with feverish excitement. He pushed the fast forward button until two figures came into the room. He hit the play button and Rose and the Master watched as Sheela and Rebecca sat down on the couch.

Sheela was fidgeting slightly and her eyes darted momentarily to the camera. Rebecca had her back to the camera, her full attention on Sheela.

"Do you think she knows she's being recorded?" Rose asked.

"Yes. There's another video of her placing the camera there and testing it out. I checked the serial number from the programme on this computer and it's one of those spy cameras. About the size of a pea. Our gal set all this up."

"What's wrong, Sheela? You've been off lately," Rebecca asked, her voice crystal clear. Her voice was softer and more affectionate than what Rose remembered when she had first met the woman. Vastly different from the cold-hearted ice queen. Rebecca placed a slender hand on Sheela's thigh and Rose saw Sheela flinch slightly.

Sheela took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. "I'm a telepath, Becca."

Rebecca stilled and pulled her hand slowly away. Then she chuckled. "You can't be. You're human."

"Part-human. I checked my own DNA. I'm part something else."

Rose looked over at the Master, shocked. Susie had said that Sheela was human. Completely human. The Master frowned.

Rebecca seemed to still. "Where are you going with this?" she asked cautiously.

Sheela ran her hand through her hair. "I've heard voices of others around me since I was a child. My parents thought I was schizophrenic. But when I was eighteen, I did that DNA test and knew that I wasn't. I was actually a telepath."

"Well...that's great," Rebecca said, her voice slightly strained.

Sheela watched Rebecca. "I've heard your thoughts."

Rebecca's head snapped up. "And what did you hear?" she asked, her voice now taking on the coldness that was familiar.

"Are you an alien?"

Rebecca remained silent. Then she asked again, "What did you hear?"

Sheela fiddled with her lip ring, nervous again. "Please just tell me, Rebecca. Are you an alien?"

Rebecca stood abruptly and turned in the general direction of the camera, her face contorted in fury. And a hint of fear. Then she bowed her head and sighed, turning back to Sheela. "Yes. I'm a Boloxian."

Corwin paused the video. "Have you heard of that alien?"

The Master was frowning even harder now. "Yes. But in the Prime Universe they are aliens made of pure energy. And completely non-hostile. This Universe sucks. All the aliens I know about are completely backward here."

"So how is she in human form?" Rose asked.

"My best guess is she latched onto a human host. Probably when Rebecca McAlister was thirteen. That's when the first murder happened. To sustain the human form, she needed to drain the energy from the brain of her victim."

"So will we be able to save Rebecca?" she asked.

The Master ran his tongue over his teeth, contemplating. "Hard to say. I'll see what I can come up with."

Rose nodded and turned back to the video. Corwin pushed play.

"And you kill people to sustain yourself?" Sheela asked.

"I don't know what you mean," Rebecca deflected.

Sheela stood now. "I've heard your thoughts. Thoughts about needing to feed and soon. Tell me, Rebecca, who are you planning on killing?" Her voice had risen to near hysteria.

Rebecca stood absolutely still, her focus entirely on Sheela. Then Sheela gasped and stepped back. "It's me, isn't it? You were using me this whole time."

"No that's not true," Rebecca said, her hands out in front of her in a placating manner.

"Did you ever love me?" Sheela asked, tears now streaming down her cheeks.

"Of course," Rebecca replied.

"Don't lie to me!" Sheela shrieked and tapped the side of her head. "I heard you. So what now? You going to kill me?"

Rose and the Master leaned in simultaneously to get a better view as Rebecca started glowing blue.

"I wasn't going to. At least not tonight." And then she started advancing on Sheela. Sheela hastily stepped back, her eyes wide with horror. She stumbled and fell on the floor. Rebecca knelt over her and was about to place her hands on her, when Sheela's hand shot out and Rebecca started shaking, as though she were being electrocuted. The light faded out and Rebecca fell to the floor, twitching. Sheela scrambled back, her Taser forgotten on the floor. She scrambled to her feet and fled.

A minute passed and then Rebecca recovered, rising shakily to her feet. She looked around and then started running out the apartment. Presumably to chase after Sheela.

Corwin forwarded the video and Rebecca came in. Rose looked at the time. It was three-thirty in the morning. Her clothing was muddy, her hair sticking up, as though she had been in a struggle. She walked past the living room and about twenty minutes later she came back, freshly showered and she started cleaning up the place, erasing any sign that Sheela had been there.

Rose straightened up, a huge grin plastered on her face. "Corwin, I could kiss you!"

The Master's head snapped up and he narrowed his eyes at her. Corwin grimaced. "No thanks, especially knowing where your lips have just been."

Rose blushed furiously and the Master grinned.

"Ok, we now have the proof. How about we go pay our gal a visit tomorrow morning. Would that give you enough time to rig something up?" she asked the Master.

"Oh, yes. Sheela gave us the answer. Electricity."

Rose grinned. "Fantastic. Corwin, make me a copy. I'll give that to Samuel in the morning. And great job. You're almost forgiven."

"Almost," the Master enunciated. He grabbed her hand and they left the office.

"Where are we going?" she asked.

"Susie's office. I want to double check that DNA sample of Sheela's. I'm wondering why Susie never picked up that she was only part-human."

"Are you trying to insinuate that Susie cannot be trusted?"

"In my experience, people can rarely be trusted."

She shook her head. "No. Susie can be trusted. She's been working for me for over ten years, I think. I sort of lose track of the years."

"Tends to happen," he said mildly. They made it to Susie's office in the morgue and he went straight to the freezer section and selected a vial that had Sheela's name on it. He pocketed it and took her hand once more, leading her with purpose down to the Vault. There he placed some of Sheela's DNA into the machine he had rigged up for Rose and they waited. She was surprised when it had finished quickly.

"That was quick," she commented.

He went over and read the results, his face unreadable.

"So what does it say?"

He looked up at her. "She's human."

Rose frowned. "She said on that video that she did a DNA test. It's simple enough for someone of her intelligence. And she could hear what Rebecca was thinking."

"I think that Rebecca stripped that out of her, along with all other markings."

Rose paused. "You think it was intentional?"

He shrugged. "Could well be. It would have been the perfect crime. If she hadn't been interrupted. She could have disposed of that body in those woods and it wouldn't have been found until months later, completely decomposed. It would have been put down to a human murder, nothing suspicious, and Rebecca would not have come under scrutiny."

"I think Sheela was the one who foiled her plans."

"Maybe. Maybe Sheela wasn't the intended target after all. But Sheela knew too much and had to be disposed."

"We'll find out tomorrow. Hopefully Rebecca doesn't make a run for it."

"Get Corwin to hack that camera and keep a surveillance on her."

"Good idea," she said and dialled his number. After she had hung up from him, she called the others and told them to be ready by her office at nine.

"Shall we go home?" she asked.

"I think I'd better stay here and work on this gadget. I'll be able to find the things I need in here."

She nodded and yawned. "Ok. I'm going to sleep."

"Here?" he asked sceptically.

"Yeah, I'll just go find a bed in the Med Bay. Wake me up at seven, please."

"Ok," he murmured as he pulled out his gadget from his jacket pocket. She went over and pecked him on the cheek before leaving to find a bed. He grabbed her arm and pulled her in for a proper kiss.

"I do intend to finish what we started," he said, his voice heavy with meaning.

"In that way, you are very different from the Doctor. Even as a human, it took almost a year before we crossed that line."

The Master smirked. "He was always an idiot. I'm not afraid to take what I want."

She smiled at him. "No, that you're not."