Midnight ⋆ Doctor Who²

55. The Cybermat

ON THE GROUND FLOOR, THEY'RE ALL HIDING AMONGST THE PERFUME AND MAKE UP COUNTERS. George, the same security guard as earlier, is making his rounds, so they have to stay hidden. This isn't ideal in the slightest, but it doesn't last long, so that's something at least.

When it's clear, the Doctor starts scanning with his sonic screwdriver. "Right, let's be having you then, Cybermat."

Alfie begins to cry. Aurora has to take him out of his stroller, and hug him. "Shhh..." He really doesn't like the sonic's noise.

"Can't you put that on quiet?" Craig cries out.

"No. It's a sonic screwdriver. Sonic equals sound." He hands Craig a papoose. "Take this. I got it on my discount, ten percent off. It's a papoose."

Craig stares at it as if it was disease-ridden. "Why do I need a papoose?!"

"Alfie wants you attached to him. You are far too slow when he summons you."

Aurora snorts, Craig glaring at her. "When's he going to stop giving me marks?"

"Never. That's parenthood. Couldn't you have just got a babysitter?" Alfie coos. "No, any babysitter. Doesn't have to be a hot one."

Arora turns to them. "Disturbing."

"I told everyone I know I didn't need their help this weekend," Craig sighs.

"Well..."

"They won't even answer my calls," he explains. "I didn't know there was going to be an invasion of Cyberman."

Alfie is making too much noise again, so Aurora shushes him. He fusses as they try to put him in the papoose, but eventually relaxes once he's near his dad.

Aurora hears some beeping behind her, and before she can even scream, the Doctor snares the Cybermat in the butterfly net. It immediately stops beeping.

"Ah ha!" The Doctor picks it up, and brings it up to their faces. "That's very odd. It must be on low power. Or I'm better at that than I remember."

Aurora looks at the small thing, smirking. "Oh, is that it?"

"Yeah."

"Oh, that's quite cute," Craig says with a smile. "Look at that. Look, Alfie, look."

The Cybermat bares its teeth, making them scream as Craig yanks Alfie away.

Its teeth. His real, yellow teeth. The Doctor sonics it into submission.

"Metal rat, real mouth!" Craig panics. "Metal rat, real mouth!"

"Yes, I know it is."

"Metal rat, real mouth!"

"Stop screaming," Aurora tries. "Stop, stop screaming! Shhh."

Craig strops screaming. The next scream doesn't come from him. It comes from the basement. They barely even look at each other before running downstairs.

Aurora stays behind as she helps Craig put the papoose on, struggling for what seems minutes before she runs after the Doctor.

When they reach the basement, her pulse quickens as she sees the Doctor on the ground. "Doctor! Doctor!" She kneels next to him, to make sure he's okay. He doesn't die yet. Does he? "Doctor!" He opens his eyes, gasping, and she lets out a sigh of relief. "What happened?"

"Oh, I've been, I've been chipped... chapped... chopped." She helps him up with a grunt as Craig arrives with the papoose on. "The Cyberman. It killed George, took him back to the ship."

"The Cybermen are here?" Craig asks. "But you said..."

"Yeah, I know what I said. I say a lot of things."