CHARLOTTE ::: DW¹

xliii. charlotte and aino

---

Panting, John, Charlotte, and Martha arrived at the school. The moment the door closed behind them, though, John began ringing a bell, awakening the students and staff.

Martha glanced at him, confused. "What're you doing?"

"Maybe one man can't fight them, but this school teaches us to stand together," he tells her as they begin hearing footsteps on the floor above them. "Take arms! Take arms!"

"Are you insane?!" Charlotte hissed.

"You want me to fight, don't you?" The boys begin running down the stairs. "Take arms! Take arms!"

The first boy down, Hutchinson, asks his teacher, "I say, sir, what's the matter?"

"Enemy at the door, Hutchinson," John alerts him, repeating himself as the rest of the students run down.

While the boys ready their machine guns, Martha and Charlotte follow him down into the room, the latter saying to him, "John, stop. You can't do this... John!"

The man, however, continues giving instructions to the boys. "Maintain position over the stable yard."

"They're just boys!" Martha said. "You can't ask them to fight!"

John still ignores them. "Faster now! That's it."

"Can you just think? They don't stand a chance," Charlotte tells him.

"They're cadets, Mary," John responds to her. "They are trained to defend to defend the King and all his properties."

A second later, the Headmaster enters the room, utterly astonished by what was occurring. "What in thunder's name is this?" he says when coming in. "Before I devise an endless series of punishments for each of you, could someone explain very simply what is going on?"

John, as the leader, steps forward. "Headmaster, I have to report the school is under attack."

"Really? Is that so?" the Headmaster nods, not believing an ounce of this. "Perhaps you and I should have a word in private."

"I promise you, sir," says John, sticking to his spot. "I was in the village with Miss Thomas. It's Baines, sir. Jeremy Baines and Mr. Clarke from Oakham Farm. They've gone mad, sir. They've got guns. They've already murdered people in the village. I saw it happen."

The Headmaster nodded along, then looked to Charlotte. "Miss Thomas, is that so?"

"It's true," answers Charlotte, shaking her head solemnly.

"Murder on our own soil?"

She took in a sharp inhale. "It was all true."

The Headmaster looks back at John. "Perhaps you did well then. What makes you think the danger's coming here?"

Cutting off John's stuttering, Charlotte responds instead, "Baines threatened him, sir... said he'll follow him."

"Very well." The Headmaster looks around the room. "You boys, remain on guard. Mr. Snell, telephone the police. Mr. Philips, with me. We shall investigate."

The Headmaster nears the door, but in his way stands Martha. "No, it's not safe out there," she warned him.

He eyes John. "Mr. Smith, it seems your favorite servant is giving me advice. You will control her, sir." On that note, Martha lets the Headmaster leave.

Sighing, Martha leaves the room in search of the watch with Charlotte following her.

---

Along with Charlotte, Martha searches John's office up and down for the watch. "I know it sounds mad," she tells her, "but when the Doctor became human, he hid his alien part of himself and the watch is the key to it. It's not really a watch, it just looks like a watch."