IS THE DOCTOR REAL?, doctor who

chapter thirteen

Quickly leaving before there was a change in the mind of whoever operating, Natalie turned back as the Doctor continued to push them forward. "Think that's gonna become a problem?"

"Probably." She pushed the buttons for the doors to open rather quickly, shutting behind them immediately as they stepped inside. Leaning against the panel she watched as the Doctor took out his sonic to direct it towards the buttons designated for each of the floors. "Going down."

By his influence the elevator car now pushed them downward rapidly for Natalie to clutch on the railings. The Doctor only let out a laugh over the ride while she looked over to him wide-eyed. "This isn't funny." Landing at their floor and the doors opening in front of them she stood there for a few moments longer as he leaned over to examine her. "Could've given me a warning."

"That's only if it's something dangerous."

"I'm in your company, everything is dangerous," Natalie told him, follow walking beside him to the basement levels they had landed in. The pair stood for a moment looking down the long corridor as the elevator shut behind them. Walking ahead she looked up to him with interest. "Think this was their plan? Get humans cooped up into a department building perpetually spending. If they're even perpetually spending, they'd run out of money eventually."

The Doctor played with this thought for a moment before snapping his fingers at the suggestion. "Hadn't thought of that, the spending. Unless they're not after the money of course. Could be entirely possibly anything of monetary value ceases to be as great of importance in the economy," He explained, though more so to himself as he had spoken in almost a murmur as he rationalized the idea to himself before addressing her again, "When you're spending, shopping, the emotions that come up."

Not helping to laugh over this he looked back over to her confused. "You think they're draining people's lives from shopping?" Meeting his eyes she became serious herself for her to look to him worried instead. "I was only kidding? They can't really do that can they."

"Just an idea. Could be wrong." Noticing Natalie already ready to disagree with this he stopped her. "Have been wrong before, I'm perfectly capable of being wrong."

"Sure, but it's also not so likely." Looking around as they roamed aimlessly through the corridors without any sort of cover she turned over to him again. "We found the floor, it's pretty abandoned, what is there now?"

He pointed a finger quickly into a sharp turn without answering her question. Natalie only followed closely behind him as they continue in this direction. The basement area was cold, damp, a stark contrast from the brightly lit and furnished floor they had first started in. Noticing them coming upon a dark marked as Storage the Doctor let out a laugh proudly to open the locked door with ease.

Within the contents of the room the loud rumbling of the machine situated below the grated platform they stood on came to life. The pair leaned on the railing to watch this play out before them in confusion. Several tubes extended out of the machine in quick motions with a schematic detailing where each one was sectioned towards.

Taken aback by the display, Natalie couldn't find herself taking her away from the realization. "This is insane. I mean they can't really have had this kept away and no one noticed."

"Unless of course no one cared to notice or stop it," The Doctor mentioned as she turned over to him, "Business is booming, customers are happy. Who would be any wiser knowing something was wrong."