The Doctor's P.O.V:
"Start from the beginning, tell me everything you know." D.I Bishop tells me. He stands over me as I have sat on the other side of the Bishop's desk. "Well... for starters... I know you can't wrap your hand around your elbow and make your fingers meet." I tell him seriously.
"Don't get clever with me. You were there today at Florizel Street, and now breaking into this establishment. Now you're connected with this. Make no mistake." D.I Bishop tells me, pointing at me.
"Well, the thing is, Detective Inspector Bishop..." I say.
"How do you know my name?" D.I Bishop asks, cutting me off.
"It's... written inside your collar." I tell him. "Bless your mum. But, I can't help thinking, Detective Inspector, you're not exactly doing much detective inspecting. Are you?" I ask him.
"I'm doing everything in my power." he tells me.
"All you're doing is grabbing those faceless people and hiding them as fast as you can. Don't tell me, orders from above, hmm? Coronation Day... The eyes of the world are on London Town... so any sort of problem just gets swept out of sight." I tell him. I spin from side to side in the chair, completely relaxed with Rose stood over my shoulder. Bishop looks slightly irritated that I already know what's going on. "The nation has an image to maintain." D.I Bishop says.
"Doesn't it drive you mad? Doing nothing? Don't you wanna get out there and investigate?" I ask him.
"Course I do. But..." he begins before sitting down. "With all the crowds expected, we haven't got the manpower. Even if we did... this is beyond anything we've seen. I just don't know anymore. Twenty years on the force... I don't even know where to start. We haven't the faintest clue what's going on."
"Well... that could change." I tell him.
"How?" he asks me confused because I stand and look down at D.I Bishop.
"Start from the beginning. Tell us everything you know."
We move over towards the large map that is on a stand, Rose grabbing onto my hand because she's slightly scared about everything going on. "We started finding them about a month ago. Persons left sans visage. Heads just... blank." D.I. Bishop says.
"Is there any sort of pattern?" Rose asks as D.I. Bishop examines a file on a nearby desk. "Yes, spreading out from North London. All over the City. Men, women, kids... grannies... the only real lead is there's been quite a large number in..." he begins.
"Florizel Street." I say, cutting him off before a knock is ahead on the door causing the three of us to look up and a Policeman walks in with someone in front of him. "Found another one, sir." the Policeman says. I stare at the girl with her head covered. The yellow skirt showing with a pair of black heels on her feet. "Oh, er, good man, Crabtree. Here we are, Doctor..." D.I. Bishop. I drop the files on the table and let go over Rose's hand, not wanting to believe it. "Take a good look. See what you can deduce."
The Policeman takes the blanket off the girl's head causing my eyes to widen with horror as I slowly approach her. "Galaxy." I whisper.
"Do you know her?" D.I. Bishop asks me.
"Know her? She..." I begin before cutting myself off, not being able to finish the sentence. I go right up to her, putting my hand on where her cheek would be, and stare down at her featureless face. The voices in the background fade out, meaningless to me as I gaze down at Galaxy, heartbroken. "They found her in the street, apparently, over at Master Square, abandoned." the Policeman says to Bishop. I drown out what Bishop says before turning around and interrupting them. "They did what?" I ask coldly.
"I'm sorry?" D.I. Bishop asks me.
"They left her where?" I ask him, forcing myself to stay calm.
"Just... in the street." D.I. Bishop tells me.
"In the street. They left her in the street. They took her face and just chucked her out and left her in the street. And as a result, that makes things... simple. Very, very simple. Do you know why?" I ask quietly. I finally tear my gaze away from Galaxy's face, and take my glasses off, turning to face the two men and Rose.
"No..." D.I. Bishop says.
"Because now, Detective Inspector Bishop, there is no power on this Earth that can stop me!" I yell at them. "Come on!"
And without a moment's hesitation, I make my way towards the door with Rose and Bishop following me.
**********
Rose, Bishop and I burst out of the gates into the dawn sunlight. "The big day dawns..." Bishop says but I don't reply and I move on immediately.
**********
Rose, Bishop and I stand outside of the Connolly's House and the door opens with Tommy stood in the doorway. "Tommy, talk to me." I tell him and he walks out, shutting the door. "I need to know exactly what happened inside your house."
The door is pulled open violently and Mr Connolly stands there, rounding on Tommy. "What the blazes do you think you're doing?" Mr Connolly asks roughly.
"I wanna help, dad." Tommy tells his dad.
"Mr Connolly.." I begin warningly.
"Shut your face, you. Whoever you are. We can handle this ourselves." Mr Connolly begins, cutting me off before turning back to Tommy. "Listen you, the little twerp. You're hardly out of the bloomin' cradle, so I don't expect you to understand. But I've got a position to maintain. People around here respect me. It matters what people think."
"Is that why you did it, dad?" Tommy asks.
"What d'you mean? Did what?" Mr Connolly asks, taken aback.
"You ratted on gran. How else would the police know where to look? Unless some coward told them..." Tommy says.
"How dare you? You think I fought a war just so a mouthy little scum like you could call me a coward?" Mr Connolly asks, raging.
"You don't get it, do you? You fought against fascism, remember? People telling you how to live, who you could be friends with, who you could fall in love with, who could live and who had to die. Don't you get it? You were fighting so little twerps like me could do what we want. Say what we want. Now you've become just like them. You've been informing everyone, haven't you? Even gran. All to protect your precious reputation." Tommy says but I notice Rita walking into the hall. "Eddie... is that true?" Rita asks.
"I did it for US, Rita! She was filthy. A filthy, disgusting thing." Mr Connolly says.
"She's my mother. All the others, you informed on all the people in our street, our friends." Rita says shocked.
"I had to. I did the right thing...!" he says, failing.
"The right thing for us... or you, Eddie?" Rita asks before turning to Tommy.
"You go, Tommy. You go with the Doctor and Rose and do some good. Get away from this house. It's poison. We had a ruddy monster under this roof, all right, but it wasn't my mother!" Rita says, close to tears before going back inside and slamming the door on Eddie's face. "Tommy?" I ask him before Rose, Tommy, D.I. Bishop and I walk away down the street, leaving Eddie alone, locked outside his house.
We walk through the streets as it's busy with people preparing for a street party. "Tommy, tell me about that night. The night she changed." I tell him.
"She was just watching the telly." he tells me making me realise and look up at the TV aerials. "Galaxy said it. She guessed it straight away, of course, she did. All these aerials in one little street, how come?" I ask.
"Bloke up the road, Mr Magpie, he's selling them cheap." Tommy tells us. Without waiting for Tommy to finishing his sentence, I run off down the street, pulling Rose along with me. "Come on!" I yell back at them.
**********
I smash through the glass in Magpie's door to gain entry to the shop. "Here, you can't do that..." D.I. Bishop begins protesting but I ignore him. Once I'm through the door after opening it, I stride towards the counter. "Shop?" I ask, yelling. I press the bell on the counter repeatedly. "If you're here, come out and talk to me! MAGPIE?" I ask, shouting to the back of the shop. "Maybe he's out." Rose suggests.
"Looks like it..." I say before beginning to rifle through the drawers behind the counter. I find a device that looks like a cross between a portable radio and TV. "Oh, hello... this isn't right. This is very much not right."
I lick it. "Tastes like iron. Bakelite." I say before placing it down on the counter. "Put together with human hands, yes, but the design itself..." I begin before taking out my sonic and scanning it. "Oh, beautiful work. That is so simple."
"That's incredible. It's like a television, but portable. A portable television!" D.I. Bishop says impressed. I raise the sonic and points it around the room, pressing the button and all the televisions turn to static. "It's not the only power source in this room..." I say as the screwdriver whirrs, the static gradually fades away and on each screen is a different face, the faces of people who have been taken by something. They all look terrified, mouthing pleas for help. I look around at them, my brows furrowed. "Gran?" I hear Tommy suddenly ask. I turn my head to see the face that I've been searching for. Galaxy. Something over and over again but I don't know what it is. I kneel before the screen, my expression turned sad and intense. "I'm on my way." I say.
"What do you think you're doing?" Magpie asks, entering from the back of the shop.
"I want my friend restored and I think that's beyond a little backstreet electrician so tell me, who's really in charge here?" I ask, rounding on him, furiously causing Magpie to flinch in anger. "Yoohoo! I think that must be me." a voice says, appearing on one of the screens. I turn to her, surprised. "Ooh, this one's smart as paint." the woman says as I approach her. "Just like the one from earlier. Although, she was a strange one."
"Is she talking to us?" Rose asks.
"Sorry gentlemen and lady, I'm... I'm afraid you've brought this on yourselves. May I introduce you to my new... friend." Magpie says, looking at the woman on the screen.
"Jolly nice to meet you." she says.
"Oh my God, it's her, that woman off the telly." D.I. Bishop says.
"No, it's just using her image." I tell them all.
"What... what are you?" Tommy asks confused.
"I'm the Wire, and I will gobble you up, pretty boy. Every last morsel. And when I have feasted, I shall regain the corporeal body, which my fellow-kind denied me." the Wire says as the screen gradually colourizes. "Good Lord, colour television!" D.I. Bishop says.
"So your people tried to stop you?" I ask her.
"They executed me. But I escaped, in this form, and fled across the stars." the Wire says.
"And now you're trapped in the television." I tell her. The smirk fades from the Wire's face, and with it, the colour from the television. "Not for much longer." she tells us.
"Is this what got my gran?" Tommy asks.
"Yes, Tommy. It feeds off the electrical activity of the brain, but it gorges itself like a great overfed pig. Taking people's faces, their essences, it stuffs itself." I tell him.
"And you let her do it, Magpie." D.I. Bishop tells Magpie.
"I had to! She allowed me my face! She's promised to release me at the time of manifestation." Magpie says.
"What does that mean?" Tommy asks.
"The appointed time, my crowning glory." the Wire says, hinting at something.
"Doctor, the coronation!" D.I. Bishop realises.
"For the first time in history, millions gathered around a television set." I say, approaching her. "But you're not strong enough yet, are you? You can't do it all from here. That's why you need this!" I say, producing the portable television. "You need something more powerful! This will turn a big transmitter into a big receiver."
"What a clever thing you are" But why fret about it? Why not just relax? Kick-off your shoes and enjoy the coronation. Believe me, you'll be glued to the screen." the Wire says. Lines of red sparking light suddenly pull all four of our faces in the Wire's TV, Rose, D.I. Bishop, Tommy and me. "Doctor!" I hear three voices yell.
"Hungry! Hungry! The Wire is hungry! Ah! This one is tasty, just like the last one. Oh! I'll have lashings of him! Delicious! Ah!" the Wire yells. I slowly pull out my sonic screwdriver, with effort. "Armed! He's armed and clever! Withdraw! Withdraw!" the Wire yells. She severs the connection between herself and us, and the four of us fall to the floor, unconscious.
**********
I begin waking up to see D.I. Bishop and Rose have no space. "Tommy, wake up! Tommy! Come on!" I say to Tommy.
"What happened?" Tommy asks, confused. "Where's Magpie?" I ask him before we both run outside the shop and see Magpie is gone. "We don't even know where to start looking, it's too late." Tommy says.
"It's never too late, as a wise person once said, Kylie, I think... But the Wire's got a big plan... so it'll need... Yes, yes, yes, it's got to harness half the population... millions and millions of people... and where are we?" I ask Tommy.
"Muswell Hill." he tells me.
"Muswell Hill. Muswell Hill! This means..." I begin, looking around until I spot a large building on the horizon and gestures at it with both hands. "Alexandra Palace, biggest TV transmitter in North London! Ohh! That's why they chose this place! Tommy?" I ask him.
"What are you going to do?" Tommy asks me.
"We're going shopping." I say, dashing inside the shop.
Tommy and I begin gathering equipment. Tommy holds up a device. "Is this what you want?" he asks me, making me nod.
"Perfect! Right, I need one more thing." I say, handing the equipment to Tommy.
**********
Tommy and I run out on the streets, both loaded with equipment. "Got it, let's go." I tell him before we runoff.
**********
Tommy and I run down the street as I plug a device into Tommy's huge equipment bank that he is carrying.
**********
Tommy and I continue to run and Tommy sports Magpie on the pylon. "There!" he exclaims.
"Come on!" I yell to Tommy.
"Woah, Woah, Woah! Where do you think..." an official begins to say but I whip out my psychic paper and show it to him. "Oh! I'm sorry sir! Shouldn't you be at the coronation?" the official asks me.
"They're saving me a seat." I tell him, making the official nod his head confusingly before we continue walking. "Who did he think you were?" Tommy asks me as we round a corner.
"King of Belgium." I tell him, looking at the psychic paper.
**********
I dash around gathering the equipment he needs, Tommy is in front of a video machine and television screen. "Keep it switched on. Don't let anyone stop you, Tommy. Everything depends on it. You understand?" I ask him, causing Tommy to nod.
**********
I sprint back around the corner, past the confused official, trailing a stream of magnetic recording tape behind me from a reel around my waist. I run up the metal stairs and I begin climbing up the transmitter, following Magpie. "You'll get yourself killed up there! Your Majesty!" the official yells to me.
**********
"Oh! Feast! Feast...ing! The Wire... is feasting." the Wire yells as I hear people scream as they are sucked in. "It's too late! It's too late for all of us!" Magpie yells.
"I shall consume you... Doctor." the Wire says and I'm blasted in the face with red light and I cry out. "I won't let you do this, Magpie!" I yell to him.
"Help me, Doctor! It burns! It took my face, my soul!" Magpie tells me.
"You cannot stop the Wire. Soon I shall become manifest." the Wire says and I have blasted again.
"No more of this! You promised me peace!" Magpie says.
"And peace you shall have." the Wire says and Magpie is blown into thousands of particles with red light. The Wire laughs as he screams and dies. I try and touch the portable TV but I'm zapped by red sparks on my hand. "Been burning the candle at both ends? You've overextended yourself, missus. You shouldn't have had a crack at poor old Magpie there." I tell her before I pick up the TV as I am zapped in the foot. "Rubber souls! Swear by them!"
I insert a switch into the TV but nothing happens. "Oh, dear! Has our little plan gone wrong, Doctor?" the Wire asks before she laughs and I stare, horrified. However, after a moment, I watch as the light beams retreat from the pylons, televisions and people, right back into the Wire's portable television. She writhes and wails with pain. "It's closed down, I'm afraid, and no epilogue." I say and with one last piercing shriek from the Wire, the television switches off. I stare at it for a moment.
**********
Galaxy's P.O.V:
I walk down the street with Rose after meeting up with her outside of Magpie's shop. We walk further down the crowded street, looking around for the Doctor. A wide smile spreads across my face as I spot the Doctor, which he returns when he sees me. I turn my head to look at Rose and she nods silently, motioning for me to go, which I happily do. I smile, running down the street as fast as I can in heels, with the Doctor running towards me. I throw my arms around him before he lifts me off the ground and spins me around on the spot before setting me down and pulling me into a kiss for a few seconds. "I thought I lost you." he tells me.
"Well, you'll never lose me. Never." I promise him as Rose walks over to us and we head back down the street.
**********
The Doctor, Rose and I walk down the street as 50's music is playing with people out on the street dancing and talking. "We could go down the mall, join in with the crowd." Rose tells us.
"Nah, that's just pomp and circumstance. This is history right here." the Doctor says, eating Victoria sponge cake.
"The domestic approach." I say.
"Exactly." the Doctor says causing us to laugh.
"Will it... that thing... is it trapped for good, on video?" I ask the Doctor, slightly cautious.
"Hope so. Just to be on the safe side though, I'll use my unrivalled knowledge of trans temporal extirpation methods to neutralise the residual electronic pattern." he tells us, making me nod my head whilst Rose stares at us in confusion.
"What?" she asks us.
"He's going to tape over it." I say as the Doctor says, "I'm going to tape over it."
"Just leave it to me, I'm always doing that." Rose says, laughing and we meet Tommy.
"Tell you what Tommy, you can have the scooter. Little present. Best... um... keep it in the garage for a few years though, eh?" the Doctor asks, telling Tommy. Behind us, Mr Connolly walks down the street with his suitcase as Rita embraces her mother. "Good riddance." Tommy says, looking over my shoulder at something, making me turn my head to see Mr Connolly walking down the street. "Is that it then, Tommy? The new monarch, new age, new world, nor room for a man like Eddie Connelly." the Doctor asks Tommy.
"That's right. He deserves it." Tommy tells us in slight disgust for his father. I detect the hint of unconditional love for his father underneath his harsh words making me nudge his shoulder. "Tommy, go after him." I tell him.
"What for?" he asks me.
"He's your dad." I tell him.
"He's an idiot." Tommy replies, making me shake my head.
"Course he is. As I said, he's your dad. But you're clever. Clever enough to save the world so don't stop there. Go on!" I say, smiling at him whilst giving him another nudge. Convinced, Tommy runs to join his dad, making me smile even more. They walk side by side and Tommy takes his dad's bag from him. They continue to walk down the street together. The Doctor, Rose and I watch them fondly from a distance. The Doctor's hands Rose and me a glass of orange juice. We begin to clink our glasses together, smiling but a pain instantly shoots to my head, making me drop my glass and grab my head. "Galaxy?" I hear the Doctor ask me, making me shake my head slightly. "N- Ow." I complain. "It hurts. My head hurts so much."
The Doctor grabs onto me, to keep me standing up. "Let's head back to the TARDIS." the Doctor suggests, making me grab my head. The Doctor helps me walk to the TARDIS with Rose following and as soon as we make it into the console room, I fall to the grating floor, out of the Doctor's arms. "No. No. Stop. Leave me alone."