"Make your decision, Mister Smith." Jenny practically taunted.
"Perhaps if that human heart breaks, the Time Lord will emerge." Baines suggested with an equally sinister grin to his features. Out of sight, Latimer took the watch from his pocket and opened it for a second or two. Golden energy shimmered out and the Family turned their heads quickly. "It's him!" Baines exclaimed excitedly.
Once the device had been closed, Martha got the gun off Jenny and used her as a shield as she aimed her new weapon at Baines; to whom did the same towards her. In the same moment, Echo elbowed Mister Clark and punched him to get away; then grabbed his gun and smashed it under her boot in the same instant. "All right! One more move and I shoot!" Martha shouted strongly as her brunette friend moved back to Martha's side.
"Oh, the maid is full of fire!" Baines exclaimed with enjoyment clear in his stolen features.
"And you can shut up!" she replied and shot the gun at the ceiling as warning. Her blood pumped rapidly as her adrenaline allowed for quick thinking and needed confidence.
"Careful, Son of Mine. This is all for you, so that you can live forever." Mister Clark cautioned, keeping his eyes on the ready women.
Echo smirked with malicious intent. "You want immortality. Then let thy will be done as in heaven, so on earth." she vowed, knowing exactly what she'd do once chance had been given.
But, of course, they wouldn't listen to her true meaning. "Shoot you down."
"Try it. We'll die together." Martha shot back without skipping a single beat.
Baines studied her for only a brief moment. "Would you really pull the trigger? Looks too scared."
"Scared and holding a gun. It's a good combination. Do you want to risk it?"
After a moment of consideration, the family lowered their remaining weapons and Echo slowly moved from Martha's to John's side. Across the room, Joan watched with terrified wide eyes and a racing heart. She had no idea of what was going on. All she knew was that she and John had to get out of there and fast. "Echo, get everyone out. There's a door at the side. Mister Smith, help her with the others." Martha said shakily, knowing their chance at escape was beginning to slip away.
Moving into action, both lovers and surprisingly Joan ushered every guest out of the building. As the villagers ran out screaming, Echo then had to get her John and the frustration inducing Joan out as well. Once outside, she continued to usher people away. "Mister Hicks, warn the village. Get everyone out. Latimer, get back to the school. Tell the Headmaster."
But he pulled away from her touch as though she was diseased. "Don't touch me! You're as bad as him and them!" then ran away as fast as he could.
"I agree, but what the fuck?" she wondered absently.
Not long later did Martha come running out. "Don't just stand there, move! God, you're rubbish as a human. Come on!" she said as she took the lead in running back to the relative safety of the school.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Back in Farringham School, John immediately secured the main doors behind them, then grabbed a bell and began ringing it loudly. "What the hell are you doing?" Echo demanded, thinking of the children's safety only.
"Maybe one man can't fight them, but this school teaches us to stand together. Take arms! Take arms!" he replied before announcing the need to fight.
Something neither women would simply accept. "You can't do that!" Martha, too, denied.
"You want me to fight, don't you? Take arms! Take arms!"
A young boy came down the stairs with a tired and confused look upon his face. "I say sir, what's the matter?"
"Enemy at the door, Hutchinson. Enemy at the door. Take arms! Take arms!" he went on, ringing the bell as loud as he could.
In the armory, guns were being passed out to all who were male. The only one who were not helping were Martha and Echo. "You can't do this, Doctor. Mister Smith!" Martha tried to reason, all on deaf ears.
"Redfern, maintain position over the stable yard. Faster now. That's it." John directed seriously, hoping to cover all necessary bases and points of entry.
"They're just children, my love. You mustn't ask them to fight. They wouldn't have a chance. Never mind the fact that they'd be subjected to such circumstances." Echo tried to reason with him, thinking only of the terrified boys around them.
"They're cadets, Miss Halifax. They are trained to defend the King and all his citizens and properties." came his only answer as he continued to help with the weaponry.
Just then did the confused Headmaster enter the room. "What in thunder's name is this? Before I device an excellent and endless series of punishments for each and every one of you, could someone explain very simply and immediately exactly what is going on?"
Moving to his side, John explained to the best of his ability. "Headmaster, I have to report the school is under attack."
Silence enveloped the room like that of the deep plunge before Hellraising chaos was to come. "Really? Is that so? Perhaps you and I should have a word in private."
"It's very much true, sir." Echo began, only to be interrupted by John.
"I was in the village with Miss Halifax. It's Baines, sir. Jeremy Baines and Mister Clark 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 absorbed the information slowly, then looked to the impatient teacher beside Martha. "Miss Halifax, is that so?"
She immediately nodded. "Yes, sir. I saw everything myself. Murder and threats of terrorism to continue." she confirmed quickly, knowing their time was running out.
He nodded, "Perhaps you did well then, Mister Smith. But what makes you think the danger's coming here?"
"Well, sir, they said--"
"They said they'd follow him. We don't know why." Echo swiftly covered for them.
"Very well. You boys, remain on guard. Mister Smith, telephone for the police. Mister Philips, with me. We shall investigate."
Feeling an intense wave of dread, Martha stepped forward. "No! It's not safe out there." she tried to warn.
But the Headmaster could only see her skin and social standing. "Mister Smith. It seems your favorite servant is giving me advice. You will control her, sir." With that, the two men exited to meet with the enemy forces that threatened them all.
"I've got to find that watch." Martha muttered before running out of the room. Without being noticed, Joan ran after her with curiosity fueling her every step.
Wanting to know what was going to happen, Echo quickly ran to one of the windows facing out to the designated meeting spot. Both she and John could see Baines and Jenny standing by a few scarecrow guards. "So, Baines and one of the cleaning staff. There's always a woman involved. Am I to gather that some practical joke has got out of hand?" the Headmaster inquired.
"Headmaster, sir. Good evening, sir. Come to give me a caning, sir. Would you like that, sir?" Baines went on mockingly.
"Keep a civil tongue, boy."
Mister Philips took a step forward, wanting to get the upper hand so as to end this strange feud. "Now come on, everyone. I suspect alcohol has played its part in this. Let's all just calm down. And who are these friends of yours, Baines, in fancy dress?"
"Do you like them, Mister Philips?" he asked as he walked over to one of his scarecrow guards. "I made them myself. I'm ever so good at science, sir. Look." He then pulled the arm of the scarecrow off like it was nothing. "Molecular fringe animation fashioned in the shape of straw men. My own private army, sir. It's ever so good, sir."
The Headmaster stepped an inch or two forward. "Baines, step apart from this company and come inside with me." he tried to offer, unknowing of the very real danger he was facing.
"No, sir. You, sir, you will send us Mister John Smith. That's all we want, sir. Mister John Smith and whatever he's done with his Time Lord consciousness. Then we'd be very happy to leave you alone."
The Headmaster furrowed his brow in confusion. "You speak with someone else's voice, Baines. Who might that be?"
"We are the Family of Blood." was the only answer that would be given.
"Mister Smith said there had been deaths."
"Yes, sir. And they were good, sir." he said with absolute fact.
"Well, I must warn you, the school is armed."
"All your little tin soldiers." he muttered with great anticipation for the up and coming slaughter. "But tell me, sir, will they thank you?"
The Headmaster furrowed his brow in complete unawares. "I don't understand." he admitted.
"What do you know of history, sir? What do you know of next year?"
"...You're not making sense, Baines."
"The Great War..." Echo whispered, causing John to look at her with intense confusion and even suspicion.
"1914, sir." Baines went on. "Because the Family has traveled far and wide looking for Mister Smith and, oh, the things we've seen. War is coming. In foreign fields, war of the whole wide world, with all your boys falling down in the mud. Do you think they will thank the man who taught them it was glorious?"
The Headmaster glared at him then. "Don't you forget, boy. I've been a soldier. I was in South Africa. I used my dead mates for sand bags. I fought with the butt of my rifle when the bullets ran out, and I would go back there tomorrow for King and Country!"
Baines rolled his eyes. "Et cetera, et cetera." Without hesitation did he then vaporize Mister Philips, causing the Headmaster to back away with a fear he'd never known before shooting through his veins like acid. "Run along, Headmaster. Run back to school. And send us Mister Smith!"
Echo sighed heavily, "Idiots." then ran back down to the rest of them, John following close behind.