One on one? (Closed!)

Will and Nico bow their heads when introduced. Will was still holding onto Nico's arm, seemingly excited. They weren't really phased by the girl, in fact, they had several cases back at camp like that.

"Well, her grandmother died recently. Nothing special, she was over one hundred years old, after all. Heart attack. But the strange thing about it was that she had complained of seeing a monster, just before her death. A mummy, to be precise." Quell said. "Well, good day to you all." he said, walking off with a wave. "Interesting. Well, let's find rooms, I'm sure there'll be some spares I can hack into." the Doctor said, walking down the hall, waving for them to follow.

Nico and Will listen to the story. "Sounds like something we deal with everyday." Will whispers to Nico who nods and smiles a little. They follow after the doctor, humming happily.

When they were in the hallway…

"There's a body and there's a mummy. I mean, can you not just get on a train? Did a wizard put a curse on you about mini-breaks?" Alison asked. "It might be nothing. Old ladies die all the time. It's practically their job description." the Doctor said. Joe have a little cough at the Doctor's insensitivity, but said nothing. "And the monster?" Alison replied. "Well, seen by no one except her, which suggests that it wasn't there. A dying brain, lack of oxygen, hallucinations. Anyway, people do just die sometimes. She was over a hundred years old." the Doctor pointed out. "Says the one thousand year old man." Alison argued. "Alison, you actually sound as if you want this to be a thing. Do you?" the Doctor asked. "I for one don't, in case anyone happens to be listening." Joe piped up. "It's fine, okay? Fine. If you really think it's nothing, it's nothing. Let's enjoy the train, and I'll just let it go." Alison sighed.

Will and Nico keep quiet as they walk, but Will was holding on to Nico's hand, not sure. His grip was harsh, but Nico didn't seem to mind it, since there was no point in trying to get Will to pay attention when he was thinking.

"Well, rooms. Alison, Joe, you." he said, zapping a door. Alison walked inside, flopping down onto the mattress of the oak four-poster and sighing. She was tired. "Will, Nico, your room." he sonic'ed another door. "I'll be in the one at the end of the hall if someone's dying. Otherwise, don't bother me." he snapped, walking through to the room he indicated. The Doctor then took off his jacket, tossing it on a nearby chair. "It's nothing. Nothing. Definitely sure. 99% sure." he muttered to himself, pacing the breadth of the room. "Really? 99%? That's quite high. Is that the figure you're sticking with?" he asked himself, sitting down and leaning back on a wooden chair. "OK, OK, 75. Well, that's jumped quite a bit. You've just lost 24%. Ugh, I need a drink. Or knitting. I can't focus at all. Listen, it's nothing!" he shouted, then regained composure. "Alright, alright. When I can't figure out the answer to a problem, what do I do? That's the thing, I normally know the answer. Mummy, now where have I seen that before… Why did you even chose this train? You've been invited here more than once, it… are you trying to show off?" he asked. The Doctor groaned, rubbing his temples, then drew long, thin fingers together and placed them against his chin. "It's probably nothing, so why are you so paranoid?" he asked himself. "Well, it's because… Because you know what this sounds like, don't you? No, do tell me. A mummy that only the victim can see. I was being rhetorical. I know exactly what this sounds like." he muttered to himself. Meanwhile, Alison had wandered out into the corridor. The blond from earlier was shuffling past quickly, heeled shoe in hand. Miss Pitt was wearing a pink silk nightdress, and had a distant expression on her face. "Miss Pitt, wasn't it? Are you all right? Do you need some help?" Alison asked. "My name's Maisie. I'm not mad." she squeaked. "Oh, OK. Er, I didn't say you were, but you've had a bad day. I think anybody could do with a little bit of help after a day like today." Alison said, following Maisie down the hall to the luggage van. "Computer, open the door." Maisie ordered. "Call me Gus. I'm afraid this door can only be opened by executive order." the computer said, indicator turning from a monocle to a thumbs down. "Are you OK?" Alison asked. Maisie let out a distressed sob. "They won't let me see her body. They should let me see her body, shouldn't they?" Maisie said, lip wobbling. "Er, yeah, I should think so. It's in there, is it? OK, I have a friend who's really good with locks. Do you want to come with me, see if we can find him?" she asked. There was a sound of electrical crackling, some sparks, as Maisie hit the panel with her shoe. "Oh!" she exclaimed. "Ooooor you could do that, because that works, too." Alison muttered, following Maisie. The door slid shut behind her, and locked.

Nico and Will walked into their room, and Will hesitated. "I dunno, Nico. Something feels off… I don't want to be a downer but I feel like something that girl said… And then the whole explaination with the woman… Something has to be off…" He whispers, looking at Nico. Nico nods. "I can practically smell death in this train. I don't like it one bit." Will settles down in the bed, shedding his tuxedo jacket and tie, before resting on the bed. Nico joins him, wrapping his arms around the son of Apollo. "I'm sure we will figure things out." He mutters.

When the Doctor woke, it was to pounding on his door and a terrible hangover. "Yes? What is it?" he snapped. "Doctor, it's Alison. She's gone-and there's been another death!" Joe shouted, rattling the lock. This roused the Doctor fully from his tired state, and he nearly tore the door of it's hinges with his quickness. "What? Another? When? Where? How? Who?" he barked, causing Joe to cower in the corner. "Oh, don't just stand there, we need to find Alison, and I need to know about the murder." the Doctor told him, pulling on his jacket. "How d'you know it's a murder?" Joe asked. "Call it intuition." the Doctor answered.

Will and Nico were already up, Will and Nico talking, since they both understood each other when it came to death, Will because he was a Doctor and Nico because he was the son of the underworld.

"Wakey wakey, we've got a mystery." the Doctor said, rapping his knuckles on their door irritably. "And in case the so called Prince Of Darkness might have noticed, someone else has been killed." he snapped.

Nico answered the door before Doctor could finish bothering them. "We were already up, thank you. We needed to go somewhere private to talk." He says, rolling his eyes. "I am very aware someone has died thank you very little. Where's Alison." Will walked up beside him. "Sorry. He's a little cranky in the mornings."

"She's gone, thanks for asking." the Doctor retorted. "Now help me!"

Nico and Will nod, Will mutters Greek to Nico and the son of Hades nods.

"Come on now, I don't have all day! She could be hurt, trapped, or worse!" the Doctor barked, stomping off. "Before you ask, I did actually ask around the train. For three hours. Three long, painful hours." Joe said. So many doors slammed in his face. Meanwhile, the Doctor had gone off to the Engineer's carriage to investigate. Computer screens above a workbench, blueprints on a draughting table, and several racks of tools. The Doctor found a glowing blue and silver piece of equipment bubbling to itself, and apparently powering up according to the display. He removed the plastic wrapping and scanned it with the sonic screwdriver. The Chief Engineer startled him, walking in from behind. "Beautiful piece of kit, isn't it, sir? The Excelsior Life Extender. It's like driving around in a portable hospital." he announced in a thick Cockney accent. "Yes, well, it didn't do Mrs. Pitt much good, did it? The woman who died." the Doctor pointed out. "Got me there, sir. Certainly got me there. Maybe it malfunctioned." the engineer mused. "Oh, I don't think so. The records show that the machine did everything it could to keep her alive." the Doctor pointed out, gesturing to the screens. "Yeah. And almost drained the battery doing it." he told the Doctor. "What do you know? Tell me, there's been a second murder, and my friend has gone missing!" the Doctor snapped. "Well, I know that when I find a man fiddling with a chair that someone died in, it's best to play my cards close to my chest." the engineer told him. "Really? Is that so, sir?" the Doctor drawled. "Well, I know that when I find a man loitering near a chair that someone died in, I do just the same." the Doctor said, other man nodding. "Perkins. Chief Engineer." "The Doctor. Nosey Parker." the Doctor introduced himself in turn. Perkins chuckled and extended an hand. "Pleased to meet you, Doctor." Perkins said. They shook hands. "O' course, there's a rumour that someone or something else might be responsible." Perkins added, just as Joe walked inside. "I see you're making friends. Any idea where Alison could be?" Joe said quickly. "No such luck. Perkins, this is local knowledge. Local knowledge, Perkins." the Doctor huffed. "I-it's Joe, sir. Pleased to meet you." Joe said, cautiously due to the Doctor's foul mood, which he was quickly learning was his normal mood when sober. "And you." Perkins replied, shaking Joe's hand.

While that Nico looks around, Will looking for clues. "Two deaths…" Will mutters. "We need to find Alison next. What if she's the next victim… I can't bear to think…" Will looked on the verge of tears. Nico walks to him and takes him into his arms. "It's okay. We'll find here. We just need to look harder." Nico says gently. Will nods slowly, sniffing softly. He was so scared.

After some further investigation, the Doctor finally located Will and Nico. "Alright, the Foretold. Heard of it?" the Doctor asked.

Will and Nico look up, Will was currently looking for other sighs. Nico seemed to be talking to a Shadow. Nico looks up and raises a brow. "depends. Your foretold and our Foretold could be two completely different things?"

"Hmm, I'll try again. They that bear the Foretold's stare have sixty six seconds to live. Professor Moorhouse, a man on this train, very useful for information. And the murder? Kitchen. It was a cook. Now, we still need to find…. oh, I'm dull. I'm completely, totally, absolutely thick. I'm Mr. Thick Thick Thickety Thick-face from Thicktown, Thickania. And so’s my dad! Well, if I had a dad. Well, I do and I don't. It's complicated, and I don't intend to give any answers, so don't ask." the Doctor said. "She still has her mobile! I could have just called her hours ago. Is there a phone on this train, some means of communication, anything?" he asked himself. "You've found Alison?!" Joe asked, running down the corridor, panting heavily. "Finding. Local knowledge, got a phone?" the Doctor asked. "Er, yes. Here. Can't get a signal though." Joe said, handing over his phone. "Times change. Time for an upgrade. Now here, call Alison." he said, zapping Joe's phone with the sonic.

(Ugh, I'm so tired. How are you?)

Will and Nico watch him think, their eyebrows raising simultaneously. "Can you possibly lead me to the murdered? I could use a good case right now." Nico mutters. "After all, where the death is, Nico is." Will laughs softly as he watches Joe and The Doctor talk. "I'll be asking around." Will says sullenly. He leaves the group, sighing quietly.

(I'm tired)

(Yeah, so am I.)
"Alison, are you there?" Joe asked after having dialed in her number. "Yes, Joe, I am, but-" "Where are you?!" he asked hurriedly. "I'm trapped. In the storeroom. With that Miss. Pitt woman, Maisie. The dorr won't work, it's jammed, and I don't think we'll be getting any deus ex demigod or deus ex sonic screwdriver either. But Joe, I think… I think we might not be alone in here." Alison whispered, looking over at the wall. "What?" Joe replied quickly. "There's a sarcophagus." Alison whispered, looking over towards a blinking machine, coffin-like, with a darkened window for the face.

Will walked through the trains, his eyes on the floor. He was rather tired. Something on this train must be affecting him. He holds his head, trying to think. He ends up coming to the door where Alison and Maisie where. Though, he didn't know that. All he could sense was an odd energy force, one making the golden hairs on the back of his hair raise with caution.

"I'm coming now!" he said, running, not hanging up. The Doctor ran along with him, sighing with exasperation. The two came across Will, and the Doctor ran up to the door, trying to open it. He snatched Joe's phone, he needed to talk to Alison. "I'm going to get the door, hold still." The Doctor tried sonicking the lock and got a shock. "Ow!" the Doctor hissed, cradling his palm. "Computer, can you open the door, please?" he asked. "Call me Gus. I'm afraid this door can only be opened by executive order." Gus told him cheerfully. "Oh. Forget it." the Doctor snapped at the door. The Doctor then tried scanning the door with the screwdriver. It stuttered, blinking haphazardly, then stopped. "Oh. Now the stupid sonic screwdriver's not working." he groaned. "What? What do you mean, it's not working? Why?" Alison said, worriedly. "I don't know. Some sort of a suppression field, I would guess. And it has to be a guess because, as I say, the stupid sonic screwdriver's not working. What are you even doing in there?" he asked Alison. "Helping a friend." she glanced at the worried Maisie. "Listen, just go try and find someone to get us out. The door, as I mentioned to Joe earlier, is jammed. You probably won't be able to open it even with an executive order." she said, with an implied eyeroll.

Nico was glaring at the door as the doctor tried to open it. "I could try shadow traveling through." He offers, looking at The Doctor and Joe. Will nods. "Just be careful." He says softly. Nico nods.

Suddenly, from behind, there was the sound of a laser pistol powering up. "Doctor, move away from the door." Quell said firmly, gun at the ready, two armed guards behind him. "My friend's inside, pudding brain!" the Doctor snapped. "Then they're in trouble, too. I was looking through my files, you're not even on the passenger list." Quell retorted. "Alison, I'm going to have to call you back." the Doctor said, hanging up the phone and slipping it back to Joe. The guards seized the Doctor, handcuffing him. "You know, I'm going to have to talk to your Head Office about this." he snarked. "You are not a passenger. For all I know, you're the one behind the killings." Quell said. "Oh, come on, Captain. How many people have to die before you stop looking the other way? You must have expected a cushy desk job, right? Well that fantasy ends today. I'm just trying to help, just listen to me!" the Doctor shouted, as he was dragged along through the train. In the next car, they came upon a guard shooting at something only he could see. "Get back! Stay back!" he screamed. His shots break glasses on tables. "What do you think you're doing, man?" Quell snapped. "Please, please! Stop! No!" the guard shouted. "Get up, man. That's an order!" Quell said. Suddenly, the man that was shooting, the guard, fell back. He was dead. After a moment of silence, "It turns out it's three. The amount of people that had to die before I stopped looking the other way." Quell amended. The Doctor was released. "Thank you." he nodded, as Joe and Perkins ran into the room. "Same as the others?" the asked in unison, and the Doctor nodded.

Will and Nico were stunned for a moment when the doctor was taken and handcuffed. Will grabs Nico's hand and they chase after the guards and the man. When Will saw the man shooting, he stepped back and Nico stood in front of him protectively. Will pushes past Nico when the man falls dead and slowly walks to his side. He was curious. He didn't touch the body, just inspected it. "Will? What is it?" Nico asks. Will hushes him before continuing to inspect the body.

"Ladies and gentlemen, could I have a moment of your time, please? There's a monster on this train that can only be seen by those about to die. If you do see it, you will have exactly sixty six seconds left in which to live. But that isn't even the strangest thing. Do you know what is?" the Doctor asked. "You. The passengers. Experts in alien biology, mythology, physics. If I was putting together a team to analyse this thing, I'd pick you. And I think somebody has. Someone of immense power and influence has orchestrated this whole trip. Someone who I have no doubt is listening to us right now. So, are you going to step out from behind the curtain and give us our orders?" he shouted to the air. Suddenly, a jolt, and a halt. "The engines. They've stopped." Perkins gasped. In a flurry of electronic activity, the 1920s railway carriage decor is replaced by a high-tech laboratory. White walls and tables, with tools, microscopes, bottles of colorful chemicals and substances, something that looked strangely like a space sewing machine, and many more oddities, with blinking lights and screens all 'round. "And the facade drops away, because what use are a bunch of scientists without a lab?" the Doctor asked. A large number of people suddenly disappear. "Teleporter?" Perkins asked. "No. Hard light holograms. They were never really here. Fake passengers to make up the numbers." the Doctor explained. Ting! The thumbs up icon on a monitor is replaced by a monocle. "Good morning, everyone. Around the room you will find a variety of scientific equipment. Your goal is to ascertain the Foretold's true nature, probe for weaknesses with a view to capture, after which we will reverse engineer its abilities. Isn't this exciting?" Gus the cheerful computer said, a little sadistically.

Will looks up at Nico and his eyes widen as he watched the train stop and begin to change. He scrambles up and Nico catches him, holding him protectively.

"Oh, do stop cowering in fear, the both of you." the Doctor snapped at them, then turned to the monitor. "You said capture, implying that you can't control this thing. And yet somehow you got it on board. How?" the Doctor asked, getting straight to business, not beating around the bush. "There is an artefact, an ancient scroll. I have highlighted it for your convenience. For reasons currently unknown, the Foretold appears in the vicinity of this artefact." A small spotlight turns to illuminate a tattered scroll on the door at the end of the car. "Oh, well that's helpful. And let me guess, you made it so we can't remove it? So the beast will keep killing people, forcing us to work to solve it, unless it kills us all first? Right?" the Doctor said, when Joe was giving him a "Can't we remove it" glance of fear. "Correct!" Gus said. "But even if they agree to this, how are they supposed to study a creature that they can't even see? We don't even know what the species is." Joe pointed out, catching onto the whole time and space travel thing. The light flickers. "Perkins, start the clock." the Doctor said quickly. "Approximately one point eight metres tall. Actually, seeing it in the flesh isn't nearly as rewarding as I thought it might be." said a man in the corner, Moorhouse, the mythologist that the Doctor had interrogated. There was nothing to be seen, but by the one marked for death, however. "Oh, dear. What can you see? Details." the Doctor snapped. "Yes. Yes, of course, of course. Uh Well, it just looks like er, a man in bandages. I-" "What kind of bandages? Old? New?" the Doctor barked. "Old." said Moorhouse. "Whole? Ragged?" the Doctor said quickly. "Ragged. Falling off in places. I don't know what you want me to tell you!" Moorhouse moaned. "Listen to me! You can see this thing. We can't. Tell us what you can see. Even the smallest detail might help save the next one." the Doctor said. "The next one? You mean you can't save me?" Moorhouse asked. "Well, that is implied, isn't it? Yes, this is probably the end for you. But make it count. Details, please." the Doctor snapped, irritated.

(Hey, how are you?)