Conversation couldn't get any worse at this point. This woman before the Huntress called Kate Stewart knows that she's a Time Lord. How, she doesn't know yet. Maybe she's encountered the Doctor before. He was certainly a frequent visitor when it came to earth. For now, it would be a match of patience.
Kate leaned forward and looked at the Huntress dead in the eye. Her expression never altered in any way. Her comfort never faltered during her whole time in that room. She'd clearly had practice.
'You have nice eyes. I don't think I've met anyone with eyes as green as yours. Then again, looks aren't everything. Let's cut to the chase. Why are you on earth and what are you planning to do with it?'
Finally, a direct question of relevance. Huntress sighed a relieving sigh. She relaxed her body and stopped her stressing mind. These people aren't looking to experiment or observe aliens. Their a defence force for earth.
'I was visiting earth. Just visiting. Actually, this place was recommended to me by someone I think you've met before. Anyway, I was minding my own business inside my TARDIS watching earth from my doorway when I was shot out of the sky and flung into the Thames. New face by the way. About five minutes before the whole kidnapping scenario. Still working out the kinks. Anyway, there is something fishy, quite literally, going on in the Thames. Alien origin kind of fishy. I assume you already know that so I'm hoping that you'll let me deal with them in a covert manner with your help?'
Since she'd started talking, Kate's face turned from intrigue to curiosity through every passing second. The confusion started when the Huntress mention her TARDIS being shot out of the sky and something alien being in the Thames.
Her hand was slowly edging towards the door but stopped and snapped back to the table instead. The Huntress noticed instantly. Nothing small like that got past her. Something she realised never changed after regenerating. Quite handy to know.
'We haven't heard about anything strange concerning the Thames or a crash-landing TARDIS. We're normally good at finding that out ourselves. As for your new body, that's how we found you. Anonymous caller saw your regeneration glow inside that apartment window.'
The Huntress shook her head. She should have known that humans would see things that shouldn't be seen. I mean, so far they've been missing the obvious.
'Unintentional. First ever time regenerating and I'm just past eight hundred in age. I've been pretty damn good at living, yet naïve in death. I was meant to regenerate hundreds of years ago but circumstances were, let's say very different back then.'
'Clearly. Since you asked my name I think it's fair that I have yours. I can't exactly go around calling you "Time Lady" now can I?'
Huntress sighed once again and turned her attention back to the mirror. She continued to wonder who else was on the other side of that glass, even though she was past the point of no return. 'Huntress. I'm known as the Huntress.'
Kate's eyes widened and emotion flooded her face. After everything she'd heard so far, only her alias shocked her and not in a good way. She stood while holding the folder tight in her hand and left abruptly.
'Clearly his mentioned me' came the whispered addition of the Huntress as she watched Kate leave the room, almost like she was scared.
* * *
Inside a small yet cosy lounge area were Will and Gray. Both have their hands cuffed behind their backs. The room had the same grey walls, grey carpet and mirror on the wall with a nearby door. However, the furniture inside this room consisted of rich red couches and seats along with a wooden coffee table, two glasses of water and a plateful of jammy dodgers.
Will is already awake and sitting back on the couch. He was well aware that they were stuck in that waiting room until someone comes in. Being an ex-detective, he spotted the fake mirror window instantly. Another issue was that he couldn't eat or drink anything left for them as their hands were stuck behind them. An oversight by one stupid officer by the look of it.
Where's Huntress? What have they done with her?
This was the only thing going through his mind since he woke up a few minutes ago. He didn't care about what they were going to do with him, just about her. Most likely they became aware that she's an alien and that's why she's missing. The glow would have been a great tip-off.
With Gray still asleep, Kate finally walks into their room. Will straightens up instantly and pays Kate the upmost attention. 'Where is she?' he demanded as soon as she sat down.
Kate put her hands up in the air as if to say I don't know. It was as clear as day that she did. 'I can't say anything right now, Mr Mayweather. I'm just here to ask you some questions. Well, you and Mr. Broke here.'
'Ask away' was Will's only blank reply.
Kate never reacted much. She shrugged and focused her direction towards him alone. 'Alright then. What is the connection between the two of you and the Huntress?'
Will was staggered by her questioning already. She knew her name straight off the bat too. By her word choice, she must know that Huntress is an alien. This whole situation was clearly bigger than him and Gray. There was no indication on whether they were friends or enemies with this woman and the rest of their kidnappers.
'We only met her tonight. I saved her life when she fell into the Thames. I took her back to my apartment and she spent her time resting on the couch because she was slowly dying. I went back to the Thames and met Gray. Something tried to lure him into the water by some kind of hypnosis. I grabbed him before he dived in. We went back to my apartment, she physically changed her whole body before our eyes and then you guys knocked us out. That's it.'
Kate seemed very interested in every word he spoke. She gave no reaction which meant disbelief during his whole story telling. This seemed rather odd to Will.
'That fits in with security camera footage. You're not lying.'
Unintendedly, Will hung his head down and shook it. They checked the damn security cameras and saw all of that anyway? This modern-day age was getting too much for him to keep up with. He would have sworn that she didn't believe them by her reactions. She was unreadable. That wasn't a good sign.
'Look, you don't know who she really is or the kind of things she's done, Mr Mayweather. Her own friend from her own planet warned us to watch our backs if she ever appeared. Are you sure you want to be defending her so willingly?'
Now Will's interest was piqued. Who the Huntress really was? What she's done? It almost made him question her completely until he remembered. The woman he saved was the woman from the past, not this new one. She said clearly that she'd never "regenerated" before.
'That's true, I don't know anything about her past. If it's alright with you, I want to hear it from her. I want him to hear it too.'
Kate's expression changed to something resembling sadness, even regret. That definitely wasn't not a good sign. Lot of those happening at the moment.
She nodded and left. Moments later, she returned with the Huntress walking in first and Kate holding her cuffs. Kate sat down on the couch facing Will, then sat the Huntress next to her facing Gray.
Will turned to Gray and repositioned his arms so his shoulders would wack Gray's arm. Gray's eyes darted open and his body flung up into a sitting position. 'Flipping heck! Where are we now!?'
He looked at Will and his cuffed hands, then noticed that his own hands were cuffed behind him. His attention then turned to the Huntress who sat right in from of him. Cuffed. And a strange woman next to her, clearly their kidnapper. To him, she looked like a nice lady.
'Just shut up and listen to what the Huntress has to say. We're about to find out the truth behind where she came from' said Will.
The Huntress looked down at the jammy dodgers and tears actually started forming. It came as a big shock to Will and even to Gray. However, Kate wasn't surprised at all. She knew what was coming, or at least some of it.
'Well boys, there's some things that I apparently have to tell you about me. Didn't expect this so soon, but then again I suppose it's only fair.'
Will stared at her face and listened deeply. Everything about her now seemed very different. Her voice, her eyes, her facial and bodily structure. Even her personality merited difference. Yet somehow, he couldn't explain why, she was the same person as before. All he wanted now more than anything was to know more. Who was she?
'Well, for a start my species are known as the Time Lords. My home planet is called Gallifrey, located in the constellation of kasterborous. We all have the natural ability to regenerate when our bodies die, but only a limited number of times. Oh, and we have two hearts as well.'
'Wait, what?' Gray interrupted, staggered by what he was hearing. Before anything else could be said, Will nudged him and shook his head as if to say, "Not now, man."
'As I was saying, two hearts. However, I haven't been dragged here to talk about my species. You wanted to know about my past or should I say have to know. We're not going to be freed unless I talk about at least some of it. I still don't know how much I can physically say. It wasn't the best of times, but since my options are low, I'll cooperate'.
Huntress turns and looks right into Kate's eyes, 'Even though you may well not like anything you hear from me.'
Kate looked very surprised at her freedom comment as well as the Huntress' stare but remains silent.
The Huntress sighs and straightens her back. Her legs have started to shake. Nerves are hitting her. Her past is one tale that she never wanted told. None of it. One that would very well change how they'd see her for quite some time, if she told enough. Perhaps one which wouldn't be finished in one sitting. Some things are too unbearable but must be attempted.
'How about we start at the beginning of my story. The day where everything changed. Back to when I changed into a very different person. The monster I used to be before I was finally made a free woman. It all started hundreds of years ago on my home planet, on Gallifrey...'