Gridlock

(Jared's POV)

Akihabara…

"You're not getting that." Sayaka said, as I'm looking at the collection of μ's and Aqours albums. "You already have their songs on Spotify."

"Most of them are remixes." I said, dragging Sayaka and Asada around the city. "Come on ladies, I'm hungry. And I want to spend my money on merchandise too."

"Why did we even bother on coming here?" Asada asked. "You're gonna get yourself broke."

"I have this." I said, taking out the psychic paper from my pocket. "No need to worry."

"Onigiri." Sayaka said, as I ran towards a nearby arcade. "I don't know."

"We don't know what to do…" Asada said, and I entered the arcade. "With him."

"Shops with anime and manga, arcades, and restaurants. This is his dream place." Sayaka said, hearing the TARDIS materialize nearby. "Thank goodness. Time to go."

Tardis...

"Just one trip. That's what I said. One trip in the Tardis, and then home. Although I suppose we could stretch the definition. Take one trip into past, one trip into future. How do you fancy that?" The Doctor asked, looking at Martha.

"No complaints from me." Martha said.

"I was gonna eat some cool sweets." I said, sitting on the TARDIS jump seat. "Why did I have to go on here?"

"Because you impulse buy." Asada said, crossing her arms.

"I wanted to see what I can get out of gachapon machines. And see what's in the retro game shops."

"You can do that later."

"She's right you know. You have all the time in the world." Sayaka said, smiling. "Right now, we're going somewhere nice."

"I don't know how being in a gridlock is nice. How about you two go on without me for once?"

"Us without you?"

"Yes."

"No. You love us too much to not come with us."

"Plus you did say you'll see someone again."

"The sky's a burnt orange, with the Citadel enclosed in a mighty glass dome, shining under the twin suns. Beyond that, the mountains go on forever. Slopes of deep red grass, capped with snow." The Doctor said, describing Gallifrey.

"Can we go there?" Martha asked.

"Nah. Where's the fun for me? I don't want to go home. Instead, this is much better. Year five billion and fifty-three, planet New Earth. Second hope of mankind. Fifty thousand light years from your old world, and we're slap bang in the middle of New New York. Although, technically it's the fifteenth New York from the original, so it's New New New New New New New New New New New New New New York. One of the most dazzling cities ever built." The Doctor said, flicking switches on the TARDIS console.

Pharmacy Town…

The Tardis is blocking a narrow alleyway. We walk out into rain.

"Oh, that's nice. Time Lord version of dazzling." Martha said, annoyed.

"Nah, bit of rain never hurt anyone. Come on, let's get under cover!" The Doctor said.

(Open POV)

Senate…

A large Face in a tank thinks at his kneeling cat attendant.

"They have arrived." Boe said.

"What should I do?" Hame asked.

"Find them before it's too late."

Novice Hame gets up and checks her machine gun. It lights up green.

Pharmacy Town…

A plywood ghetto.

"Well, it looks like the same old Earth to me, on a Wednesday afternoon." Martha said.

"Hold on, hold on. Let's have a look." The Doctor said, using his sonic screwdriver to get a monitor working.

"And the driving should be clear and easy, with fifteen extra lanes open for the New New Jersey expressway." Sally said, on the monitor.

"Yui and Yang." Jared said, looking at the picture of a high-tec Manhattan and flying cars. "Fun day. And that view is more like my style. I liked it."

"You had that view last time with them, didn't you?" Asada asked.

"It was, Sinon. This must be the lower levels, down in the base of the tower. Some sort of under-city." The Doctor said.

"You've brought us to the slums?" Martha asked.

"Much more interesting. It's all cocktails and glitter up there. This is the real city."

"You'd enjoy anything."

"That's me. Ah, the rain's stopping. Better and better."

"When you two say last time, was that the both of you and Rose?"

"Er, yeah. Yeah, it was, yeah."

"Doctor, you're taking me to the same planets that you took her and Jared?"

"What's wrong with that?"

"Nothing. Just ever heard the word rebound?" Martha asked, and a man opens the front of his stall.

"Well, it looks like Martha is a third wheel to the Doctor's relationship with Rose." Sayaka said, and more hatched open with two being women. "The same applies to Mickey too."

"Yup." Jared said, smiling. "They'll get married someday."

"Smith and Jones."

"That sounds like an episode title." Asada said.

"It is one. Back home."

"Home for you. That is."

"Yup."

"No, thanks." The Doctor said.

"Are they selling drugs?" Martha asked.

"I think they're selling moods." Asada said, looking at the stalls.

"Same thing, isn't it?" Martha asked, and more people start to enter the area, listless and dressed in rags.

"Over here, sweetheart! That's it, come on, I'll get you first!" Pharmacist 3 said.

"Oi! Oi, you! Over here! Over here! Buy some Happy!" Pharmacist 1 said.

"Come over here, yeah. And what can I get you, my love?"

"I want to buy Forget." A woman said.

"I've got Forget, my darling. What strength? How much do you want forgetting?"

"It's my mother and father. They went on the motorway."

"Oh, that's a swine. Try this. Forget Forty three. That's two credits."

"Wait, what happened to your parents?" Sayaka asked.

"They drove off." The woman said.

"Well, they might drive back." Asada said.

"Everyone goes to the motorway in the end. I've lost them."

"But they can't have gone far. You could find them. No. No, no, don't." The Doctor said, angrily.

The woman sticks the Forget 43 tab to her neck, "I'm sorry, what were you saying?"

"Your parents. Your mother and father. They're on the motorway."

"Are they? That's nice. I'm sorry, I won't keep you." The woman asked, leaving.

"So that's the human race five billion years in the future. Off their heads on chemicals." Martha said, and a man grabs her from behind.

"Let her go." Sayaka said, transformation into her magical girl form. "If you know what's good for you."

"I don't think threatening them is a good idea." Asada said, with the woman pointing a gun at Sayaka and the Doctor.

"We just can't lose Martha like this!"

"We'll think of something." Jared said, when the stalls all close their hatches. "Don't know what. It's been a long day ladies."

"I'm sorry, I'm really, really sorry. We just need three, that's all." Milo said, sadly.

"No, let her go! I'm warning you, let her go! Whatever you want, I can help. The five of us, we can help. But first you've got to let her go." The Doctor said.

"I'm sorry. I'm really sorry. Sorry." Cheen said.

Milo drags Martha through a green door, and Cheen locks it behind them. They run along a passageway while the Doctor tries to get it open.

Back street…

A car that looks like a truncated tram is parked here.

"The Doctor and Sayaka are so going to kill you, and never mind them, I'm going to kill you myself! Let go of me!" Martha said, angrily.

"Give her some Sleep." Milo said.

"Don't you dare! Don't put that stuff in me, don't! Get off me!"

"It's just Sleep Fourteen. No, baby, don't fight it." Cheen said.

"I'm telling you, don't!" Martha said, falling asleep.

"That's it. Come on. That's it." Cheen said.

"Get on board." Milo said.

Milo's car…

"Engaging anti-gravs. Hold on." Milo said, releasing the handbrake and the car takes off.

Back street…

"Martha!" The Doctor said.

Milo's car…

"She's all right. She's breathing, pulse is fine, and no harm done. She looks rich. She must have got lost." Cheen said.

"Yeah, well, she's worth her weight in gold to us. This is car four six five diamond six. We have three passengers, repeat three. Request access to the fast lane." Milo said.

"Access granted." The computer said.

"Oh, yes."

Pharmacy Town…

The Doctor hammers on the closed hatch.

"Thought the four of you would come back. Do you want some happy Happy?" Pharmacist 3 asked.

"Damn, we lost Martha like that." Sayaka said, and Jared pressed an icon on his Apple Watch to summon his 2019 Chevrolet Camaro. "Are we really gonna leave the Doctor here?"

2019 Chevrolet Camaro...

"Yup." Jared said, going into the driver's seat of the car, with Sayaka calling shotgun. "We are."

"This is so wrong." Asada said, entering the car, as Jared activated the hover conversion on the Camaro. "We're going to the motorway, right?"

"Yup." Jared said, making the car rise from the ground and towards the motorway. "Time to activate a view from the camera I placed on the Doctor's coat."

"Used to be thriving, this place. You couldn't move. But they all go to the motorway in the end." Pharmacist 1 said, on the screen.

"He kept on saying three, we need three. What did he mean, three?" The Doctor asked, on the screen.

"It's the car-sharing policy, to save fuel. You get special access if you're carrying three adults." Pharmacist 3 said, on the screen.

"This motorway. How do I get there?"

"Straight down the alley, keep going to the end. You canna miss it. Tell you what. How about some happy Happy? Then you'll be smiling, my love." Pharmacist 3 asked, on screen.

"Word of advice, all of you. Cash up, close down and pack your bags."

"Why's that, then?"

"Because as soon as I've found her, alive and well. And I will find her alive and well. Then I'm coming back, and this street is closing tonight!"

"How are we gonna get to the motorway? It's closed off." Asada said, and Jared presses a button on the dashboard for the car to go temporarily invisible. It drove through the wall, without damaging it. "Oh."

"When did you install that?" Sayaka asked, looking at Jared.

"A couple of hours ago." Jared said, happily. "I was bored."

Milo's car…

"Now you just settle back. It's all going to be worth it." Milo said, when Martha wakes and takes the tab from her neck.

"Yeah. The view from the windows. You can see all the way out to the flatlands. Clear blue sky. They say the air smells like apple grass. Can you imagine?" Cheen asked.

"The houses are made of wood. There are jobs going in the foundries. Everyone says so."

Martha points Cheen's gun at them, "Take me back. Whoever you are, just take me back to my friends. That's all I want. I won't cause any trouble. Just take me back."

"I'm sorry. That's not a real gun." Cheen said.

"Yeah, well, you would say that." Martha said.

"Where do you get a gun from, these days? I wouldn't even know how to fire."

"No, nor me. Okay." Martha said, putting the gun down.

"What's your name?"

"Martha. Martha Jones."

"Well, I'm Cheen, and this is Milo. And I swear we're sorry. We're really, really sorry. We just needed access to the fast line, but I promise, as soon as we arrive, we'll drop you off and you can go back and find your friends."

"Seriously?���

"I swear! Look. Honesty patch."

"All the same, it's still kidnapping! Where are we, anyway?"

"We're on the motorway." Milo said.

"What's that, then? Fog?" Martha asked.

"That's the exhaust fumes." Cheen said.

"We're going out to Brooklyn. Everyone says the air's so much cleaner, and we couldn't stay in Pharmacy Town, because…" Milo said.

"Well, because of me. I'm pregnant. We only discovered it last week. Scan says it's going to be a boy."

"Right. What do I do now, congratulate my kidnappers?" Martha asked.

"Oh, we're not kidnappers. Not really."

"Nope? You're idiots. You're having a baby, and you're wearing that?" Martha asked, pulling the Honesty patch from Cheen's neck. "Not anymore."

"This'll be as fast as we can. We'll take the motorway to the Brooklyn flyover, and then after that it's going to take awhile, because then there's no fast lane, just ordinary roads, but at least it's direct." Milo said.

"It's only ten miles." Cheen said.

"How long is it going to take?" Martha asked.

"About six years."

"What?"

"Be just in time for him to start school."

"No, sorry, hold on. Six years? Ten miles in six years? How come?"

(Jared's POV)

2019 Chevrolet Camaro…

"Okay, how long will it take for Martha to reach us again?" Asada asked.

"Six year." I said, my hands on the steering wheel.

"Wait, six years?" Sayaka asked. "How can it be six years?"

"Spoilers."

"You're not really helping." Asada said, reaching over for the control console to summon Yui on there. "A button to call Yui. How convenient."

"Hi." Yui said, her augmented reality form appearing in the car. "Anything wrong?"

"Yeah. I want you to hack into these specific cars. Specifically their webcams and speaker grills." I said, looking down at Yui. "We're gonna be here for a while."

"The air's toxic apparently. And we're separated from the Doctor and Martha." Sayaka said, shrugging her shoulders.

"Oh, you have a camera on the Doctor's jacket. I wonder if I should open up a dashboard." Yui said, closing her eyes for a moment.

"Okay." Asada said. "We've got time."

Lay by…

The Doctor unlocks a metal door and steps out onto a small balcony, coughing in the exhaust fumes. The stationary traffic is stacked in all directions, including up and down. The car nearest the balcony opens its door and a figure in WW2 flying jacket and helmet, goggles and a white scarf across its face looks out. It has an Irish accent.

"Hey! You daft little street strut. What are you doing standing there? Either get out or get in. Come on!" Brannigan said, on the screen.

Brannigan's car…

The Doctor gets in and gasps for breath.

"Did you ever see the like?" Brannigan asked, on screen.

A dark haired woman puts an oxygen mask on the Doctor.

"Here you go." Valerie said, on screen.

"Just standing there, breathing it in." Brannigan said, removing the scarf and goggles. "There's this story, says back in the old days, on Junction forty seven, this woman stood in the exhaust fumes for a solid twenty minutes. By the time they found her, her head had swollen to fifty feet."

"Oh, you're making it up."

"A fifty foot head! Just think of it. Imagine picking that nose."

"Oh, stop it. That's disgusting."

"What, did you never pick your nose?"

"Bran, we're moving."

"Right. I'm there. I'm on it."

2019 Chevrolet Camaro…

"Okay, they've barely moved." Sayaka said, as we're flying through the Quantum Realm. "How much was that?"

"Twenty yards." Asada said, looking at the map. "They've traveled that much."

"Twenty yards in that amount of time." Yui said. "Is that normal?��

"Not where we come from."

"It has to be a few miles at least." I said, hands on the steering wheel. "It doesn't feel that long for them."

"How long are we gonna be here for?" Asada asked.

"Inside the Quantum Realm? Until the end of the adventure. Or when a cat lady shows up."

Brannigan's car...

"Poor little souls. They've never known the ground beneath their paws. Children of the motorway." Brannigan said, on screen.

"What, they were born in here?" The Doctor asked, on screen.

"We couldn't stop. We heard there were jobs going, out in the laundries on Fire Island. Thought we'd take a chance." Valerie said, on screen.

"What, you've been driving for two months?"

"Do I look like a teenager? We've been driving for twelve years now." Brannigan said, on screen.

"I'm sorry?"

"Yeah! Started out as newlyweds. Feels like yesterday."

"Feels like twelve years to me." Valerie said, on screen.

"Ah, sweetheart, but you're still love me." Brannigan said, on screen.

"Twelve years? How far did you come? Where did you start?" The Doctor asked, on screen.

"Battery Park. It's five miles back."

"You travelled five miles in twelve years?"

"I think he's a bit slow."

"Where are you from?" Valerie asked, on screen.

"Never mind that. I've got to get out. One of my friend's in one of these cars. She was taken hostage. I should get back to the Tardis." The Doctor said, on screen.

"You're too late for that. We've passed the lay-by. You're a passenger now, Sonny Jim." Brannigan said, on screen.

"When's the next lay-by?"

"Oh, six months?"

(Open POV)

Milo's car…

They are dropping down through the rows of cars.

"How many cars are out there?" Martha asked.

"I don't think anyone knows. Here we go. Hungry?" Cheen asked.

"Oh, thanks. But how far down is it to this fast lane?"

"Oh, it's right at the bottom, underneath the traffic jam. But not many people can afford three passengers, so it's empty down there. Rumour has it you can reach up to thirty miles per hour." Milo said.

"Wow. That's, like, crazy. But how are you supposed to live inside this thing? It's tiny."

"Oh, we stocked up. Got self-replicating fuel, muscle stimulants for exercise, and there's a chemical toilet at the back. And all waste products are recycled as food." Cheen said, happily.

"Okay." Martha said, dumping her large dry biscuit.

"Oh, another gap. This is brilliant." Milo said.

"Car sign in." The computer said.

"Car Four Six Five Diamond Six, on descent to fast lane, thank you very much."

"Please drive safely."

2019 Chevrolet Camaro…

"On the bright side, we do have access to some nearby car signals." Sayaka said, looking down at the dashboard. "What should we do now?"

"Watch Stranger Things 3." Jared said, pressing some buttons on the dashboard to load up a Nintendo Switch screen. "Or play some Smash Bros."

"You want to play a fighting game in the Quantum Realm. Okay."

"This can't be that bad." Asada said.

"Yui, can you load up the recordings from before?" Jared asked, smirking.

"It's gonna take some time." Yui said, frowning.

Brannigan's car…

The Doctor hacks into the communications system, "I need to talk to the police."

"Thank you for your call. You have been placed on hold." The computer said.

"But you're the police." The Doctor said.

"Thank you for your call. You have been placed on hold."

"Is there anyone else? I once met the Duke of Manhattan. Is there any way of getting through to him?"

"Oh now, ain't you lordly?" Brannigan asked.

"I've got to find my friend."

"You can't make outside calls. The motorway's completely enclosed." Valerie said.

"What about the other cars?" The Doctor asked.

"Oh, we've got contact with them, yeah. Well, some of them, anyway. They've got to be on your friends list. Now, let's see. Who's nearby? Ah, the Cassini sisters!" Brannigan said, as the screen shows a picture of two older women and a number, 3-1-7-a-1. "Still your hearts, my handsome girls. It's Brannigan here."

Cassini car…

"Get off the line, Brannigan. You're a pest and a menace." Alice said.

Brannigan's car…

"Oh, come on, now, sisters. Is that any way to talk to an old friend?" Brannigan asked.

"You know full well…" Alice said, over the call.

Cassini car…

"We're not sisters. We're married." Alice said.

Brannigan's car…

"Ooo, stop that modern talk. I'm an old-fashioned cat. Now, I've got a hitchhiker here, calls himself the Doctor." Brannigan said.

"Hello. Sorry. I'm looking for someone called Martha Jones. She's been carjacked." The Doctor said.

Cassini car…

"She's inside one of these vehicles, but I don't know which one." The Doctor said, over the speaker.

May puts down her knitting and picks up a large book, "Wait a minute. Could I ask, what entrance…"

Brannigan's car…

"Did they use?" May asked, over the speaker.

"Where were we?" The Doctor asked.

"Pharmacy Town." Brannigan said.

"Pharmacy Town…"

2019 Chevrolet Camaro…

"This will take a while." Asada said, letting out a sigh.

"I know." Jared said, knocking off another stock from the character Sayaka's playing as in Smash. "The Doctor wants more information. It would be rude to interfere."

"He does have a point, Sinon." Sayaka said. "What's the point in interrupting, when Jared wants to make sure we don't meddle with time too much."

Brannigan's car…

"To marry a car-spotter." Alice said, over the speaker.

"In the last half hour, fifty three new cars…" May said, over the speaker.

Cassini car…

"Joined from the Pharmacy Town junction." May said.

Brannigan's car…

"Anything more specific?" The Doctor asked.

Cassini car…

"All in good time." May said.

Brannigan's car…

"Was she car-jacked by two people?" May asked, over the speaker.

"Yes, she was, yeah." The Doctor said.

Cassini car…

"There we are. Just one of those cars was destined for the fast lane. That means they had three on board. And car number is four six five diamond six." May said.

Brannigan's car…

"That's it! So how do we find them?" The Doctor asked.

Cassini car…

"Ah. Now there I'm afraid I can't help." May said.

2019 Chevrolet Camaro…

"They're stuck in a gridlock." Sayaka said. "While we're hanging around in the Quantum Realm."

"It's not that big of a deal, Sayaka." Jared said, sipping on a Piña Colada. "We can wait."

Cassini car…

"You could try the police." May said.

Brannigan's car…

"They put me on hold." The Doctor said.

Cassini car…

"You'll have to keep trying. There's no one else." Alice said.

Brannigan's car…

"Thank you." The Doctor said.

Milo's car…

They are still heading downwards.

"See? Another ten layers to go. We're scorching." Milo said, hearing a distant growling sound.

"What's that? It's coming from underneath." Martha said.

"It's that noise, doesn't it? It's like Kate said. The stories, they're true." Cheen said.

"What stories?"

"It's the sound of the air vents. That's all. The exhaust fumes travel down, so at the base of the tunnel they've got air vents." Milo said.

"No, but the stories are much better. They say people go missing on the motorway. Some cars just vanish, never to be seen again, because there's something living down there in the smoke. Something huge and hungry. And if you get lost on the road, it's waiting for you." Cheen said, hearing another distant roar.

"But like I said. Air vents. Going down to the next layer."

"Except look out there. Does it look like the air vents are working?" Martha asked.

"No." Cheen said.

"So what's that, then?" Martha asked.

"Nah. Kid stuff. Car four six five diamond six, on descent." Milo said.

Brannigan's car...

"We've got to go to the fast lane. Take me down." The Doctor said.

"Not a million years." Brannigan said.

"You've got three passengers."

"I'm still not going."

"She's alone and she's lost. She doesn't belong on this planet, and it's all my fault. I'm asking you, Brannigan, take me down."

"That's a no. And that's final. I'm not risking the children down there." Valerie said, angrily.

"Why not? What's the risk? What happens down there?" The Doctor asked.

"We're not discussing it. The conversation is closed."

"So we keep on driving."

"Yes, we do." Brannigan said.

"For how long?"

"Till the journey's end."

The Doctor grabs the radio handset, "Mrs Cassini, this is the Doctor."

Cassini car…

"Tell me, how long have you been driving on the motorway?" The Doctor asked, over the speaker.

"Oh, we were amongst the first. It's been twenty three years now." Alice said, happily.

"And in all that…"

Brannigan's car…

"Time, have you ever seen a police car?" The Doctor asked.

Cassini car…

"I'm not sure." May said.

Brannigan's car…

"Look at your notes. Any police?" The Doctor asked.

Cassini car…

"Not as such." May said.

"Or an ambulance?" The Doctor asked, over the speaker.

Brannigan's car…

"Rescue service? Anything official. Ever." The Doctor said.

"I can't…" May said, over the speaker.

Cassini car…

"Keep a note of everything." May said.

2019 Chevrolet Camaro…

"We're about to go girls." Jared said, his hand on the steering wheel.

"That took a while." Sayaka said, happily.

"When are we leaving this place?" Asada asked.

"That's what I want to know too."

"In a few minutes ladies." Jared said, smiling.

Brannigan's car…

"Shut up! Just shut up!" Valerie said.

"This is Sally Calypso, and it's that time again. The sun is blazing high in the sky over the New Atlantic, the perfect setting for the daily contemplation." Sally said, on the monitor.

"You think you know us so well, Doctor. But we're not abandoned. Not while we have each other." Brannigan said.

"This is for all of you out there on the roads. We're so sorry. Drive safe."

"On a hill, far away, stood an old, rugged cross, the emblem of suffering and shame. And I love that old cross, where the dearest and best for a world of lost sinners was slain. So I'll cherish the old rugged cross, till my trophies at last I lay down. I will cling to the old rugged cross, and exchange it some day for a crown." A choir said, singing.

Everyone on the motorway joins in, including Martha, but excluding the Doctor.

Milo's car…

"Fast lane access. Please drive safely." A computer said.

"We made it. The fast lane." Milo said.

They head down and along the empty fast lane, level 50.

2019 Chevrolet Camaro…

"Time to get out of here girls." Jared said, pressing a button on the dashboard for the car to regrow in size. "This is the gridlock I wanted us to avoid."

"Oh, my god." Sayaka said, in shock. "Why are all these people stuck here?"

"Because a Face is keeping the people here safe."

"A Face." Asada said, sadly. "What face?"

"The Face of Boe. Captain Jack Harkness. You two haven't met him yet."

Brannigan's car…

"If you won't take me, I'll go down on my own." The Doctor said.

"What do you think you're doing?" Brannigan asked.

"Finding my own way. I usually do." The Doctor said, sonicing open a trapdoor in the floor of the car.

"Capsule open." The computer said.

A car stops directly beneath them.

"Here we go." The Doctor said, tossing his coat to Valerie. "Look after this. I love that coat. Janis Joplin gave me that coat."

"But you can't jump." Valerie said.

"If it's any consolation, Valerie, right now, I'm having kittens."

"This Martha. She must mean an awful lot to you." Brannigan said.

"Hardly know her. I was too busy showing off. And I lied to her. Couldn't help it, just lied. Bye then." The Doctor said, dropping onto the roof of the car below.

"He's completely insane!" Valerie said, angrily.

"That, and a bit magnificent!" Brannigan said, happily.

Whitey's car…

The Doctor sonics open the roof hatch and drops in on a man with very pale skin, wearing a white suit.

"Capsule open." A computer said.

"Who the hell are you?" Whitey asked.

"Sorry, Motorway Foot Patrol. I'm doing a survey. How are you enjoying your motorway?" The Doctor asked.

"Well, not very much. Junction Five's been closed for three years."

"Thank you. Your comments have been noted. Have a nice day!" The Doctor said, opening the floor hatch and hangs there until the next car stops underneath him.

Asian girl's car…

"Capsule open." A computer said, as this car has two young Asian women in it. He passes straight through. "Capsule open."

"Thank you for your cooperation. Your comments have been noted. Do you mind if I borrow this?" The Doctor asked, picking up a small blue headscarf and uses it as a mask. "Not my colour, but thank you very much."

Nudist's car…

"Capsule open." The computer said.

"Ooo! Don't mind me." The Doctor said.

Red man's car…

"Capsule open." The computer said.

2019 Chevrolet Camaro…

"This is gonna go on for a while." Sayaka said, drinking a cup of tea. "With us now stuck in a gridlock."

"Are we though?" Jared asked, pressing a button on the dashboard for the car to shrink in size. "Allons-y!"

"We're really going down the layers." Asada said, and the Camaro is flying down when the openings between the cars happen.

"I'm not staying up here, Sinon."

Milo's car…

"Try again." Cheen said, while Milo taps Exit 1 on the monitor.

"Brooklyn turnoff one, closed." The computer said.

"Try the next one."

"Brooklyn turnoff two, closed."

"What do we do?"

"We'll keep going round. We'll do the whole loop, and by the time we come back round, they'll be open." Milo said, hearing a growl and shudder.

"You're still calling that air vents?" Martha asked.

"What else could it be?"

"What the hell is that?" Cheen asked.

"It's just the hydraulics." Milo said.

"It sounds like it's alive." Martha said.

"It's all exhaust fumes out there. Nothing could breathe in that."

"Calling Car four six five diamond six. Repeat, calling Car four six five diamond six." Javit said, on the speaker.

"This is Car four six five diamond six. Who's that? Where are you?"

Javit's car…

Javit looks like a black poodle. She has two pale girls with her. "I'm in the fast lane, about fifty yards behind."

Milo's car…

"Can you get back up? Can you get off the fast lane?" Javit asked, over the speaker.

"We only have permission to go down. We need…" Milo said.

2019 Chevrolet Camaro…

"What's at the bottom of this that's so worrying?" Asada asked.

"Macra. They're giant crab things." Jared said, still flying the car downwards towards the final layer. "They react to sound."

"The Doctor is hopping through the cars to get to the final layer." Sayaka said. "We're doing the most reckless thing ever. Inside a Camaro."

"Something that looks as cool as a Ford Mustang. To be honest." Asada said.

"I know." Jared said, frowning. "We're gonna die on our way there."

Javit's car…

"Can't you hear it?" Javit asked, hearing a big roar nearby.

Milo's car…

"That's the air vents." Milo said.

"Jehovah, what are you?" Javit asked, her voice over the speaker.

Javit's car…

"Some stupid kid? Get out of here!" Javit said, angrily.

Big thump, the car tilts sideways.

Milo's car…

"What was that?" Milo asked.

Javit's car…

"I can't move!" Javit said, terrified.

Milo's car…

"They've got us!" Javit said, her voice over the speaker.

"But what's happening?" Milo asked.

"What's got you? What is it?" Martha asked.

Javit's car…

"Hang on. It's here. Just drive, you idiots! Get out of here!" Javit said, annoyed.

Milo's car…

"Can you hear me? Hello?" Milo asked.

"Just drive! Do what she said. Get us out of here!" Martha said.

"But where?"

"Just straight ahead. And fast!"

"What is it? What's out there? What is it?" Cheen asked.

2019 Chevrolet Camaro...

"Made it to the final layer." Jared said, tilting the Camaro to the side, and he pressed another button. "Time for me to jump down ladies."

"Are you kidding me?!" Sayaka exclaimed, while a hologram of Jared appeared in front of her. "Why are you doing this?"

"You're the one to talk. Sayaka Miki. I'm going down there. Asada, look after her."

"Right." Asada said, as the hologram of Jared jumped down into the car below. "I will."

City gent's car…

Bowler hat and pinstripe suit.

"Capsule open." A computer said.

The Doctor and Holo-Jared dropped in.

"Excuse me, is that legal?" A gent asked.

"Sorry, Motorway Foot Patrol. Whatever. Have you got any water?" The Doctor asked.

"He's been hopping down from car to car." Jared said, smiling. "So he's pretty exhausted. Mind if I have some water too?"

"Certainly. Never let it be said I've lost my manners." The gent said, as he gives the Doctor and Holo-Jared tiny cones of water.

"Is this the last layer?" The Doctor asked.

"We're right at the bottom. Nothing below us but the fast lane." The gent said.

"Can we drive down?"

"There's only two of us. You need three to go down."

"Couldn't we just cheat?"

"Well, I'd love to, but it's an automated system. The wheel would lock."

"And I'm not really here." Holo-Jared said, looking at the Doctor. "I'm still with Sayaka and Asada. I'm an augmented reality projection right now."

"You're not really here. You're safe and sound, good. I did jump down your Camaro on the way here." The Doctor said, starting to open the floor hatch.

"You can't jump. It's a thousand feet down." The gent said.

"No, I just want to look." The Doctor said, hearing a growl. "What's that noise?"

"I try not to think about it."

"What are those lights? What's down there? I just need to see." The Doctor said, sonicing the car computer. "There must be some sort of ventilation. If I could just transmit a pulse through this thing, maybe I could trip the system, give us a bit of a breeze."

Brannigan's car…

Someone is cutting through the roof hatch.

"Just what we need. Pirates!" Brannigan said, annoyed.

"I'm calling the police!" Valerie said, angrily.

Hame hangs upside down through the hatch, "The Doctor and Jared. Where are they?"

City gent's car…

The Doctor is connecting wires, "That's it! Might shift the fumes a bit, give us a good look."

"What are those shapes?" The gent asked.

"They're alive." The Doctor said, and giant claws snap up at them.

"What the hell are they?"

"They're Macra." Holo-Jared said, sadly. "At least Sayaka, Asada and I are safe."

Milo's car…

Something hits it.

"Go faster!" Cheen said.

"I'm at top speed!" Milo said, while the car is weaving through the grabbing claws.

"No access above." The computer said.

"But this is an emergency!" Milo said.

"Thank you for your call. You have been placed on hold." The police said, over the speaker.

"Turn everything off." Martha said.

"You've got to be joking." Milo said.

"But listen, it's all fog out there, so how can they see us? Maybe it's the engines, the sound, or the heat, or the light. I don't know. Turn everything off. They might not be able to find us."

"What if you're wrong?"

"It can't be worse than this! Just do it!"

The car goes dark, and outside goes quiet.

"They've stopped." Cheen said.

"Yeah, but they're still out there." Milo said.

"How did you think of that?"

"I saw it on a film. They used to do it in submarines. The trouble is, I can't remember what they did next." Martha said.

"Well, you'd better think of something, because we've lost the aircon. If we don't switch the engines back on, we won't be able to breathe." Milo said.

"How long have we got?"

"Eight minutes, maximum."

(Jared's POV)

2019 Chevrolet Camaro…

"Something's on top of the Camaro." Sayaka said, and I pressed a button for Novice Hame to hop right in.

"Jared, you're one of the hard men to find." Hame said, looking at me. "You know what's going up above in the city of New New York. Don't you?"

"Yeah." I said, smiling. "I do. I'll be bringing the Camaro up to the city. This thing is running out of waste. For its power. You pick up the Doctor. I'll meet you there."

"Of course." Hame said, opening one of the side doors. "I see another car down there. Is that where the Doctor is inside?"

"Yup." I said, turning on the video camera dashboard, and linking the Camaro to Hame's teleport device.

City gent's car…

Hame drops in.

"I've invented a sport." The Doctor said, on the screen.

"Doctor, you're another hard man to find." Hame said, on the screen.

"No guns. I'm not having guns." The gent said, on the screen.

"I only brought this in case of pirates. Doctor, you've got to come with me." Hame said, on the screen. "Jared already agreed to it. He knew what was going on above."

The hologram of me that was in the car vanished.

"Do I know you?" The Doctor asked, on the screen.

"You and Jared haven't aged at all. Time has been less kind to me." Hame said, on the screen.

"Novice Hame! No, hold on, get off. Last time we met, you were breeding humans for experimentation."

"I've sought forgiveness, Doctor, for so many years, under his guidance. And if you come with me, I might finally be able to redeem myself."

"I'm not going anywhere. You've got Macra living underneath this city. Macra! And if one of my friend's still alive, she's stuck down there."

"You've got to come with me right now."

"No, no, no, you're coming with me. We've got three passengers now."

"I'm sorry, Doctor. But the situation is even worse than you can imagine." Hame said, grabbing the Doctor's wrist. "Transport."

"Don't you dare! Don't you dare!"

They beam away. The City gent is left alone.

Senate…

Hame and the Doctor pick themselves up from the rubbish-strewn floor. With the 2019 Chevrolet Camaro parked right next to them.

"That was a rough ride." Sayaka said, exiting her side of the Camaro. "It's not that bad, to be honest."

"Yeah." I said, exiting my side of the Camaro. "It isn't."

"Where are we?" Asada asked, exiting the Camaro too.

"Somewhere I never expected to be. Not for a while."

"Which is?"

"But you're inside the Senate, right now. May the goddess Santori bless them." Hame said, using her teleport bracelet to turn on the lights. The senate is populated by skeletons. "They died, Doctor, Jared. The city died."

"How long's it been like this?" The Doctor asked.

"The city of New New York has been like this for 24 years, Spaceman." I said, holding Sayaka's hand. "That's why I didn't want to come. Everyone died while we went off traveling again."

"All of them? Everyone? What happened?"

"A new chemical. A new mood. They called it Bliss. Everyone tried it. They couldn't stop. A virus mutated inside the compound and became airborne. Everything perished. Even the virus, in the end. It killed the world in seven minutes flat. There was just enough time to close down the walkways and the flyovers, sealing off the under-city. Those people on the motorway aren't lost, Doctor. They were saved." Hame said.

"That explains why the whole under city is running on automatic." Sayaka said, smiling. "Like a machine to keep its engines going."

"There's not enough power to get them out. We did all we could to stop the system from choking."

"Who's we? How did you survive?" The Doctor asked.

"He protected me. And he has waited for the both of you, these long years."

"Doctor. Jared." Boe said, nearby.

"The Face of Boe!" The Doctor and I said, happily.

"I knew you two would come." Boe said.

"So, that thing is the Face of Boe." Asada said, walking up to the Face of Boe. "Who was he originally?"

"An old friend of mine." I said, squeezing Sayaka's hand. "I haven't seen him in forever."

"See who?" Sayaka asked. "Who haven't you seen?"

"Yeah, you'll find out eventually. Now, what did you think of today's adventure?"

"Besides being gridlocked. I thought it could do with some more running."

"Same here." Asada said.

"But there are planets out there. You could have called for help." The Doctor said.

"The last act of the Senate was to declare New Earth unsafe. The automatic quarantine lasts for one hundred years." Hame said.

"So the two of you stayed here, on your own for all these years."

"We had no choice."

"Yes, you did."

"Save them, Doctor, Jared. Save them." Boe said.

(Open POV)

Milo's car...

"How much air's left?" Cheen asked.

"Two minutes." Milo said.

"There's always the Doctor and Jared. Those friends of mine. They might think of something." Martha said, sadly.

"Martha, no one's coming."

"One of them looked kind of nice." Cheen said.

"He's a bit more than that."

"Are you and him…"

"Sometimes I think the Doctor likes me, but sometimes I just think he needs someone with him. Jared already has people with him, people who have common interests with him." Martha said.

"I never even asked. Where's home?"

"It's a long way away. I didn't really think. I just followed the Doctor and Jared, and they don't even know where I am. My mum and dad. If I died here, they'd never know."

"So, er, who are they, then, this Doctor and Jared?" Milo asked.

"I don't know. Well, not really. There's so much the Doctor never says, but Jared says everything he can think of."

"But that means that the only hope right now are complete strangers. Well, that's no use." Cheen said, annoyed.

"It is, though, because you haven't seen the things they can do. Honestly, just trust me, both of you. You've got your faith, you've got your songs and your hymns, and I've got the Doctor and Jared." Martha said.

"Right." Milo said, turning the car back on.

"Systems back online." The computer said.

"Good luck."

"And you." Martha said, while they fly off again through the snatching claws.

Senate…

"Come on, Kirito." Jared said, flicking switches with Kirito. "We've got this."

"All of this tech here is really advanced." Kirito said, and he got a computer working. "There you go."

"Thanks a lot, you boys." The Doctor said, happily. "Car four six five diamond six. It still registers! That's Martha. I knew she was good. Novice Hame, hold that in place. Think, think, think, think."

"What else is there to do?" Kirito asked, looking at Jared. "We took the residual energy, inverted it, feed it through the electricity grid."

"It looks like there isn't enough power." Sayaka said, sadly. "To keep this up."

"Well, we've got power." Jared said, running around the place with the Doctor and Kirito. "The Doctor, Kirito, and I are here. The three of us, we're brilliant with computers."

"He's right you know, Sayaka." Asada said. "Just watch. Kirito amazed me from time and time again."

"Asada, Sayaka, Hame, every switch on that bank up to maximum. The three of us can't power up the city, but all the city needs is people." The Doctor said.

"So what are you going to do?" Hame asked.

"This!" The Doctor said, throwing a big switch and the lights go out. "No, no, no, no, no, no, no."

Milo's car is grabbed by a claw. Another one knocks it free again.

"Crap, the transformers are blocked. The signal can't get through." Kirito said, looking at Asada and Sayaka. "All those people will remain gridlocked in there. Damn it."

"Doctor. Kirito. Jared." Boe said.

"Yeah, hold on, not now." The Doctor said, annoyed.

"I give you my last…" Boe said, breathing.

"Yes!" Sayaka said, happily. "Now that's what I call a breath of fresh air."

"Wait, you made a pun." Asada said, and the power comes back to the computer.

"Hame, Sayaka, Asada look after him. Don't you go dying on us, you big old face. You've got to see this. The open road. Ha!" The Doctor said, happily.

Brannigan's car...

Clanging sounds.

"What in Jehovah was that?" Brannigan asked.

"It's coming from above!" Valerie said, happily.

"What is it? What's happening?!"

Cassini's car...

"Hold on, May." Alice said.

Brannigan's car…

Brannigan looks out through the roof hatch, "By all the cats in the kingdom!"

The roof over the motorway starts to open.

"What is it?" Valerie asked, while daylight streams in. "What is it?"

The travellers all start to laugh.

City gent's car...

"Yes!" The gent said, happily.

Brannigan's car…

"It's the sun! Oh, Brannigan. Children, it's the sunlight." Valerie said, smiling.

"I'm sorry to inform you that Sally Calypso wasn't real." Jared said, on the monitor. "That girl was just a hologram. Videos pre-recorded. I'm Jared." He aimed his phone over to the Doctor. "And that man is the Doctor. We saved you. All of you."

"They're magicians." Brannigan said.

"And this is an order. Everyone drive up. Right now." The Doctor said, on the monitor.

"Are they serious?"

"I've opened the roof of the motorway. Come on. Throttle those engines. Drive up. All of you. The whole under-city. Drive up, drive up, drive up! Fast!" The Doctor said, on the monitor.

"Here we go."

"All you guys have to do is clear the fast lane." Kirito said, on the monitor. "Just drive up and get out of the way. Loads of people are dying down there."

Milo's car…

"Oi! Car four six five diamond six. Martha! Drive up!" The Doctor said, on the monitor.

"That's the Doctor!" Martha said, smiling. "And that's Jared! Kirito, Asada, and Sayaka too!"

"We can't go up! We'll hit the layer!" Milo said, angrily.

"Just do as they say! Go up!"

"You've got access above. Now go!" The Doctor said, on the monitor.

Milo steers the car up out of the reach of the Macra.

"It's daylight. Oh my God, that's the sky. The real sky." Cheen said.

"They did it! I told you, they did it!" Martha said.

Brannigan's car...

"Did I tell you, Doctor? You're not bad, sir. You're not bad at all! Oh, yee-hah!" Brannigan said.

(Jared's POV)

2019 Chevrolet Camaro…

"You brought us here because you wanted to spend time with us." Kirito said, holding Asada's hand. "I want to go home now."

"Me too." Asada said. "Asuna and the others must be worried about us."

"She really hasn't seen us in a while."

"You two make it back home safe and sound." I said, watching Kirito and Asada leave the Camaro. "Sayaka and I have to make it back."

"We kinda left the Doctor alone with that giant head and the cat." Sayaka said, smiling. "We'll see them around."

Senate…

Hame is tending to the Face of Boe.

"You keep driving, Brannigan. All the way up. Because it's here, just waiting for you. The city of New New York, and it's yours. And don't forget I want that coat back." The Doctor said, and the Chevrolet Camaro appeared in a flash of light.

"I reckon that's a fair bargain, sir." Brannigan said, on the screen.

"And Car four six five diamond six, I've sent you a flight path. Come to the Senate." The Doctor said, as Sayaka and I exited the Camaro.

"On my way." Martha said, on the screen.

"It's been quite a while since I saw you, Martha Jones."

"Doctor! Jared!" Hame said, while a big crack is spreading across Boe's tank.

"You know, you never really explained to me who he is." Sayaka said, looking over at me. "The Face of Boe."

"He's a handsome man." I said, drinking a McDonald's Shamrock Shake. "A badass too."

"How do you rank him? In terms of being a badass."

"I'd say, in the level of Yang. You're probably a level below them, Sayaka."

"Really?" Sayaka asked.

"Yup. You're..." I said, walking around, with the Shamrock Shake. "You're just cool. Sayaka."

"Especially with those swords."

A little later, Martha runs in and sees all the skeletons.

"Doctor? Jared?" Martha asked.

"Over here." The Doctor said, sadly.

"Doctor! Jared! What happened out there?" Martha asked, while the Face of Boe is out of his tank. "What's that?"

"It's the Face of Boe. It's all right. Come and say hello. And this is Hame. She's a cat. Don't worry. He's the one that saved you, not us."

"My lord gave his life to save the city, and now he's dying." Hame said.

"No, don't say that. Not old Boe. Plenty of life left."

"We're leaving the Face of Boe to die." Sayaka said, frowning. "We can't do anything to save him, huh."

"Nope." I said, letting out a sigh. "We can't."

"So, what can we do now?"

"Nothing. I wish we could save him though."

"The legend says more." Hame said.

"Don't. There's no need for that." The Doctor said.

"It says that the Face of Boe will speak his final secret to travellers."

"Yeah, but not yet. Who needs secrets, eh?"

"I have seen so much. Perhaps too much. I am the last of my kind, as you are the last of yours, Doctor." Boe said.

"That's why we have to survive. Both of us. Don't go."

"I must. But know this, Time Lord. You are not alone." Boe said, breathing out for one last time, and closes his eyes.

Hame weeps.

Pharmacy Town…

"All closed down." The Doctor said.

"Happy?" Martha asked.

"Happy happy. New New York can start again. And they've got Novice Hame. Just what every city needs. Cats in charge. Come on, time we were off."

"The Face of Boe." Sayaka said, walking next to me. "He said something you know. You are not alone."

"Yeah." I said, wearing the clothes I like to use in Ordinal Scale. "I do."

"You like to keep secrets from us. From all of us. Who's gonna life. And who is gonna die?"

"Penny and Pyrrha is gonna die."

"Two people you like. You can't save them."

"Yeah, I can't. I wish I could though."

Martha straightens up a chair and sits down, arms and legs crossed.

"All right, are you staying?" The Doctor asked.

"Till you talk to me properly, yes. He said last of your kind. What does that mean?" Martha asked.

"It really doesn't matter."

"You don't talk. You never say. Why not?"

"Fast falls the eventide." A choir said, singing.

"It's the city." Martha said, happily.

"The darkness deepens…"

"They're singing."

"Lord, with me abide. When other helpers fail…"

"I lied to you, because I liked it. I could pretend. Just for a bit, I could imagine they were still alive, underneath a burnt orange sky. I'm not just a Time Lord. I'm the last of the Time Lords. The Face of Boe was wrong. There's no one else." The Doctor said, frowning.

"What happened?" Martha asked.

"Swift to its close ebbs out life's little day." The choir said.

"There was a war. A Time War. The last Great Time War. My people fought a race called the Daleks, for the sake of all creation. And they lost. They lost. Everyone lost. They're all gone now. My family, my friends, even that sky. Oh, you should have seen it, that old planet. The second sun would rise in the south, and the mountains would shine. The leaves on the trees were silver, and when they caught the light every morning, it looked like a forest on fire. When the autumn came, the breeze would blow through the branches like a song." The Doctor said.

"The darkness deepens. Lord, with me abide." The choir said.