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Chapter Two

Several hours later, Harold Saxon had the information he wanted. Trouble was, it didn’t help much. His head of Security, Alec Trevelyan, stood there waiting to see if Saxon was pleased, or angry.

Harold read through the report. He looked at Alec. “No family? Says here mother died when Victoria was young, father deserted her, years spent in one foster home after another.” He frowned slightly.

Alec shrugged. “ She’s had a tough life. Had to claw her way to where she is now. Still, she did attend a damned good university.”

Saxon nodded absently. “Yes, so it seems. But not a single family tie? No one? No ex fiancee, or lover?”

Alex smiled. “Fiancee, no! But it seems she’s had lovers. Quite a few actually. But none of importance.”

Saxon sat behind his desk, clearly irritated. “Nonsense! There must be someone in her past that she still cares about! If there’s one thing I’ve learned, and learned well, it’s this- everyone has a weakness!”

Alec smiled. “Everyone except you, Mr. Saxon!

Harold looked at him, an image of The Doctor flashing through Harold’s mind. An intimate image from several lifetimes ago. “Don’t be so sure! Find her weakness! Follow her! But never let her see you... or whomever you assign to this task. I want no mistakes Trevelyan! Now, go!”

Trevelyan nodded and left quickly. Outside the office door, Trevelyan breathed a sigh of relief. Harold Saxon was a dangerous man, even more psychotic than himself. Alec Trevelyan had found that out the hard way. He held his right hand, the little finger gone at the second knuckle. Yes, he’d found out the hard way, indeed. There would be no mistakes on this assignment.

Saxon read over the report again, chuckling to himself. “ Ahhh, my dear Victoria, what is that human phrase? Ah yes! ‘It takes one to know one!’ And I plan to know you.. Very well!” Grabbing the file he stood up, and left. He barely glanced at his secretary. “Call my wife. I have an important meeting, and will be late. Tell her to be ready once I return. She understands what that means.” He was the picture of confidence as he entered the lift.

Victoria had just finished a long, luxurious bubble bath, when her doorbell rang. She finished drying off, and slipped on a purple silk robe. The doorbell went again, twice in rapid succession. She smiled. Whoever it was, they were impatient. She suppressed a laugh as she checked the peephole. She opened the door, a look of amusement on her face. “Well, this is a surprise. I said call me, not come see me.”

Saxon pushed past her. “Bloody well took you long enough! Are we alone?” He looked around her apartment. Rather posh considering her low rate of pay. He missed nothing. Like him, she obviously enjoyed the finer things in life. Italian leather sofa, a very inviting loveseat, antique fireplace, plush carpet. Everything decorated in warm shades of purple, mauve, a touch of olive green. He liked it and wished he didn’t.

Victoria raised an eyebrow. “For now. I am going out soon. So, talk fast. Am I promoted?

Saxon smirked. “No.” He noted the bar. “I like brandy.”

Victoria smiled, shaking her head. That damned arrogance of his was far too appealing, at least to her. She walked to the bar. “So do I.” Victoria poured a brandy and sat down.... on the loveseat. She sipped the brandy. “Help yourself. I’m not your beck and “call” girl, at least, not yet!” She raised the snifter in salute and sipped again.

File tucked safely under his arm, Saxon poured himself a brandy and sat beside her. He flashed a warning look. “That will be the last time you ignore a request.” She merely smiled behind the brandy snifter. Saxon sniffed his drink. “Excellent. I do not pay you enough for you to afford this.”

Victoria nodded. “Don’t I know it! Before you ask how I afford it, let’s just say I have my ways. Don’t worry. Those ways will never have a negative impact on your campaign. So, why are you here... Master?” She nodded towards the file.

Saxon slapped the file into her lap, dislodging the robe where it covered her crossed legs. He forced his eyes away from the view. “I had you checked out. I know a fake background when I see one!”

She picked up the file as she set down the now empty snifter. “So, which part of Alec did you cut off this time? Not his best “attribute”, I hope?”

An image of her and Trevelyan flashed in his imagination. Anger clouded his face. “Guess that answers that question. No wonder he seemed sympathetic to you. Fear not, he is “intact” for now. I want to know who you really are? How could you possibly erase every mention of me and the events of last year?”

Victoria smiled. “Well, the same way you would. If you had a TARDIS.”

Apprehension flooded him. “Yes, but I don’t. You are not a Time Lord! I know a human when I see one! How could you possibly travel in time and without mucking up the timeline?”

She leaned close as if to impart a dark secret. She whispered, “Very carefully.”

He moved lightening fast and grabbed her hair tightly. He pulled hard, the side of her head inches from his knee. “This will be the last time! Who are you!” He shouted.

She gasped in pain. “Ok.. Ok! Let go!” He did not. She whimpered softly. “I have friends... in high places! I came across a piece of.. Technology. I no longer have it, I swear! But before it was taken from me, I went back, erased all the news articles, all the video. Nothing remains! You are safe!”

Saxon loosened his grip, slightly but still held her in place. “Why? Why would you help me? Where is this item now? Who took it?”

Victoria knew she had to tread carefully. It was far too soon to be entirely truthful. But if she flat out lied, he’d know. There was only one way to deceive him. She gave a mixture of truth and lies. First the truth. “I’m helping you because... because no mere human male truly appeals to me beyond a few nights of casual sex. You captivate me! We both want the same things– power, control, domination over those who are weaker than us! I can make you powerful! All I ask is to share a small amount of that power! As for who took it.. “Who” indeed!”

He released her suddenly. The meaning of her last sentence sinking in. His voice was but a whisper. “The Doctor!” He looked at her as she smoothed her hair, regained her composure. Again he noted the differences between her and Lucy. His faithful wife would be crying, cringing now. Victoria merely looked at him defiantly, no fear in her eyes. It excited him. He watched the rise and fall of her chest as she breathed. Then looked into her emerald green eyes. “Well, that certainly makes sense that the do gooder would discover what you did. Bet he thought you were already working for me, didn’t he?”

She rubbed her head. “Yes, he did. Until I convinced him I was merely a naive lovestruck fool. Gave him the hard life sob story. Told him I had no one and admired your tenacity. He felt sorry for me. Very sorry for me! Apparently even a do gooder can’t resist the charms of naivety.”

He stared at her. “Are you telling me that you and he....?

She smiled. “You Time Lords are long.... on stamina! He was all depressed. Thought you were dead, Martha had left him! Wasn’t that difficult to manipulate him really. When he woke up, I was gone. But he had locked the device away by then. I couldn’t get to it. Before you ask, my hair was blonde... all of my hair! Plus a fake name! I covered my tracks well.” She stood up and walked to the bar.

Saxon thought this over. Then he started to laugh. He imaged The Doctor stymied in his search for her. Then laughed harder. “My dear Victoria, you are promoted! Bigger office as well! From now on, you will handle all of my public affairs, arrange all interviews and “deal” with those who speak of me in an unkind manner!” He joined her at the bar. His voice becoming seductive, dangerously so. “And in return, I’ll fulfill your wildest dreams! In every way possible!”

She handed him a brandy. “It seems I have just sold my soul. Evil has never looked so attractive! We will have to be careful.” As he leaned into her, she leaned back, placing a finger on his lips. “Not so fast! I’m not cheap, and I am far from easy! You don’t get me... yet... “Master”. Good things come to those who wait.” She turned away. Which was a mistake, and one she’d never make again.

The Master grabbed her arm and turned her to face him, shoving her hard against the wall. It knocked the air from her lungs. The arm he had gripped would now sport an ugly bruise. “Never turn your back on me! Never toy with me! It’s time you learned not to anger me!” He leaned in for what would have been a brutal kiss, the kind Victoria happened to like best.

But Victoria was no pushover and far from stupid. With equally fast reflexes she kneed him hard in the groin with all her strength! The Master crumbled like a puppet whose strings had been severed. There was a little known fact about male Gallifrians, their genitalia were twice as sensitive as that of human males. For obvious reasons, they keep this fact well hidden. In fact, it had been a law on Gallifrey that hitting or harming the male genitalia was punishable by death. It had been the males on the Council who created that law. He writhed on the floor, unable to breathe.

Victoria kneeled quickly and pulled his laser screwdriver from his pocket. She stood up and backed off. After adjusting it, she pointed the business end at him. “You forget, I’ve shagged a Time Lord! I am not Lucy! Never presume I am! I may want you, but on equal terms, not yours, not mine! Never try to force yourself on me as you do her! I had enough of that when I was young! Now, when you recover, I suggest you calm yourself and that psychotic temper of yours. I think I have this set to stun, but then, it could be set to the laser setting.” She aimed it next to his head . Sure enough a beam shot out and burned a hole in the carpet. She aimed it at his crotch. “Are you going to treat me right? Or shall I turn you into a Eunich and ruin the one thing Lucy enjoys about you?

The pain was ebbing. Angry as he was, The Master was impressed. This woman suited him! He spoke through gritted teeth, sweat covering his face. Christ! It hurt to breathe! “Well... done! Only The Doctor has ever managed that! Yes... fine! I shall wait. Be careful with that bloody thing! Be a good girl and one day, I might teach you most of the settings.

Victoria said nothing. She adjusted it again and aimed it at his crotch, activating it. His eyes widened! He was about to shout No, when a soothing blue beam shot from it. He was healed. She stood back as he got to his feet, then tossed it to him. “I’ll decorate my new office tomorrow! I promise, you will not be sorry. Now, perhaps you should go home to the wife, work out your aggression there... lucky her!

Saxon caught the laser screwdriver in one hand, stunned that she seemed so familiar with it. He leaned close to her, his lips inches from her’s. but his crotch out of harm’s way. He whispered softly, “Good night, Victoria. Sweet dreams, Love.” He left with an evil laugh.