‘Oh, that’s gross.’ Chantelle had overheard them. ‘Are you saying that all of those rats we’ve been getting around the estate might be aliens?’

‘What is it they say? You’re never more than six feet from a rat?’ Graham gave a low whistle. ‘That’s a lot of aliens …’

‘And that’s just in London,’ Ryan said. ‘Think of all the other cities of the world with rat problems.’

‘And abductions?’ Kim had appeared between Ryan and Chantelle. ‘I’ve seen figures that show unexplained disappearances in big cities all around the globe.’

Before the discussion could go any further, there was a loud rap on the door. Everyone turned to look at Ace.

‘You get visitors in your secret lab?’ The Doctor raised a quizzical eyebrow.

Ace grinned at her. There was only one person it could possibly be. She hurried over to the door and unlocked it.

Will Buckland was standing there holding the silver box containing the Squidget.

‘Hello, Will. How’s my car?’

Will grinned and kissed her on the cheek. ‘Glad to see that you’ve got your priorities right. Your car is fine. No concern that I got back to Earth OK?’

‘Why should I have?’ asked Ace. ‘Aren’t you “the most qualified astronaut that ever lived”?’

‘I think that was the Time headline, yes …’

‘Well then …’ Ace ushered him into the workshop, closing the door behind him. ‘You know everyone, I think?’

‘Yeah,’ Will looked around the room. ‘Quite the party.’ His smile faded as he spotted Kim Fortune. ‘Although I’m surprised that some people made the guest list.’

‘Don’t worry about him,’ said Ace, relieving Will of the box. ‘He’s not going to give us any trouble.’

‘Especially now my show’s been canned,’ Kim said miserably. ‘After just a pilot. The channel hated it …’

‘Maybe bigger problems to deal with, right now, eh?’ Ace interrupted.

‘Oh, sure,’ said Kim, ‘it suits you, doesn’t it, the truth going unsaid—’

‘Kim, you want truth, try shutting up and you might see it.’ Ace placed the box on top of one of the workbenches and unclipped the top. Immediately there was a happy-sounding burble from the Squidget.

‘What on earth?’ Graham looked up in alarm.

‘Oh! Brilliant!’ The Doctor hurried over and peered into the box.

‘Ugh!’ Chantelle wrinkled her nose in disgust as Ace lifted the Squidget out. ‘What is it?’

‘It’s Ace’s Squidget! A biomechanical multi-function universal interface,’ cooed the Doctor, waggling a finger delightedly at the Squidget. ‘And he’s a beauty! Can I hold him?’

‘Sure,’ said Ace letting the Doctor take the wriggling grub from her. ‘Watch out for slime on your coat.’

‘He seems happy to be home,’ said Will watching the Doctor fuss over the alien device. ‘We didn’t get so much as a squeak out of him once I’d landed back at Devesham …’