‘Yes, well, don’t worry, that’s, erm, fine…’ said Benny, concentrating on her pint.

‘We can say hello when she’s finished her lunch. Tell me more about this experiment of yours that I’m taking part in.’

The young man sat down. ‘Well, I realize that us meeting now explains a joke you made to me when I recovered. You said that I looked like myself again.’

‘Mm-hmm. Sounds like me. I must remember to do that.’

‘I’ve been trying to remember more about the whole situation, but I’m understandably hazy. We hid the datapod with my real persona in it somewhere rather artful, didn’t we?’

Benny nodded, smiling ruefully. She put down her glass and took his hand gently between hers again. ‘Remember where?’

‘Can’t say I do.’

Benny let go of his hand and shook her head. ‘Well, see if you can before tonight. Bring little Aphasia with the apt name and we’ll have dinner. No game, I’m afraid, but I do make a nice vegetarian quiche.’

The tenth Doctor frowned. ‘We’d be delighted, but I can’t seem to remember where you’re staying.’

Benny was getting to her feet, smoothing her skirt! ‘Then that’ll be another challenge, won’t it?’

The man exchanged glances with the little girl, who was finishing up her bird quickly. ‘All right. Do you have to rush off?’

‘Oh yes. I’ve just remembered, I left something on the stove.’

‘Before you go, please tell me, erm, how do you think I compare with your Doctor?’

Benny glanced at Aphasia. ‘Compared to him I think you’re rather heartless. See you later.’ She reached for her handbag.

Something slashed past the tips of her fingers, and the, handle came away from the bag, which went flying.

The man was on his feet, miming holding a sword.

No, not miming. Benny felt, rather than saw, something incredibly sharp cutting the air into ozone in front of her throat. ‘Your sense of humour lets you down, Professor. I gather that you checked my pulse and found only one beat. Is that all that gave me away?’

‘Hardly. The Doctor’s a vegetarian, you see. Add that to the bird-eating companion and the three children, and I was getting rather suspicious. You want the Biodatapod, I suppose?’

‘That’s right. Aphasia⁠ —’ The little girl was tipping the contents of the handbag over the table. The man glanced at her for a second.

Benny slapped the pint into his face.

The glass spun away in two as it hit the sword.

But Benny was already sprinting for the stile that led into the next field.

The man dived after her, pulling a gun from his belt one-handed. ‘Stop!’ he shouted.

Benny hurdled the stile, splinters of it exploding up around her knees as a warning burst of silent scarlet energy bolts ripped the wood apart.