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A blue police box sitting in the middle of the squad room. He was finally used to having it there. He stood next to it and idly wondered what it looked like on the inside.
He really had more important things to think about. San Francisco cut off from the rest of the country by some force shield. Monsters roaming the sewers. With all that had been happening, he didn’t think that he’d ever really be surprised again. At least the Doctor said they had a temporary respite and the little man seemed to know what he was talking about.
“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you,” an amused, cultured voice said next to him.
Captain Stottlemeyer shrugged and offered one of his guests a rueful smile. “Bigger on the inside than the outside.”
Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart could easily guess what was going through Stottlemeyer’s mind. He remembered all too clearly the first time he’d had to deal with an alien invasion and the first time he met the Doctor. He grinned back. “Exactly.” He offered his own shrug. “Something about time and relative dimensions in space.”
They watched the short Doctor with the beetle haircut and Monk converse. The Doctor was always energetic. He paced and waved his arms as he spoke.
On the other hand, Monk was still. He needed things to be just so if he was to think through a problem. He shifted his feet, nervously trying to stay out of the Doctor’s way.
Stottlemeyer smirked and whispered to Lethbridge-Stewart, “Monk will freak if thinks he has alien germs on him.”
Lethbridge-Stewart let out a soft snort. “Why is it that the most brilliant people are the most eccentric.”
“I wish I knew.”
Lethbridge-Stewart smiled wryly and clasped his hands behind his back. “One does get used to them. The Doctor drags me into this and then leaves me out when things get interesting.” He shook his head. “We’ve dealt with Yeti before, but the Doctor’s said something about genetic mutation. I can’t follow the rest of it. I just hope the Master’s not involved.”
Stottlemeyer had tried to listen to their conversation, but he was man enough to admit that it was beyond him. He was an old hand police detective. He knew how to deal with the human element, not the alien one. Once Monk or the Doctor told him how to kill these things, that’s exactly what’d he’d do. Blow them up or shoot them. What was the delay? “The Master?”
“Just hope that you never have to meet him.” The Brigadier knew Stottlemeyer’s frustration well. He rubbed the back of his neck. “In most of these instances, the creatures are immune to bullets.” He folded his arms across his chest. “I’ve never been able to get used to the waiting.”
Stottlemeyer looked Lethbridge-Stewart up and down. He saw a man close to his own age, who still carried himself in that strict military stance. He recognized another take-charge man when he saw one. “Tell me about it. Monk’s the same way.”
Lethbridge-Stewart sighed. “There’s no use pushing this one. He won’t give up information until he’s ready.” He lowered his voice as if only speaking to himself. “Why couldn’t I get stuck with number three? He can’t wait to show off how smart he is.”
Stottlemeyer tilted his head to the side. “What do you mean, this one?”
“Another thing that you wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”
“How did you get caught up with him?” Stottlemeyer asked and held a hand up. “Now that I’ve seen a Yeti in a San Francisco sewer, I think I can believe almost anything.”
The Brigadier studied Stottlemeyer for a long moment. “It’s a long story and a lot of it is classified.”
There was loud shouting as the Doctor and Monk began to argue. The cop and the soldier watched Natalie and Disher try to separate them. Monk frantically held his hand out to Natalie for a wipe.
Stottlemeyer sighed. “He really is a great detective and the smartest guy I know. In fact, sometimes the only reason I get called in on Federal cases is because I can deal with him. The FBI didn’t know what they were getting into.”
Lethbridge-Stewart arched an eyebrow and one end of his mouth quirked up. “I know that feeling as well. The Doctor’s ruffled plenty of feathers in his day, but he was always right so I could smooth things over.”
Stottlemeyer pointed to his office. “I can be trusted. Besides, who would believe me? I’m in the middle of a sci-fi movie.”
Lethbridge-Stewart watched Monk run from the room with Natalie close behind him. The Doctor was animatedly talking to Disher. He made for the office. “And I’m supposed to be retiring.”