Chapter Five

'What is that?' the Doctor asked, a little worried. The time traveller seemed sincere enough.

'Twelve Monkeys,' the cafe owner said. 'Cool film. It's just come out on sell-through. How can I help?'

'We'd like a couple of cups of tea and access to a computer terminal.'

'Sure.' He passed over the price list. 'Have you surfed the net before?'

'Not like this, no.' The Doctor admitted, searching his pockets. 'I've only got ten pence,' he announced.

The cafe owner shrugged. 'Looks like you won't be losing your net virginity this afternoon, then.' He turned his attention back to the movie.

'We don't have money?' Bernice asked, aghast.

'We spent it all on your clothes.'

'You should have said.'

The proprietor glared at them. 'If you can't pay, could you at least keep quiet? This is a good bit.'

‘If you’ll excuse us one moment,’ the Doctor said, smiling. He took his companion to one side. ‘Couldn’t you ... persuade him?’

‘How?’ Bernice scowled.

‘Well, you’re not a little girl anymore ... ‘

‘I beg your pardon?’ she snapped, before remembering the urgency of the situation. She bit her lip. ‘OK.’

Bernice leant forward, and flashed her eyes at the proprietor, who dragged himself away from his movie. 'I don't have any money, but I think I have something you might find of interest.' She lent forward and whispered into his ear, before pulling back. 'Do you want that?' Bernice asked softly.

'If you'll do that for me,' the fat little man said in all seriousness, 'then you can have as much connect time as you want, and free cappuccinos.'