Aliens Next Door (audio story)

Mrs Betty Clerihew has an exciting secret in her spare room. Torchwood are hiding out there, watching the comings and goings of her estate. Apparently, monsters are living on the cul-de-sac.

Plot[[edit] | [edit source]]

Orr is staying in Mrs Clerihew's spare bedroom with Ng, to whom they learn somebody at a temping agency has sent detailed notes on the residents of the cul-de-sac. The two of them spy on the neighbours and watch Mrs Clerihew, who has been receiving telephone calls from the Child and comes to believe that they are watching Hakan, putting leaflets through their letterboxes despite her claiming to be going to the post box. Hakan's property is vandalised and he and Mrs Clerihew assume that Orr is the vandal after they attempt to clean up a painted message labelling him a paedophile.

Hakan is believed by the neighbours to be a paedophile and Mrs Clerihew saves his cat from being stoned to death by the local children, but a man nicknamed Mr Penis-Implant by Ng accuses him of framing them and of assaulting a child. The mob, whose hatred Orr can feel, kick Hakan and a policeman neglects to help him, refusing to protect him or properly deny that he is a sex offender. Ng and Orr offer to save Hakan, whose research into influencing people through environmental changes has been used as the basis for the cul-de-sac as part of a plan to kill him, but Mrs Clerihew blames them for the neighbours' actions and for the leaflets she gave them.

The neighbours set fire to Hakan's house and Ng, Orr, Hakan and Mrs Clerihew escape next door, where Hakan tells them how his research in Syria led him to make models of human behaviour for social media until he saw how his work was being used to influence elections and promote hate. To get rid of Hakan and his knowledge, hatred against him has been encouraged by the Child, targeted ads and spiked foods. Orr answers the phone to the Child and is told not to trust Ng, so they take her outside and blame her for all of the neighbours' problems. The mob beats her and Ng fights back until she sees how her rage has made Orr monstrous and ugly. The policeman eventually returns and Mrs Clerihew stands up for Hakan and the neighbours.

Ng and Orr leave the cul-de-sac, believing that they might have been sent there by the temping agency as part of a trap, and decide that Torchwood needs to return as they now know that somebody is manipulating the human race. They find a mobile phone in their vehicle and the Child calls them, telling them that they now know where they are and what they will do next.

Cast[[edit] | [edit source]]

Worldbuilding[[edit] | [edit source]]

Mrs Clerihew enjoys playing bingo.
Mrs Clerihew offers to buy biscuits.
Orr mentions toxic masculinity.
Hakan waters his hanging baskets in the rain.
The bored housewives' book club at No 10 are reading Captain Corelli and drinking cider.
Ng has not heard from Jack Harkness.
Orr makes tea.
Mrs Clerihew was taught that making tea in a mug was common. Her mother also thought that tea bags were common.
Mrs Clerihew buys flour.
Orr chooses not to eat meat.
Orr says that she could be on a yacht in Cannes with two oligarchs and an influencer.
Orr mentions the Shadow Proclamation.
Hakan is a Syrian refugee.
Hakan has degrees in computer programming and psychographics.
Mrs Clerihew brings raspberry doughnuts for Ng and Orr.
Mrs Clerihew has lost her husband and son. One of them was called Sam.
Orr asks Ng about the DRC "or whoever they've become now".
Hakan threatens Ng and Orr with a broom.

Notes[[edit] | [edit source]]

Textless cover

to be added

Continuity[[edit] | [edit source]]

Jack is currently not in communication with Ng or Orr. (TV: Fugitive of the Judoon, TV: Revolution of the Daleks)
The residents of the cul-de-sac were moved there after the Cardiff flooding. (AUDIO: Eye of the Storm)
Orr mentions the Disaster Recovery Committee. (AUDIO: A Mother's Son, etc.)
Orr mentions "getting off" with God. (AUDIO: Thoughts and Prayers)
Orr was hunted, alone and going to die before she was saved by Jack and joined Torchwood. (AUDIO: Orr)