Echo ( comic story ) Summary . Gabby and the Doctor are back in New York after a terrifying excursion into the past , catching up with family and friends . . . until THE ECHO strikes , amplifying everyday noise into ear - shattering , mind - splinteringly debilitating waves of sound . What is the Echo – and can the Doctor and Gabby solve the mystery before the cacophany drives the city mad ? Plot . Cindy Wu is walking down the street in New York , talking on the phone to Gabby . She cannot hear properly due to the loud traffic noises . A deafening screech causes Cindy to drop her phone and fall to the ground . Gabby and the Tenth Doctor walk away from the TARDIS . Gabby tries to continue talking to Cindy , but she says she must have lost the signal . The Doctor and Gabby chat for a while , and she invites him to her family ' s restaurant . The Doctor declines and walks off . In the restaurant , Gabby ' s family talk to her , but the noise slowly grows louder and louder . Gabby ' s mother puts her hands over her ears due to the noise . The Doctor walks past a shop window , and notices a reporter talking about a nationwide increase of noise pollution , describing it as mass screaming spreading through the population like a virus , before being driven mad by it as well . The window shatters and the television explodes . Maria is still screaming because of the noise , and other people in the restaurant are also noticing the noise . Gabby calls for the Doctor for help , and suddenly , a pair of earmuffs appear on her head . She looks up and sees the Doctor , also wearing earmuffs . He says they are sonic earmuffs . Gabby asks if it ' s the Cerebravore s again , but the Doctor says it ' s not , and he ' s unsure if it ' s even an attack . Using his sonic screwdriver on the air , the screaming and the noise becomes a cry for help . Creatures swoop down from the sky , and the Doctor says they are " a song of echoes " . A sudden blast throws them back as an army of creatures threaten the Doctor not to interfere . They proceed to attack the Echoes , which the Doctor disagrees with . Gabby leads the Doctor down an alleyway , only to return on a motorbike , driving past the creatures . The Doctor identifies the creatures as Shreeker s , who , years ago , negotiated an intergalactic treaty that allowed them to hunt the Echoes - which they claimed was a tradition - but in reality are no more than criminals . Gabby drives the motorbike towards the TARDIS , followed by the Shreekers . The Doctor and Gabby make it to safety , as the Shreekers attempt to attack the TARDIS . He materialises the TARDIS on top of the Empire State Building , tuning the mast to the same frequency as the sonic screwdriver . His plan is to absorb the sonic chaos caused by the Echoes and fire it at the Shreeker battleship . A Shreeker manages to reach the top of the building and shoots at the Doctor , knocking him off . He manages to hold on , but tells Gabby to leave him and find the screwdriver . The noise begins to overcome her as the Shreeker threatens her . She picks up the screwdriver and activates it , blasting the Shreeker away and sending the signal into the atmosphere . The Shreekers around them begin to explode . The noise makes its way to the Shreeker ship and destroys it . The Echoes thank them and leave . The world falls silent , becoming peaceful again . Notes . " to be added " Original print details . " to be added "