Unless there are others missing we have not been told of, there are twenty who are missing and there is a pattern. Beyond a few outliers, those taken are connected to geniuses, demigods, security or have psychic abilities or are medically trained, enough to distract people who could figure out what to do in order to work towards an endgame.
The strongest connection in all of this, including the Autons themselves, are the Doctors. Three of their own are missing, a fourth who looks like one of them. The Autons are from their world. Initially introduced in the 'story' where The Master was first shown. The Master, who is here and has been for at least two years from what I have seen, tied to Romana in a sense more than just being from the same universe, and who has slowly begun to change since she returned. In March of last year, he seemed to have something planned but researching that time provided little of what it was and he went silent and while he's been mostly silent where people can see, that means very little. This is his story. His beginning. His endgame. The Doctors. Chaos is just an added bonus for him. And he's been here long enough to know which people to target to keep them from figuring things out too soon.
Now. We already know what we're up against. Autons. And it's already been said that they are being controlled by something called the Nestene Consciousness or Power Source. Until that is disabled, the Autons will keep attacking. No matter how many are killed, more will show up. As we've already learned, heat is what will kill them as they are animated plastic.
As for the missing. All clues that could have been left upon their disappearances have been disturbed in the ensuing chaos and deaths. This is what I have picked up from their disappearance sites, though. [Clues from disappearance sites for those who are focusing on the missing] The chances of everyone being held together is highly unlikely. There is too much of a risk factor in that. More chance for something to go wrong, for them to get out. They will be separated, perhaps small clusters.
I will keep looking but this is what I've managed to deduce as of now.
![[info]](https://www.insanejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small}