Doctor Who_ The Mind Of Evil Part 9

The telephone rang and the Brigadier picked it up. 'Oh, it's you, Yates. How are you getting on?' The Brigadier listened. 'Oh, I see. Hold on.' He turned to the Doctor. 'It's Yates. He's had a bit of a hold-up with his er cargo.

Trouble with a crane.'

The Doctor looked puzzled.

The Brigadier looked meaningly at Chin Lee, not wanting to be more explicit.

The Doctor followed his glance and grinned. 'Oh, I see.

Well, tell him to be careful with his er cargo!'

The Brigadier gave him a quelling look, and returned to the telephone. 'What's that, Yates? Yes, she's here now.

There's been quite a bit of trouble here too...'

The Master sat back in his limousine, listening to the voices on the UNIT phone.

He heard Mike Yates's voice ask, 'Really, sir? What happened?'

'Well, as far as I can make out, she tried to scare the American Delegate to death with a hallucination, but the Doctor stopped her.'

The Master leaned forwards, frowning.

Yates said, 'Don't think I quite follow, sir.'

'Quite frankly, Captain Yates, neither do I. Apparently it's all to do with the Keller Machine at Stangmoor prison.'

The Master flicked off the listening device. After a moment, he smiled to himself. It never did to underestimate the Doctor. Who would have thought he would have reached the truth so quickly?

The Master slid back the part.i.tion that divided him from his chauffeur. 'Stangmoor Prison, if you please.'

The limousine swept smoothly away.

The Brigadier was interrogating Chin Lee. This time she answered his questions without hesitation. It had taken the Doctor most of the night to loosen the Master's hypnotic grip on her mind, but now she was more or less herself again, and at least willing to tell what she could.

'Where did you first meet this Emil Keller?'

'At an Emba.s.sy reception, Brigadier. He talked to me about the Keller Process for reforming the habitual criminal. He invited me to visit Stangmoor Prison with him.'

'You agreed to go? May I ask why?'

With a hint of her old severity, Chin Lee said, 'Prison reform is high on our list of priorities in Peking, Brigadier.'

'Can you tell us what happened at Stangmoor?'

'I know that we went to the Process Chamber. But I can't remember...' Her voice tailed away.

'Did you see this man Keller again?'

'Yes, many times I think. But if I try to think about it, my mind becomes confused..

'Post-hypnotic block,' explained the Doctor. 'His usual technique.'

'Whose usual technique?'

'Think, man,' urged the Doctor. 'Who else would make a deliberate attempt to plunge the world into war using techniques and equipment not even developed on Earth?'

The Doctor held out his hand, the telepathic amplifier in his palm.

The Brigadier gave him a horrified look. 'The Master?'

The Doctor nodded. 'The Master otherwise known as Emil Keller.'

Once released, Doctor Summers had made for the Governor's office, a comfortable old-fashioned room, ornamented with shields, regimental photographs, and a suit of armour. He leaned forwards over the Governor's desk. 'Please, listen to me, Governor. You've got to negotiate.'

'I'm sorry, Doctor Summers, that's out of the question.'

'But you're risking innocent lives!'

'Suppose I do turn Mailer loose? And those other thugs with him? They'd kill anyone who got in their way. How many innocent lives would I be risking then?'

Summers was silent, realising the truth of what the Governor had said.

Chief Prison Officer Powers said, 'We've done everything we can, Doctor Summers. The Special Wing is sealed off. If they get the slightest chance, my men will rush the block.'

'And if they don't get a chance?'

'We'll wait it out,' said the Governor. 'Mailer's not stupid, he knows he can't hold out for ever. Once he realises he can't bluff me '

'But Mailer isn't bluffing,' said Summers desperately.

'He's a killer and he means what he says. What about Miss Grant?'

'Miss Grant is a member of UNIT,' said the Governor stolidly. 'She is here on duty, like the rest of us.' He looked sympathetically at Summers's anguished face. 'All I can do is inform her headquarters of the situation.'

Finally, even the Brigadier had run out of questions. He sent off Chin Lee under the charge of Corporal Bell and turned to the Doctor. 'Well, what am I to do with her?'

'Let her go, of course, she's not a criminal. She won't do any more harm, now I've got the telepathic amplifier.'

The telephone rang and the Brigadier lifted the receiver.

'Yes?' He listened for some minutes, then turned worriedly to the Doctor. 'There's trouble at Stangmoor.'

'Is Jo all right? Well?' snapped the Doctor.

For a moment the Brigadier didn't reply.

'Miss Grant's been captured, Doctor. She's being held as a hostage.'

By now Jo Grant had been taken from her cell. She was standing with Vosper and Mailer and the other hostages just inside the door that led from the Special Block to the rest of the prison.

Mailer was shouting to the warders on the other side of the door. 'Do you hear me out there? This is your last chance. Either we walk out of here, or this lot gets it and the girl goes first.' He raised his revolver and held it to Jo's head. 'So come on, Governor what are you going to do about it?'

8.

The Mutiny After a quick visit to the besieged Special Wing, Chief Prison Officer Powers returned to the Governor's office looking very worried. 'The prisoners are getting very nasty, sir. Threatening to shoot Miss Grant and the other hostages.'

Doctor Summers turned to the Governor. 'Please, you must talk to them.'

The Governor hesitated for a moment. 'All right. At the moment it's a deadlock. Maybe I can make Mailer see sense.'

Mailer jabbed the muzzle of his automatic against Jo's neck. 'Time's running out for you, love.'

Jo looked fearlessly up at him. 'And for you!'

Vosper came hurrying from the gate. 'The Governor's on his way over, Harry.'

'Right. When he gets here, let him in.'

Vosper stared at him. 'In here?'

'Well, I'm not going out there, am I?' said Mailer reasonably. 'Anyway, he won't try anything.'

Vosper turned to another prisoner. 'You heard. When the Governor arrives, open the door and let him in. Just the Governor, mind.'

The prisoner hurried away.

Suddenly Vosper looked over Mailer's shoulder, his eyes widening. 'Harry, look!'

Mailer turned. A burly figure in hospital dressing gown and pyjamas was wandering down the steps.

'It's Barnham,' whispered Vosper. 'The bloke they put under the Keller Machine. He must have come over from the infirmary.'

Barnham smiled pathetically at them, rather like a lost child. 'I'm looking for Doctor Summers,' he said softly.

'Has anyone seen Doctor Summers?'

Mailer shuddered. This was the fate that had been intended for him. 'Get him out of here, he gives me the creeps.'

Vosper tapped one of the other prisoners on the shoulder. 'Come on, you, give me a hand.'

Mailer was staring at Barnham in fascinated horror and Jo seized her chance. Leaping forward, she grabbed hold of the big automatic, trying desperately to wrench it from Mailer's hand.

Mailer's finger tightened on the trigger, the gun fired and one of the prisoners fell dead.

The shock of the unexpected explosion made Mailer drop the gun. It slid across the floor and Jo dived after it.

Before Mailer could react, Prison Officer Green jumped on him.

Free of the threat of Mailer's gun the two other guards attacked the nearest prisoners, and a general struggle broke out.

Jo s.n.a.t.c.hed up the gun and wondered what to do next.

Barnham, who had been watching the fighting with uncomprehending terror cowered back against the wall, his face twisted as if he was going to cry. 'It's all right, Barnham, hide,' called Jo.

She fired a shot in the air, with a confused idea of summoning help. Strangely enough it worked. The shot distracted the prisoners who were admitting the Governor.

Seizing the opportunity, Powers and his men barged their way through the door, driving the rebel prisoners back by sheer weight of numbers.

Green landed a lucky punch that sent Mailer sprawling at Jo's feet.

There were shouts, the pounding of feet and suddenly warders were flooding into the wing, grabbing the mutinous prisoners and dragging them away. Mailer scrambled to his feet and found Jo covering him with his own gun.

Jo saw Doctor Summers, Powers and the Governor hurrying towards her. Proudly she waved at Mailer with the automatic. 'There you are, Governor he's all yours!'

A black limousine swept up the drive towards Stangmoor Prison. After its occupant had produced all the necessary pa.s.ses, it was allowed to drive along the outer ring-road and through into the inner courtyard.

A few minutes later, there was a tap on the Governor's door, and Powers entered. 'Professor Keller to see you, sir.'

The Governor rose. 'All right, Mr Powers. Ah, there you are, Professor!'

An elegant, bearded figure followed Powers into the room. 'A great pleasure to see you again, Governor.'

'I'm by no means sure I can return the compliment, Professor,' said the Governor rather dourly. He sat down and waved the Professor to a seat.

The Professor or as he was more usually known, the Master looked hurt. 'I'm sorry to hear that, Governor.'

He put down his briefcase and slipped out of his fur-collared overcoat. Instinctively, Powers came forward to take it from him and hang it up. 'Thank you very much,'

said the Master. 'Now then, Governor, what seems to be the trouble?'

'There's been nothing but but trouble since that Machine of yours was installed.' trouble since that Machine of yours was installed.'

'There are bound to be one or two teething troubles, but I'll soon take care of them for you.'

Such was the warmth and charm of the Master's personality, that the Governor felt his problems were already solved. 'You really think you can get things back to normal?'