Doctor Who_ The Web Of Fear Part 11

The Doctor said calmly, 'If I do do co-operate, what will you offer in return?' co-operate, what will you offer in return?'

'The lives and freedom of all your friends.'

Anne nerved herself to speak, 'What about my father?'

It was eerie to hear that alien voice from her father's lips.

'He too will go free. I have used him only to communicate my commands.'

'Then he hasn't hasn't been helping you-before?' been helping you-before?'

'There are other human hands at my command.'

'Oh yes? Whose?' The Doctor was interested.

The Intelligence seemed to lose patience. 'Do not question me, Doctor. I know that even now you seek ways to destroy me. I must guide your thoughts.' Travers, or rather his body, took a sudden step forward, grabbed Victoria by the wrist and dragged her back to the door. Jamie and the Doctor leaped to her defence, but it was too late.

The two Yeti stepped forward to form a shield. The Doctor's shoulders slumped. 'No, Jamie. It's no good.'

The icy voice spoke for the last time. 'Co-operate, Doctor, and she will be released unharmed. I give you one hour to decide.'

Dragging Victoria, Travers strode away, the Yeti following him. The door closed behind them.

Jamie made for the door. Lethbridge-Stewart stepped in front of him, barring his way.

Jamie doubled his fists. 'Let me past, Colonel, I'm going after her.'

'Don't be a fool, boy, you can't fight them bare-handed.

We've got to work out a plan.'

'Work out what you like-I'm going.' Jamie dodged round the Colonel and flung open the door. He found himself facing a Yeti, and hurriedly slammed the door shut.

'I don't think they want us to follow, Jamie,' the Doctor explained gently. 'Not just yet, anyway. Don't worry, Victoria's quite safe. The Intelligence won't harm her if I co-operate.'

Evans, who had been looking on popeyed with astonishment, said, 'Far as I can gather, if this Intelligence thing gets the Doctor here, it'll leave us alone. That right, sir?'

Lethbridge-Stewart nodded. 'That's what it looks like.'

Evans said reasonably, 'Then why don't we just let it have the Doctor, and we can all go home?'

He seemed quite hurt at the storm of reproaches that broke over his head. Anne and Jamie were both talking at once. The Colonel was spluttering, 'Of all the disgraceful, cowardly suggestions...'

Only the Doctor seemed undisturbed. He patted Evans on the back and said solemnly, 'I promise you, if I don't come up with a better answer, I'll hand my-self over.'

'You will not!' said Jamie hotly.

'You'll have to look after Victoria,' said the Doc-tor.

'And when it's all over, you'll both have to look after me. If I'm going to have the mind of a baby, someone will have to care for me till I grow up!' He smiled at Jamie's woebegone face. 'Don't worry, I'll try not to let it happen!'

Evans had gone to the door. He was listening intently.

'Ssh!' he said suddenly. He opened the door a crack, then opened it fully. 'The Yeti had gone. 'Thought I heard it move away,' he said happily.

The Colonel said, 'We'll search the place to make sure.

Come on, Jamie. And And you, Private Evans.' The three of them went out, leaving the Doctor alone with Anne. 'Come along, my dear,' he said cheerfully. 'We've got work to do. We've got to get that control unit of yours working properly.' you, Private Evans.' The three of them went out, leaving the Doctor alone with Anne. 'Come along, my dear,' he said cheerfully. 'We've got work to do. We've got to get that control unit of yours working properly.'

'We've only got an hour!' protested Anne.

'Exactly. So there's no time to waste!' Purposefully the Doctor moved towards the bench, reaching in his pocket for the electronic spare parts he had taken from the shop.

The Colonel supervised the search of the Fortress, reflecting ruefully that his effective fighting force was now reduced to one young Highlander and a very timid private.

Pity about Evans, he thought, the Welsh usually made such splendid soldiers.

As they came along the corridor Lethbridge-Stewart said, 'Well, no trace of the beast-that last one must have been a rearguard.'

Jamie was looking thoughtfully at the main door. 'If we tried to follow them through the tunnels we'd mebbe r into it again. But suppose we went up top, got ahead of it, then came down again-we could take Area by surprise. And if we could at least find Victoria, it'd give us a better chance to rescue her, when the Doctor does come up with the answer.'

Evans was looking at him in horror. 'I reckon we're a lot safer down here.'

'Aye, we're we're safer, ' Jamie burst out angrily. But what about Victoria and Travers? Och, if you'll no come with me, I'll go by myself.' safer, ' Jamie burst out angrily. But what about Victoria and Travers? Och, if you'll no come with me, I'll go by myself.'

Lethbridge-Stewart sighed. 'Well, at least we'll be doing something. Private Evans, you stay here and guard the civilians.'

'Right, sir,' said Evans, very relieved. He did his best to look fierce and military.

'And don't take any chances,' added the Colonel. 'Come on, Jamie.'

Evans watched them more off. 'Me, take chances?' he muttered. 'You must be joking!'

Jamie and the Colonel came to the head of the stairs and listened. All was silent. 'Right,' said Lethbridge-Stewart.

'Ready, Jamie?'

Jamie nodded. The Colonel flung open the surface door and immediately staggered back. The doorway was filled with a glowing, pulsating ma.s.s. The Web had reached the upper level. It started to ooze through the open door and down the stairs.

Jamie leaped forward and helped the Colonel. They heaved desperately on the door but the pressure of the Web was too great. Slowly the. door was forced back.

'Secondary fire door, just along the corridor,' gasped the Colonel. 'Go and unhitch it Jamie. I'll hold on here.'

The heavy metal fire door lay folded back against the wall. It was rusty with disuse and Jamie had a terrific struggle to get it in position. He managed it at last and yelled, 'I've got it! Come on, Colonel!'

Abandoning his struggle with the upper door, Lethbridge-Stewart sprinted down the stairs, the Web rolling slowly after him. He leaped through the half-open fire door, then he and Jamie slammed it shut, securing it with heavy metal bolts. 'The stuff's moving pretty slowly,' gasped the Colonel. 'And even when it gets here this ought to hold it for a while.'

'Aye,' said Jamie drily. 'I hope it does.'

Unaware of the approaching danger, Anne Travers and the Doctor were working busily.

The Doctor had rea.s.sembled the sphere and stood looking thoughtfully at it as it lay before him on the bench.

'Now if this thing is functioning, it ought to be picking up the signals of the Intelligence. So why doesn't it move?'

The Doctor glared at the sphere which remained obstinately still. 'Move, you stupid thing!' shouted the Doctor, slamming his fist down on the bench in childish rage. Immediately the sphere bleeped faintly, and started to roll along the bench.

The Doctor fielded it neatly as it floated off the edge. 'Hah!

Success!' he shouted. 'How are you getting on, Anne?'

'Nearly done. Sony to be so long, but it's a fiddly job.'

'I'll come and give you a hand,' the Doctor promised.

But instead he went on playing with the sphere, exactly like a child with a new toy. He put it on the ground and watched delightedly as it rolled towards the door. The door opened suddenly, and the Doctor had to dive for the sphere as it made a sudden dart to escape.

Lethbridge-Stewart looked down at him as he lay stretched out full length, the sphere in his hand, like a cricketer pulling off a spectacular catch. 'What are you doing, Doctor?'

Unabashed the Doctor scrambled to his feet. 'I've managed to get the sphere working again.'

'Och, never mind that,' said Jamie. 'We tried to get out by the surface door and...' He told them what had happened.

The Doctor nodded. 'So we can only go the way the Intelligence allows us to go-through the tunnels.' The Colonel looked at the sphere. The Doctor had put it back on the bench and it was making repeated attempts to roll towards the door, only to be stopped by the Doctor each time.

'Just how is this thing going to help us, Doctor?'

'Well it isn't,' said the Doctor, 'not in itself. But it will help us to test Professor Travers's control unit.'

Jamie was unimpressed. 'Och, is that all? You're not getting on very fast, Doctor.'

Lethbridge-Stewart cleared his throat. 'Must say I agree.'

Anne Travers and the Doctor had been working frantically, and Anne felt that the reanimation of the sphere was a considerable achievement. 'Perhaps we'd get on quicker if you left as alone,' she flared.

Jamie and the Colonel gave each other looks of mutual sympathy, and retreated in dignified silence, As they walked along the corridor, Lethbridge-Stewart said, 'Seems as if it's up to as, Jamie. Since we can't go overground, we'll have to risk the tunnels.' They turned into the Operations Room to find Evans hiding behind the door. He jumped out nervously, covering them with his rifle. The Colonel glared at him. 'What do you think you're playing at, Private Evans?'

'Been working it out, sir. I know I'm I'm not working for the Intelligence-so it must be one of you two.' not working for the Intelligence-so it must be one of you two.'

'Och no, it was yon bloke Chorley,' said Jamie. 'I said so all along.'

Lethbridge-Stewart brushed aside Evans's wavering rifle. 'Put that gun down, Evans, and listen to me. Jamie and I are going into the tunnels. You will remain here. You'd better guard the Doctor in the laboratory.'

'Sooner stay here, sir, if you don't mind. Er-better strategic position, see? I can watch the corridor.'

'Very well, carry on. Come along, Jamie.'

On the platform at Piccadilly Circus a strangely motionless group stood like pa.s.sengers waiting for a train. In the middle stood Victoria, gripped firmly by Travers. On her other side was the towering form of a Yeti. Travers's hand round her wrist felt like a steel clamp. 'Please Professor, let me go. You're hurting me. I won't run away, not with the Yeti here.'

Travers stared blankly ahead, giving no sign that he'd heard.

A voice boomed out, echoing hollowly. 'Release her, Professor. She will not escape.'

Travers's hand opened, and Victoria pulled her wrist away, rubbing it tenderly. She looked round fearfully.

The voice spoke again. 'There is no reason to fear, child.'

'Who are you? Where are you?!

'I am everywhere,' said the cold, gloating voice. 'I am the Intelligence!'

12.

The Fall of the Fortress There was a strange, crackling sound every time the voice spoke. It amused the Intelligence to make use of the station's public address system. The voice boomed again, and this time Victoria realised it came from a loudspeaker just above her head.

'Travers, you have served my purpose. Awake!'

Travers jerked suddenly and came to life, his old, kindly self once more. He rubbed his eyes and looked round in confusion. 'What's happening, Victoria? Where are we?'

Victoria led him towards a bench. 'You'd better sit down and rest.'