Doctor Who_ Drift Part 20

Amber needed no second prompt: white lines were creeping through the crack between door and frame. She grasped the faucet in both hands and wheeled it round.

Behind her, ice was racing across the wall in knotted scratches.

Hot water splashed up from the tub and Amber narrowly-avoided a scalding as she dropped the plug into place. Done, she retreated to the window and prayed for the steam to come wafting up from the tub like a fog bank. Like whenever Mom tried to run a bath.

At least, that way, she wouldn't be able to see the ice, eating up the wallpaper in tracks like fevered sketches of winter trees.

Captain Shaw vaguely recalled a Laurel and Hardy cla.s.sic, where Stan was guarding a trench during WWI and was left forgotten; cut to ten years later, the hapless sentry has dug himself a deep ravine with all his pacing back and forth.

Morgan looked down at his own tracks in the snow and he could see where he was headed if he didn't snap out of it soon.

It wasn't so funny when you had men and women out there in the worst storm this side of the birth of Christ - who he hadn't heard from for what seemed like the same length of time.

Every so often, Morgan would hop up into the CPV and bug O'Neill for some news.

Morgan kicked the crown off a pile of snow. Ben McKim was long overdue.

And where in h.e.l.l was Kristal? Joanna?

'Sir!' Kev O'Neill poked his head out from the CPV. 'Think you'll want to take this!'

Morgan leaped aboard, giving his comms guy scant time to back away. 'Which team?'

O'Neill pa.s.sed him the mic. 'CB. sir. Civilian was attacked, sir. by some screwy b.i.t.c.h with an AK and a hostage. She described Lieutenant Hmieleski, I swear. Sir.'

Morgan clicked to transmit. He mouthed a question at O'Neill: Name? Name?

'Lowell, sir. Charlene Lowell.'

'All right, Charlene. Cavalry's here. Take a breath, then tell me your position.'

Now they could be getting somewhere. they could be getting somewhere.

Makenzie Shaw charged from the Walsh house in a daze, feeling like a criminal for leaving Amber inside. Trusting that Doctor guy was the toughest choice he'd ever made.

Lieutenant Beard, in any case, had shoved him outside, backing through the doorway after him. suhmachinegun levelled and shaking ever so slightly. Makenzie aimed his revolver at the same point. He jumped - and nearly pulled the trigger.

Spence was there in the doorway - but he was dead. Or dying.

Makenzie hoped it was the former.

The grenadier's face was fixed in a scream that never made it into the world of sound, his eyes as wide as they'd go; and what was left of him was enmeshed in barbed threads of ice.

They whipped around him and through him and the man diminished with every second.

The Lieutenant gave an anguished, almost animal yell and fired into the face of his trooper. Makenzie told himself there was no life there to kill. Even as he fired his own two shots.

It was his turn to grab hold of Beard's arm and haul him into a retreat as the remains of the corpse thudded onto the steps. The ice wires thrashed a while like beached eels and lay still. Makenzie tried to ignore them, searching the second floor windows for any sign.

'Sir!'

A White Shadow man was hopping the fence onto the snow-covered lawn.

'Kyle!' Beard bellowed at him. 'Get your a.s.s over here and put a Willie Pete in that house!'

The grenadier nodded fiercely. 'Sir, yessir!' He was already ripping a stubby nosed grenade from his belt and popping it into the tube under the barrel of his rifle.

'Wait!' Makenzie waved him back, and frantically searched the windows again.

There! Above the porch, the legs of a bathroom stool smashed through a frosted window. Within seconds, the stool was tossed aside and the Doctor was helping Amber through and out onto the roof of the porch. He kept a firm hold of her as he clambered out and slid down the roof ploughing great clumps of snow with his heels. He hit the ground and rolled like a paratrooper, Amber locked in his arms and s.h.i.+elded from the fell. Then he was up and she was running with him for the fence.

'It's all yours, gentlemen! Be my guest!'

The Doc had taken the scene in like that, fully up to date in the s.p.a.ce of a blink. The grenadier, loaded up and sighting keenly along his barrel, waited for the word from his senior officer Beard practically exploded himself: 'Torch it! NOW!'

The grenade launcher coughed, blowing in a window before the whole interior was alive with a blinding white inferno.

Willie Peter: white phosphorus.

Makenzie couldn't think of anything more appropriate.

Squatting down, he gratefully took Amber from the Doctor, and pulled her into a hug. which she didn't even think to fight.

Melody swung the 4x4 smartly around and parked in front of the drive. Whatever the gunfight had been about, it was clear they'd found the girl.

Melody jumped out of the car in perfect synch with her partner, and they trotted over to join the party watching the savage flames spitting and hissing out of every window, as the snow fell over the scene like white ash.

'Ah!' the Doctor rounded on them. 'Just the people!'

'Well,' Melody shrugged affably. 'Parker here was concerned for your safety.'

'Was not,' Parker mumbled childishly.

'Well, naturally I'm flattered,' the Doctor said, barging past and making a beeline for the 4WD. 'In any case, your help couldn't have arrived at a more opportune moment.

Lieutenant Beard, run ahead and give a full report to the Captain, won't you? A full full report,' he stressed, looking over his shoulder and throwing open a pa.s.senger door. 'And do tell him I'd like to borrow one of his snowmobiles, there's a good fellow.' report,' he stressed, looking over his shoulder and throwing open a pa.s.senger door. 'And do tell him I'd like to borrow one of his snowmobiles, there's a good fellow.'

The Lieutenant appeared to evaluate the order a moment, then led his grenadier away after a firm but silent a.s.sent.

Melody traded looks with Parker, and hoped he was going to maintain his cool after his earlier slip.

The Doctor barely acknowledged their departure, too busy rummaging around in the back seat of the 4x4. 'Meanwhile, we have a young patient here who could use plenty of rest and I'm sure you two won't mind conducting her back to the hotel.' Apparently satisfied, he beckoned to the Police Chief.

Makenzie Shaw obliged, steering the girl tenderly to the truck.

' Hey, Doc, what do you suppose suppose you're doing?' Parker covered the ground in a few steps. ' you're doing?' Parker covered the ground in a few steps. ' If If you don't mind me asking.' you don't mind me asking.'

Melody sighed and wondered why Parker's hackles could never rise quietly. Obviously the few quiet words she'd had with him after the previous quarrel hadn't taught him anything. She decided to position herself close, in case Parker needed a kick to shut him up.

'I don't mind you asking, Agent Theroux, but it could be a costly delay for what amounts to an obvious answer. The fact is,' the Doctor was lecturing Parker severely, 'someone needs to warn those people up on that mountain just what they could be facing.'

Just as soon as he was done being dark and ominous, the Doctor slipped seamlessly into considerate paternal mode, bundling Amber gently into the back of the vehicle. 'There you go, young lady. Try not to sit on the nice agents'

computer.'

The girl looked sh.e.l.l-shocked and Parker, Melody had to give him credit, lowered his voice for her sake. 'Doc, we need to discuss exactly what It It is.' is.'

The Doctor scowled, but his tone emerged as vaguely con-ciliatory. 'Of course, neither of you have seen what we're facing - not its true extent. I doubt I have. But I think we can stop searching for unseen enemies in the mist. The mist and the enemy are one and the same.' His gaze wandered out into the blizzard, and it was some moments finding its way back to them. 'Now, listen, I'm relying on you two, because you appear to be in the know.'

'What the h.e.l.l is that supposed to mean?'

Melody clenched her teeth behind a civil smile. She wished Parker would just play it cool. 'It's true, Doctor,' Melody interceded hurriedly, 'we've had more than our fair share of special special a.s.signments over the years. Um, what sort of tests do you want us to conduct?' a.s.signments over the years. Um, what sort of tests do you want us to conduct?'

'Everything you can think of,' the Doctor declared, hovering over Melody. 'I'm sure Corporal Pydych can help you out in the laboratory if you need it.' Then he motioned to the Police Chief again, encouraging him to sit with the girl in the vehicle. 'Perhaps you'd best look after Amber, there's a good chap. She's had a nasty shock.'

Melody wandered over, putting a lot of effort into her patient tone, but feeling free to speak openly with Makenzie tucked out of earshot. 'Okay, but Doctor, are you implying this ice ice is is intelligent? intelligent? Because I haven't seen it display any evidence of rational thought.' Because I haven't seen it display any evidence of rational thought.'

'What makes you think intelligent beings have to behave rationally, hmm? Intelligence takes many forms. Whatever this ent.i.ty is, it has motivation - it attacked that aircraft to reach the Stormcore - and it has awareness - it reacts to heat and it detects its prey. That puts it at least on a par with the coyotes.' The Doctor pondered a moment, rubbing his chin.

'Coyotes.'

Parker beat Melody to it. 'What's on your mind?'

'Fish, Agent Theroux. Fis.h.!.+' Fis.h.!.+' He strode over to the fence and studied the blaze. 'This house was deserted - in the same way that the cult house was deserted. Ask Lieutenant Beard, and he'll tell you what must have happened to the members of that cult.' He wheeled about ponderously. 'I think our uninvited guest got hungry - hungry enough to rupture the tank to get at the tropical fish. It must have lain inert, waiting for the warm water to freeze. Then it infected the coyote when it came in search of a fish supper.' He strode over to the fence and studied the blaze. 'This house was deserted - in the same way that the cult house was deserted. Ask Lieutenant Beard, and he'll tell you what must have happened to the members of that cult.' He wheeled about ponderously. 'I think our uninvited guest got hungry - hungry enough to rupture the tank to get at the tropical fish. It must have lain inert, waiting for the warm water to freeze. Then it infected the coyote when it came in search of a fish supper.'

'So it can't detect low levels of heat and it's inert in liquid form,' reasoned Melody quickly.

The Doctor regarded Melody like she was the star pupil, then clapped a hand on her shoulder and steered her back towards the truck. 'Precisely. You know, with thinking like that I'm sure you'll go far. Anyway, you two are going to have to bang your scientific heads together. And bear in mind, it has an aversion to alcohol.'

'Sorry, Doctor, remind me,' said Melody, 'how is it we know that?'

'Well, there's been nothing left of anyone else to examine.

We can't be sure when Mr Redeker was infected, but something slowed the process in him. And Makenzie confirmed that he'd been drinking heavily. It's the only obvious factor that sets Mr Redeker apart.'

'So the thing's teetotal.' Parker applauded theatrically. Now there's there's something we can use!' something we can use!'

Melody wondered whether the rules of reasonable force applied to shutting her partner up. 'Doctor, you might have something. The spread of infection has certainly been - insane, in everybody but Redeker. And he'd pickled most of his organs in advance of any autopsy.' in everybody but Redeker. And he'd pickled most of his organs in advance of any autopsy.'

'So maybe the freezing point was sufficiently depressed by the alcohol to - I don't know - make it hard work for this - Ice Ice - stuff to crystallise within the body.'

'Well, I'm sufficiently depressed,' commented Parker.

'What is this?' The Doctor was rapt. 'The old good cop, stupid cop routine?' Before Parker could land one on him, he shook Melody by both shoulders.

'Do you know something, Melody? You're extremely clever!

But it might equally be something in the neurological effects.

Be a good girl and examine every angle.'

He glowered at Parker. 'You know, you really could learn a lot from your partner, Agent Theroux. I'd take very good care of her, if I were you.'

Melody fluttered her lids at Parker before strolling around to the driver's side of the 4x4. Her partner couldn't but agree with the Doctor's sentiment. 'Well, we see eye to eye on something anyhow, Doc.' Parker sniffed and scratched his neck sullenly. 'And by the way, I hate it when your thinking actually starts to make some sense.'

'So do I,' declared the Doctor, gloomy thoughts flocking to his brow. 'That's the nature of uncovering the truth. It's like condensation on a mirror. Wipe it away, and you're stuck with your reflection whether you like it or not.' He twirled a finger in the air, as if his lingering thoughts needed stirring into positive action. 'Good luck, you two. We need to learn everything we can if the world is going to survive another winter.'

Melody hesitated at the door of the 4x4. She was drawn to the sight of that house, the snows falling on the fires in wave after wave; and in it the sense that even the near-solar heat of that white phosphor blaze could not hope to survive such a war of attrition.

The Doctor doffed his hat as a good-luck gesture, before stalking purposefully down the street. ' Now Now is the winter of our discontent!' he shouted Into the wind. is the winter of our discontent!' he shouted Into the wind.

Then he was gone, disintegrated in the blizzard, his voice trailing in the wind like an omen.

No sooner than they had driven up with the girl, the agents had withdrawn to the lab, promising to produce results as soon as humanly possible. If If there were any results to be had, Morgan Shaw had qualified silently. Meanwhile, his brother had gone to the station house to organise the townsfolk and quell the rising panic, now the whole town had heard of old Walsh's disappearance. And the kid, she was safely stowed in one of the hotel rooms, looked after by her mother and Janny Meeks. Chained to the G.o.dd.a.m.n bed, if they had any sense. As far as Morgan Shaw was concerned, her little flight had cost him two good men. there were any results to be had, Morgan Shaw had qualified silently. Meanwhile, his brother had gone to the station house to organise the townsfolk and quell the rising panic, now the whole town had heard of old Walsh's disappearance. And the kid, she was safely stowed in one of the hotel rooms, looked after by her mother and Janny Meeks. Chained to the G.o.dd.a.m.n bed, if they had any sense. As far as Morgan Shaw was concerned, her little flight had cost him two good men.

Of immediate concern, though, was Derm's report, which had been disturbingly thorough and, Morgan noted cynically, demonstrated a newfound respect for the Doc.

Wherever he was.

Captain Shaw expected to have to do a lot more pacing before he finally showed up.

But no, there he was at last, striding into view like a walking headstone. Morgan headed to meet him, eager for a little clarification. The Doc, though, hopped straight onto the waiting snowmobile that Morgan had cleared for his use.

'Hey, hey, wait right there. What kept you?'

'Oh, nothing in particular. You know what the roads are like these days.'

'All right, you know what, I don't care what you've been up to. All I care about right now is when can I expect some answers?'

The Doc apparently felt the need to adjust his hat, and he ruffled his ridiculous mop of hair irritably. 'We already have our answers, Captain. What we need to do now is ask a lot more questions. I hope to have a few by the time I get back.'

Morgan folded his arms and waited to hear something more.

The Doc sighed. 'We've seen the face of our enemy, Captain.

We know what it does. Hopefully, our two CIA friends are working on the how. But the question we really have to ask is why.' why.'

Morgan could see he was going to have to settle for the pith and hope the flesh of the fruit turned up soon. He was hoping the Doc would be able to contact his teams out there.

'Okay, so what do the rest of us do in the meantime? Sit around and warm our b.u.t.ts by the fire?'

The Doc offered him a shrug. 'Well,' he said, 'you could.

But I'd suggest your time was better spent searching every house in this town and torching every one of them where you find any trace of this creature.'

'Okay. Good.' Morgan Shaw wasn't happy, but it gave him a course of action.