Doctor Who_ Bunker Soldiers Part 21

'She insisted that you not be disturbed. She will join us presently.'

I glanced at Yevhen, and saw that the fragility he had shown yesterday was long gone. 'The creature came for me also,' he said. 'I was saved by the soldiers. But I fear my daughter is dead.'

'It's interesting, isn't it?' I said, thinking out loud. 'First the creature seemed to attack anyone it came into contact with; now it seems to concentrate on the leaders of Kiev, and those under their protection.'

Isaac nodded. 'I have been puzzling over its behaviour myself. Why does it hide for so long? Why does it allow some to live, kill others, and merely attack still more?' He rubbed his chin. 'Perhaps it has reason to '

'It matters not!' interjected Dmitri. 'What matters now is that the devils are at our door. The attack could begin within hours!'

I nodded, accepting his prioritisation. Even so, I found his manner less stately than usual. I saw what I thought was tiredness clouding his eyes after his attack, it was quite possible that he had not slept.

The governor turned to one of the soldiers who stood at his side. 'You may bring them in now.'

Moments later the door opened to admit two very different men: the Mongol spy I had already seen, now surrounded by guards, and a tall, dignified man who seemed of Middle Eastern origin. The Mongol stood at the bottom of the table between two soldiers; the taller man swept towards Dmitri.

He stopped, bowing low. 'I am Abd N-Nun Ayyub. I bring greetings from Prince Mongke cousin of Batu Khan, leader of the Mongol army on behalf of the Great Khan Ogedei who rules the world.'

I imagined that courtesy demanded a response from Dmitri, but none was forthcoming. Instead, he stared coldly at the envoy. 'You do not resemble this spy.'

Abd N-Nun Ayyub smiled. 'We are both emissaries,' he said.

'This fellow is a true Mongol. I, on the other hand, hail from a land now ruled over by Ogedei Khan.'

'Why are you here?' Dmitri asked.

'Mongke Khan is mindful not to crush this city as he surely will if you resist the power of the Mongol army.'

'I believe our defences are strong,' countered Dmitri.

Abd N-Nun Ayyub did not rise to the challenge. 'A complete surrender will save much bloodshed. Once you have sworn allegiance to the Great Khan things can continue much as before.'

Dmitri shook his head furiously. 'I know the barbarism of the Tartars!' he exclaimed. 'I have heard such tales.. '

'Heard, not seen with your own eyes,' said Abd N-Nun Ayyub gently.

'You feast on the still-beating hearts of young children; you rape virgins until they die of exhaustion and shame.'

Abd N-Nun Ayyub shook his head. 'I am no defender of Mongol atrocity,' he said. 'But this is not how the great army that sweeps towards you will behave if you surrender.'

'We cannot surrender.'

'The offer is a genuine one,' said Abd N-Nun Ayyub. 'The Doctor, who I believe is known to you, recommends that you accept, and agree to disarm.'

I could not hide my delight at hearing the Doctor's name.

'You've seen the Doctor?' I asked. 'Is he all right?'

'The Doctor is being treated with great honour, as will all the leaders of this city when they throw open the gates of Kiev!'

'We cannot trust the Tartars to honour any agreement,' said Dmitri with a chilling edge to his voice.

I could not believe what I was hearing. 'But this is everything you've wanted the chance of survival!'

'I had a dream last night,' said Dmitri suddenly. 'A vision.

Things that seem full of grace and virtue can be riddled with rottenness and deceit.'

'But, my lord,' said Isaac. 'I must recommend that we at least hear what the envoy has to say. To do otherwise '

'Would you recommend that we sit here while the devils inch ever closer?' shouted Dmitri. 'That we welcome with open arms the army that weeks ago was feasting on the bones of Russian children?'

I noticed that he looked pale. His forehead p.r.i.c.kled with sweat. 'Are you all right?' I asked, suspecting that the great burden he had been carrying had finally proved too much for him. 'My thinking has never been more clear!' said Dmitri. 'I see what we must do. For the first time, I see that our salvation is at hand.'

Even Yevhen seemed a little disturbed by his words. 'What do you mean?' he asked.

'Route the men,' Dmitri replied. 'Issue arms, encourage them with words of our forthcoming victory.' He turned his attention to Abd N-Nun Ayyub and the silent Mongol soldier at the foot of the table. 'And take these devils from my sight and have them executed.'

'But, my lord!' exclaimed Isaac. 'You will only magnify the Tartar fury against us!'

The governor smiled. 'So be it.'

'You'll be condemning your people to death!' I exclaimed.

'Think about what you're doing,' I added in a quieter voice, desperate to appeal to the person I had come to respect, even admire.

It was clear that person was gone. Dmitri gestured to one of the soldiers. 'Do it now, or I shall kill them myself.'

I took one look at the absolute terror that gripped the Arab's n.o.ble face, and could stand no more. I knew further argument was pointless. I got to my feet, and walked from the room.

I found Isaac's son, Nahum, waiting just outside. 'Is the governor well?' he asked.

I shook my head.

'I had heard as much,' he continued. 'The attack seems to have disturbed him greatly.'

I led Nahum away from the room. I did not even want to think about what was going on in there. 'Have you seen Dodo?'

I asked.

'No but I was about to see her. I am concerned by the abduction of Lesia.'

We walked to Dodo's room, and banged on the door. She had just finished getting dressed. She complained of feeling a little dizzy, but other than that she seemed well. Both Nahum and I were keen to hear what had happened.

'I was in Lesia's room I'd been there all day. I heard voices outside the window they sounded anxious.'

'The Mongols are close,' I said.'We saw their advance scouts on the hillside last night. The city was in uproar.'

'Anyway, I'd just gone back to Lesia when I noticed that she was starting to wake up. I went to get help.' Dodo shook her head, as if trying to re-establish a faulty connection. 'The next thing I remember is someone helping me up from the floor.

Lesia was gone.'

'Are you sure you're all right now?' I asked.

'I'm fine,' she said. 'I don't think I was. .h.i.t so much as..

pushed.'

'Did you hear anyone enter the room?' asked Nahum.

Dodo shook her head. 'I reckon whoever went off with Lesia had been hiding in the room.'

I thought such concealment unlikely, if only for the simple fact that most of the rooms in the governor's residence were spartan at best, but said nothing.

'We must find Lesia!' exclaimed Nahum.

'If we find her, talk to her, we might understand more about the creature,' I agreed. 'Maybe there's still some way of turning this thing against the Mongols.'

'Where shall we begin?' asked Nahum.

The governor's men still patrol these buildings regularly,' I said. 'Perhaps the creature has fled back into the catacombs.'

Nahum looked concerned. 'But the fire... That part of the building is no longer safe.'

'The perfect place to hide, then,' observed Dodo. 'Come on, let's go!' Her excitement was infectious.

I nodded. 'Right now, I want to be as far from Dmitri as possible.'

I was more familiar with the layout of the governor's residence now and, with Nahum's help, we proceeded swiftly through the building towards the fire-damaged corridors and rooms at the rear. No soldiers followed. I was not quite sure when our de facto de facto liberty had been granted to us, but it was welcome all the same. liberty had been granted to us, but it was welcome all the same.

With the Mongols so close, I imagine Dmitri had decided that the soldiers a.s.signed to observe us could be better used elsewhere.

The corridors were blackened sh.e.l.ls now, stretching around us like the bones of some great cremated animal. The air was still rich with the aroma of fire damage, and our feet scuffed up ash and cloying dust as we walked. We approached the storeroom in silence; there was little light there, and we concentrated instead on moving forward without injury or mishap.

I recognised the door or what was left of it that led into the chamber which concealed the entrance to the tunnels under Kiev. It was hanging in shattered pieces, and we pushed our way through with ease.

I was surprised to find that the storeroom was not in darkness. The opposite door, leading out to the square, had been left open or perhaps it had buckled in the heat and would not close. The room, though blackened by the spreading fire, seemed otherwise undamaged.

There was but one change to the room: an enormous bundle of rags lying near the door. Intrigued, I went over to the mound, and was about to examine it further when Nahum noticed my intent. 'No!' he snapped. 'Don't touch it.'

I watched, puzzled, as he edged closer to the mound. His wary movements resembled those of a man approaching an unexploded bomb. It was only when I looked back at the rags that I realised that I was looking at a human body, wrapped in torn clothes and the remains of some sort of shroud. It was lying face down on the floor; I could just about make out strands of dirty-looking hair trailing over the shoulders.

Dodo seemed to realise what it was at about the same time; I heard her stifle a scream, but I didn't turn. I was intrigued by Nahum's behaviour; he removed his outer jerkin, wrapped his hands in it as best he could, and then turned the body over.

'Did the creature do this?' asked Dodo.

Nahum shook his head. 'Disease,' he said simply.

I looked down and saw a boyish face made grey and weather-beaten by death. 'Did he die here?'

'No. This fellow died somewhere in the city and was dragged here. With the Tartars so close, our people do not have time to bury their dead.'

'Why bring him here?' asked Dodo, quite clearly shocked.

'All the city folk saw the fire. They will have guessed that this part of the building is not in use.Why not make it a temporary morgue?' Nahum pointed towards the outer door. I saw that there were further bodies there, half-hidden beneath a large woollen shroud.

I didn't know how to identify the disease, or what precautions to advise to minimise the outbreak. Nahum seemed to have a.s.sumed that it spread by direct contact, but I suspected the insanitary conditions were to blame. Whatever the illness was, the governor needed to be informed that bodies carrying the infection were being left in the building.

I turned to Dodo. 'Go to Dmitri,' I said. 'Tell him what we've seen.'

'But I want to stay with you!'

'He needs to know,' I reasoned. 'And we also need to keep an eye on Dmitri and Yevhen. Please.'

'Oh, all right,' said Dodo. With a shrug of resignation, she made for the door.

Nahum watched her go. 'Where is the entrance to the tunnels?' he asked, carefully removing the jerkin from his hands.

He dropped the garment to the floor then kicked it away into the shadows, clearly not wanting to risk any contamination.

'Over here.' I led him past some barrels thick with dust, to the door. Even though I knew it was there, I was surprised again by how well hidden it was. Its wooden slats seemed to have taken on the same dark grey hue as the stonework.

'Torches,' I said suddenly. 'I don't suppose you thought to bring a torch or something?'

Nahum shrugged his shoulders.

'We'll have to go back,' I said. 'There's no way '

The door to the tunnels creaked suddenly. I turned in alarm.

Someone or something was coming through.

We ducked for cover without a word. I found myself behind some broken pieces of furniture and a split mattress with straw that had started to rot spilling out of it. I glanced back towards the secret door, and saw it open further.