Doctor Who_ Return Of The Living Dad Part 20

She'd seen enough nonhuman technology to recognize it when she saw it.

So why was there a red stencil on the side saying EMERGENCY TRANSPONDER?

She put the device back in amongst the socks and pushed the drawer shut.

In the cupboard, in a plastic bag, there was a strange uniform. She unzipped the bag a little, felt the strange fabric between her fingertips, caught a distant smell of aftershave and smoke.

She slipped back into the bookshop moments before the proprietor appeared at the top of the stairs.

A few more minutes, and she'd drive back to the base and see how they were getting on. She'd have to organize a raid on this place, and soon, before they worked out what was going on and took off. There was plenty of room at the base. Room enough for everyone.

15 Interlude, With Tabby

'You know, Wolsey,' said Jason, 'I don't think we're in Kansas anymore.'

16 Belling the cat

Roz caught up with the Doctor as he was about to get into Albinex's car. She put her hand on the door before he could close it. 'Right,' she said. 'Exactly what are you up to?'

The Time Lord looked up at her from the driver's seat.

'I'm borrowing Albinex's car to look for Chris,' he said. 'Then I'll come with you,' she said, starting to walk to the pa.s.senger side.

The Doctor got out and waved his hands at her over the roof. 'Wait a moment, Roz,' he said. She gave him one of her best glares.

'Listen,' he said. 'You were right. Everything that's happened hasn't been coincidence. Someone noticed my arrival. And now they're trying to get my attention.'

'By stealing people.'

'And the TARDIS.'

'I hope,' said Roz, leaning on the roof, 'that this isn't one of your brilliant let-the-baddie-bash-me-up schemes.'

The Doctor couldn't help but smile. 'No, it's more of an ifthey-want-me-let-them-come-and-get-me scheme.'

'I'm not sure I can see the difference.' Roz swung herself into the pa.s.senger seat. The Doctor ducked his head and blinked at her across the driver's seat.

'You know, there was a story they told us once at the Academy. Something for the cadets to think about. Once upon a time the mice decided they'd have to put a bell on the local cat, so they'd hear her coming.'

'Yes,' said the Doctor. 'I've met the author.'

'So you know the ending. None of the mice would volunteer to confront the cat and put the bell on its collar.

Because who wants to get eaten? None of this is your fault.'

'I should have got involved,' he said, 'instead of going off in a huff.'

'Well, you're involved now,' she said. 'For G.o.ddess'

sake, get in the d.a.m.ned car.'

'You're kind...' said Myn Jareshth.

Benny smiled at him from the big chair, looking up from the magazine she was totally failing to read.

The alien had simply sat there for ages, not looking at anything in particular. Politely, patiently, waiting.

'You and your father are brave,' he said softly.

'Believe me,' said Benny, 'it doesn't take a lot of courage to handle the babysitting end of the job.'

Myn Jareshth tipped his head, not understanding. 'You're brave,' he repeated. 'To stay here with me. When the alien hunters are hunting me.' His delicate fingers traced shapes in front of him, as though looking to pluck the English words from the air. 'We come in pairs,' he said. 'The hunters will know that, if there's a Ia Jareshth Kto, there's a Myn Jareshth Kto.'

'It won't matter after tonight,' Benny said. 'After we get you home.'

He lowered his head, the fine white hair obscuring his eyes. 'There's not a Ia Jareshth anymore,' he said.

'You don't know that,' said Benny.

'Your father is brave,' he said again. 'He came to the National Hurricane Center National Hurricane Center.' The words had a strange flavour, like a memorized phrase. la Jareshth and I were looking at one of the computers at the National Hurricane Center National Hurricane Center. The police caught us, and kept us in a room until Colonel Kramer could arrive.'

The Lacaillan blinked slowly, remembering. 'But Mister Mister Beven Beven communicated with your father. He pretended there was an emergency, and helped us run away. Then your father came for us. We were hiding in another room. communicated with your father. He pretended there was an emergency, and helped us run away. Then your father came for us. We were hiding in another room. Admiral Admiral Summerfield Summerfield and and Mister Beven Mister Beven helped us run away to a car. helped us run away to a car.

Then your father drove us to an aeroplane while the soldiers were shooting at us.' He folded his hands back into his lap. 'I wish I could use your language more precisely.'

Benny said hoa.r.s.ely, 'That's all right. Sometimes telling a story simply makes it more effective.'

Myn Jareshth said, 'You are also half of a pair.'

Benny bit her lip. 'Yes. I am.'

'Then we are having a similar experience,' concluded the Lacaillan.

'You mean, you know how I feel?' Benny plonked back down in the overstuffed chair. 'Jason does this from time to time. He's usually so... clingy. But sometimes we just need to get a bit of air between us.' She cupped her chin in her hands. 'At least, I hope that's what he's doing. What if the people who took Chris have got him? Oh s.h.i.+t, I'm crying.'

Myn Jareshth raised his hands, wanting to do something, not sure of the etiquette.

'I'm okay,' said Benny. 'I'm all right. You're right, Myn Jareshth, we are having the same experience.'

He watched her, quietly. 'You are very brave,' he said again.

Graeme poked his tip around the corner. Woodworth was browsing the shelves. She had left her rucksack leaning up against the counter.

The spatula hopped across the floor, heading for the bag. Woodworth turned around, pus.h.i.+ng the book she'd been looking at back onto the shelf. Graeme threw himself flat on the floor, and started inching across the wood like a worm.

He wasn't going to make it. Woodworth was reaching for the bag. She'd even see him when she picked it up.

'On your way?' said Isaac's voice.

Graeme hunched up and peeked around the bag.

Woodworth had straightened up. 'I've got to get back to Newbury. There's someone I have to meet.'

'Let me give you one of our catalogues,' said Isaac, rummaging in the fliers on the counter.

Graeme sprang up and dived into the rucksack.

Moments later, Woodworth shoved the photocopied catalogue into the bag beside him and zipped it closed.

Roz was holding the Doctor's ghost-detector in her lap.

'Exactly how is this thing going to help us find Chris?' she said.

'It seems a little unlikely,' said the Doctor, 'that the kidnappings and the ghost don't have something to do with one another.'

'Fair enough,' said Roz. She poked at one of the wires hanging out of the lash-up. 'What's its range?'

'About four miles, reliably,' said the Doctor. 'Anything further than that is luck.'

Fifty miles away They didn't ask him any questions.

Three soldiers - two men and a woman - literally dragged him out of the jeep and into the building. He got glimpses of a high metal fence, more soldiers crunching along a gravel drive, cars parked beside the cold brick house.

It was hard to make out the details of where he was when the woman insisted on keeping him in a headlock.

'I can walk, you know,' he said.

They slammed open a door and dropped him headfirst on the floor with a crunch crunch.

He lay very still on the floor, the bone and concrete sound echoing through his whole body. He didn't want to move, because his head felt as though it might roll away into a corner.

They grabbed at him, and he tried to protest, pus.h.i.+ng them away with hands that had become as soft and useless as marshmallows. They pulled off his clothes, stuffing them into labelled plastic bags.

'Right,' someone ordered. 'Tiller, Heer, Weatherford, out of here.'

Chris pulled himself into a hunched sitting position and looked up. He was in some kind of clinic. The light seemed to go right through his face and bounce off the back of his skull.

The door slammed behind a middle-aged woman in street clothes and a man in a white coat, like a cartoon scientist.

The woman was holding a gun. She wasn't pointing it at him, just holding it, the way the scientist was holding his clipboard.

'Who are you people?' exploded Cwej. He wanted to get to his feet, but a combination of dizziness and modesty kept him on the floor. 'If I'm under arrest, you've got to tell me what the charge is, and where I am.'

The woman said, 'I want a full medical. Blood and tissue samples, X-rays, the lot. If you find anything out of the ordinary, no matter how trivial, I want to know about it. And get his fingerprints checked out.'

'Right,' said the scientist. 'Get on the scales.'

It took Chris a moment to realize the man was talking to him. 'Like fun I will,' he said.

'I'll get you some a.s.sistants,' said the woman, going to the door. 'And for G.o.d's sake, if you kill him, get him to dissection straight away this time, will you?'

17 Rescue

Tony was sitting at one of the tables, drinking Tzun food supplement through a straw. Joel was fidgeting behind the counter, Nelson the cat circling round his ankle. Albinex stood at the window, watching the Admiral overseeing the evacuation. The volunteers had started arriving a few hours after the call had gone out.