Doctor Who_ Beyond the Sun - Matthew Jones [76]
Sunless armoured vehicles.
‘What do you think?’
‘I’m trying not to,’ Bernice sighed. ‘You think you could drive one of those things?’
Tameka grinned. ‘I’ve been itching to have a go ever since we got here.’
They broke into a run across the lawn, leaving dark footprints behind them in the wet grass.
Somebody started shouting in the distance, and for a disorientating moment Bernice couldn’t tell if it was ahead of them or back near the house.
The Sunless armoured car was made of thick plates of metal and was about two metres high.
Its huge wheels were almost the same height as the vehicle itself. There was one hatch on the roof and another at the back. A large cannon-sized weapon sat in a turret towards the back. The vehicle looked strong and solid, like a mobile strongbox. A thick slab of violence.
Tameka swung herself nimbly up on to the roof.
Bernice saw her thumb a control and the rounded hatch opened with a soft hiss. Bernice couldn’t see Tameka’s face in the darkness but she heard her giggle.
Oh dear, Bernice thought. She’s actually looking forward to this.
‘Let me just say now that I know I am going to regret this,’ Bernice told Emile as she clambered on to the roof and dropped down into the belly of the car. Tameka had already buckled herself into the driving seat and was familiarizing herself with the instruments.
‘No keys?’ Bernice asked.
‘Keys?’ Tameka made a face. ‘This is an armoured car, Bernice. We are not trying to unlock your bicycle. The ignition is protected by a voice recognition system.’
‘Oh,’ Bernice said. ‘Right.’
‘Will it recognize us?’ Emile said.
Tameka just shot him a look.
‘Sorry, stupid question.’
‘I reckon I can hot-wire this. But it’ll take a minute. Maybe two.’
Through one of the narrow window slots in the side of the car, Bernice caught sight of a group of uniformed figures moving across the lawn towards them. They ran in perfect time, their shaven heads visible in the moonlight. ‘Tameka, you’ve got about thirty seconds.’
Tameka glanced up from her work. ‘Guess who,’ she said in her husky tone. She pulled a pin from her hair and used it to connect two terminals. The vehicle’s engine roared once and then died. She popped her head up for a moment. ‘This may take a little longer than I thought.’
‘They know where we are!’ Emile cried from the barred window. Keeping his head low, he scuttled off into the depths of the vehicle.
Emile was right. The Sunless were heading in their direction, making no sound as they ran in the soft grass. There were four of them, rushing silently towards the armoured car. They ran gracefully, taking long strides. Despite their feet hitting the ground together they made no sound.
Their cropped hair looked like a coating of dust in the moonlight. In a few more moments they would reach the vehicle.
The engine powered up, but Bernice’s relief was short-lived as the motor noise spluttered and then faded. Tameka swore colourfully. ‘The safety keeps cutting in. I’ve almost got it.’
‘I think it’s a little too late for that.’ Bernice launched herself out of her seat, urgently gesturing for Tameka to do the same. ‘They’ll be in here in a moment. Come on, there’s a hatch at the back
– we’ll have to make a run for it.’
Tameka was still half under the dashboard. ‘Hang on, I think I’ve got it.’
A series of light footfalls sounded above them: the Sunless landing on the vehicle’s roof. Bernice looked up at the ceiling, her heart pounding in her chest.
She made a lunge for the hatch’s locking mechanism. Too late. The circular lid had already begun to lift up and swing open. A sliver of dark sky was revealed beyond it.
Something moved in the darkness.
‘Tameka!’ Bernice hissed. They had to get out of here. They had to get out of here right now.
Bernice looked around for Emile. Where the hell had that child run off to now?
A volley of blaster fire answered her question. Something screamed in pain. Something that didn’t sound quite human. There was a second burst of fire; the scream cut off