Doctor Who_ Beyond the Sun - Matthew Jones [79]
The third car – the one that hadn’t been involved in the collision – must have sped on past the crash site. Tameka peered out through one of the thin, vertical windows. Turning her head made her feel nauseous. The vehicle wasn’t anywhere in sight. For the moment. She didn’t doubt for one minute that they’d be back.
Tameka had to struggle to get the vehicle into reverse mode and it shunted sluggishly back on to the road. The crash had done some serious damage. The accelerator pedal was loose under her foot. She put her foot down to the floor but the car only limped forward, barely reaching cruising speed. Most of the lights on the control console were flashing but Tameka didn’t have any idea what they meant so she decided to ignore them.
‘Where did you learn to drive like that?’ Bernice asked from beside her.
‘Speeder races in the Jeillo Quarter back on Hoppers 5.’
‘Well it was insanely dangerous.’ Bernice ruffled Tameka’s hair. ‘But I think you just saved all of our lives.’
Tameka shrugged. She was about to say something modest about how any really cool person would have done the same, when she heard the third Sunless vehicle accelerating to meet them.
The view screens were all out, but the lights from the vehicle pierced the thin windows, spotlighting the low-tech industrial equipment in the armoured car. ‘We’re not out of this yet.’
The undamaged armoured vehicle glided alongside them, effortlessly matching their limping speed. The top hatch on the other vehicle lifted up and a grey-suited figure climbed out, crouching against the wind.
‘Emile!’
Crackle. ‘I’m on it.’
‘Forget the Sunless. Aim for the wheels.’
She glanced out of the window. Emile’s first attempt went wide. Volleys of magnesium-white lightning chased each other over the roof of the car, bleaching out the face of the Sunless on the roof. The grey-suited figure didn’t react at all to being shot at – it was as if it hadn’t even seen the blaster fire.
Who the hell were these people? What the hell were they?
The Sunless driver closed the gap between the two vehicles. The lone figure leapt across the gap for a second before it disappeared above her.
‘We have company, guys.’
Without having to be told, Bernice unbuckled herself and moved to the hatch, pulling hard on the locking handle. ‘I can’t secure it. We don’t have the codes.’
‘Well just hang on.’
The creature began to pull at the hatch. Bernice wrapped one hand around the wheel and another around a fitting on the wall. Tameka could see that Bernice wasn’t going to be able to keep the hatch closed for long.
Tameka felt helpless. While she was concentrating on driving there wasn’t anything that she could do to help Bernice. They were going to be in real trouble if one of those cold-hearted bastards got in here.
She glanced out of the window. The last remaining Sunless vehicle was right alongside them now. She could almost see inside the cabin through the thin window slits. Further down the body of the armoured vehicle, the long dark barrel of its weapon turned smoothly towards them.
Brilliant. If the one on the roof didn’t manage to break in and tear them apart then they were probably going to get shot off the road.
‘Come on, Emile,’ she barked into her microphone. ‘What are you doing up there?’
The barrel of the enemy weapon was pointing directly at her. No, not directly at the cabin. The Sunless were targeting their turret. Taking aim at Emile’s position. At this range, he didn’t stand a chance.
‘Emile!’
‘Hang on, I’m having trouble with the sights . . . almost there.’
‘No! Just get out of there! Get out of there now!’ She put her foot to the floor, but the armoured car barely responded.
‘Wha– ’S OK, I’ve got it.’
‘Emile!’
There was an exchange of fire. At almost exactly the same time as the front wheels of the third vehicle exploded in hot flame, Tameka was jolted back in her seat as their car also took a hit. She heard a wrenching of metal. Emile