Doctor Who_ Bunker Soldiers - Martin Day [51]
I emerged to find myself in what appeared to be a storeroom. Piles of barrels were covered with mildewed sheets and the room was rich with dust, though the floor near the door to the catacombs spoke of recent activity. I realised that the layout of the room would have obscured the entrance from any who did not already know it to be there.
From where I stood, I could see that there were two doors in the centre of opposing walls. One was still closed from the inside with a large plank of wood held in place by strong metal prongs. If this meant the creature had gone the other way, then this, clearly, was the door for me.
I removed the wooden plank, and pushed and pulled at the door. Eventually it opened, though with a graceless juddering that spoke of decades of neglect.
It was an outside door. Beyond was a square of some sort, hemmed in by imposing civic buildings. I breathed deeply, and emerged into the sunlight. At last, I was free!
I closed the door behind me and, in doing so, looked up at the building from which I had emerged. Even from this unfamiliar angle, I recognised the dark peaked roof and slab-like towers. It was the governor’s residence – and the creature was at large, somewhere within the maze of rooms and corridors. It was time, I decided, to throw myself upon the mercy of Dmitri, to plead for my life and to tell him what I had learnt of the plots of adviser Yevhen and Bishop Vasil. Even more importantly, Dodo and many others were now virtual prisoners within that building
– and Dmitri had unwittingly sealed the dark angel in along with them.
There was nothing else for it: I would have to march around to the front of the building and give myself up, risking death if the governor didn’t accept my innocence.
‘You asked to see me?’
Dmitri’s courteous tones belied the fact that he was the governor of an entire city, and I a suspected murderer who had escaped from prison.
‘Thank you,’ I said. ‘I want you to know that I’m not guilty of Taras’s murder. I have proof now, and every reason –’
Dmitri interrupted me with a wave of the hand, as if this were a mere trifle, a pleasantry to be dispensed with at the start of a conversation. ‘But of course.’
I was wrongfooted by this, and had to resist the temptation to launch into my prepared defence. ‘Sorry?’
‘We witnessed an attack last night, in this very building. It is clear no mortal man is responsible.’
‘That’s what I wanted to talk to you about. In private.’
Dmitri considered my request. ‘Very well,’ he said. Another wave of the hand, and he dismissed the soldiers that stood near the door. ‘Even my advisers are not here. You are free to say whatever you wish, without fear of censure by anyone... other than myself,’ he added with a smile.
‘It seems. .’ I wondered where to start. ‘It seems that adviser Yevhen has released some creature from its tomb under the cathedral. I believe that this “dark angel” killed Taras, and was responsible for whatever attack you suffered last night.’ I paused.
‘While in prison, I met with former adviser Olexander. I saw this creature kill him in cold blood.’
Dmitri nodded iinpassively. ‘Go on.’
‘Under the cathedral is a catacomb. A passageway leads directly to this building. I followed the beast through the tunnels.
I believe everyone here must be in danger.’
I paused, watching as Dmitri turned this over in his mind. ‘I have heard rumours of such tunnels,’ he said. ‘It was considered wise to link the ecclesiastical heart of Kiev to the civic – should a man from one wish to throw himself on the mercy of the men in the other. But the tunnels themselves are known, I am sure, to only a few souls. I have never seen them on any map or design of the city.’
‘I can lead you to the doorway,’ I said eagerly.
Dmitri nodded. ‘Thank you. I will order a search, though I will not be able to commit many men to the task. It is said the tunnels are rat holes, and someone might find themselves walking them for