Doctor Who_ Cave Monsters - Malcolm Hulke [56]
'Let me see,' said the Doctor, and pushed Dr. Meredith out of the way to hold the sick man's wrist.
The Brigadier whispered to Liz, 'Such charming manners he has.' Liz told the Brigadier to shut up.
'Yes,' said the Doctor, 'I think you're right.'
'Thank you,' said Dr. Meredith, the excitement replaced with a touch of ice in his voice. 'I may not understand lizards and reptiles, but I can tell when a pulse is normal.'
The Doctor stepped back. 'My dear fellow, I'm terribly sorry.
How very rude of me.'
The Brigadier spoke up. 'When you two have finished exchanging pleasantries, would you mind saying what we do now?
You've saved one man. There are people dropping dead all over the world by now!'
'It's obvious,' said the Doctor, 'we've got to 'phone the formula to London so that they can get the antidote into mass production right away. You get London on the 'phone, Brigadier. I'll get the formula.'
He moved to the door, then stopped and turned to Dr. Meredith. 'Oh, and you...'
'Yes?' said Dr. Meredith.
The Doctor indicated the man in the bed. 'Give the poor fellow a cup of tea or something.' Then the Doctor was gone.
'I'll start that call to London,' said the Brigadier, and followed the Doctor out.
Liz went closer to the man in the bed. 'You're sure he's getting better?'
'Every test proves normal,' said Dr. Meredith. 'But he's exhausted. His body's been fighting this thing, and it's knocked him out. That's just normal sleep. Now I think we should leave him alone.'
Liz left the sick-bay and went down the corridor to the conference room. The maps on the walls were now peppered with pin-flags. There were many flags in the Midlands, but the greatest concentration was in the London area. In the map of the world flags had been pinned into Paris, Frankfurt, and now Sergeant Hawkins was just pinning one into Belgrade. The Brigadier was on the outside
'phone.
'Yes sir,' said the Brigadier, 'we've got the answer to it. I'm going to read the formula to you now, and then it must be produced in quantity immediately and shipped all over Europe.' He looked up at Liz and snapped his fingers. 'The formula, please.'
She said, 'I thought the Doctor was getting it. He had it written clown in the laboratory.'
The Brigadier cupped the 'phone. 'Well, please will you get it from him immediately! I've got the Ministry on the 'phone now.'
Liz hurried out and ran all the way to the laboratory. As she approached the laboratory she noticed the strange smell of burning in the air. She opened the door and stood there too terrified to speak.
Two reptile men were dragging the unconscious Doctor towards a hole that had been bored in the wall. Without noticing Liz they disappeared down what appeared to be a smooth-walled passageway.
The hole closed in, as though it had never been there. Then Liz started to scream.
The Brigadier was the first to get there. 'What the devil's going on?'
Liz fell into the Brigadier's arms, her body quivering. 'They've got him. Took him prisoner. He may be dead. Through that wall!'
Dr. Meredith had also heard the screams and came running along the corridor. The Brigadier pushed Liz towards him. 'She's got hysterics,' he said. Dr. Meredith took Liz in his arms. The Brigadier crossed to the wall, felt it with the palm of his hand. 'It's still warm,'
he said. He turned to Liz. 'Well, we've still got to give London that formula.'
'But the Doctor,' she cried, 'they've taken him prisoner!'
Two reptile men were dragging the unconscious Doctor towards a hole that had been bored in the wall
'Miss Shaw,' said the Brigadier, 'we are concerned about saving the lives of millions of people.' He looked at the work top; it was littered with pieces of paper on which the Doctor had noted down the many formulae he had tried. 'Which of these is the right formula?'
Liz crossed to the work top, looked at the Doctor's notes. 'I don't know,' she said.
The Brigadier turned to Dr. Meredith. 'Have you any idea which is the right one?'
Dr. Meredith shook his head. 'I wasn't in here all the time while the Doctor