Doctor Who_ Daemons - Barry Letts [57]
'What's the matter, Osgood?' he enquired gently. 'Want to get rid of me, do you? Fancy having a new Commanding Officer?'
'I'm sorry, sir,' gasped the poor Sergeant. 'It was the power, you see. The reaction was using it faster than it could build up.'
'I see. Can you do anything about it?'
'I'll try, sir.'
The Brigadier noticed an extra large switch on the back of the machine which Osgood so far hadn't used. 'What's that for?' he asked.
'It's a booster switch,' answered Osgood.
'A power booster?'
'Yes,
'Use that then.'
'But, sir, the Doctor said we weren't to—or rather, only in an emergency. He said it was too dangerous.'
'Mm. I see.'
'Give me a few more minutes. I'm sure I can do something.'
'Very well. But for Pete's sake be sure this time. I don't fancy being roasted alive...'
Sergeant Osgood gulped and turned back to the machine. Now then, it was a matter of balancing the input and the output. Some sort of homeostatic control; a negative feed back... He plunged back into his circuits desperately working out the figures in his head as his fingers fumbled with the wiring.
Mike Yates had a headache; his arms were twisted uncomfortably behind his back and he didn't know where he was. What was that chanting? Was he in church? Then why was he lying on the floor? With a shock like a blow to the heart, he remembered. Jo! They'd got Jo!
He rolled into a better position and started pulling frantically at the rope round his wrists. Hullo, it was loose! In a few moments he had managed to slip his hands free. Struggling into a sitting position he untied the knots at his ankles.
Now then, back to the Cavern. Hurrying to the door, he gently opened it a few inches, hoping that the noise of chanting would drown its creaking. He peeped through.
Yes, there she was: a pathetic little figure in a long white robe. But she was still safe, thank Heaven. Then he realised with a pang of horror that he had no chance of getting to her. Not only was she standing right by the Master at the Stone of Sacrifice, surrounded by the coven, but Bok was crouching not ten feet away from the door, eyes darting to and fro, obviously on guard. It was no good. He must get help. Closing the door quietly, he ran across the vestry and out of the door. Praise be, there was the Doctor!
'Doctor. Doctor! you must come. They've got Jo!'
'What?'
'They've got her in the Cavern, and Heaven knows what they're going to do to her. That creature's in there; the Master calls him Azal.'
'Azal!' said Miss Hawthorne in an awestruck voice. 'That's almost the same as Azael—and he was one of the fallen angels!'
Sergeant Benton already had his walkie-talkie out and was calling up the Brigadier.
'Give that to me, Sergeant,' snapped the Doctor. ' Hello, Brigadier? Are you there? '
' That you, Doctor? Over. '
' They've got Jo. That machine must come through now. NOW, do you understand? At once. There's no more time. '
' Wilco, Doctor. We're on our way. Out '
The Doctor handed the radio back to Benton . 'Right,' he said, 'some of you round to the side of the church. The rest of you come with me. Nobody's to do anything until I give the word. Understand?'
The villagers started to spread out, Bert Walker amongst them, hoping to slip away unobserved. But the giant hand of Wally Stead took hold of his attn. 'We'll stick together, shall we?' he said quietly.
At this moment however, the vestry door burst open and there, like a wicked toy, stood the little figure of Bok. The villagers recoiled in terror as the stone imp half flew, half hopped down the churchyard path and perched on the stone wall. Everybody's attention was riveted on the gargoyle. It was Bert's opportunity. Wrenching himself free from Wally, he ran forward towards the master's faithful