Doctor Who_ Earthworld - Jacqueline Rayner [20]
‘You’re right, Beezee,’ he said. ‘That was a way to distract me. Well done, Anji.’ But then he looked at the still closed door, and back at the sonic screwdriver, and up at the door again. ‘Oh dear,’ he said. ‘I think I need to be distracted a bit more.’
After that look, Anji wasn’t sure she wanted to give it another go. Of course, she didn’t want to stay in this cell for ever, either. But the Doctor – he was supposed to be the good guy. She’d never dreamed that someone like that could suddenly become so terrifying. . .
And suddenly his face changed again. ‘I hate being locked up!’ he cried, thumping the door.
And it slid open.
The Doctor’s face split in the widest grin Anji had ever seen. He punched the air and gave a silent ‘Yes!’ to the world. The boys were less quiet, whooping and calling until Anji hurriedly shushed them, fearing guards. ‘Well done, Doctor,’
she whispered. ‘I knew you could do it.’
‘I’m glad you did,’ he whispered back, looking her straight in the eye. ‘I’m glad you did.’
Anji put her blazer back on, picked up her bag, and reluctantly squeezed her sore feet back into her shoes. It was like. . . like she was popping out after work, not like she was about to venture into killer-robot territory on an alien planet. She felt she should be reacting more. But, just at the moment, she couldn’t.
They left the cell, the Doctor almost pantomime with his ‘let’s creep out quietly’ gestures and whispered suggestions. Anji thought she could remember the way she’d been brought to the cell, and could navigate them back; the boys thought they could find their way out of the palace from there. Then there was only the question of whether they could steal – borrow, Anji’s naturally lawful mind substituted – a vehicle, or whether they’d have to walk all the way to the complex. She really, really hoped they’d find a car. Then they were going to try to find more or less the same spot where Anji and the Doctor had come out, so they could retrace the route and have a good starting point for locating Fitz.
Anji tried to think of some positive things to say about Fitz to motivate them in their task, but, unfortunately, nothing came to mind.
History’s What You Make It
39
The Doctor claimed to have an unerring sense of direction, and was convinced he could find the three princesses without actually knowing where they were to start with. ‘It’ll be easy to distinguish the living quarters from the more functional areas like this,’ he said. ‘And if no one’s allowed to see these girls, there’ll probably be only one set of guards to get through and then I’m home free.’ His face crumpled slightly as he said that, Anji wasn’t sure why. ‘And,’
the Doctor continued, recovering rapidly – if, indeed, she hadn’t imagined it to start with, ‘I can usually bluff my way anywhere.’
She hoped he could. Anji shot him a secret, pleading, don’t-abandon-me look, and he grinned back at her encouragingly. ‘It’s all going to be fine,’ he said, taking in all four of them. Then a special direct look at Anji. ‘Don’t worry.
Oh, and –’ he dived into one of his pockets – ‘this might come in handy.’ He pulled out his hand – and presented Anji with a full roll of Elastoplast. She could have kissed him. And with that, he flew off down the corridor, leaving Anji and the ANJI boys to creep out alone.
Chapter Three
Killing Queens
Three girls sat in a row, each on a golden throne. One wore blue, one wore orange, one wore green. There was no other way to tell them apart physically.
Each had bobbed blonde hair and blue eyes; all would generally be considered pretty.
At the bottom of the steps to the thrones stood two figures, a middle-aged woman in fine velvet robes and a caul, and a hooded man. Between them was a wooden block.
The girl in the blue dress stood up from the central throne. ‘You have been convicted of treachery; of plotting against us. Do you have anything to say?’
The woman fell to her knees, crying. ‘I am innocent! I beg you to pardon me!’
The green-robed girl giggled, not rising. ‘Don’t think so!’
‘You’re going