Doctor Who_ Halflife - Mark Michalowski [78]
spoiled brat, certainly. But it took some guts to stand up to Mr Smuggo. ‘You answer to my father,’ she said as imperiously as she could. ‘And to his family.
Not to this. . . this offworlder. Now get out of our way.’
Sensimi was, thankfully for once, every inch the haughty Little Princess.
She tipped back her chin, and flounced straight up the stairs past Trove and the Guard. Trying not to smirk, Fitz led the rest of them after her and out of the cellar.
‘Just one thing,’ said the Doctor airily as he paused in the doorway. Fitz turned, assuming he was talking to him. But the Doctor was looking at Trove.
‘You wouldn’t happen to have anything to do with this wave thing that’s heading towards the city, would you? Only I expect it’ll be arriving in a couple of hours, and I really think someone ought to tell the authorities before we all die.’
‘Did I hear you right?’ asked Fitz of the Doctor as they trooped back up the stairs after Sensimi. He glanced past him to see a very worried-looking Trove staring up at them.
‘What? Oh, the wave. Did I forget to mention it? Well, there’s a sort of energy wave heading towards the city. I expect it’ll arrive in –’
‘Yes, yes, I got that. An energy wave? Heading towards the city? And something about dying. All of us? And you didn’t think to mention it?’ Fitz stared at him in disbelief and the Doctor pulled a ‘sorry’ face.
‘I’ve had a lot on my mind recently. Or not, I suppose.’ He brightened up, and began pushing Fitz on after the others. ‘Anyway, I was exaggerating just a little. As long as everyone gets themselves up into their bedrooms – or attics, just to be sure – there shouldn’t be much of a problem.’
‘Nice to hear it.’ Fitz didn’t feel very convinced. But, on the landing above, Sensimi was standing, waiting for them alongside Calamee. Even beneath her skin colour, Fitz could see that she was flushed – angry about Trove, no doubt, and probably not in much of a mood to wait for him and the Doctor to have a cosy little chat.
Back in the cellar, the Guard hovered awkwardly for a few moments until Trove dismissed them. In silence, he stared back down the cellar steps at the night beast. It was eyeing him coldly. Trove descended the steps and approached the cage, making sure to keep out of the reach of its arms.
‘I know what you are,’ he whispered. ‘And I know where you’re from.’
The beast just stared up at him.
A few hours ago, knowing that this thing was here might have given him an advantage: he could have released it and followed it – like he’d heard the Doctor suggesting. But if what he’d also said about the wave was true, then 141
things had already progressed too far. It was time, for some high-level surveillance. He had to work out where the centre of the wave was. He paused, noting the open door that led into another of the cellar’s chambers. What else did the princess have concealed down here? Standing in the darkness, far too big to have been carried through the doorway, was a tall box.
‘ How long?’ Sensimi stared at the Doctor, her hands on her hips and her eyes and nostrils flaring. She’d clearly waited until she knew they were following, and then stormed back to her room, the others following on behind like straggling ducklings. The face like thunder she wore told Fitz that she must have overheard the Doctor’s comment to Trove.
‘It’s hard to tell, really,’ said the Doctor, glancing sheepishly at Fitz. ‘It all depends on its acceleration. I’d guess at a couple of hours – three, maybe four.’
‘Some. . . some thing is going to hit the Palace in a couple of hours and you’ve only just thought to mention it?’
‘Oh, be fair,’ the Doctor said, looking hurt again. ‘Calamee here knew about it too – it’s not all my fault.’
‘Thanks very much, Doctor. If it hadn’t been for me –’
‘Oi! Oi!’ barked Fitz as Looloo scuttled beneath the bed. ‘Can we stop this?
It’s not helping anyone. This wave, Doctor. What does it do? Is it actually dangerous?’
‘Ah, well, that depends on how you define dangerous.’
Fitz stared at him.