Doctor Who_ Hope - Mark Clapham [0]
Hope
by Mark Clapham
In the future the city of Hope isnt a place for the weak.
The air is thick with fog. The sea burns. Law and order are a thing of the past. Headless corpses are being found at the edge of the city, and the militia cant find the killer. Members of a deranged cult mutilate themselves while plotting the deaths of their enemies.
Even the Doctor cant see any possibility of redemption for this cursed place. All he wants to do is leave, but to do so he needs the TARDIS and the TARDIS is lost in the depths of a toxic sea. When the most powerful man on the planet offers to retrieve the TARDIS for a price the Doctor has no choice but to accept.
But while the Doctor is hunting a killer, another offer is being made one which could tear the Doctor and his companions apart.
This is another in the series of original adventures for the Eighth Doctor.
Contents Prologue Dont Forget to Catch Me Part I Headhunt
1 Out of the Box
2 The Only Way is Up
3 A Fistful of Fingers
4 Fight Pub II Escalation
5 Fear of Flying
6 No More Time Outs
7 Secret Origins
8 Turning on a Dime III Beyond the Sea
9 Downward Spirals
10 Human Factors
11 Storm Front
12 Blue Sky Propositions IV The Silver Age
13 Paranoia
14 Chaingun Diplomacy
15 Same Old Brand New You
16 Closure Epilogue Tonight We Fly Acknowledgements About the Author Credits
Dedicated to the coauthors who got me where I am today:
Lance Parkin, Simon BucherJones and Jonathan de Burgh Miller.
Prologue
Dont Forget to Catch Me
Cool water rippled in the afternoon sun, coursing over the two ramps of shiny black rock. The water flowed smoothly down the polished twin surfaces, the only obstacle in its constant descent the mapleleaf motifs carved into the rock, emblems of the country whose soldiers the memorial commemorated.
In two world wars, one million Canadians came to Britain and joined the fight for freedom, said Dave Young, reading from the engraved disc on the ground nearby. From danger shared our friendship prospered.
Its beautiful, said Anji Kapoor. She stepped up behind Dave and gave him a hug, standing on tiptoe to kiss the back of his neck. And you always read so nicely. Dave was an actor, his speaking voice one of his great assets.
Thanks, said Dave, gently turning in her arms and snaking his own arms around her waist. He held her close, kissed her on the lips, then pulled back.
Come on, he said, thinking of the ageing Canadian tourists nearby. I dont think this is appropriate behaviour for a war memorial.
Green Park in the summer was full of tourists, yellow backpacks and clicking cameras everywhere. From where Anji and Dave sat, in the shade of an ancient tree, they could see summerschool students clambering over the nearby Victoria Monument, while others peered through the railings around Buckingham Palace. So much activity, so much eagerness tosee and todo . It was days like this Anji felt lucky to live in London, to be able to live with its sights and sounds, get to know them in her own time rather than rush around the place on a tour bus. To find a tall tree in the heart of the city, and sit beneath it in the arms of her boyfriend.
When Im dead and gone, said Anji jokingly, pointing to the monument, will you have a tacky gold statue put up in my memory?
Dave shivered, even though it was a warm day. Anji felt him hold her slightly tighter. Dont joke about that. Im not letting you die any time soon.
Sorry, Anji said quietly. I havent got you down, have I? She tugged his sleeve affectionately.
Nah, said Dave hesitantly. Its just I dont like thinking about it. Neither of us is going to live forever. He wrapped his arm around her, kissing the back of her neck.
She wriggled in his grasp, turning around to face him. His expression seemed haunted, far removed from the usual carefree Dave.
Hey, Anji said firmly, giving him a chastening slap on the shoulder. This is silly. Its not like either of us is going to drop