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'Lowlife,' Mullen had said flatly. 'One of McBride's narks.'

'Oh, yes. I met him at that bar Cody McBride likes to frequent. Hello...'

He had slipped easily into the chair behind Mullen's desk.

The chief inspector's office was tiny compared with McBride's, and not much more orderly. Empty cups stood in for the empty whisky bottles favoured by the American.

'Make yourself at home, Doctor,' Mullen had said under his breath, raising his eyes to the ceiling.

'Doctor?' said Sharkey's voice.

'Yes.'

'Today, in the bar, you got something out of me, and I got something out of you.'

'Go on.' The Doctor's voice was a low, alert purr.

And I reckon that what I got you're gonna want back You wouldn't want it... falling into the wrong hands.'

'I take it you're referring to the Cybermat that was in the pocket of my coat. Small metal rodent.'

'Yeah, that's it...'

'Mr Sharkey, I should warn you, as long as you carry that thing with you, you are in mortal danger. Dead it might be, but safe it is not.'

'Listen, Doctor. I want money for this. I reckon five thousand's about right. I'll be waiting where we met before.

You get the money together, but give it to someone else to bring here. I don't want you pulling that stunt with me again.

Get someone else tell them where to come.'

'You're not listening to me, man,' the Doctor had shouted.

'Get rid of that thing! Throw it in the river! You're in terrible danger!' But the line was dead.

The Doctor got up and began pacing about the tiny office, weaving an impossibly intricate trail of wet footprints.

'Doctor '

'Sharkey's got the Cybermat,' the Time Lord interrupted.

'The one we destroyed at McBride's office.'

And I suppose he wants money for it'

'The Cybermat is irrelevant. Anybody who possesses it is doomed. I believe the Cybermen are trying hard to conceal their presence here. They will locate and destroy that Cybermat utterly and completely and anybody who's around to see them do it. Come on!'

The Doctor marched from Mullen's office. The chief inspector hurried after him.

'Where are we going, Doctor?'

'To that bar. To prevent a massacre. Inspector, I want the address of that central blood collection point. I also want a list of all the companies in Britain and as many as you are aware of overseas who're engaged in the same sort of work as Peddler.'

'Duty sergeant!' Mullen yelled.

Alarm bell ringing, the companions roared out into the night for a second time in Mullen's big black car. The rain drove ahead of them.

'I think some time back you were in the middle of giving me an explanation Doctor,' the chief inspector said laconically.

'Very well, very well...' The Doctor sounded testy. 'Our Mr Wall and his large metal associates arrived, I believe, in the capsule. They are in hiding here, and are trying to conceal their presence hence their attempt to steal back the sphere...

hence, I believe, the murder of Dr Peddler?

'Peddler...' 'Peddler's secretary told us that he had received a visit from Mr Wall the day before. She also said she heard raised voices, and that Dr Peddler summoned security before they left. Obviously, Wall wanted something that Peddler could supply. He tried in some way to engage the services of Peddler, and Peddler obviously refused. He now knew too much, and so the Cybermen had him killed.'

'Sounds all right to me, Doctor.' 'No.' The Doctor brought his hand down heavily against the dashboard. 'I don't like it. Why would Wall need to have Peddler killed? Surely, Peddler can't have learned much in a single meeting. Why was Peddler so terrified? And why did they fall almost immediately into fighting? No, Mr Wall and Dr Peddler are old acquaintances.'

Outside the airraid sirens were beginning to sound. 'How much do you know about Dr Peddler's past, Inspector?'

'Nothing, really?' 'And could you find anything?' Mullen scratched his chin. Military Intelligence would have a file. We could always ask Major Lazonby.' The drone of the Luftwaffe was already overhead. In the