Doctor Who_ Last of the Gaderene - Mark Gatiss [75]
The Master nodded to himself. ‘Then all I need to do is remodulate the signal to make it more localised.’ He pointed a black-gloved finger at Whistler. ‘So that only the embryo within him is summoned.’
Dexterously, he punched a series of commands into the complex machinery. A soft chiming sound began to emanate from the desk. He adjusted a button and the pitch of the sound dropped. A further, delicate adjustment and the sound became scarcely audible.
The Master’s intense gaze swept over the console screens.
Bliss stared at Whistler’s vacuously grinning face and shook her head.
‘It isn’t working.’
The Master held up his hand. ‘Patience, patience.’
He stabbed at a button and a series of numbers appeared on the glowing panel.
There was a sudden, ugly, burping gulp and something shifted inside Whistler’s face.
‘There!’ hissed the Master. ‘There!’
Spindly legs, like pale, hollow straws, were appearing at the corners of the old man’s grinning mouth as the embryo within him was summoned. The tendrils waved about in agitation, pressing into his cheeks and nose.
Bliss stared anxiously at the thing as it crawled from the Wing Commander’s face. She waited a full minute until the bulk of its slimy body was exposed and then carefully, tenderly, pulled it from his mouth. Its fleshy body flowed over her hands like wet dough. The Master grimaced.
With a wet slap, Bliss placed the thing on the carpet where it writhed in confusion, its legs scrabbling at the air.
The Master tutted. ‘Brave little soldier.’
Bliss glared at him, then touched her forehead and chest three times, finally placing the flat of her palm over her heart.
‘This Gaderene has served us well. He may die with honour.’
The creature on the floor had begun to crawl pathetically back towards Whistler.
Bliss lifted her foot and, with deadly accuracy, brought down her heel on the embryo’s head. Its transparent skin popped and blistered as its life was extinguished.
Bliss let out a low groan, as though appalled at what she’d had to do.
She looked down at the shattered remains of the embryo at her feet and then swung round to point at Whistler. ‘Now,’ she barked. ‘Get the information out of him!’
The Master came round from behind the desk and leant over Whistler, his hands clasping the arms of the chair.
‘Mr Whistler?’
Whistler groaned. Saliva and a small amount of blood tumbled from his lips.
‘Mr Whistler,’ continued the Master. ‘Wing Commander.
How’re you feeling?’
Whistler managed to open his bloodshot eyes.
The Master’s expression became stern. ‘You know who I am. I am the Master. Now, tell me. The final part. The ninth key. Where is it? Where is it? ’
The Doctor stared at the horrible sight of the infected villagers staggering towards him like gas-blinded soldiers.
‘Great Scott,’ whispered the Brigadier. ‘What do we do, Doctor?’
He raised his revolver. Most of the UNIT troops were now assembled around the cottage, bristling with weapons.
‘You can’t shoot at them!’ cried Noah.
The Doctor shook his head. ‘No. You can’t. They’re merely the vessels for these creatures. Without them, the people of this village might be entirely human again.’
Benton gestured helplessly.
‘But we have to do something, Doctor. They’ll be all over us in a few minutes.’
The Doctor frowned. ‘I wonder... This could be some kind of distraction.’
Noah winced as he saw the vile creature occupying his father suddenly move within his mouth and widen his lips into a taut, manic grin.
The villagers’ pace suddenly increased. They rushed forward en masse, arms outstretched.
The Brigadier turned to Yates. ‘Captain Yates! Fire at their feet. See if they react.’
Yates nodded. ‘Right away, sir.’
He turned to address the line of troops and barked an order. At once, a volley of shots rang out, splintering the road at the villagers’ feet. Chips of tarmac bounced upwards cutting into flesh but the possessed people lumbered on.
The UNIT troops rapidly reloaded.