Doctor Who_ Left-Handed Hummingbird - Kate Orman [95]
The Time Lord’s mouth is open, his eyes are closed, his head is tilted back slightly. A great flurry of electric blue sparkles swirl around him, cascading up in a spiral from his shoes to his hair. There is an expression on his face which is not pain, which is something beyond pain, some intolerable awareness.
Cris has not seen this before. But he knows what it is. A great hand reaches for the Doctor, like a mother snatching at a wayward child.
The sound comes together in a sudden crash – and then silence.
The Doctor opens his eyes. Cristián moves backwards, too frightened to know what to think, what to do. The Blue is coming from the Doctor. From the Doctor. He’s shining with it, it’s like trying to look into the sun, into the sun –
All at once the little man sways and falls forwards. Cristián has caught him before he knows what he’s doing.
The Doctor’s hands catch at him, searching for support. Cristián flinches, frantic to get away from that Blue. Fingers dig into his arm, try to‐hold him, but they’re insubstantial as a bubble on the breeze. What happened, he doesn’t ask, because he doesn’t want to know.
‘We killed someone,’ the Doctor gasps, and he’s solid again, gripping Cristián’s jacket. ‘Huitzilin killed someone.’ He starts to laugh. ‘Oh we killed someone.’
A final coruscation of sparks explodes around the Doctor, matching his laughter. Cristián drops him and backs off.
‘You see?’ says Cristián furiously. ‘You see what I mean? This isn’t just between you and him. Everyone here is involved! Everyone!’
‘Don’t leave me.’
‘I can’t stay with you. I can’t.’
‘Please.’
Cristián hears his internal voice shouting do it without thinking, don’t think about it! He grabs the Doctor and hauls him to his feet, all the while thinking about his grandmother, the talcum smell of her make‐up and clothes. The Time Lord is shaking all over. Mother of God, thinks Cristián, this could be happening to him. And he would have drowned in that first wave of Blue, never could have lasted this long. Only the Doctor could trap Huitzilin like this, trap him on board a doomed ship, trap him inside his own flesh and blood.
A young gentleman and his lady friend stroll into the foyer, say,’ he calls out. ‘What’s the matter with your friend?’
‘He’s seasick,’ says Cristián.
‘Seasick? On the Titanic?’ The couple walk on, laughing.
Behind them, the clock begins to strike ten. ‘We have to get to Sir Charles’s cabin,’ says the Doctor.
‘The meeting,’ says Cristián.
‘No,’ says the Doctor. ‘That’s who we killed.’
* * *
10.00 pm
Bernice brought Ace breakfast on a silver tray. The younger woman was sitting up in bed, looking as though she’d rather be anywhere else.
‘Take it easy,’ said Benny, parking the tray in Ace’s lap. ‘You nearly died. Just get your breath back.’
‘Where is he?’ said Ace. ‘What’s he doing?’
Benny put a hand on her forehead. ‘You’re going to love this,’ she said. ‘He’s on board the Titanic. We’re parked in a cargo hold while he and Cristián look for the codex.’
Ace did a soldier thing, which was to keep on eating while the bombs came down around her ears. ‘What happened?’ she said.
‘Oh,’ said Bernice lightly, ‘Huitzilin had a go at you. But you’re all right now. Once we’ve got that book, everything will be fine.’
Ace looked at her strangely, but it was clear that she didn’t remember anything. Probably for the best, thought Benny. No. Definitely for the best. ‘How do you feel?’
‘He’s gone,’ said Ace. ‘He was here and now he’s gone. I guess he had something better to do.’
‘Huitzilin?’
‘Yeah.’ Ace picked up a slice of bacon between her fingers and chewed it thoughtfully. ‘The Titanic. I guess it was inevitable we got here eventually…’ They looked at one another.
Benny said, ‘I keep thinking back to the good old days when we all got on so well.’
‘We never got on so well,’ said Ace.
‘No,’ said Benny. ‘I guess you can’t stuff three personalities this strong into a phone booth and not have some conflict. I’ve been thinking… perhaps two’s company.’
Ace looked surprised,