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By Root 1126 0

said, playing for time. „I don‟t remember him agreeing to that.‟ It looked as though he was going to have to make a break for it and hope that the police were bad shots. He couldn‟t allow himself to be locked up again and lose any chance to sort out this mess. And besides that, this was showing all the signs of being one of those brain-threatening frame-ups that seemed to be happening with startling regularity. Four armed policemen might be a bit of a risk but he didn‟t really have much choice as far as he could see. Two more policemen came into the foyer from the direction of the locker rooms. „Nothing,‟ one of them said.

Another one wandered in and shook his head. The Doctor decided to re-examine his plan. His natural optimism and his best efforts to think positively did not convince him that the chances of breaking free of seven armed policemen and then escaping in one piece were good.

„I think temporary restraints are called for,‟ the man who had hit the Doctor said. „In fact I‟m calling for them.‟ He gestured to the man who had wandered in last. „They‟re in the first runner. Go fetch.‟

The man went outside but came back in almost immediately, followed by an irritated-looking Ronick. „What are you doing with my prisoner?‟ he demanded, jerking his head in the direction of the Doctor. „I didn‟t bring him here for your scuffling benefit.‟

„Driftkiller?‟ the man who had done the hitting said. „I said that was you.‟ He glanced at the others. „Didn‟t I say that was him? I said that was you.‟

„Right, well we‟ve established that it‟s me,‟ Ronick said.

„Now what are you doing with my prisoner?‟

„You let him go.‟

Ronick gestured at himself and his presence in the foyer. „It scuffling looks like it doesn‟t it,‟ he said scathingly.

„As it happens,‟ the man said, „yes it does.‟

„We left him here to collect some personal effects, you scuffwit. You know: valuable personal effects?‟

„There isn‟t anything - we‟ve checked.‟

„You‟ve checked,‟ Ronick snorted. „No problem then. You and this bunch of rejects from traffic control have checked.‟

He shook his head and sighed. „You‟re not dealing with some small-time thief here. This is the Doctor and he‟s in it and digging deep. Why do you suppose I sent him in on his own?‟

The Doctor smiled thinly. „I‟m sorry to have wasted your time, Sergeant Ronick,‟ he said with what he hoped was the right note of knowing disdain. „I‟d quite forgotten that I keep absolutely nothing of value on the premises.‟

Ronick stared at him speculatively for a moment or two and then turned his attention back to the policeman. „What I propose,‟ Ronick said, making it ponderously clear that it was much more than a proposal, „is that my driver and I take him for a little tour in the runner while you and this fine body of men make yourselves scarce.‟

„Yeah we‟re going to do that.‟

„I‟ll see you and your lads are looked after.‟

„He‟s under arrest.‟ The man cast a nervous glance towards the Enforcer. „He‟s under arrest for murder and he‟s not even in restraints.‟

„I‟ll put a couple of temporaries on him.‟ Ronick flashed the remains of one of Sita‟s wrist bands, taking care to conceal the cut. „What‟ve you got to lose? He makes a move, I‟ll kill him, right there right then. Save us all a lot of hassle.‟

The Enforcer bristled with sudden indignation. „The Doctor is under my personal protection,‟ he said. „I am here to make sure that nothing happens to jeopardise his legal position, and to escort him directly to the Court of Attack.‟

„Who is this again?‟ Ronick asked.

„I am the Enforcer of the Guild of Agents.‟

Ronick said, „I‟m impressed. Now shut your scuffling mouth or you‟ll find yourself under arrest along with this curly-haired streak of slime.‟ He beckoned the Doctor with an imperious finger. „And don‟t be here when we get back, all right?‟ he said to the assembled policemen as he bundled the Doctor through the door and hustled him out across the compound towards the waiting runner.

„I don‟t think I care for curly-haired streak of slime,‟ the Doctor murmured.

„I think it sums you up quite well