Doctor Who_ Nightshade - Mark Gatiss [43]
She stayed a good while after you left and we had a chat.
Trevithick gazed down at his pint. ‘I saw a figure. In the She did seem interested in the telescope, though, if that’s lamplight outside. Just for a moment. But it was familiar.
any help?’
And then, when I found my window smashed, there was a
‘Ah,’ said the Doctor. ‘No doubt she’s got ahead of herself terrible smell. And the voice...’
again. Thank you very much.’
‘Voice?’
Mrs Crithin smiled and turned back to her audience,
‘It said my name. But not Trevithick. It called me by the already geared up for another saucy Christmas tale.
name of my old character. It called me Nightshade.’
The Doctor threaded his way through the crowded room
‘What did you do?’
to Trevithick. The old man drained his pint and looked at The old man harrumphed a little. ‘I’m ashamed to say I the Doctor expectantly.
passed out.’
‘Any luck?’
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‘It seems my friend may have gone up to the radio
‘That’s all?’ Hawthorne’s narrow eyes dwindled into telescope. I’d better go and see.’
furious slits. ‘This is a government installation, young lady.
Trevithick nodded and shook hands with the Doctor We can’t just let all and sundry traipse through!’
effusively. ‘Thanks again for your help with Mrs Yeadon.
‘Look...’ said Ace.
Hope to see you again soon.’
‘What I can’t understand is what’s happened to our
‘Yes indeed.’ The Doctor was already turning for the door.
supposedly brilliant security system...’
From his crouched position on the stairs, Robin watched
‘Look!’ cried Ace angrily. ‘That’s what I’ve been trying to first the Doctor and then, after a protracted struggle into his tell you! I found a body outside.’
coat, Trevithick, disappear into the night.
‘A body?’ said Cooper incredulously.
Robin glanced up the stairs at his stepmother’s bedroom
‘Yes! Outside the fence. It was in uniform. Could’ve been door. She was sleeping peacefully now. She’d be all right. If a security guard.’
he could just have a word with the Doctor. Find out where
‘What did it look like then?’ Hawthorne cocked his head he and the girl were staying and get a chance to talk to her.
to one side.
Interesting women didn’t often come to Crook Marsham.
‘I don’t know. He was all rotten. Decomposed.’
With one last, guilty look up the stairs, he pulled on his
‘We’re wasting our time.’
coat and pushed his way outside into the freezing night.
‘Now look,’ said Cooper sternly. ‘If you think you can get out of trouble by making up cock-and-bull stories...’
‘Ace? What kind of a name is that?’ said Hawthorne
‘I saw it!’ yelled Ace.
witheringly.
‘Well, let’s go and have a look, shall we?’ Hawthorne
‘Does it matter?’
pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose.
Ace was alert now, her eyes flashing in agitation. Cooper
‘We can’t,’ sighed Ace hopelessly. ‘It melted away.’
and Hawthorne stood before her with arms crossed like
‘Came and went like a summer cloud, did it?’
angry parents.
‘All right, Tom, Leave it. Something’s obviously
‘What does matter, young lady, is what you’re doing in happened.’ Cooper turned and looked Ace in the eye. ‘If the this compound. Suppose you tell us that?’ Cooper’s face was phones were working I’d call the police. As it is, just think set in a stern frown.
yourself lucky...’
‘Look, I told you. I was in the village with my friend...’
There was a deafening screech as the entire room flooded
‘This...”Doctor”?’
with power. The strip lights flickered, died, and were
‘The Doctor, yes. He went off to the monastery and I got replaced by orange emergency lamps. Data screed across bored. I sneaked in here for a look around. That’s all.’
the consoles, forcing gauges and needles into irrational regions of the scale.
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‘Here we go again!’ cried Cooper, hands flapping at her
‘Her too.’ Ace indicated Holly with a nod of her head.
sides. ‘Quick, you - Ace - make yourself useful. Go to the Vijay jumped out of bed, clutching a blanket around his living quarters.