Doctor Who_ Prime Time - Mike Tucker [38]
Another figure shambled from the shadows, pushing a gleaming chrome trolley. ‘You were more fortunate, at least they left most of you.’
Greg felt his blood run cold. He stretched his neck, staring at the reflection in the polished metal. His legs...
He was violently sick.
The first cowled figure tutted. ‘It is of no consequence.
You will be given far more efficient limbs.’ The creature lifted a cloth from the steel trolley. Knife blades glinted under the lights.
‘Who are you?’ Greg’s voice was little more than a hoarse whisper.
The creatures leant over him, and Greg struggled to get the scream out as the light shone on their ravaged faces.
‘We are the Fleshsmiths, and we are going to make you more efficient.’
Greg continued to scream and scream as the knives descended.
‘It’s OK, I think we’ve lost them.’ Ace skidded to a halt, panting, her breath forming clouds in the cold Blinnati night Gatti stopped and jogged back up the hill towards her.
‘Dad’s spinner is just around the corner.’
‘Yeah, well, I suspect that they know that as well.’
Gatti looked concerned. ‘You think they’re going to be waiting?’
Ace took another deep lungful of cold air and nodded.
‘Could be. Let’s just not go running straight into them, eh?’
The two girls started to edge towards the perimeter wall, Ace keeping them in the shadows as her eyes scanned the surrounding woodland for any sign of pursuit. She peered around the corner. The road was deserted, the sleek metal shape of the spinner glinting in the first glimmers of morning light.
‘Is it there?’ Gatti tried to peer around her. Ace pushed her back impatiently.
‘Yes it’s there.’
‘Thank Harvest for that.’
Gatti made to move forward, but Ace grasped her arm.
‘Hang on a minute.’
Gatti shook herself free. ‘Come on, girl, they’ve missed it.
We can be out of here in seconds.’
She started to walk towards the spinner, rummaging in her pockets for the key. ‘Dad would have killed me if anything had happened to it.’
Ace followed her cautiously. Gatti leant down to unlock the door. ‘He’s probably going to kill me anyway...’
‘Gatti... !’
A commissionaire stepped from the shadows of the wall.
Ace surged forward, skidding over the roof of the spinner, her booted feet slamming into the stomach of the guard and sending him sprawling into the undergrowth. There was the sharp report of a tape gun and a stream of sticky scarlet ribbons sprayed past Ace’s head. She grasped Gatti by the sleeve and hauled her down the hill. The girl was almost hysterical. ‘What are we going to do?’
‘Head for the main road!’
Ace could feel her heart pounding. More and more red-uniformed figures were looming from the shadows. An ambush. Every move seemed to be anticipated. Ace felt a surge of panic. Every second that she spent out here was a second that she wasn’t helping the Doctor. She had to find out what was going on.
Gatti stumbled, almost fell, and Ace dragged her back on to her feet. Another stream of red whistled past her.
‘Come on, Gatti! We’re almost there!’
Ahead of them Ace could hear the rush of traffic, see the glow of headlights lighting up the trees. With a final burst of energy she pushed Gatti forward through the undergrowth.
Traffic surged past them, a constant stream of lights and noise. Ace started waving her arms, screaming at the cars to stop. She could hear the guards crashing through the undergrowth behind them. Gatti looked at her in panic. ‘No one’s going to stop, Ace! No one’s going to stop!’
Ace grabbed her hand and began to haul her along the hard shoulder of the road. A juggernaut thundered past drenching them both with spray. Ace flicked the hair out of her eyes and began to wave her arms wildly. She was dangerously close to the speeding vehicles, the headlights were almost blinding her.
The pursuing commissionaires had pushed their way through the foliage and were starting along the hard shoulder after them. If they didn’t get moving soon...
‘Ace! Look out!’
Ace spun round in time to see a blur of metal race