Doctor Who_ Prime Time - Mike Tucker [43]
All around them in the studio gallery technicians scurried to and fro, checking that the signal from studio one was still strong, cutting back and forth between the hundreds and hundreds of cameras that Lukos had installed in the Master’s TARDIS.
Saarl’s own team were hovering expectantly behind him.
Script doctors, make-up artists, personal trainers. Saarl cast a lecherous eye over one of the girls. He could think of better ways of spending the evening.
The board of governors seemed to find it entertaining.
They were all watching from the boardroom, but Saarl was beginning to feel very undervalued. He sneered at the image of the Doctor.
‘He’s not a leading man.’
Lukos’s face hardened.
‘What?’
‘Well look at him. All that overblown emotion. It’s a performance of the lowest possible quality. He gabbles his lines and his emphasis is in all the wrong places. No star quality.’ Saarl shook his head. ‘I’m really not taken, Lukos.’
‘I’m not paying you to give critiques of my shows, Roderik,’ snarled Lukos. ‘Just to do your job.’
‘How long is this going to go on for? How long are you going to play this out?’
‘To the end, my dear. You will find that I’m very good at surprise endings.’
Ace watched as the figures of the Doctor and the Master vanished into the shadows of the ruined building.
‘No, Doctor!’ Ace was screaming at the screen. ‘No!
Don’t trust him! You can’t trust him!’
She bolted for the cafe door. Trasker caught her by the arm. ‘Now hold on a minute...’
Ace tried to shake herself free, her eyes blazing. ‘Let go of me.’
‘Just tell me what the hell is going on!’
‘I’ve got to save him!’
‘You’re not going to save anyone if you go rushing off in this state.’
Ace pulled herself free, glaring at Trasker.
‘Ace, what’s wrong?’ Gatti looked frightened.
Ace straightened one of the fallen chairs and slumped into it. ‘He’s called the Master. He’s another Time Lord and the bastard will do anything he can to kill the Doctor.’ She punched at the table. ‘What the hell does he think he’s doing trusting him like that!’
Gatti was scrutinising the screen. ‘It looks as though he’s lost those jackal things.’
Ace shook her head. ‘My guess is that they’re all part of the same plan, all part of the same sick plot by those bastards at Channel 400.’
‘So what do we do now?’ Gatti asked.
Ace stood up. ‘I go back. I get back inside and help get the Doctor out of there.’
Trasker snorted. ‘And just how do you intend to do that?
From what I’ve heard you only just managed to get out of there in one piece.’
Ace turned on her angrily. ‘Look, I’m grateful that you got us away from those Channel 400 goons, and if you’ve got a problem with that company then that’s fine with me as well, but if you’re not going to help then just get out of my way!’
‘And just what the hell do you intend to do, Ace? Storm the gates?’
‘Not a bad idea. Either that or blow my way in.’ Ace shrugged on her jacket. She was fed up with being helpless.
She was going to get herself some insurance. She had always promised the Doctor that she would layoff with the nitro, stop using explosives as a solution to all problems, but there came a time when direct, loud and fiery arguments were all that there was left.
The TARDIS laboratory was well equipped, and there were chemicals that she had only dreamed about using. She had done enough experimentation to know that she could concoct some devastating pyrotechnics. Channel 400 might just get her angry enough to use them. ‘Come on, Gatti. I want to head over to the TARDIS. I’ve got some stuff there that might be of use.’
The two girls pushed open the door and headed out on to the street.
‘Ace.’ Trasker pushed after them, following them into the street. ‘Look, I’m sorry. You’re right, we’ve got to help your friend. All I’m saying is that we should get a plan together before we go rushing off blindly, all right?’
Ace nodded reluctantly. ‘You got any better