Doctor Who_ Prime Time - Mike Tucker [82]
The DNA sequencer dominated the room, a huge mass of waist-thick pipes and vicious needles, like some huge baroque organ.
The Doctor stood in the shadows, staring up at it, then slipped through a dark arch into the base of the machine.
Ace choked back her revulsion. The creature was humanoid, but there was no way that it could ever be described as human.
The skin was raw and wet, thick pulsing cables winding back and forth across the body, plunging into flesh then bursting out again. Scars crisscrossed the face, pulling the skin tight around the gleaming camera eye. The other eye was human, constantly moving, full of pain and fear.
Ace backed away as the creature lurched into the office. It held out a clawed hand.
‘Ace...’ The voice was a gravelly whisper. ‘Help me.’
Ace peered at the ruined face. There was something familiar, something behind the scars and twisted flesh. The creature stumbled forward.
‘They did this to me.’ He turned towards Lukos. ‘He did this to me.’
Lukos was shaking with fear. He scrabbled across the floor, clutching at his bleeding shoulder. ‘Shoot it Trasker! For God’s sake, Rennie, shoot it before it gets me.’
The creature swung round towards Trasker.
‘Rennie?’ There was pleading in the voice. ‘Rennie is that you?’
Trasker backed away, swinging the gun up. ‘Keep away from me.’
‘It’s me, don’t you remember?’
‘Your answers please, ladies and gentlemen. Only thirty seconds remaining.’ Breame’s voice echoed around the office.
‘Surely you remember.’
‘I told you to stay back!’ The gun roared.
The creature bellowed in pain, collapsing to its knees. It clutched at its chest, watching the blood trickle through its fingers. It looked up again. ‘They killed Eeji...’
‘Oh, what a clue!’ burbled Breame. ‘Surely you can get it now! One-time partner of the Monteekan called Eeji Tek, leading light of the independent sector, ex-boyfriend of Rennie Trasker...’
Recognition flooded over Ace. She felt sick. ‘Greg?’
Gatti screamed.
Trasker covered her mouth in horror. ‘Oh God, no.’ The gun slipped from her fingers. ‘Greg... ?’
The creature that had been Greg Ashby reached out with crooked hands, its mouth twisting horribly as it tried to force out words, then it collapsed into the spreading pool of’ blood.
Trasker sank to her knees. Ace swept the gun up from the floor, but Trasker just sat staring at the body of her old lover, twisted beyond recognition by the Fleshsmiths.
Slowly she turned to Lukos. ‘You did this?’
Lukos held up his hands,‘I didn’t know. I thought they’d killed him.’
‘And that’s better?’ Trasker’s voice was a shriek. ‘How many other have been butchered for your ratings you animal!’
With a scream she launched herself at Lukos. Ace and Gatti caught her, holding her back as she tore at them.
‘I’m going to kill him.’
‘No,’ said Ace. ‘That’s my job.’
The Doctor stepped from the base of the DNA sequencer, wiping his hands on the tatters of his jacket.
There was a soft chuckle from the darkness. The Master.
The Doctor squinted into the gloom. ‘Do I take it that you have managed to extricate yourself from our Zzinbriizi friends without any help from me, then?’
The Master stepped into a pool of light, immaculate and elegant, his dark eyes twinkling with amusement.
‘You really aren’t looking your best, Doctor.’
‘I’ll survive.’
The Master shook his head. ‘I don’t think so, I’m afraid.’
The lights came on. The Doctor shaded his eyes, dazzled by the glare. All around him the Fleshsmiths shambled forward hissing angrily.
The Master chuckled darkly. ‘Our friends were concerned about your wellbeing. They were worried that you wouldn’t get your moment of fame.’
The Doctor stared levelly at him. ‘So after everything, it comes down to this. Simple betrayal.’
The Master shrugged his shoulders. ‘They offered a proposition, Doctor. My help in capturing you...’
‘In return for your new body.’
‘Precisely. I knew you would head here. I’m delighted to say that you have acted precisely to plan.’
‘I’m delighted that