Doctor Who_ The Algebra of Ice - Lloyd Rose [48]
‘I don’t know.’
That made sense to Brett. Probably found him through UNIT. They seemed to know everything. He lit a cigarette and smoked for a few minutes, thinking.
‘He wanted you to continue with Unwin’s equations.’
‘Yes.’
‘Did he say why?’
‘No.’
Brett bent over him. ‘Are you sure?’
‘Yes.’
Brett pressed his cigarette against Ethan’s cheek. He cried out and jerked spastically away. ‘Absolutely sure?’
Ethan nodded. His eyes were closed, but Brett knew that when he opened them there would be tears there. ‘A cigarette’s nothing, you know. Even a hot kettle can do more damage. And one can escalate from there.’
‘I’m sure,’ Ethan whispered desperately. ‘I am.’
‘And you’re also sure you don’t know where to find him?’
‘I don’t.’
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The Algebra of Ice
After some firm touches with the cigarette, Brett decided to believe him. He was clearly not dealing with a professional who’d been trained to resist this kind of treatment. It wasn’t that civilians were less brave, but they weren’t mentally prepared. ‘How do you contact him?’
‘He just comes by.’
‘You don’t know how to contact him?’
‘No.’
Brett lit a fresh cigarette and after a few minutes’ interrogation decided again to believe him.
‘How often does he drop in?’
‘I don’t know. Once a week maybe.’
‘Now,’ said Brett, ‘you are lying to me.’ He jerked off Ethan’s right shoe and sock and snuffed the cigarette on his sole. Ethan screamed. ‘How often?’
‘When he feels like it. Every day or so.’
‘Was he supposed to come by today?’
‘I don’t know what today is,’ Ethan groaned. ‘Please. . . ’
‘It’s Monday.’
‘He comes when he wants.’
‘Oh hell.’ Irritably, Brett lit a third cigarette. ‘Don’t treat me like a fool. If he’s got you working on those equations of Pat’s, he’s coming by all the time.
And wants to be certain you’re there. Now, was he supposed to see you today?’
And he pressed his thumb into the burn.
He had to do this several times before Ethan blurted out that yes, he was, that morning. Brett dropped his foot and considered. That meant today was probably wasted; by the time he could get up to London it would be past lunchtime.
He sensed that the Doctor was not the sort to sit around waiting on events.
He’d be trying to find his missing friend. There must be ways to exploit that. . .
He burned Ethan a few more times, to give him something to think about, and went upstairs.
He found Unwin in the long gallery, already half drunk. ‘I could hear him,’
Unwin slurred. ‘I could hear him!’
‘In future I’ll gag him.’
‘Future? For God’s sake. . . ’
‘Oh shut up, Pat. He’s a tougher little sod than he looks. He should have been sobbing and blabbering; spending the night in that chair was supposed to soften him up.’
‘You won’t do that to him again, will you? I don’t think –’
Chapter Twelve
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‘No. I’ll just leave him down there.’
‘But. . . ’
‘He’s not tied,’ said Brett impatiently. ‘I left him water. How much longer will it take you to analyse what he’s done with your numbers?’
‘Several hours at least. His ideas are really quite soph-’
‘Good. He’ll be nicely impressionable by then. He’s going to help you, of course.’
‘Of course,’ said Unwin miserably.
I KNOW WHO MADE THE CIRCLE
HAVE YOU STOPPED HIM
I DON’T HAVE HIM YET
WHO IS HE
HE’S CALLED THE DOCTOR
Brett waited for a few minutes.
ARE YOU CERTAIN
YES
More minutes passed.
THIS IS DISTURBING
WHY?
HE IS DANGEROUS
YOU ALREADY KNEW THAT
VERY DANGEROUS
YOU KNOW OF HIM?
HE IS KNOWN IN ALL PLACES
Good God, Brett thought curiously. This was getting interesting.
THEN HE IS AN ALIEN?
HE IS NOT HUMAN
WHO IS HE?
HE IS NOT HUMAN.
Back to the Ouija board. Irritably, Brett typed: I NEED INFORMATION IF I AM TO STOP HIM.
WAIT
Time passed. Brett leaned back with his feet on the desk and lit another cigarette. Through the smoke, he gazed musingly at the ceiling. There was, he realised, at least one way to try to contact this Doctor. A long shot, admittedly, but by no means a ridiculous one. He looked over as words began to appear on the screen.
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The Algebra