Doctor Who_ The Algebra of Ice - Lloyd Rose [56]
‘I mean it, Ace. You have to leave Brett alone. If you make this personal –’
‘ Personal? If I hadn’t made it personal, you’d still be in that cellar – unless you think whatsisname here –’
‘Molecross,’ Molecross said unhappily. ‘Will the two of you shut up? We must get out of here.’
To his surprise, this had some effect. No one said anything more until they had manoeuvred Ethan down the ladder and hobbled through a patch of forest to a farm vehicle track where Ace had parked a UNIT jeep. She helped Ethan into the back seat, where he lay on his back, teeth chattering. Seeing his wounds clearly now, Molecross realised they were burns. He felt dizzy and held on to the door. ‘Right.’ Ethan settled, Ace got into the driver’s seat. ‘You have a car?’
‘Down the road.’
‘All right. Thanks.’
And before Molecross could say anything, she drove away. He gaped after her. The bitch! After all he’d done, the risks he’d taken. Amberglass hadn’t thanked him, either – well, he wasn’t in very good shape, and maybe he didn’t owe Molecross thanks for getting him out of a situation Molecross had got him into. But that Ace girl was the limit. And where had the Doctor been? He was the real cause of all this trouble. Dropping in and getting people tortured.
Hadn’t even bothered to help with the rescue, only sent this obnoxious girl to do the heavy lifting. He’d been in real danger in there and –
It struck him that he was in real danger now, if Brett happened to check the cellar and come searching the grounds. He ran for his car.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Yet again, Molecross returned to the UNIT hospital ward. His maimed wrist needed attention. The effort involved in rescuing Amberglass had caused split-ting and bleeding. It also turned out, when the nurse undid his bandages, that one of the stitched wounds wasn’t healing properly and had become infected.
Molecross was discovered to have a fever of over 40◦C.
He exhibited signs of emerging feverish hysteria. ‘You must help me,’ he kept saying as they took him to his room and administered medicine and gave him hospital pyjamas. ‘I’ve seen the Doctor.’
‘Not yet,’ said the nurse soothingly.
‘The other Doctor! You must tell the Brigadier. There was a kidnapping.
You must tell the Brigadier.’ He repeated this over and over, in spite of the staff’s assurances that the Brigadier wasn’t in. It was nearly four hours before Sergeant Ramsey arrived to hear what Molecross had to say.
‘It sounds as if there might be something to it, sir.’
The Brigadier closed his eyes and rested his forehead on his hand, his elbow propped on the yet-unfinished paperwork spread across his desk. ‘That’s not possible, Sergeant.’
‘Well, sir, you’re always saying nothing is impossible.’
Yes, damn me, I am, thought Lethbridge-Stewart. Never share opinions with your staff. ‘All right. Tell me.’
‘He claims this fellow Amberglass was kidnapped and held prisoner and that he, Molecross that is, and the Doctor’s companion rescued him. She then drove off with Amberglass, presumably to join the Doctor. This can fairly easily be checked by a visit to the house Molecross described.’
‘That doesn’t sound very complicated.’ Lethbridge-Stewart thought for a moment. ‘Go ahead and send some men to check things out. I’d better contact the Doctor.’
Who, of course, wasn’t answering his pager.
Lethbridge-Stewart almost
swore. What did the fellow have against telephones? He travelled through time and space in a police call box, yet acted as if phones were some kind Chapter Fourteen
117
of baffling gadget he couldn’t figure out. With a resigned sigh, the Brigadier realised he was going to be making a trip to Allen Road.
Ace answered the door. Her face relaxed and brightened in relief, and the Brigadier was reminded of how young she was. ‘How’d you know?’ she said happily. ‘Did the Doctor reach you?’
‘No,’ said Lethbridge-Stewart, perhaps a bit pointedly. ‘That ass Molecross came babbling to UNIT again, and he actually seemed to make