Doctor Who_ The Devil Goblins From Neptune - Keith Topping [38]
He bumped into the Brigadier's adjutant in a corridor. 'It's Corporal Bell, isn't it?' asked Bruce, switching on the charm in an instant.
'That's right, Mr Davis.'
'Please, call me Bruce' You stuck-up bitch.
Bell smiled sweetly. 'I wasn't expecting the Brigadier to drag you in tonight as well'
'Couldn't sleep'
'I'm not surprised' She paused. 'Is there something I can do for you?'
Drop dead, perhaps? 'I'm looking for the Doctor's laboratory. I thought I might as well start tomorrow's work tonight. There's something I need there'
Bell gave Bruce the directions, then rushed off towards Lethbridge-Stewart's office.
Bruce strode along the corridors, a file under his arm.
He'd been collecting Photostats of top-secret information since his arrival - after all, why use miniature cameras and the other trappings of cheap spy fiction when he was currently above suspicion and allowed virtual free access to everything that UNIT most wanted kept hushed up? But this time he carried a few uncopyable memos. They'd be missed, of course. But it was almost time to go.
Time to go out with a bang.
And he'd only just arrived, as well. Shame.
'The sooner I'm out of this pudding club, the better,' he muttered under his breath.
The Doctor's lab was a room made oppressive by equipment and over stacked shelves. A large blue box stood in the centre, humming slightly. Flexes snaked across the floor from the object, running to banks of electrical devices, still switched on. The points of light that flickered reminded Bruce of the monitoring equipment in a hospital emergency room.
Bruce swore as he pushed the unbidden image to the back of his mind, then swept an armful of papers and journals from a cluttered work surface on to the floor.
Christ, thought Bruce, I don't think you'd even notice a bomb going off in this dump.
He got down on to his hands and knees, drew a small detonator from his pocket, and set about fixing the plastic explosive against the metal legs of one of the benches.
SECOND INTERLUDE:
THE GREAT SNAKE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE WORLD
No one had realised that the Doctor and Liz had been kidnapped until a wild-eyed Mike Yates staggered down the staircase, bleeding and shouting hoarsely. As most of the people enjoying the party were as dazed as Mike, they'd left him to it. Only when the soldiers came did they start to pay attention.
Fay Hardy watched everyone else being helpful, answering questions dutifully, making the men cups of coffee.
How square. Suddenly it was difficult to tell the fascists from the kids.
She glanced over at Mark. Despite the assurances of a young and amused UNIT lieutenant, he was desperate to make sure that Liz was safe. Mark rushed off, having offered a lift to the still-shaken Captain Yates.
At 3 a.m. the military left. Most of the guests soon followed; the atmosphere was tainted. A small knot of Cambridge students and British Rocket Group scientists remained, sitting cross-legged on scatter cushions in the centre of the room, drinking red wine. The Velvet Underground and Nico murmured from the stereo. Fay sat with her head obstinately close to one of the speakers.
'All right, Tony,' said John Gallagher forcefully. 'I know you've got some stash on you, man. The John Waynes have all gone home to bed now, so you can start passing it round'
Professor Anthony Leman giggled in a girlish, high-pitched squeal. 'But... It's, like, illegal, Johnny!'
Fay watched the others collapse in fits of drunken laughter. Leman was a popular man on campus, known to his fellows as 'Candlestick Tony', on account of the fact that he'd been present at the Beatles' comeback gig in San Francisco.
Fay was the only one who seemed to find his after-dinner story of taking acid and talking to God in the middle of 'It's All Too Much' boring. 'Cut the crap,' she snapped.
'Cool it,' muttered John quickly, turning back to Leman with a knowing glint of evil intent in his eyes. 'C'mon, Tony, I know you've got