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Doctor Who_ The Devil Goblins From Neptune - Keith Topping [76]

By Root 700 0

'Looking good so far,' Houghton called over his shoulder from the driver's seat. Lethbridge-Stewart sat hunched at the back of the vehicle, looking pensively through the canvas cover for any sign of movement. The lorry went through a ninety-degree turn with agonising slowness, and then started to pull away from the warehouse. 'Home and bloody dry' said Houghton with a cheery dismissal of their predicament that put a smile of the faces of most of his men.

'Any sign that we were followed, sir?' asked one of the soldiers closest to the Brigadier.

'No,' he replied. 'It's as quiet as -'

But he never finished the sentence. The wailing sirens of a large number of Swiss police cars shattered the quiet of midday. UNIT jeeps followed close behind.

'They've got us trapped,' shouted Houghton angrily.

Lethbridge-Stewart moved to the front of the lorry to see three police cars blocking the far end of the street.

'Drive through them. Fire a few warning shots.' the Brigadier said and returned his attention to the pursuing cars at his rear. 'Hold on tight, you men,' he continued. 'This might get a little rough'

Taking two snipers with him, Lethbridge-Stewart lay flat against the drop-board at the back of the lorry, and fired off three quick shots above the leading police car. 'Aim for the tyres,' he said, as he noticed a familiar face sitting in the passenger seat of the first police car. Hayes.

They wouldn't get very far if Hayes had the authorities in his pocket. The first shot from the pursuing UNIT troops fizzed past his head and buried itself in the torso of a young soldier crouching behind him, loading his rifle. The Brigadier glanced around and sensed the same futility he always felt when one of those in his command died a pointless death.

Another letter to write to another distraught mother, to be delivered with another coffin.' 'Find enclosed the remains of your son, together with a medal and a note to say 'we won".

'Damn,' he muttered. 'What's the point?'

'Sorry, sir?' asked one of the marksmen next to him.

'Rhetorical question, Private,' replied the Brigadier.

'Poor old Inns,' said the soldier. 'I did three tours with him. He was a good lad.'

'Yes.' said the Brigadier. Then he decided what the point was.' survival. 'Fire at will!' he ordered. 'If it moves, shoot it. If it doesn't move, shoot it until it does!'

The lorry ploughed through the flimsy barricade next to the police cars and careered off into the city with a fleet of armed vehicles in pursuit.

Liz and Shuskin stood back to back as the ring of goblin creatures closed in on them. While the Soviet soldier fired at the advancing creatures, Liz struggled with the anti-Waro device.

'I'm running out of ammunition.' said Shuskin through gritted teeth.

'That's not all we're running out of,' said Liz, trying desperately not to glance up at the approaching, snarling creatures. She couldn't afford to let them fluster her. She just had to concentrate on the wiring, on breathing life back into the Doctor's contraption.

'They've got weapons,' observed Shuskin. 'I can't understand why they're not just shooting us'

'Probably not macho enough for them. They want to tear us limb from limb with their bare hands, or they're not interested'

'More fool them,' spat Shuskin, lobbing a grenade in the direction of the closest group of Waro. Liz felt the blast sweep past her back, followed by a downward hail of soil and ice and... No, she really didn't want to know what was now falling from the sky.

'Really, ladies,' came a voice they both recognised.

'There's no need to go to quite these lengths to attract my attention'

Liz glanced up, relief flooding over her. Coming through the trees towards them was the Doctor, his clothes torn, his face still scratched and bruised, but with a steely determination in his eyes that shone through the shadows.

Best of all was the fact that, in his hands, he carried another converted intercom.

He pointed it at the nearest Waro and pressed a switch.

Immediately the creature rocketed into the air, squealing.

'Retreat might be advisable,

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