Doctor Who_ The Dying Days - Lance Parkin [91]
The Ice Warrior on the patio suddenly seemed more important, somehow. He turned to face her.
'Doctor!' she screamed, diving behind the sink.
The kitchen door pulsed and shattered, showering her with splinters of wood and shards of glass. The Ice Warrior was fumbling with the remains of the door frame, trying to get himself into the house.
Benny yanked the kettle off the counter, pulled the lid off and hurled the contents at the intruder's face.
It would have been enough to leave a human disfigured, probably blinded. The effect on a Martian was even more dramatic. It splashed across the warrior's forehead, steaming rivulets running down the ridges and grooves of his domed helmet. Water dripped over his chin and down the chinks in his neck.
The Martian screamed a terrible scream, massive lungs expelling every ounce of breath over jagged teeth. He sank to the floor, his claws flailing, unable to reach where the boiling water had hit him.
Benny watched him, not out of any sadistic desire, just the opposite. She hadn't killed him. Martians were stronger than that, but that just meant that his agony wouldn't be over for a very long time.
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A claw flapped to the floor, shaking the room. Benny was about to move to help him, when he began hauling himself up, straightening his thick legs.
Benny realised that she hadn't killed him, she'd only made him angry.
She spun on her heels and fled into the house, hoping to get to another exit.
It was around then that she heard the front door being wrenched off its hinges.
The image was infrared. Five bright light sources were scattered at various points in the house, al of them moving at great speed. Two dimmer shapes were lumbering inevitably towards them.
'Wait!' Greyhaven called. 'Do they have orders not to attack Eve and her friend?'
Xznaal grunted. 'They have.'
'And can they distinguish between individual humans, at night, in combat conditions?'
Xznaal chuckled. 'We shall see, won't we?'
***
The Doctor and Brigadier were almost at the front door when the Ice Warrior came crashing through it. It moved slowly, deliberately, breaking down the wooden panels with slicing claw-blows.
The Doctor stepped forwards, his arms held out. 'I only wish to talk,' he said softly.
The Ice Warrior lunged for him. The Doctor side-stepped, and flicked the light switch. The Martian reeled, dazzled by the 60 watt bulb.
The Brigadier had time to aim and fire twice before it had even reacted. Both shots glanced harmlessly off its shoulder blade.
'Why did I know that was going to happen?' the Brigadier asked wearily.
The Doctor grabbed his sleeve. 'Come on! We have to find Bernice.'
They ran back through the drawing room, turning on every light they could find a switch for. The Martian charged after them like a bull elephant. There was no sign of Eve or Alan. 'We almost had them convinced,' the Doctor shouted after the Brigadier.
'That's as may be, Doctor,’ the Brigadier panted, ‘But she's also the woman who betrayed us.'
They reached the French windows, opened them and ran out.
Only then did they see the Martian ship hovering above them.
***
'You have them in your sights,' Xztaynz exclaimed. 'Fire that ray thing of yours.'
'No! It might be Eve.' Gerayhayvun shouted.
In infrared the humans were bril iant white against the dark background of the foliage.
Xznaal turned to them both. 'To use the sonic cannon would be most unsporting.' He pointed a claw at the house, which showed the dimmer shape of the warrior moving relentlessly towards them. 'Besides, my warrior has found them.'
Xztaynz was peering at another part of the display. ‘Your other chap has someone else cornered.’
***
The wall in front of Benny pulsed and the plaster and picture frames shattered and showered to the floor. She dived left and began leaping up the stairs. The steps creaked underneath her feet as she pounded up them.
The Martian below her was still groaning in pain. He