Doctor Who_ The Forgotten Army - Brian Minchin [36]
As she reached into her pocket, her fingers touched the psychic paper. On an instinct, she took it out - and saw a message:
Oi! I'm down here!
Amy's heart leapt with joy. It was the Doctor. The writing on the psychic paper was faint, but then it clearly changed: I'm below you!
Amy looked from side to side. All she could see were grand department stores, interrupting a steady line of doughnut shops and takeaway coffee stands. A gush of hot air disturbed the ever-present pigeons and they fluttered into the dark sky.
'What's down there?' Amy asked, pointing to vents in the pavement.
Oscar shrugged. 'The Subway. There'll be people trapped down there...'
"That's it!' Amy thought. 'The Vykoids have taken the Doctor underground...' She turned back to Oscar. 'Why do you have a Green Globe to show it's a subway?' she protested. 'Couldn't it just say
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"SUBWAY" in big letters?'
Leaving Oscar on the sidewalk, she rushed to the entrance.
'And don't you start asking me to buy a ticket, I am so jumping the barriers.'
Oscar shouted out after her. 'I'd better come with you. It isn't safe at this time of night.'
Amy held up her hand to stop him, and said firmly. 'I'll be fine by myself. It's not the crazy New Yorkers on the Subway I'm worried about right now. Thanks for the help.'
Oscar looked embarrassed. Not only had he had his face drawn all over by tiny aliens from another planet, but now even girls in peril were refusing his help.
Amy smiled. 'Ahem, whole city in danger. You're the only cop to have avoided being captured. I think they're going to need you up here, don't you?' Oscar was wavering, so she ploughed on.' I need you up top. Whatever Strebbins is planning, you need to stop it. The more men she sends out, the more people she's giving to the Vykoids.'
Oscar still hesitated, and Amy felt touched by his old-fashioned chivalry.
'C'mere.’ she gestured to him. 'You've been brilliant. Just don't think of me as an ordinary girl and that'll put your mind at rest. Thanks for your help.'
Amy planted a big kiss on his cheek. He blushed, and Am y laughed, 'From now on, though, just
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remember, what you city slickers need is a small-town girl to show you how to do it!'
With that, Amy zipped off, running down the steps to the Subway station:
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Chapter
13
Inside the Subway station, it was dark and gloomy. With all the New Yorkers safely inside their homes, the platform looked neglected and sad. From what Amy could see, the ticket-booth attendants and guards had long abandoned their posts.
Amy peered inside the empty ticket booth, and tried the door marked 'Staff'. Everything was locked up, and there was no sign of the Doctor. She made her way to the platform, but realised there were very few places left to look. However much she hated the idea, she realised there was only one way for her to go - along the tunnel itself. She stared at the psychic paper, hoping for guidance, but it was still glowing with the same message: I'm below you.
Was the Doctor was a little bit psychic, she 139
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wondered. Maybe it wasn't just the paper that could read minds; perhaps he could do it as well. That would explain how he was able to appear so clever all of the time - if he just read the mind of the person he was talking to and said everything they knew back at them.
Just at that moment, she thought, she could have done with something a little more helpful than I'm below you. Left or right? She didn't even know that much. If the Doctor was in danger, she probably had very little time, and going the wrong way might mean she got there too late. But how could she be sure?
Only one thing for it. She closed her eyes tightly, imagined the Doctor, used all she could to reach out for him with her mind...
... No. She felt nothing. Amy felt a bit stupid for even trying, and also pleased. She didn't like the idea of the Doctor being able to see inside her mind.
The decision remained. Left or