Doctor Who_ The Green Death - Malcolm Hulke [14]
‘The mine must not be investigated,’ said Dr Stevens. ‘You know that as well as I do.’
‘Because that miner died?’
‘That, and other reasons.’ Dr Stevens noticed the report lying on his desk, smiled and changed the subject. ‘Ah, that looks interesting... ‘ He opened the cover.
‘One death is enough,’ said Dr Bell. ‘I’m going to get that equipment to them.’ He turned to leave and found Hinks had placed himself in front of the door. ‘Will you get out of my way, please?’
‘Stay where you are, Hinks,’ said Dr Stevens. ‘He must not leave.’
Dr Bell swung round. ‘Look here, you have no right to keep me prisoner—’
But his outburst was interrupted by a booming voice that seemed to come from the ceiling.
‘Stevens?’
Dr Stevens looked up, ‘Yes?’
‘Process him.’
‘Is that wise?’ asked Dr Stevens, speaking to the ceiling.
‘It is necessary,’ said the booming voice. ‘Do as I say. Process.’
‘Who on earth was that?’ asked Dr Bell, mystified by the brief exchange.
‘Our boss,’ said Dr Stevens. ‘Yours and mine.’
‘I... I don’t understand.’
‘You will,’ said Dr Stevens. ‘Very soon.’
Jo lowered herself slowly down the rope. As she swung to and fro the beam from her helmet played like a search-light as it swept the sides of the lift shaft. Looking down she could see the light from Bert’s helmet as he looked up towards her.
‘You’ve got another three feet of rope,’ he called. ‘Then you’ll have to fall the rest of the way. I’m here to catch you.’
She continued to ease herself down the rope. Then, as she expected, she felt no more rope between her legs. She lowered herself another couple of feet and let go, bringing up her knees a little to make her legs more springy for the final impact. For a moment she fell through space, then hit the ground. Bert caught her to steady her.
‘Where is he?’
‘Over here.’
Bert led the way to where Dai Evans lay moaning on the floor of the mine.
‘Look,’ said Bert. ‘Look at his arm.’
Jo looked down, her helmet light playing on Dai Evans.
His hand and arm were glowing a bright green.
5 Escape!
The Brigadier’s jeep screeched to a halt outside the Panorama Chemicals building. He leapt out, ran up the steps. A uniformed attendant rushed to hold open one of the glass doors.
‘I need to see Dr Stevens,’ said the Brigadier. ‘A matter of the utmost importance.’
The urgency in is voice impressed the attendant, and he hurriedly escorted the Brigadier to the Director’s office and tapped on the door.
Dr Stevens was sitting at his desk, in conference with Mark Elgin. They broke off their discussion and listened attentively while the Brigadier explained what had just happened at the mine and the pressing need for cable-cutting equipment. The Brigadier also mentioned that Dr Stevens’s phone seemed to be out of order. Apparently Dave Griffiths made contact when he dialled, but then the line went suddenly dead.
‘First things first,’ said Dr Stevens when the Brigadier had finished. ‘Thanks for letting us know about the phone. However, the immediate problem is the equipment you need, and we shall be glad to help you in any way possible.’ He touched a button on his desk inter-corn and spoke towards the microphone. ‘Dr Bell, could you come in here a moment, please?’
‘At once,’ said Dr Bell’s voice over the tiny loudspeaker.
‘Dr Bell is our scientific and technical officer,’ Dr Stevens explained. ‘Very meticulous worker, an idealist in his way. Many’s the time I’ve had to tell him not to work all night—to go home to his wife and children.’
‘How excellent,’ said the Brigadier, although he wasn’t at all interested. His mind was fixed on the people who were trapped in the mine. ‘Will he take long to get here?’
‘Hardly,’ Mark Elgin smiled. ‘He works just down the corridor.’
There was a tap on the door and a spare ascetic man in a white coat entered. ‘You wanted me, Dr Stevens?’
‘Our good friend the Brigadier needs our help,’ said Dr Stevens. ‘Apparently there’s been another accident in