Doctor Who_ The Green Death - Malcolm Hulke [31]
‘Every time I hear the word “culture” I reach for my gun,’ Dr Bell babbled. ‘The meek shall inherit the Earth.’
‘Panorama Chemicals will inherit the Earth,’ said Dr Stevens, ‘as you will soon agree. Let me help you.’
Dr Bell sat quite still while the Director placed the earphones in position. ‘There,’ said Dr Stevens, ‘we’re all set.’ He hurried back to his desk and plugged the lead from the earphones into the special socket in his intercom. Instantly Dr Bell started to writhe, agony showing on his face. Dr Stevens felt sorry for him, but knew the process was necessary. After a full minute Dr Stevens pulled the earphone lead from the socket. Dr Bell slumped in his chair, his face at peace. Dr Stevens went back to him.
‘How do you feel now?’ Dr Stevens spoke loudly so that Dr Bell would hear through the earphones.
‘You’ve done something to my mind,’ said Dr Bell, his voice now quite normal.
‘I’ve tried to help you to see things more clearly. Are you still confused?’
‘No,’ said Dr Bell. ‘I know that what we’re doing is wrong.’
The harsh voice of Boss suddenly spoke from above. ‘The processing was a failure. This man is of no further use. I suggest self-destruct.’
Dr Bell seemed too weak and dazed to hear the voice, but Dr Stevens looked up instantly. ‘Surely that isn’t necessary?’ he said to the ceiling.
‘You are a sentimentalist,’ said the voice of Boss. ‘I repeat: self-destruct.’
Dr Stevens looked down at Dr Bell. He felt sorry for the man. But he knew what he must do. He crossed back to his desk and pressed a red button on his intercom control panel. Dr Bell stiffened, and for a moment his hands went up to touch the earphones. But then they dropped to his sides. There was no expression on his face, and his eyes stared ahead vacantly. Dr Stevens took his finger from the red button, went back across the office and gently removed the earphones.
‘Goodbye, Dr Bell,’ he said. ‘You are useless and have no further right to exist.’
Like an automaton Dr Bell stood up from the chair. ‘I am useless, and have no further right to exist.’
‘Then you know what you must do,’ said Dr Stevens, opening the door to the corridor.
‘I know what I must do,’ echoed Dr Bell, and walked away stiffly.
Elgin led the way down the corridor, taking a route that would avoid offices he knew to be occupied.
‘Why are you helping us like this?’ asked the Doctor. ‘Because,’ said Elgin, ‘I suspect that this Company is somehow doing wrong.’
‘I thought you were supposed to be the public relations officer,’ said Jo. ‘You’re meant to say that everything the Company does is right.’
‘May we discuss that some other time, Miss Grant?’ Elgin hurried on ahead to look round the corner of an intersection. He paused there, staring at something. The Doctor hurried up to him.
What is it?’
‘Dr Bell—look at him.’
The three of them peeped round the corner and saw Dr Bell walking stiffly towards them.
‘He’s in a trance,’ Jo said.
As Dr Bell came close the Doctor stepped out from their hiding place. ‘I say, old man, are you feeling all right?’
Dr Bell walked on as though he heard or saw nothing. He was making his way straight down a corridor towards a big plate glass window.
‘Arnold,’ Elgin called, ‘where are you going?’
Some yards from the window Dr Bell broke into a run.
‘Good grief,’ cried the Doctor, ‘we’ve got to stop him!’
But it was too late. As they watched, Dr Bell ran straight at the huge window. In the last moments he put his head down to act as a battering ram. On impact the window burst outwards, and Dr Bell sailed forward into space to his death.
From his office window Dr Stevens looked down at the pitiful inert body sprawled on the concrete roadway below. The twisted neck and the great pool of blood told Dr Stevens that Dr Bell must be dead. Already security guards were running from the front gate to the dead man. Dr Stevens turned away from his window, saddened and sickened.
The voice of Boss spoke down at him. ‘You are a sentimentalist, Stevens.’
‘I know,’ admitted Dr Stevens.
‘Have you got a headache? Do you need