Doctor Who_ The King of Terror - Keith Topping [39]
Tyrone suppressed his amusement. ‘At ease, Private Wooldridge.’
‘Very good sir,’ she said with a strongly Home Counties English accent, flopping down into her high-backed swivel chair.
‘As you can see, we don’t get too many visitors,’ said Tyrone drily.
The Doctor approached the girl and held out his hand. ‘I’m the Doctor.’
‘Ohmigod,’ exclaimed Private Wooldridge.
‘Natalie,’ said Tyrone quickly. ‘Calm down.’
‘I am so sorry. You must think I’m an idiot. It’s just, I’ve never met a . . . ’ She paused.’ Well, I mean, you know . . . ’ She stammered to a halt and muttered something about ‘deep breaths’. ‘Doctor,’ she began strongly, ‘I apologise for my racist outburst. It’s an honour to meet you. I believe you knew my uncle.
Martin Beresford?’
‘Yes,’ said the Doctor. ‘How is the major?’
75
‘Retired and living on the Isle of Wight. He got me the job and . . . ’
‘Natalie,’ interrupted Tyrone quickly. ‘Are Sergeant Milligan and Miss Jovanka here?’ Natalie Wooldridge nodded. ‘Good, could you let them know that we’ve arrived, and bring them to my office?’
Tyrone guided the Doctor into a crescent-shaped room with an outstanding view over the rear entrance to a pair of Chinese restaurants and several shuttered-up business premises. ‘You’re right,’ Tyrone said, anticipating what the Doctor was about to say. ‘It’s a dump. But it’s very cheap. Sorry about Natalie, she’s a good girl but easily bored if the job is mundane, which it usually is, and overexcited if it isn’t. Beresford ended up as a full colonel and he got her assigned to us a couple of years ago. She’s quite useful, particularly for undercover work. Anybody in this town will hire an English secretary. It’s the accent!’
‘Including InterCom?’
The UNIT chief nodded. ‘She’s temped there off and on for six months.
Three-quarters of what we know about the company comes from Natalie.
Don’t let first appearances fool you, she has a real talent for getting people to tell her all kinds of classified information.’
There was a soft knock on the door and Private Wooldridge entered, followed by Tegan and Milligan.
‘Please join us,’ the Doctor said as Natalie made to leave. ‘I understand that you’re our expert on Mr Sanger.’
‘I met him once,’ noted Natalie. ‘At a party. He was very nice.’
‘It’s been my experience that most people who want to destroy the world are. At first.’
‘He’s a very unusual person. Has a great love of abstract art. Listens to African tribal music.’
‘Well that’s it,’ said Tegan, ironically. ‘He’s obviously evil!’
‘Tegan,’ snapped the Doctor. ‘I’m sorry,’ he told Natalie. ‘Do continue.’
‘I’m afraid there’s not much more to tell,’ she said nervously. ‘Most of the day-to-day affairs of the company are handled by a man called Joyce, or the head of the European division, Giresse. There are a whole bunch of other important members of the conglomerate who . . . ’
‘The what?’ asked the Doctor.
‘The conglomerate.
That’s what the board of directors are known as throughout the company.’
‘Does that mean anything to you, Doctor?’ asked Tyrone.
The Doctor seemed to have become lost in a labyrinth of tangled thoughts.
‘It might,’ he said absent-mindedly. ‘This . . . conglomerate. They control the activities of the research and development department, yes?’
76
‘That’s what everybody says,’ Natalie agreed.
‘There’s a companywide
agenda that maximum resources are given to the work that Dr Lewis and Professor Sen are involved in.’
‘Chung Sen?’ asked the Doctor quickly, and with considerable surprise.
‘Yes. He’s in charge of the Tokyo project.’
‘Oh dear,’ said the Doctor, a worried look on his face. ‘That’s not good news at all.’
At the door of the warehouse Mark Barrington felt he had to ask the obvious question.
‘Why?’
‘Well I don’t know, do I?’ hissed Captain Paynter in