Doctor Who_ The Sea-Devils - Malcolm Hulke [22]
‘No one’s answering,’ said Jo.
‘Have patience, my dear, we shouldn’t expect miracles—’
His words were overspoken by a strong masculine voice coming from the one receiving pocket radio: ‘Hello, oil-rig. Hello, oil-rig. Have received you loud and clear. Am about to land.’
Even as the voice spoke they heard the roar of a helicopter directly overhead.
‘You say we shouldn’t expect miracles?’ said Jo, with a grin. ‘What do you call that?’
While the Doctor, Jo, and Clark were being lifted off the oil-rig in the air-sea rescue Naval helicopter that had been sent out by Captain Hart long before the Doctor had managed to transmit his May Day message, George Trenchard was slowly driving his landrover along the approach leading to the château. He drove slowly because he wanted time to think, and he wanted to think because he was about to commit a crime.
Trenchard had been immediately impressed by the intelligence of the Master, his one charge, and by the man’s seeming desire to become a reformed character. Even so, he was wary: it would not be the first time a prisoner had pretended to become reformed in order that security should be relaxed, thus allowing him to escape. Trenchard had heard all about those tricks. And then these ships started disappearing, and it was the Master who had produced the only possible explanation for them: some unknown enemies of England were trying out some deadly new weapon, just off the coast. Trenchard was in favour of relaying this information directly to the Government, but the Master pointed out that in a situation as dangerous as this no one could be trusted. What they needed was proof. In any case, the Master had said, if the Government was informed at this stage, someone else would be bound to get the credit. The Master’s plan was that he and Trenchard would work together to get to the root of the problem; then Trenchard would truly qualify for the recognition he so richly deserved, while the Master would remain quietly in the background.
Already Trenchard could sec himself receiving a knight-hood for his services to England in detecting and exposing its enemies.
Yet there remained in Trenchard’s mind the lurking suspicion that the Master was going to trick him. This thought haunted him as he halted the landrover outside the front door of the château. He reached behind his driving seat and brought out a large cardboard box, carefully carried it under his arm and gave his own coded knock on the front door. The door was opened immediately by the prison officer on duty. A minute later Trenchard was entering the Master’s basement room. The Master regarded the cardboard box with obvious pleasure.
‘No problems?’ asked the Master.
Trenchard waited until the prison officer had closed the door and they were alone. ‘It isn’t easy getting this sort of thing at a moment’s notice. Had to go over to the mainland to get it, of course. The blighter in the shop knew who I was.’
‘What did you say?’
‘Had to make up a story,’ said Trenchard, ‘said we were going to have some theatricals here.’
‘How very ingenious,’ said the Master, always quick to compliment Trenchard. ‘May I see?’
Trenchard stepped back from the box. ‘Help yourself. Hope it all fits.’
As the Master opened the box, Trenchard felt that he had to say what was uppermost in his mind. ‘You realise I’m committing a crime doing this, old man?’
‘Mr. Trenchard,’ said the Master, turning to him. ‘I am only too aware of the risk you are taking. That is why I don’t intend to let you down.’
‘Just as long as we understand each other,’ remarked Trenchard. ‘Aren’t you going to try it on?’
‘Of course,’ said the Master. He lifted one of the items out of the box, a Naval officer’s cap, and put it on. ‘How do I look?’
Captain Hart had listened with as much patience as possible to the Doctor’s incredible story. He hardly believed a word of it. When the Doctor had finished, Hart got up from his desk and walked over to the window overlooking the Naval Base. It was his favourite place for