Doctor Who_ The Stone Rose - Jacqueline Rayner [33]
‘Now, we don’t want any trouble,’ he said, addressing the surrounding senators. ‘And I don’t want to hurt anyone. But I will if I have to. So it’s in all your interests to do as I say. You,’ he said, turning on the nearest man, ‘give me your toga.’
The man hastily obliged, ripping off the purple‐striped garment and handing it over.
‘You too,’ said the Doctor, and the next man also complied.
The Doctor tied the long strips of cloth together and dangled the resulting rope over the side to Paul, who caught it and began to scale the arena’s side.
Armed guards were beginning to appear in the stands, but the crowd was so thick they couldn’t get close enough. Soon several prisoners armed with swords had crossed into the seating area and were holding everyone else at bay.
A shriek came from down below. The leopards had tired of their unmoving feast and were closing in on the living prey. Ringo was still waving his fire brand and George had the trident, but the cats seemed to regard their efforts as a challenge.
‘Hold on,’ called the Doctor, fumbling for his sonic screwdriver. ‘I need to find another frequency…’
The Doctor’s distraction nearly caused his death. ‘Look out!’ a voice suddenly cried. Gracilis!
The Doctor swung round. A dozen seats away, Gracilis was stumbling from a blow as Rufus raised a bow to fire. His fingers loosened on the string…
…and the Doctor raised the sonic screwdriver, spinning it like a tiny propeller. The arrow zinged off and rattled harmlessly to the floor.
Rufus yelled in rage and sprang forward, trying for a better aim. A couple of the armed prisoners started forward towards him, but the Doctor yelled at them to stop – too many innocent people were in the way.
There was a cry from the stadium floor. A leopard had got through the defences and claimed a victim.
‘Keep climbing!’ the Doctor shouted urgently.
But that gave Rufus an idea. Grinning evilly, he leapt for the fence. Now his arrow pointed downwards – straight at John, who was halfway up the hanging togas. He moved to fire – but the shot never came. George’s trident buried itself in the magistrate’s chest and Rufus toppled into the arena. The leopard that had been about to spring on George turned its attention to this new delight.
The crowd were screaming and shrieking: horror, delight, fear.
Gracilis had got to his feet and was stumbling in the direction of the Doctor, but the milling multitudes wouldn’t let him through.
‘See you outside!’ the Doctor called, gesturing for the old man to change course.
He turned back to the wall. Now George was climbing the rope. Ringo was last, flinging his torch at a prowling leopard as it darted towards him. As soon as Ringo’s feet touched the floor, the Doctor was leading the way to the nearest exit. They weren’t the only ones. Everyone nearby wanted to get out now, and that was still stopping the armed men from reaching the prisoners.
The Doctor waved a sword menacingly. ‘Out! Out! Out!’ he yelled.
Suddenly George was by his side. He looked shaken. ‘I killed a magistrate,’ he gasped. ‘They were gonna kill me anyway – they’ll show no mercy now.’
The Doctor gave him a reassuring smile. ‘You saved a life,’ he said simply. ‘Now leg it – get out of here, get as far away as possible. Make good pies. And live.’
George gave him a nervous half‐smile – and ran.
As the Doctor watched him go, he reflected that he didn’t even know the man’s real name.
* * *
There was chaos on the streets outside. Luckily many of those outside had not been in the arena and were desperately trying to get details of what had happened from those who were leaving. The other lucky thing was that, because the arena was so enormous, few knew what the escaped men looked like close up.
The Doctor ducked and weaved through the crowds, throwing out an occasional ‘How amazing was that?’ to passers‐by, or an, ‘I’ve never seen anything like it!’ Finally he spotted Gracilis among the masses and hurried towards him.