Doctor Who_ The Taint - Michael Collier [58]
Sam seized the moment, picking up the telephone table and flinging it at Azoth. It bounced off his body with a resounding clang, but Sam was already sprinting for the table at the back of the hall. 'Before he reloads!'
she yelled to Fitz. 'Help me get this over - we can use it as a barricade!'
Fitz stared, rooted to the spot. 'Sam! He's got another one!'
Sam looked up as the second gun went off. She cried out as she was hit, slammed back into the wall by the impact.
'Sam!' he yelled, and he would’ve run to her, too, if the guy in the overcoat hadn't been advancing towards him, and if his legs hadn't suddenly gone to jelly, and if he hadn't been racing away through the house though God knew where he was going...
***
Cynthia heard the gunshots. She thought about helping in some way, of maybe reaching a phone and calling the police. She could even run and fetch the Doctor, get him to help, like last time.
Instead, terrified, she hid in her wardrobe.
***
The Doctor stared in fascination at the readout screen on the cerebrum simulator. Already, the leech was subtly altering the interaction of the virtual neurons, rerouting the dendrites and axons, adding new, indeterminate matter between the synapses.As a result of all this 'rewiring', each neuron was being enhanced to the point where it could interact with over 500,000 others at the same time.
The sim-cerebrum hummed as the power charged through it. The Doctor was so engrossed in his work, he didn't hear a single thing outside the lab.
***
Maria had run for her life to the west wing, and down the other staircase from there to double back on herself. Eventually she found Charles, dithering desperately in the middle of the drawing room, with all the lunatics apparently still asleep.
'Maria!' he cried, rushing over to her and holding her. She held him, too, close and tight.
'You saved my life, warning me like that,' she said, beaming at him with joy.
'Nonsense, I just... Well...' Roley took a step back. 'Have you called the police?' he asked, hopefully.
'No! How can we?' she said, gesturing up in the vague direction of the Restraint Room.
Roley's face fell. 'How can we not? This has gone too far!' he declared.
'Help me move the others.'
Maria couldn't believe it. 'What? Leave them, come on!' She hurried over to the French windows. 'Where's the key?'
Roley shook his head. 'We are not leaving these people to helplessly await their fate. Now, help me with them.'
They tried rousing the prone bodies of their former test cases, but each was sleeping deeply, stirring uncomfortably as if having bad dreams.
'We'll have to carry them,' said Roley.
Maria had never seen him look so determined. Grimly, she hefted Watson's shoulders while Charles struggled with the man's feet.
***
Fitz ran headlong through the corridors of the house, with no idea if he was being followed or not. He should've helped Sam. He should be finding his mother. Instead he was running down corridors. Hebet Sam and the Doctor never did that.
He noticed a door with bolts on. Perhaps he could lock himself in till all this was over.
He went through the door. Then he wished he hadn't.
***
Azoth sat over Sam's limp body. He'd hit her in the shoulder, and she was bleeding. He touched the blood. Once, he'd have been able to perceive it, feel it, in context - a life force, surging through a fit body. Now it was just red fluid against the scarred metal of his hand.
He knew something of his mission now. Memories deep in his brain were being refreshed. He had lost the ability to process the learnings, to extrapolate from them and gain insight - he'd had to pass the dead people's memories on to Tarr to gain benefit from them - and so these real, proper memories were vital to him. The red fluid was definitely important, he knew that much. Perhaps more memories would return soon. Then he would no longer have to rely on the caprices of half-blind, ancient instincts.