Doctor Who_ The Visitation - Eric Saward [29]
'No! Don't open it!'
She continued to fiddle with the catch.
'If you do, it's the end for us al !'
But Tegan didn't respond.
Suddenly the Doctor remembered the powerpack he was still holding. Gingerly he fingered it, uncertain whether its charge would be strong enough. He looked at Mace and then at his pistol. He could not let Tegan open the cage. He had to risk it, knowing that if he failed the actor would kill him.
Tentatively, he angled the powerpack towards the barrel of Mace's pistol and twisted the top. A bolt of electricity shot from the pack, but instead of zig-zagging to earth, as it had done before, it leapt towards the barrel of the gun.
The actor let out a loud scream, dropped the pistol and staggered around for a moment before collapsing. Tegan abandoned her work on the catch and made a lunge for the pistol, but the Doctor's foot got to it first and set it spinning across the floor out of reach.
Tegan jumped to her feet and adopted an aggressive pose.
'We haven't got time to fight,' the Doctor said urgently.
But Tegan didn't agree. Her foot shot forward forcing the Doctor to jump backwards to avoid the blow. He knew that although Tegan was physically small she was strong. And as his hands were still cuffed, the chances of her delivering a knock-out blow were greatly increased.
Tegan lashed out again, but the Doctor was able to side-step the attack.
She kicked again, this time overbalancing. The Doctor quickly grabbed her arm, swung her round and pinned her against the wall with his shoulder.
Tegan continued to struggle, trying to punch and bite. But trapped as she was, the Doctor was able to use his additional weight and strength to restrain her while he disconnected her bracelet.
Instantly Tegan stopped fighting and slowly slithered down the wall. The Doctor moved quickly to the cage of rats and checked that it was still fastened. He then crossed to where Richard Mace was lying stunned and released the powerpack from his bracelet.
As soon as he had freed it, Mace sat bolt upright.
'What happened?' he demanded in an almost perky voice.
Suddenly the Doctor felt very tired. 'Just relax for a moment,' he said sitting on the floor next to the actor. 'You'll be all right.'
Mace looked at the Doctor. 'And how do you know?'
The Time Lord sighed. 'Because I'm the Doctor...'
On the other side of the room Tegan started to groan. She was beginning to recover.
With a sigh of relief, the Doctor realised that he didn't have to worry about his two fel ow prisoners any more. They would both be fine.
He cast his eyes over the heavy door of the room. Getting through it would be the next problem.
Chapter Nine
Awkwardly, the Leader, now wearing a long black cloak, lumbered along the corridor and out through the tradesmen's entrance into the steel-blue light of the early evening.
Deprived of Soliton gas, the Terileptil wheezed and gasped as he made his way to the waiting wagon. Slowly he climbed onto its box, aided by the android.
Once settled, he wrapped the heavy cloak around his legs and pulled the hood over his head to hide his reptilian features.
'Go,' the Leader rasped to the android. 'Search for the TARDIS. When you find it, pilot it to the base in the city.'
Silently the massive android turned, fitted his death's-head mask and strode off towards the forest, while the miller loaded the last of the ampoule boxes on to the wagon.
'Cover them quickly.'
The miller obeyed, pulling the heavy tarpaulin in place.
'Now return to the laboratory. You have my instructions.'
As the miller returned to the house, the Terileptil picked up the reins, flicked them and the wagon moved off along the driveway.
Having locked and bolted the door, the miller then made his way along the dark corridor, through the cellar to the laboratory, where he operated the energy barrier switch and sealed himself in. His