Doctor Who_ Trading Futures - Lance Parkin [95]
‘And subverting democratic governments is part of that process?’
‘Yes,’ Cosgrove said quickly. ‘It always has been. Since… since Roman times, there have been people who’ve known what’s really going on. People whose business it is to know. And they’ve advised their leaders, and their leaders have acted on that. Democracy is just a fancy name for mob rule.’
Anji stepped forward. ‘So what’s the fancy name for what you’re planning? Dictatorship? Tyranny?’
‘It’ll be called whatever I want it to be called.’
The Doctor headed towards the canteen counter.
‘What’s first on the agenda?’ the Doctor asked. ‘Once you’ve got the time machine in your hand, what’s the first item of business?’
‘Eliminating opposition. Killing Baskerville, finding some way to kill those alien creatures. With time travel, I’ll be invincible.’
The Doctor picked up a mug, looked into it thoughtfully. His eye was caught by a small black box. He slipped it into his pocket.
Cosgrove was rooting through the foam insert, just like Anji had done.
‘It’s a coffee machine,’ she repeated. ‘It’s a con. There isn’t a time machine.’
The Doctor handed Cosgrove the jug. Cosgrove examined it carefully, peering into the coffee as it sloshed around. The Doctor stepped over to him.
‘I was there. I saw Macbeth.’
The Doctor chuckled. ‘No you didn’t. It’s just coffee.’
Baskerville opened the jug, sniffed it.
‘It’s probably very nice coffee,’ the Doctor added.
Cosgrove sat down. ‘No time machine.’
‘No,’ said the Doctor gently. He handed Cosgrove the mug. ‘All you get is the coffee.’
Cosgrove poured himself half a mug, watched the steam rise.
‘I could have changed the world,’ he said. ‘I could have made it work.’
‘You still can,’ the Doctor assured him. ‘But there’s time for a coffee break first.’
Cosgrove sipped the coffee, wincing a little – it was piping hot, and a little sour.
The Doctor took the remote control from his pocket and tapped the ‘mute’ button.
It was almost deafening. The reporter was yelling over the sounds of fire, explosions and planes streaking overhead.
‘This is the USS Delaware, forty miles off the Libyan coast, and we’re under attack by EZ jet bombers!’ the reporter screamed.
Cosgrove was on his feet. ‘Civilians evacuate the area!’ he shouted. ‘Emergency fire teams to the main deck! Come on! Move!’
He was staring at the screen, fixed at it.
Fitz leaned over to Anji. ‘Nutter,’ he said knowledgeably.
‘He’s drunk the drugged coffee. He’s taking his cues from the television.’
‘He thinks he’s on telly?’
The Doctor poured the rest of the coffee down the sink. ‘He does. Conclusive proof of what Baskerville’s been up to, wouldn’t you say? Now, we’ve only got ten minutes before the drug wears off. I suggest we use the time to find those aliens, and get them back to their ship.’
Fitz looked a little sheepish. ‘Er, yeah. About that…’
* * *
Baskerville jammed his pistol into the President’s ribs.
‘Tell her to drop her gun.’
‘Malady…’
Malady circled for a moment. They were right at the edge of the runway, on the edge of the cliff. There weren’t many places they could run to.
‘I’ll kill him,’ Baskerville told her. He looked desperate. Malady thought about a headshot. She could probably do it.
Then six huge creatures lumbered out of the gloom.
One of them growled something. A moment later, it said it again, in Baskerville’s voice. ‘He has the time machine?’
She’d seen them before, she realised – back in Ibiza, the night that Cosgrove’s boat had exploded. These were the things that had killed Garvin.
Baskerville was shaking his head. ‘No – that’s the most powerful man on Earth, the President of the United States.’
The creature was unsure whether Baskerville was