Doctor Who_ War Games - Malcolm Hulke [11]
‘Must you go? I’d so much like to hear more about shovels and things.’ Jennifer desperately tried to think of some way to keep him in the room.
‘Well, as a matter of fact, there are some other interesting things I could tell you. For instance—’
To Jennifer’s relief the phone rang. She picked it up on the basement extension,’ Lieutenant Carstairs whispered.
‘Now is the time to get Ransom out of the main office.’
‘Why, certainly, General Smythe,’ Jennifer said brightly.
‘I’ll tell him immediately.’
‘Is that for me?’ said Ransom, reaching for the phone.
‘Oh, sorry.’ She had replaced it on the cradle. ‘How stupid of me not to let you speak to him. General Smythe wants you at number seventeen command post immediately.’
‘Really? What’s he doing there? It’s the farthest end of the section.’
‘It was not for me to ask,’ said Jennifer. ‘He sounded in a great hurry.’
Ransom considered. ‘I’d better go and shoot the condemned man myself before I go.’ He drew his revolver.
‘Wouldn’t that be against King’s Regulations, a one-man firing squad?’
‘I suppose you’re right.’ He holstered the gun. ‘Don’t you think it was a bright idea of mine, looking for them at the prison? I tried to think of the most unlikely place they would be, and there they were.’
‘It was a brilliant stroke,’ she agreed.
‘Not exactly brilliant, ma’am. Just tried to use a bit of common sense.’ He finished the remains of his tea. ‘All right, off I go to number seventeen command post. Very nice talking with you.’ He hurried out of the office.
As a precaution, Jennifer went to the shattered windows to watch Captain Ransom get into his car and drive away.
When she was sure he had gone she returned to the telephone. She was about to pick it up as Carstairs entered with the Doctor, Jamie and Zoe. This was something she hadn’t expected.
‘Those people are prisoners,’ she protested to Carstairs.
‘We agreed you should go and talk to them, but not to release them.’
Carstairs went directly to the general’s bedroom. ‘It’s all right. They won’t run away.’ He opened the door. ‘Is this what you want to see?’
The Doctor went into the little room. ‘Now, where could the General have been when Captain Ransom looked in here and didn’t see him?’
‘Out through this window,’ said Jamie. He went up to the window and looked. ‘No, it’s got bars.’
‘A trap door?’ Zoe suggested. She looked at the floor.
‘Some kind of invisible door in a wall?’ said Carstairs.
‘At music halls I’ve seen conjurors do all sorts of extraordinary tricks.’
‘It’s possible,’ the Doctor said. He went along the walls tapping. As he came to the photograph of the Royal Family he pushed it to one side to see if anything was hidden behind it. ‘Well, well, look at what we have here!’
‘It’s a video screen,’ Zoe exclaimed. ‘Did they have television in 1917?’
‘No more than they had English redcoats,’ the Doctor said. ‘Lieutenant Carstairs, Lady Jennifer, take a look at this.’
The couple stared at the wall. ‘Look at what?’ Carstairs asked.
‘That thing,’ said Jamie. ‘It’s right before your eyes, man.’
Lady Jennifer was puzzled. ‘What are we supposed to be looking at?’
‘Concentrate,’ the Doctor implored. ‘Look at the wall and concentrate.’
‘I’ll try.’ Jennifer narrowed her eyes. She gave a little start. ‘My goodness, there’s a sort of frame there, a blank picture. And what are these knobs?’ Instinctively she reached forward and touched the ‘on’ control.
‘I can see it too,’ said Carstairs with astonishment. ‘Not very clearly, but I can just see it in the wall. What’s it for?’
‘It’s like a telephone,’ Zoe explained, ‘but one where people can see each other.’
‘Then who’s at the receiving end?’ Carstairs asked.
‘That’s what we have to find out.’ The Doctor noticed a small red light had started to glow. ‘Good heavens, this thing is working.’ He reached forward and touched the ‘off’
control.
‘We didn’t see anyone on the screen,’ said Zoe.
‘No, but someone may have seen us,’ the Doctor said.
‘Lieutenant