Doctor Who_ War Games - Malcolm Hulke [12]
‘You gave a promise,’ Carstairs reminded the Doctor.
‘You said you wouldn’t run away.’
‘He says we must go, too,’ Jennifer reminded him. ‘I think he’s right. We must get away from this place and from General Smythe and... and try to get our wits together.’
‘What if we go to the Field-Marshal?’ Carstairs suggested. ‘Tell him everything.’
‘Unless we leave quickly,’ said the Doctor, ‘we won’t get to anyone.’ He moved to the open door. ‘I and my friends are going to leave now, Lieutenant. Will you shoot us down in cold blood?’
Once again the trio looked to Carstairs for his decision.
It was taken by Lady Jennifer.
‘I shall go with them,’ she said. ‘You’ll have to shoot me, too.’
‘It’s all right,’ said Carstairs. ‘We’ll all go together.’
Ten minutes after the group had left the bedroom, General Smythe’s Space and Inter-time Directional Robot All-purpose Transporter, known by its initials SIDRAT re-materialised in the corner and resumed its appearance of a wardrobe. The general stepped out. He went straight to the photograph of the Royal Family, slid it to one side and checked that the controls of his telecommunications unit were correctly set. It was annoying that the Doctor had discovered so much, but there was little he could do to upset the plans of the War Lords. Anyway, he and his friends would soon be dead. If the two humans who had seen the telecommunications unit survived they would be re-processed. General Smythe had been busy talking with his fellow War Lords when Lady Jennifer accidentally turned on the video. Fortunately, another War Lord had spotted the monitor for the 1917 Zone be-come live. His description of the faces he saw staring into the screen told Smythe everything he needed to know.
Satisfied that the telecommunications unit had not been damaged, Smythe went into the main office. He was surprised to find Captain Ransom calmly reading a book.
‘Oh, General,’ said Ransom, springing to his feet. ‘I didn’t know you were back, sir.’
It crossed Smythe’s mind that he should tell Ransom he had personally witnessed his return by motor car, and to get Ransom to repeat it. But he couldn’t be bothered. More pressing matters were at hand.
‘Why wasn’t the spy shot?’ he asked.
‘The firing squad was sniped at,’ said Ransom. ‘It was all very confused. Still,’ he added, trying to be cheerful, ‘under the circumstances it’s just as well the man’s still alive.’
‘Really? Why?’
‘He’s being taken to the Field-Marshal, sir.’
Smythe wondered if Ransom had gone quietly mad.
‘Would you mind explaining what you’re talking about, Ransom?’
Ransom gulped. ‘First there was your phone call, sir, ordering me to meet you at number seventeen command post.’
‘ He’s definitely gone mad, ’ Smythe thought. He said, ‘I told you to meet me?’
‘Yes, sir. So I went there but I couldn’t find you. On my return I arrived in time to find Lieutenant Carstairs and Lady Jennifer taking the prisoners to the Field-Marshal in accordance with your instructions.’
‘My instructions? What instructions?’
‘The instructions you had given to Lieutenant Carstairs over the telephone while I was at number seventeen command post looking for you, sir.’
‘You did nothing to stop Carstairs taking the prisoners away?’
‘Well, I asked Carstairs if it was definitely your voice when he received the telephone call. He assured me that you had spoken to him personally, sir.’
‘You have been tricked,’ Smythe said. ‘You are a fool.’
‘Sir,’ said Ransom, desperately trying to defend himself.
‘Lieutenant Carstairs is a gentleman and a fellow officer. I had no reason to doubt his word.’
‘Well, you have now. Every effort must be made, including heavy artillery, to stop the escaping party.’
Ransom was shocked. ‘Fire on an ambulance, sir?’
Smythe stared straight into Ransom’s eyes. ‘They are all the enemy, Ransom. They must be killed.’
‘Yes, sir.’ Ransom’s eyes were also staring now. ‘They are all the enemy. They must be killed.