Doctor Who_ War Games - Malcolm Hulke [20]
The ambulance was going along a rough road in lush green countryside, Jennifer driving again and Carstairs beside her. To their left the grass on a gentle hill looked almost blue. Grazing deer scuttled out of the way at the sound of the motor.
‘Stop a moment,’ said Carstairs. ‘I had better tell the Doctor.’
As Jennifer slowed and stopped, Carstairs jumped down and ran round to the back of the ambulance. ‘We’ve just been through another of those mists, Doctor.’
The Doctor looked at the map they had acquired from General Smythe’s safe. ‘I calculate we are here,’ he said, pointing. ‘America in 1862.’
‘What was happening then?’ Zoe asked.
‘The American Civil War,’ replied the Doctor. ‘Or some called it the War Between the States.’
‘Anyway, it’s another war,’ said Jamie.
The Doctor pointed to the map again. ‘If we are still on the right road, this is leading us direct to the blank area in the middle of the map—’
A shot rang out. Carstairs saw a soldier in light grey uniform pop behind a tree. He drew Leutnant Liücke’s Luger, which he had thrust under his belt.
‘Let’s just keep going,’ the Doctor said. ‘These people used muzzle-loaded guns. It’ll be another twenty seconds before that sniper can fire again.’
‘I think you’re right.’ Lieutenant Carstairs ran back to the driving cabin. As he mounted the running board Jennifer let in the clutch. They were under way again.
Behind the tree, Private Cornelius Lanier of the 2nd Virginia Battalion hurried to re-load his rifle. He had put the powder in the breech and now dropped down the long muzzle the little metal ball that was a bullet. He looked around the tree to fire again. To his annoyance the Yankee covered wagon was already too far down the road for him to hit it. Resigned, he decided to wait with his loaded gun for any more Northerners that might come by.
The winding road narrowed between high trees and turned a bend. Lady Jennifer had slowed the ambulance to a few kilometres per hour. As she turned the bend the fallen tree came into sight. There was no room to turn back. She braked hard. Lieutenant Carstairs ran forward to inspect the tree. It had been freshly sawn through at the base.
‘Jamie,’ he shouted. ‘We have to move this.’ He looked around nervously, almost expecting an ambush.
Jamie came running from the back of the ambulance.
‘That should give the two of us no trouble,’ he said cheerfully. He took a second look at the size of the tree.
‘Well, not if we all help. Doctor! Zoe!’
The Doctor and Zoe came forward. Carstairs had both his guns drawn.
‘I suspect there may be snipers in the trees,’ he whispered. ‘You three do what you can with the tree while I cover you.’
Without a word they struggled to lift one end of the tree and wheel it round parallel with the road. Two shots rang out from hidden snipers and the trio immediately flattened onto the road. Carstairs crouched and fired at where he thought the shots came from.
‘Quickly,’ said the Doctor. ‘Remember, they have to re-load.’
Fear gave them extra strength. Pulling and pushing one end of the tree they moved it enough to give the ambulance clearance. At once Lady Jennifer began to move forward.
‘Jump on the running-boards!’ she shouted as the ambulance lumbered towards them.
A volley of shots came from the trees, more than two this time. While the Doctor, Jamie and Zoe scrambled onto the moving ambulance, Carstairs stood his ground giving return fire.
‘Lieutenant,’ the Doctor called, ‘climb on board!’
The cab passed Carstairs as he continued to fire into the trees. The Doctor reached out to help him onto the running-board but Carstairs ignored the helping hand.
‘For goodness’ sake,’ the Doctor shouted, ‘scramble into the back!’
The Doctor leaned out from the running-board to look to the rear. Having emptied both guns, Carstairs was running to get into the back of the ambulance as Confederate horsemen bore down on him from either side of the road, cutting him off from the ambulance. One struck a blow with his fist and Carstairs