Doctor Who_ Warlock - Andrew Cartmel [57]
‘Don’t play innocent. I know what sort of stuff you do in the labs, with your “livestock”.’
‘They’re only animals,’ said Maxine.
Jack snorted with disgust. ‘That’s very imaginative. I can see you’ve really grappled with the deeper ethical issues here.’
‘And anyway, I’m just doing it until I’ve got enough money saved. Then I’m going to India.’ Maxine fixed her hair and went over behind the video camera.
‘How elfin and Bohemian of you,’ said Jack. ‘You make me want to puke.’
Maxine looked through the viewfinder on the camera. ‘Smile,’ she said.
‘What happens now?’ said Ace.
‘We leave you here until tomorrow morning and let the camera record the effect of the drug on you. Like I said, feel free to talk about your subjective impressions.’
‘What happens if I have to go to the loo?’ Shell’s voice was shaky.
‘Don’t worry, I’ll fit you all with catheters before I go.’ Maxine opened a metal cabinet and took out lengths of thin plastic hose coiled in sterile plastic bags. ‘And count yourself lucky that it’s me doing it. Tommy Hunnicutt volunteered to put these on for you. But he only wanted to do the girls.’
* * *
The Hunnicutts were busy in the centre aisle between the prefab hut they used as an infirmary and the shelves of medical supplies. Pam was helping Tommy with one of the metal trolleys they employed for moving animal cages. The wheels on the trolleys were always giving them problems and Pam was bent down with a spray can of oil. Tommy tilted the trolley so she could get at the wheel to apply it. They both looked up as Maxine came in.
Tommy Hunnicutt let Maxine help him with the trolley. ‘Looking forward to lunch?’ he grunted.
‘You’re not missing anything that wonderful,’ said Maxine. ‘It’s just buttering up some potential clients.’ Actually, she was lying. Dieter always rolled out the red carpet when the drugs companies came to visit and the food was going to be superb. She ought to know, she’d been preparing it with her own hands for the last week or so. A range of pâtés – both meat and vegetarian – hot and cold slices of roast beef, chicken breast glazed with ginger and soy sauce, devilled eggs, goat’s cheese quiche, new potatoes dressed in tarragon vinegar and deep‐fried mushrooms with garlic mayonnaise. Plus the wide range of expensive wines that Dieter had gone into Canterbury especially to ferret out. ‘It’s all a bit of a bore, really.’
Tommy wasn’t deceived. ‘Well, I hope you and Pam have a good time,’ he said with heavy sarcasm.
‘Someone has to look after the laboratory,’ said Pam. She never put up with any nonsense from her brother.
Maxine could see that Tommy was sulking. ‘I helped you capture those creeps last night, didn’t I?’ he said.
‘Yes, with an empty gun,’ said his sister. ‘Now, get these animals on the trolley and take them over to the lab.’
‘I know, I know.’ Tommy looked at the caged cats and dogs in the corner of the room where they’d been waiting since being sprayed for fleas and other parasites.
‘I’ll be joining you in the labs as soon as lunch is finished.’
‘I won’t hold my breath,’ said Tommy.
‘And don’t forget to replace that light‐bulb in the annexe.’ Pam turned away and punched her security code. She went out of the back door of the barn with Maxine following her.
Tommy sighed as they left. He glanced over at the animals in the corner, a strange thrill of excitement running through him.
Alone at last.
* * *
Chapter 14
‘What’s Ace up to?’ Benny asked.
‘I’m not sure that I know,’ said the Doctor. ‘I’m not sure that she knows herself.’
Benny was sitting in her cubicle in the New York skyscraper. It smelled of damp and the ancient reek of scorched electrical cables. She leaned back in the office chair she’d borrowed and stretched her arms, studying the mass of cables that hung down from the ruined ceiling, casting octopus shadows on the pitted concrete walls. Her shoulders were stiff from keeping her face in line with the video camera above the phone screen. The screen itself was dead, blank except for her own reflection;