Doctor Who_ Winner Takes All - Jacqueline Rayner [59]
Rose’s head turned. The Doctor was obviously searching for the other player. And she could see him now.
No – her.
The other player was a woman, a pretty black woman in her thirties, wearing a scarlet trouser suit. Her eyes were wide with terror. Rose wished she could call out something reassuring, let her know it was going to be OK, that she’d soon be out of here, but her mouth was still pouring out lefts and rights and straight‐ons into the phone, and Rose could say nothing of her own volition.
The woman was getting closer and closer. ‘That’s Mrs Nkomo,’ Rose heard herself say. Mrs Nkomo was getting closer still.
‘Whoops,’ said Mickey’s voice in her ear, as Mrs Nkomo, eyes darting from side to side in alarm, ran straight into Rose.
The two players stared ahead as they were carefully positioned facing each other. Rose’s hand found the sonic screwdriver and held it out in front of her. ‘Don’t worry, Mrs Nkomo,’ she found herself saying, the very words she’d wanted to force out. ‘We’ll soon get you out of there. Rose here is going to disconnect a few things, then we’re going to lead you out. Half an hour, tops, it’ll all be over. Oooh, here comes someone else.’
Rose swivelled round. Approaching down a steep slope behind her was a middle‐aged white man. ‘Apparently that’s a Mr Johnson. He’s been gone hours. Lucky man, the Mantodeans must’ve missed him. Come on, Rose,’ said Rose, ‘let’s get on with it.’
She was turned back to Mrs Nkomo, and the sonic screwdriver began its work.
* * *
Robert watched the map as two little white lights headed towards the outside. That left four white lights, apart from Rose, and six blue lights. No – five. Another blue light had gone out, another player had been found by the Mantodeans. He was trying not to think… Trying not to hope…
Not that he didn’t have enough else to think about. Robert was calling out routes to the Doctor, as the Doctor, keeping his eyes on Rose, relayed them to someone called Mickey on the other end of the phone. Mickey, the Doctor said, used to go out with Rose, so Robert hated him.
‘That’s it!’ Robert said. ‘Both of them are out!’ Mrs Nkomo and Mr Johnson were safe – well, safe‐ish – at last. Thank goodness. Five white lights now (including Rose), five blue lights.
Suddenly there was a buzzing on the sort of intercom thing. Robert jumped. His mind was so full, so busy, so concentrated on the ten remaining tiny specks of light‐life, that he’d almost forgotten where they were, that they were in a scary room in monster HQ.
‘This is Frinel,’ said a voice. ‘Gerdix, the carrier appears to no longer be approaching the centre of the Mantodean stronghold. Why is this? You will report immediately.’
Robert looked at the Doctor, hoping against hope that he had a plan. What had they said before? Something about Robert being there to keep the Doctor in line. He had a feeling the Quevvils didn’t bluff, either. If they came in and found what had happened, it would be goodbye, Robert.
But the Doctor seemed just as taken aback as Robert was. He jumped up, giving the control pad to Robert and telling him to keep an eye on things – and hurried over to the door. There was some sort of alien lock on it, but the Doctor didn’t bother with that. Instead he began pushing cupboards and benches and anything he could find in front of it.
‘Gerdix!’ said Frinel’s voice again testily. ‘Gerdix, answer immediately!’
The Doctor’s actions had only just been in time. The door rattled as someone tried to open it from the other side.
Frinel spoke again through the intercom. ‘Herryan reports she is unable to gain access to you. If I do not hear from Gerdix in the next thirty seconds, we will assume he has been overpowered. Extreme force will be deployed. All humans will be killed. Thirty.’
The Doctor and Robert exchanged glances. ‘I’m not human!’ grumbled the Doctor. ‘I have already told them that.’