91Èȱ¬

The Village Hall was wrecked. The equipment the Doctor had been using was smashed and strewn all over the place. The lead box that had contained the Nestene energy unit was broken open. Of the energy unit itself, there was no sign. Nor was there any sign either of the bodies of the two boys, or of the two policemen. "I'll put my men onto searching the local area, sir," said Inspector Coverdale. Some of them are trapped outside – well, outside whatever it is that's stopping us getting out of the village. But I've still got about a half-dozen uniforms available. And there's no point in them quarantining the village now."

"I really don't recommend that, Inspector," said the Doctor, from where he was intently examining the floor. "We still don't know exactly what we're up against, but I don't think your men are any match for it. Look down here." He pointed at some faint scorch marks on the floor. "I'm afraid that's all that is left of your policemen." "Autons?" asked Jo. "I think so." The Doctor stood up. "I think the best thing we can do is wait until the morning. In the meantime, we should concentrate out forces. I suggest you bring your policeman back to Grey Gables, Inspector. Jo, you go with them." "And what are you going to do, Doctor?" "I think I want to finish my conversation with Mr George Barford."

* * *

The sinister bearded figure watched the Doctor walk to the Bull from his position, concealed in the shadows under one of the trees on the Village Green. "So, you are here, Doctor. Well, I think I may have to act quickly to eliminate you before you interfere too much with my plans."

* * *

Brigadier Lethbridge Stewart leant back in his chair in UNIT's mobile control. UNIT was now in Borsetshire in full force. For all the good they could do, he thought. This was always the worst bit of working with the Doctor against the sort of threats UNIT faced – the sense of powerlessness. Mike Yates opened the door and climbed in. "We've had a report from the RAF, sir. The forcefield definitely covers the whole village. And we don't seem to be able to raise anyone in the village any more." "As Sergeant Benton said, Devil's End all over again."

At that time Benton himself came into the control room. "Sir, I think we may have found something." He placed some old seventeenth-century charts on the desk. Unfurling them, he said, "Apparently, there were some old mining works around here, back in the 1600s. They're largely forgotten about now, but we thought, well …" "You thought that we may not be able to get at the village from the level or above, but we might be able to get at it from below."The Brigadier liked Benton – he'd have made a good officer if he'd come from the right background.

"Right. Let's get on with it then." He called out to a young officer at the other end of the vehicle. "Lieutenant Beresford – you're in charge here for the time being." "Yes sir. May I ask where you're going?" "We're going to do something. It may be a waste of our time, but at least it's something."

* * *

Jo had gone back to Grey Gables, as instructed. Joe Grundy had come back with her, and they had spoken well into the night, although Mr Grundy seemed keener to talk about the joys of Ambridge in the 1930s than about his life before he arrived on the planet. Still, he was a very nice old fellow.

By the time she retired, she'd been exhausted, and dropped off into a deep slumber. So deep it was that she didn't notice the window being opened, or the black-clad figure climb in through it. Nor did she sense him creep over to the bed with a large wooden case, place it on the foot of the bed, and slide one end of it open. And she was oblivious when an eight-legged creature the size of a cat slowly made its way out of the case.

* * *

Pat Archer stuck her head into the workshop. "Helen? You've been out here a long time, love? Helen?" She looked around the room. It seemed to be empty. The she heard a quiet sobbing from the corner. "Helen?" She moved into the workshop. Her daughter was squeezed behind a table at the far end of the room. She appeared to be trying to make herself as small as possible. "Helen? What's the matter, love?" Suddenly Helen leaped forward and flung herself into her mother's arms. "Oh mum, it was horrible! A terrible, terrible monster! I've never ever been so frightened!" "It's all right love, it's gone now," soothed Pat. "Tony!" she cried.

* * *

"I think so, yes," said the Doctor. "What was it about?" "Well," the Doctor said, if you don't mind I'd rather keep that to myself for a while."

* * *

A slight breeze rustled the curtains in Jo's room. Disturbed, she rolled over, and sleepily opened her eyes. Her gaze was returned by eight eyes, set over a pair of vicious looking fangs.

* * *

A high scream echoed down the corridors of Grey Gables. "Jo!" shouted the Doctor, running off in the direction of the scream as fast as his legs would take him. Hoping he'd remembered the number of his assistant's room, the Doctor delivered a devastating karate kick to the door. As he did so, the thought briefly crossed his mind that Grey Gables' owner wouldn't like the damage. He reached out a long arm and flicked the light on.

He instantly took in the situation – Jo was sat on the bed, frozen in terror, as an unnaturally large spider raised its front legs and prepared to pounce. Moving almost too swiftly to see, the Doctor grabbed the upper edge of Jo's bedspread, and flung it over the spider. He picked up the bundle and threw it was hard as he could against the wardrobe. Stunned, the spider moved feebly within the coverlet.

Oliver Sterling burst into the room, an old army service revolver in his hand. He saw the spider's legs starting to emerge, emptied all six rounds into the bundle, then picked up a standard lamp and repeatedly brought the base down on the creature. "That's enough, man! It's dead!" said the Doctor. "I'll want to examine that creature tomorrow!"

He rushed over to the open window. Looking out, he saw a dark-clad figure running into the trees. Without a moment's hesitation, the Doctor leapt out after him. For a couple of minutes he chased him down the hillside, as the woods got thicker, slowly gaining. Then the man, realizing he couldn't outrun the Doctor, turned to face him.

The Doctor turned his run into a flying Venusian Aikido kick, striking his opponent in the chest. As he hit the ground, the Doctor rolled and swiftly got back on his feet. But the one blow had been enough for his opponent. He keeled over and rolled over onto his back. The Doctor walked over to him. He was wearing a black balaclava, which the Doctor carefully removed. The man kept repeating over and over again, "I must obey the Master. I must obey the Master." "Well, well. Brian Aldridge, I presume."

* * *

The Master looked at a small television screen, on which was a picture of the Doctor's face, transmitted from a camera concealed in Brian Aldridge's shirt. "Oh well. It seems that I have sacrificed a pawn. Round one to you Doctor." He switched off the screen. "But only round one. There's plenty more moves in this game yet to play, and you won't be able to win all of them. I have plenty more pawns, and you don't even know who all the players are yet." He turned to his companion. "What do you think, Mr Barford?"

Part Six>>