91Èȱ¬

The Brigadier looked down the tunnel, illuminated by Sergeant Benton's torch. "It doesn't look much, does it sir?" "No, Sergeant, it does not. Any idea how far it goes?" "No sir. I don't think anyone knows how far they go. No-one's been down here in decades.""Someone has, sir," said Captain Yates. "Over here there's distinct traces of a makeshift camp." "From how long ago?" "I'm not sure. Could be a couple of years." "Hmm."

The Brigadier thought for a moment, then pulled out his walkie-talkie. "Lieutenant Beresford, I've got a job for you. I need any information you can find on fugitives hiding out locally in the last couple of years."

* * *

Dawn rose over Ambridge. The Doctor was up with the lark, and walked around the Village Green, taking in the air. Oliver Sterling, looking far less relaxed than the Doctor, walked over to him. "Well, I've taken the remains of that creature over to Mr Lloyd's surgery. It's ready for you to have a look at."

"Good," the Doctor said, looking up at the sky. "Isn't it a marvellous day?" "Er, yes, I suppose so. How's Miss Grant?" "Quite well, actually." "Really? That must have been quite a shock, and she's just a slip of a girl." "Oh, Jo's seen some very shocking things in her time. Don't misjudge her on her appearance – she's a lot tougher than she looks." "Well, she may need to be. We still can't raise anyone from UNIT, or anywhere else. It looks like we're completely on our own." "Then we'll just have to do the best we can, Mr Sterling." "Did you get anything out of Brian Aldridge?" "Unfortunately not. He's had a post-hypnotic block put in place. I doubt he'll remember anything."

"Oh, I wonder what's up?" said Sterling. Inspector Coverdale was running across the green. "Doctor, Mr Sterling! There's been some very serious developments overnight. There's been more disappearances from the area." "Who's missing?" asked Sterling. "Freda Fry, Titcombe from Lower Loxley, John Higgs, Snatch Foster … about a dozen people all told."

* * *

Betty Tucker looked up from counting change behind the Post Office counter. Recognizing the woman who had come into the shop, she said, "Hello, Mrs Hathaway." "Hello, Betty. Lovely day, isn't it?" "Yes. Mind you, there's some strange things going on, what with all those policemen, and that feller they call the Doctor." "Indeed. Well, I'm sure it will all sort itself out in the end. Where are the baked beans?"

* * *

Up on Lakey Hill, the Master was surveying the view, whilst George Barford stood to one side. "Magnificent view, isn't it?" George said nothing. This didn't bother the Master. "Well, I don't expect you to agree with me. After all, you're no longer capable of independent thought. Still, I don't think even if you could, you'd appreciate how important this location is. From here begins my domination, and the end of the human race." He turned back to George. "But first we must deal with the Doctor. And by that, I mean you must deal with the Doctor."

* * *

Joe Grundy walked up to the Doctor, who was leaning against Bessie. He handed over an old carpet bag. "I found a few old bits and pieces that might help." The Doctor opened up the bag, and found it full of bits of electronic equipment. It was all very dusty, and some of it looked like it was falling apart, but it was all clearly very sophisticated. "You know, my dear chap, if we could get access to your TARDIS –" "Well, you can't. I hid it seventy years since. I doesn't remember where I left it, and I doesn't want to remember."

Jo Grant walked up to them, carrying a tray with a couple of cups of tea. "Compliments of Jolene in the pub." "Ar, she's a fine woman, that Jolene." "So what are you going to do with all that stuff then?" asked Jo. "Hopefully build something that will test our suspicions about Oliver Sterling."

"Doctor," said Jo. "I've looked up the UNIT files of the first Auton attack, and I was involved in the second. This kidnapping of people doesn't seem to make sense." "No, and I don't think the Nestenes are working with the Master again, after the way he betrayed them last time. I think we may have something else here, something that both the Master and the Nestenes want." "But what?" "I wish I knew Jo, I wish I knew."

* * *

Clive Horrobin lounged back in his cell. He didn't even bother looking up when the screws came in. "What do you want?" "Clive, you're a lucky man. You're being given to the army."

The Doctor was examining what was left of the spider that had attacked Jo the night before. His assistant walked up beside him. "What is it, then?" The Doctor removed his magnifying eyepiece. "Would you believe a common or garden house spider?" "No, I don't think I would," said Jo. "Well that's what this is. Except that someone has grown it to enormous size." "So was it really dangerous then?" "Oh, absolutely. The strength of its poison was magnified in proportion to its increase in size. This little monster could quite easily kill an elephant." "So could there be more of these?" "Let's hope not, but it's a possibility we have to be on our guard against."

The door to the hall opened. The Doctor looked up to see a tall balding middle-aged man and a woman who could only be his wife come in. "Are you the Doctor?" asked the man. "Yes." "I'm Tony Archer, this is my wife Pat. Look, our daughter – that's her in the car – well, something attacked her last night. Pat had been talking to her sister, who saw you in the pub last night, and, well, she said we should talk to you." "Where did this happen?" "Up at our farm." "Can you take me there, now?" "Yes, of course. Come on."

"Mr Grundy, I think I have to leave you to put this together," said the Doctor, pointing to the electronic equipment Joe had brought earlier. "Jo, stay here and look after Mr Grundy, will you?" And with that he went out of the hall, giving a cheery wave as the door closed behind him.

"Does this a lot, does he?" asked Joe Grundy. "Oh yes," said the girl. "Do you think you can fix up the Doctor's gadget?" "Well, I ain't done solid-state micro-circuitry in a long while. Ain't much call for it round here. But I reckon I can have a go." "I'll get another cup of tea."

* * *

Up at Bridge Farm, the Doctor spotted a red 1972 MG Midget, parked behind one of the sheds. "I say, old chap, is this yours?" "Well, yes," said Tony, "but shouldn't you be finding out what happened to Helen?" "Of course, my dear chap, of course. Well, lead on."

Tony led the Doctor into the workshop. "This is where Pat found her." The Doctor turned to the young woman. "Miss Archer – may I call you Helen – I need to know exactly what happened in here." "I don't want to go back in," said Helen, her voice trembling. "I fully understand. But it could be of vital importance. I need to know every single detail. I assure you it's quite safe now."

"All right." Helen came into the room. "I was in here, making cheese, when I saw this shadow. I turned around, and saw this horrible monster. It seemed to be made out of tree roots and old bits of moss and bark." "And what happened next?" "I picked up something off the worktop, and threw it at the monster. And then I hid in the corner." "All right, thank you very much. You can go now." As she left, the Doctor looked around the room, and rubbed the back of his neck.

* * *

"I'm very grateful for the lift, Mrs –" "Hathaway. But please call me Siobhan. And you're Jo, right? You look very young to be doing this sort of work" "Oh, everyone says that. But I've got a lot of experience."

* * *

The Doctor was looking around at the floor of the workshop when Jo entered, putting scrapings from the floor into a plastic bag. "Hello. I thought you were with Mr Grundy." "Yes, well he got fed up with what he called my 'damn fool questions', so I came here. You know, he's almost as infuriating as you." "Almost – ?" The Doctor looked sharply at Jo, then broke into a relaxed grin. "How did you get here, anyway?" "Got a lift."

Jo got down on her knees. "So what have you found here?" "I'm not sure. Helen Archer says she was attacked here last night. From her description, it seems to have been some kind of plant-based lifeform. And something in this room drove it away. But I don't know what."

From outside there was the sound of a car drawing up, and a broad Yorkshire accent saying, "Is the Doctor here?" "Oh, George," said Tony. "Yes, he's in the workshop." Jo looked up to see the broad-shouldered ex-gamekeeper come in, and then turned back to what the Doctor was doing. "And what can I do for you, Mr Barford?" said the Doctor, without looking up. "I have been instructed to destroy you, Doctor."

Jo turned back. In George's hands was a double-barrelled shotgun, pointed straight at them.

Part Seven>>