Part 16 (1/2)

The Doctor gave Trevor a quizzical look.

'A stupid West Country legend,' he continued, looking almost embarra.s.sed. 'The point is, I don't have to justify myself to you, or anybody.'

'Except, perhaps, yourself,' said the Doctor sitting and casually turning on the television. 'Ah, Men Behaving Badly.' Men Behaving Badly.'

'What exactly is that supposed to mean?' asked Winstone angrily, moving to the television and switching it off.

The Doctor ignored Winstone's question. 'How does Hatch fit into all of this?'

'Why didn't you ask him last night when you had the chance?'

'He's a complicated individual, isn't he?'

'Deep as the Earth's core is our Matt,' said Trevor, his anger subsiding. 'Listen, if he wants you in on the deal then that's fine, but you'll get nothing out of me. I'm just the poor b.l.o.o.d.y errand boy, all right?'

'”Do not all charms fly, at the mere touch of cold philosophy?”'

'Any fool can quote Keats,' said Trevor, turning away from the Doctor. 'What do you expect me to do? Trot out some Sh.e.l.ley, or some Shakespeare? Why should I play by your rules?'

'You fascinate me,' said the Doctor gently. 'Most of those in Hexen Bridge have been stunted by the limitation of the genetic pool. It's like society running in reverse. But you, you're different.'

'No,' said Trevor quickly. 'No, I am not. I'm just the same as all the rest.'

Suddenly the Doctor felt he was getting somewhere. 'Have you ever wondered why Hexen Bridge is so isolated?' he asked.

'n.o.body likes us. We're different.'

'Yes, but...' Once again the Doctor heard the elevator coming up, and he knew that the moment had gone. The doors opened and Shanks stepped out, accompanied by the woman in the white dress.

'Get me a drink, Maria, love,' he said. 'Make it a double. I need it after that palaver. All right, Trev,' he continued, clapping his hands together. 'You've got the stuff?'

'Behind you,' said Winstone, nodding towards the boxes.

'Great,' said Shanks enthusiastically. 'The rocket launcher an' all?'

'It's in the top crate.'

'And it can bring down a chopper from a range of three thousand metres?'

'It could bring down Concorde from that distance,' replied Trevor coldly.

'Excellent!' said a delighted Shanks. 'That I've got got to see.' to see.'

'Won't the Chief Constable be a little upset about that?'

asked the Doctor.

Shanks laughed. He sat beside the Doctor and placed an arm around his shoulders. The Doctor noticed a fleck of blood on the man's face, and a few stray spots on his cream jacket.

'I'd get that dry-cleaned, if I were you,' said the Doctor.

'Blood's difficult to remove. Cut yourself shaving?'

'Do you know what?' said Shanks, with a sickly grin on his face. 'I think it's about time I put you to good use.'

'I don't believe I'm doing this,' moaned Steven Chen, not for the first time. His face was like the skull of the moon against the blackness of the graveyard.

'Oh, don't be so yellow,' yellow,' snapped Ace. A look of horror crossed her face as she realised what she had said. Steven seemed hurt and bewildered, but made no comment. snapped Ace. A look of horror crossed her face as she realised what she had said. Steven seemed hurt and bewildered, but made no comment.

Ace paused, not sure if an apology would make things worse. Angry with herself, she clambered over the low wall that ran around the back of the churchyard, the torch beam flas.h.i.+ng in random directions. She looked back at Steven regretfully.

'You're weird,' said Steven, pulling himself over. The moment had gone.

'Listen, suns.h.i.+ne, compared to the locals, I'm flippin' well normal,' said Ace. She strolled up to the side entrance, a small door of oak studded with iron. 'This should be impressive.' She pulled what looked like a small lump of putty from her rucksack, and pushed it gently into the lock.

'Please tell me that isn't what I think it is,' said Steven, nervously glancing around him, although the church grounds were deserted but for the trailing shadows of the yew trees.

'It isn't,' said Ace. 'It's much better.' She placed a flat metal disc, no bigger than a watch battery, on the end of her finger, and showed it to Steven. 'Miniaturised timer and detonator.'

Steven paled.

'And this,' said Ace, holding up what seemed to be a thick patch of fabric, 'will make sure we don't wake up the whole village.'

'Oh, good,' said Steven. 'I'm glad. I'm standing here, in the middle of the night, about to break into a church, and I'm thinking to myself: Steven, we mustn't wake up the whole village. Oh no. We -'

'Steven?'

'Yes?'

'Shut up. You're getting hysterical.' And with that Ace slammed the pad and timer on to the explosive, and pulled Steven to one side. A moment later the church shook slightly, but there was no noise. It was as if the entire building had just suppressed a sneeze.

'I don't believe it,' said Steven, through clenched teeth.

Ace returned to the door. 'Oh, smart!' smart!' she exclaimed. The blackened pad had fallen to the ground, its job done. A wisp of smoke issued from the keyhole. 'Poor Mr Baber'll have to buy a new lock, but it's better than blowing the door to bits.' she exclaimed. The blackened pad had fallen to the ground, its job done. A wisp of smoke issued from the keyhole. 'Poor Mr Baber'll have to buy a new lock, but it's better than blowing the door to bits.'

Steven nodded in mute astonishment, and watched as Ace heaved open the door. She parted the thick velvet curtain immediately beyond, and strolled towards the aisle. There was some sort of security keypad towards the main entrance, and she tapped in some numbers. 'This switches off all the alarms. I watched what the vicar did with his fingers. Very useful if you want to borrow someone's PIN number.'

'You're outrageous,' said Steven.

'I know,' said Ace, turning towards the cupboard and the trunk in the back of the church. 'I'm looking for some photographs. The Rev said they were family snaps, but you wouldn't keep your shots of Margate beach under lock and key, would you?'

Suddenly Steven glanced nervously down the aisle. 'What was that?'