Part 27 (1/2)

'Sss.h.!.+ Please don't cough, Rita please!'

The footsteps returned to the hall and Jean almost screamed when the door to the cupboard rattled. He was trying to get in!

The door shook and shook but it did not budge. Finally, after what seemed like forever, the footsteps shuffled away again. Jean listened as they went down the hall, out the front door and on to the street.

They were safe but for how long?

Tommy, Billy and Charlie peered through the windows of the bread factory. Inside was a scene to match any horror Tommy had seen in his violent, murderous life.

More than two dozen men and women were working inside the factory. Each looked utterly exhausted, as if they had not rested for hours, even days. Their faces were sallow and drawn, black rings under their eyes. Clothes stained with sweat and blood hung from their sagging bodies. Their arms strained to move the long bread shovels and heavy wooden blades used to stir the dough.

A dozen policemen stood around inside the factory, watching the workers. If any of them slowed the pace of work, a policeman would stride forward and beat the culprit repeatedly with his truncheon. As the trio watched, one such broken body was pushed to one side and an invisible signal pa.s.sed between the police.

In one corner of the factory floor a crude cage had been constructed. Dozens more people were wedged inside, some already dead, others dying. When a worker fell, the police opened the cage and selected three people from inside. One was made to replace the missing worker. The other two were forced to pick up the body of the fallen man and place it on a conveyor belt. This propelled the body slowly towards a giant metal wheel, studded with cruel spikes. As the body was fed into the maw of the machine, the spikes began to vibrate tearing the body apart.

The unfortunate victims were still alive as they entered the machinery. None survived more than a few moments.

'Christ almighty!' Charlie whispered. His brother was too busy vomiting to speak. Tommy's face was like stone, a muscle rippling in the jawline the only clue to his thoughts.

'This stops today,' he told the brothers. 'We can't take all those police guards on our own, but maybe some of the workers will help us.'

'They can hardly stand,' Billy said, wiping the vomit from his chin.

'n.o.body wants to die like that,' Tommy replied. 'Given the chance, I reckon they'll fight to get out of there.'

'What do we do?' Charlie asked.

Tommy glanced through the window again, a.s.sessing points of entry and the enemy's position. 'You stay here. Vomit boy will come with me. When you get my signal, come in through this window shooting. Put your man down, because you'll only get one chance. Reckon you're up to it?'

Charlie gulped hard and nodded. 'What's the signal?'

Tommy smiled. 'You'll know when you hear it. Good luck.'

He ran off along the perimeter of the building, shotgun at his side.

Billy embraced his brother before following Tommy. 'See you inside.'

Charlie watched him go then checked his shotgun one last time. Better safe than sorry. Seconds later he heard gla.s.s smas.h.i.+ng and two shotguns firing. Charlie smiled as he backed up, ready to launch himself inside. Tommy had been right he knew the signal. Charlie threw himself through the window, rolled on the ground and came up shooting.

The Doctor closed the church door and leaned against it, one hand s.h.i.+elding his eyes from the brilliant glare. Once they had adjusted, he was able to focus on the gathering in the centre of the church.

Sarah was floating in the air, her arms held out sideways as if being crucified by invisible forces. Her face was riven with pain, each breath gasped in as if her rib cage was slowly collapsing.

Tears ran down her cheeks.

Around her floated the Xhinn Triumvirate. The creatures of light and darkness were flicking shards of energy at the suspended Sarah, each jagging into her body, making her writhe in the air. The Doctor could hear the metal upon metal rasp of Xhinn laughter in his mind.

'Where's Father Simmons?' he asked.

The Xhinn whirled to face him, the torturing of Sarah forgotten for now.

'Doctor!'

'So kind of you to come back.'

'We knew you would.'

'Now we shall take your time machine and learn its secrets.'

'I asked you a question where's Father Simmons?'

'Aren't you more interested in this human?'

'She is your travelling companion, isn't she?'

'You care about her, don't you?'

The Doctor did not deny it. 'You already know this. You stole the knowledge from my mind to create one of your tests.'

'You wouldn't want to see her hurt, would you?'

'She seems such a fragile creature.'

'Yet she has survived for several hours here.'

'Why did you abandon her?'

'I didn't, as you well know,' the Doctor replied tersely.

'Release her.'

'You are in no position to give orders, Time Lord.'

'She came here of her own free will.'

'She agreed to be our captive to save you.'

'She shall be our mouthpiece on this world.' The Xhinn Triumvirate turned inwards towards Sarah. 'Won't you?'

'Never!' she replied between gasps for air.

'How tiresome.'

'How stubborn.'

'How regrettable.'

All three Xhinn gestured. Energy lanced at Sarah, stabbing her with bolts of blue light. She twisted and buckled in the air, then hung limply.