Part 28 (1/2)

'Yeah, well, it sounds a sweet little story, Joiks,' said Tovel.

'But maybe we'll view the sets anyway. Just in case they picked up something something, right?'

'Reckon Denni was lucky she got offed when she did,'

muttered Roba.

Joiks turned and stamped off the way they'd come without another word. He teetered on the edge of the indigo abyss for a moment, as if surprised to find it there. Then, with a last glare back at Tovel and the others, he set off across the divide. The rolling blue swell of light swept over and around him. Still it hissed and rustled like the sea.

'We'd better get after him,' sighed Tovel as he secured the two websets to his belt. But Roba was already slouching off, leaving the others behind.

'If you're going to lead us,' said Creben, indicating the two bowed figures as they strode through the blue, 'you'd better lead us.' us.'

'Yes, after you, Tovel,' agreed the Doctor absently. He pottered off along the force bridge after Creben and Tovel.

Ben followed on behind, trying not to look too hard through the eddying light and down into the depths of the ravine. If whatever was holding them up chose to let go...

They were halfway over when Ben heard the noise of heavy wings flapping, like distant bellows drawing in air and hissing it back out.

He swore. 'Do any of you hear...?'

Tovel and his merry men ignored him and grabbed for their weapons. They'd heard it all right.

Moments later a flight of the fat stone cherubim breezed through the gaping mouth of the tunnel, some six or seven of them.

'They found us,' Joiks screamed.

The apparitions fanned out into the room. Their chubby arms were wide open. The sharp hooks of their fingers flexed and wriggled.

'For all our ignorance,' said the Doctor, glaring haughtily at the creatures as they spun through the blinding blue air, 'I fear we may still have learned too much.'

Joiks opened fire. The others quickly followed suit.

The cherubim bobbed down unharmed through the opening volley of laser blasts. As Ben fired his crummy pistol, he saw the statues' serene smiles growing broader at the sight of the humans huddled beneath them.

'Just meat,' Joiks muttered, as his gun spat bolt after useless bolt.

Chapter Twelve.

Murder is Easy

I.

Tovel was right, Polly realised. Shade's injuries were healing with incredible speed. The splits and gouges in his face, all puckered by endless lines of tiny plastic sutures, had now practically smoothed themselves out, and he seemed to be sleeping peacefully. It still looked like someone had cut a map of the London Underground into his face, but all things considered, his wounds should've been a good deal worse.

She thought about what he'd said about being a jinx, tried to tell herself it was self-pitying, stupid talk. But what if it was true?

Polly took out the palmscreen from her s.p.a.cesuit, and studied it. 'Oh no!' she hissed. The screen was blank. She must've knocked the OK b.u.t.ton when she hid the stupid thing away. That must mean all Shade's incriminating files were deleted.

Well, good, she told herself. It showed that Shade had some good luck after all, so he couldn't be a jinx. They would all be fine.

Frog's scream nearly punctured Polly's eardrums.

She spun round, and her hand flew to her mouth in shock.

Frog was propped up on one elbow, her combat suit unzipped. She was digging a knife into her s.h.i.+ny pink stomach. There seemed to be blood everywhere.

'What are you doing?' Polly squeaked.

'When you got poison inside you,' panted Frog, her pale staring eyes bulging out of her red face, 'you gotta cut it out.'

'But you can't just... cut out...' Polly wondered if she would faint. 'Cut out all that flesh.'

Frog flashed her a manic grin. 'Wanna watch me try?'

'Put down the knife, Frog,' Polly pleaded. 'You'll kill yourself.'

'Ha!' Frog's mad smile relaxed a little. 'Now why didn't I think of that.' She gritted her teeth and slid the knife along.

But another bloodcurdling scream escaped her.

'Frog, you're mad, you're sick,' Polly told her. 'Stop that now, or I'll -'

'You'll burst into tears, sweetie?' Frog's face crumpled in mock-sympathy. 'Look, just turn around and gaze into Shadow's dreamy green eyes or something, OK?'

Polly's resolve hardened. 'Give me the knife.'

'Or you'll do what? Kill me? Go right ahead, honey.'

'Frog!' Shade's husky voice behind her made Polly jump.