Part 10 (2/2)

Operator? Look, will someone put me through to the Governor '

An electronic screech pierced his ears, and he staggered back, dropping the phone. 'What the devil...'

'Come on,' said Jo. 'We'd better get out of here.'

As they moved to the door it opened, revealing Vosper, an automatic pistol in his hand. He advanced towards Jo, smiling evilly. 'There's no escape this time, love. We've taken over the whole prison...'

The Master stood on the top of the steps, looking around him in satisfaction, as dead or unconscious prison warders were stripped of their uniforms and locked away out of sight.

Armed prisoners were disguising themselves as warders, revelling in their new roles. Already, fake warders had taken over the security arrangements at the main gate.

The Master smiled, rubbing his hands. 'Now then, Doctor, I'm ready for you!'

9.

The Test The Doctor drove up to the main gate and submitted to the usual rigmarole with spy-camera and pa.s.s. It seemed to take a little longer this time for some reason.

The gate was opened and as the Doctor drove under the arch, a uniformed figure jumped into the back of the car and jabbed a rifle at his head.

'Don't point that thing at me!' said the Doctor indignantly. 'I'm here on official business. I understand there's been some trouble in here.'

'That's right, and you're in it. Now, let's get this heap inside.'

Suddenly the Doctor realised that the man wasn't a warder, he was a prisoner. Calmly the Doctor moved the rifle-barrel out of line with his head. 'I was going there anyway,' he said with dignity, and drove along the ring-road towards the inner courtyard.

The main door clanged shut behind him.

A few minutes later, armed prisoners were shoving the Doctor into the Governor's office.

The figure at the desk was turned away from him.

Suddenly the swivel chair swung round, revealing the face of the Master. He waved the prisoners away. 'All right, Vosper, Mailer...'

The Doctor dropped into a chair. 'Yes, I thought as much.'

The Master looked disappointed. 'You don't seem very surprised?'

'Hardly. How's the riot going?'

'Long since over,' said the Master proudly. 'I now have control of the entire prison.'

'And where's Jo Grant?'

'In our best cell.'

'Is she indeed?' The Doctor leaned forward. 'If you so much as touch a hair on her head, I'll...'

Suddenly there was a gun in the Master's hand. 'You'll do nothing, Doctor, or I'll put bullets through both your hearts.'

The Doctor raised a hand in temporary surrender. 'All right, all right. Why the delay I take it I'm to be killed eventually?'

'Eventually, yes, Doctor. But for the moment, I need your help.'

'To control that Machine of yours Professor Keller?

You want to be careful, one day it'll end up killing you.'

'Oh, it won't harm me,' said the Master boastfully. 'I created it, after all. But I admit, it has developed something of a will of its own. You, I am sure, have the ability to control it while I am engaged on other business.'

'What other business?'

'Your UNIT friends, Doctor, are transporting a nerve-gas missile. I intend to take it away from them.'

The Doctor shook his head. 'It's a lunatic-sounding scheme still, I suppose that's only to be expected.'

The Master smiled. 'Come now, Doctor, let's not be petty. How can I fail? I launch the missile, wipe out the Peace Conference, the great Powers will blame each other and the world will be at war.'

The Master leaned back, preening himself and the Doctor tipped the desk over on top of him.

Cat-quick reflexes enabled the Master to avoid being pinned down. But the effort cost him his balance and he crashed over backwards on his chair.

Gun in hand he scrambled to his feet and slipped and fell in the pool of water from the Governor's overturned carafe. He scrambled to his feet again, saw a cloaked figure looming over him and fired...

There was a hollow clang. The Doctor had whipped off his cape and draped it over the suit of armour in the corner. Before the Master could recover from his surprise, the Doctor was disappearing through the door.

The Master started to follow, changed his mind, ran to the window and shouted to Mailer, who was patrolling on top of the wall. 'The Doctor's escaping stop him!'

Mailer waved an acknowledgement and suddenly the Doctor shot out of a doorway and began sprinting across the courtyard.

Mailer threw his rifle to his shoulder and fired. The bullet kicked up dust at the Doctor's heels. Immediately he began zig-zagging wildly, dodging in and out amongst the parked vehicles.

Mailer fired again, and yet again.

A final burst of speed, and the Doctor disappeared through an arched doorway on the other side of the yard.

The Master turned from the window and hurried away.

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