Part 29 (2/2)

He reached out for the door and gave it a slight push.

For a split second, Lambert's mind recognized a typical Federation neural alarm system. Another split second and his mind was shut down by the excessive force of the noise and lights. Falling against the door, the alarm continued. It was silent to anyone else but inside Lambert's head, it rang louder and shriller than anything else in the universe. After twenty seconds every neural pathway in Lambert's brain was scrambled irreparably.

Comatose, he slumped into the dust, the alarm shutting off. He was destined to lie there for the rest of his life, which would not be very long. As his body registered no signals or impulses from an already destroyed brain, it slowly cut off each of its functions. His lungs would soon stop drawing air, his liver and kidneys would stop producing enzymes and his heart would eventually give up pumping blood and oxygen around his body.

In twelve minutes, Lambert would be dead.

Blissfully unaware that her lover was dying, the autonomic Sadler was striding back to the shuttle.

As she walked out of the dark tunnel into the open air, her eyes made no adjustment to the light, instantly damaging her retinas. The wind and rain lashed down on her, but she gave no sign of noticing it.

The shuttle. Get me away from Him. Far away. Then we can begin again, where He cannot locate us.

Moments later, Sadler reached the shuttle entrance and commanded it to open. The wall melted away and then rea.s.sembled after she got in.

As she sat in the pilot's chair, Sadler's body gave a slight shudder.

Deep within her rapidly closing-down mind, the real Sadler was screaming and crying, trying to fight off the evil power that controlled her body. She was aware that she was losing. She felt the shudder: somewhere back inside Mount Megeshra, Andrew Lambert had breathed his final breath and was clinically dead. Sadler's own mind and personality finally gave way and allowed the evil to swamp her mind.

Siobhan Sadler was gone.

In the real world, the hands of Sadler tugged on the case's lid and with a hiss of air the top shot back. Sadler's hands reached down and grasped the Ancient Diadem of Pakhar, the jewels glowing in frantic patterns. The hands placed the circlet around her forehead.

As the ends touched Sadler's temples, the living evil that was the Diadem swarmed into her brain, finally eradicating any vestiges of Sadler that might have remained.

'A new body. At last.' The Ancient Diadem was free and mobile.

The galaxy, eventually the whole universe - perhaps even the fabric of time and s.p.a.ce - was once again open to total domination.

Bernice Summerfield had encountered a lot of dangerous, even potentially lethal situations since she'd teamed up with the Doctor. She guessed that she ought to be used to having madmen point blasters against her head while having a primed grenade in their pockets.

She wasn't.

'Look, what exactly are you going to achieve? I mean, they can cut you down pretty easily. In case you haven't noticed, Martians don't tire quite as easily as we do.'

Reece snarled back, 'They're b.l.o.o.d.y slow though. My a.s.sociates have a shuttle. We can be on it before they catch up.'

Actually,' corrected Bernice, t's a bit of a fallacy that Martians are slow.

When they need to be, they can be rather swift.'

Reece stopped. 'Townsend?'

Bernice was not unsurprised to hear a male voice call back. 'Here. Have you got the stuff?'

Of course,' was Reece's only response. He dragged Bernice a little further into the darkness and then she saw light. They entered a cavern with a sheer drop at the far side. She could just see the Citadel below. I just know he's going to put me near the edge, she thought. And I hate heights.

Reece pulled Bernice towards the ravine. 'Look. Down there.'

It's a long way down. Nice view though,' was all she could manage.

If the Doctor or Savaar come within thirty meters of us, you're going to get a better one.'

'G.o.d, you're predictable. What's the point? I thought I was a hostage.'

'I'm desperate. Maybe it's a bluff, maybe not. But it'll hold them back anyway.'

The other man, who Bernice guessed was Townsend, wandered over. By the opposite tunnel entrance, looking down it anxiously, was a woman with closely cropped brown hair. She turned round and spoke.

'No sign. Either she's shot him or they've both skipped: Reece relaxed his hold on Bernice enough that he could force her to sit on the floor, but still twisted her wrist and held his blaster at the top of her head. She didn't bother resisting.

'What's she talking about, Townsend?' 'Guess.'

Reece looked at Cooper and then Townsend. I don't believe it.'

Townsend sighed. Okay, I made a mistake.'

'You cretin, how could you? You people just cannot be trusted.' Reece slid the casket off his back on to the floor. He pointed at Cooper. 'Coop. You carry this.'

Cooper looked at Townsend for confirmation - she didn't exactly hold him in high regard but nevertheless he was the leader, not the newcomer.

Townsend nodded and Cooper hitched the casket on to her back.

'Reece!' Bernice turned at the Doctor's voice. He stood, unarmed, by the entrance to the cavern. Savaar and Skeet were faintly visible behind him.

'Reece, let the professor go.'

'Why should I, Doctor?'

'Because she's useless to you now.'

Oh. Cheers, Doctor.' Bernice tried to get up but Reece twisted her wrist harder. Ow! That ruddy well hurt.'

I mean it, Reece. Let my friend go or the Martians will destroy you.'

Townsend brought his blaster up to cover the Doctor and Cooper did the same.

'Three against two, Doctor. Good odds, I think you'll agree,' laughed Reece. 'Now back off.'

The Doctor took a few steps back. 'Bernice, I'm sorry. But Reece has to be stopped.'

'Hey, I'm not wild about it either. But okay.'

The Doctor tried one last time. 'Reece, the Diadem possesses more power than you can imagine. It's not just an object, or a focusing device for mental powers as the legends claim. I've seen it used. It's a living being, a being of pure evil. It feeds off negative thoughts and emotions, slowly encroaching upon the mind. It absorbs you totally.'

Bernice saw a look pa.s.s between Cooper and Townsend. Of course! That's what they meant about the others going missing.

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