Part 3 (1/2)

The Doctor watched while the Yeti completed its strange task. Soon the entire pile of crates was coc.o.o.ned in the cobwebby substance. The Yeti lowered the Web-gun and stepped back. It turned and marched off, the other two Yeti close behind.

The Doctor waited until they were gone, then clambered up on the platform. He went over to the cobwebbed crates and began examining them curiously.

Corporal Lane looked across the Operations Room to Captain Knight. 'Firing checks complete, sir. Ready to detonate.'

'Carry on, Corporal.'

Lane's thumb came down on the red b.u.t.ton.

The Doctor was gingerly rubbing the cobweb-substance between his fingers. There came a m.u.f.fled thump, a blinding white flash, and everything went dark...

Just as Lane pressed the firing b.u.t.ton, Sergeant Arnold ran into the Operations Room. 'Don't detonate, sir!' he called, then stopped, realising he was too late. As Knight swung round in astonishment Arnold went on, 'Those kids have changed their story, sir. There was was someone else with them- someone else with them- some kind of a Doctor.'

'What! If he was anywhere near those explosives...'

'I think he most have been, sir. Apparently he was following the cable.'

Captain Knight sighed. 'All right, Sergeant. Take a party and see what you can find.'

As Arnold saluted and left, Corporal Lane called out, 'Blast recorder doesn't seem to be working, sir.'

'Rubbish. Miss Travers has just checked it.'

'Nothing registering, sir.'

Anne crossed over to the console and examined the dials. 'I'm afraid he's right.' She moved to another set of dials and frowned. 'But the circuit checks show there was was an explosion.' an explosion.'

Knight sounded exasperated. 'You can't have an explosion without blast-can you?'

Anne shook her head.

Knight scowled, 'This Doctor who was in the tunnels- maybe he tampered with the charge. I think I'll have a chat with those two youngsters.'

He strode along the corridor to the Common Room.

Anne followed. Chorley, ever alert for a story, tagged along behind clutching his tape recorder.

As soon as they entered the room Jamie and Victoria jumped up with a flood of questions. Knight stopped them.

'Quiet both of you. And sit down.' Victoria and Jamie sat, fearing the worst. More gently Knight went on, 'We've no news of your friend as yet. We've sent someone to investigate.

Meanwhile, I want to know exactly what you were doing in the tunnels.'

Jamie and Victoria looked at each other, faced not for the first time with explaining their presence in some unauthorised place. The TARDIS never seemed to put them down anywhere safe.

When they didn't answer, Chorley spoke up, eager to use his skill as an interrogator. 'Where did you break into the Underground System?'

Jamie glared indignantly at him. 'We didna' break in anywhere.'

'You must have done,' snapped Chorley triumphantly.

'All the stations are sealed off, aren't they? How else could you get here?'

Jamie looked helplessly at Victoria, who said weakly, 'We just-arrived. We were brought here.' 'By this mysterious Doctor? And for what purpose? Was it sabotage?' Chorley was well in his stride by now.

'Och no,' said Jamie bewildered. 'You're making it all sound far worse than it is.'

Private Weams appeared in the doorway. 'Excuse me, sir, Corporal's raised Holborn on the radio. Sounds like trouble-another Yeti attack!'

Forgetting Jamie and Victoria, Knight ran from the room, Chorley at his heels. Jamie stared after them, 'Did yon soldier say Yeti? Those robot things we had so much trouble with in Tibet?'

Victoria nodded. 'I think so.'

'Och no, not again! Trust the Doctor.'

Victoria made a shus.h.i.+ng gesture, but it was too late.

Anne Travers had paused in the doorway and was studying them keenly. 'All right, you two,' she said determinedly. 'Just how do you know so much about the Yeti?'

In the Operations Room, Knight stood over Corporal Lane, who was talking into his communications set-up. 'Hullo, Holborn, do you read me... Fortress H.Q. to Holborn.' He looked up. 'Sorry, Sir. Seem to have lost them again.' He listened to the faint noise coming from his earphones. 'I can hear something, sir. Sounds like firing.'