Part 14 (2/2)

Drawing back his arm, Jamie hurled the heavy metal helmet with all his strength, straight into the glowing heart of the pyramid.

There was a brilliant white flash. A soundless explosion flung them all to the ground. Shakily Jamie picked himself up and looked round. Most of the others seemed unharmed.

Victoria was helping Anne sit up. Travers, Chorley, Evans and the Colonel were all struggling to their feet. Janie noticed with relief that the Yeti were not getting up again. They lay sprawled over the ticket hall, smoke pouring from gaping holes in their chests. He guessed that their control spheres had exploded, just as had happened in Tibet. He felt a pang of sorrow for 'his' Yeti, the one which had defended them so bravely. Arnold too Iay unmoving.

Jamie looked for the Doctor and found him standing by the pyramid, literally hopping up and down with rage. As Jamie came up to him, the Doctor said furiously, 'Why couldn't you all leave me alone?'

Still unbalanced by shock, decided Jamie. 'Hold on, Doctor, if we hadn't pulled you out, you'd have been a heap of dust ty now.' Jamie pointed to the pile of white debris, all that remained of the pyramid.

'I told you to leave me alone,' the Doctor repeated crossly. 'Now you've ruined everything.'

Colonel Lethbridge-Stewart, Professor Travers, Anne and Victoria had joined them. Jamie glared angrily at the ungrateful Doctor. 'What's all the fuss about, we've won haven't we?'

'No, we haven't,' shouted the Doctor. 'Not a complete victory.'

Lethbridge-Stewart gestured round at the shattered pyramid and the still smoking Yeti. 'Looks pretty complete to me.'

Seeing the happy faces all round him, the Doctor shook his head and smiled, his bad temper forgotten. 'Forgive me, all of you. You weren't to know. You see it was such a splendid little scheme. I'd managed to switch off my Yeti guard and reverse the polarity on that helmet thing before they brought me in. The Intelligence wouldn't have drained my brain-I'd have drained the Intelligence! Instead we just got a giant short-circuit!'

'Then where's the Intelligence now?' asked Anne. 'Did we destroy it?'

'I doubt it. It's back floating around in s.p.a.ce somewhere. All we did was to snap its link with Earth. Look!'

The Doctor turned over Arnold's body which as lying face down. The features had crumpled into a horrifying death-mask. The Doctor sighed. 'Poor fellow.'

The Colonel stood beside him, looking down at the body. 'I just don't understand. Sergeant Arnold was so brave, so loyal. He took such risks to help us.'

'When the Intelligence wasn't in control, Arnold was his normal self,' explained the Doctor. 'Unfortunately the Intelligence could take over his mind and guide his actions whenever it wanted. Afterwards, Arnold had no recollection of what he'd been doing. I suspected it was him when I heard he'd come through the Web unharmed.'

Harold Chorley came over to the Doctor. Now the danger was past, he was fast recovering his old brag and bounce. In fact, he was almost back to his objectionable self.

'Well done, Doctor,' he said fulsomely. 'A splendid achievement.'

'Not really; said the Doctor. 'I'm afraid I failed.'

'Nonsense, Doctor. You're a hero. I'm going to make you world famous! First thing is for you to give a Press Conference...'

The Doctor backed away. 'Why don't you discuss it with the Colonel? He's very good at organising things.'

Chorley said, 'Good idea,' and went off to b.u.t.ton-hole Lethbridge-Stewart.

The Doctor turned to Jamie and Victoria. 'Come on, you two, I think it's time to leave.' They slipped out through a side exit and made their way down to the Piccadilly Line.

The little group in the concourse went on chattering excitedly. 'I reckon the least I deserve is a promotion,' Evans was telling Anne optimistically. 'I could end up a colonel myself.'

Colonel Lethbridge-Stewart was lecturing Professor Travers. 'What the world needs is a permanent International Organisation to deal with this sort of thing. A kind of Intelligence Task Force... I think I'll send the Government a memorandum...'

Harold Chorley bustled up. Now then, Colonel. I was just telling the Doctor...' He looked across the hall. 'I say he's gone. They've all gone.'

Professor Travers said, 'He's off to his TARDIS, I imagine. He disappeared rather mysteriously last time we met.'

Chorley snorted. He couldn't understand anyone wanting to avoid avoid publicity. 'Now about this Doctor chappie-I never did get the publicity. 'Now about this Doctor chappie-I never did get the full full story. Professor Travers, you met the Doctor first, in Tibet, I believe. Can you tell me all about him?' story. Professor Travers, you met the Doctor first, in Tibet, I believe. Can you tell me all about him?'

Travers shook his head. 'I only know a very little about the Doctor, Mr Chorley, and I don't think you'd believe me if I told you...'

The Doctor and his friends had pa.s.sed through Leicester Square, and were now approaching the spot where they'd left the TARDIS. Under their feet they crunched a crystalline powder, all that remained of the Web. 'The mist will have gone too, up top,' said the Doctor. 'They'll soon have things back to normal.' As the TARDIS came in sight the Doctor suddenly stopped. 'In fact I'd better get us out of here right away,' he said dramatically. 'We might soon be in the most terrible danger!'

Victoria felt she couldn't take any more excitement. 'Oh no, Doctor, what's the matter now?'

'Well, as soon as they can they'll get the Underground running again. Just think we might get run over by a Tube train! And after all we've been through, that would be most undignified!' The Doctor hurried up to the TARDIS and opened the door. Jamie and Victoria looked after him.

'He's mad,' said Jamie indignantly. 'Mad, I tell you. No telling where he'll land as up next.'

Victoria smiled. 'Come on, Jamie, time to go!' They followed the Doctor into the TARDIS. The door closed and after a moment a strange wheezing, groaning sound filled the tunnel. Slowly the TARDIS faded away. The Doctor and his two companions were ready to begin their next adventure.

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