Doctor Who_ The Deviant Strain Part 24

'You're looking at it.'

SEVENTEEN.

'I was worried about you,' Jack said to her. They were standing in the stone circle.

Levin and Krylek and the soldiers were waiting nearby for the helicopters. Now the radio interference was gone they had called for back*up there was rebuilding to do and Levin had bullied his superiors into funding it. He had pointed out that Catherine was willing and able to detail the illegal and dangerous work that Klebanov had been carrying out. Even though no one in the Kremlin had any idea what it might be, the implications were enough given that the inst.i.tute had been set up to research biological weapons and that Levin had given them a rough estimate of the military and civilian death toll.

'I had to come back,' Jack went on. 'To make sure you were all right.'

'I was fine, thanks,' Rose said from behind him.

'You can take care of yourself,' he replied, without turning. He was still facing Valeria, still holding her limp, lifeless hand. 'She doesn't even know I'm here, does she?' he said quietly.

'I shall look after her,' Mamentov said. 'I see now that it is my duty.'

Fedor Vahlen clapped his hand on the man's shoulder. 'I will help you, my friend,' he said. 'It is what Pavel would have wanted. We will all help.'

'Thank you,' Mamentov said. He reached out and took his daughter's hand from Jack. 'And thank you, Captain. You have taught an old man something he should already have known.'

Jack nodded sadly. 'I'm sorry I can't do more.' He looked into Valeria's expressionless, wrinkled face. He stroked her fine blonde hair with the back of his hand. Then he turned away.

'Time we were on our way,' the Doctor said. 'If you're done with the goodbyes.'

Rose nudged Jack with her shoulder. 'Hey,' she said. 'We did good.'

'Did we?'

'Oh yeah,' the Doctor said. 'Would have happened sooner or later. And we defeated the villains. Saved the world.'

Jack nodded. 'But sometimes, you know, that just doesn't seem to be enough.'

'It's a good start,' Rose said.

It was beginning to snow. Large, lazy flakes were twisting down from the sky and settling on the smooth stones of the circle. Jack paused, sighed and turned back towards the little group of villagers who had gathered to see them off. They couldn't know where they were going or how they intended to travel, but they seemed to know that it was goodbye.

The Doctor and Rose stopped too. The Doctor waved. 'Cheerio, then,' he called.

'Come on,' Rose said. 'It's freezing.'

'I'll catch you up.' Jack was running back through the thickening snow. He stopped in front of Valeria and looked again into her gla.s.sy, unfocused eyes. 'I forgot to say goodbye.' He leaned forwards and kissed her gently on the cheek.

And slowly, with no change of expression, she reached her arms around Jack and held him tight. Just for a few moments. In the cold, cold snow.

Acknowledgements

As ever, I am indebted to the usual suspects my editor, Steve Cole, the creative team at the Doctor Who Doctor Who production office in Cardiff, especially Helen Raynor and Simon Winstone, who keep us honest, and Russell T Davies, who keeps us enthused and inspired. production office in Cardiff, especially Helen Raynor and Simon Winstone, who keep us honest, and Russell T Davies, who keeps us enthused and inspired.

One of the main design elements on our Doctor Who Doctor Who book covers and the DVDs and other merchandise is the distinctive typeface used for the t.i.tles. It's a terrific 'distressed' design created by the talented Lloyd Springer and available from the TypeArt Foundry at www.TypeArt.com. I mention this not just so everyone can rush off and produce nice*looking book covers and the DVDs and other merchandise is the distinctive typeface used for the t.i.tles. It's a terrific 'distressed' design created by the talented Lloyd Springer and available from the TypeArt Foundry at www.TypeArt.com. I mention this not just so everyone can rush off and produce nice*looking Doctor Who Doctor Who*style lettering, but because the name of the font is Deviant Strain. When I discovered that, I just knew it must be not only the Doctor's own typeface but also one of his adventures. So my thanks to Lloyd and the team for the great design, the inspiring t.i.tle and their kind permission to use it for this book. I hope I've done them justice.

About the Author.

Justin Richards is the Creative Director for the BBC's range of Doctor Who Doctor Who books and has written a fair few of them himself. As well as writing for stage, screen and audio, he is also the author of books and has written a fair few of them himself. As well as writing for stage, screen and audio, he is also the author of The Invisible Detective The Invisible Detective novels for children. His novel for older children, novels for children. His novel for older children, The Death Collector The Death Collector, will be published in 2006.

Justin lives in Warwick, with a lovely view of the famous castle and about as far from the sea and any submarines as you can get in Britain.

Published by BBC Books, BBC Worldwide Ltd.

Woodlands, 80 Wood Lane. London W12 0TT First published 2005 Copyright Justin Richards 2005 The moral right of the author has been a.s.serted.

Doctor Who logo BBC 2004 Original series broadcast on BBC television Format BBC 1963 'Doctor Who'. 'TARDIS' and the Doctor Who logo are trademarks of the British Broadcasting Corporation and are used under licence.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without prior written permission from the publisher, except by a reviewer, who may quote brief pa.s.sages in a review.

ISBN 0 563 48637 6.

Commissioning Editors: s.h.i.+rley Patton/Stuart Cooper Creative Director: Justin Richards Editor: Stephen Cole Doctor Who is a BBC Wales production for BBC ONE Executive Producers: Russell T Davies, Julie Gardner and Mal Young Producer: Phil Collinson This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either a product of the author's imagination or used fict.i.tiously. Any resemblance to actual people living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

Cover design by Henry Steadman BBC 2005 Typeset in Albertina by Rocket Editorial, Aylesbury, Bucks Printed and bound in Germany by GGP Media GmbH For more information about this and other BBC books.

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