Doctor Who_ The Web Of Fear Part 5

It was Jamie who answered. 'Och, dinna be so daft, man.

We wouldna stand a chance, not while they're switched on.'

Knight glanced at him in surprise. 'And how do you know so much about it?'

Sergeant Arnold said, 'Seems he and this Doctor and the Professor are all old friends. They had trouble with these Yeti in Tibet years ago.' He turned to Jamie. 'That's right, isn't it, lad?'

'Aye, that's right enough,' said Jamie, hoping Knight wouldn't ask how many years ago. 'They're no' so frightening when you get used to them,' he added encouragingly.

Despite the dangerous situation, Knight couldn't help smiling at Jamie's casual manner. He looked at the grim forms of the Yeti as they stood on guard. 'If you know so much about them, maybe you can tell us how to deal with them?'

Jamie was quite willing to play the part of a Yeti expert.

'Well,' he began seriously, 'the thing to remember about these beasties is that they're no really beasties at all, they're a kind of robot. They're controlled by this sphere thing in their chest. Get hold of that and they're done for.'

'And how do you get close enough to do that without being killed?'

'Aye, well,' admitted Jamie reluctantly. 'That's the difficult bit!'

Suddenly Captain Knight interrupted him. 'Listen!' The signalling sound took on a higher note. At the same time, the two Yeti cutting off their retreat began to move slowly towards them. The trapped group of humans huddled against the tunnel wall, ready to face the final attack.

6.

The Terror of the Web The Yeti on the far side showed no signs of movement.

Only the second pair continued their steady advance. As they came closer the soldiers raised their guns for a final desperate resistance, though they knew that without grenades or explosives they were doomed... bullets alone had little effect on the Yeti. Suddenly Jamie whispered fiercely, 'Dina fire.

Just stand perfectly still.'

Knight looked at him in amazement. 'They're no making for us at all,' hissed Jamie. 'Look at the other two.'

Sure enough the two Yeti that had first attacked them were moving away.

'Do as the boy says,' ordered Knight. The group stood still as the second pair of Yeti came up, pa.s.sed them and followed the first pair down the tunnel. Soon all four Yeti had moved away out of sight.

Captain Knight let out a long sigh of relief. 'Now what the blazes made them do that?'

'I told you,' said Jamie. 'They're no natural beasties at all. They've been recalled. Now I wonder why...' He gazed after the departing Yeti in puzzlement.

'Never mind about why,' said Sergeant Arnold.

'Shouldn't we be getting back, sir?'

'Quite right, Sergeant. Don't want to push our luck.'

Baffled yet relieved, the small party set off towards the Fortress.

Private Weams came into the Operations Room, two mugs of steaming tea in his hand. He pa.s.sed one to Corporal Blake. 'Here you are, Corp, brought you a nice cuppa...'

Blake reached out to take the tea then suddenly froze, his eyes fixed on the illuminated map. The light marking Euston Square was blinking steadily. 'The Web,' he gasped.

'Its started moving again!' He grabbed the internal phone.

'Get me Professor Travers!'

Seconds later Travers ran into the room, Anne and Chorley at his heels. Corporal Blake pointed to the map.

'Euston Square's gone already, Professor, and and King's Cross. King's Cross.

It's moved on to Farringdon.' Even as they looked, the Farringdon light flickered and went out.

Anne turned worriedly to her father. 'It's never moved as fast as this before...'

Blake's eyes were fixed on the board. 'Hasn't moved at all for two weeks, miss. Something's set it off again.' Chorley had been sulking in his quarters when he heard the rumour of the new crisis. Now he seized the opportunity to push himself forward-and to get back at Travers. 'Isn't it strange, Professor, that this should happen on the very day your friend the Doctor turns up?'

'He hasn't hasn't turned up,' Anne pointed out. 'No one's seen him yet.' turned up,' Anne pointed out. 'No one's seen him yet.'

'Ah, but what about those two young people? He could have sent them in here as spies.'

'Rot,' said Travers vigorously. 'I've already been through this nonsense with Anne. For the last time, the Doctor is a distinguished scientist and a personal friend. He's bound to turn up sooner or later. After all, his two young friends are here-and he certainly won't abandon them.'

'But they're not here,' said Chorley triumphantly. 'The young man's already gone off into the tunnels. Now the girl's vanished too.'

Anne looked at him in astonishment. 'Victoria's resting in the Common Room.'

'Not any more she isn't. I went to look for her a while ago-I wanted to ask her some more questions. She wasn't in the Common Room, and she's nowhere else in the Fortress either. I searched the whole place.'

'Why would she just go off like that?' Anne said worriedly.

'Because she was spying. Now she's gone back to this Doctor with her information.' Chorley was absolutely determined to build up Victoria's disappearance into a juicy spy scandal.

A shout from Weams interrupted them. 'Look at the board. The Web's moving again...' The Aldgate light began to flicker...

Corporal Blake looked at the clock. 'Time the Captain was back. Hope he's nowhere near that lot...'

Captain Knight and his men were on the last stages of their journey back to the Fortress. They were moving cautiously up to a junction when Knight heard a strange sound ahead. 'Listen!'

'Is it Yeti, sir?' whispered Arnold.

'Not unless they've learned to sing tenor,' replied Knight drily.

Now they could all hear it-a quavery tenor voice singing 'Men of Harlech', very much out of tune. A tall, spindly figure in army uniform was marching along the tunnel towards them. As he caught sight of them the singing trailed off. 'Hey, soldier!' yelled Arnold. The newcomer hurried towards them.

'Well, there's a sight for sore eyes, now,' he said in a broad Welsh accent.

Captain Knight looked at the skinny figure before him.

The man had a round cheerful face with ears that stuck out like jug-handles. His uniform was crumpled and ill-fitting, his enormous boots badly needed a polish, and an oversize bere1 gave him the air of an elongated mushroom. Knight groaned out loud. 'Arc you raving mad?' he whispered. 'Marching along these tunnels singing at the top of your voice?'

'The man grinned disarmingly. 'Well, I was scared, see.

I always sing when I'm scared.'

Sergeant Arnold had been watching the slovenly, unmilitary behaviour of the new arrival with mounting horror. Moving closer to him he muttered fiercely, 'Stand to attention when you're talking to an officer. Forgotten how to salute, have you? Name and number?'

The soldier crashed stiffly to attention, threw Knight a belated salute and bellowed, 'Six-O-One Evans, sir!' at the top of his voice.

'Sssh,' said Arnold in an agonised whisper. 'Six-O-One Evans,' the man whispered back. Knight suppressed a smile.

'And what are you doing in these tunnels, Private Evans?'

'Trying to get out again, sir.'

'Don't be funny, lad,' said Arnold in a threatening whisper. 'Why are you down here in the first place?'

Evans lowered his voice dramatically. 'I was the driver, see, on that ammo truck to Holborn. We'd just unloaded when we got jumped by Yeti. I ran for it-then got lost.'

'Why didn't you get out the other way?'

'Couldn't, sarge. Tunnels are all blocked with this Web stuff. Moving towards me it was.'

Captain Knight spoke urgently. 'Moving? You're sure it was actually moving?'

'It was following a Yeti,' said Evans dramatically. 'Saw it myself. The Yeti came down the tunnel carrying a sort of gla.s.s thing, and the Web Web followed it...' followed it...'

'This gla.s.s thing,' Jamie said urgently. 'Was it shaped like a pyramid?'

'That's right. A great glowing gla.s.s pyramid. How did you know?'

Jamie turned to Captain Knight. 'That pyramid is the home of the Intelligence. Smash it and you'll put the Yeti out of action.'

Before Knight could reply, Sergeant Arnold broke in, 'Excuse me, sir, but if the Web is on the move again, H.Q.

could be in danger. Especially since we didn't didn't manage to blow any tunnels.' manage to blow any tunnels.'

Knight nodded. The purpose of the demolition operations had been to create a safety zone around H.Q. by holding off the Yeti and the Web. 'Quite right, Staff. We'd better be moving.'

Jamie was outraged that no one had paid attention to his news. 'Och, you're not listening. Just smash you pyramid and-'

'Don't argue with the officer,' growled Arnold. 'Get moving.'

Jamie felt suddenly obstinate. He'd had enough of trailing round meekly after soldiers. 'I will not. I came to find the Doctor; and I'm no' leaving till I have. And I'll find that pyramid and smash it too, since you're too daft to listen!'

Arnold moved angrily towards him, but Knight intervened. 'All right, Sergeant, let him stay if he wants to. It's his own neck.'

Arnold moved reluctantly away. Unexpectedly Evans said, 'If the young gentleman's staying, I'd like to volunteer to help him, sir.'

Captain Knight considered. Evans, like Jamie, would be of little use in the Fortress, and if they were to be cut off every useless man would be a liability, 'Very well. Come along, Sergeant, move the men out. Good luck, both of you.'

As the soldiers started off, Jamie looked a little dubiously at his unexpected ally. 'Thanks for volunteering. It was verra brave of you.'

Evans grinned. 'Brave, me? Don't be daft, boyo. Just didn't fancy being trapped in that Fortress. First chance I get I'm skipping out of here.'

The group round the illuminated map watched worriedly as the Web continued its advance. 'There goes Liverpool Street,' said Weams. 'If this keeps up we could soon be completely surrounded. I reckon we should clear out while we can.'

Travers shook his head. 'No. The decision to evacuate can only come from Captain Knight.'

'Who happens to be still missing,' Anne Travers pointed out. 'Shouldn't you send a search party?'

Corporal Blake looked grim. 'We've got two parties out already, miss. We'll just have to sit tight and wait.'

'You can't abandon him.'

'I can't risk losing more men,' said Blake obstinately.

The argument ended when Captain Knight walked into the room. Anne ran to him. 'Are you all right?'