Read Online Doctor Who: Paradise Towers by Stephen Wyatt - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Stephen Wyatt
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Pex?’
‘By those who I am not allowed to name.’ Pex’s tone was mysterious now, hinting at forces behind Mel’s comprehension.
She was still uncertain.
‘And that’s the truth, Pex? Really the truth?’ He nodded solemnly. Mel knew that she had no real choice but to believe him. There was certainly no time to waste arguing. They had been hanging around in the square too long for comfort already.
‘You’re in no danger with me around,’ Pex assured her. Her trust in him seemed to give him new strength and he started to walk across the square towards the one way out of the square they hadn’t tried. Mel followed.
As did two Blue Kangs who had overheard every word that had been said.
*
‘Now the main thing, fellow Caretakers, is not to panic –’
The Chief was into his stride now, pacing up and down the section of Potassium Street where the young Caretaker had met his fate. A group of frightened Caretakers listened attentively, one of them clutching the deceased’s standard issue QY6 cap, stained now, unfortunately, with non-standard issue blood.
‘Just because it appears that something unfortunate may have happened to Caretaker number 345 stroke 12 subsection 3, we must not go leaping to conclusions.’ The Chiefs eyes scanned his attentive subordinates. ‘Careless chat about the Robotic Self-Activating Megapodic Mark 7Z Cleaners having got out of control is not going to help anyone and may needlessly upset other Caretakers.’
The assembled Caretakers shifted uneasily. Conversations on the subject were commonplace back in the HQ and they all secretly hoped that the Chief would not guess how many of them had been involved in so-called careless chat.
‘Everything in the whole of Paradise Towers is perfectly in order as always and running exactly according to the rules set down in the rule book,’ the Chief insisted grandly. ‘You will ignore any evidence to the contrary.’
Internally, however, he wondered if the same unease that he had felt might be shared by his docile crew. If it was, he must act quickly to stifle discontent. ‘You may rest assured that I will undertake a thorough investigation of what has happened and prepare a full and detailed report as demanded by Emergency Regulation 9P2.’ He paused. ‘In the meantime, all Caretakers will patrol their assigned streets as before. I am sure you will be quite safe.’
If there was going to be a protest of any sort, this was when it would be made, the Chief thought. But the Caretakers, though looking unhappy, said nothing.
Then there was a bleep on the Chiefs Mark 12 Long Distance Communication Expediter. It was the Deputy Chief.
And the report he had to make was one he knew the Chief did not wish to hear. The prisoner had escaped, the Deputy explained in embarrassed and fearful tones.
The Chief spoke for the benefit of the assembled Caretakers as well as the distant and quaking Deputy Chief. His voice was menacing. ‘Find him,’ he ordered. ‘Find the Great Architect at once.’ He paused grimly. ‘I don’t think I need to remind anyone just how unpleasant a 327 Appendix 3 Subsection 9 death can be.’
The Doctor sighed with relief. He was fairly certain he had lost the pursuing Caretakers. And so, finally, after frantically rushing down flights of rubbish-strewn stairs and along sordid streets, he could pause to mop his brow. When he had his breath back, he would find a way of getting to the pool – and Mel.
As soon as he started to take in his surroundings, he became aware of the quantity of Kang wallscrawl there was about. And one drawing in particular took his notice. It showed a Kang threatened by a Cleaner, its claw reaching out towards the girl in a way that the Doctor found uncomfortably familiar. But this time the Cleaner had some sort of cart in tow behind it. And out of the cart were sticking legs, the legs presumably of earlier victims. A cart? To take the bodies where? The next scrawl showed some sort of
‘By those who I am not allowed to name.’ Pex’s tone was mysterious now, hinting at forces behind Mel’s comprehension.
She was still uncertain.
‘And that’s the truth, Pex? Really the truth?’ He nodded solemnly. Mel knew that she had no real choice but to believe him. There was certainly no time to waste arguing. They had been hanging around in the square too long for comfort already.
‘You’re in no danger with me around,’ Pex assured her. Her trust in him seemed to give him new strength and he started to walk across the square towards the one way out of the square they hadn’t tried. Mel followed.
As did two Blue Kangs who had overheard every word that had been said.
*
‘Now the main thing, fellow Caretakers, is not to panic –’
The Chief was into his stride now, pacing up and down the section of Potassium Street where the young Caretaker had met his fate. A group of frightened Caretakers listened attentively, one of them clutching the deceased’s standard issue QY6 cap, stained now, unfortunately, with non-standard issue blood.
‘Just because it appears that something unfortunate may have happened to Caretaker number 345 stroke 12 subsection 3, we must not go leaping to conclusions.’ The Chiefs eyes scanned his attentive subordinates. ‘Careless chat about the Robotic Self-Activating Megapodic Mark 7Z Cleaners having got out of control is not going to help anyone and may needlessly upset other Caretakers.’
The assembled Caretakers shifted uneasily. Conversations on the subject were commonplace back in the HQ and they all secretly hoped that the Chief would not guess how many of them had been involved in so-called careless chat.
‘Everything in the whole of Paradise Towers is perfectly in order as always and running exactly according to the rules set down in the rule book,’ the Chief insisted grandly. ‘You will ignore any evidence to the contrary.’
Internally, however, he wondered if the same unease that he had felt might be shared by his docile crew. If it was, he must act quickly to stifle discontent. ‘You may rest assured that I will undertake a thorough investigation of what has happened and prepare a full and detailed report as demanded by Emergency Regulation 9P2.’ He paused. ‘In the meantime, all Caretakers will patrol their assigned streets as before. I am sure you will be quite safe.’
If there was going to be a protest of any sort, this was when it would be made, the Chief thought. But the Caretakers, though looking unhappy, said nothing.
Then there was a bleep on the Chiefs Mark 12 Long Distance Communication Expediter. It was the Deputy Chief.
And the report he had to make was one he knew the Chief did not wish to hear. The prisoner had escaped, the Deputy explained in embarrassed and fearful tones.
The Chief spoke for the benefit of the assembled Caretakers as well as the distant and quaking Deputy Chief. His voice was menacing. ‘Find him,’ he ordered. ‘Find the Great Architect at once.’ He paused grimly. ‘I don’t think I need to remind anyone just how unpleasant a 327 Appendix 3 Subsection 9 death can be.’
The Doctor sighed with relief. He was fairly certain he had lost the pursuing Caretakers. And so, finally, after frantically rushing down flights of rubbish-strewn stairs and along sordid streets, he could pause to mop his brow. When he had his breath back, he would find a way of getting to the pool – and Mel.
As soon as he started to take in his surroundings, he became aware of the quantity of Kang wallscrawl there was about. And one drawing in particular took his notice. It showed a Kang threatened by a Cleaner, its claw reaching out towards the girl in a way that the Doctor found uncomfortably familiar. But this time the Cleaner had some sort of cart in tow behind it. And out of the cart were sticking legs, the legs presumably of earlier victims. A cart? To take the bodies where? The next scrawl showed some sort of
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