Â鶹ԼÅÄ

Tracey Horrobin locked he front door of her mother's house, got in her car, and set off for the journey into work. As she wound her way through the Borsetshire fields, she thought she saw something odd in a hedgerow. She stopped the car to investigate. The last thing she saw before losing consciousness was a green claw

* * *

Brian Aldridge headed up towards the upper fields of Â鶹ԼÅÄ Farm. This bl**dy German turning up was an utter pain, but there wasn't anything he could do about it. He'd had to call Siobhan and put off their meeting till later in the day. But at least he could get some work done. He looked back towards the farm and the road. A dark-coloured Mercedes was pulling into the farmyard. This must be him. Well, Jenny had instructions where to send the man.

* * *

Eddie opened his trunk, and looked at the sphere inside it. "Now what are you, then, me beauty?" he mused. "Eddie," called out his wife. "What you're doing up there?" Eddie shut the trunk and tried to push it back inside the cupboard, but Clarrie was too quick for him. "What yer got there?" "Nothing, Clarrie love." "Don't you 'nothing' me, Eddie Grundy. What's in the trunk?"

Eddie knew from experience that he wasn't going to win this battle. He pulled the trunk back out and opened it. "What in the name of all that's holy is that?" "I dunno. I found it up on Grange farm." "Oh Eddie, I've told you not to go up there." Eddie ignored this. "It must be some toy of Sterling's. I bet he'll pay a pretty penny to get it back." "Oh, Eddie," sighed Clarrie. "I don't want to know. I just don't want to know."

* * *

Lynda Snell looked up to see the tall man in the velvet smoking jacket and the small girl come in the hotel together. Honestly, she thought, he looks far too young for him. Oh well, not my place to judge. She put down the stage arrangement for Pirates of Penzance she'd been working on and pulled out the register. "May I help you?" "Yes," said the girl. "We have two rooms booked. I'm Josephine Grant, and this is the Doctor." "Oh yes?" said Lynda. "Doctor who, exactly?" "Smith," the tall man replied. "Doctor John Smith."

Lynda looked askance at the man. Honestly, some people had no shame. It was one thing to use a false name. But to use such an obvious false name! She'd have to report this to Mr Woolley. However, the man had become distracted by activity outside. He walked out of the doors, followed by the girl.

* * *

"Doctor, what is it?" "There seems to be something going on over there." The Doctor pointed over at a couple of police cars that were pulling up outside the hotel. Some men appeared to be bringing a couple of stretchers up from the fields; there were shrouded forms on the stretchers. A thin, elderly man was walking around in a state of some panic, saying, "Oh, this is very bad, this is very bad indeed. What will the guests think?"

A plain-clothes policeman walked over. "I'm sorry, sir. This area is restricted." "Ah, hello, Sergeant ...?" "Inspector. Inspector Coverdale." "My apologies, Inspector. I'm the Doctor." "No, you're not. I know Dr Hathaway, and you're not him."

The Doctor was starting to get irritated. "He may be a doctor, but I am the Doctor. Myself and Miss Grant here happen to be from UNIT." "Do you have any identification to that effect, sir?" "Well, no, I never carry that sort of thing with me," the Doctor said, rubbing the back of his neck in mild embarrassment. "But Jo here –" "Sorry, Doctor. We're on leave, so I left our papers at UNIT HQ."

"I think I can vouch for them, Inspector." The Doctor and Inspector Coverdale turned to the new speaker, a well-groomed man in shooting jacket and corduroy trousers. "Mr Sterling, I understand you're a respected member of the local community, but –" "I think you'll find I'm rather more than that, if you'd care to examine my credentials." He handed over a laminated plastic card to the Inspector, whose expression instantly changed to one of surprise. "Ah. Well, yes, this does seem to be in order," he said, handing the card back. "So you're the famous Doctor, then?" Sterlling said. "I am indeed, sir. And you are ...?" "Retired, officially. As to what I was before my retirement, I'm afraid I can't exactly tell you, but I do know quite a lot about you and UNIT." "Mr Sterling, I dislike unnecessary secrets." "As do I. Unfortunately some secrets are necessary."

A middle-aged but still beautiful woman, who'd been stood at Sterling's side, asked "Oliver, what are you talking about?" "I'm sorry Caroline, but I have to confess I've not been entirely honest about what I did before I came here. It couldn't be helped, I'm afraid." He turned back to the Doctor. "Well, are you going to look at the bodies?" "Yes, of course." The Doctor had now got to the first stretcher. He pulled back the sheet shrouding the body, and started to examine the body of the young adolescent. As he did do, a car pulled, up, and its driver walked up. "Hello, I'm Dr Hathaway." "Pleased to meet you," the Doctor said without looking up. "The Doctor's from UNIT," said Inspector Coverdale. "He's fully cleared."

"Have you ever seen anything like this before?" the Doctor added, pointing to the blue substance surrounding the boy's mouth. "No." "Tell me, have you anywhere I could properly examine these bodies?" "Well, I suppose we could find somewhere in the Surgery." "Good. Mr Sterling, can you arrange for this area to be quarantined? Nothing must get in or out." The worried man said, "Is that really necessary? It'll upset a lot of people." "It's just a precaution, Jack," said Sterling. "Yes, Doctor, I'll organize that." Sterling pulled out a mobile phone, and dialled a number as he walked off on his own. All Jo heard was him saying, "Hello. I'd like to speak to Charlie, please."

* * *

Brian's German visitor finally reached him at the top of the hill. He was a tall man, slightly balding, with saturnine, European features, and elegantly dressed in hand-tailored black.. "Hope you don't mind coming all this way up here," Brian said. "Not at all. It's an excellent day for a walk." "Yes. Look, I'm sorry, but I don't think I caught your name." "Oh, I'm sorry, my dear chap."

The man's voice suddenly became harsh as he stared directly into Brian's eyes. "I am the Master, and you will obey me!"

* * *

Part Three>>