Doctor Who BBCN04 - The Deviant Strain Read online

  ‘Early warning system,’ Jack said quietly. ‘I guess it’s possible.’

  The Doctor was nodding enthusiastically. ‘And if he can tap into the wavelength he might even be able to send the remotes different instructions. He might be able to block the ship’s orders, maybe even control the remotes himself.’

  ‘He doesn’t look as if he’s really up for it,’ Rose told them. ‘He’s old, he’s frightened, and if he drinks much more he won’t be able to stand up.’

  The Doctor considered. ‘I’ll need some time.’

  Levin had been listening with interest. ‘You really think this might work?’ he asked.

  ‘If he’s already attuned,’ the Doctor said slowly, ‘we’re halfway there. I can help him focus his thoughts, but we’ll need somewhere quiet where he can concentrate.’

  ‘But how much time do we have?’ Jack asked.

  116

  A window close to the door exploded in a shower of glass. A glowing blue tentacle whipped across the room, sending a table crashing sideways and knocking chairs over. A second tentacle smashed through another window. Then a third.

  ‘Not much,’ the Doctor said.

  The door burst open. A wall of throbbing blue pulsed in the opening. The wooden frame was splintering as the creature forced its way inside. Tentacles slashed across the room – glasses, tables, people went flying.

  One of the men helping Georgi was side-swiped by a thrashing tentacle. It curled and clutched, grabbing him, rolling round him. The man’s face crumbled as he screamed and fell.

  ‘Back – everyone away from the door,’ Levin was shouting.

  His men had instinctively taken up defensive positions, their weapons aimed at the blue mass in the doorway. One of them opened fire, and then another. Soon they were all shooting. Small black holes scattered across the blue flesh, like grains of coarse pepper. But as quickly as they appeared they closed up again.

  A line of bullet holes sliced downwards across the end of a tentacle.

  The tip was cut from the main limb, flopping to the floor. But it was a hollow victory – the end of the tentacle throbbed and jumped, almost hitting a soldier, who stumbled back from it, face drained of colour.

  ‘Back door!’ Jack was yelling. ‘Everyone out the back.’

  ‘So long as there aren’t more of them waiting there,’ Rose shouted.

  Jack grabbed her arm. ‘You’re no fun,’ he complained as they ran for the counter.

  They dived over, to find the Doctor sitting on the floor the other side. He was holding a bottle of the colourless spirit that everyone seemed addicted to. He bit the cork and wrenched it out with his teeth.

  ‘It’s not that bad yet,’ she told him.

  ‘We need to slow them down a bit,’ the Doctor said.

  There was a splintering explosion from the other side of the inn.

  Rose risked a look, ducking away as a tentacle smacked past. But she had seen enough – the creature was inside now, and others were 117

  clustered outside the windows, pressing heavily against what was left of the glass.

  ‘You’re telling me,’ Rose said.

  Jack was on his feet again, encouraging everyone out through the back of the inn and shouting at the remaining soldiers to leave.

  ‘Those other bottles,’ the Doctor said to Rose, nodding up at the shelves behind the bar.

  ‘You want ’em?’

  ‘Nah – give them to Mr Blob out there.’

  She didn’t need telling twice. Rose grabbed bottle after bottle off the shelf and hurled them at the approaching creature. Most bounced off the gelatinous flesh, but smashed as they hit the floor. A mass of writhing tentacles slapped past Rose, fumbling towards her.

  ‘Time we were going,’ she warned the Doctor.

  Jack was standing in the doorway beside the bar, shouting at them to hurry.

  The Doctor pulled himself to his feet and made his way over in a leisurely fashion to join Jack and Rose. ‘Anyone got a lighter?’ he asked.

  Jack slapped a silver cigarette lighter into his palm.

  ‘Might have known it would be you.’ The Doctor examined it appre-ciatively, angling it so he could read the inscription engraved on the side. ‘To Squiffy from Smudger. Thanks for everything.’ He raised an eyebrow.

  Jack shrugged. ‘Just something I picked up. Present.’ He stepped smartly aside to allow a blue tentacle to flop past. ‘Soon would be good, you know.’

  The Doctor flicked the lighter. ‘Right part of the world for a Molotov Cocktail, I s’pose.’ He held up the bottle and watched the flames as they sputtered and grew, traces of black smoke curling up from them.

  Then he hurled the bottle at the creature that was now hauling itself over the counter to get at them.

  ‘Run!’

  The room exploded into flames. The creature was shrieking, wailing, thrashing. Rose thought she could see it melting – glutinous blue 118

  liquid rolling viscous down its sides. But she didn’t wait to be sure.

  The land behind the inn was raised up above most of the village and the harbour, midway between floodplain and cliffs. The soldiers stood in a circle protecting the few villagers, and the Doctor, Rose and Jack were with Levin at the edge of the circle.

  Below them, through the thin veil of mist, Rose could see the creatures moving slowly through the village – there seemed to be dozens of them. Large, glowing bodies slithered along, tentacles reaching in front of them as they felt their way forwards.

  ‘Door to door,’ Levin snapped to his men. ‘Get the villagers out.’

  ‘Take them to the base,’ the Doctor said.

  ‘Won’t the things go there?’ Rose said. ‘I mean, there’s power and light – everything they’re hunting for.’

  ‘People too,’ the Doctor agreed. ‘But we won’t survive out in this cold for long.’

  ‘So what’s the plan?’ Jack asked.

  ‘Get everyone to the base. See if we can get Georgi to keep the monsters at bay.’

  Jack nodded. ‘I’ll help Levin.’

  Colonel Levin sent one of his men off at a run to get to the base and bring more of the soldiers back to help with the evacuation. The rest of them – including Jack and Levin himself – headed for the village. The Doctor and Rose took charge of the civilians from the pub, and started the long, cold journey up the cliff path and across to the research institute.

  Rose took Georgi’s hand to lead him. He pulled away at first, then seemed to accept the help. ‘I know you,’ he said in his cracked, brittle voice. ‘The girl who came to see me when Nikolai died.’

  ‘Yeah, Rose.’

  ‘A pretty name.’ Georgi nodded, his white stick tapping ahead on the narrow pathway. ‘Don’t let him kill me,’ he said quietly.

  ‘Him?’ Rose shook her head, even though he couldn’t see. ‘No, it’s the things from. . . from underground. But we’ll keep you safe. All of you.’

  119

  The old man gripped her hand more tightly. ‘Not them. I can feel them, I know they are there. It’s him I fear. The bad wolf. The man I see in my dreams – waking and sleeping. The man who will kill me.’

  He turned as if to look at Rose, his eyes almost completely white in the night. The flames from the harbour below flickered on his pale face. ‘The man with the wolf on his arm.’

  They split up, running from house to house, trying to keep ahead of the creatures. Fortunately the village sprawled out from the harbour and the soldiers were able to get to most houses before the creatures did. Most, but not all.

  Jack saw one house all but flattened by several of the creatures.

  They oozed and squelched through the rubble, pulsing with renewed energy. He didn’t let himself stop to wonder where they had come from, how many people had died. He ran to the next house, hammering on the door, shouting into the night.

  And then on to the next house.

  And the next.

  A long line of tired, frightened people hurrie
d through the snow, heading for the cliffs and out of immediate danger. But for how long, Jack wondered?

  ‘That’s it!’ someone shouted. ‘These are the last.’

  Several soldiers were leading a ragged group of people from the far end of the village. Dark shapes against the white snow.

  ‘You sure that’s the lot?’ Jack asked them.

  ‘Yes, sir. If there’s anyone else, it’s too late. Those things are coming at us from both sides now. We need to get moving.’

  Jack nodded. ‘Come on, then.’

  They hurried the few villagers along, encouraging and helping them. Further up the road, Jack could see Levin with another group of villagers and soldiers. Beyond that was the dark shape of the base.

  He turned and looked back – saw the fires still burning down in the harbour; the creatures moving through the village behind them, going from house to house as he himself had done. . .

  120

  ‘Right, let’s get a move on,’ Jack shouted. ‘It’s not far now, then we’ll be safe.’

  ‘How can you be sure?’ someone wondered.

  ‘I’ve got a friend,’ Jack replied. ‘He’ll help me sort this out.’

  ‘Can anyone?’ another voice queried. ‘Can anyone sort out what is happening to us here?’

  Jack turned to the man, intending to reassure him. The distant firelight threw a pale-orange glow onto the man’s wrinkled face. It was a face he knew. A father who had already all but lost his daughter.

  Jack forced a smile and clapped the man on the shoulder.

  ‘Mamentov,’ he said, ‘you have been through a lot, I know. But believe me. . . ’ He stopped, frowning. Jack had been glancing round at the other people as he spoke. But – he couldn’t see her. ‘Where’s Valeria?’ Jack asked quietly, feeling suddenly numb. ‘Where’s your daughter?’

  Mamentov held Jack’s gaze for a moment, then looked away. ‘I have no daughter.’

  Jack swallowed. ‘They got her? We were too late?’

  The old man turned back, his face set and determined as he spoke.

  ‘I have no daughter,’ he repeated. ‘Not any more. What use is she now? She does nothing – just sits and stares. I even have to feed her, and. . . ’ He shook his head. ‘I have no daughter,’ he said again, quiet and sad and final.

  Jack just stared at him. Overlaid on the old man’s defiant face he could see the face of the girl – just as old and lined, but empty and devoid of emotion. Drained – everything taken from her. ‘You left her behind, didn’t you?’ Jack said. ‘You left her behind for those things to get.’ His mouth was dry and there was a tightness in his stomach.

  ‘You heartless, selfish moron!’

  ‘You can’t go back there, sir,’ one of the soldiers shouted. ‘You can’t go back!’

  But Jack wasn’t listening. He was running down the hill, towards the village and the sounds of destruction as the creatures moved through it. Hunting.

  He wasn’t thinking, just running. Hoping he could remember where 121

  Mamentov’s house was, skirting the village, keeping well away from the glowing creatures as they slithered and scrambled through the deserted streets. The mist was drifting in as the last of the street lights flickered and went out.

  A shadow detached itself from the darkness and flew at Jack. It caught him squarely in the chest, heaving him backwards – out of the way of the tentacle that slashed through the air where he had been a moment earlier. The tentacle slapped to the ground, pulled back, disappeared into the night. Jack could see the pale glow of the creature moving off into the distance.

  ‘Thank you,’ Jack gasped, winded, looking up at his saviour.

  ‘You deserved it,’ came the reply. Sergeyev was looking down at him. He offered Jack his hand and pulled him to his feet. ‘Now we’re all square.’

  ‘You got out of the sub, then,’ Jack said. ‘Obviously.’

  ‘Yes. Thank you.’

  ‘You’d better get after the others.’ Jack pointed into the darkness.

  ‘Colonel Levin’s evacuated the villagers, or as many as we could.

  They’re making for the base.’

  ‘But what about you?’

  ‘I’ll be there. There’s something I have to do first.’

  ‘Maybe I can help.’

  Jack met the man’s gaze. He remembered how scathing Sergeyev had been of Jack’s sympathy for Valeria – how that was what had sparked their initial row. ‘I don’t think so.’

  ‘Tell me,’ Sergeyev insisted.

  ‘The old man, Mamentov – he’s left his daughter behind.’

  ‘That mindless girl?’

  Jack nodded.

  ‘He saved himself and left her.’ Sergeyev turned to look into the darkness, towards the base and safety. ‘I understand.’

  ‘I thought you would,’ Jack snapped. ‘You’re as callous as he is.’

  But Sergeyev laughed.

  Jack gritted his teeth. ‘It’s not funny.’

  122

  ‘No,’ Sergeyev said, suddenly serious. ‘You think I understand the old man. That isn’t what I meant.’

  ‘What did you mean, then?’

  ‘I meant that I understand you, my friend. Come on.’ He set off into the darkness, towards the village. ‘Let’s find her before it’s too late.’

  The villagers were hustled into the base, told briefly what was happening and asked to help if they could.. Those who were not too old or frightened or inebriated joined Levin’s troops on the road. The Doctor left Levin to organise things, knowing that Jack would help when he returned from the village.

  They were building a bonfire. A huge pile of anything they could find that would burn. Drums of fuel oil were rolled round from the back of the institute where the generators were. Inside, the villagers and scientists ripped out anything flammable and piled it outside to be moved down to the fire.

  ‘We need to keep back enough to run the generators until we can get help,’ Levin told Lieutenant Krylek. ‘I don’t want to live through this only to die of the cold in a few days’ time.’

  ‘You think the Doctor’s plan will work, sir?’ Krylek asked quietly.

  Levin’s reply was just as quiet. ‘I really don’t know. But it gives us something to do. And, crazy though it seems, I don’t have any better ideas.’

  The road was on a narrow, raised area of land at the point where they were building the fire. The sides were almost sheer – dropping away nearly twenty metres either side. The pile of debris stretched almost across the narrow plateau now. Fedor Vahlen had driven his digger up from the village. Its headlight cut through the misty night as he dumped load after load of broken furniture, ripped-up carpet, desk tops, anything that would burn, onto the pile.

  With the last of the villagers and soldiers arriving, Levin called everyone to the institute side of the pyre. ‘I want this roadway blocked off completely,’ he said. ‘No way through. If the Doctor is right and Georgi can lead these things mindlessly along and into the flames, then I don’t want any of them coming round the side.’

  123

  ∗ ∗ ∗

  The creatures seemed to be everywhere. Jack could hear them slithering in the darkness, could see the blue glow from them illuminating the sky ahead like the lights from a distant city.

  ‘That’s the house,’ Sergeyev said.

  They were almost there now. A quick dash across an area of open ground. Jack and Sergeyev crouched in the doorway.

  ‘Looks like we’re in time,’ Sergeyev said. ‘Go and get her. I’ll keep watch.’

  Jack flung the door open and leaped into the small front room of the house. It was empty. He didn’t want to try the lights – they probably wouldn’t work, and if they did would only draw the attention of the creatures. Back room – nothing. A small kitchen with the tap dripping. No sign of Valeria.

  ‘Quickly!’ Sergeyev called through the open door. ‘I can hear one of them coming.’

  ‘How close?’ Jack yelled bac
k.

  Stairs – two at a time. Narrow and steep.

  ‘I don’t know. Can’t see it.’

  Top landing – barely room to stand. Three doors. First room.

  Empty.

  Second room.

  Empty.

  ‘My God – it’s on the roof!’

  A crash of breaking glass.

  Third room – the tentacle smashing through the window and lashing back and forth. Jack stood in the doorway watching, unable to get to the bed. Unable to reach the girl lying there, unmoving, staring silently at the ceiling. She was oblivious to the creature, the danger, the world around her.

  ‘Leave her,’ Jack thought. ‘I’ll have to leave her.’ And he dived across the room, under the tentacle, sliding along the bare boards towards the bed.

  Gunfire from outside. The tentacle hesitated. Then withdrew.

  ‘Sergeyev – I’ve got her. Get out of it, get away.’

  124

  More gunfire.

  Then silence.

  Jack had Valeria across his shoulders, surprised how heavy she was.

  He stumbled out of the room, almost falling down the steep stairs. Out into the darkness.

  Darkness tinged with blue. Creatures all around, as if watching the house.

  And in the middle of them, outside the door, Sergeyev staring sightlessly at the night sky. His gun by his side and his face crumpled and pale like an old paper bag.

  Jack gritted his teeth. Reached up with his free hand to pat Valeria’s unfeeling head. ‘We’ll be OK. I promise.’

  Then Jack was running for their lives.

  Klebanov had suggested the Clean Room. The Doctor wanted somewhere isolated and quiet where Georgi could concentrate, away from distractions. The Clean Room was a glass cage in the corner of a large, bare room. Just a wooden desk and an office chair remained. There was a complicated electronic locking system on the double set of doors that acted as an airlock, operated from a numeric keypad. The glass was bullet- and blast-proof. The cage was empty apart from several gas canisters piled up at the back of the room. They were stamped with a red skull and crossbones.