3. Gordon the Wolf
Running around in simi-suite #2, the Doctor, Ian, Barbara, Susan, Admiral Brown and Joel Rotenhend found themselves in New York, which took them by surprise. The part of New York they were in was an alleyway.
“Well now,” the Doctor commented, “I didn’t expect that.”
“This is New York!” exclaimed Susan. “We’re in New York, grandfather!”
“Ian, weren’t we just in Victorian London?” Barbara asked.
“Yes we were,” Ian replied. “Don’t ask me to explain. Only the Doctor knows.”
“Somebody’s been messing around with the holographic simulators,” speculated the Doctor. “A certain someone trying to trap us.”
“Those two men?” Joel suggested. “Melbourne and Thomas?”
“Possibly, yes. Possibly,” the Doctor answered Joel.
“Grandfather?” Susan prompted. “We must get out of this simi-suite. How are we going to get out when all the scenery keeps changing?”
“We shall have to use tact, my dear Susan,” the Doctor replied. “Yes! We shall fight those two swindlers!”
“Fight?” the Admiral questioned. “Should it really come to that?”
“Or we could take the car,” Barbara suggested. “And drive our way around New York.”
“Yes!” Ian agreed. “That’s an idea! Then we’ll be able to confuse our enemies for as long as possible. At least until we find a way out of here!”
“Good!” the Doctor commended. “Very good thinking, my boy! Come along!”
They all made their way to the car. They panted for breath after running so much. The Doctor especially panted for breath after running.
“Oh goodness me!” the Doctor remarked. “All this running makes me exhausted!”
The Doctor wiped himself down with a handkerchief.
“Who’s going to drive this thing anyway?” Joel asked. “It’s so antiquated!”
“At least there’s room for all of us!” Barbara remarked.
“Quite so, quite so,” the Doctor agreed. “And Ian Chesterton shall drive the car for us! I’m sure he’d be only too happy to drive this speedy car of ours.”
“Yes!” Ian chuckled. “Thank you Doctor for volunteering my services.”
Ian didn’t mind actually. He knew this car pretty well. It was more of the 1960s design where he came from. Perhaps that’s when they were. If only it was England instead.
“Quick my boy!” the Doctor urged Ian. “Don’t stand there daydreaming! Come on; come on! Get in! Get in the car!”
Ian saw that everybody got in the car and immediately got in himself, making ready to drive. He made himself comfortable at the driving wheel, before turning back to the others.
“Are we ready back there?” he asked.
“Come on, my dear boy!” the Doctor said impatiently. “Get a move on!”
It was at that moment, the wolf was onto them. It howled loudly. The women started to panic.
“Come on, Ian!” Barbara said urgently. “Get away from here!”
Ian immediately started the engine. Before he knew it, he was driving the car at full speed whilst the wolf began to chase them.
Soon, Ian and the others found themselves back in London again. Except this time, it was London during the Blitz. Bombs pounded upon them, blowing everything up wherever they went.
“Good lord!” the Admiral exclaimed. “What is this?! Is there a war going on or something?!”
“I know how much I like war games in simi-suites,” Joel remarked, “but I wasn’t expecting this!”
“It’s London!” Susan panicked. “We’re back in London!”
“During the Second World War!” Barbara said. “The London Blitz!”
“What did you bring us here for, Chesterton?!” the Doctor demanded, accusingly.
“I didn’t bring us here!” Ian replied. “I was hoping we’d get away from that wolf in New York! Now we seem to have ended up here!”
“Oh can’t we get away from this place?!” Susan sobbed. “Can’t we escape?!”
“Susan, calm down!” Barbara said reassuringly, as she took hold of Susan, cradling her in her arms.
“Is that wolf still behind us?” the Doctor asked. “Admiral; Mr. Rotenhend?”
Admiral Brown and Joel looked back to check and see.
“Yes!” Joel replied. “He’s right behind us!”
“Yes!” the Admiral concurred. “And certainly hoping to make a good meal out of us, isn’t he?”
The Doctor shook Ian. “Get us out of here, boy! Quick! Away from this infernal place!”
“I’m trying!” Ian answered. “I can’t seem to find my way around here!”
More bombs kept going off as they almost hit the car. Ian managed to dodge the bombs as he drove towards a street where it wasn’t so heavily damaged. Ian put his foot down on the brake.
“We have to head back the way we came!” Ian said, determined. “At least New York’s safe! It may not lead us to a way out, but it’s a chance!”
Ian however didn’t get a chance to drive them back the way they came. They found themselves in another city area, only unfamiliar and underground. Everyone became bemused.
“Ian, where are we?” Barbara wanted to know.
“I don’t know,” Ian replied. “First I thought we were in London; then in New York; then back in London again during the Blitz. I haven’t the foggiest where we are now.”
Susan became worried. “I know where we are.”
“Susan, my dear?” the Doctor enquired, concerned.
“Don’t you see? We’ve all been here before!” Susan said. “The four of us! You grandfather, me, Ian and Barbara. We’re in an underground city!”
“Yes Susan,” Barbara replied. “We know, but…”
Realisation suddenly dawned upon Barbara. She suddenly remembered where they were.
“Yes! I remember now! They kept us here as prisoners!”
At that moment, Daleks came gliding out from their hiding places. They raised their weapons at the TARDIS travellers, the Admiral and Joel in their car.
“Step out of the car!” the Daleks demanded one at a time. “Step out of the car! You are prisoners of the Daleks! Surrender and obey! Obey!!!”
The car stopped to a halt once the Daleks had appeared. Ian and Barbara were horrified.
“Daleks?!” Ian exclaimed. “But they were destroyed!”
“We saw it happen!” Barbara added. “We stopped them on Skaro!”
“That’s where we are!” Susan declared. “On Skaro!”
“My dear young man; young woman!” the Doctor interjected. “The Daleks would’ve had a recorded history! So obviously they’d have their recorded history put on as a simulated environment for people to enjoy. Isn’t that so, dear Admiral?”
The Admiral brightened up. “Yes! Quite so, dear chap! Daleks are quite a popular attraction in simi-suites of these sizes.”
“I always liked to play with Daleks when I was a boy,” Joel added. “Played inside them at old fairgrounds like dodgem cars!”
The Daleks became more menacing and threatening than ever.
“You will follow our instructions; or else we will open fire and exterminate you!”
The Doctor patted Ian’s shoulder. “Hurry Chesterton, my lad! Drive us back! Drive us back!”
“Alright Doctor, alright!” Ian retorted. “I’ll drive us back! I’ll be more than happy to!”
Ian put the car into reverse as he and the others drove back the way they came. The Daleks glided forward. They opened fire with their guns. But it was too late. The car was already gone.
Having escaped from Skaro, Ian drove the car backwards into a Scottish landscape. This quickly bemused everyone.
“Whoa!” said Joel, amazed. “We’ve entered the countryside!”
“Grandfather?!” Susan began to remark. “For a moment I thought we were seeing home. Our home, I mean. From the mountains.”
“Yes, yes, my dear,” the Doctor replied. “I see what you mean. Though the Highlands of Scotland are nothing compared to the mountains we have on our world.”
“We’re in Scotland!” Barbara exclaimed.
“Yes, my dear,” the Doctor confirmed. “Very familiar setting, isn’t it?”
“I wish I knew what period we were in,” Ian said. “I hope it’s not during some sort of battle. I’ve had my share of battles for today.”
Suddenly, an unearthly roar echoed from behind them. All became terrified.
“Speaking of which,” the Admiral began, “what of our wolf Mr. Rotenhend? He’s bound to be around here somewhere.”
“That didn’t sound like a wolf’s howl,” said Barbara, troubled.
“No, it didn’t,” the Doctor agreed. “And do you know why that is, my dear?”
“What grandfather?” Susan asked, worried. “Why’s that?”
“Because that wasn’t a wolf at all! It was a hideous monster!”
“What monster?” asked a puzzled Joel.
The Doctor pointed and all turned to see. They saw the hideous shape of the Loch Ness Monster before them. All became terrified. The Loch Ness Monster began to lunge toward them.
“The Loch Ness Monster!” Susan exclaimed. “It’s the Loch Ness Monster, grandfather!”
“It’s huge!” declared Barbara. “I’ve never seen anything like it!”
“I only saw it in picture pads,” Joel said. “I never thought I would dare to look at something like that. Massive and almighty…”
“Stop gawping at that monstrosity, everyone!” the Doctor interrupted. “Let’s get away from here!”
“Again?!” Ian complained, annoyed. “You want us to get away again! That’s all we seem to be doing! Wherever we go, we always end up not getting somewhere…”
“Don’t argue with me, boy!” the Doctor shouted angrily. “Do as I say and drive on!”
“I’d advise we hurry!” said the Admiral. “The monster’s nearly on top of us!”
“There you are, you see!” the Doctor told Ian. “You heard the Admiral! Come on, quick!”
Ian put his foot down on the brake again, just as the Loch Ness Monster lunged forward, making another attack.
Eventually, they managed to get away as Ian drove the car into a forest. They soon got stuck on the way. The car’s wheels ended up in mud. Ian tried to drive the car forward, but the mud was too much for them. Ian soon stopped the car. Silence fell in the forest.
“Terrific!” Ian said wryly.
“A fine time for us to get stuck in the mud, isn’t it? Hmm?” remarked the Doctor.
Suddenly, the howl of the wolf drew near. The Doctor and the others became apprehensive, anticipating the wolf’s arrival.
“It’s still coming after us!” said Barbara. “Can’t it ever stop? Doesn’t it know when to give in and stop hunting us?”
“That’s my dad you’re talking about,” protested Joel. “I’d prefer it if you call my dad ‘him’ rather than ‘it’.”
“I’m sorry Joel,” Barbara apologised. “I wasn’t thinking.”
“How much petrol have we left, Mr. Chesterton?” the Admiral asked.
Ian checked the petrol gauge. “We’re very low! We can’t drive on anywhere further than this.”
“I wonder what’s making that wolf to keep coming after us,” the Doctor pondered. “Or why the holographic simulations keep changing.” He paused for a moment to think. “Unless of course…”
“What grandfather?” Susan asked. “What is it?”
“Unless of course it’s that client of those two ruffians,” the Doctor said. “The creature! The fellow I should know or have met before. He might be the one responsible for all that’s been going on here. With the shifts in scenery and everything. Yes! That might be it!”
The howling of the wolf grew even louder. It had everyone on edge and panicking. Ian grabbed the Doctor by the arm.
“Doctor, we can’t stay here forever! We must do something about that wolf!”
“If only we could send it away!” Susan sobbed. “Or change him back into grumpy old Mr. Rotenhend.”
The Doctor picked up on Susan’s suggestion. “Susan, my dear. I think you may have given me the answer!”
“Have I, grandfather?” asked Susan surprised. “Really?”
“Yes, I believe you have,” the Doctor said. “Now, I’d like you do something for me, my dear. I want you to help me.”
“Yes of course, grandfather,” Susan said willingly.
“It won’t be pleasant,” the Doctor warned her.
“Oh,” she grunted.
“But I’m sure a bright young girl with an intelligent mind such as yours can cope with the pressures of what I’m about to ask you to do. Don’t you think so, my dear?”
Susan eventually gave her grandfather a reassuring smile. It was clear she was nervous.
“What must I do, grandfather?”
Ian and Barbara felt a sense of hope by this conversation.
“You found the answer, Doctor?” Barbara asked. “About how to tackle this problem?”
“Yes my dear,” the Doctor replied. “And I’m sure that Susan will help me academically.”
Ian laughed wryly. “Well, I wish you all the luck then.”
“Quiet my dear boy! Quiet!” the Doctor retorted. Then he turned to Susan, “Now Susan. Here’s what I want you to do. We’re going to put our ‘minds’ to it in order to stop the wolf. You understand?”
The Doctor continued to outline his plan whilst Susan listened carefully.
Ten minutes later, still in the forest of simi-suite #2, the wolf appeared. It made its approach towards the Doctor, Susan and the others. They still had their car stuck in the mud. The wolf growled, setting its gaze on Susan and the Doctor. The Doctor and Susan looked serious at the wolf, as if they took in important details about it before making a satisfactory conclusion.
“Remember what I said, Susan,” the Doctor told her. “Put your mind to it! Hmm? Your mind child, you hear?”
The wolf growled ferociously, causing Susan to shudder. “Yes grandfather! I understand!”
“Good; good,” the Doctor approved. “Now when I say now…begin!”
They watched as the wolf came slowly towards them. It knelt forward as it made to leap for an attack. But just as the wolf was about to pounce, the Doctor cried out, “Now Susan!”
Susan directed her mind control towards the wolf. It started to weaken. The wolf collapsed to the ground, whining and howling. Not the ordinary wolf howl. But the combination of whimpers and whines as if it were some lost puppy. Susan spoke through her mind, giving specific instructions to the man inside the wolf’s skin.
“Resist, Mr. Gordon Rotenhend! Resist! Resist! You can overcome this animal curse you’re going through now! If only you resist! Resist! Resist!”
Susan focused as the wolf continued to weaken. Then it seemed as if Susan was beginning to weaken too. She moaned and struggled to keep her mind focused. She cried out loud, “Grandfather! I can’t keep this up! It’s hurting me! It burns me, grandfather! It burns my mind!”
The Doctor put his hand around Susan’s shoulder, comforting her as she felt pain.
“There, there now, my child!” he reassured her. “Don’t fret so! I shall help you! I’ll always be with you, my grandchild. I’ll always be with you.”
The Doctor held Susan’s left hand. He then put his mind to it to help his granddaughter. Both he and Susan focused their minds on the large wolf. It remained crumbled and weakened on the floor. Both the Doctor and Susan spoke their words in their minds to the man inside the wolf.
“Resist Mr. Rotenhend! Resist! Resist! Resist!”
Ian and Barbara were watching this from a distance. Joel and the Admiral were watching too, fascinated by what was happening.
“Ian, I think it’s working!” Barbara said. “Both Susan and the Doctor are at it now!”
“Yes!” Ian agreed. “Whatever it is they’re doing, it seems to be working.”
“I just hope it helps Mr. Rotenhend!” Barbara wondered.
“I should think so,” Ian said. “It’s almost got him to sleep. Let’s hope it spoils the bad boys’ plans to keep us in here. It should be affecting him by now.”
They continued to watch as they saw Gordon the wolf weaken on the ground and going unconscious, thanks to Susan and the Doctor’s work.
Back on Westminster Bridge in Victorian London, the creature shrieked in pain as it collapsed to the ground. Melbourne and Thomas watched whilst this was happening. They became utterly confused.
“What’s all this about, Melbourne?” Thomas asked. “What’s up with our client?”
“I’ve no idea, Thomas,” Melbourne replied. “Best not to ask too many questions.”
Melbourne then turned to Bruce. “And you android; have got some serious explaining to do!”
Bruce groaned. “Great. Can’t wait.”
Back with the Doctor and the others, the holographic settings begin to shift and shudder. The simi-suite was about to revert to its default mode.
“I say!” the Admiral declared. “Is the simi-suite behaving itself alright?”
“It’s changing back, Admiral!” Joel exclaimed. “Reverting to its default setting!”
“That means we can get away!” Barbara said, relieved. “Escape!”
“Yes!” Joel said. “The door’s right there before us!”
They looked to see the exit door before them. Ian turned to the Doctor and Susan, calling, “Doctor; Susan! We did it! We found the way out! We can escape now!”
The Doctor wasn’t paying attention. Neither was Susan. They were attending to Gordon Rotenhend who had changed back from a wolf into a human being. The process was slow, but Gordon woke up with a cough and a splutter as he looked up to see the Doctor’s grim face looking down on him.
“W-W-What? What’s happened?” demanded a dazed Gordon. “Have I had a bad dream or something?”
“Now listen to me, Mr. Rotenhend!” the Doctor insisted. “You’ve been through a dreadful ordeal! You are to come with us; me and my granddaughter Susan! You are to do as I say!”
Gordon felt groggy, but that didn’t stop him from being rude and obnoxious.
“Don’t you tell me what to do, old man! I’m the manager of this hotel! I run things my way! I’m…I’m…”
Gordon’s fit of anger made him weak again as he collapsed to the floor. The Doctor turned to Ian and Joel.
“Chesterton! Young man! Help with carrying this man out of here!”
Ian and a reluctant Joel agreed. They made their way towards Gordon’s crumbled body and began to carry him out of the simi-suite. They lifted him up from the floor as they carried him out.
“This is my father, you know!” Joel said to Ian.
“Yes,” Ian replied. “And he seems to weigh a ton, I must say.”
“Are you calling me fat?” asked a groggy Gordon.
“Yes, yes, no time for that now,” said the Doctor impatiently. “Come on! Let’s get out of this ghastly place!”
“Grandfather?!” Susan stopped him. “What about those two men who hurt you? Are we leaving them in there?”
“And why not?” enquired the Doctor. “They seem quite happy in there, wouldn’t you say?”
The Doctor and Susan helped Ian and Joel to carry Gordon Rotenhend out of the simi-suite as they made their way for the exit. Barbara and the Admiral joined them as they made their escape.
Out in the corridor full of entrances to the simi-suites, the Doctor, Susan, Ian and Joel carried Gordon Rotenhend with Barbara and Admiral Brown tagging along behind. All sighed with relief once they were out of the simi-suite.
“Oh thank goodness for that,” said the Doctor, relieved. “I don’t mind admitting that all that fantasy and make-believe was playing havoc on my mind.”
“We’re safe now aren’t we, grandfather?” Susan asked.
“Oh yes, my dear child,” the Doctor reassured her. “Safe…for the time being.”
Ian just had to put Gordon Rotenhend on the ground. Joel helped him before they made their way over to the Doctor.
“I presume you mean something by that,” Ian enquired, regarding the Doctor’s recent remark. “That not all is yet over.”
“No, I’m afraid not, my dear boy,” the Doctor said grimly. “There’s a lot of work to be done. And an enemy we still have to deal with.”
“You still want to check on that crystal?” Ian asked. “The one in that suitcase?”
“Yes, yes,” the Doctor said impatiently. “And once Mr. Rotenhend’s fully recovered, we can have a look at the suitcase ourselves.”
“Crystal in a suitcase?” Barbara enquired. “I don’t understand.”
“Yes, Ian and I found out from those two mongrels that they had a crystal of time,” the Doctor explained. “A crystal that could mean the end of everything. Or the beginning of something. Something terrible perhaps.”
“Of time?” Susan wondered. “A crystal of time? Grandfather, you don’t mean…”
“My dear child; all will be revealed to you in time,” the Doctor told her. “Now we must get away from here. How’s Mr. Rotenhend?”
“Well, he’s still a bit groggy,” Ian said. “Lying on the floor as you can see.”
The Doctor made his way over to Gordon Rotenhend who was lying on the floor, being attended to by his son Joel and by Admiral Brown. The Doctor stood over Gordon, looking down on him.
“Now Mr. Rotenhend!” he began. “You’re going to help us? Aren’t you? Hmm?”
Gordon was dazed and confused as he looked up at the Doctor. “Help? You? Me?”
“Yes!” the Doctor answered. “Tell me Mr. Rotenhend, where did you put that suitcase of Mr. Melbourne and Mr. Thomas’?”
Still groggy, Gordon was unable to answer immediately. As the Doctor waited, Barbara looked to Ian.
“I hope the Doctor finds what he’s looking for,” Barbara said. “This crystal in that suitcase.”
“Yes, I hope so too,” Ian replied. “I fear the worst already.”
Back inside simi-suite #2, Melbourne and Thomas watched as the creature woke up. It howled in pain. They did nothing at first, in order to be respectful. The creature eventually stopped howling. Melbourne and Thomas made their way towards it.
“Excuse me, sir?” Melbourne asked. “Are you feeling alright?”
“You seem to be having one of your funny turns,” Thomas remarked.
“Keep away from me!” the creature howled. “You are traitors! All of you! You dare…to betray me! You dare…to betray the Doctor to me! He was my hope! This would’ve been much simpler without your bumbling interference!”
“You know my lord;” Melbourne began, “there are times when we don’t understand you. What you say or what you mean.”
“That’s right,” Thomas agreed. “You say you want us to bring the Doctor to you and make him work for us. Now you’re dissatisfied.”
“It was the wolf that failed us!” the creature exclaimed. “He has now become Gordon Rotenhend again! He is now showing the Doctor where the treasure is! He is giving him access to the crystal! Without my sincerest permission!” The creature howled again before it roared angrily. “This is the fault of you two idiots!” it said accusingly to Melbourne and Thomas. “Shouldn’t have persuaded me to make the hotel manager into a wolf out of his own inner demons!”
“Well it was your idea, begging your pardon, sir,” Thomas said abjectly.
The creature scurried the entire floor, around in a circle for three minutes. Like a mouse scavenging for cheese. Melbourne and Thomas were utterly bemused.
“This isn’t what we usually get paid for,” Thomas whispered to Melbourne. “Is it?”
“No,” Melbourne replied. “Next time, we go back to stellar bank robberies.”
At the hotel reception in the lobby, Gordon Rotenhend handed over the Zondor robbers’ suitcase to the Doctor. The Doctor opened the suitcase and took out the crystal. He held it up as it glowed a fluorescent green-blue texture. It glinted in the hotel light.
“Ah yes!” the Doctor declared. “Yes, yes, yes! This is definitely the crystal I’m talking about! The crystal of time! Zorbius!”
Ian shrugged and regarded it mildly. “Doesn’t seem to be much, Doctor.”
“Believe it or not Chesterton, this crystal houses all knowledge and power of space and time given to known people,” the Doctor told Ian. “Without technology or any manufactured restrictions. Of course, I highly advise against using the crystal to anyone not strong enough to control its power.”
“Err Doctor,” Gordon said apprehensively. “Do be careful with that crystal! Don’t drop it! Those two lords of the manor gave that crystal to me for safe-keeping. And as hotel manager, I have that responsibility…”
“My dear hotel manager,” the Doctor interjected sharply. “I’m quite aware of making sure I don’t drop this crystal. And quite frankly, your reputation on the line is of little significance to us at the moment. Wouldn’t you say?! Hmm?”
“And in case you hadn’t realised it,” Barbara added, “those two men aren’t lords of the manor after all.”
“Precisely!” the Doctor concurred. “Quite right, Barbara.”
The Doctor laughed under his breath and patted Barbara gently, which she smiled. Gordon meanwhile was fuming.
“No!!!” he bellowed. “I cannot believe it!!! Those two men are lords of the manor. I know they are! They’re such fine; dignified people! I can’t accuse them for being so lowly and not members of the aristocracy!”
Joel turned on his father. “In case you hadn’t realised father, those two men turned you into a monster! They are the Zondor robbers!”
“No!!!” Gordon shouted. “Never!!!”
“It’s true, Rotenhend,” the Admiral pointed out. “You nearly ate us to death.” Then, as if remembering something, “Oh err, have the papers arrived yet?”
“Not yet Admiral,” Gordon groaned. “No, sorry.”
“Okay; okay,” the Admiral acknowledged.
Whilst Gordon moaned to himself in the hotel lobby, Susan turned to her grandfather.
“So that really is the Zorbius crystal?” she asked.
“Yes indeed, my dear,” the Doctor said. “It’s all plain to see.”
“I remember how you used to tell me bedtime stories, grandfather,” Susan reminisced. “One of them was about the Zorbius crystal. It made me dream and wonder when I was so young. I used to like you telling me stories before I went to bed.”
“Yes!” the Doctor chortled. “Yes, the Zorbius crystal has been lost in legend, nursery rhymes and stories like the ones I used to tell you, Susan. Yes, I remember very well. Oh how happy I was when looking after you.”
Susan and the Doctor laughed as they embraced each other.
“So err…this crystal is connected to your civilisation too, hey Doctor?” Ian enquired.
“Yes, my dear boy,” the Doctor replied. “But that’s another story.”
“And are any of these nursery rhymes any use to us now?” Barbara asked.
“They could be,” the Doctor said. “I don’t really know. Not yet anyway.”
“Well, you’d better have an idea soon about what we’re going to do next,” Ian remarked. “Very soon, that client of Melbourne and Thomas’ will want that crystal.”
“Yes,” the Doctor acknowledged. “And if I know that client pretty well, I suspect he’ll want to use it for ghastly things. He’ll even use it to commit murder.”
That remark made Susan realise and remember something. She gasped with fear.
“Oh, grandfather! Before Barbara and I ran into you and Ian in the simi-suite, something terrible happened. Didn’t it, Barbara?”
“Why yes!” Barbara answered. “We were in the swimming pool area and we saw someone who’d been drowned.”
“Yes, he was floating on top of the water, face downwards.” Susan added. “It was horrible!”
“Now that is interesting,” the Doctor remarked. “Very interesting indeed. It could mean that anyone from a fair distance away can use the crystal to kill anyone if they so wish.” The Doctor thought for a moment. Then he asked Barbara and Susan, “Do either of you know who it was that got killed?”
“No,” Barbara replied. “He was a swimmer. We didn’t know anything about him.”
“Mr. Rotenhend said they were investigating the death and he accused me and Barbara for killing him,” Susan explained.
“Really?” said an astonished Ian. “Why on earth should he want to accuse you two? He brought you in here!”
“It’s becoming obvious that Mr. Rotenhend became vulnerable and allowed the creature – the enemy we’re fighting against – to access his mind and to take control of events,” the Doctor remarked. “The creature did that via accessing the crystal, causing a distraction for you Susan and for you Barbara to come into the simi-suite. This was while Ian and I were held captive.”
“You seem pretty sure about that, Doctor.” Ian commented.
“It’s merely because I know this creature inside and out,” the Doctor said. “We’ve met before in connection to the Zorbius crystal, you see.”
“It’s a pretty lame scheme for me and Susan to be captured after a man’s sudden death, isn’t it?” said Barbara. “Mr. Rotenhend became a wolf yet Susan and I rescued you Ian and you Doctor out of the simi-suite, along with Joel and the Admiral.”
“Ah, but remember we were chased into the simi-suite,” the Doctor said. “And we got caught in all those changing sets in the room. From New York to Skaro, etc. The creature didn’t know me and Susan were strong enough to break his control over Rotenhend.”
“It’s still horrible,” said Susan. “That man being murdered. The creature needn’t have caused such loss of life.”
“That’s the curse of power, my dear,” the Doctor said sadly. “Absolute power corrupts absolutely. As I once told a wise man.”
“So, what are we to do?” Ian wanted to know.
“Do?” the Doctor replied. “Why my dear boy, stop the Zondor robbers of course! And dare to stop our greatest enemy! The creature who wants Zorbius itself!”
Back in the simi-suite with Melbourne and Thomas, they noticed the creature had now stopped going around and around in circles. It had overcome its anger. It was beginning to form a new campaign.
“I always have the solution to the problem,” it said. “I shall weaken the Doctor with Rotenhend’s help…by threatening the lives of those dearest to him.”
The creature then turned to the darkness across Westminster Bridge.
“Woman!” it called. “You are summoned!”
Out of the darkness, which was like thick fog, came Elizabeth Rotenhend, wife of Gordon Rotenhend. Elizabeth had a blank expression on her face.
“I am here, my lord,” she said. “What is it you wish me to do?”
“You are to do as I say,” the creature said. “You are to obey in all things.” It paused for a moment. “You shall seek out and kill the Doctor and his friends. Including your own husband Gordon. You must kill him in order to secure me the power.”
“I shall do as you say,” Elizabeth said blankly. “I am to kill all who are against you. Including my husband.”
The creature became satisfied. It looked up into the starry night, now hopeful and optimistic.
“This time,” the creature said, “the crystal shall be mine! I shall become…Zorbius once again!”
Whilst the creature boasted his victory, Melbourne and Thomas mused themselves.
“I think that client of ours has finally cracked it,” Thomas said.
“You know something, Thomas?” Melbourne replied. “I don’t think we ever found out who the Doctor and his companions were…or where they came from.”
“No we didn’t, did we?” Thomas concurred. “How curious.”
The two Zondor robbers pondered this further until the creature called to them.
“Hey! You two bozos! Send your android out to patrol the area! Tell it to watch out for any of the Doctor’s friends or the Doctor himself! Understand me?”
Melbourne and Thomas understood as they turned to Bruce the android.
“Bruce!” called Thomas. “Go out on patrol! And make sure the Doctor and his friends are about! That is your job!”
“Great!” Bruce said drearily. “Best job I ever wanted all my life! Patrol the area! Yes! Best job I ever wanted.”
Meanwhile, back in the hotel lobby, the Doctor perked up as he raised a finger in the air.
“I have it!” the Doctor said triumphantly. “I have the idea! I feel we can use the crystal to our advantage!” The Doctor laughed under his breath. “Wait here a moment!”
Ian, Barbara and Susan were confused. They watched the Doctor making his way over to the reception desk to talk to Gordon Rotenhend, Joel and the Admiral. Gordon was still recovering from his traumatic experience.
“My dear good man Rotenhend,” the Doctor began.
“Yes, yes!” Gordon said agitated. “What is it you want?! Get on with it!!!”
“I want you and your son young Master Joel Rotenhend to help me,” the Doctor said. “You’re very familiar with those…holographic projectors in the simi-suites.”
“Yes Doctor,” Joel replied, “we certainly are.”
“The Doctor’s talking to me, boy!!!” shouted Gordon.
“He’s also talking to me, father!” Joel retorted.
“Good, good,” the Doctor said satisfied. “That settles it.”
The Doctor then turned to Admiral Brown.
“And Admiral! I wonder if you can pitch in and give a helping hand.”
“Why I’d only be too happy to,” the Admiral replied. “What would you like me to do, Doctor?”
“Oh keep young Miss Wright company if you will,” the Doctor told him, indicating Barbara nearby.
The Admiral beamed. “Oh I’d be delighted indeed, Doctor.”
“What have you got in mind, Doctor?” asked a puzzled Barbara. “For me and the Admiral?”
“All in good time, my dear,” the Doctor said. “All good in time. Merely shall I say…the intention of disposing something…or someone I should put it?”
The Doctor then turned to Ian and Susan. “Now Susan. You and Mr. Chesterton will carry out a vital part of my plan. It’s vital, you understand.”
“Yes grandfather,” Susan said. “We understand.”
“What is it you want us to do, Doctor?” Ian asked.
“Well now,” the Doctor began, “since you kindly asked, I want you young man and Susan to give Melbourne and Thomas…a little distraction.”
Ian and Susan became worried. The Doctor giggled as he continued to outline his plans to everyone.
© Tim Bradley, 2020
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