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thoughts.  Wait until they find out what their precious
production figures will cost them!
 But what about Polly? Ben asked him. The Daleks
were still something of an abstract menace to him; unlike
the Doctor, he had never seen them in action. On the other
hand, Ben understood the human potential for evil pretty
well. He d seen it from his youth on the London streets,
through his experiences in both English and foreign ports,
and from his few travels to date with the Doctor. To him,
there were only two possible explanations for Polly s
disappearance: kidnapping and murder. Not knowing
which to expect was tearing him apart. As he watched the
Doctor pacing, he suddenly became aware that there was a
square of paper protruding under the edge of the door.
Rushing to the door, he flung it open. There was
nobody in sight in the corridor, and no way of knowing
how long the paper had been there before he d noticed it.
As he closed the door, Ben picked up the folded sheet of
paper. Before he could read it, the Doctor snatched it from
his fingers.
 Listen to this, Ben, he said.  The girl is safe. She will
remain so as long as you leave the Daleks alone. He
glanced up, worried.
Ben took the note back and read it for himself.  Who
sent this, Doctor? Any ideas?
The Doctor shook his head as he peered at the paper
over Ben s shoulders.
 You don t seem very concerned, Ben muttered angrily.
 We ve got to get Polly back.
 And if we can t? the Doctor asked gently, as he
snatched the paper back again and held it up to the light.
The door opened behind him and Bragen strode into the
room. Without looking around, the Doctor said:  I didn t
hear you knock
 Perhaps because I didn t, the Deputy Governor
responded.
 I wanted to see you, Ben told him.
 Really? Bragen cocked his head to one side. He looked
at Ben with a bored air.  And what about?
 It s Polly, Ben said angrily.  She s missing. We can t
find her anywhere.
Bragen sighed.  Very well. I ll have one of my men begin
a chain of enquiries. She can t have gone far, so it shouldn t
take long to find her.
 It may take longer than you think, the Doctor
informed him.  Read this. Do something about it. He
thrust the letter into Bragen s hands.
After a cursory scan, Bragen looked back at the Doctor.
 Interesting.
 Is that all you ve got to say? Ben demanded.
 What else can I say? the Deputy Governor spread his
hands helplessly.  I suggest that while my men look for her,
you do exactly what this letter demands, to avoid placing
her in any further danger.
 And that s it? Ben asked incredulously.
Bragen stiffened.  I do have other concerns, he replied,
irritated.  For example, some of my men have discovered a
body in the mercury swamps. Quite close to where we
found you, in fact. It was the body of a middle-aged man...
He let his voice trail off significantly.
The Doctor assumed an air of boredom.  And why
should that be of interest to me?
 No one has been reported missing from the colony,
Bragen replied.
 Really? The Doctor pulled out his recorder and tootled
a couple of shrill notes on it. Then he pointed the
instrument at Bragen.  What about my assistant, Polly?
 She s not a middle-aged man, is she? And she s not my
main concern at the present.
The Doctor glowered at him.  You forget yourself. I am
the Examiner and  
 If you were the Examiner, of course, I d have every man
I have out looking for her. Bragen smiled nastily at the
startled Doctor.  But you re not the Examiner, are you?
Ben stepped forward, his fists bunched.  Don t try that
on, mate, he advised Bragen.
The Doctor placed a restraining hand on the sailor s
arm.  Wait, Ben. He studied Bragen carefully.  And on
what do you base that assumption?
 Who are you ? The Deputy Governor smiled again. It
wasn t a pleasant sight.  Friends of Quinn s? Saboteurs
come to build up the rebellion? Is it just a coincidence that
all of these events have happened since you arrived?
Ignoring the accusations, the Doctor pointed again with
his recorder.  There s only one possible way you could be
certain that I m not the Examiner.
 Oh, really? And what s that?
 Simple. The Doctor played a couple of low notes.
Ben caught on.  Right! He pointed an accusing finger at
Bragen.  You must know what the real Examiner looked
like.
 And only two people met him after he landed here, the
Doctor finished.  Myself  and the man who killed him.
That s how you knew about the body and who it is.
 Doctor, Ben said urgently,  we ve got to tell the
Governor that Bragen s the killer.
Bragen laughed derisively.  Do you think he d believe
you? I d soon convince him that there s a much more likely
suspect  the stranger who showed up with his badge and
claiming his authority. He smiled at the Doctor.  Which
could put you in a serious amount of trouble, couldn t it?
Unless you can account for yourself? [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]