The awful man was still talking, Bertram had attempted to squeeze past him on no more than four occasions yet he somehow managed to corner him repeatedly.

"Look just who are you?" Bertram tried to shout but it came out as more of a squeak

"Oh didn't I say? I'm the Doctor" The lunatic extended one gangly hand.

"Err Doctor who?" Bertram let out a small sigh, men who introduced themselves as Doctor usually attempted to sell you miracle tonics soon after .

The man smiled as if Bertram had said something particularly funny "technically it should be Doctor Whom, but that's neither here nor there I suppose." Now the lunatic is giving me advice on grammar thought Bertram and he reminded himself to avoid any more of these charitable events, he was all for helping the sick as long as he didn't need to deal with them in person.

"Anyway." Said the Doctor stretching his hands "before I got carried away, discussing what was it again?"

"Native dishes of Bohemia?" said Bertram in what he felt was his sarcastic voice but too many others sounded like he had a bit of a cough.

"Yes! Very fascinating subject especially when one considers... no can't get off track where was I" The Doctor produced a small yellow pill and handed it to Bertram "Helps with the." He said pointing at his throat.

"Throat?" Bertram was bewildered

"Yes, yes nothing to worry about, any way I was looking for a fellow, Leather mask and a raspy voice not unlike yours." The stranger was gesticulating wildly "Goes by the Face, bit melodramatic but I supposed you'd have to be if you sounded like that" as he was speaking three men detached themselves from the main throng of the party and walked over to where Bertram and the Doctor stood.

"Please Gentlemen could you step outside for a moment" The lead man said, Bertram sighed with relief being chucked out was better than continuing to listen to the lunatic. There was a sharp click and Bertram saw that the men held revolvers; he let out a small yelp and hid behind the Doctor.

"Now now Bertram," said the doctor puffing out his chest and holding the lapels of his Tweed coat "Face death with dignity."

The lead gunman smiled "well that's good I do prefer when you don't put up a fight isn't that right chaps?" his partners a small Scotsman and lumbering brute replied with an "aye" and a barley human grunt respectively.

"Then again, Dignity isn't all it's cracked up to be, just ask my predecessor" The Doctor flung his arms wide and cried "Good Lord that man had a gun!"

The three men briefly panicked but the lead quickly took control of the situation "Nigel, Alec cover the Crowd" the two men spun quickly and levelled their guns on the crowd.

"Now," shouted the lead gunman never taking his eyes off the Doctor "If we all remain where we are standing this can all be over in a few minutes."

Murmurs spread through the crowd but any thought of action was dispelled by the guns. "This Man" shouted the lead; he pointed the gun at the Doctors forehead "This man has come to the attention of our employer, poking his noise in things that shouldn't be poked at, due to this I am sad to announce he must be killed" screams now sprang from the crowd . The lead cocked his gun and grinned viciously, The Doctors gaze never left his.

After the man in the tweed coat had drawn attention to altercation the man had been slowly working his way to the front of the crowd, in one hand he clutched his cane in the other a steal tray which he had taken from a most agreeable waitress. By now the lead blaggard was shouting, clearly mused the man, getting too much into the theatricality of it all.

As he neared the front of the crowd he heard someone cry out "Good lord he's going to kill that poor man, wont somebody do something." now it would seem was the time to act, He leaped from the crowd hurling the tray at the lead gunslinger. It smacked the back of his head and sent him clattering to the floor.

The man took the opportunity to engage in his own theatrics "Have no fear Ladies and gentlemen!" he turned and bowed to the crowd "Adam Adamant is here."

The Doctor was slightly taken aback, his plan to get out of the situation it seemed was no longer necessary, a drinks tray had seen to that, his would be rescuer had however failed to take into account the two remaining gunman. The Doctor flicked his sonic screwdriver at the guns and it emitted a low shrieking sound. Bertram he noted had in all the action taken the opportunity to curl into a ball and begin weeping.

Adamant turned now to face the remaining villains, he had timed his actions perfectly and he felt his plan for dealing with these two was particularly ingenious. He turned to face them knowing they were about to waste there ammunition, they cocked their guns, Adamant grinned like a schoolboy. The Brute and the Scotsman pulled there triggers, the guns fell apart in their hands.

Adamant was equally if not more confused than the two men, he looked at the man in tweed who was waving a small metal cylinder at him. Had he done something? Adamant didn't have time to ponder this as the two men now ran at him, he swung his can to the side pressing a small latch as he did, the covering twirled through the air and hit the Scotsman in the chest he smashed to the ground. The brute unaware or uncaring of his companions fall continued towards Adamant. The Brute lunged at him; Adamant stepped to the side slicing the sword cane across the back of his legs. The Brute landed with a sharp cry.

"Adam Llewellyn De Vere Adamant at your service." said the man and he extended his arm to the Doctor.

"Very impressive fencing Mr Adamant, I'm the Doctor."

"Doctor Whom?" said Adamant razing an eyebrow, the last man he had met called the Doctor had attempted to drop him into a pit of acid.

"Finally someone who gets it right," Said the Doctor grinning, he now grasped Adamants hand and shook it profusely. "Pleased to meet you"

Adamant had the feeling he wouldn't get an answer to his first question so he posed another one "Why were those men attempting to kill you?"

"Well you see I was investigating the activities of this fellow called the Face,"

"The terrorist? I know of him indeed in many ways he is my greatest foe."

"Oh? how terribly rude of me," said the doctor "feel free to have a pop at The Master or something you know even out the odds" he drew out a folded sheet of paper and passed it to Adamant.

"The first time I confronted him," the doctor was walking backwards towards the door "I managed to life that little titbit, swapped it with a pamphlet on cryogenics don't expect he will make head nor tail of it "

"Doctor, I can barely make sense of what you are saying" Adamant said laughing "what is this?" He held up the paper.

"Oh that," by now the doctor had reached the doors "that's the Faces current master plan, you two being arch enemies only seems fair if you put a stop to it." The doctor flung open the door dramatically and ran off.

Adam Adamant unfolded the paper and quickly took in its information, for all his evil it could never be said the Face lacked bravado. Adamant began to formulize a plan to thwart the scheme; The game was as Mr Holmes would say Afoot.

The Doctors head leaned back through the door "Thought I should mention, The plans set to begin in about an hour" his head disappeared again.