Hi, faithful readers! Am back from my trip to Dublin and have a new chapter for you :) I hope it's ok. It's not been rushes as such, but I did want to get another chapter uploaded for you. Mainly cos Im away again from Thurs until Sunday!! Anyway, hope everyone who's reading this enjoys this update and as usual, please let me know what you think cos comments are love! Once again - not betaed so blame me for any mistakes!
To Shadowtheo, Wyldcat and Moreta Lynx – you guys are all awesome! Thanks for yet more reviews. Please do so again and thanks for all the support. I really appreciate it :)
OK – Enjoy!
Chapter 8.
Jack and Martha stood perfectly still, both glaring at the hated man, who was trying so hard to goad them. They didn't want to give him the pleasure of a reaction.
Finally, the Master stilled. He was holding a glass in one hand and, still smiling at his 'guests,' brought his drink up to his lips and sipped it.
"Ah," he sighed, happily. "I really did get a taste for fine wine whilst visiting your pathetic little planet. I guess Earth has it's uses after all." He chuckled softly.
Martha edged closer to Jack
The Master stepped forward. "You naughty children!" He scolded them. "You shouldn't have followed me."
Jack cleared his throat. "We thought we had a right to some payback."
The Master snorted. "Now, now, Jack. I'm not impressed. Revenge is for cowards, didn't you know that?" He continued in his condescending tone, now beginning to pace the room. "To forgive and move on, to live your lives, now THAT is true power!" He paused suddenly. "Who told me that?" He asked them. When they didn't respond, he smiled cruelly. "Oh yes, that's right. The Doctor." He laughed spitefully. Jack, having heard quite enough, went to lunge forward but Martha grabbed his arm, forcing him to stay back.
The Master noticed this activity and, with a sneer, strolled up to Jack. The Time Lord looked the ex Time Agent up and down. Jack tried not to flinch, though the urge to wipe that smirk off of the bastard's face was almost to much for him to bare.
The Master leant in. "So Jack, you went and lost the power of the vortex too then?"
Jack didn't reply. He continued to stare the Master out.
The Master grinned. "Not that it helps though human. I can still smell the stench of death on you. The wrongness. You shouldn't be alive at all. Freak!"
Jack didn't move. He let the bile wash over him. He didn't need to listen. The Master's words were poison. They didn't matter."
The Master was just gearing up. "No wonder the Doctor hated you!" He mocked. "It was worse than that though, wasn't it Jack? He feared you! You who loved him so very much!" Another cruel laugh. Jack held his ground as the Master moved ever closer, invading Jack's personal space. Suddenly, completely taken aback, the Master froze. His eyes grew wide with shock. He reached forward and touched Jack's face. Jack quickly jerked his head away.
"You're normal." The Master stuttered. " A normal, living human."
He backed off. This was unexpected. Jack should simply have died the second the Vortex had left him. He couldn't be alive and living again, a normal breathing human. It was impossible. Martha was side by side with Jack again now, enjoying the Master's uncertainty. He had been caught out and that had not been his plan. It wouldn't do.
"What happened?" The Master asked Jack. His gaze was now intense.
Jack smiled at him. It was important for the Captain to keep the evil Time Lord's attention on him because, over the Master's shoulder, Jack had seen the Doctor silently enter the room. Past him, Jack spotted the Master's guards, lying unconscious in the doorway.
The Doctor was making his way across the room, his eyes fixed on the Master's back. His eyes met Jack's for a moment and the message in the look was clear. Keep him talking. The Doctor's face was hard. Jack felt Martha shiver beside him and he knew she had spotted the Doctor too. Jack noticed the Doctor was holding the dalek gun in his right hand and seemed to be fighting with himself over whether to use it. Jack was frustrated. All the Doctor had to do was fire and it was over for them all! The Doctor would be back to normal!
Jack grabbed the Master's jacket, desperately trying to hold the evil man's attention.
"The vortex wanted to spare me. Funny, she wanted to hurt you didn't she? Can't think why!"
The Master shoved Jack back, dropping his own glass in the process, his eyes now flashing with anger. There was a loud smash that made them all jump. The Master opened his mouth to respond to Jack but stopped. Martha thought she saw him glance to his left, to where the Doctor was standing behind him. The medical student had no chance to warn her friend. Suddenly, the Master whirled round, grabbed the Doctor by his coat and forced him down painfully against the table. He pined him there.
"So, Doctor! I should have known! Did you kill my men?" He demanded.
The Doctor scoffed. "What do you think?"
The shock and memory of the last meeting hit the Master like a explosion. He realised exactly who was before him and could not work out how. It was obvious he couldn't believe his eyes. He stared down at his fallen enemy in shock. The Doctor glared back. Martha noted the dalek gun was nowhere to be seen. The Doctor must have stashed it back inside his coat at the last second.
Finally, the Master recovered his senses. He threw the Doctor away from him, over towards the far wall. The Master stood as still as a statue, gaping at his fellow Time Lord in disbelief. As he turned and regarded Jack, realisation seemed to dawn on him. Anger swept over him as he lurched toward Jack.
"What have you DONE!" The Master demanded.
The Doctor was on his feet. "He brought me back," he said, proudly. Jack couldn't help but smile as he stole a quick look at his friend. The Doctor seemed so calm, so together. Jack had never felt so in awe of the alien as he did in that moment.
The Master, on the other hand, was beside himself. He turned on the Doctor. "You freak!" He spat. "I can't look at you! You're ruined!" He slammed his fist down on the table. "The game was over. I won!"
"The rules have changed." The Doctor stated.
"You have no right to even make eye contact with the likes of me!" The Master exclaimed. "You're no Time Lord anymore, you're wrong, you're disgusting!"
The Doctor laughed and shook his head. "Sticks and stones, Master," he said playfully. "I was dead, I've come back. There's nothing to fear once you've met death."
Martha's eyes widened. Now, they were finally finding out some of the Doctor's inner thoughts.
The Master had folded his arms in front of him, an obstinate expression on his face. "And I suppose that is because you can't die?"
The Doctor smiled. "I don't know and, to be honest, I don't care. All I know is, there's nothing left to be afraid of."
The Master was eying him. The look was very unpleasant.
"Is that right?" He whispered.
He took a step towards the Doctor. Jack didn't like his sudden change of mood. He moved closer to his friend, ready to assist him if he needed it.
"We'll see," The Master told the Doctor. He raised his fist into the air, closed his eyes and called out into the air.
"Abtrox, come to me!"
The affect this had on the Doctor was immediate. He gasped and backed off from the Master, away from Jack and Martha, until his back touched the wall. He was shaking his head, obviously in denial about this threat. Jack and Martha knew they didn't want to find out what that threat was.
"You couldn't... All dead... Impossible." the Doctor mumbled. He was scared. And Martha and Jack knew that meant big trouble.
They heard them first. A low howling noise, coming from the darkened corridor. Moments later, four creatures like nothing Martha had ever seen, flew into the room and began to circle excitedly.
Martha couldn't take her eyes of off the Abtrox. They were beautiful. Beautiful but horrifying.
They were transparent white and appeared to be shrouded in white cloaks. They had blank faces and black soulless eyes. Their faces were like those of children and they had the air of the young about them, almost as if they just wanted to play. Martha noticed how long the Abtrox's fingernails were and how they always held them out in front of themselves. They all surrounded the Master, floating around him, round and round, as if they were chasing each other.
"We come." Their voices were no more then high-pitched whispers. The Master smiled over at the Doctor, who was pressing himself further against the wall, obviously trying to melt into it. He looked terrified.
The Master pointed to the Doctor and declared in a commanding voice, "Time Traveller."
The creatures seemed to move faster than the eye could see. In no time at all, they were bearing down on the Doctor.
The Doctor closed his eyes. To Martha's horror, he was clearly trembling.
"Cannot sense Time on this one," the whispering voice of the Abtrox announced.
"Try again. See him. Look deeper." The Master responded patiently and one of the Abtrox moved nearer, pushing the Doctor flat against the wall. It's large lifeless eyes were boring into his skull. The Doctor let out a gasp of pain. The thing was nearly inside his head! The Doctor knew what would happen if they discovered what he was - a broken Time Lord.
Jack had seen enough. He leapt forward, desperate to get to the Doctor. Martha stayed back, staring at the scene in horror. The creatures looked like waifs or ghosts. What could they do?
As Jack made to get past him, the Master held out a hand, stopping the Captain in his tracks. "I wouldn't if I were you, Jack." He said, happily. "You would be a perfectly good meal for the Abtrox yourself."
Martha again hurried forward and took the Time Agent's hand, pulling him back. They were no good to the Doctor dead. Or worse. Jack was rooted to the spot. All he could do was watch as the creatures from hell continued to torment the Doctor.
"Stop them," the Doctor breathed, unable to take any more. He couldn't block his thoughts from the Abtrox for much longer. He was weak and no longer a complete Time Lord. The pressure on his mind was huge.
"Are you afraid, Doctor?" The Master cooed, grinning wildly. This was first class entertainment for him.
"Please." The Doctor whimpered.
"Get those things way from him!" Jack screamed, trying to pull free of Martha's grip. He'd be happy to stand in front of the Doctor now. Shield him from the demons anyway he could. Martha sobbed beside him.
The Master chuckled at them both and then turned back to the Doctor.
"I asked you a question, Doctor. Answer me and it's over!"
"YES!" The Doctor screamed. All four Abtrox's were pushing on his barrier now. And they were breaking through.
"Stop it," Martha whimpered. "Please, that's enough."
The Master grinned at her and bowed low. "Of course, my dear. Never one to refuse the request of a lady."
He stepped forward, arms outstretched, with the posture of a king. "Abtrox, approach me!"
Instantly, they did it. They flew away from the Doctor and obediently surrounded the Master again. The Doctor sunk to ground, exhausted and relieved.
The Master was addressing his servants. "Hear me," he barked. "You will not touch or harm any of the persons in this room. At ANY time. Are my words understood?"
"They are."
"Good," He clapped his hands. "Now my pets, you may go feed in the town. Have fun!"
The Doctor stifled a soft "no," as the Abtrox gracefully flew from the room one by one. The Master peered down at him.
"You would rather they fed on Martha and Jack then, would you?"
The Doctor said nothing. Martha went to go to the Doctor but the Master saw her desire and shook his head. She glared daggers at him but didn't move. Jack also kept his distance, shaking with anger. He never thought he would have to stand and watch the Doctor suffering, feeling completely useless, ever again. But here he was. And again that pain was caused by the Master.
The Doctor had found some spirit and was glaring up again at the Master.
"How could you?" He said, furiously. "The Abtrox caused the deaths of millions of innocents."
"Blah blah!" The Master responded and chuckled once more.
"They allied themselves with the daleks!" The Doctor shouted, trying again. "they hated us Time Lords. They killed our people."
"So did you." The Master reminded him with glee. He walked over to the Doctor and crouched down beside him.
"You listen to me, Doctor," The Master told him. "You will do as I say, when I say it. Or I will give you and your two young friends here to the Abtrox. If I'm right, you won't die. You will suffer for all eternity, long after you've watched Jack and Martha reduced to nothing. Am I making myself clear?"
The Doctor grimaced. "Yes," he muttered.
"Yes, what?" The Master snapped.
The Doctor paused before adding, very reluctantly, "Master."
Martha cringed. Jack flinched.
The Master guffawed and patted the Doctor on the head. "Good boy!" He exclaimed.
He got up, eyed his guards, still unmoving on the floor. "No more of that, Doctor. Can't have you sending my servants to sleep. Who'd cook?" Another loud laugh.
He spun round. "Jack, join me for a walk in the grounds? Lovely gardens here!"
Jack now had his arms crossed. "I don't think so. I'll be staying here."
The smile faded and the Master's mood darkened. "Do you need another demonstration, Jack?"
Jack glanced at the Doctor. He nodded at him. Martha gave Jack a tiny smile. That was all he needed. The Master indicated for Jack to go out of the door and the Captain did as he was told. With one last cruel smile at the Doctor and Martha, the Master followed him out. He paused in the doorway and clicked his fingers. The guards instantly awakened and took their positions. "No one enters." The Master ordered and they nodded. Martha was amazed at how bright they were, how regimented. They weren't sluggish or surprised. It was as if nothing had happened to them. The Master, with one last wink at Martha, then exited. The door was slammed shut and locked behind him.
Martha took her chance. Ignoring the glares from the guards, she hurried across the room and sat down beside the Doctor. She held him tightly and she was struck by how cold he was. Perhaps she was even more surprised to discover that he was still trembling. He clung to her, needing her touch, her comfort.
"What were they?" Martha whispered.
"Monsters from every child's worst nightmares," the Doctor replied. He closed his eyes and leant against her. She held him closer and gently stroked his hair.
The medical student turned and stared at the closed door, willing Jack to return. Things were looking worse for them with every passing minute.
'Hurry back Jack,' Martha told him, silently.
TBC
