Chapter Eleven
The Doctor took the sonic screwdriver out as he scanned the area when they came to the tower and stood in front of the large iron door. He walked closer when he scanned the door then saw the small panel to the right of the door and looked at it.
"Adric," the Doctor said when Adric ran to him and stood next to him. "What do you make of this?"
"It looks like one of those slide puzzles," Adric said.
"Want to give it a go?"
"What if I get it wrong?"
"We run!" the Doctor said, smiling.
Adric looked at the panel as he slid the small tiles around when they looked at the face on the panel and rumbling sound filled the air. They backed up when the door opened and they carefully walked closer. The dust blew out at them when the Doctor reached into the pocket of the long brown coat and took out a torch. He turned the torch on when the dim light shined in the room and he carefully walked inside. He scanned the room when he turned to look at the others and nodded. The others came in the room when they walked across the floor then heard a loud clunk. The Doctor spun around when he saw that the door was closed and he sighed.
"Now what do we do?" Peri asked.
The Doctor moved the torch around the room when he saw the stairs and walked toward them. They followed him when the Doctor shined the light up the staircase and reached into his pocket. He took the sonic screwdriver out of his pocket when he scanned the staircase then placed the sonic screwdriver away and headed up the stairs. Donna walked behind him as he shined the light along the walls when they came to the top of the staircase and torches flickered in the holders on the walls.
"Hmmmm," the Doctor said.
"Be careful," Tegan said.
The Doctor nodded when he took out the sonic screwdriver and scanned the hallway. He handed the torch and sonic screwdriver to Donna as they walked along the hallway then came to a door and he looked at the panel to the right of the door. Adric walked closer, standing next to him, as the Doctor sighed and scratched the back of his neck.
"What do you think this is?" the Doctor asked and Adric looked at it.
"It looks like some sort of word puzzle," Adric said.
"Go on then. Give it a go," the Doctor said as Adric looked at the panel and studied the letters. He moved the letters around when they heard a click and Ace looked down at her feet. The floor tile she was standing on slid back when her eyes went wide and she screamed.
"ACE!" the seventh Doctor shouted as Ace fell into the hole and the tile slid back. The seventh Doctor tried to get the tile open when the Doctor ran to him and tried to help him get it open.
"It's no use!" the Doctor said then looked at Adric. "Try again."
Adric nodded when he looked at the letters again then moved the letters around and they heard another click. The door opened when the Doctor stood up, walked to the door, looked inside and saw the staircase. Donna handed him the sonic screwdriver as he scanned the staircase and they went up the stairs. They came to the top of the stairs when he scanned the hallway and blinked. He walked faster while they tried to catch up to him and he stopped half way down the hallway.
"You know, for a trap, this tower isn't that dangerous," the Doctor said and the fifth Doctor walked to him.
"You're right," the fifth Doctor said when a loud piercing sound filled the air and they covered their ears. The sound grew louder as the Doctor looked around and saw nine stone birds sitting on the ledges.
"Fire at the stone birds!" the Doctor shouted as he aimed the sonic screwdriver at the stone birds and pushed the button. The other Doctors took out their sonic screwdrivers when they pushed the buttons and the stone birds exploded. The dust filled the air as they coughed and Donna opened and closed her mouth, trying to pop her ears. The Doctor dusted off the long brown coat when he handed her the sonic screwdriver and looked at the others. "That was fun."
"Fun?!" the sixth Doctor shouted as the Doctor walked onward then went around the corner. "Are you sure you know where you're going?"
"Not really. Come on," the Doctor said and they headed down the hallway.
Ace stopped screaming about half way down the slide as she laughed and was enjoying the ride. She went around a sharp curve when she saw a dim light and it grew brighter. She landed with a low grunt on her rear end when she got up and looked around.
"Hello?" Ace asked when she started walking down the hallway and the shadows moved on the walls.