Chapter 20: Discovered Check

The Master crossed a bridge and walked along a dark street, his steps echoing off the tall houses that loomed over him. His laser screwdriver was in his hand and he half hoped someone would jump out with a knife and try to rob him. He felt the Doctor's letter in his jacket pocket and, despite only one reading, the words had burned themselves into his memory.

'To my dear PlayMate,

I have captured your Rook. Checkmate in two moves.

However, you can have it back on the following conditions:

You resign the game immediately.

You must ask me nicely.

Your winning friend, The Doctor

P.S. If any harm comes to my messenger, the deal is off. I'll know if you've done anything.'

The end of the street opened out onto Dam Square. It was deserted, the bulky town hall a brooding presence in the darkness. The Master headed for the main entrance, pocketing the screwdriver and pulling out a ring of keys. The central doors were chained shut, but a little way along was a side door also leading into the entrance hall, albeit more discreetly. The Master unlocked it and went in. He crossed the hall and quickly climbed the staircase. As he walked along the corridor he singled out the key to his office, but on approaching it saw that the door was standing open, a sliver of yellow light slicing across the floor. He pocketed the keys, walked up to the door and opened it.

'Oh, Doctor…' he said as he stood in the doorway and looked in.

In the corner of the room, exactly where the tall cupboard had been, stood the unmistakable shape of the Doctor's blue police telephone box. So that's what the Doctor had meant by 'captured your Rook,' thought the Master. He couldn't get into his TARDIS without first going through the Doctor's. But that was hardly 'checkmate,' unless—

The Master went up to the police box and touched it. No, it wasn't a hologram—this was a TARDIS, all right. He could feel the wood under his hands.

'Your TARDIS is inside,' said a voice.

The Master turned. There was a lantern on his desk and sitting within its circle of light was the girl with the red hair. There was also an empty chair placed nearby as though she were waiting for a chat over a cup of tea. Was that chair for him? Was she serious? Something felt wrong.

'No,' said the Master, shaking his head. 'The Doctor would never leave me with a hostage.'

'I'm not a hostage,' said the girl. 'I'm here to negotiate for my people.'

'Your people? The Dutch?'

'They're my species! Human beings are not just pawns for the Time Lords! And that goes for you too, Doctor!'

That last sentence had been aimed at the TARDIS. The Master looked at it, then back to the girl.

'He's watching us on the TARDIS monitor?' he said. The girl looked caught out and the Master shook his head. 'You'd make a useless poker player,' he said.

The Master shrugged off his long black coat and flung it over the empty chair, knocking it over. With his black waistcoat and flowing white sleeves, he looked a bit like a poker player himself. Moving almost lazily, he grabbed the girl by her upper arm and forced her out of the chair.

'I'm disappointed in you, Doctor!' said the Master as he made her stand before the TARDIS. 'You must have known what I would do if you left your little friend alone with me?'

'I have a name!' cried the girl angrily. 'Amy Pond!'

The Master's cat-like eyes looked sideways at her with contempt.

'I'll make sure your headstone has the correct spelling,' he said and he stepped back and drew his laser screwdriver. He glanced over at the TARDIS. 'Is this all right for you, Doctor? Not blocking your view, am I?'

'If you kill me,' said Amy, talking fast, 'the Doctor will leave and take your TARDIS with him.'

'Is that what he told you, Amy Pond?'

'Yes and something else: He told me to say that he's broken the Dimension Lock.'

The Master laughed. He seemed to find it genuinely funny and when he looked at Amy, there was a predatory gleam in his eyes.

'What's so funny?' she said.

'He lied to you, Amy Pond,' said the Master with a smile. 'The Doctor lied to you.'

'No. He wouldn't do that.'

'Amy Pond, do you know what a Dimension Lock is?'

Amy felt a sudden misgiving. She shook her head and, to her alarm, the Master came right up to her. He put his hand gently on the back of her neck which was somehow worse than being grabbed by the arm.

'Let me explain, Amy Pond,' said the Master in a quiet, intimate voice. 'My TARDIS is at a fixed point in Time and Space—locked in this dimension, as it were. So if the Doctor leaves, his TARDIS will simply dematerialise and leave my TARDIS behind. A Dimension Lock cannot be broken. I've tried it myself and it's impossible.'

'Well, you're not the Doctor, are you?'

The Master's hand closed in on her hair and Amy gasped in pain. Then he let her go, stepping backwards and wiping his hand on his trouser leg.

'Have it your way,' he said. Then he turned towards the TARDIS. 'Doctor! If you want my TARDIS, go ahead—take it! If you've really broken the Dimension Lock, you deserve to have it. But if you want your little friend back alive, you need to come out of that TARDIS now!'

The Master held up his laser screwdriver, twisting it with his thumb. It made a nasty little whine and the tip glowed yellow. Amy stared at it and backed away slowly.

'I'm going to count to three,' said the Master.

Amy's back touched the wall. There was nowhere left to go.

'One.'

The Master's hand slowly came down until all Amy could see of the screwdriver was the glowing yellow tip pointing at her.

'Two.'

The Master turned to look at Amy. In the yellow lantern light his face was a feral mask of hatred, the mouth cruel and the eyes black and pitiless. One side of his mouth twisted into a sneer.

'Three.'