Hide and Seek

Chapter 26 – Missing Persons – Part 2

As soon as the Master had left Donna he fastened the gate at the exit and went back into town to fire up the voltage. He was heading back to the house when Sodi, a Canthion he had known for some time, gained his attention.

"They are here," he said, breathlessly. And he then recounted how he had seen three people breaking into the Master's rented property.

"They are here? How wonderful, I've been so worried they wouldn't make it." Looking sincere the Master clasped his hands together in delight.

"Yes, sir, do you want me to follow them?"

"Yes." The Master's mind was churning over. Why had they brought the girl? Unless, the tracker had picked up her DNA and obstructed a straight forward trace. "Yes, follow them and at the first opportunity take the girl."

"Yes, Master."

"Take her to Duiwel's Cave. Hurry, you need to time it for before the tide comes in."

"Yes, Master. Duiwel's Cave."

"Tie her hands and feet together, so she can't swim out."

"Yes…"

"No, no…changed my mind. Chain her to a stake. I want the Doctor to find her. Oh and yes, if he gets there too late..."

The Master looked at his watch then took a phone from his back pocket.

"Go now and take this. Leave it in the back of the cave so the Doctor can find it. Timing of this is crucial. I need to make the final checks near the reservoir. Oh this is going to kill him, absolutely kill him."

Laughing manically, the Master hugged himself as he let the Canthion go on his way.

#

Sitting on the ledge at the back of the cave, Maddie was trying to get a perspective on her situation. Her eyes searched through the darkness, but no matter how much her eyesight had adjusted. There was still nothing to see.

She kept imagining she could hear things, scuttling, and she caught glimpses of things in the shadows that she really didn't want to know about. She didn't know what the hell was going on, but she didn't like it one bit!

She'd been walking behind Jack and the Doctor trying to mind her own business. There had been a tension in the air, but she was okay. The Doctor was clearly worried about his friend, and he was dismayed at finding the bloody scene in the cell.

Maddie had started the expedition on this planet breathless with anticipation; now she was just wishing she was back at home. She hadn't even got any idea how she'd got here, just woken up lying on the ledge. It wasn't very warm in here and she pulled her black jacket close together trying to snuggle into her jumper.

She had a strange feeling that everything that was happening to her wasn't real. Her surroundings bemused her. It was a little surreal, but the situation sent shivers down her spine and goosebumps up her arms.

By the time she heard the sounds of water splashing, as if something was moving through it, she was close to screaming. Hearing the Doctor's voice did nothing but bring a smile to her face. As they drew closer a small white light bounced off the walls of the cave and Maddie closed her eyes in relief. The look on his face when she opened them again was so intense that Maddie was quite shocked.

Was he annoyed at her? But then when he saw her, there was genuine feeling in his face and it was clear to Maddie that it was just the situation that annoyed him. She stared at Jack as he hoisted himself out of the water after the Doctor, and he stared straight back at her and winked. Maddie actually flinched and he grinned as he came to sit beside her.

It had been an extremely difficult task reaching her and they were quick to tell her that. Jack even saying it was a death trap. The Doctor was shuffling around beside her. She cast a glance down at him, his blue torch-like pen fairly bursting with energy. She wasn't sure what it was, but she could feel the heat from it as it cut through her chains.

As the tide was coming in they wanted to get Maddie out straight away, it was going to be a race against time as it was. They were surprised then to hear a phone ring, as they were due to make their move. The Doctor moved around the cave, snatching up the mobile as soon as he saw it.

He made his way over to the back of the cave and turned his back on the others. He knew who it was. There was no need to say anything. He flipped up the top and put the phone to his ear.

"So how are you enjoying our little game of hide and seek? It's such good fun!"

That provoked a frown from the Doctor. "Stop this. Stop it right now. Just tell me where Donna is."

The Master sat back in his plush white chair and mulled this over. "Well, while you're all sitting there with Maddie," he said. "Donna's getting ready for a swim as well." He swivelled his chair round, swinging with delight as his words hit home.

"Tell me. Just tell me where she is," the Doctor demanded. "I'm going to find her anyway, so you may as well tell me now. It's all over, and you know it."

The Master put on a shocked tone. "Oh surely you don't believe that? " And then he delivered the final blow. "Donna is about two hours away from you and quite safe for the moment." He continued full of self-importance. "But I'm afraid that her time is running out. If you don't find her within two hours it's going to be 'night-night, Red'. Now if my calculations are correct, the tide has come in far enough to delay your escape. I know you could make it, Doctor, but what about Jack and Maddie? I think I may have forgotten to mention about the fencing you will need to get through. Five hundred volts, Doctor, it might be handy to have a man who can remove that for you. And you won't be able to find Donna without Maddie, so who's it going to be?" Adopting a serious tone, he finished. "Who are you going to save, Doctor? Your choice."