CHAPTER 12
"DID I MISS SOMETHING?"
The Doctor was momentarily stunned by the sudden turn of events and stood staring at the motionless figure before finally crossing to him. Still uncertain, he checked the young man's eyes and then his pulse. It was racing. Jason also seemed to be running a fever and his color was terrible, something the Time Lord hadn't even noticed until that moment. In short, Jason was in a bad way, yet hadn't uttered a single complaint.
The Doctor studied the inert form intently. The ability to transmute made Jason an expert in the art of deception. His race had, at one time, used this power to subvert other, weaker races. The practice had not been used for centuries, but the power still existed; and any power could be misused. Reflecting on this, the Doctor wondered if he were simply witnessing an exceptional performance. Not unlike his own.
Checking the boy's condition again, the Time Lord decided that no one was that good an actor. Not even an Alterran. Jason was most definitely unconscious and apparently had suffered a severe trauma of one kind or another. He was also in no condition to defend himself, either physically or mentally. Keeping this in mind, the Doctor decided not to push for answers until the boy was stronger. Until then he would just have to stay on his guard and keep an eye on him.
The sound of voices out in the corridor startled the Doctor out of his thoughts and he rose to his feet, glancing from the door back to the motionless youth. Jason had been sitting in the far corner, and this portion of the cell would be blocked from view by the table. Nevertheless, the Doctor chose to play it safe and covered the unconscious Alterran with his coat, using his scarf to conceal his protruding feet. He had no sooner finished than the spy-hole in the door slid open with a snap.
"Ah, would that be the customary bread and water?" the Time Lord boomed cheerily. "I know I distinctly told room service I wanted breakfast at seven o'clock sharp."
"Shut up!" snarled an angry voice. The spy-hole slammed shut and a tray was shoved through the opening at the base of the door.
Relieved the guard hadn't chosen to come in, the Doctor went to collect the tray upon which were a small cask of water and a plate containing a number of unidentifiable lumps. "I was warm, anyway," he muttered darkly as he took his unappetizing breakfast over to the table.
Jason groaned and started to stir, struggling weakly under the coat. The Doctor got down beside him and pulled it back, receiving a look that was a combination of fear and bewilderment.
"Wh…what? Why…?" the Alterran stammered, asking finally, "Am I dead?"
"No, you're not dead yet," the amused Time Lord said gently. Indicating the tray, he said brightly, "I rang up room service while you were out, but I'm afraid these five star establishments aren't what they used to be."
Jason was nonplussed and stared up at him a moment before finally saying, "Did I miss something? A minute ago I was persona non grata."
"Never mind that," the Doctor said dismissively. "How do you feel?"
"Terrible, to be honest."
"That's good, because you look terrible, too."
"Thanks. That makes me feel much better," came the sarcastic reply. Jason allowed the Doctor to help him sit up only because he was too weak to push him away. He leaned back against the wall and scrutinized the Time Lord, completely baffled by his sudden congenial mood. His head started to spin again and he closed his eyes and swallowed hard.
"Are you alright?" the Doctor asked concernedly.
"I will be…if I can get something high in sugar," the Healer informed in a faint voice. "I need to get my energy level back up fast."
The Doctor started searching his pockets. "How fast?"
Jason wasn't listening. He had found the empty medicine bottle beside the mat and gave way to a shudder when he realized how very close to death he had been. The bottle seemed to blur in his hands and he blinked hard to clear his vision, looking up dazedly when the Doctor asked firmly, "Jason, how fast?"
"What…?" the young man muttered. Seeing the quizzical look on the Time Lord's face, he replied weakly, "Fast, fast. Otherwise, there's a very real possibility I'll lapse into a coma if I pass out again."
"Something high in sugar, eh?" the Doctor muttered.
Jason nodded. "I might have something in my bag—"
"Not to worry," his cellmate grinned, pulling a crumpled bag from one of his capacious pockets. "Here. Have a jelly baby." So saying, he dropped the bag into the bewildered Alterran's hands before going to retrieve the tray.
Jason opened the bag and peered in. "I don't believe it…" he muttered, pulling out a candy.
"Go on, try it," the Doctor encouraged as he took a seat beside the skeptical youth. "They're really quite good."
Jason did as instructed, discovering the candies were, indeed, quite good.
After a shared breakfast, and half the bag of jelly babies, the Doctor expressed the urgent need to escape in order to warn Jason's people about the Master. The Alterran reasoned there was no time like the present and got shakily to his feet. He walked slowly over to the cell door and scrutinized it from top to bottom.
The Doctor watched the young man closely. "Are you sure you're well enough to travel?" he asked innocently.
"I'll have to be. You need me to get out of here."
The Doctor knew this to be true. He also knew it was a distinct possibility he was being led into a trap.
"We are still in the Royal Palace, aren't we?" Jason asked, receiving a nod in reply. "Good. I know the place like the back of my hand."
"Just exactly how do you propose getting us out of here?" the Doctor asked as he joined the Alterran at the door.
"Well…the window is out," Jason observed, glancing up at the barred opening. "You'll never fit through." Turning back to the door, he said suddenly, "You're not afraid of snakes, are you?"
"Snakes?" The Doctor was baffled—but only for a moment. His companion's body shimmered and there was suddenly a great snake at his feet. It slithered through the opening at the base of the door, having no sooner vanished from sight than there was the sound of the heavy bolt being thrown back. The door swung open, revealing Jason on the other side looking particularly pleased with himself.
The Doctor took the Healer's medical bag from the table and handed it to him. "Show off," he whispered as he passed through the door. Glancing quickly up and down the empty passageway, he asked, "Which way?" His companion nodded down the corridor and then silently led the way, shouldering his bag as he went.
Jason came around the corner at the end of the corridor and stopped dead in his tracks. Ahead of him, Stinson was arguing with another mercenary guardsmen.
The Doctor reacted instantly, putting a hand over the boy's mouth just in time to stifle an alarmed cry. He then unceremoniously yanked the petrified youth back around the corner. Jason was puzzled only at how tightly the Doctor was holding him, not realizing the Time Lord still did not trust him. He closed his eyes trying collect himself, pulling the hand from his mouth with his own trembling hand. "That's the second time you've done that to me," he said shakily.
The Doctor ignored the remark. "Well, we can't go that way," he observed in a quiet firm voice. "We'll just have to go back." Taking the boy by the arm, he tried to lead him away but was prevented when Jason came to an abrupt halt and stared at the blank wall in front of him.
"Wait a minute, Doctor. I'm sure there's an entrance along here." Placing his still trembling hands on the wall, the Healer moved them slowly across its uneven stone surface. The Doctor noticed he was not so much feeling for the opening as sensing for it. "Secret passage?" he asked as he kept a sharp lookout for the guards. His companion nodded without looking up. "Scanning for the entrance?" the Time Lord then asked innocently.
Jason nodded again. Suddenly realizing what the Doctor had said, he caught his breath and whirled around. "How did you know about—? Oh, yes…I told you, didn't I?"
The Doctor smiled benignly and the Alterran returned his attention to the wall, not realizing that this genuine reaction was what finally convinced the skeptical Time Lord that he had, at least in part, been telling the truth.
"Aha! Here it is," Jason announced in a triumphant whisper. He pushed on a stone block, which gave under the pressure of his fingertips. There was a low grinding noise as a slab swung open revealing a hidden passageway beyond. They had to turn sideways to squeeze through the opening, and once inside, Jason triggered the door again. The slab swung shut, leaving them in total darkness.
"Oh, no. I forgot about that," the Alterran said guiltily.
"I don't suppose you can still glow in the dark," the Doctor said dryly. He pulled out his torch and switched it on. "That's better."
"There used to be lanterns down here when I was a child," his companion told him. "Maybe we'll come across one on the way to—" Jason broke off, suddenly realizing he had failed to ask a very important question. "Exactly where are we going, anyway?"