Chapter 7

Hidden Observers

The ducting was cramped, but there was still enough room to move on hands and knees. Jason made the turns with a minimum of hesitation within the twisting maze. After a few minutes he stopped in front of an intake grating. His body shimmered and he was suddenly facing the Doctor, a finger to his lips.

Despite the hundreds of times he had seen it before, the Doctor still marveled at his friend's ability to transmute. Peering through the grating, they saw the object of their journey. The Master was in his office.

Unaware of his hidden observers, the Time Lord was still congratulating himself on his own brilliance. His one man honorarium was interrupted by the arrival of Professor Turner.

"Ah, my dear Professor Turner. How nice of you to finally grace me with your presence." The Master's voice carried the full weight of the sarcasm intended.

Professor Turner was unimpressed. "I am not one of your lackeys," he stated categorically. "Now, what do you want that couldn't wait until tonight?"

"I want to know if that contraption in there will work," the Master snapped, waving a hand in the direction of the computer room.

"Of course it'll work," the Professor snorted, offended that there might actually be any doubt. "Everything checked out perfectly last night. The program ran through without a hitch early this morning. But then…you already know all that," he said acidly. "My people said they told you all this not half an hour ago when they finished installing the last of the equipment."

"And they have done an admirable job, Professor."

The Professor took no notice of him, being too busy with his own grand plans. "The findings on this project will make the whole scientific community sit up and take notice. They all thought I was crazy to even think of trying something as bold as this. Those so-called experts. It couldn't be done! Now they'll see."

"I'm afraid not," the Master said calmly, holding in his hand the black rod the Doctor knew all too well—the Tissue Compression Eliminator.

"Now what are you on about?" Turner snorted disdainfully, unfamiliar with the lethal device. He had wrongly assumed that the Master was of no consequence, believing he had been using the renegade Time Lord and his considerable knowledge. In reality, it had always been the reverse. Something the Professor was about to discover—much too late.

"Your entire staff is presently being placed under arrest," the Master informed coldly. "And I'm confiscating your project. Permanently." The compressor glowed and the Professor's protests were cut off and transformed into a strangled gurgling. His body twisted and contorted from the agonizing effects of the device as he was slowly compressed to the size of a small doll.

The observers in the air duct turned away, sickened by the violent act. "I think I've seen enough," the Doctor said quietly.

Jason tried to keep the trembling in his limbs from working its way into his voice. "You'll need to come forward a bit more, Doctor. There's a junction just ahead that you can turn around in." Transmuting again, the Alterran set off once more.

At the junction, the Doctor was able to back around a corner and into a duct set perpendicular to the other. There was a grating directly in front of him and, ever curious, he peered through it, seeing the Master's massive computer control room on the other side. Scanning the room, the Doctor's gaze came to rest on something that almost stopped both his hearts. In the corner of the room stood the TARDIS.

Tegan had taken up a position near the open air vent to listen for the return of the Doctor. Most of what Turlough managed to get out of the computer was beyond either of them. The rest was security coded. He had, however, been able to get into the inventory system and was looking at a listing of the contents of the Containment Area. It seemed endless.

"There's enough stuff out there to wipe out everything in the known universe," he observed in a combination of awe and dread.

"The Doctor told us that already, remember?"

"Yes. But he didn't know about the Master," Turlough countered.

Tegan was forced to agree that this did put things in to an entirely different light. Assuming the worst when the Master was involved usually saved a lot of time.

The Master strode exuberantly into the computer room to be followed almost immediately by Saunders, who came sheepishly to the door. "Commander," he said in a shaky voice, "you…sent for me, sir?"

The Commander rounded savagely on the cringing Guard Leader. "Why has the Doctor not been brought to me?"

Saunders shrank back. "He…hasn't been…located, sir."

"What!"

Saunders launched into the same groveling apologies Jason had heard earlier. The Master was beside himself with rage. "I'm surrounded by fools and incompetents!" he shouted, striking the Guard Leader and sending him to his knees. "Seal off the Containment Area. The Doctor will be trying to return to his TARDIS." He pointed to the battered Police Box in the corner.

"Yeee…es, sssir," Saunders stammered out pitifully.

"Start from there and move inwards. Search every room if you have to. Just find him!"

Behind the grating, the Doctor found the Master's obsession with finding him puzzling as well as amusing. His archenemy was turning the entire Institute upside-down looking for him, and there he sat only a few metres away.

Saunders attempted to rise, hoping he would be dismissed to carry out his orders.

"Saunders," the Commander snapped coolly, "the Doctor is to be brought to me unharmed. Do I make myself clear?"

"Of course, sir."

"I don't want anyone else getting trigger happy." The Time Lord's voice hardened. "Or they will have to deal with me."

The Guard Leader felt a chill run down his spine. "Sir," he ventured hesitantly, "what about the others?"

"What of them?"

"What…should we do with them?"

The Master considered a moment, an evil smile parting his lips. "Bring them to me, also. The Doctor is nauseatingly scrupulous. He'd think nothing of sacrificing himself if it meant saving his companions."

Jason heard the Doctor growl softly and grind his teeth at this condescending, yet accurate, description of himself.

The Master waved a hand, dismissing the cowering Guard Leader, who was grateful his superior had transferred his anger from him to this mysterious Doctor. Just as he reached the door, the Commander called him back. "Yes, sir?"

"Have that arrogant whelp of a Prince brought to my office immediately. Tell him—" The Master thought a moment and chuckled. "Tell him the danger has passed and I need to work out the arrangements for our little get together tonight."

Saunders gave a quick affirming noise and fled. The Master continued to chuckle to himself as he went into the storeroom.

The Doctor, who thought he had been following things rather well, was now completely baffled. This last order made absolutely no sense whatsoever. A new piece to a puzzle that was coming apart rather than fitting together. Sighing heavily, he looked up at his companion to suggest that they start back. He was shocked to see Jason was chalk white and trembling badly.

"Jason! Are you alright?" the Doctor said in an anxious whisper. "What's the matter?"

The Prince did not seem to hear him and was shaking his head in horrified disbelief. For him, too many pieces had just fallen neatly into place.

The Doctor had to struggle to keep up with Jason on the return journey through the air duct. The Alterran was moving much too fast in the confined space for the Time Lord's long frame.

Jason reached the lab and was out of the air vent as if he had been shot from a gun. He stood clutching the counter top for support, still shaking.

Tegan and Turlough were alarmed when the Alterran returned alone and in such a dreadful state. They feared something horrible had happened to the Doctor and were relieved when he appeared a few moments later, apparently unharmed.

Jason attempted a few faltering steps, only to have his knees buckle. The Doctor was at his side instantly.

"I'm sorry, Doctor," the young man managed weakly, "I didn't mean to…" He glanced back to the open vent and shook his head. "I couldn't…I just couldn't…"

"It's alright, my boy, I understand completely," the Doctor soothed, not understanding at all. "You just take it easy." He helped his shaken friend to the floor and Tegan brought another cloth.

"Just what happened in there?" she asked close to the Doctor's ear.

"I'm not sure," he replied.

"I'm sorry," Jason said again. "I'll be fine, honestly." He looked at the three worried faces around him. It was obvious they were less than convinced. Shaking his head, he confessed finally, "That man still terrifies me."