CHAPTER 35

INTERROGATION

After a couple of wrong turns, Jason eventually found the first of the deactivated reactors and entered what he assumed had been the outer control area. He could detect the smallest traces of radioactivity without mechanical assistance or his scanning ability thanks to his silicon-based physiology. The most efficient way for him to do this was in his true form and he immediately transmuted, moving slowly around the room to check for any signs of radiation. The large reinforced door leading to the reactor's outer chamber stood open while the door to the reactor itself was still firmly sealed.

As Jason entered the outer chamber, he picked up faint traces of radiation, but since this was not unusual he was not overly alarmed. He made a quick sensor sweep of the area to make certain he was still completely alone before unsealing the door to the reactor. Now if he did flood the room with radiation, no one would be harmed.

"Well, here goes," he muttered. He cautiously pulled the lead-lined door open and moved straight into the core.

The man called Buckley was in what had once been an executive office that he had turned into his command center. He was seated behind a large desk, his feet crossed on top. When the group arrived he looked the prisoners up and down and promptly burst out laughing, much to the Doctor's annoyance. "This the best you could do, Delaney?" he asked between snickers.

"I take it you're the person in charge of this rabble," the Doctor observed icily. He was rewarded for his impertinence with a savage blow between the shoulder blades that sent him to the floor. "You'll speak when you're spoken to!" Delaney snarled, waving his gun in the Time Lord's face. "Or you'll get this between the eyes, you got that?"

"Not in my office, Delaney," Buckley snapped, taking his feet off the desk and sitting up. "You'll get blood all over the carpet."

The Doctor struggled to a sitting position, scrutinizing the man behind the desk and rubbing his bruised shoulders.

Getting straight to the point Buckley asked, "Who are you? And what are you doing here?"

"Well, I am known as the Doctor and this young man is Grant Markham. We're here because these fine gentlemen dragged us here against our will," the Time Lord replied astringently. Before Delaney could strike him again, he added, "Before that, we were investigating some tunnels and got ourselves hopelessly lost. Ended up climbing into this building. We were looking for an exit when these individuals stopped us."

Buckley blinked, obviously amazed by this explanation. "Are you saying that you just… stumbled across us?" he asked, barely suppressing a laugh.

"Yes, that's precisely what I am saying. It's not that unreasonable, is it?" To the Doctor's bewilderment, the men behind him exploded into nervous whispers but he was unable to catch what they were saying. He threw a puzzled look in Grant's direction before returning his attention to Buckley who had waved Delaney over. The men conferred a moment before apparently coming to a decision. Buckley sat back in his chair, rocking back and forth a moment.

Not wanting to startle his already nervous captors, the Doctor motioned to Buckley for permission to rise, receiving a nod in reply. He got slowly back to his feet, positioning himself between the mercenaries and Grant. "Well?" he said expectantly. "Aren't you going to accuse me of lying? Being a government spy, or something equally ludicrous?"

"No. I believe you," Buckley announced suddenly.

This was so unexpected, the Doctor blinked, his mouth dropping open. Recovering himself quickly, he drew himself to his full height. "I'm pleased to hear it," he said in a guarded tone. "But by your tone I can only assume you're not letting us go, are you?"

"Nope. Can't do that."

"I thought not," the Doctor said quietly to Grant. In a normal voice he asked, "So what's to be done with us? Surely it's obvious we're no threat to you."

The man behind the desk continued to rock back and forth in his chair, his face unreadable. "The only thing that's obvious to me is that you don't belong here. And I can't have you telling everyone about our little operation, can I? So you're going to have a nice long stay with the rest of my…er, guests." Indicating the mercenaries, he added, "These fine gentlemen will make sure you don't get lost along the way." He waved a hand and the time travelers were unceremoniously dragged from the room.

Even though the reactor site was far from being completely dismantled, Jason was pleased to find there were no fissionable materials present. One of the reactors was still highly radioactive, however, and he reasoned it was probably the last one to be completely shutdown. In fact, the radiation level within the core would have been deadly to any humanoid life form. He, on the other hand, found it extremely soothing and greedily soaked up the raw energy. The preparations for the summit had been tiring to begin with. Then there was the crash of the SILVER TRIUMPH and whirlwind of events that followed, not to mention the current temporal fluctuations, all of which had taken a heavy toll on him, both physically and mentally. Despite his reliance on the energy tube, Jason had had precious little time in which to recover his strength…or his sanity.

The Doctor and Grant were taken through a dizzying array of corridors and metal stairways. They had a guard on either side of them with Delaney in the lead. The Doctor had placed his companion ahead of himself in the group. In this way, should he see a way out, he could grab the boy and run before anyone, including his companion, realized what was happening.

After a short time it became apparent that Delaney was not only trying to disorient them, but also seemed to be taking them further into the building. When the little procession reached a corridor lined with deactivated monitor screens they slowed down.

"This isn't where the other prisoners are being held, is it?" the Doctor said as Delaney went over to a steel door.

"Think you're pretty smart, huh?" Delaney snorted. "Gonna try 'n make a run for it?"

The Doctor was a good head taller than the man attempting to threaten him and he scowled down at him, completely unfazed. His expression seemed to be one of boredom rather than fear, which only angered his unstable captor. The men on either side of him suddenly grabbed him by the arms and pushed him face first into the wall, twisting his arms behind his back.

"There's no need for this," the unresisting Time Lord protested.

"No?" Delaney challenged, giving his men a knowing look. "What'd you men think? He look like trouble to you?"

The Doctor groaned inwardly as the others muttered statements of agreement. The next thing he knew a door was thrown open and he was being forcibly dragged through it. The room beyond was large and literally heaped with discarded equipment. Another door further on was open and led to what looked like a control room that was either in the process of being put together or taken apart. Beyond that stood an enormous reinforced door that looked like it led into a bank vault. It too was partially open.

The Doctor could see the heavily plated door through the connecting doorway and suddenly knew what the building was. He turned sharply back to Delaney but before he could say anything one of the men said, "Come on, Delaney, get on with it. We all know the drill." He poked Grant in the ribs with his gun, causing the frightened youth to recoil, a startled cry escaping him.

"Looks like the boy knows the drill too, Tommie," Delaney snickered.

The Doctor had seen enough to know where this was heading and was about to protest when the guard who had been on the other side of his companion nervously said, "I don't know about this, Delaney. Buckley—"

"Gives the orders," Delaney snapped harshly. He stalked up to the young man and glared at him. "What's the matter, Percy? No guts?"

"I…just…don't want any trouble," the young man called Percy replied.

The self-proclaimed leader laughed derisively. He glanced at his cohorts, jerking a thumb in the young man's direction. "You men hear that? The new kid don't want any trouble." He received a chorus of snickers and guffaws in reply.

"Perhaps his worry springs from an aversion to abusing helpless prisoners," the Doctor observed acidly.

"Then he should get over it," Delaney snarled, striking the Time Lord across the face with the back of his hand.

Having expected a violent reaction, the Doctor allowed the slap across the face, bending sideways and then shoulder charging the unsuspecting Delaney, sending him and the two who had been holding him down to the floor. "Run, Grant!" he ordered, trying to block the others to cover the boy's escape. He almost succeeded, but his companion was cut off by Buckley, who had suddenly appeared in the doorway. He struck the fleeing youth and sent him sprawling.

A poorly aimed punch was thrown in the Doctor's direction and he threw himself back to avoid it, slamming heavily into Percy who fell back into a mountain of equipment. There was an almighty crash as the youth fell into the debris, another mountain collapsing on top of him, knocking him unconscious in the process. The Doctor's own escape was stopped before it started by the butt of a gun to the back of his head, dropping him like a stone.

"We'll get you sorted out, mate," Delaney growled, giving the stunned Time Lord a savage kick.

"Stay with the boy, Tommie," Buckley ordered as he entered. He crossed to his downed prisoner, giving him another savage kick and smiling evilly at the sound of cracking bones it produced.

Jason had dozed off without realizing, and thus his stay in the reactor was considerably longer than he intended. He was still lazily absorbing energy when the light in the exterior room came on. Had he left the heavily plated reactor door open more than a slight crack the unexpected illumination would have awakened him immediately. Instead he was only vaguely aware of someone being present when the voices started.

Jason heard the Doctor call out to his companion and came partially awake. Then there was the sound of the equipment crashing and the Alterran dazedly concluded that he had been in the radiation saturated environment too long and was simply experiencing the waking dreams this sometimes caused.