The Doctor and the Negotiator CH.7

The pair of heroes,the Doctor and Roger Smith stood trapped in the cell the Cybermen placed them in.

"I don't get this."Roger said the Doctor. "Who or what are these--Cybermen and what are they planning to do with the city?"

"I'll explain who or what they really are in due time,Roger."said the time lord. "Right now,I must concentrate on a way to get us out of here."

"I just hope Dorothy and the others will be all right."said Roger.

"As long as they haven't executed their 'plan' yet--they should be."said the Doctor.

While back in the Cybermen's lab,a pair of Cybers brought their intended quarry with them.

"LET ME GO!"he screamed. "LET GO OF ME I SAY!"
"SILENCE!"said the Cybermen on the right.

The man before them was 4ft.5,wore a white lab coat,had spiky brown hair and wore a pair of thick rimmed glasses.

He looked to be a sort of scientist of some kind.

"We have brought the one who piloted the mecha,Cyber-leader."said the Cyber on the left.

"Most excellent."said the leader as he approached them.

"Who--or what are you,creatures?"said the man. "And what do you want with me?"

"We,are the Cybermen."said the leader. "AS of what we wish to do with you--shall be revealled in good time. Until then,throw him in with the others,"

"Yes,Cyber-Leader."said the two Cybers.

The scientist was taken to the holding cell where the Doctor and Roger lay and was thrown inside.

"Ughhh--you bastard asses!"he shouted.

"Who you think you're messing with?"

"Ah,company at last!"said the Doctor."It was getting to be wuite boring in here."

"Who the heck are you?"said Roger.

"I--I am--or at least was--to be--Paradigm's newest ruler of the Megadeuses!"he said as he arose.

"Or at least I was until that damened Big O stopped me and my Sheeva earlier."

"I--see."said Roger.

He then thought,that this must be the same pilot who attacked Paradigm earlier today.

"Hmmm..and your name is..?"said the Doctor.

"Fenton,Burnsworth."said the man. "Dr that is as well."

"Ah,a scientist yourself I see."said the Doctor.

"That's right."said Simon. "I was returning to my home when--these things--broke in and kidnapped me."

"Hmm..the Cyberman are definitely up to the plate about something here."said the Doctor. "Kidnapping and planning nasty things as usual."

"Cybermen..?"said Simon. "What a stupid name for these--creatures. I would've used a far more interesting monicker in place."

"Well,what'n a name,right?"said the Doctor. "Anyways,it seems the three of us are united for a common cause here,to escape from these confines."

"And how do you propose we do that to begin with?"said Roger.

"Best to think of something,and soon,Roger."said the Doctor. "Otherwise,the more we wait,the Cybermen may activate whatever it is they are planning to do soon enough."

While back at Roger's pad...

Allison sat on the couch and flipped through the channels of the tv set,trying to find anything to take her mind of the worry of what the Doctor is doing.

"That does it!"she said as she shot up from the couch.

"I can't stand this any longer,we haven't heard back from them in over an hour!"

"Now,settle yourself down,Ms.Chaney."said Norman. "Master Roger always comes back witht ehs kin on his teeth,for better or worse."

"As for your eh--companion--I know not of him,but hopefully he should be all right with Roger as well."

"Easy for you to say,mate."said Allison."You don't know what kind of hijinks we've gone through lately."

"Worrying about it will not help the situation,Ms.Chaney."said Dorothy. "But--if worse comes to worse,we might have to go look for them--and perhaps to Roger's dismay,contact the military police."

Allison sighed.

"I didn't come with the Doctor to become a worry wart,he'd best be back soon,so we can get outta this gray slab of a town!"she thought.

While back in the Cybermen's lair...

The Doctor examined the cell they were in and began to feel around for any inner workings in the walls.

"What are you doing..?"said Roger.

"Trying to find the eh---ah---'guts' of the wall so to speak."said the Doctor.

"Yes--now why didn't I think of that when i first got in here?"said Fenton.

The two men began to feel around on the walls to find anything helpful,but Roger just leaned back and relaxed.

"Just going to sit this one out,Roger?"said the Doctor with his back turned.

"Sorry guys,i'm not what you call a 'science guy'if you know what I mean."said Roger.

"PAH--what good are you then?"said Fenton.

"I'll show ya what good I can do a face like yours--if you don't back off,four eyes!"said Roger.

"Now now,this is not a good time to duke it out--we face a common foe here and we must make haste."said the Doctor.

"Very well!"said Fenton as he continued to feel around the walls.

"Brother!"thought Roger. "I'm stuck with a couple of egghead oddballs! I just hope Dorothy and the othes are holding out."

Suddenly,the time lord found something.

"EUREKA!"he said. "I think I have something here!"

"About time."said Roger.

The Doctor felt a small but cubicle pattern against the right side wall and dug his fingernails into it,trying to pry it loose.

Finally,his efforts paid off and the cover came loose,revealling a section of wires,circuitry and components.

"Yes..this might be what we're looking for."said the Doctor as he examined the opening.

"And if it isn't..?"said Roger.

"One way to find out."said the Doctor as he plunged his fingers into the workings.

While back out in the Cybermen's lab,the Cyber Leader was communicating with a couple of his agents who were looking over the now invaded hideout of the same scientist who piloted the Megadeuse earlier.

They were a pair of men wearing grey and blue suits and had Cybermats attached to their necks.

"Anything to report on?"said the Cyber-Leader.

"Nothing so far,leader."said the man on the left. "We've dsicovered a hidden den of what appears to be a man-made home complete with all the functions.

But--no sign of any--lab of any kind--yet."

"Keep searching,there must be something there that the scientist has of use for our purposes!"

"Yes,leader."said the man.

While back in the cell,the Doctor and the others continue to try and work their way out of the prison they were in.

Dr.Fenton carefully pulled out a series of wires and tubes and then laid them out on the cot next to the wall.

"In one of these wires and connectors,is the control that activates the cell's door,which appears to be made of--energy I see."he said.

"Yes,but which one?"said the Doctor.

"I--guess we feel them until we find the spot."said Roger.

"Simple,but logical deduction."said the Doctor. "Let's begin."

The time lord and the scientist began to gently apply pressure to the wires,feeling the cold plastic and warm conduits,trying to get a reaction.

Roger shrugged and then touched the far end of the wire cords.

Suddenly..the force field dropped and the door was opened.

"What th--?"said Fenton.

"Roger--how did you--?"said the Doctor.

"Uh--just lucky I guess--heh-heh.."said Roger.

"Lucky--indeed!"said Fenton disgusted.

"Look,what matters is that we found a way out of here--so,let's make haste at once."said the Doctor.

"Agreed."said Roger.

The trio all carefully sneaked their way out into the open and watched for any Cybermen or guards of any kind.

"So far,so good."said Roger.

"The trio then sneaked down the corridor and then came upon a lab room.

Just then,the Doctor noticed on a table across from them,was the items he and Roger had with them.

"My sonic screwdriver!"said the Doctor as he made a grab for it at the table.

"And my watch!"said Roger as he did the same.

"Hmmmm..."replied Fenton as he observed the room.

"Appears to be a sort of laboratory."

"What was your first clue?"said Roger as he slipped his watch back on.

"I'm afraid we don't have time to explore,Dr.Fenton."said the Doctor.

"I have it on good authority that the Cybermen don't take kindly to trespassers,and especially escaped ones. Time we were off!"

"Oh,very well!"said an annoyed Fenton.

The trio then made their way out of the lab and walked down another corridor.

"Quietly,and carefully.."said the Doctor. "There's no telling when one of them might---"

Just as the Doctor was about to finish his snetence of warning,a Cyberman showed up.

"--SHOW UP!"he said as he finished.

"LOOK OUT!"said Roger as he dove at the ground the Cyberman stood on and then spun out both of his legs and knocked the cyborg down on his rump.

"OOF!"went the Cyber.

"Good show!'said the Doctor.

The Cyberman struggled to get back to his feet,but before he could,the Doctor spotted a nearby fire extinguisher,ripped it fro the wall and slammed it down on the Cyber's head,kncoking him out!

"THUD!"

"Well,that takes care of that."said Fenton.

"Oh,look--it has a weapon on it."

The Cyber's blaster rifle lay beside the fallen cyborg.

"That might give us an added edge."said Fenton.

"Out of the question!"said the Doctor. "I find weapons of mass destruction very distasteful!"

"Same here."said Roger. "After all,I am a gentleman of sorts."

"BAHH!"said Fenton in rage. "Fools and cowards both of you!"

The scientist picked up the blaster and strode forward.

"I'm going to find my way out of this hellhole if I have to fight my way out!"he said.

"No--don't you fool!"said the Doctor.

Suddenly,a pair of double doors opened and a small band of Cybermen strode out.

"INTRUDER--INTRUDER!"said the lead Cyberman.

"Intruder this!"said Fenton as he aimed the blaster and fired away at the Cybermen.

"ZAPP--ZAPP!"

The four Cybermen were shot dead-on and sparks exploded from their chests and heads.

They all fell like nine-pins from the madman's assault.

"Ha-ha!"said Fenton.

"Felled by their own weaponry--how ironicly delicious!"

"Fenton--you imbecille!"said the Doctor. "You'll alert the other Cybermen to our presence!"

"Like I care about that!"said Fenton.

He then turned the gun on the two of them.

"Now what are you planning you nut-case?"said Roger.

"Exactly what I wanted to do since I got here--plunder the tenchnology this place,use it for my own mecha technology,and destroy these--aliens from stopping me from doing so!" he said.

"And these--laser firearms will do nicely,I can augment them to my own weaponry when I get back!"

"Don't be a fool,Fenton!"said the Doctor. "You don't know what you're dealing with here!"

"Yeah,I don't know either,so i'd listen to the man if I were you!"said Roger.

"I listen to no one!"said Fenton. "So fight your own way out of here if you wish,but I wish to get on with my own plans!"

Fenton then went inside the doors,pressed the button on the wall and they began to close.

"Be seeing you--HAHAHA!"

"NO---STOP!"said the Doctor.

But it was too late,the doors closed and the Doctor and Roger were on their own again.

"Hmmm...brutal chap."said the Doctor.

"You said it."said Roger. "When I get my hands on him--"

Suddenly,the pair heard footsteps coming their way,it was more Cybermen!

"Oh botha!"said the Doctor.

"You can say that again!"said Roger.

"C'mon--run!"said the Doctor and the two heroes were off again.

NEXT CHAPTER:DR.FENTON BURNSWORTH DISCOVERS THE CYBER-CONTROLLER AND MASTER COMPUTER AND PLANS TO MAKE THE TECHNOLOGY HIS OWN WHILE THE DOCTOR AND ROGER FACE OFF AGAINST THE CYBERMEN! ALL THIS AND MORE IN THE NEXT INSTALLMENT!