Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who. This story is based on the Doctor Who characters and universe.
Science Assassin: Chapter five
The next day dawned clear and sunny, a complete opposite to the previous evening. Wanda again checked herself in the mirror. She was dressed in a dark green felt suit, and her hair was still secured in many tight braids. She peeped into the dining room, where the group was eating breakfast, and then hurried to the reception desk to find her clip board and go over her plans for the day.
In the dining room, the 9 remaining members of the science committee were enjoying a hearty breakfast in aluminium packets. This time each person was served two packets, one with a white, creamy, oat porridge pulp and one with bacon and toast flavoured mush. Donna had left hers unopened, and was munching on a packet of chips. The night before she had bought a good supply, which she stored in her room. She was glad that normal food was still available. To her surprise, the Doctor was eating his breakfast with gusto.
"Doctor, aren't you scared of poison?" she hissed quietly, so the other scientists wouldn't hear.
"No, a good assassin never uses the same method twice," explained the Doctor. "And by now I'm certain that Lewis Klyne wasn't the only victim." He popped another spoonful of porridge into his mouth.
"But why were you worried about the mints last night?" Donna was confused.
"Through my experience I have learned that murderers often have back up methods. They might have poisoned the mints in case the first poison didn't work. But they didn't, thankfully. By now though, they will have realised that Klyne is ill and will be thinking up another way to finish him off. But not by using poison." He took a long swig of orange juice.
"Oh." Donna took another bite of chips. "Why do you think someone has been attacking this group?"
"Many reasons." The Doctor shrugged. "I personally think it's because they don't agree with the big project they are starting."
"What's that?"
"The international science committee are working on building a large, outer space planet for the motroids. This is all top secret, so don't tell anyone. The motroids have slowly been taking over earth."
"In what ways?" asked Donna.
"Many ways. Taking over businesses and sacking humans, building cities only for them, using up large amounts of gold and coal. Soon, humans won't have anything left. The motroids now have evolved to earth living, so they can't live on Mars any longer. Their lungs have adapted to oxygen, so they would suffocate on Mars. Their skin is no longer capable of the high Mars temperature, and they can no longer live off the Mars resources. They need food, and water, and medicine. The list goes on and on. Humans can't just ask them to leave. they have very bad tempers, and would start a war! Anyway, there's nowhere else for them to go. That's why they want to build a new planet for them."
"Wait, if this is all top secret, how did you find out?" Donna looked at the Doctor suspiciously. He smiled sheepishly. "With a little help from my psychic paper, I posed as a leading scientist and was accepted to replace Lewis Klyne while he recovers. And of course my clever little brain knows enough to be able to pass their exams. Why did I go to collect equipment last night? Because you need to have done something honourable or extremely scientific to be chosen. I simply showed them some futuristic gadgets, and explained how they worked. They were fascinated. I'm part of the team now."
"What about me?" asked Donna indignantly.
"Don't worry. You're posing as my personal assistant."
"It all sounds rather complicated," commented Donna. "You being a scientist to the committee while the police are under the impression you're a detective."
At that moment, Wanda entered the room, her signature clipboard tucked under her arm. Her eyes passed briefly over the Doctor, but soon turned to the scientists.
"Gentlemen," she said. "I understand that at 11:30 you have a board meeting here in the hotel. Before that we have arranged a small tour to the Big Ben. We will be travelling by bus, so if you could all please assemble outside..." There followed a long list of safety procedures. Donna yawned.
"Thank you." Wanda walked outside and the scientists followed, talking excitedly. The Doctor bent down to tie up his shoe lace, just as there was a just as there was whooshing sound and a small knife flew through the air at top speed, sticking in the wooden panelling on the dining room door. Donna screamed, but the Doctor clamped a hand over her mouth.
"Don't cause alarm. That knife was meant for me. We need to find where it came from."
Donna nodded. The Doctor stood up and looked behind him. There was nothing but the wooden panelling of the back wall. Putting on his glasses, the Doctor scrutinised the wall closely, tapping here and there. Suddenly, there was a groaning sound, and one of the large panels jerked to the side, revealing a dark passageway. The Doctor immediately entered, and Donna started to follow. Suddenly, the panel jerked back into its original position, leaving no trace of a passage. Donna was left on the other side.
"Doctor?" she called in panic.
A smaller square of wood slipped back, revealing the Doctor's grinning face. "Hello Donna. Gave you a bit of a shock, did I?"
"You certainly did." Donna caught her breath. "Did you find him?"
"Find who?" The Doctor opened the panel from the inside and stepped out, closing it behind him.
"The man who threw that knife!" Donna was practically screaming.
"No." The Doctor pulled the knife out of the door, examining it. It had a polished silver blade which glistened sharp in the light. The handle was of smoothly carved mahogany wood. "I didn't expect to find the would-be murderer. They're long gone. The passage leads to the kitchen. I just wanted to know where they hid."
"It's too dangerous here." Donna shivered. "That was a very close call. Who knows what they'll try next."
"Well, that's why I'm here." The Doctor stood up importantly. "I'm going to find that person, as well as find out why they're so determined to get rid of me. Come on; let's go to the Big Ben!"
"What?!" Donna cried out in amazement. "You have just been narrowly missed by a thrown knife and have just discovered a secret passage and you want to visit the Big Ben?!"
"Yes." The Doctor grinned. "For three reasons. One: I want to watch Wanda. She seems strange. Two: the assassin is gone. A thorough search would never find them, and I have to stay with the group in case they try anything else. And three: I ALWAYS love a visit to the Big Ben! Come on!"
More to come...
Please review!!