Chapter Eleven
The Master chuckled as he stood in front of the cage. In the middle of the medieval throne room was a large cage and inside the cage was his prey. The fifth Doctor, Nyssa and Tegan.
"So...I have you right where I want you, Doctor," the Master said, savoring the moment.
"Seems so," the Doctor said nonchalantly.
"You won't get away with this," Tegan said.
"Oh...I think I will get away with it, Miss Jovanka," the Master said. "Because everyone in this castle is under my thrall and soon you and Nyssa will join them. As for the Doctor, he will suffer a different fate."
"And what exactly is my fate?" the Doctor said as he put his hands in his trouser pockets.
A devilish chuckle leaked from the Master's lips as he turned away from the cage. He slowly walked towards the gold throne on the dais several feet from the cage while he imagined putting the Doctor through unspeakable torture.
"Your fate, my dear Doctor, will involve a long, slow death," he said aloud with his back to the cage.
"What's that?" he heard Tegan say.
"Do you mean what will his long, slow death be, Miss Jovanka?" the Master said while he stared at the throne.
"No, I was asking what the Doctor was hold..."
The Master frowned when the Doctor shushed her. He turned, immediately suspicious about what the Doctor was holding. He noticed the Doctor was holding a small, rectangular device and he was staring at it intently while Nyssa and Tegan peered over his shoulder.
"What is that device?" the Master said as he walked towards the cage. "This had better not be an escape attempt or your torment will be increased tenfold."
"Blast! I can't kill those blasted piggies!" the Doctor said, ignoring him while Nyssa and Tegan stared at the monitor in confusion.
"I'm sorry?" the Master said, equally confused. "What...piggies?"
The Doctor ignored him and the Master heard a tiny "Wheee" coming from the device followed by crashing sounds.
"Damn it, I can never kill that one piggy," Five muttered while Nyssa and Tegan shared a glance.
"What are you doing?" the Master said, walking up to the cage. "I demand to know what you're doing."
"I'm playing Angry Birds, what does it look like I'm doing?" the Doctor said, finally acknowledging him for all of ten seconds before he turned his attention back to the game.
"And what is that?" the Master said as he listened to more wheeing and crashing sounds.
"It's a game," the Doctor muttered as he stared at the tiny monitor.
The Master reached through the bars and snatched the game away from him. He stared at the monitor while the Doctor shot him an indignant look.
"What is this?" the Master said.
"I keep telling you, it's an Earth game," the Doctor said. "Here, let me show you..."
Tegan and Nyssa watched while the Doctor stuck his hand between two of the bars and showed the Master how to play the game while he explained the object of it. The Master followed his instructions and suddenly he was hooked on playing the game instead of delivering pain and death to the Doctor and his companions. The Doctor had a smug grin on his face when he heard the adversary cursing to himself, frustrated while trying to play the game.
"What is the secret of this game? I must know!" the Master said after twenty minutes of playing.
"You have to kill the piggies and use your birds strategically in order to do so. If you don't, you have to start over," the Doctor said.
"And what must I do to win?" the Master said to the Doctor. "You must show me so I can move on. I have been on this same puzzle for twenty minutes now."
The Doctor grinned. He casually reached into his pocket and pulled out a small yellow book.
"I believe this holds all the answers," he said, showing it to the Master.
The Master read the title of the book.
"Angry Birds for Dummies?" he said, reading aloud the title. "I am no dummy, Doctor."
"P'eh, that's debatable," Tegan said.
She shut up when the Master glowered at her. He turned his attention back to the Doctor and tried to snatch the book from him but the Doctor held it back behind his head.
"Ah, ah, I will give you this book and the game on one condition," the Doctor said.
"Let me guess, your freedom and the freedom of your friends," the Master said sourly.
"Yes. In return for all the secrets of Angry Birds," the Doctor said.
"You and your friends belong to me now!" the Master said.
"Then give me my game back," the Doctor said, holding out his hand.
"No, I must defeat this game."
"Then I won't give you the book with all the secrets inside," the Doctor said smugly.
Tegan and Nyssa held back their laughter as the Master shot the Doctor a look of death. The Doctor gave him a smug look in return.
"Give me back my game if you want us or let us go if you want the game and the book," the Doctor said to him.
The Master gritted his teeth while the Doctor gave him an innocent look.
"Fine! I can capture you whenever I feel like it," the Master said. "Just give me that book."
"Let us go first and I'll transmat the book back to you," the Doctor said.
The Master looked at the Kindle Fire, torn between keeping it or letting the Doctor and his friends go. He finally let out a sigh.
"Very well. I will transmat you back to your TARDIS if you promise to return the book to me."
"Done," the Doctor said.
"But know this, I will have you in my power again," the Master said.
"I'm sure you will," the Doctor said.
The Master pulled a silver remote control out of his pocket. It had several buttons on it and he pushed one near the top. A bright light surrounded the Doctor, Nyssa and Tegan and when it faded, they were gone. The Master folded his arms over his chest and waited for the book.
And waited...and waited...and waited...