Besides, this was no longer simply her own life and dignity she was concerned with. If Haldoran had more of those Dalek guns, then London and her entire family were doomed. Despite everything, she had to be strong. Even if it killed her.
David rapped on the door, and then entered, saluting. The Doctor touched her elbow, and she almost shrieked. But she forced her feet to carry her inside the door.
He was there, along with other people she couldn’t even focus on. All her attention was on Haldoran’s back, as he crouched over the map table, gloating. The Doctor tapped her arm, and then gestured subtly. She followed his gaze, and saw a stack of crates against the wall. The Dalek weapons – it had to be. She felt a surge of hope that died the second Haldoran looked around.
‘Guard detail,’ David said crisply. ‘The captain thought you’d want to see this intruder yourself.’
‘Yes,’ Haldoran said, eagerness in his eyes, and a slight smile on his lips. ‘Yes, indeed I would.’ He moved across the room towards her, and reached up to grip her chin. ‘Donna, darling, it’s been so long… You’ve no idea how glad I am to see you.’
‘What’s the matter?’ she gasped, wincing at his touch. ‘Couldn’t find some other helpless woman to torture?’
‘There are plenty of other women,’ Haldoran answered. ‘But none as… interesting as you. Believe it or not, I’ve missed you. It’s so good having you back. I’m sure I can think of something special to celebrate tonight. After my men have taken New London and murdered your family, of course.’
Donna wished her mouth wasn’t so dry. She really wanted to spit in his face. She knew that the Doctor had to be up to something, but she couldn’t spare her attention. She was locked once more into this confrontation with this monster, and despite everything, it was all‐consuming. He was dominating her again, just as he always had. Making her quake as he dreamed up new ways to humiliate and hurt her. Hell was in session anew.
No! She was no longer that naive young girl he’d taken and abused. She was now a knight, a warrior in her own right. She’d faced danger and death before without this bowel‐churning fear. She wouldn’t allow him to intimidate and conquer her again. This time she was stronger. She could face him down, no matter what he threatened. He was not as strong as he thought he was.
Haldoran bent and gave her a kiss on the lips, which stunned her in a different way. It was unlike him to make even a single pleasant gesture. Then she yelped as he viciously bit her lower lip, drawing blood. He backed off, smiling, licking her blood from his lips. ‘Just a taste of what’s to come,’ he promised her. Then he pulled out a pistol and whipped around, holding the gun to the Doctor’s head. The Doctor had been edging towards the cases of Dalek guns, and was now caught in mid‐step.
‘I think not,’ Haldoran purred, his finger tight on the trigger. ‘I know all of my guards, and you two aren’t right.’ Another guard had moved in to disarm David, who stood silently. Did you think I’d be so distracted by the sight of my ex-wife that I wouldn’t think straight?’
‘Actually, yes,’ the Doctor admitted. ‘It was quite a touching reunion.’
Haldoran inclined his head slightly ‘It’s a shame you won’t live to see the rest of it. It’s going to be quite fun.’ His hand lashed out, clubbing the side of the Doctor’s head with his pistol. The Doctor gave a strangled cry, collapsing in pain to the floor. There was blood in his curly hair, and he reached up to touch the place where it hurt. Haldoran laughed at what he had done. He aimed the revolver at the Doctor and pulled back on the trigger.
11
Death – and Worse
Donna ignored the pain and taste of blood in her mouth. Seeing the Doctor in trouble, she threw off the handcuffs, and reached for the gun she’d secreted down the back of her tunic. Before she could get to it, the door to the war office opened again.
Haldoran glanced around, distracted for a moment, and he frowned, his finger loosening on the trigger. A dishevelled older man stormed in, his own gun drawn. It took Donna a moment to recognise Tomlin. Her ex‐husband’s favourite was wild‐eyed and furious.
‘Traitor!’ he screamed. ‘You betrayed me!’ The gun came up, but Haldoran was faster. He shot once, the sound echoing around the room loudly. Tomlin gasped, glanced down at the hole in his chest, and then crumpled to the floor, leaking blood.
‘If you’re going to shoot,’ Haldoran snarled at the corpse, ‘then shoot. Don’t talk.’
‘Good advice,’ Donna murmured. Coldly, she aimed her gun and fired.
The top of Haldoran’s head exploded, and his body was hurled back to collapse across his map table. Bloody detritus littered the floor and one wall. Two of the guards started to move, but Donna covered them swiftly.
‘I’m in a seriously bad mood,’ she growled. ‘Don’t tempt me.’
They didn’t. David collected their guns, and shoved them to one side. Now that it was over, Donna felt weakness wash over her, but she refused to give in to it. It was mixed with elation as she stared down at the body of her tormentor. ‘That was much too fast,’ she whispered. ‘He didn’t suffer enough.’
‘Really,’ the Doctor murmured, sadly. ‘He won’t hurt you or anyone else again.’
‘I know,’ Donna sighed. ‘But I owed him –’
‘I don’t want to listen to you,’ said the Doctor simply, turning from her. ‘Now…’ Immediately, his attention was somewhere else. He removed his sonic screwdriver from his pocket and aimed it at the cases lined by the wall. A small amount of fiddling with its controls brought a smile to his face. ‘That should do it. I’ve overloaded their power packs. The whole lot will explode in about thirty seconds.’ He looked at them all. ‘I think we’d better say our goodbyes quickly.’
David hurried to the door, gesturing to the two guards and the other three shocked men in the room. ‘Time to run for your lives,’ he advised them.
‘And get everyone else out, too,’ the Doctor advised. ‘It’s going to be quite spectacular.’
Donna grabbed his arm and almost dragged him through the door. Together they sprinted down the corridor, running for the courtyard.
‘Bomb!’ the Doctor screamed at the top of his lungs. ‘Everybody out!’
Panicked people followed the general rush for safety, and the place emptied quickly. Donna was gasping for breath as they halted in the courtyard. Refugees streamed about them and then the ground shook. Part of the roof erupted and the wall of sound slammed her to the ground. Sharp pieces of debris and stone rained down on her, drawing blood and bruising her. She forced her mind to ignore the pain, feeling only relief.
The weapons were destroyed, and Haldoran was dead. Her family had to be safe from his insane ambitions now. Relief flooded through her at the sudden sense of closure she felt.
Until there was the sound of weapons being levelled at her. She looked up from where she lay on the ground, beside the Doctor and David. They were surrounded by armed men, rifles pointed down at them. A youngish man she knew stepped forward and looked mildly down at them.
‘Well,’ Barlow said, ‘it looks like you held a party and forgot to invite me. How very rude of you.’
Susan sat alone in her cell, concentrating hard. The Daleks had finished their interrogation of her, and had transferred her to this solitary room. They might simply leave her here to die, or come for her with further questions. There was no way of knowing. She didn’t know whether or not they believed her story that the humans were on their way to destroy the installation, but it hardly mattered.
Her one advantage was that the Daleks had arrogantly assumed that she was merely human when they had thrown her into this room. It wasn’t really a cell, because the Daleks had little need for one in this facility. It was simply a room not being used for any other purpose right now. And that meant that there was a lock on both sides of the door. It was meant to be operated only by a Dalek, of course, and no human being would be able to subvert it.