Free The Ice Warriors by Brian Hayles Page A

it began. Although her eyes pleaded with him, her head gave the slightest of negative movements – stay away! Penley was soon to know why. As though angered by the girl’s reluctance to go through the medicare doors, the monster pointed his free arm directly at her head. The gesture was unmistakable, and Penley caught a clear glimpse of the strange tubular device… The girl obediently stumbled into the room and out of sight, followed by the massive creature. Once more the corridor was silent and empty, leaving Penley totally unnerved and desperate to know what to do next.
    Inside the medicare centre Varga paused, taking in the room and its complex equipment. On the far side of the room stood the trolley that had once borne his lifeless body. It was slopping with water and fragments of melting ice. Satisfied, he released Victoria from his iron grasp.
    ‘This is the place…’ he hissed, then gestured curtly at Victoria, who was standing frightened and helpless in the centre of the room. ‘The black box!’ he exclaimed. ‘Find it! Quickly!’
    A rare calm reigned in the control room complex. For the first time in weeks, the Ioniser hadn’t kept everyone in a state of permanent tension. Jan moved along the ranks of monitor technicians, and felt almost elated. This was how their great project should be – totally under control.
    She glanced across at the ECCO conference table, where Clent and the Doctor were studying circuit blueprints on the videoscreen. Could one man make such a difference, she wondered, as she studied the clownish figure seated by Leader Clent. Her respect for his intelligence far outweighed her displeasure at his irreverent treatment of her or his impudent smile. She also knew that Clent had accepted the Doctor as his equal – in brainpower if not in authority. And this had been the most important factor of all in stabilising the near-to-panic atmosphere. She sighed inwardly. If only Penley could see the place like this instead of as it had been the day he stormed out under a hail of sarcasm from Clent…
    Clent looked at the Doctor, who was concentrating on the videoscreen by his side. ‘I still say it needs an expert,’ commented the Doctor, nodding towards the elaborate circuitry designs on the videoscreen. ‘Can’t you afford one?’
    Clent’s face stiffened. Had the Doctor been reading his mind? ‘I choose not to,’ he clipped.
    ‘Why?’
    ‘You are not here to question my decisions! You have no authority.’
    ‘I know,’ agreed the Doctor, unruffled. ‘I’m here to help – if I so choose.’ He smiled. ‘I think we should trust each other, don’t you?’
    With an effort, Clent controlled the instinctive resentment he felt whenever this bitter subject cropped up: a rational explanation should clear this matter up once and for all, he decided. He didn’t realise that behind the Doctor’s seemingly innocent and trusting gaze was a probing intelligence that could – if need be – winkle the truth out of a giant clam.
    ‘You’ll appreciate,’ stated Clent, ‘the importance of this mission. I was chosen because I never fail. My record is one hundred per cent success. And I’ve handled some big projects, I assure you, Doctor.’ He paused, and frowned. ‘As always, I hand-picked my team… but for once, I made a vital mistake…’
    ‘This chap Penley?’ suggested the Doctor, knowingly.
    Clent nodded. ‘The best man in Europe for Ionisation studies… but as it turned out, hopelessly temperamental!’
    The Doctor looked at Clent shrewdly. The Leader’s defensive reaction had already revealed what was wrong. ‘Temperamental,’ the Doctor queried gently, ‘or individual? Creative scientists have to be allowed some freedom of thought, you know, otherwise—’
    Clent cut in angrily, stung by the way in which the Doctor had hit the nail on the head. ‘Creative poppycock! When Penley walked out of here, he publicly proclaimed himself to be criminally