Doctor Who: Fury From the Deep Read Free Page B

anything to do with...'
    'When I want your opinion, Harris, I'll ask for it!' Robson's eyes were bulging with anger. It was perfectly obvious there was no love lost between the Chief Engineer and his second-in-command. In fact, Robson had always resented the fact that a young man had been appointed to the job, and straight out of University at that. 'Lock them up in one of the cabins. I'll interrogate them later!'
    As he turned, Robson discovered a group of engineers watching him. 'What are you lot standing around for!' he yelled, pushing his way past them. 'When are we going to get some work done around here?' The engineers scattered, and hurried back to their jobs.
    Jamie watched Robson go, then turned to Harris and asked scornfully, 'Is he always as charming as that?'
    Harris was clearly embarrassed by his chief's behaviour. 'Well, we've something of an emergency on at the moment. The fact is, we've just lost contact with one of our rigs out at sea.
    The Doctor was immediately curious. 'You mean, your communications system has broken down?'
    'No. It's just that the crew aren't answering.'
    This made Victoria indignant. 'Well, you can't blame us for that!'
    Harris was unconsciously biting his upper lip. 'There's also been a drop in pressure in the feed line from the rigs,' he said. Then he turned to the Doctor with a reproving, suspicious look. 'You were seen tampering with a release valve on the pipeline.'
    Now it was Jamic's turn to be angry. 'That's no reason for shooting us down like animals!' His outburst provoked the two armed guards into moving in closer.
     
    Harris shrugged his shoulders. 'I'm sorry about that, but you must realise we're under a security alert and...' he sighed apologetically, 'I'm afraid I'll have to do as Mr Robson says, and lock you up. Follow me, please.'
    Harris moved off, followed by Victoria. For a moment, Jamie stubbornly refused to budge, but after a pacifying look from the Doctor, he joined the others, closely followed by the two armed guards.
    As they left, a buzzing sound was heard, and a green light started flashing excitedly at the top of the Control Cone.
     
    A young woman approached the Guard Room at the main entrance of the Refinery. She looked as though she was in her late twenties, but could have been a little older. Harris's wife, Maggie, was a beautiful woman, in a very English way. But her peach-like complexion, dark brunette hair, and strongly defined features, disguised a firm and determined nature. Maggie was the kind of woman Harris needed for a wife.
    'Have you a pass, please, madam?' The guard on duty made it quite clear that no unauthorised person was going to get past him today.
    'Pass?'
    'We have instructions that no-one is to leave or enter the Compound without a written pass from Chief Robson. Not until after the emergency.'
    Maggie was indignant. She knew something odd was going on at the Refinery today, but this was downright ludicrous. 'But you know who I am,' she said. The guard shrugged his shoulders. Maggie stiffened. 'My husband is second-in-command to Chief Robson.'
    'I'm aware of that, Mrs Harris.'
    'Then let me pass, please.' Maggie stepped forward as if to walk straight past the barrier. To her absolute astonishment, she found the end of an automatic rifle barrel pointing straight at her chest.
    The guard stared hard into Maggie's eyes, making it perfectly obvious that he was taking his job seriously. In a polite, but firm voice, he said, 'I'm sorry, madam. I think you should return to the residential block.'
    For a brief moment, Maggie stared back in disbelief at the guard. But in that split second, she had decided that it is never wise to argue with a loaded automatic rifle. She turned haughtily, and swept off towards the compound area. Only one thing was now uppermost in her mind. Something very odd was indeed going on at the Refinery today.
     
    'A movement in the pipeline? Impossible!' Harris was doing his best to show that he wasn't at all