Doctor Who: Festival of Death: 50th Anniversary Edition Read Online Free Page B

tunics, peaked caps and identification badges. Each had a laser rifle slung from his belt.
    ‘I am, yes,’ said Metcalf. His tie slithered out of his hands on to his desk. ‘You must be –’
    ‘We are Investigators. My name is Dunkal, and this is my colleague, Rige.’ Dunkal was in his fifties, a stern, weathered officer. He spoke as though he was spitting out words he didn’t like the taste of . ‘We believe there has been an incident.’
    Rige had slicked-back hair and a seedy manner. He fingered one of the artworks. ‘Incident.’
    ‘That’s right, yes,’ said Metcalf. ‘Do sit down, officers. I’m afraid there has been a not inconsiderable… well, catastrophe is one word that springs to mind.’
    ‘Catastrophe?’ Dunkal didn’t like the taste of the word ‘catastrophe’. He eased himself into the seat opposite Metcalf. ‘D’you hear that, Rige? There’s been a catastrophe.’
    Rige didn’t reply. He wandered around the office, his hands clasped behind his back.
    Metcalf continued. ‘There was a malfunction with the Beautiful Death, one of our attractions. You may have heard of it. Unfortunately what happened was that it turned a couple of hundred tourists into… it’s quite difficult to describe.’
    ‘In your own time.’
    ‘It turned them into the living dead.’
    Dunkal stroked his moustache. ‘The living dead. Right.’
    ‘And they went on, for want of a better word, a rampage.’ Metcalf gulped. ‘Most undesirable. And then, on top of all that, both the Beautiful Death attraction and our computer supervision system, ERIC, were destroyed. All because of one man’s sabotage, I hasten to add.’
    ‘And the living dead?’
    ‘They died.’ Metcalf gave an embarrassed cough. ‘Permanently, this time.’
    ‘I see,’ digested Dunkal. ‘And all the result of sabotage, you say? So someone tampers with this Beautiful Death of yours, whatever the hell that is, and then blows it up, taking your computer with it? And they also turn a couple of hundred tourists into zombies, and then kill them. Permanently. Is that what you’re saying?’
    ‘Exactly.’
    ‘It’s the classic scenario,’ stated Rige. ‘If I had a credit every time…’ Dunkal scowled at him and the words tailed off.
    ‘And when all this was happening, you were?’ Dunkal turned back to Metcalf.
    ‘Well, here, in my office. Putting efforts in place to organise an evacuation,’ said Metcalf. ‘In no small measure.’
    ‘Of course.’ Dunkal studied the photo of Metcalf’s wife. ‘And you’re in charge of everything that goes on here?’
    ‘Yes. And no. The Beautiful Death was under the direction of Doctor Paddox. It was his project, really.’
    ‘And this Doctor Paddox is…?’
    ‘Is missing, assumed dead, as well,’ Metcalf nodded. ‘Deeply regrettable. But were he alive, I am sure he would admit responsibility.’
    ‘Convenient,’ said Rige, helping himself to a seat.
    ‘Right.’ Investigator Dunkal leaned forward. Metcalf could smell the tobacco on his breath. ‘So. This saboteur of yours. The one behind the catastrophe. Can you describe him?’
    Metcalf described him.
    ‘The morning after, and all around is despair,’ began Harken Batt. ‘Here, in the medical bay of the G-Lock, I am surrounded by the victims of the recent disaster. The deceased, the dying, and the injured.’
    He beckoned his holocameraman down the aisle of beds. ‘Less than twelve hours ago these people were having the time of their lives. Little did they know of the tragedy that fate held in store for them like a bleak surprise.’
    Harken fixed his eyes on the holocamera. This would be the clip that would be replayed at endless award ceremonies. He imagined his face in the viewfinder; lined but distinguished, easily passing for that of a forty-year-old. The face of the greatest investigative reporter of his generation.
    ‘Throughout this episode, one man alone managed to get an exclusive insight into the true nature of events