Doctor Who: The Devil Goblins From Neptune Read Online Free PDF Page A

recognised.
    'Ah, I see now why you're so interested. Bernard's looking well,' she said.
    'Indeed. He's changed a lot since you left.'
    'I notice he's still dodging the questions about British Rocket Group's latest unmanned mission to Neptune.'
    'You can't blame him, can you? He wants to make sure that everyone comes to the press conference he's organised.
    Anyway, we haven't finished analysing the data yet'
    'And you're clearly rushed off your feet' Liz's comment sounded a little more sarcastic than she had intended.
    'They owe me far more than an afternoon off,' replied Mark, oblivious to anything but the news report. 'Anyway, you can only look at so many figures and blurred photographs in one day.' The newsreader's face appeared, and Mark got to his feet, walking over to the television to turn down the sound. 'I wish we could afford one of those new IE remote-controlled TVs,' he said, returning to his seat and looking at Liz for the first time.
    'But then think of all that exercise you'd miss, she said, smiling sweetly.
     
    Four rapid shots took out Bessie's far-side tyres.
    'Holy cow.' shouted Benton as the little car howled its own protest amid the squeal of punctured rubber. 'We're under attack!'
    'So it seems,' said the Doctor without a hint of irony as he fought to control the car's steering. 'Brace yourself!' The Doctor swung the car towards the nearest hedgerow, gritting his teeth against the pull to one side. The steering wheel shuddered under his hands. He worked at the brakes, deftly avoiding locking the wheels, and Bessie skidded through the hedge. Both Benton and the Doctor were thrown forward as the car ground to a halt, the yellow bonnet wedged firmly into a freshly ploughed field.
    'Damn it!' said Benton. 'My rifle's back at HQ. The Brigadier will give me hell about this malarkey.'
    The Doctor glanced towards Benton and gave him an infuriating grin. 'Good job you haven't got it. Terrible things, guns. You look as if you've been dragged through a hedge backwards, Sergeant Benton.' He jumped from Bessie, patting the side of the car affectionately. 'There, there, old girl,' worse things happen at sea.'
    Benton went to step down on to the field, but the Doctor stopped him. 'No, Sergeant, you stay and get on the radio.'
    With that the Doctor disappeared through the hole in the hedge and stepped out on to the road. He brushed dirt from his
    velvet jacket as his eyes scanned the hedgerows.
    He saw his attackers a moment before they emerged from their foxholes in the undergrowth. There were four of them, dressed completely in black, with boot-polished faces and balaclavas. Only one carried a rifle; the other three seemed to be unarmed. The Doctor watched with a mixture of curiosity, understanding, and anger as the dark figures came closer, their movements precise and balletic.
    'Do I take it that you gentlemen were attempting to attract my attention?' the Doctor asked reasonably. There was no reply. 'I notice that your large friend is carrying a Simonov SKS automatic machine gun,' he said conspiratorially towards the closest attacker. 'In which case I assume you are members of the Spetsnaz. My congratulations, gentlemen, an almost textbook ambush.' Again there was no response.
    The Doctor tried again, this time in Russian. The flicker of recognition in their eyes indicated that they understood him, but still they said nothing.
    The man closest to the Doctor stepped forward, then, with catlike elegance, assumed an attacking posture, feet wide apart, one arm outstretched.
    'You seem to be a martial-arts expert of some description,' the Doctor said, barely suppressing a smile. 'I should warn you that I am a tenth dan master in all of the major disciplines: Venusian aikido, Saturnian kung-fu. I trained as a Ninja on Quinnis in Galaxy Four. I'm not boasting, you understand. But I don't believe a physical confrontation is in either of our interests'
    No sooner had the words left his lips than the man attacked. It was a