Doctor Who: The Enemy of the World by Ian Marter

violent. The normal human values are destroyed. Members of the same family kill one another for food.’
    ‘But that report... the holiday cruise in the Caribbean...’
    ‘Propaganda,’ Salamander shrugged. ‘A subtle attempt to persuade the survivors that their tyrannical rulers are succeeding in building a normal world again. But it is a jungle of nightmares up there, Swann. Do you imagine I could ever allow you all to be exposed to its evils?’
    Swann slowly sat down. He seemed to have grown calmer as he listened to Salamander’s horrific description of the world above them.
    ‘You could have told me at least,’ he said quietly when Salamander had finished.
    ‘It has been hard to bear such a secret, Swann. But I dare not take the risk of jeopardising our work here.’
    Swann pondered a moment. ‘Our work here,’ he murmured at last. ‘The volcanoes, the earthquakes, the floods—what is the purpose of all this?’
     
    Salamander sat down opposite him and looked earnestly into his eyes. ‘To eliminate the sick and perverted rabble that have survived the holocaust up there. I wish for you and the others, all of us here, to inherit the Earth and create a new world, Swann,’ he said fervently.
    ‘But that’s murder. It’s genocide!’ Swann cried, horrified.
    ‘No, it is an act of mercy. I promise you.’
    Swann was silent for a while. Then he rose and stood over Salamander. ‘Your promises are no longer enough. I want to see for myself.’
    Slowly Salamander got to his feet. ‘My friend, you will not survive the horror, the sudden exposure to radiation. It is terribly dangerous.’
    But Swann stood his ground. ‘Take me to the surface, or I shall reveal what you have told me to the others,’ he retorted.
    Salamander was disconcerted by the sudden strength in Swann’s manner. He looked at his chief technician for some time, while a plan formed in the dark recesses of his mind.
    Eventually he nodded. ‘Very well, Swann, I agree to your demand. But you do this at your own risk,’ he said harshly. ‘I cannot accept responsibility for your safety.’
     
    8

Deceptions
    Victoria regained consciousness first. Jamie came to on the stretcher beside hers with a parched groan. ‘Where are we?’
    he croaked, staring round at the sinister pieces of apparatus lining the walls.
    ‘You are in the Behaviour Analysis Unit of the Kanowa Research Centre,’ Benik informed them as he hurried in, followed by an armed security guard, who closed the door and stood in front of it.
    ‘Who are you?’ Jamie asked disinterestedly.
    ‘I ask the questions,’ Benik said ‘and I get all the answers I want.’
    ‘Not from me you won’t,’ Jamie said, tottering to his feet.
    Benik uttered a shriek of laughter. ‘Good. Good, I like that. You have spirit, boy. That makes my task much more rewarding.’ He gestured at the menacing devices surrounding them.
    Jamie was hobbling painfully about as if something were wrong with his leg. Suddenly he straightened up, driving his fist into the guard’s stomach like a steam-hammer. The guard crumpled in half and slumped to the floor. Jamie was about to seize the gun, when a terrified scream made him spin round. Benik had his arm round Victoria’s neck and he was holding a pistol to her head. Her face was a mask of horror. For a second it looked as if Jamie intended to launch himself at her assailant, but he stopped himself and stood there helplessly, staring at Benik.
    Benik ran the barrel of his pistol through Victoria’s long, thick hair. ‘Such pretty hair,’ he breathed, his face glowing with sweat as he leaned closer and closer towards her pale cheek.
     
    ‘All right,’ Jamie gasped, unable to hold back any longer. ‘Leave her alone. What do you want to know?’
    Very slowly and deliberately, Benik twisted the pistol barrel tighter and tighter into Victoria’s hair, not taking his eyes off Jamie’s tortured face for a moment. ‘Now, who put you up to all this