The Doctor Of War ³

Exremis pt.2

"So the Pentagon is through there," Bill says.

"Yeah" Nardole replies.

"And, and, and the Vatican is through there," Bill says pointing at another light.

"Yeah" Nardole goes to the light to the left and puts his head through.

"I wonder what's through here?"

"What is this? How is this possible?"

"Alien technology. Let's see what else they've got" the next light to the left "ooo. Bill! Come and take a look at this" she follows him into it where a Frenchman in a white lab coat comes out of a door, swigging from a wine bottle.

"Oh, hello. Are you coming?"

"Coming where?" Bill asks.

"We're all in the cafeteria. You mustn't miss it."

"Why?"

"We'll all go together when we go" the man laughs "come on!" they walk past the sign that says CERN.

*Time Skip*

I open my eyes again and see a blurry light. I remove the electrodes and hear footsteps approaching.

"Cardinal, it worked. I can see. Not well enough, not yet. The thing about the universe is, whatever you need, you can always borrow, as long as you pay it back. I just borrowed from my future. I get a few minutes of proper eyesight, but I lose something. Maybe all my future regenerations will be blind. Maybe I won't regenerate ever again. Maybe I'll drop dead in twenty minutes. But I will be able to read this!" I put my hand down on an open Veritas page "now, I have no idea how that is going to affect me, so I'd be a bit stupid to reject the precautions provided. Could you help me, please? Could you help me?" the figure in red helps me buckle the leather straps across the chair "you know, I've read a lot of books that this chair would be quite useful for. Moby Dick. Honestly, shut up, and get to the whale" I notice there is more than one figure present "you invited friends and family?" I look down to see a non-human hand on my arm and up to see what looks like a living mummy "oh, it's the old, old story. They never look so good in the morning" the robed figure closes the Veritas and takes it "goodbye to the truth? I came a long way to read that book! Two thousand years at the last count. If you don't want me to read it, you could have stopped me any time you wanted. Why the play-acting? This is not a game" the figure opens its mouth, and a voice is heard.

"This is a game."

"Good, because I win" I activate my sonic screwdriver and the lights go out.

"Seer! Seer!" the Monk restores the lights with a gesture. I escaped from the cage "Seer, we have the Veritas" but I have the laptop and I am running through the darkened passages between the bookcases.

*Time Skip*

"Come, come, come, come" the man leads Bill and Nardole into the cafeteria.

"CERN" Bill says.

"Where what's-his-name sent the Veritas" Nardole add, the man taps his wedding ring against his wine bottle to attract the attention of his colleagues, who are all seated at tables drinking alcohol. A timer on the wall is counting down.

"Ladies and gentlemen! Your attention, please! I've been round everywhere, and I've checked everything. It's all ready to go. Five minutes. Last orders please!" some of the people get up to get more alcohol, others put their heads in their hands and weep.

"Look under the tables" Nardole mutters, Bill ducks down to see bundles of dynamite strapped to the table legs.

"Oh, my God."