The Many Doctors - Chapter 26: The Lazarus Experiment (Part 3)

[fardell24]

As they re-entered the building, the Doctor used the sonic screwdriver to fuse the door shut. Marth turned to Tish. “Are you OK?”

“I was going to snog him!”

The lights flickered as Lazarus tried to break in. “I don't think this is time to be talking about that,” Felicia remonstrated.

“Security one, security one, security one.”

The lights then all went out and doors closed. “What's happening?” Martha asked.

“An intrusion. It triggers a security lockdown. Kills most of the power. Stops the lifts, seals the exits,” Tish explained.

“He must be breaking through that door. The stairs, come on!” the Doctor said.


As soon as they reached the stairs, they heard the door crash down. “He's inside!” Martha called out.

“We haven't got much time!” the Doctor said.


They soon reached the reception room.
“Tish is there another way out of here?” the Doctor asked.

“There's an exit in the corner, but it'll be locked now.”

The Doctor turned to Felicia. “You know how to use this?” he asked holding up the sonic.

“A little,” Felicia admitted.

The Doctor threw it to her. “Setting 54. Hurry,” he said.

Felicia moved into action and began sonicing the security console.

The Doctor turned to the crowd. “Listen to me! You people are in serious danger! You need to get out of here right now!”

“Don't be ridiculous,” a woman objected. “The biggest danger here is choking on an olive!”

Then Lazarus appeared, still in his altered state, and jumped down. The crowd became paniced!

“Mum, get back!” Leo shouted.

“Leo!” Francine shouted as a table sent flying by Lazarus hit him.
Martha ran to attend to her brother.

“Over here! Everyone, downstairs now! Hurry!” Felicia called.

Lazarus stood over a petrified woman. “No! Get away from her!” the Doctor cried.

Unfortunately, Lazarus used his tail to suck the woman dry!

Francine turned to her son. “Leo! Leo!”

Lazarus turned.

“Lazarus! Leave them alone!” the Doctor called as Martha ran to her family.

She cradled Leo in her arms. “Come on, stay with me. You're OK.”

“What's the point? You can't control it. The mutation's too strong. Killing those people won't help you. You're a fool. A vain old man who thought he could defy nature. Only Nature got her own back, didn't she? You're a joke, Lazarus! A footnote in the history of failure!” He gestured to Felicia. She handed the sonic over to Martha and followed him as lead Lazarus down a corridor.

“What are they doing?” Tish asked.

“They're trying to buy some time. Let's not waste it...”


The Doctor and Felicia were down in the basement with Lazarus. “It's no good, Doctor. You can't stop me.”

“Is that the same arrogance you had when you swore nothing had gone wrong with your device?”

“The arrogance is yours. You can't stand in the way of progress,” Lazarus said.

“You call feeding on innocent people progress? Your delusional!”

“It is a necessary sacrifice,” Lazarus said.

“Who are you to make that decision?” Felicia called out.

“It's not yours!” the Doctor added.


Meanwhile Tish found that the guests were trapped. “We can't get out we're trapped!” she said.

“There must be an override switch. Where's the security desk?” Martha asked. Her sister wasn't responding. “Tish!”

Tish pointed to it. “There!”

Martha ran and jumped over the desk and waved the sonic over the console. The doors opened, and the crowd streamed out.

Once out Martha knew she had to go back. “I have to go back!”

“You can't! You saw what that thing did! It'll kill you,” Francine objected.

“I don't care. I have to go.”

“It's that Doctor, isn't it. That's what happened to you. That's why you've changed.”

“They were buying us time, Martha. Time for you to get out too,” Tish said.

“I'm not leaving him!” Martha said as she turned away.

“Martha!”


The Doctor and Felicia were in a laboratory. The Doctor had exposed the electric wiring in the light fittings, while Felicia had opened all the gas taps.

“More hide and seek, Doctor? How disappointing. Why don't you come out and face me?” Lazarus asked as he entered the laboratory.

Felicia dashed out.

“Have you looked in the mirror lately? Why would I want to face that, hmm?” the Doctor then dashed out after his companion. He hit the light switch as he did so.

KABOOM! The gas went up.


Martha heard the explosion and rounded a corner, almost running into Felicia. “What are you doing here?” the Doctor asked.

Martha held out the sonic. “I'm returning this. I thought you might need it.”

“How did you...”

“I heard the explosion. I guessed it was you,” Martha said.

“We blasted Lazarus!” Felicia said, with shortness of breath.

“Was he killed?” Martha asked.

As if on cue they heard Lazarus cry out.

“More like angered, I'd say,” the Doctor said.