That was all that kept her going, lifting one hand above the other, kicking and pushing with her feet, hugging the earth to stop herself losing the precious ground she had gained.

And suddenly there was open air and the fading light of day about her.

She flopped forward on to hard, level ground and lay still.

It was evening before the Doctor returned to the apartment in the mayor's residency. Ian was just coming out of the bathroom, his hair wet from the shower. A glance at his face told the Doctor there was no news of Barbara.

'We've no idea what's happened to her.' Ian explained, sitting down heavily on the side of a bed and feeling almost as baffled as he was anxious. 'If she'd simply been... washed away, then there are gratings and traps designed to catch rubbish and anything that might block the system. But there's no trace of her. They're checking along the smaller branches now... but there are miles of them. Many of the tunnels are cracking up. She might have been caught by another cave-in.

It's been hours since I saw her. Even if she's still alive, I don't know how much longer she can last.'

The Doctor shook his head in sympathy. 'You look completely exhausted, Chesterton.'

'That's what Curton said,' Ian admitted. 'He had to take a break as well. An a.s.sistant is running the search.'

'You need some fresh air. Come out on to the balcony.

The night's quite fine.'

Blinking wearily, Ian scuffed over to the balcony window and stepped out. Beyond, the twinkling lights of the city were growing brighter as the last flush of daylight was leaching from the sky. Before them stood the Ship, brilliantly illuminated by a ring of searchlights. Red warning lights picked out the darker ma.s.s of the gantry by its side.

The Doctor lowered his voice to a barely audible whisper, but the edge of urgency in his tone was unmistakable.

'I don't want to add to your worries, Chesterton, but there is something you must know.'

'What?'

'It's about the Ship. I've had a chance to examine it closely today and talk to its crew.' He suddenly sounded affronted. 'They must think I am incapable of elementary mental arithmetic or cannot estimate dimensions and ma.s.ses accurately by eye.'

'Come to the point, Doctor.'

The Doctor told him. When he had finished, Ian shook his head in disbelief.

'But why... and what can we do about it?'

'Nothing... until we learn where the real truth lies!'

Chapter Nineteen.

Lost and Found 'I hear you got a visit from the Watch this morning, Plax,' said Orm Herstwell.

Plaxander Vendam lifted his head from his contemplation of the depths of his drink to glower angrily at Herstwell.

'What about it?'

Herstwell smiled languidly. 'Nothing... except that it was the same Captain Lant who faced you down in the Polkatoon last night. I hope you put him in his place... this time.'

The chatter in the lounge of the Sentinel Club faded as its occupants sensed the increase in tension.

'How do you know Lant came to see me?' Plax demanded.

'Oh, I have my sources in the Watch who know how I appreciate certain juicy t.i.tbits now and again. Well, did you?'

'Did I what?'

'Put him in his place.'

'It's none of your business.'

A mocking howl arose from the onlookers. Plax flushed.

Herstwell smirked at his discomfiture. 'I think Captain Lant has got you frightened.'

'I'm not frightened of anything!' Plax retorted.

'Not even of the Creeper?'

'What?' Plax exclaimed. There were a few other puzzled murmurs.

'You must have heard the stories,' Herstwell said. 'The thing they say lives in the Outer Zone? Well, Lant has been checking the files about it and from the maps he's copied it looks like tonight he's going to take a look for himself. And my contact has told me his proposed route.' He fixed his eyes on Plax. 'Think you're up to meeting him out there? A brick through his windshield, maybe? That'll teach him... and prove you aren't afraid.'

Plax looked at the ring of expectant faces about him and knew he had no choice.

'All right... I'll do it,' he said.

Ian had s.n.a.t.c.hed a couple of hours' sleep, then dressed to go out again. Before leaving he had another whispered conference with the Doctor on the balcony.

'But why ever would they do such a thing?' Ian asked once again.

'I'm not sure,' the Doctor said. 'But you realise the chaos that will ensue when the truth comes out. This is why we must be sure we can leave here as soon as possible. I'm going to start work on the duplicate key tonight. The laboratory they promised is ready and Jarrasen has enough advice from me to be going on with for now.'

'You were going to visit Susan again tonight.'

'Well, maybe later. I must make a start. We may not have as much time as we thought.'

Ian nodded. 'By the way, do you think Lant's in on it? I hope not, he seems a decent type.'

'We cannot be sure. Remember, he was part of the deception over the true population of the city.'

'Surely that was understandable in the circ.u.mstances?'

'And so may this be, but we cannot afford to take any chances. Now you had better go... and good luck.'

Ian was mildly surprised to find Lant himself waiting outside.

'I've got business in the Outer Zone myself,' the captain explained. 'I got a map of the drainage tunnels from Curton's crew and it seems we want to cover much the same ground.

This way we can check two branches at the same time.'

'Thanks,' said Ian, getting into Lant's car. As they pulled away he asked: 'Are you looking for somebody as well?'

'Somebody... or something.'

'What?'

'I'm not sure... but I think I'll know it when I see it.'

Barbara woke shivering and numb with cold.

Very slowly she turned her head and saw the ragged hole in the ground beside her. It wasn't a dream, she really was free of those interminable tunnels at long last.

The realisation failed to cheer her. She no longer seemed to have the energy or willpower to move any further. That last effort had totally drained her reserves.

Rest for a minute, she told herself, gather your strength.

She was lying in a gra.s.sy courtyard overlooked by three-and four-storey buildings. Their lower floors were dark but several upper windows glowed with light.

Where there was light there must be people, Barbara thought, and tried to call out. But her voice came out as a feeble croak. She licked her lips and tried again. 'Help me...

please.'

She lay there panting, waiting for a response. In the far distance she thought she could hear the soft hum of one of the city cars, but there was no sound from the surrounding buildings.

'Help... anybody,' she shouted again. 'Ian... Ian... please hear me!'

Her cries gave way to a fit of coughing. Where was everybody? If she lay here all night would she be alive in the morning? Fear and anger lifted her to her knees, where she remained, swaying dangerously. 'Ian... please help me!'

Then she heard the footsteps.

A shapeless figure in a bright orange coverall appeared through an archway in the corner of the courtyard. It gaped at her for a moment, then ran across and knelt by her side.

'Barbara?' it said in an incredulous voice.

It was Susan.

The column of gyrocars circled about and came to a stop.

Their occupants climbed out and looked about them.

They were on a patch of waste ground bordered by automated factory units. A two-storey burnt-out building, a relic of the war, stood forlornly amid the weeds and piles of rubble. It was the sort of place they usually came to when they were hunting NC2s.

'Here we are, Plax,' said Herstwell, throwing an arm over his companion's shoulder and patting him heartily, then turning him about so he could take in the landscape. 'Lant will be coming through in about an hour's time. You'd better find a good spot.'

Plax shook himself free.

'I don't want to get into any trouble this close to the exodus.'

'Lant really has got to you, hasn't he?' Herstwell said with a sneer.

'No... I just don't want to do anything stupid,' Plax protested.

'What are you worried about?' one of the others asked. 'I thought your father could fix anything.'

There was nothing Plax could say. He was trapped in this stupid challenge now.

'Try up there,' Herstwell said, pointing to an external flight of stairs that led to the ruined building's first floor.

'We'll park the cars somewhere out of sight.'

Plax tramped up the rickety stairs and cautiously peered into what remained of an upper room. The floor didn't look too sound, but there was plenty of cover. If he...

A horn sounded from below and he looked out to see the cars rolling away... all the cars!

Herstwell called up out of the side window of Plax's own car. 'I don't actually know if Lant's coming precisely this way or not.' He held up his hand. By the way, I've got your phone.

You can walk home if you haven't the nerve to stay, otherwise we'll pick you up here tomorrow morning. Give my regards to the Creeper if you meet it.'

Plax tore down the stairs to the ground but by that time the cars were just a cl.u.s.ter of vanishing tail lights.

He cursed under his breath for being taken in by Herstwell. When he saw him again he'd... but that would have to wait. First, he had to endure an uncomfortable night.

Suddenly he laughed.

There was an easy solution to the whole thing. He had his money card. He would simply pay some local to put him up for the night, then return here to be picked up in the morning.

It took him fifteen minutes to walk to the edge of the industrial park and find a small street of shops and private houses with tiny front gardens. He opened the gate to the nearest house showing lights, strode up to the door and knocked. After a minute he knocked again impatiently. There was no sound from within. He tried another house in the row with no better luck.

What was the matter with them all?

He realised he'd never been alone in the Outer Zone before. Even on hunts he'd never been out of earshot of the idling hum of his gyrocar. Now he noticed how very quiet it was. Somewhere in the distance traffic purred along a thoroughfare, but this whole street seemed absolutely still.

Surely there should be some noise. Didn't the people here play music or watch the vidi shows or anything?

Anxiously he worked his way along the street banging on doors at random. There was no response. It was as though the whole district had been abandoned. But if so, why was it still lit?

He suddenly found himself wishing he'd never boasted about the hunts or nude those stupid threats to the mayor. Then Lant wouldn't have called round and he wouldn't be stuck out here.

All right, he'd just have to find some other sort of shelter.