Chapter One

The Doctor put a hand on Benny's shoulder.

'I am the Doctor, Bernice. Your friend.'

She hugged him.

'You're wet,' he whispered softly.

'I was in the shower. Where's Chris?'

'Gallifrey. He stayed behind, but he said he might pop around to see you. A lot has happened to me since then.'

Benny yawned. 'It's been pretty damn action-packed here, too, I can tell you. I'll get dressed and tell you about it.'

The helicopter maintained a steady 230 kph at 1750 metres altitude. From the ground it was a tiny black dot, making its way silently across the clear blue sky.

Inside, the guards didn't know who their prisoner was, not for certain, but they knew that he was a convicted multiple murderer and that he was to be considered dangerous at all times. They had been briefed about that before they had left, and given orders to shoot him if he even looked like he was trying to escape. There were four guards in all. The prisoner was handcuffed to one guard, with another, armed, man opposite. The prisoner wore dark blue coveralls, a uniform without pockets, belts or buttons, fastened by a single strip of Velcro down the front. They'd searched him twice, once in his cell and again at the helipad.

The prisoner wasn't allowed to speak, but the noise of the rotor blades and the engines would have drowned out anything he said anyway. Everyone in the helicopter was wearing bright orange ear-protectors. Not a word had been spoken since the start of the flight, over an hour ago.

The prisoner was in his early fifties, and was still in good shape. He had the square jaw and bearing of a military office. His face was striking, with a chiselled profile and distinctive eyebrows that darted up over his temple. It was one of those faces you were sure you'd seen before, in a colour supplement, perhaps, or on television. He sat in his harness, looking around with a keenness entirely lacking in his wardens.