The Attack of the Cybermen VI

28. EXT. DELTECH TESTING FLOOR (DAY)

The Doctor and Larkhill are still hiding behind one of the covered machines, Larkhill aiming her gun at the Doctor's face. They speak sotto voce.

DOCTOR
Please, Captain! We're wasting valuable time! Is there anywhere safe that you can get yourself to?

LARKHILL
Why?

DOCTOR
Why? It's your solitary pistol against three automatic rifles, that's why! The mathematics of defeat!

LARKHILL
If I can get this solitary pistol up against Lytton's head than it'll all be over.

DOCTOR
If, Captain. If. And what if you don't? What if, say, the extraterrestrial professional killer somehow, just somehow, manages to notice you first?

Larkhill doesn't reply.


29. INT. DELTECH STAIRWELL (DAY)

Russell has recovered consciousness and groggily gets to his feet. He looks across at the dead body of the corporal and checks for a pulse and three more UNIT soldiers burst through the door to the next floor. Immediately they spot Russell, who has his back to them, and raise their rifles. The leader is the PRIVATE from episode one.

PRIVATE
Freeze!

Russell blinks and starts to turn towards them.

PRIVATE
I said freeze, scum!

Russell turns with surprising speed and dexterity, grabbing the rifle and twisting the barrel away from him.

RUSSELL
"Freeze, Mr Scum, sir."

The private arches an eyebrow. The other two soldiers are stunned and salute hastily.

PRIVATE
Sorry, sir.

He's manifestly not.

PRIVATE
We assumed you were...

RUSSELL
In deep, but I'm still breathing, private. They'll be aiming for the testing floor, we've got to get there fast.

They move down the stairs onto the landing and try the door. It doesn't move.

RUSSELL
They've blocked it.

He hammers on the door to no avail.

PRIVATE
We can try the Western stairwell.

RUSSELL
Sounds like a plan.

They turn and run off back the way they came. We pan across to see, further down the stairs, a Cyberman standing in the shadows, weapon in its hands.


30. EXT. DELTECH TESTING FLOOR (DAY)

All the soldiers are now tied up. Lytton stands before Scott.

LYTTON
Sergeant Scott, tell me where the diamonds are located.

Scott shrugs as much as he can.

SCOTT
What diamonds?

Lytton crouches down on one knee, takes hold of Scott's collar and draws him close. Lytton is still calm.

LYTTON
I have no time for games, Sergeant. Just tell me where they are.

SCOTT
I don't know what you're talking about.

Lytton smiles. Then he laughs. Then he brutally backhands Scott, wrenches him forward and drives the butt of his rifle into the small of the sergeant's back. Scott groans in agony, falling forward, but Lytton grabs him by the throat. Lytton straightens up, dragging Scott upwards as well, choking him.

LYTTON
Do you know what the most amusing part of this is, Sergeant Scott?

Scott struggles to breathe.

LYTTON
Of course you don't.

He releases Scott's throat and with the same hand, drives a fist into the man's stomach. He howls in pain. Undercover, the furious Larkhill starts to rise but with absolutely no effort, the Doctor clamps a hand down on her shoulder, forcing her back to the floor before she can break cover. Lytton backhands his prisoner, slamming him to the floor. Scott moans with pain.

LYTTON
The most amusing part of this, Sergeant Scott, is that I know precisely where the diamonds are located.

He kicks Scott in the gut. Under cover, the Doctor whispers to Larkhill.

DOCTOR
Why do you think he's doing this, Captain? To provoke a reaction, he wants us to break cover and do something stupid!

LARKHILL
We have to do something! He's going to kill Scott!

DOCTOR
Believe me, Captain, Lytton would have executed all of your men by now if he wanted them dead. Cruelty isn't a game to Lytton – it's a weapon. Now be quiet!

An agitated Payne approaches Lytton.

PAYNE
We really got time for this, Boss?

Lytton slowly looks around the room, gazing through the be-sheeted bulks for any glimpse of movement. Larkhill and the Doctor hiding in silence. When he sees none, Lytton looks ever so slightly disappointed.

LYTTON
Perhaps not.

With a ghost of a smile, Lytton strides towards the side of the room, opposite to where the others are hiding, where a large iron safe ensconced.


30. INT. BASEMENT (DAY)

The Cyberleader turns to address the five Cybermen milling around the basement.

CYBERLEADER
Both subterranean levels of this building are now under Cyber Control.

The Cyberleader indicates the dead UNIT troopers.

CYBERLEADER
Those bodies will act as raw material for conversion. Take them back to the Outpost.

CYBERMEN
Yes, Leader.

Two Cybermen move to drag off the bodies.

CYBERLEADER
We shall continue with the next phase.


31. INT. FIRST FLOOR FOYER (DAY)

Only a tiny amount of smoke is left around the two spent grenades. The bodies of the soldiers are still sprawled everywhere, unconscious. Russell, the Private and the two soldiers emerge from a side corridor, skidding to a halt as they see the bodies everywhere. The soldiers, not needing instructions, break apart and check the bodies.

RUSSELL
What the hell happened down here?

Russell looks at the remnants of one of the grenades and picks it up.

RUSSELL
Gassed…

The Private rises.

PRIVATE
They're still breathing, sir. Just out cold.

RUSSELL
I guess that was Lytton's "diversion".

He spins around, pointing to the elevator.

RUSSELL
Can we take the lift?

Without waiting for an answer he jogs over to it and whacks on the buttons. The Private sighs.

PRIVATE
Afraid not sir. Keycard access, DelTech personnel only.

RUSSELL
For a one beautiful moment there I thought that they'd have enough brains to realize fixing that might just have helped us. We don't have time for this!

He and the others head for the other side of the foyer and out of sight.


32. EXT. DELTECH TESTING FLOOR (DAY)

Lytton stands by the safe, gingerly running his fingers across its surface. Payne and Griffiths approach slowly, looking visibly impressed. The soldiers are left with Scott.

PAYNE
I didn't notice that there.

LYTTON
Which is why I don't employ you for your observational skills, Mr Payne.

The Doctor nods to Larkhill and starts to crawl around the edges of their cover.

GRIFFITHS
Never seen anything like it.

LYTTON
That's what makes it a prototype. Though, if our friends here at DelTech have their way, every bank in the country will have one of these before this time next year.

As Lytton continues to examine the safe, Larkhill and the Doctor break cover and creep behind another item a few feet behind him, Payne and Griffiths.


33. INT. MORTIMER'S OFFICE (DAY)

Mortimer is leaning by the window, visibly trembling and sucking in lungfuls of air. Peri is struggling to rewire the back of the Doctor's lash up. The monitor flares with static.

PERI
Got to be someway to get this working. At least we might see what those Cyborg things are doing.

MORTIMER
I don't want to know what they're doing!

PERI
Well, I do!

MORTIMER
Cyborgs, aliens... they're all just psychopaths! The lot of them! And if they find out you've been watching them...

PERI
Calm down, please. You'll have a heart attack!

MORTIMER
Why shouldn't I? War criminals are trying to steal my technology, military lunatics trying to stop it and now robot aliens are on the loose! DelTech is finished... I'm going to lose everything, girl. I mean, that might not mean much to you, but this company made me what I am today.

Peri glances at him.

PERI
Tough break.

She goes back to trying to fix the machine.

PERI
Still, the Doctor should be able to sort it all out. He's got a good track record. Molten lava, gangsters, gun runners, giant slugs... cops and robbers and some robots? How difficult can it be?

Mortimer laughs hysterically.

MORTIMER
Not difficult at all! Why, what could be difficult? Maybe prising the gun out of his hands and then cleaning up all the bodies he's killed? No, I'm sure he's doing fine! Anyone who dresses like that must be able to deal with the End of Days itself!

PERI
He's not going to kill anyone!

MORTIMER
How do you know? And even if you do, how can I trust you?!

Mortimer whirls to face Peri and slowly shuffles along the sides of the room, keeping his back to the wall.

MORTIMER
You and the madman, just as bad as each other! I never asked to spend the week before Christmas surrounded by lunatics, and fact, I rather miss not being surrounded by lunatics! I miss not being surrounded by lunatics very, VERY dearly!

There is a small explosion of sparks from the machine. Peri flinches back and Mortimer dives for cover.

PERI
Ahah! Got it working... Hey, this isn't the right picture...

Peri bangs her fist on the side of the monitor and the screen resolves to show an image of the testing floor.

PERI
That's not the blue people...

Peri adjusts a dial and the image sways, revealing the rest of the room with soldiers.

PERI
That's here, in this building. I must have got the TV surviellance instead. Wow. If I knew how I did that, I could make a fortune.

Mortimer cautiously rises from the table, sucking his thumb.

MORTIMER
That's the testing labs, downstairs!

PERI
Those guys seem to be the criminals. The Doctor said they were after diamonds. Why go to a test lab?


34. EXT. DELTECH TESTING FLOOR (DAY)

The Doctor and Larkhill are hiding behind a squat, long yet quite bulky device under a dust cover. Lytton and the others are still absorbed in the safe.

DOCTOR
Are the diamonds really in that safe?

LARKHILL
Yes.

DOCTOR
In a prototype safe? You must be very confident.


35. INT. MORTIMER'S OFFICE (DAY)

Mortimer is a lot calmer, lost in his own brilliance. Peri is more interested in what's happening on the screen of the lash-up.

MORTIMER
A prototype safe that works splendidly, I'll have you know.

PERI
I'm sure it's very nice.

MORTIMER
An internal refraction-locked safe. The computer calculates a sequence of light beams inside the door, and if the tumblers break any of the beams, the computer instantly activates a 24-hour time lock. Naturally, at the end of the duration the safe still needs to be correctly unlocked.

PERI
Yep, naturally. Uh huh.

MORTIMER
The opening is so complicated a procedure it can only be directly performed by the computer, which needs a precise set of computations to complete the operation. That is the speciality of DelTech, of course. This company was at the forefront of the microchip revolution, back to ODIN in the 60s... Of course, that didn't work out as well as it could. But DelTech survived. No, it didn't just survive, it prospered!

Peri adjusts the controls and the screen seems to lock onto Lytton and the safe. She tries to un-jam the camera with mounting frustration. Mortimer doesn't notice.

PERI
Why do you have diamonds here in the first place?

MORTIMER
They are part of the locking mechanism on the safe, of course! The use of light beams, filtered through diamond, means that it can be re-programmed with literally an infinite number of codes, and the key can be set to change every time that it's locked. It's the single most infallible security device ever made!

PERI
That man doesn't seem to think so.

On the screen, Lytton is working at the lock.

MORTIMER
He can't get in.

PERI
That's good.

MORTIMER
No. It's not.

PERI
It's not?

MORTIMER
No. Those thugs will need to get someone to open it for them. And they'll come for me... ME!

PERI
How can they even know you built the safe, let alone where you are in the building? Or even in the building? Don't worry, you're safe as anyone for the moment.

MORTIMER
'For the moment'?

PERI
Oh, yeah, apparently the universe is going to fall apart...

She realizes this isn't the best thing to tell the distraught professor. She grins cheesily.

PERI
Don't worry about it.

Mortimer starts to hyperventilate again.

MORTIMER
They'll torture me. The moment they find me, they'll torture me. I don't have the constitution for torture. What if they strike me too hard? I could get brain damage!

Peri mutters to herself.

PERI
Would we notice?

MORTIMER
I'd be unaware of my own genius! Would I ever be able to use it properly? Can you imagine what that would do to the scientific community of Great Britain? Disaster!

PERI
If you do say so yourself...

Mortimer runs hands though his thinning hair.

MORTIMER
Any minute now he'll realize how unbreakable it is! That he's encountered the single most impregnable security system ever!


36. EXT. DELTECH TESTING FLOOR (DAY)

Lytton takes a familiar-looking silver rod-like device and holds it in front of the safe. With a low whir of servos, the safe door slides open and Lytton stands back as Griffiths and Payne excitedly run through. Lytton turns to face the small camera lens high on the wall behind him.


37. INT. MORTIMER'S OFFICE (DAY)

Lytton's face fills the screen. He smiles coldly, then turns and follows the others inside. Mortimer looks like he is about to faint. Peri tries to sound cheerful.

PERI
On the bright side, you're not going to be tortured...


38. EXT. DELTECH TESTING FLOOR (DAY)

Larkhill and the Doctor peer over their cover at the open safe. Larkhill is stunned.

DOCTOR
I told you he was clever, didn't I? Rule one, Captain. No matter how clever you think you are, there's always someone clever. And, usually, it's me. What exactly is this thing, anyway?

The Doctor peers under the dust-sheet in front of him, and smirks.

DOCTOR
Fortune favors a fool, eh? At least there's one useful piece of technology in here right in front of us!

Larkhill finally tears her gaze from the open safe door and looks to see what the Doctor is up to.


39. INT. SAFE (DAY)

Despite its impressive exterior, on the inside it is no different from any other safe. There are some tools lying about in evidence of the work done on the installation, but the only thing of interest is a pair of large silver canisters lying in the middle of the room. Payne is bashing the canister with his rifle butt and Griffiths joins in while Lytton watches on. As they breach the side of the cannisters, diamonds literally pour outwards.

GRIFFITHS
Merry bloody Christmas, Joe!

LYTTON
It isn't Christmas quite yet, gentlemen.

Unmoved by the sight, Lytton throws a handful of small, empty canvas bags at Griffiths.

LYTTON
Pack those bags. Mr Payne, I need you on watch with me – there are still personnel unaccounted for.

PAYNE
We'll stash 'em quicker with two, boss.

LYTTON
But Mr Griffiths' grasp of arithmetic is much better than yours, Mr Payne. You do want an even share, do you not?

PAYNE
Depends - what about Russell?

LYTTON
The day is not over yet. We will see how things develop. Now move.

Payne scowls but walks out. Lytton moves to follow but Griffiths gets his attention, whispering.

GRIFFITHS
Boss?

Irritably, Lytton whispers back.

LYTTON
What is it now, Mr Griffiths?


40. INT. DELTECH TESTING FLOOR (DAY)

Payne, outside the safe, leans quietly back against the door. He can clearly overhear them.

GRIFFITHS (VO)
You said you'd be telling Joe the deal.

Payne looks stunned to hear this, but doesn't say anything. He continues to listen.


41. INT. SAFE (DAY)

As before.

LYTTON
He'll find out when the time is right, just as I said.

GRIFFITHS
He won't like it when he finds out he's been left in the dark.

LYTTON
Why not? It's how he spent most of his life. Now fill those bags.


42. EXT. DELTECH TESTING FLOOR (DAY)

Lytton emerges from the safe calmly, holding his rifle ready. Payne scowls, but doesn't look him in the eye. Behind the nearest covered machine are the now-tensed Doctor and Larkhill.

DOCTOR
Ready?

LARKHILL
You're insane.

DOCTOR
Is that a 'yes' or a 'no'?

Larkhill tries to scowl, but just ends up smiling. She nods in acceptance.

DOCTOR
Excellent. Here we go!

The Doctor and Larkhill tear off the dust-sheet and throw it at Payne, who reels underneath the sheet.

PAYNE
What the...

Lytton spins around, machine gun raised and is momentarily off-guard when he sees the Doctor. Their eyes meet. Payne trips over the cover as he struggles to free it, and the Doctor stabs a control on the sleek, featureless device unveiled and a low whir begins as Lytton smiles, then opens fire, emptying his entire clip and releasing a cloud of smoke.


43. INT. MORTIMER'S OFFICE (DAY)

Peri stares at the monitor in horror.

PERI
Doctor...


44. EXT. DELTECH TESTING FLOOR (DAY)

Lytton finally runs out of ammunition. The smoke slowly clears to show the Doctor and Larkhill untouched, and the latter aiming her pistol at his head. Lytton looks confused for a moment, then looks at their device.

LYTTON
Some kind of force wall no doubt?

The Doctor shrugs.

DOCTOR
Primitive, experimental and inefficient, I admit. But it works.

Smiling lazily, the Doctor presses the control and the whir stops.

DOCTOR
Commander Gustave Lytton... They told me you were dead. Or was it the other way round?


45. INT. MORTIMER'S OFFICE (DAY)

Peri sighs with relief.

PERI
See? I told you he'd sort it all out!

Mortimer massages his temples, as if unable to understand the latest development.


46. INT. SAFE (DAY)

Griffiths, hearing this, picks up his rifle again and leans against the wall near the door.

DOCTOR (VO)
I trust you're convinced that I am not on his side, Captain?


47. EXT. DELTECH TESTING FLOOR (DAY)

Larkhill has moved closer, gun trained on Lytton as the Doctor picks up Lytton's dropped gun and removes the clip and pockets it as they speak.

LARKHILL
I'm willing to be convinced.

DOCTOR
Oh, well, it's a start.

He leans closer to Lytton amused.

DOCTOR
Come on, Lytton. I've never heard you so quiet! Not even something along the lines of 'curses, foiled again'? No screams of primal anguish? I've gone and dashed all your plans in one fell blow, with no casualties in less than an hour of knowing you were on the planet! Surely, that's worth some sort of acknowledgement.

Beat.

DOCTOR
Would it help if I was wearing celery? You do know who I am?

LYTTON
Of course I know who you are.

DOCTOR
Well, your Kamelion Policemen wouldn't be very impressive if they hadn't told you that much. Yet despite knowing where my TARDIS is, you decide to carry out a diamond raid instead. Did you lose more brain cells without the Daleks to do your thinking for you? You should use your next words to convince her not to shoot you dead.

LYTTON
And you'd let her?

DOCTOR
I might stop her. If I can think of a good enough reason. Care to provide one?

LARKHILL
I think the Doctor's given you enough time to speak, Lytton.

Payne has unraveled the sheet from around himself, but is looking very uneasy. We see a glimpse of Griffiths through the safe door, breathing heavily.

LYTTON
I didn't think that United Nations were advocates for execution, Captain.

LARKHILL
They aren't. But I am. And I'm sure Sergeant Scott won't complain.

DOCTOR
Even in the good old days, UNIT had a shoot to kill policy.

Griffiths jumps out from cover and aims his rifle at Larkhill, who jumps back in shock.

GRIFFITHS
Drop it!

Larkhill swings the gun to face Griffiths, who panicks and fires the gun, but gun jams. In the distraction, Lytton snatches up the dust cloth Payne has escaped from and whips it like a wet towel, knocking Larkhill backwards. The Doctor staggers backward and Payne gets him in a headlock as Lytton snatches his gun from the Doctor's hands and fits in a new clip. Griffiths drops his useless rifle and returns to the safe.

LYTTON
Perfect timing, Mr Griffiths.

He aims the gun at the Doctor.

LYTTON
Cover Captain Larkhill, Mr Payne. This one is mine.

PAYNE
But he ain't even armed.

LYTTON
No. He never is.

Lytton cocks the rifle. The Doctor looks at him, unafraid but no longer cocksure. Payne trains his weapon as Griffiths emerges from the safe the three bags, now filled, and gives one each to Payne and Lytton, who clip them onto their belts.

GRIFFITHS
Boss, you said we was meant to avoid killings.

LYTTON
So I did, Mr Griffiths, but this one is different. Very different.

Griffiths steps in front of Lytton, forcing him to sway his rifle away.

GRIFFITHS
We have to leave while we've still got...

For the first time, Lytton's calm veneer seems to slip.

LYTTON
Out of my way.

Lytton aims the gun barrel at the Doctor's face. The Doctor doesn't flinch.

LYTTON
I can't abide loose ends.

At that moment, the un-barricaded stairwell door burst open as Russell, the Private and a handful of soldiers burst in, all armed and ready for trouble. The Doctor and Lytton turn in unison to see what the noise is all about.

RUSSELL
Oi!

Without taking his eyes off Russell, Lytton reverses the gun and drives the butt into the Doctor's stomach. The Time Lord cries out with pain as he falls over.

LYTTON
Exit strategy, gentlemen!

Payne lets off a few shots and the soldiers scatter. The Private falls, clutching a bloody shoulder. Griffiths and Lytton sprint across the floor towards the side corridor containing two elevators. Payne follows as the UNIT troops open responding fire.

RUSSELL
They're going for the lifts! They're trapped!

LARKHILL
Don't count on it!

Even as she says this Lytton is using the silver tool over the call buttons of the lift. The doors smoothly slide apart to reveal a waiting lift which he dives into followed by Griffiths. Payne lets off one last round and scrambles into the lift where Lytton is waiting, deadpan as ever, aiming the device over the lift controls. Russell sprints towards the lifts, but doesn't reach them before the doors are closed.

RUSSELL
DAMN IT!

Furiously he, punches the door.


- to be continued...