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Not long after Alf had made her way back to the still-empty kitchen and slipped out the back door, Cy emerged from the cellar steps and crossed the room. He strode up the stairs and into his bedroom. Nick opened his eyes and sat up. His head felt a little clearer and he felt somehow relieved to see Cy’s angelic face smiling down at him, even if there were unanswered questions. ‘Hi yer babe,’ Cy said sitting down next to him and flashing him a cute smile. ‘How you feeling now?’ ‘What happened last night?’ Nick looked bewildered. ‘You had a funny turn. There we were having a giggle in bed and all of a sudden you got all hot and delirious. I was really worried about you,’ Cy said looking all concerned. ‘Yeah? I can’t remember a thing after that cup of coffee…’ ‘So you don’t remember me putting you to bed then.’ Nick shook his head. ‘Alf…’ he muttered, not registering that he’d said the name out loud He was not entirely sure if she had really been in the room moments before or whether it had been a dream. Cy frowned in recognition of the name and glanced around the room suspiciously. His eyes fell on the bedclothes, which had been dragged partly onto the floor, as if someone had been trying to haul the semi-conscious Nick away from the bed. So the girl Alf has been here. ‘Oh dear you really did lose it didn’t you?’ Cy said casually. ‘You’re really special Nick. You have a gift that I want you to share with me.’ ‘What? What are you going on about?’ There was a touch of annoyance in Nick’s voice and he moved away as Cy reached out to stroke his hair. ‘What are you doing?’ he demanded. ‘We both felt something last night Nick. It’s not about you or me or even about us. It’s bigger than that, bigger than you can imagine babe. More powerful too. We awoke something last night. Something special that’s been dormant for centuries.’ ‘Cheers. I’m not that out of practise you know.’ ‘No, not that. Something else. Something that’s down to you and you alone.’ ‘Me?’ ‘Yeah you felt it in your head didn’t you? Something surging through you and you want to feel it again don’t you?’ Cy’s eyes were sparkling. ‘Maybe…’ Nick was looking interested again now. ‘Well there are all kinds of ways we can try again…’ ‘Oh yeah?’ Nick looked into Cy’s eyes and let Cy take his hand. Again he felt the bewitching attraction that had pulled them together last night. Cy was beautiful. He knew that. Then again he knew he should not find him so. He was just… unique. Almost unclassifiable. He could still be Nick, but he could feel this way as well. It did not change anything. It was different. It was special. ‘Let’s do it then,’ he said. In the kitchen, Vera scraped the charred remains of a sausage into a pedal bin. ‘Listen Vera.’ The Doctor placed a hand on her shoulder. ‘What is it you are doing here and why do you need Endlemann?’ Vera turned to look into his trusting eyes. ‘When we came here, Doctor,’ Vera began seriously, ‘we brought with us the last existing bones of an ancient creature. My son, God bless his soul, died so that we could have them. The Ranx Expedition was destroyed, just so those old bones could survive.’ ‘What is this creature?’ the Doctor asked. ‘Tell me.’ At that moment, the door to the upstairs bedrooms creaked open. ‘You want to know what the creature is, Doctor,’ Cy said, a slight leer in his voice. ‘You want to know what we’ve been doing?’ ‘Yes young man, I was rather hoping someone might tell me.’ ‘Well it’s all quite simple really. We’ve been doing some experiments.’ ‘But what on?’ the Doctor enquired. ‘Just what is it you’re all doing here that’s so secret?’ ‘You’ll find out soon enough. Maybe after your tea you’d like to accompany me down to the cellar? But first of all I could do with some eggs, Nan. I’ve worked up an appetite this morning.’ ‘Ooh!’ sobbed Vera. Professor Endlemann cocked his head slightly as he stared at the creature in the incubation tank. It leered back at him, snapping its mandibles hungrily. Suddenly, its gills puffed slightly and Endlemann reeled backwards. A surge of energy hit his mind, like a blazing iron sword cutting through his thoughts. Then, a few seconds later, it died away again. He winced, and recomposed himself before staring at the creature again. ‘You did that,’ he cried angrily. ‘You hurt me with your mind.’ ‘Who hurt you?’ said a voice behind him. It was Cy, followed closely by Vera and a large bearded man. ‘That thing did,’ Endlemann gasped. ‘Nick, I tell you; whatever it was you did to it yesterday has re-activated it. And it’s growing in strength all the time. It…’ He stopped as he caught sight of the man with the beard, who was glaring suspiciously at him. ‘Who’s this? Are you mad?’ Endlemann exclaimed. ‘Professor Endlemann I presume,’ the man growled. The Professor grabbed Cy and pulled him aside. ‘You’re crazy. You said…’ ‘Pull yourself together!’ Cy hissed. ‘Look, I had no choice. She brought him here.’ He nodded back at Vera, who was standing in silence and looking sheepish. ‘Anyway,’ Cy continued. ‘This is the Doctor. And he’s brought with him the one person who we need.’ It was the Doctor’s turn to look perplexed. ‘Oh later, Doctor.’ Cy anticipated his questions. ‘Everything will soon be clear. Clear as crystal.’ Vera began to sob uncontrollably and the Doctor tried in vain to comfort her. Cy pulled Endlemann to one side and whispered to him. ‘Listen. There’s a girl heading back towards the village. She’s been here, and she may make trouble. We don’t want Humba getting wind of this.’ ‘Yeah I tried to get rid of her earlier. This is getting out of control.’ Endlemann’s brow creased in worry. ‘Don’t panic, my dear Endlemann. Just wait a few moments, slip out and deal with her, properly this time. And don’t let me down.’
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