THE ADVENTURES OF THE DOCTOR'S AMAZING HAND

Chapter Forty

The Doctor grunted when two of the Master's guards shoved him through the door into the Master's office.

"I have legs, you know, there's no need to propel me through the door," the Doctor said to them.

"Quiet!" one of the guards said to him.

He pointed to the Master and the Doctor saw him sitting at his desk while someone filmed him with a movie camera. Another of his slaves held a boom mike over his head and a third was manning a spotlight that was shining on the Master.

"And so, my subjects, this is the end of this message," the Master said as he stared into the camera. "But don't worry, there will be many more to come. Signing off."

The red light on the camera went off and the Master turned his attention to the Doctor who was standing by the door with the guards.

"Ah, there you are, so kind of you to come when I called," the Master said, rising from the desk.

"Yes, well, I didn't have much of a choice after Tweedledum and Tweedledee came and pulled me off the floor and forced me in here," the Doctor said, glancing at the guards behind him.

"Well, that's because you play hard to get."

The Doctor rolled his eyes when the Master snickered at that. To his surprise, he dismissed the guards and ordered them to lock the door after they left. The Doctor folded his arms over his chest, giving the Master a wary look.

"Chair, Gramps?" the Master said, pointing to a Chippendale chair near the door.

"No, I prefer to stand," the Doctor said. "What's this about?"

The Master feigned shock as he came near to him.

"Can't an old friend talk to his old friend in private?" he said. "Come now, Doctor. Surely you're bored just sitting there all day."

"Yes," the Doctor admitted. "But I'd rather be bored than worked over by you and your thugs."

"Who said anything about being worked over. I just want to talk," the Master said, crossing over to a minifridge. "Are you hungry? Thirsty?"

"No."

"Suit yourself," the Master said with a shrug before he opened the door of the minifridge.

He rooted around for a moment and pulled out a small bottle of liqueur and a ham and cheese sandwich. He kicked the door closed with his foot and walked back to his desk. He glanced at the Doctor as he sat down.

"You can sit, you know," the Master said. "I'm not going to beat you up if that's what you're worried about. I just want to…how do you say it? Shoot the breeze? Chew the fat? Chit chat? Curious human phrases for having a chat, don't you think?"

"Get to the point," the Doctor said.

"Fine. I was just thinking the other day about you and me and how far we've come," he said, opening the bottle.

"Yeah, from friends to enemies, we've come really far alright," the Doctor said, rolling his eyes.

"You know, your caustic manner is something I never particularly liked," the Master said, taking his sandwich out of a plastic sandwich bag. "Even when we were friends, I used to get so annoyed at your cynical outlook on life."

"Consider my childhood," the Doctor said.

"Yes, yes, the lonely boy who was shunned by nearly everyone because he was different. Makes for a nice soppy film…chick flick, I believe they call it. Another curious human phrase. I can see why they fascinate you so much; they certainly do know how to turn a phrase. But anyway, you were always Mister Gloom and Doom which is why I'm glad I came along and became your friend."

"Oh yes, my life was so much better after you came into it," the Doctor said with another eye roll.

"There it is again, the sarcasm. Blimey, you really have become hard and cynical, haven't you?"

The Doctor raised his eyebrows at that but decided not to dignify that with a response.

"Frankly, I'm surprised Rose could tolerate you, what with your dismal outlook on life and that whole poor pity me wallowing in misery shtick you're good at. So tell me, what's it like when you shag her?"

"That's none of your business."

"Oh, so you have shagged her."

"No, anything to do with Rose is none of your business," the Doctor said.

"Oh, come now, Mister Grumpy Pants, let's swap stories about our human mates. I'll tell you about Lucy, if you tell me about Rose."

The Doctor remained silent; the Master shrugged and took a swig of liqueur. He made an ah sound after swallowing it and studied the Doctor. The Doctor stared back calmly, standing with his arms folded over his chest.

"What would you say if I allowed you to get a message to her?" the Master finally said.

"Get a message to who?"

"Rose, you nitwit. You see this camera in front of me? I can broadcast to any TV in the world using my archangel network. Would you like to say something to her and Miss Jones and…Mr. Jones…and your hand?"

"What's the catch?" the Doctor said.

"Well, I'll tell you that later. First, I want to know if you're interested in sending a message."

"Depends on if I'll be allowed to speak freely or if I have to use an approved script."

"Approved script? Oh, you mean, I would write something like…hi, Rose, I want to shag your brains out, please surrender?"

The Master sniggered at that while the Doctor sighed angrily through his nose.

"No, you'd be allowed to speak to her freely, Mister Silly Sod," the Master said in a condescending voice.

"While you listened in."

"I'd be out of the room, you'd have total privacy," the Master said, holding up his hands.

"That doesn't mean you don't have listening devices and CCTV in here," the Doctor said.

"Look, old man, I'm offering you a deal. I'm trying to be merciful here and let you speak to your girlfriend. Perhaps we can arrange a meeting between you two."

"And have Rose reveal her location to you? Not a chance."

"Then we'll arrange it in a neutral spot of my choosing," the Master said.

"Why are you being so magnanimous all of a sudden?" the Doctor said. "What do you want from me?"

"Or…" the Master said, ignoring him. "Here's an idea. I can send you down with a special collar on your neck that would transmat you back here after say an hour or two. You could visit with Rose, but at the end of that time, you'd be transported back here."

"And you would know where Rose and the rest of them were. You're trying to turn me into your bloodhound and I'm not gonna do it."

The Master scowled at him. Then without warning, he rushed him and punched him hard in the face. Then he fell on him, punching him savagely all over his body until the Doctor felt like his ribs would crack.

"I'm getting tired of this, old man," the Master said as he punched him without mercy. "I'm trying to make it easy on you and your companions. I was trying to get them to surrender peacefully and then I would show them mercy but you want to be stubborn and that means I have to use more aggressive methods of hunting them down. Not to mention the fact that I'm angry and when I'm angry, people
SUFFER!"

He punctuated that with a fist to the Doctor's face and the Doctor's head snapped back. The Master took deep breaths as he got up from him, trying to calm down while the Doctor swallowed hard. He could taste blood from a cut on his lip and he felt blood begin to trickle out of his right nostril. His sides ached and he wondered as his hand went to his right side if his ribs were cracked or broken. The Master stepped over him and called for the guards to take him away. He closed the door and the Doctor grunted when the Master kicked him in the back.

"I will have my way, Doctor, one way or another. I can be merciful or merciless; it's all up to you."

The guards came inside and the Doctor groaned when they grabbed him and forced him to his feet. The Doctor groaned as he walked away with the guards supporting them. The Master snorted when they left the room and slammed the door. While the guards took the Doctor back to his tent, a door near the Master's office opened slightly and Lucy watched through the gap between the door and the frame as they led the Doctor away.

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