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the atmosphere than anything. 'I'm catching up on some
reading,' she said breezily. It didn't work.
The Doctor's voice was icy cold. 'What are you doing?'
`I told you '
He strode up to the table and swept the book to the floor.
'Don't come the fool with me, Anne!' he yelled. 'I know what
you're doing. And it's going to stop. Now!'
`You hypocritical bastard,' she hissed, standing up and
knocking the chair over. 'After all you've done over the years,
after all the alien invasions that you've lured to Earth; all I'm
trying to do is stop the Intelligence from corning back.'
The Doctor shook his head. 'Anne, you're tampering with
forces that mankind is ill-prepared for! To fight Chapel, you're
placing this world in even more danger!' He slammed his fist
on the table. 'You're playing with a fire so dangerous you could
scorch eternity!'
She stared at him. And then laughed bitterly. 'I really can't
believe you said that, Doctor. I really can't.' She moved over to
the bell-pull that hung next to one of the bookcases. 'And after
that particular piece of hyperbole, it's time you left.' She
tugged the red silk cord.
The Doctor became even more desperate. 'Anne, you've got
to listen to me! It looks like you were right. Chapel is about to
summon the Great Intelligence. All I want to do is help you.'
She shook her head. 'You're too late, Doctor. Thanks to
you, I can repel the Intelligence all by myself.' She gave her
open handbag a nod, and could tell from the Doctor's
expression that he had seen what was inside.
`You're wrong, Anne,' he pleaded. 'I've seen what's hanging
above this city, I've seen how powerful it is. You aren't aware
of all the facts. Please, let me help you.'
`Like you did the last time? My father died because you
couldn't get rid of the Great Intelligence after it invaded the
Underground. It came back, it wrought havoc. Or have you
forgotten what happened?'
129
The Doctor winced. 'That isn't fair!'
`Isn't it? For all your knowledge and mysterious powers,
you seem woefully incapable of preventing the Intelligence
from attacking this planet, Doctor.' Her eyes narrowed. 'Or are
you and the Intelligence connected in some way? It's funny
how you always seem to be lurking around when it decides to
visit us.'
Her voice became a venomous whisper. 'I was there in the
Underground, when you let the Intelligence escape. And then it
came back, and my father died!' Her words rose to a shriek.
'Empty nothings, Doctor, that's all you've got to offer!' She
waved her hand around the annex. 'With the information
contained in here, I can destroy that vile, murderous creature
once and for all. And I don't need you at all.'
`You don't understand '
She reached into her handbag and pulled out the Yeti
sphere that the Doctor had handed to her in the Dorchester. 'As
far as I'm concerned, this is the last bit of help I want from
you.' She looked over the Doctor's shoulder at the massive
librarian standing in the doorway, the sepia light shining off
his bald brown head. 'Throw him out,' she ordered.
'But the Doctor is a respected visitor to the library ' Mister
Atoz appeared behind the librarian. 'Is there a problem, Dame
Anne?'
A hard aspect entered her voice. 'The Doctor is working for
Ashley Chapel, Mister Atoz. And I'd rather he left.'
Atoz turned to the giant and snapped his fingers. 'I think the
Doctor was just about to leave, Mister Cornelius. Would you
care to escort him to the door?'
`You've got to listen to me!' the Doctor protested. `You
could bring ruin on all of us!'
`Goodbye, Doctor.' Anne turned her back on him and
picked the book from the floor. 'It's time that mankind relied
on itself, rather than waiting for the Time Lords to get bored
and intervene.'
The Doctor struggled, but even his superhuman strength
was belittled by Cornelius, whose corded ebony arms pinioned
him helplessly. Atoz gave Anne a respectful nod, and vanished
130
through the curtain behind Cornelius and the Doctor, leaving
Anne to continue her researches in peace.
Any thoughts of celebrating the new Millennium at one of
the top London nightclubs had evaporated as Louise and Barry
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