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Becoming even more nervous with every sentence spoken, Marlok asked, 'How do you know?'
'These two strangers are Parlcon agents. Spies in our midst. Once word gets back to Parlcon, Egost'll be ousted and I don't want to be around here at night with no vaccine and no food. Look man, we've been denying these things their live prey for years now. Why do you think there's been so much attacking of our men lately?'
'You said Quebus got caught in the tractor...'
'I know what I said!' snapped Quinn.
'Yes,' chimed the Doctor, as everything began to get much clearer. 'Deny a Linxon its food, live prey, for a prolonged space of time and the bloodlust increases until it can not be controlled by the subject or the subjector. Histrionics Legends Chapter twenty three. Your little game is up, isn't it Justices? Quinn knew, but he wasn't telling. He knew this whole situation would blow up in his face and needed an excuse to shut down rather than admit he couldn't handle it. We're the excuse, Marlok. He's chickened out, the hard man's final act.' The Doctor was showing his contempt. 'You're more intelligent than I suspected.'
The Doctor noticed that the wolf Marlok had at his side was changing, returning to its human form and there before him lay Peri on the end of a very long chain, unconscious. But Marlok and Quinn both had their eyes fixed wholly on the Doctor.
Suddenly, whines and howls filled the night air. 'Your friends are waking up, the bloodlust has overridden your sedatives. They're coming for you!' stated the Doctor with as much melodrama and menace as he deemed necessary.
'You've said enough!' yelled Quinn, 'Set that wolf on him and we'll get out of here.'
Bewildered, Marlok mumbled, 'What? Oh yes, of course.' He looked to his side. There lay the curled form of a sleeping Peri. 'I can't, she's back as she was.' Quinn could only become more irritable.
'It's not even an hour into the transformation of the others...still, I've got a weapon. It's just as effective but much less gratifying to watch.' Quinn took careful aim at the Doctor's head, he squinted and looked down the sights, then the unexpected happened.
From somewhere behind, in front and to the side of Quinn, Marlok, the Doctor and Peri, there was a flurry of violent movement as leaping black shapes issued forth from every street in a destructive torrent of death The wolves had returned.
The Doctor flopped to the ground, unmoving, keeping his eye on Peri's inert body. The creatures ignored them and flew for the Justices as if they knew who had been responsible for keeping them chained and depriving them of their ravenous appetite for raw, living flesh.
Both the Justices did not scream, they had not enough time too. At least eight wolves attached themselves to each struggling, twitching body, tearing at their clothes and flesh. They then left what remained to ooze into the thick, clinging mud of the street and fled away howling triumphantly.
The Doctor eventually managed to help Peri regain consciousness and dragged her to the safety at the edge of the village. Panting they both flopped into the grass. The Doctor rubbed a hand through his hair.
The night was still young. It would be hours before the dawn broke ending the reign of terror in the village for another night. 'Are you alright?' he asked the quivering companion at his side.
'Why shouldn't I be? I escaped from the Courthouse, didn't I?'
The Doctor breathed a sigh of relief. Peri couldn't remember her transformation into the wolf. 'Yes, yes Peri, you escaped but did you find anything out?'
'Yes...yes I did. Every full moon, which lasts for three days on this planet, the Justices set up a tractor-something or other. It brings a ship dwn form space and that's all I heard.'
Deep in thought, the Doctor's mind raced on. 'Yes, that must have been what was effecting the TARDIS drive units. When the ship is dragged down they let the villagers or rather the werewolves out, they attack the passengers, the Justices go in and stun the wolves before any damage is done to the bodies and....and...what's it all for?'
The Doctor paused in thought, but only briefly as his mind continued to ticked over. 'Surgeons!' he suddenly declared, 'Quinn mentioned surgeons and, and something about being 'fresh'. 'sizzling'. Of course! It's most monstrous situation of all time. The bodies of the passengers are hooked up, unrecognisable and packaged into food parcels to be sent to this Supremident chap. He wouldn't eat himself so he sells it to the consumer and nobody knows anything.' He frowned. 'Wonder if he's met Sweeny Todd?'
Peri clutched at his arm and began to pull him the direction of the moor.
'Don't joggle me, Peri, I'm trying to plan our next move.'
'Oh, it's ok, Doctor, but don't you think you'd rather not end up a piece of tender steak on somebody's dinner table. That wolf pack is coming back this way!'
'What? Come on, Peri!' The Doctor was up and running before the young American realised it. 'Back to the TARDIS, it's the only safe place we know!'
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cursed pt3 page4
