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required to assist with that. Top priority is to enlist the Doctor. It is his intellect that Wotan most requires. It was on his arrival here that this development became possible, and has been brought forward. He is our quarry. Before all else. We must make sure of him tonight.’
    Krimpton seemed to hesitate for the first time. Perhaps he failed to see how the next stop could be fulfilled in that space of time.
    Wotan responded instantaneously. The machine blazed with light, the office shook with its power, chained as it was to the structure around it. The voice cracked into life. ‘At once!’ it sounded. ‘At once! The Doctor is required!’
    Krimpton bowed in recognition.
    Music still played in the background at ‘The Inferno’ Club, but the place was almost empty, only Polly and Ben remaining with the Doctor, while Kitty began to lock up the place.
    ‘I’m sorry,’ she said. ‘I can’t think what’s happenend to Dodo, but I have to close the Club. If you think she’ll turn up here, we can pin a message to the door.’
    The Doctor nodded thoughtfully. ‘Very kind,’ he said. ‘I shall do that.’ Polly was uneasy. ‘Perhaps we should go to the police.’
    ‘I’d rather you didn’t,’ said Kitty. ‘I’ve got a licence to think of.’
    ‘Well, we have to do something.’ Polly wasn’t easily dissuaded. ‘I’ll phone the hospitals.’
    ‘Hospitals?’ Ben frowned. ‘You certainly expect the worst.’
    ‘She could have had an accident,’ insisted Polly. She turned to the Doctor. ‘What’s her last name?’ ‘Chaplet,’ he told her. ‘Dodo Chaplet.’ He was impressed by the way this seemingly scatter-brained girl was organising things.
    ‘Regular little ray of sunshine, you are,’ grumbled Ben.
    ‘Better than just sitting on our backsides,’ called Polly as she headed for the phone.
    She stopped in her tracks as Dodo breezed into the room. She greeted the Doctor brightly. ‘Hello, Doctor! So you found the place after all?’
    The Doctor was so pleased to see her that he only vaguely noticed she was wearing gloves.
    ‘And where have you been then?’ asked Ben crossly. ‘Yes, what happened to you?’ said Polly.
    Dodo looked surprised. ‘I was just round the corner.’ ‘You’ve been away hours,’ protested Polly.
    ‘We were all worried about you, Dodo,’ said the Doctor.
    ‘Well, you shouldn’t have been,’ said Dodo. ‘I ran into some friends. I just stopped by with them for a chat... Was I really that long?’ She seemed to be taking it very lightly.
    ‘Indeed you were.’ The Doctor was puzzled. ‘You never mentioned you had friends near here.’
    ‘It’s a long story.’ Dodo shrugged it off. ‘Sorry you were worried, Doc.’
    ‘Well, Dodo, you and I have an invitation to stay the night with Sir Charles Summer and his family. It’s very late. We ought to go.’
    ‘I’ll find you a taxi,’ said Polly. ‘And maybe I can cadge a lift.’
    Time I turned in.’ Ben led the way from the Club. No one noticed the look of annoyance that passed across Dodo’s face.
    Outside they said their ‘goodbyes’ as they moved towards the huge fruit and vegetable market that served London. Covent Garden at this time of night had not yet started to come to life for its early morning trading. It was silent and lay in shadow for the most part. Warehouses were locked and shuttered. Their steps echoed as they crossed the ancient square. The arches darkened the sidewalks.
    Dodo looked around anxiously as Ben joined them. ‘Are you staying long in London?’ he asked the Doctor. ‘A few days at least,’ said the Doctor. ‘That is our plan, isn’t it, Dodo?’
    She quickly moved in beside him. She must do nothing to arouse suspicion. ‘Yes. A few days,’ she agreed.
    ‘You wait here,’ said Ben. ‘I’ll fetch a taxi.’
    He hurried away. Polly ran after him. ‘I know where they hang out,’ she called.
    They disappeared round a corner.
    ‘They shouldn’t have done that,’