The Lone Warrior
an unmade audio story
PART ONE
Part Two
1.Recap from part one.The Doctor is surrounded by a number of burly thugs who work at the Fair.
DOCTORAh, gentlemen. I was looking for a friend of mine. He’s about so high, fifty-ish. Idon’t suppose you or any of your friends have seen him?
WORKER 1This area is off limits to everybody who don’t work here. There’s signs.
DOCTORReally ? Don’t have my glasses with me.
WORKER 1The guvnor told us somebody’d been poking about. Told us what to do withhim an’ all.
DOCTORNow, don’t be hasty. Don’t do anything I’ll regret.
WORKER 1Get him lads.
DOCTORNo!
The sound of the Doctor getting whacked a few times in a scuffle.
DOCTORGet off.
And then there’s the sound of someone being hit with the butt of a gun.
ABBERLINELet him go.
WORKER 1Who the hell are you?
ABBERLINEThe one with the gun pointed at your head. Up you get, Doctor.
Doctor helped to him feet. He’s not too badly hurt. A bit peeved.
DOCTORYou do remember me.
ABBERLINEI’m not likely to forget, am I ? You might look different, Doctor, but nobody else wouldknow what you do - or wear that coat.
DOCTORStyle will out.
ABBERLINEIf you say so. You lot. Face down on the ground. Now.
WORKER 1It’s filthy.
ABBERLINESo’s my temper.
DOCTORI’d do as he says if I were you - far be it from me to offer advice -but my friend does have a twitchy trigger finger.
Wet, splutchy sound effects as they workers go face down in the mud.
DOCTORThere. That’s not so bad, is it ?
ABBERLINERight, Doctor. Go.
They start running.
ABBERLINEYou wouldn’t happen to have a carriage waiting I suppose.
DOCTORWe’ll pick one up soon enough, but I have a young friend at the strong-man show.
ABBERLINEYou and your friends. I’ve never seen a feller with as many pretty girls as you, Doctor. Or as many faces either, come to that.
DOCTORSave the chit-chat. Our muddy friends are after us.
2.The Strong-man show.Tess is finishing off helping Varsh. She’s nervous but elated.
STEDGEWICKAnd there’s the young lady, safe and sound, but what a story she’ll have to tell her grand-children.
Applause.
STEDGEWICKAnd that’s all for tonight’s prodigious performance of power by the incredible, Varsh !
More cheers, lots of applause. Varsh is a hit. The crowd spills out of the tent, buzzing with excitement and chatter. Tess is among them.
DOCTORTess ! There you are !
TESS Doctor, you’ll never believe what happened in there. He’s as big as they say and as strong as a bull. He...
DOCTOR (Interrupting)Yes, yes. I’m sure it was very entertaining but just at the moment we have more pressing business.
ABBERLINE Hurry it up, Doctor. They’re getting closer.
TESS Doctor, what’ve you been up to ?
DOCTOR Nothing. Much.
TESS You get chased by a mob a lot for doing “nothing much”, do you ?
ABBERLINE There’s a carriage.
DOCTOR Excuse us. Do pardon me. Emergency. The young lady’s a little faint.
PUT-OUT PASSENGER Well, I never.
TESS I can believe that.
DOCTOR Everybody in. Driver, get going. It doesn’t matter where, just go !
The carriage moves off.
WORKER 1 Damn. Lost them.
3.The carriage.The carriage clatters away along now-cobbled streets.
DOCTOR We’re well clear of them now.(Calls)Victoria Hotel, driver.(Speaking now to Tess and Abberline)Because my friend Fred has some explaining to do.
TESS I know you.
ABBERLINE Don’t you start.
TESS You’re Fred Abberline, the copper.
ABBERLINE Ex-copper. I’m retired.
DOCTOR Which brings us back to why you ran away from me, and what you’re doing calling yourself Mr Cleveland.
ABBERLINE I’ll tell you at the Hotel, Doctor. I could really do with a drink.
4.The Fair.Stedgewick isn’t a happy bunny. At the moment he’s slightly less pleased than Lester Piggott when the tax-man calls round.
STEDGEWICK They escaped ?
WORKER 1 Yeah, they...
STEDGEWICK Gave you a going over by the looks of you.
WORKER 1 No, no. One of them had a gun and...
STEDGEWICK Get out of my sight before I shoot you myself. The lot of you.
Workers trudge out.
STEDGEWICK This changes things a bit, Cassidy.
Agreeing grunt from Cassidy.
STEDGEWICK They’re closing in on us. Things are getting too hot for us to stay hereabouts. Tell everybody to get ready to up sticks. We’re moving in a couple of days.
Another agreeing grunt from Cassidy.
STEDGEWICK But we’ve got to make a few visits to the bank before we go. Enough to take us to America, I think. No, enough to buy us America. Get Varsh ready to go out tonight.
Cassidy grunts nervously.
STEDGEWICK I don’t give a tinker’s curse how he’ll feel about it. He’ll do as I say or I’ll let him rot away without his fix.
5.Victoria Hotel.Booze (a good Scottish Whiskey, I hope) is being poured into a glass.
MRS POTTER I don’t approve of alcohol, but this isn’t a temperance hotel yet, so here you are. But I won’t tolerate drunks. I’ve seen enough of them and I’ve only been running the place a fortnight since my brother-in-law passed...
ABBERLINE Thank you, Mrs Potter.
DOCTOR That will be all for tonight.
MRS POTTER But I...
DOCTOR Goodnight, Mrs Potter.
MRS POTTER (Not at all pleased)I’ll see you in the morning, then. Breakfast is at seven sharp. If you’re late, too bad. Lord or not.
ABBERLINE Lord ? Oh. Yeah. You told me.
DOCTOR Now why don’t you tell me what all this secrecy is about ?
TESS It’s obvious innit ? It’s the Ripper.
DOCTOR The Ripper ? Jack the Ripper ?
TESS What other Ripper would it be ? You do know he’s back in London, don’t you ?
DOCTOR Jack the Ripper back in London ? That’s not possible.
TESS You try telling that to the three girls he’s cut up in the past week.
DOCTOR Fred ?
ABBERLINE It’s true that there’ve been a couple of murders, Doctor. Pretty brutal. It’s no surprise that people are saying it’s our boy’s work.DOCTOR But I assure you, Tess, that whoever is responsible for these killings, it cannot be Jack the Ripper.
TESS How can you be so sure ? Unless you know who Jack was. You do, don’t you ? Both of you. Who was it ?
ABBERLINE We can’t say. We’ve sworn secrecy.
DOCTOR But they... he’s dead now. He can’t hurt anyone.
TESS So who’s cutting the working girls ?
DOCTOR I’m afraid I’ve no idea.
ABBERLINE But these killings are one of the reasons why I’m going by a different name. If people knew the copper who led the Ripper investigation had come back from retirement in France, they’d only be more sure it was the Ripper at work.
DOCTOR One of the reasons ? What’s the other ?
ABBERLINE I work as a freelance security consultant these days. Mainly at the casinos in Monte Carlo. The wife likes it there. Wants us to go over permanent.
DOCTOR But you still take jobs here.
ABBERLINE Especially ones like this. In the past three weeks, five small banks have been robbed.
DOCTOR Surely it took more than a spate of bank robberies to bring you back from France.
ABBERLINE It’s the way the banks were robbed that’s got people confused. Solid oak doors torn off the hinges, steel bars inches thick have been bent and broken, and ton safes have just been carried out of the banks. The local boys are drawn blanks, so the insurance companies have asked me to investigate, what with the East End having been my patch.
DOCTOR And you think the Fair is involved somehow ?
ABBERLINE The robberies started just after the Fair set up shop. I wanted a look at that strong man.
TESS He’s strong enough to do the stuff you say. I saw him close up. He’s huge, even inside that armour.
DOCTOR Armour ?
TESS Yeah. Like a knight. It’s a good costume. His breath don’t half smell, though.
DOCTOR Interesting. And these new Ripper murders. When did they start in relation to the robberies ?
ABBERLINE Around a week later, give or take a day. You think they’re connected.
DOCTOR London is a most extra-ordinary city, but even here, it would be an amazing coincidence if these two series of crimes began independently but at roughly the same time.
TESS In English ?
DOCTOR Yes. I think they’re linked. Fred, would it be possible for me to have a look at these unfortunate women ?
ABBERLINE You’re in luck. I ran into one of the inspector on the case earlier today. George Godley. He was one of my lads when I was in charge here. Asked if I’d mind lending a hand. I wasn’t keen but if you think it’s important I’ll get onto them first thing.
DOCTOR I’d have thought you’d be spending the night watching over a bank.
ABBERLINE Which one ? They could hit any one of a dozen banks next. I’ve got every one under watch and if anything happens, they know where to find me. In bed.
DOCTOR Which is where you should be, young lady.
TESS I beg your pardon ?
DOCTOR You’ve had a long a long day. A good night’s rest will do you the world of good.
TESS (Yawning)You could be right.
DOCTOR I usually am.
ABBERLINE Goodnight, Doctor. Miss.
TESS What about your drink ?
ABBERLINE I never drink when I’m on a job. Not any more.
TESS After all that fuss you raised about it ?
ABBERLINE I just like to know it’s there. Goodnight.Abberline leaves.
TESS What’s all that about ?
DOCTOR We all find our own ways of fighting our demons, Tess. Goodnight.
TESS ‘Night. Aren’t you going to bed ?
DOCTOR Probably not. I can last several days without sleep. Besides, I need to think.
TESS Right. See you in the morning, then. All right ?
DOCTOR (Absently)Hmm ? Yes ? Oh, absolutely.
TESS (Aware she’s talking to a brick wall)Right.
Closes the door.
6.London Street. Night.It’s fairly quiet. A cart moves across the cobbles, then pulls to a stop.
STEDGEWICK There she is. Half of our passports to America. Take us down the side-street to the left of the bank.
Cassidy grunts warning.
STEDGEWICK What is it ?
Another grunt.
STEDGEWICK I see him now. You got good eyes, Cassidy. Well done. We could have been in real trouble there. So the filth have the place under watch, eh ? Damn. That complicates things.
Cassidy grunts quite animatedly.
STEDGEWICK God, you’re right. If Varsh comes up at the bank that peeler’s bound to spot him. We got to find a way to stop him.
VARSH (Quietly)There is no need. I am already aware of the policeman watching the bank.
STEDGEWICK Varsh ! Jesus, you scared me half to death. How does somebody the size of you hide in the shadows like that anyway ?VARSH It’s what I have been trained to do.
STEDGEWICK Is your training up to getting rid of that copper ? There’s too much money in that bank to turn back now. And we don’t need no witnesses. Keep it quiet, an’ all.
VARSH I will not attack an unarmed man. Taking an inferior enemy by surprise is a dishonourable tactic.
STEDGEWICK I couldn’t give a tinker’s curse about dishonour. All I care about is that copper coming between me and what’s mine.
VARSH The money in the bank is not yours.
STEDGEWICK It’s gonna be. Cassidy. See to the boy in blue, nice and quiet like.
Affirming grunt from Cassidy. Cassidy moves off.
STEDGEWICK You’re pushing your luck, Varsh. Never forget, you need me to stay alive.
VARSH And you need me to steal the money for you. Perhaps I should raise the alarm and alert the police.
STEDGEWICK I don’t think you’re going to do that. What would the police do when they saw you ? Lock you up and throw away the key. And that’s before they start looking into your other little hobby.
VARSH What hobby are you talking about ? Explain.
STEDGEWICK It doesn’t bother me, but it doesn’t take a genius to work out you’re the Ripper.
VARSH What ?
STEDGEWICK It doesn’t bother me what you get up to. You could open Queen Victoria herself for all I care, just make sure you don’t lead the filth to the Fair.
VARSH You are worthless.
STEDGEWICK For all your big talk about honour and nobility, you’re as much of a killer as me. Here, quiet. There’s Cassidy. He’s almost there.
A sudden strangling noise as the policeman is throttled by Cassidy. He gurgles and chokes then is dropped to the ground. Cassidy grunts gleefully.
STEDGEWICK Got him. That’s how it’s done.
The cart trundles forward.
STEDGEWICK Good work, Cassidy.
VARSH The policeman is dead.
STEDGEWICK Even better. No chance of him walking up and nipping off while we’re in there.
VARSH It was unnecessary.
STEDGEWICK You had your chance. Now stop complaining and get that bank open.
Varsh lumbers across the street.
STEDGEWICK Quietly...
The door is ripped from it’s hinges.
7.Hotel. Morning.A door opens and someone comes in.
DOCTOR ‘Morning, Mrs Potter.MRS POTTER (A scream of terror)You could have given me heart failure. What on Earth are you doing sitting here in the dark ?
DOCTOR Waiting.
MRS POTTER What for ?
DOCTOR The bad news I’m sure morning is bound to bring us. You’re up early.
MRS POTTER Of course I am. Somebody has to get the place ready for you lot, I mean, the customers.
A knock at the door.
MRS POTTER Who would come knocking at this time of the morning ?
More knocking. Quite urgent.
DOCTOR The bad news I’ve been waiting for.
8.Abberline’s Room.The door is thrown open. Abberline is snoring.DOCTOR Wake up, Fred.
ABBERLINE (Half asleep)What ? Five minutes, Emma. Give’s a cuddle.
DOCTOR I’ll do no such thing. Rouse yourself, Man ! WAKE UP.
ABBERLINE Doctor ? What is it ?
DOCTOR There’s been another bank robbery.
ABBERLINE How ? We had every bank under surveillance.
DOCTOR There’s a policeman downstairs waiting to take us to the scene of the crime.
ABBERLINE I’ll be there in a minute.
DOCTOR And I’m afraid there’s worse news.
ABBERLINE Another murder ?
DOCTOR Two. One of them was the policeman on guard. I’ll be downstairs.TESS (Yawning)Doctor, what’s going on ? It’s the middle of the night.
DOCTOR All the more reason for you to go back to bed.
TESS You said something about another bank being robbed.
DOCTOR Yes.
TESS And two murders ?
DOCTOR I’m afraid so.
TESS Then I’m sticking with you and Abberline. It’s the only way I shall feel safe.
DOCTOR Tess, you couldn’t be further from the truth. You...
Door closes. Then opens again.
TESS Two minutes.
Door closes again.
9.The Bank. Exterior.There’s the general rumble of a gathered crowd, muttering and starting rumours.
ABBERLINE Same as the other banks, Doctor
DOCTOR The door’s been torn from its hinges.
ABBERLINE According to the feller who works here, the doors weighs...
DOCTOR (Interrupting)Six hundred and forty pounds, I’d imagine. Give or take.
ABBERLINE Right. I hate it when you do that.
TESS That Varsh could have done that. He’s easy strong enough.
ABBERLINE It’s impossible for one man to do that.
TESS You’d be surprised what damage one man can do.
ABBERLINE How do you mean ?
DOCTOR Is there anything interesting inside the bank ?
ABBERLINE See for yourself.
10.The Bank. Interior.The Doctor’s group enter the bank, their footsteps on wooden floorboards.
ABBERLINE It’s like all the other robberies. Whoever it was...
TESS (Interrupting)Varsh, I’m telling you.
ABBERLINE Whoever it was, used brute strength to rip the door off the safe. Took over four thousand pounds.
TESS Four thousand pounds ? That’s more than I can dream of.
DOCTOR Our thief evidently has some rather grand dreams.(Thoughtful)Not to mention rather large feet.
ABBERLINE A print ?
DOCTOR Not quite, Fred, but you can see where he braced his feet when he opened the safe. Two indentations in the wooden floorboards. They’re quite clear.
ABBERLINE This is a hardwood floor, Doctor. The force you’d need to do that...
DOCTOR Is beyond any normal human. I know. I think we should pay this Mr Varsh of yours a visit, Tess.
TESS You’d better bring plenty of boys in blue. He’s huge.
ABBERLINE Before we do that, George Godley asked if we’d take a look at the bodies. He’s a good man. Best sergeant I ever had.
DOCTOR If we must.
ABBERLINE We must.
DOCTOR Very well. Tess...
TESS I’m not staying here on my own. I’m coming with you.
DOCTOR Please yourself.
11.Street Corner.Crowd noises.
COPPER Keep moving. Move along. There’s nothing to see here. It’s not a circus, you know. Move along.
ABBERLINE There he is, poor sod.
TESS Can’t somebody at least close his eyes. It’s horrible the way they’re staring like that.
DOCTOR Interesting...
ABBERLINE Doctor, a good man’s lying here dead and all you can say is “interesting” ?
DOCTOR And if we ignore the obvious clues in front of us, we may well wind up with a deal more good men lying dead in the street. Now what do you make of those markings on his neck ?
ABBERLINE Strangling, of course.
DOCTOR Fred, you’re looking but not seeing. Look at the size of the bruises and the way the fingers obviously dug into the flesh.ABBERLINE Somebody was squeezing his neck for all they were worth. Small-ish hands and all.
TESS But Varsh has huge hands. Big as plates.
DOCTOR And why would someone with the strength to tear open safes need to squeeze as hard as that hard to kill this fellow ? I think not.
ABBERLINE An accomplice. There’s more than one of them. Again.
DOCTOR Which might explain something that’s been bothering me. How someone the size of this Varsh, if indeed it is him, could move around so easily without being seen.
TESS He’s huge - as big as you two put together.
DOCTOR I’ll try not to take that as a comment about my waistline.
ABBERLINE There’s nothing more we can learn from this lad. George, get him off the street. Give him a decent burial.
TESS Poor bloke.
ABBERLINE You handled seeing a dead body well, Miss. I’ve known a lot of lads who’d have passed out on the spot.
TESS It’s not the first time I’ve seen a dead body.
DOCTOR Fred, where’s the other body ?
ABBERLINE Down at the morgue waiting for a post mortem.
DOCTOR What are you waiting for ? Stop dawdling. We don’t have all day.
12.The Morgue.The room sounds cold (if possible) - voices echo a little.
ABBERLINE Well, what do you reckon to her, Doctor ?
DOCTOR It’s not good.
Sound of Tess throwing up.
DOCTOR Deep breaths, Tess.
TESS Sorry, Doctor. It’s just I didn’t expect anything this horrible.
DOCTOR It’s nothing to be ashamed of. Why don’t you go and wait outside.
TESS I think you’re right.
Door closes behind Tess.
ABBERLINE I don’t blame her, Doctor. I thought we’d seen the last of these six years ago.
DOCTOR We both know it’s not the same culprit.
ABBERLINE All the same, it takes you back.
DOCTOR Has anyone touched the body since it was brought in ?
ABBERLINE No. She’s exactly as they found her. Her organs have been placed back on her chest where they were, and so have her possessions, such as they are.
DOCTOR It’s a precise killing. The cuts are clean - not a serrated edge. Odd the way the cuts have been made. The way they cross it seems that they were made in a precise order. Is it possible to see the other bodies ?
ABBERLINE Should be. The local pathologist, what’s his name, Lightfoot ? He’s been sent over to Baker Street for some reason or other. Something about Sumatra.
DOCTOR He does have some experience of giant... what’s this ?
ABBERLINE Found something ?
DOCTOR Take a look at this. On her shoulder.
ABBERLINE A cut ? It’s well away from the majority of the damage.
DOCTOR An exactly beside where the killer laid her entrails. It’s a remarkably intricate design, too.
ABBERLINE Definitely a different blade. Must have taken them quite a time to cut the design, too.
DOCTOR So to run that extra risk of being caught, this design must be important to our murderer.
Sound of a big door being opened and a sheet thrown back.
DOCTOR There. On the shoulder of the previous victim.
ABBERLINE A signature ?
DOCTOR Definitely someone marking their work.
ABBERLINE Obviously they want their brand seen and all.
DOCTOR Yes. I wonder why.
ABBERLINE We’ll ask them when we catch them.
DOCTOR That’s the spirit. We’d better see how Tess is doing.
13.Mortuary.Tess is waiting for the Doctor and Abberline.
TESS Hello.
DOCTOR How are you feeling now ?
TESS I hope I look better than I feel, that’s all I can say.
DOCTOR Are you up to a little job ?
TESS As long as it don’t involve eating. My stomach’s doing flips.
DOCTOR Excellent. Fred, would you by any chance happen to have a map of the area ?
ABBERLINE Back at the hotel.
DOCTOR Excellent. Come along, you two. Pick your feet up.
14.The Hotel.A map is unfolded.
DOCTOR The robberies were here, here, here and so on.
ABBERLINE Yes.
DOCTOR And the dates are accurate ? Of course they are. My apologies, Fred.
ABBERLINE The robberies are marked in red, the murders in blue.
TESS The robberies is all close to the one area but the murders are all over the place.
DOCTOR Not quite. Check the dates.
ABBERLINE I see what you mean. It’s like the killer’s working his way to the area at the centre of the robberies.
DOCTOR And what do we find at the centre of this area ? The common where Varsh’s Fun Fair is pitched. It seems that you could be right, Tess.
TESS Told you. So what now ? Are you going to arrest Varsh ?
DOCTOR On what grounds ? Being strong and in the general area hardly counts as compelling evidence.
ABBERLINE It’d get chucked out of court quicker than you could hiccup. We need solid proof.
TESS That excuse again. So what are we gonna do ?
DOCTOR I want you to help Inspector Abberline try to identify the mark that was cut into each of the murder victims. I’m certain it’s important.
TESS And what will you be doing ?
DOCTOR Nothing much.
TESS I don’t believe a word of it.
ABBERLINE Neither do I. You’re going to see this Varsh character at the Fair.
DOCTOR What can I say ? It’s a fair cop, guv ?
ABBERLINE Right. I’m coming with you.
TESS So am I.
DOCTOR Absolutely not. I’m just going there for a quite reconnoiter. Slip in, have a quick look round and then slip back out as inconspicuously as possible.
ABBERLINE Doctor, in that coat, you couldn’t butter toast inconspicuously.
DOCTOR What is the fixation you people have with this coat ? Very well, I’ll pick up a change of clothing en route, but I am going alone and that is final. No arguments. Besides, I really do need to know what that symbol means.
ABBERLINE I don’t like it, Doctor.
TESS Me neither, but I reckon you’re stubborn enough to not go at all if we tried to join you.
DOCTOR You know me so well already.
ABBERLINE All right, Doctor. You win. But be careful.
DOCTOR Aren’t I always ?
ABBERLINE Do you really want me to answer that ?
15.Stedgewick’s Fair.A muttering of workers.
WORKER 1 (Fading into distance)The boss says we’ve to be ready to hit the road at any time, so don’t unpack any more of that...
As soon as Worker 1's voice fades, the Doctor emerges.
DOCTOR (To himself)Walked right past me. Perhaps Fred was right about the coat, after all. Pity. Black isn’t my colour. It’s so... dull. Right. Varsh’s caravan is over this way, as I remember.
He walks for a few moments, then stops short.
DOCTOR Good grief.
He raps on metal.
DOCTOR Dutrenium alloy hull. Heat shielded. It’s a short-range space-transport.
He opens the door.
DOCTOR Hello ? Anybody home ? Hello ?
He creeps in. The ship’s systems buzz and hum quietly.
DOCTOR Hello ?
COMPUTER In... In... Intruder.
DOCTOR Who ? Me ? No, I’m just selling insurance. Third party, fire and theft. I’ll pop back later.
COMPUTER Intruder. Initiating defence systems.
DOCTOR No. Wait. Don’t...
The sound of an electronic weapon. The Doctor yells then falls hard to the deck.
1.Recap from part one.The Doctor is surrounded by a number of burly thugs who work at the Fair.
DOCTORAh, gentlemen. I was looking for a friend of mine. He’s about so high, fifty-ish. Idon’t suppose you or any of your friends have seen him?
WORKER 1This area is off limits to everybody who don’t work here. There’s signs.
DOCTORReally ? Don’t have my glasses with me.
WORKER 1The guvnor told us somebody’d been poking about. Told us what to do withhim an’ all.
DOCTORNow, don’t be hasty. Don’t do anything I’ll regret.
WORKER 1Get him lads.
DOCTORNo!
The sound of the Doctor getting whacked a few times in a scuffle.
DOCTORGet off.
And then there’s the sound of someone being hit with the butt of a gun.
ABBERLINELet him go.
WORKER 1Who the hell are you?
ABBERLINEThe one with the gun pointed at your head. Up you get, Doctor.
Doctor helped to him feet. He’s not too badly hurt. A bit peeved.
DOCTORYou do remember me.
ABBERLINEI’m not likely to forget, am I ? You might look different, Doctor, but nobody else wouldknow what you do - or wear that coat.
DOCTORStyle will out.
ABBERLINEIf you say so. You lot. Face down on the ground. Now.
WORKER 1It’s filthy.
ABBERLINESo’s my temper.
DOCTORI’d do as he says if I were you - far be it from me to offer advice -but my friend does have a twitchy trigger finger.
Wet, splutchy sound effects as they workers go face down in the mud.
DOCTORThere. That’s not so bad, is it ?
ABBERLINERight, Doctor. Go.
They start running.
ABBERLINEYou wouldn’t happen to have a carriage waiting I suppose.
DOCTORWe’ll pick one up soon enough, but I have a young friend at the strong-man show.
ABBERLINEYou and your friends. I’ve never seen a feller with as many pretty girls as you, Doctor. Or as many faces either, come to that.
DOCTORSave the chit-chat. Our muddy friends are after us.
2.The Strong-man show.Tess is finishing off helping Varsh. She’s nervous but elated.
STEDGEWICKAnd there’s the young lady, safe and sound, but what a story she’ll have to tell her grand-children.
Applause.
STEDGEWICKAnd that’s all for tonight’s prodigious performance of power by the incredible, Varsh !
More cheers, lots of applause. Varsh is a hit. The crowd spills out of the tent, buzzing with excitement and chatter. Tess is among them.
DOCTORTess ! There you are !
TESS Doctor, you’ll never believe what happened in there. He’s as big as they say and as strong as a bull. He...
DOCTOR (Interrupting)Yes, yes. I’m sure it was very entertaining but just at the moment we have more pressing business.
ABBERLINE Hurry it up, Doctor. They’re getting closer.
TESS Doctor, what’ve you been up to ?
DOCTOR Nothing. Much.
TESS You get chased by a mob a lot for doing “nothing much”, do you ?
ABBERLINE There’s a carriage.
DOCTOR Excuse us. Do pardon me. Emergency. The young lady’s a little faint.
PUT-OUT PASSENGER Well, I never.
TESS I can believe that.
DOCTOR Everybody in. Driver, get going. It doesn’t matter where, just go !
The carriage moves off.
WORKER 1 Damn. Lost them.
3.The carriage.The carriage clatters away along now-cobbled streets.
DOCTOR We’re well clear of them now.(Calls)Victoria Hotel, driver.(Speaking now to Tess and Abberline)Because my friend Fred has some explaining to do.
TESS I know you.
ABBERLINE Don’t you start.
TESS You’re Fred Abberline, the copper.
ABBERLINE Ex-copper. I’m retired.
DOCTOR Which brings us back to why you ran away from me, and what you’re doing calling yourself Mr Cleveland.
ABBERLINE I’ll tell you at the Hotel, Doctor. I could really do with a drink.
4.The Fair.Stedgewick isn’t a happy bunny. At the moment he’s slightly less pleased than Lester Piggott when the tax-man calls round.
STEDGEWICK They escaped ?
WORKER 1 Yeah, they...
STEDGEWICK Gave you a going over by the looks of you.
WORKER 1 No, no. One of them had a gun and...
STEDGEWICK Get out of my sight before I shoot you myself. The lot of you.
Workers trudge out.
STEDGEWICK This changes things a bit, Cassidy.
Agreeing grunt from Cassidy.
STEDGEWICK They’re closing in on us. Things are getting too hot for us to stay hereabouts. Tell everybody to get ready to up sticks. We’re moving in a couple of days.
Another agreeing grunt from Cassidy.
STEDGEWICK But we’ve got to make a few visits to the bank before we go. Enough to take us to America, I think. No, enough to buy us America. Get Varsh ready to go out tonight.
Cassidy grunts nervously.
STEDGEWICK I don’t give a tinker’s curse how he’ll feel about it. He’ll do as I say or I’ll let him rot away without his fix.
5.Victoria Hotel.Booze (a good Scottish Whiskey, I hope) is being poured into a glass.
MRS POTTER I don’t approve of alcohol, but this isn’t a temperance hotel yet, so here you are. But I won’t tolerate drunks. I’ve seen enough of them and I’ve only been running the place a fortnight since my brother-in-law passed...
ABBERLINE Thank you, Mrs Potter.
DOCTOR That will be all for tonight.
MRS POTTER But I...
DOCTOR Goodnight, Mrs Potter.
MRS POTTER (Not at all pleased)I’ll see you in the morning, then. Breakfast is at seven sharp. If you’re late, too bad. Lord or not.
ABBERLINE Lord ? Oh. Yeah. You told me.
DOCTOR Now why don’t you tell me what all this secrecy is about ?
TESS It’s obvious innit ? It’s the Ripper.
DOCTOR The Ripper ? Jack the Ripper ?
TESS What other Ripper would it be ? You do know he’s back in London, don’t you ?
DOCTOR Jack the Ripper back in London ? That’s not possible.
TESS You try telling that to the three girls he’s cut up in the past week.
DOCTOR Fred ?
ABBERLINE It’s true that there’ve been a couple of murders, Doctor. Pretty brutal. It’s no surprise that people are saying it’s our boy’s work.DOCTOR But I assure you, Tess, that whoever is responsible for these killings, it cannot be Jack the Ripper.
TESS How can you be so sure ? Unless you know who Jack was. You do, don’t you ? Both of you. Who was it ?
ABBERLINE We can’t say. We’ve sworn secrecy.
DOCTOR But they... he’s dead now. He can’t hurt anyone.
TESS So who’s cutting the working girls ?
DOCTOR I’m afraid I’ve no idea.
ABBERLINE But these killings are one of the reasons why I’m going by a different name. If people knew the copper who led the Ripper investigation had come back from retirement in France, they’d only be more sure it was the Ripper at work.
DOCTOR One of the reasons ? What’s the other ?
ABBERLINE I work as a freelance security consultant these days. Mainly at the casinos in Monte Carlo. The wife likes it there. Wants us to go over permanent.
DOCTOR But you still take jobs here.
ABBERLINE Especially ones like this. In the past three weeks, five small banks have been robbed.
DOCTOR Surely it took more than a spate of bank robberies to bring you back from France.
ABBERLINE It’s the way the banks were robbed that’s got people confused. Solid oak doors torn off the hinges, steel bars inches thick have been bent and broken, and ton safes have just been carried out of the banks. The local boys are drawn blanks, so the insurance companies have asked me to investigate, what with the East End having been my patch.
DOCTOR And you think the Fair is involved somehow ?
ABBERLINE The robberies started just after the Fair set up shop. I wanted a look at that strong man.
TESS He’s strong enough to do the stuff you say. I saw him close up. He’s huge, even inside that armour.
DOCTOR Armour ?
TESS Yeah. Like a knight. It’s a good costume. His breath don’t half smell, though.
DOCTOR Interesting. And these new Ripper murders. When did they start in relation to the robberies ?
ABBERLINE Around a week later, give or take a day. You think they’re connected.
DOCTOR London is a most extra-ordinary city, but even here, it would be an amazing coincidence if these two series of crimes began independently but at roughly the same time.
TESS In English ?
DOCTOR Yes. I think they’re linked. Fred, would it be possible for me to have a look at these unfortunate women ?
ABBERLINE You’re in luck. I ran into one of the inspector on the case earlier today. George Godley. He was one of my lads when I was in charge here. Asked if I’d mind lending a hand. I wasn’t keen but if you think it’s important I’ll get onto them first thing.
DOCTOR I’d have thought you’d be spending the night watching over a bank.
ABBERLINE Which one ? They could hit any one of a dozen banks next. I’ve got every one under watch and if anything happens, they know where to find me. In bed.
DOCTOR Which is where you should be, young lady.
TESS I beg your pardon ?
DOCTOR You’ve had a long a long day. A good night’s rest will do you the world of good.
TESS (Yawning)You could be right.
DOCTOR I usually am.
ABBERLINE Goodnight, Doctor. Miss.
TESS What about your drink ?
ABBERLINE I never drink when I’m on a job. Not any more.
TESS After all that fuss you raised about it ?
ABBERLINE I just like to know it’s there. Goodnight.Abberline leaves.
TESS What’s all that about ?
DOCTOR We all find our own ways of fighting our demons, Tess. Goodnight.
TESS ‘Night. Aren’t you going to bed ?
DOCTOR Probably not. I can last several days without sleep. Besides, I need to think.
TESS Right. See you in the morning, then. All right ?
DOCTOR (Absently)Hmm ? Yes ? Oh, absolutely.
TESS (Aware she’s talking to a brick wall)Right.
Closes the door.
6.London Street. Night.It’s fairly quiet. A cart moves across the cobbles, then pulls to a stop.
STEDGEWICK There she is. Half of our passports to America. Take us down the side-street to the left of the bank.
Cassidy grunts warning.
STEDGEWICK What is it ?
Another grunt.
STEDGEWICK I see him now. You got good eyes, Cassidy. Well done. We could have been in real trouble there. So the filth have the place under watch, eh ? Damn. That complicates things.
Cassidy grunts quite animatedly.
STEDGEWICK God, you’re right. If Varsh comes up at the bank that peeler’s bound to spot him. We got to find a way to stop him.
VARSH (Quietly)There is no need. I am already aware of the policeman watching the bank.
STEDGEWICK Varsh ! Jesus, you scared me half to death. How does somebody the size of you hide in the shadows like that anyway ?VARSH It’s what I have been trained to do.
STEDGEWICK Is your training up to getting rid of that copper ? There’s too much money in that bank to turn back now. And we don’t need no witnesses. Keep it quiet, an’ all.
VARSH I will not attack an unarmed man. Taking an inferior enemy by surprise is a dishonourable tactic.
STEDGEWICK I couldn’t give a tinker’s curse about dishonour. All I care about is that copper coming between me and what’s mine.
VARSH The money in the bank is not yours.
STEDGEWICK It’s gonna be. Cassidy. See to the boy in blue, nice and quiet like.
Affirming grunt from Cassidy. Cassidy moves off.
STEDGEWICK You’re pushing your luck, Varsh. Never forget, you need me to stay alive.
VARSH And you need me to steal the money for you. Perhaps I should raise the alarm and alert the police.
STEDGEWICK I don’t think you’re going to do that. What would the police do when they saw you ? Lock you up and throw away the key. And that’s before they start looking into your other little hobby.
VARSH What hobby are you talking about ? Explain.
STEDGEWICK It doesn’t bother me, but it doesn’t take a genius to work out you’re the Ripper.
VARSH What ?
STEDGEWICK It doesn’t bother me what you get up to. You could open Queen Victoria herself for all I care, just make sure you don’t lead the filth to the Fair.
VARSH You are worthless.
STEDGEWICK For all your big talk about honour and nobility, you’re as much of a killer as me. Here, quiet. There’s Cassidy. He’s almost there.
A sudden strangling noise as the policeman is throttled by Cassidy. He gurgles and chokes then is dropped to the ground. Cassidy grunts gleefully.
STEDGEWICK Got him. That’s how it’s done.
The cart trundles forward.
STEDGEWICK Good work, Cassidy.
VARSH The policeman is dead.
STEDGEWICK Even better. No chance of him walking up and nipping off while we’re in there.
VARSH It was unnecessary.
STEDGEWICK You had your chance. Now stop complaining and get that bank open.
Varsh lumbers across the street.
STEDGEWICK Quietly...
The door is ripped from it’s hinges.
7.Hotel. Morning.A door opens and someone comes in.
DOCTOR ‘Morning, Mrs Potter.MRS POTTER (A scream of terror)You could have given me heart failure. What on Earth are you doing sitting here in the dark ?
DOCTOR Waiting.
MRS POTTER What for ?
DOCTOR The bad news I’m sure morning is bound to bring us. You’re up early.
MRS POTTER Of course I am. Somebody has to get the place ready for you lot, I mean, the customers.
A knock at the door.
MRS POTTER Who would come knocking at this time of the morning ?
More knocking. Quite urgent.
DOCTOR The bad news I’ve been waiting for.
8.Abberline’s Room.The door is thrown open. Abberline is snoring.DOCTOR Wake up, Fred.
ABBERLINE (Half asleep)What ? Five minutes, Emma. Give’s a cuddle.
DOCTOR I’ll do no such thing. Rouse yourself, Man ! WAKE UP.
ABBERLINE Doctor ? What is it ?
DOCTOR There’s been another bank robbery.
ABBERLINE How ? We had every bank under surveillance.
DOCTOR There’s a policeman downstairs waiting to take us to the scene of the crime.
ABBERLINE I’ll be there in a minute.
DOCTOR And I’m afraid there’s worse news.
ABBERLINE Another murder ?
DOCTOR Two. One of them was the policeman on guard. I’ll be downstairs.TESS (Yawning)Doctor, what’s going on ? It’s the middle of the night.
DOCTOR All the more reason for you to go back to bed.
TESS You said something about another bank being robbed.
DOCTOR Yes.
TESS And two murders ?
DOCTOR I’m afraid so.
TESS Then I’m sticking with you and Abberline. It’s the only way I shall feel safe.
DOCTOR Tess, you couldn’t be further from the truth. You...
Door closes. Then opens again.
TESS Two minutes.
Door closes again.
9.The Bank. Exterior.There’s the general rumble of a gathered crowd, muttering and starting rumours.
ABBERLINE Same as the other banks, Doctor
DOCTOR The door’s been torn from its hinges.
ABBERLINE According to the feller who works here, the doors weighs...
DOCTOR (Interrupting)Six hundred and forty pounds, I’d imagine. Give or take.
ABBERLINE Right. I hate it when you do that.
TESS That Varsh could have done that. He’s easy strong enough.
ABBERLINE It’s impossible for one man to do that.
TESS You’d be surprised what damage one man can do.
ABBERLINE How do you mean ?
DOCTOR Is there anything interesting inside the bank ?
ABBERLINE See for yourself.
10.The Bank. Interior.The Doctor’s group enter the bank, their footsteps on wooden floorboards.
ABBERLINE It’s like all the other robberies. Whoever it was...
TESS (Interrupting)Varsh, I’m telling you.
ABBERLINE Whoever it was, used brute strength to rip the door off the safe. Took over four thousand pounds.
TESS Four thousand pounds ? That’s more than I can dream of.
DOCTOR Our thief evidently has some rather grand dreams.(Thoughtful)Not to mention rather large feet.
ABBERLINE A print ?
DOCTOR Not quite, Fred, but you can see where he braced his feet when he opened the safe. Two indentations in the wooden floorboards. They’re quite clear.
ABBERLINE This is a hardwood floor, Doctor. The force you’d need to do that...
DOCTOR Is beyond any normal human. I know. I think we should pay this Mr Varsh of yours a visit, Tess.
TESS You’d better bring plenty of boys in blue. He’s huge.
ABBERLINE Before we do that, George Godley asked if we’d take a look at the bodies. He’s a good man. Best sergeant I ever had.
DOCTOR If we must.
ABBERLINE We must.
DOCTOR Very well. Tess...
TESS I’m not staying here on my own. I’m coming with you.
DOCTOR Please yourself.
11.Street Corner.Crowd noises.
COPPER Keep moving. Move along. There’s nothing to see here. It’s not a circus, you know. Move along.
ABBERLINE There he is, poor sod.
TESS Can’t somebody at least close his eyes. It’s horrible the way they’re staring like that.
DOCTOR Interesting...
ABBERLINE Doctor, a good man’s lying here dead and all you can say is “interesting” ?
DOCTOR And if we ignore the obvious clues in front of us, we may well wind up with a deal more good men lying dead in the street. Now what do you make of those markings on his neck ?
ABBERLINE Strangling, of course.
DOCTOR Fred, you’re looking but not seeing. Look at the size of the bruises and the way the fingers obviously dug into the flesh.ABBERLINE Somebody was squeezing his neck for all they were worth. Small-ish hands and all.
TESS But Varsh has huge hands. Big as plates.
DOCTOR And why would someone with the strength to tear open safes need to squeeze as hard as that hard to kill this fellow ? I think not.
ABBERLINE An accomplice. There’s more than one of them. Again.
DOCTOR Which might explain something that’s been bothering me. How someone the size of this Varsh, if indeed it is him, could move around so easily without being seen.
TESS He’s huge - as big as you two put together.
DOCTOR I’ll try not to take that as a comment about my waistline.
ABBERLINE There’s nothing more we can learn from this lad. George, get him off the street. Give him a decent burial.
TESS Poor bloke.
ABBERLINE You handled seeing a dead body well, Miss. I’ve known a lot of lads who’d have passed out on the spot.
TESS It’s not the first time I’ve seen a dead body.
DOCTOR Fred, where’s the other body ?
ABBERLINE Down at the morgue waiting for a post mortem.
DOCTOR What are you waiting for ? Stop dawdling. We don’t have all day.
12.The Morgue.The room sounds cold (if possible) - voices echo a little.
ABBERLINE Well, what do you reckon to her, Doctor ?
DOCTOR It’s not good.
Sound of Tess throwing up.
DOCTOR Deep breaths, Tess.
TESS Sorry, Doctor. It’s just I didn’t expect anything this horrible.
DOCTOR It’s nothing to be ashamed of. Why don’t you go and wait outside.
TESS I think you’re right.
Door closes behind Tess.
ABBERLINE I don’t blame her, Doctor. I thought we’d seen the last of these six years ago.
DOCTOR We both know it’s not the same culprit.
ABBERLINE All the same, it takes you back.
DOCTOR Has anyone touched the body since it was brought in ?
ABBERLINE No. She’s exactly as they found her. Her organs have been placed back on her chest where they were, and so have her possessions, such as they are.
DOCTOR It’s a precise killing. The cuts are clean - not a serrated edge. Odd the way the cuts have been made. The way they cross it seems that they were made in a precise order. Is it possible to see the other bodies ?
ABBERLINE Should be. The local pathologist, what’s his name, Lightfoot ? He’s been sent over to Baker Street for some reason or other. Something about Sumatra.
DOCTOR He does have some experience of giant... what’s this ?
ABBERLINE Found something ?
DOCTOR Take a look at this. On her shoulder.
ABBERLINE A cut ? It’s well away from the majority of the damage.
DOCTOR An exactly beside where the killer laid her entrails. It’s a remarkably intricate design, too.
ABBERLINE Definitely a different blade. Must have taken them quite a time to cut the design, too.
DOCTOR So to run that extra risk of being caught, this design must be important to our murderer.
Sound of a big door being opened and a sheet thrown back.
DOCTOR There. On the shoulder of the previous victim.
ABBERLINE A signature ?
DOCTOR Definitely someone marking their work.
ABBERLINE Obviously they want their brand seen and all.
DOCTOR Yes. I wonder why.
ABBERLINE We’ll ask them when we catch them.
DOCTOR That’s the spirit. We’d better see how Tess is doing.
13.Mortuary.Tess is waiting for the Doctor and Abberline.
TESS Hello.
DOCTOR How are you feeling now ?
TESS I hope I look better than I feel, that’s all I can say.
DOCTOR Are you up to a little job ?
TESS As long as it don’t involve eating. My stomach’s doing flips.
DOCTOR Excellent. Fred, would you by any chance happen to have a map of the area ?
ABBERLINE Back at the hotel.
DOCTOR Excellent. Come along, you two. Pick your feet up.
14.The Hotel.A map is unfolded.
DOCTOR The robberies were here, here, here and so on.
ABBERLINE Yes.
DOCTOR And the dates are accurate ? Of course they are. My apologies, Fred.
ABBERLINE The robberies are marked in red, the murders in blue.
TESS The robberies is all close to the one area but the murders are all over the place.
DOCTOR Not quite. Check the dates.
ABBERLINE I see what you mean. It’s like the killer’s working his way to the area at the centre of the robberies.
DOCTOR And what do we find at the centre of this area ? The common where Varsh’s Fun Fair is pitched. It seems that you could be right, Tess.
TESS Told you. So what now ? Are you going to arrest Varsh ?
DOCTOR On what grounds ? Being strong and in the general area hardly counts as compelling evidence.
ABBERLINE It’d get chucked out of court quicker than you could hiccup. We need solid proof.
TESS That excuse again. So what are we gonna do ?
DOCTOR I want you to help Inspector Abberline try to identify the mark that was cut into each of the murder victims. I’m certain it’s important.
TESS And what will you be doing ?
DOCTOR Nothing much.
TESS I don’t believe a word of it.
ABBERLINE Neither do I. You’re going to see this Varsh character at the Fair.
DOCTOR What can I say ? It’s a fair cop, guv ?
ABBERLINE Right. I’m coming with you.
TESS So am I.
DOCTOR Absolutely not. I’m just going there for a quite reconnoiter. Slip in, have a quick look round and then slip back out as inconspicuously as possible.
ABBERLINE Doctor, in that coat, you couldn’t butter toast inconspicuously.
DOCTOR What is the fixation you people have with this coat ? Very well, I’ll pick up a change of clothing en route, but I am going alone and that is final. No arguments. Besides, I really do need to know what that symbol means.
ABBERLINE I don’t like it, Doctor.
TESS Me neither, but I reckon you’re stubborn enough to not go at all if we tried to join you.
DOCTOR You know me so well already.
ABBERLINE All right, Doctor. You win. But be careful.
DOCTOR Aren’t I always ?
ABBERLINE Do you really want me to answer that ?
15.Stedgewick’s Fair.A muttering of workers.
WORKER 1 (Fading into distance)The boss says we’ve to be ready to hit the road at any time, so don’t unpack any more of that...
As soon as Worker 1's voice fades, the Doctor emerges.
DOCTOR (To himself)Walked right past me. Perhaps Fred was right about the coat, after all. Pity. Black isn’t my colour. It’s so... dull. Right. Varsh’s caravan is over this way, as I remember.
He walks for a few moments, then stops short.
DOCTOR Good grief.
He raps on metal.
DOCTOR Dutrenium alloy hull. Heat shielded. It’s a short-range space-transport.
He opens the door.
DOCTOR Hello ? Anybody home ? Hello ?
He creeps in. The ship’s systems buzz and hum quietly.
DOCTOR Hello ?
COMPUTER In... In... Intruder.
DOCTOR Who ? Me ? No, I’m just selling insurance. Third party, fire and theft. I’ll pop back later.
COMPUTER Intruder. Initiating defence systems.
DOCTOR No. Wait. Don’t...
The sound of an electronic weapon. The Doctor yells then falls hard to the deck.