“I’ve wasted enough time on you!” threatens Number2 and moves towards the bed.
Number 73 screams.
Number 6 hears a woman scream and runs to the hospital, up the stairs, bursting into a room just to see a woman jump out of her bed, dash across the room, to hurl herself out of the window.
Number 73 is dead. “You’ll pay for this Number Six.”
“No you will!” Number 6 replies.
It is understood that they could not find 73’s husband, that’s why she was brought to the Village so that she could tell them. What made them think 73 knew where her husband was? He could be anywhere behind the Iron Curtain. Besides which, they had the photograph of the woman Mariah with 73’s husband. If they could get a photograph of them together, why didn’t they take him then?
Some little time after 73’s suicide, Number 6 is in his cottage when he receives a telephone call from Number 2.
“I want to see you immediately” says Number 2.
“We’ve got nothing to talk about” says Number 6 and puts the receiver down, and leaves his cottage.
Number 6 has gone for a long walk in the countryside. But he’s not alone for long, as a taxi arrives, driven by Number 24, accompanied by three thugs. The taxi stops, Number 14 sits behind the wheel as the three bully boys jump out and surround Number 6 on the track. A fight ensues, but Number 6 has had the better got of him, and is manhandled into the taxi, which drives off with everyone aboard, including the struggling Number 6.
Eventually the taxi arrives back in the Village, and Number 6 is escorted up the stone steps by two the bully boys, into the Green Dome, and into Number 2’s office. Number 14 stands by Number 2’s desk, while Number 6 is bundled into a chair that rises up through a hole in the floor.
“You defied my instructions to come here. We have things to discuss” begins Number 2.
“About the girl you murdered” Number 6 suggests.
“Oh never mind about the girl. I want to talk about you.”
“You’re wasting your time, many have tried” is Number 6’s defiant reply.
“Amateurs.”
“You’re a professional, a professional sadist?”
It would appear so, as with a flick of his wrist Number 2 pulls out a blade of a sword from his shooting stick. Brandishing the sword before him, Number 2 approaches the sitting figure of Number 6, the tip of the blade over the bridge of the Prisoner’s nose.
“Light blue, fearless, or are you? Each man has his breaking point, you are no exception” Number 2 tells him prodding Number 6’s forehead with the tip of the blade.
Number 6 reacts. Number 2 wants to know what’s going on in his mind. It’s disgust! Number 6 thinks he’s strong, well we’ll see. You must be hammer or anvil. And Number 2 sees Number 6 as the anvil which he is going to hammer!
Suddenly at that threat the large red, oversized curved telephone begins to bleep, Number Two picks it up. Number 1 wants to know if Number 2 requires assistance. Number 2 assures Number 1 that everything is under control, that there’s no problem, and that he can manage.
Number 6 is allowed to leave Number 2’s office, but with the promise by Number 2 that he’ll break him!
Alone in his office Number 2 picks up the yellow ‘L’ shaped telephone and calls the supervisor-No.26, ordering that there is to be special surveillance on Number 6, and that any unusual activity is to be reported to him personally.
Leaving the Green Dome, Number 6 goes down the steps, crosses the road, and as he crossing the cobbled square, a notice in the bay window catches his eye. “Music Makes For A Quiet Mind.” He enters the General Store.
There are other music orientated posters “Music says all” and “Music Begins Where Words Leave Off.” Number 6 helps himself to a copy if the daily issue of The Tally Ho from the rack of the wall. The shopkeeper stands behind the counter and greets his customer warmly.
“Good morning sir. The Tally Ho that will be two credit units if you please.”
“Thank you so much” replies Number 6 handing over his credit card. Then he sees the records, they are new, special import.
Number 6 would like to hear the Davier recording of Bizet’s L’arlessiene., and asks the shopkeeper how many copies he has. As it so happens he has six, and Number 6 would like to listen to them all, despite they’re being all the same, which Number 6 doubts! The shopkeeper collects the six records, at the insistence of his customer, and to whom he hands them, and who turns to the made-up record booth in order to listen the each of the records.
Here’s a curious thing, and the shopkeeper stands observing this. Number 6 listens to the first few seconds of each record before going onto the next. What’s more he seems to be timing them. He wrote something down on a piece of paper, but we don’t know what, and nor does the shopkeeper. Oh yes, and one further thing, his Tally Ho, he writes a question mark over the word “Security!”
Anyway the recordings were not satisfactory. And yet the shopkeeper thought them to be first class. But then I suppose it’s a question of taste. And with that Number 6 leaves the shop, but lurks about outside watching the General store, watching as the shopkeeper leaves his shop. Under his arm he has the six records, together with the copy of The Tall Ho. He makes his way across the square, across the street, up the steps to the Green Dome.
“And you say he was timing them?” asks Number 2, taking the final record off the turntable of the record player.
“Yes sir I’m positive. There was one in particular
“I don’t suppose you know which one?”
“I’ve no idea sir. He kept looking at his watch, then he wrote something down on a piece of paper.”
“Did he now” Number 2 pondered “the sleeves are all the same, no variation in tempo, what was Number Six listening for. What makes one of these records different?”
“I’ve no idea sir.”
{Number 6 wasn’t listening for anything, he was jamming. There‘s The Tally Ho yet}
“And that’s not all sir, he left his Tally Ho behind.”
Number 2 takes the offered copy of the newspaper, and looks at the front page, the word security with a written question mark over it. Number 2 lets the Shopkeeper go, taking the records with him, but not The Tally Ho broad sheet.
While Number 2 muses over the question mark against security, he switches on the wall screen. Number 6 is pictured going to his writing desk. He sits down and writes something on a note pad. He then tears off the sheet of paper, folds it and places it in a pocket of his blazer, while carefully looking at the indentations of his writing has made on the next sheet. This too he tears off, folds it and places that in his pocket before leaving his cottage.
Later that day Number 6 is at the Café enjoying a cup of coffee while he reads a copy of the newspaper. He espies Number 14 walking passed the cafe {Number 14 is Number 2’s assistant} and so Number 6 follows him through the Village and along a path, and watches Number 14 enter ‘6 Private,’ and waits for him to emerge.
Inside the cottage Number 14 goes to the writing desk, and tears off the top sheet of the writing pad. He examines it briefly, then exiting ‘6 Private,’ with Number 6 observing from cover, Number 14 makes his way to the Green Dome.
Number 14 is a loyal and devoted citizen of the Village, and assistant to Number 2. His one aim is to serve, if only 2 will allow him to help. But Number 2 keeps his cards close to his chest. It would seem that in his call for an increase in vigilance, he doesn’t trust anyone, not even those closest to him. As he sees enemies in the Village, although he does not know who they are!
Number 14 is told to just obey orders, and leaves his superior to discover what it was Number 6 wrote on that note pad. Apparently is was a message to XO4, Ref your query via Bizet Record. No.2’s instability confirmed. Detailed report follows D6. Number 6.….a plant?
Later that evening Number 6 is lying on his bed reading a book. He checks his wrist watch, climbs off the bed, and takes a large white envelope from under the sheets. Crossing into the lounge he checks outside through the window. It’s dark, perhaps only a few minutes from curfew. He leaves his cottage carrying the white envelope. He’s not bothered that he is being watched, because he is, by both Number 2 and 14.
Number 6 makes his way along a path down to the sea wall, followed by 14 who is in constant radio contact with Number 2. 14 watches as number 6 walks along the sea wall, and keeps on reporting. Number 2 follows Number 14, as Number 6 makes his way passed the swimming pool, he’s making for the Stoneboat. He goes into the main cabin, then moments later he emerges minus the envelope. Number 2 orders 14 to let Number 6 go, and he’ll join him at the stone boat. Together 2 and 14 go into the cabin, they find the white envelope under the cushion of a seat.
Back in the Green Dome Number 14 is as excited to find out what is in the envelope, as Number 2.
“I shan’t need you any more fourteen, you can go.”
“But I thought………”
“Don’t! Just obey orders.”
“Yes sir” Number 14 replies, then turns and smartly marches up the ramp and out through the opening steel doors.
Alone Number 2 is about to savour a victory. He’s about to open that white envelope and remove the contents, and discover what it was Number 6 had left in the Stoneboat. Perhaps it’s that detailed report for XO4! Ah! There’s nothing written on the sheets of paper. They are just four blank sheets of paper! Or are they? Number 2 telephones the laboratory asking laboratory technician No.243 to come over to his office right away.
Steel doors open and No.243 walks down the ramp into No.2’s office.
“I want you to test these” Number 2 orders, handing 243 the sheets of paper.
The lab technician turns the blank sheets of paper in his hands “Yes sir…for what?”
“Anything, words, figures, whatever’s written on them.”
“243 stares at the blank sheets of paper “There seems…….”
“Don’t argue with me, I’m telling you there is a message of some kind. Try everything, X-ray, infra-red…..what are you staring at?”
“Nothing” says Number 243.
“Then get on with it” Number 2 barks out.
It is with a look of disbelief that Number 243 leaves the office, and the Green Dome.
So with his colleague Number 242, the two lab technicians try every possible test they can think of, including the fumes test, the lemon juice test, as well the heat test all used in the test for invisible writing, but nothing. Number 242 suggests they put the blank sheets of paper through the tests again. But what’s the point of that? They are what they appear to be, blank sheets of paper. Number 2 isn’t going to like this!
Number 2 didn’t like Number 243’s report on the blank sheets of paper at all. Number 2 cannot believe it.
“Why should Number 6 hide blank sheets of paper in the Stoneboat?”
But perhaps the lab technician is hiding something? Number 2 turns his attention to 243. Perhaps there was a message and he’s not telling Number 2. But then why should he do that? Perhaps the laboratory technicians are in it with Number 6. But no, 243 hasn’t a clue as to what Number 2 is talking about, and is told by Number 2 to get out!
Meanwhile Number 6 is out and about in the Village. He approaches a kiosk, and asks the young woman there to place a message in the personal column in the next issue of The Tally Ho. “Hay mas mal en eldea que se suena,” Spanish, from Don Quixote. This is a joke between Number 6 and a certain friend.
Walking away from the kiosk, Number 6 goes to a nearby telephone kiosk and telephones the hospital, the head of the psychiatric department. He asks what’s the verdict on our friend.
“Friend, friend, who is this?” asks the doctor.
“Your report on Number Two” urges Number 6.
“Number Two, what are you talking about?”
“I understand, you’d rather not speak on the telephone, probably very wise. Never mind, I’ll be seeing you later on, mm mm.”
Later in the Green Dome there is a meeting between Number 2 and the Head of the Psychiatric Department. An audio tape recording of the telephone conversation between the doctor and Number 6 is being played. The doctor has a worried look on his face. Number 2 asks the doctor if he would explain.
“I can’t. I’m as much in the dark as you are!”
“Are you? You don’t know who it was who telephoned you?”
“No” the doctor replies.
“It was Number Six.”
A test is run using the oscilloscope. Voices are like fingerprints, even if the voice is disguised the pattern doesn’t change. The tape is played again, and the doctor is treated to a visual display of the voice pattern on the tape, displayed on the wall screen. This along with the voice pattern of Number 6, taking the word “you,” taken from a routine interview with Number 6. If the two voice patterns are the same, they will lock. They do, the voice on the tape recorder is that of Number 6. So why did Number 6 ring the doctor?
The doctor pleads innocence. He has absolutely no idea why Number 6 should telephone him. What’s more the doctor isn’t preparing a report on Number 2’s mental health {I bet he is after this interview!}. And Number 6 didn’t see him later. So why did Number 6 telephone the doctor Head of Psychiatrics? Well that’s obvious I should have thought. It’s like the episode with the records, the question mark written over the word security on the front page of The Tally Ho, together with the note from D6 to XO4, and the blank sheets of paper hidden in the Stoneboat. Number 6 is jamming, as well as playing on Number 2‘s paranoia!
Outside in the Village Number 6 approaches the Bandstand. He speaks with the band leader, moments later the brass band is playing the Farendale from the L’Aliessiene suite. It’s not long before the leader of the brass band, Number 202, is called into Number 2’s office, to undergo interrogation.
“A request you say.”
“Yes sir, that’s all. He asked me to play the Farendale from the L’Alessienne suit.”
“What else?” Number 2 asks.
“I don’t understand.”
“What else did he say?”
“Nothing sir.”
“Nothing! Number Six just asked you to play a tune……and then simply walked away.”
“Did he sir, I didn’t notice.”
“Does that make sense to you?”
“No sir.”
“No it doesn’t, does it? I’ll ask you once again…..did Number Six say anything else?”
“He didn’t sir” confirms the band leader.
But this is not what Number 2 wanted to hear. He flies into a rage, accusing 202 of lying.
“I don’t know what you mean sir!”
“I don’t know what you mean sir. You’re all lying. It’s a plot! Going behind my back. Who do they think they’re dealing with? Pigmies! Oh get out, get out!”
Number 6 is in the Village cemetery, he’s studying the headstone, the newest one being that of 73. He sees an older headstone 113, which suits his purpose very well. Returning to the Village, Number 6 acknowledges the salute from a passing citizen, before dropping a folded slip pf paper in the blue post box, then cheerily goes on his way.
“And here is a message for Number Six” reads the Supervisor-Number 26 from the Control Room, his voice booming out over the Village via the public address system “It is from one-one-three and it reads, warmest greetings on your birthday. May the sunshine on you today and everyday. That concludes the personal messages, we continue with music.
Upon hearing that message Number 2 checks a file, then with his assistant Number 14 in tow, makes his way from the Green Dome to the Control room beneath the Town Hall.
Steel doors open and Number 2 and 14 walk though onto the steel gantry in the Control Room.
“What’s going on here?” Number 2 barks out.
“Going on Number Two?” replies the Supervisor.
“That personal message for Number Six.”
“What about it?”
“Do you think I’m stupid?”
“I…I don’t understand!”
Looks like the Supervisor is in trouble! You see that message is not right. It’s not Number 6’s birthday today, and Number 113 doesn’t exist. No, she was an old woman in a wheelchair who died a month ago. Of course the Supervisor swears his innocence, that he knows nothing. And that message for Number 6 “May the sun shine on you today and every day” he doesn’t know what it is, because it means what it is. And isn’t a coded message for Number 6! And yet that’s not good enough for Number 2, because he finishes the Supervisor, who is relieved of his post, and replaced by his assistant Number 60. And if Number 60 knows what’s good for him, he’ll keep away from Number 6, or he’ll lose more than his job. And that goes for the lot of them in the Control Room! According to Number 2 there’s a conspiracy in the Village, and he’s going to break it!
The next day Number 2 is in his office with his assistant Number 14. Number 2 is reading the personal column in The Tally Ho.
“You say Number six put this personal ad in?”
“Yes sir, I checked as soon as I saw it” Number 14 replies.
“Hey mas mal en el aldea que se suena……The is more harm in the village than is dreamt.”
Number 14 suggests that something must be done about Number 6. Number 2 says that he can take care of him. But Number 14 presses his point, that something must be done soon. Everyday Number 6 is a bigger threat to Number 2 personally. Number 14 wants Number 2 to let him deal with Number 6 who is undermining his superior’s authority.
“Give me the word, he doesn’t hide it” says Number 14 pointing to the newspaper “he’s out to poison the whole village.”
The only trouble is, Number 6 is a plant. If anything should happen to him Number 2’s masters would know who is responsible. But Number 14 asks Number 2 to leave it to him, they’ll never connect him with it. An accident, it’s the only way is 14’s suggestion.
Number 2 and 14 make to leave the office, but encounter Number 6 in the foyer.
“What do you want?” Number 2 asks.
“I don’t want anything, you sent for me” Number 6 tells him.
“I did?”
“You telephoned me, said you wanted to see me urgently.”
“I didn’t phone you.”
“It was your voice. He said he was Number Two. Someone in this village is impersonating you!”
Number 2 leaves the foyer, saying he has some calls to make. Number 14 approaches Number 6 accusing him of being a troublemaker. Number 14 would like to dust Number 6 down, he’d really enjoy that. Well there’s nothing stopping him. Number 14 challenges Number 6 to a bout of Kosho, which Number 6 accepts. Kosho consists of two opponents wearing Cossack garb, a crash helmet, baseball boots, and a pair of different coloured boxing mits. A pair of trampolines, and a three-sided wall, and a tank of water. The one who dunks his opponent in the tank of water is the winner. But this bout ends in a draw, because just as Number 6 is about to dunk Number 14 into the tank of water, two other Kosho athletes appear, and for some reason Number 6 pulls Number 14 up, saving him from a dunking!
Later that day Number 6 is in the cobbled square outside the General Store, when his attention is taken by a number of pigeons on the roof. He enters the General Store and purchases a small notebook, and a Cuckoo clock. But he seemed to be looking for a specific one as the Shopkeeper reports to Number 2. He didn’t want the one the Shopkeeper picked. But then it wasn’t the Cuckoo clock, it was the box Number 6 especially wanted.
Sitting outside his cottage Number 6 is eating a ham sandwich, the remains of which he throws into the box, supporting the open flap with a pencil. It’s a trap in which to snare a pigeon. And then what’s Number 6 doing with that clock? It’s a bomb! That’s it, it must be a bomb! Having seen Number 6 place the bomb at the door of the Green Dome Number 2 sends for the bomb disposal unit, who take the bomb away for deactivation.
Number 6 returns to his cottage, and picking up both his pencil, and the box having caught his pigeon, he strolls off into the woods. Meanwhile the Cuckoo clock has been disassembled by bomb disposal. That’s all it turns out to be. But the question is, which is the Cuckoo in the Village? It appears to be Number 2!
In the Control Room an Observer reports to the new Supervisor-no.60 that Number 6 is approaching a restricted area. The Supervisor picks up an ‘L’ shaped telephone and puts a call through to Number 2.
“What is it, what’s the matter?”
“Number Six approaching restricted area” the Supervisor reports.
Number 2 asks what‘s he up to? He’s in the Mangrove walk, he could be making for the shore or the hills. Number 2 gives the order not to lose Number 6, and says that he’s coming over.
Somewhere on a deserted track Number 6 puts the box containing the pigeon on the ground. Taking the notebook and pencil from his blazer pocket he notes down the following numbers in the said notebook,
20 60 40 47
67 81 91 80
Then he tears the page out of the notebook, rolls it up, and attaches it to the pigeon’s leg via a ring on one of the birds legs, then releases the bird.
“Track that bird!” the Supervisor orders, who had been watching Number 6 on the wall screen.
The bird is tracked by radar. Then the Supervisor orders the activation of the Beam, a device which emerges from out of the Village flagpole.
“Beam on” announces an operator.
They are still tracking the bird, yellow, tracking, orange, it’s out of sight!
The Supervisor orders radar to get a fix. They get a fix.
“Hellfire!” the Supervisor orders.
Just at that moment the pair of steel doors to the Control room open, and Number 2 marches in. Standing on the gantry wants to know what the Supervisor is doing. It would seem that Number 6 is sending a message outside of the Village via pigeon! That pigeon must not be destroyed. It must be brought down. Number 2 wants that pigeon!
“Beam minimum strength” Number 2 orders “fire.”
Eventually the pigeon is found and brought to Number 2 in the Code and Cipher Room, and the piece of paper removed from the leg. The numbers of the code written down on the piece of paper are fed into a computer, and decoded the message reads “Vital message tomorrow at o six hundred hours by visual signal.”
The next morning Number 6 makes his way through the Village and down onto the beach. His every step is watched by Number 2 and the Observers in the Control Room, via camera five, eight, and thirteen. Number 6 walks out onto the wide expanse of the beach. He crouches down and takes a hand mirror from a pocket of his blazer and begins to send a message in Morse code by heliograph. Number 2 orders the cameras to zoom in on Number 6, to get as close in as possible. He wants that Morse written down. But the question is, who is Number 6 signalling to. There’s no ship out at sea. There’s no aircraft flying over, and no sign of a submarine on sonar.
“That Morse, did you get it down?” Number 2 asks an Observer.
“Yes sir.”
“Well!” barks Number 2
Pat a cake pat a cake bakers man, bake me a cake as fast as you can” says the Observer reading the message.
Number 6 is dismayed by this, it must be a special code. He takes the message to the Cipher Room where a technician feeds it into a computer. The result is quickly printed out on paper by the computer and handed to Number 2, it reads “Pat a cake pat a cake bakers man, bake me a cake as fast as you can.” But that’s what was put in, and that’s what came out. It is a new code, and the computer it seems is not programmed for it. Number 2 hurries out of the Cipher Room in a right mood, half tripping himself up as he goes!
Later that morning at the Café, Number 14 is having breakfast, when Number 6 approaches his table and asks him if he slept well. Apparently Number 6 had a terrible night. He couldn’t sleep, so restless and there’s no point in lying in bed when you’re awake is there.
“So I got up, went out, had a long walk on the beach. It’s marvellous that time of day, invigorating. The air brisk and clear. The rain on your face. The wind on your cheek, don’t look now, the waiters watching.”
Number 14 thinks Number 6 must be out of his mind!
“Yes it’s the only way. I’m so glad you agree with me!”
Later it’s Number 14 who is being interviewed by Number 2, who wants to know what it was Number 6 wanted with him. He doesn’t for one moment believe that Number 6 simply came over to ask Number 14 if he slept well. The waiter said you were whispering. Number 14 wasn’t, but Number 6 was. Well the truth of the matter is Number 6 spoke a load of rubbish, but Number 14 is unable to convince his superior. Number 2 thought 14 to be someone he could trust. The funny thing is, he can. 14 is loyal, and not the traitor Number 2 accuses him to be. Eventually Number 2 flies into a hysterical rage, slapping 14 across the face, and telling to get out. 14 makes to leave the Green Dome, Number 2 quickly follows him.
“You’ve lost, you and your friends. I’ll break the lot of you, oh yes. You too! He yells at the
Number 2 raises his arm to strike the butler “Oh yes. Get out, get out of this house!”
Number 14 heads to Number 6 ‘s cottage. Number 6 is listening to music, music makes for a quiet mind. 14 enters the cottage, he tells 6 to turn the record player off. Number 6 wants to know his problem, and 14 accuses him of putting in the poison with Number 2. A vicious fight breaks out, resulting in Number 14 being thrown out of the cottage…..through the French door taking the balcony with him!
Back to the Green Dome, and the butler cuts a very sad figure as with suitcase in hand, and overcoat slung over his arm, he shakes the dust of the Green Dome from his feet.
Another sad figure is of Number 2. He’s all alone, and appears to be clasping the handlebars of the penny farthing bicycle for comfort. Suddenly the pair of steel doors open and Number 6 walks down the ramp into the office. Number 2 asks him what he’s doing there. Number 6, the kind and thoughtful man that he is, has come to keep Number 2 company. He’s heard that all his friends have deserted him, that he can’t trust anyone anymore.
“You do feel alone don’t you?” mocks the Prisoner.
“What do you want?” Number 2 asks.
Number 6 wants to talk, to listen. But Number 2 hasn’t anything to say. At the beginning Number 2 said you have to be anvil or hammer, well who’s the hammer now? Number 2 said he would break Number 6, but Number 2 has been left the broken man, all because he would not trust those closest to him.
Number 2 got it all wrong. Number 6 isn’t a plant sent to the Village to check on security, to check on him. However Number 6 says for arguments sake, let’s say Number 2 was right, that Number 6 was a plant. What would have been Number 2’s first duty? Not to interfere. But he did interfere, there is a word for that……sabotage!
Number 2 destroyed himself. He has a character flaw, Number 2 was afraid of his masters. A weak link in the chain of command waiting to be broken! Number 2 begs Number 6 not to report him. Number 6 tells Number 2, handing him the telephone, that he’s going to report himself.
Number 2 takes the telephone and sits back in his chair “I have to report a break down in control…..yes this is Number 2 reporting……..”
Number 6 walks up the ramp, the pair of steel doors open. Pausing he looks back at the tragic and broken man who had once been Number 2, Chairman of the Village, sat in his chair sobbing his eyes out.
Be seeing you next time when we wish Number 6 many happy returns!
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