Jumping The Gun!

    It’s possible that the President jumped the gun when he accused Number 2 of biting the hand that feeds, because up until that point Number 2 had been loyal, he’d put his life on the line for the cause and paid the ultimate price, with his life. It’s not his fault they couldn’t let him die in peace. It’s soon after his resuscitation that Number 2 turns on and bites the hand that feeds, by suggesting that Number 1, whatever it is, whoever it is, will no longer hypnotize him. That he’ll die with his own mind!
   But Number 2 himself once jumped the gun, during the deliberations with Number 6 in the Embryo Room during Degree Absolute. At School the young Number 6 had just graduated, it is a joyous moment for any boy, especially for our prize pupil and as he is launched into the rapids of adulthood the Headmaster looks back on the ups and downs of his childhood, and views with some satisfaction the fine specimen you see standing before the Headmaster, who asks the pupil if he has anything to say. But the pupil has nothing to say for himself, nothing at all, except “Thank you for everything sir.” The Headmaster offers his congratulations, he sees the pupil as doing well, is proud of his pupil, proud that he has learned to manage that rebellious spirit. Proud that his obedience is absolute.
    “Why did you resign?”
    “What’s that sir?”
    “Oh come along boy, why did you resign?”
    “From what sir?”
    “No my boy you know perfectly well what I’m talking about. Why did you resign?”
    “I can’t tell you that sir.”
    Of course he can’t, because he’s only just graduated from school, it wouldn’t be for another 28 years before ZM73 {for want of a better name} would hand in his letter of resignation and resign his top secret, confidential job!
    Number 2 was far too quick off the mark! Even if he had got Number 6 to give away the reason behind his resignation, what then? They would still be locked together for the remainder of the week until the time lock on the door released itself! What would they have done then? Sit about talking, being entertained by the Butler playing the organ?! It would have soon become exceedingly boring, and probably in time they might well have tried to manipulate the time lock in order to release the door early. In fact towards the end, when time was fast running out, Number 2 did try to manipulate the door’s time lock, to reset it to open on a new phase in Number 2’s relationship with the Prisoner. But it was to no avail, door time locks are notorious for being non-manipulative!   

Be seeing you