Menace From The Deep
“Probably
no legendary creature was as horrifying as the Kraken, a giant sea monster.”
Somewhere on the sea bed, there lurks a malevolent beast, which while contained brings no harm to no man. Yet once the Kraken is released….. In the murky sea something stirs, a slight heaving motion. Then a gurgling sound, something resembling a large bubble is released. It rises upwards from the depths. It’s membrane contorted by the pressure of the water, taking on a white hue, to finally burst through onto the surface of the water emitting its blood curdling roar, and skims away across the sea.
For Number 6 the day began as any other day. Having washed, shaved, and dressed, his breakfast consisting of Village corn flakes, the box containing a small plastic toy {in this case a Village taxi} toast, and strong black coffee to fortify him for the rigours of the day. Leaving the kitchen he crossed the lounge, pulled back the curtains and peered out through the window. For once the sun was not shining. The usually blue sky was obscured by dense grey clouds, what’s more it was raining! Finishing his second cup of coffee he put on his green anorak and braced himself for his morning constitutional around The Village. Once outside one could wax lyrical about the weather, the air crisp and clear, and so invigorating at that time of day. The rain on your face, the wind on your cheek, but this morning it was just plain wet and windy! There were usually few people milling about at that early hour of the day, but this morning there was even fewer citizens out and about, due no doubt to the inclement weather. And those who were, had their faces buried beneath colourful striped umbrellas which they fought against being blown inside out by the wind. Number 6 pulled the collar of his anorak as high as he could, buried his hands deep in the pockets, faced up to the wind and rain, and walked on. He declined climbing the Bell Tower, but had he done so he would have observed a disturbance on the surface of the water in the estuary. First air bubbles, then two black shapes broke through onto the surface of the water and swam towards the slipway, where two other figures in blue wetsuits stood watching their companions. The two scuba divers emerged from the water, removed their goggles and flippers and walked up the slipway to join their companions, and removed the air tanks strapped to their backs. By this time Number 6 had completed his early morning circuit of The Village, and thought about taking a taxi down to the Old People’s Home at the bottom of the hill. Today was only fit for indoor activities, and he knew the Brigadier was always eager for a game of chess, often the best of three. There was not one taxi to be had due to the inclement weather, their candy-striped canopies affording little or no protection against the elements. As he walked down the road towards the Old People’s Home, he happened to glance over the stone wall and saw Number 313 walking away from the end of the slipway. She was wearing a black wetsuit, and carrying a pair of flippers, goggles and an air tank.
The best of three chess games ended in a two
– one win for the Brigadier who was feeling rather chuffed with himself as he
busied himself setting up the chessmen on the board. Number 6 had not been on
his best form, something was niggling away at him in the back of his mind.
“You’re at it again” said the Brigadier
“that won’t do you know.”
“At what again?” Number 6 asked.
“You’re thinking. That’s got you into
trouble before” the Brigadier warned him “best leave well alone, that’s my
advice.”
“I wouldn’t call it thinking exactly,
something niggling me in the back of my mind, that’s all. It’s not really important”
he replied.
“Better not be Six, you know what Voltaire
said” offered the Brigadier.
“No, what did he say?”
“Men use thought only to justify their
injustices, and only to conceal their thoughts.”
“Injustice……here in The Village? surely not!”
6 said sarcastically pushing the chair back and standing up.
“Take care as you go Number Six.”
“Oh it’s not so bad” said Number 6 glancing
out of the window “It seems to have stopped raining.”
“You know what I mean.”
“Yes I know, I’ll be seeing you.”
“You should take up a hobby Number six, a
pastime, something to
keep
you out of trouble” the Brigadier suggested.
Number 6 raised an arm in response, as he went. Outside the weather had indeed moderated. The rain had stopped, the wind merely a breeze, and even the grey clouds had parted to reveal a patch of blue sky. And somewhere in the back of his mind, the bright spark of an idea, to which 313 would be the key.
Number 2 sat behind the desk in his office.
A well built man in his late forties, wearing dark trousers, a white shirt,
cravat, and a crimson velvet jacket. He sat watching the wall screen, observing
Number 6 walking through The Village who stopped at a kiosk and purchased a
copy of The Village Mercury magazine, and a bag of liquorice allsorts and
having passed the time of day with the kiosk holder went on his way.
“That’s odd” Number 2 thought to himself not taking his eyes off the screen “suspicious even.” Leaning forward he pressed a button on the control panel of his desk, zooming in on, and following the subject as he walked along the street “Your thoughts betray you Number Six” 2 said to himself “they are written all over your face. If only I could read them. That brain of yours, it’s always ticking over with some idea or other. What’s going on up there now?”
224
“Hello Number Six, fancy bumping into you!”
Number 313 said.
“Yes fancy” he replied “a difficult thing not to do in this place.”
Number 313 a young woman with shoulder
length auburn hair, tallish with a trim figure. Her blue trilby hat cocked to
one side, she wore a light blue jersey and dark blue slacks, practical shoes,
and a colourful striped cape stirred gently by the breeze.
“What have you being doing this morning?”
she asked casually.
He took the bag of liquorice allsorts out of
a pocket in his anorak and offered it to her. She declined, but Number 6 took a
pink one, his favourite allsort, and replaced the bag in his pocket.
“I’ve been playing chess with the Brigadier.
What have you been up to?”
“I’m a member of the Aqua Club, and we
decided to go diving early today” she explained “that’s what I had been doing
when you saw me.”
“Aqua Club?” quizzed Number 6.
“Special dispensation from Number Two
himself” she explained.
“You go diving?”
“Well there wouldn’t be any point of
an Aqua Club if we didn’t go diving, there is an old wreck in the estuary, its
wooden timbers jutting out from the sandy bed, and we dive on the wreck” she
said smiling.
“How many members are there in the Aqua
club?”
“Half a
dozen.”
“It seems rather selective.”
“Not everyone can scuba dive” she
told him.
“How long has the Aqua club been going?” he
asked.
“A while, is it important?”
“Can anyone join?” he asked casually.
“You Number
six, wanting to get involved voluntarily?” she said in mocking surprise.
“I’ve done some diving in the past” he told
her.
“Are you thinking of becoming a member?”
she asked.
“Well I might. I keep myself active at the
gymnasium. And well being able to go diving on occasion, it would be an
interesting diversion.”
“I dare say” she said.
“Perhaps we could go for tea or coffee at the café and talk about it further?” he suggested.
In the Control Room the Supervisor-Number 28
stood watching the wall screen. It displayed Number 6 and Number 313 sat at a
table on the patio of the café. They were taking tea together, talking and
apparently enjoying each others company.
“Audio” the Supervisor ordered.
225
“I wouldn’t have thought Number Two the
kind of person to permit such an activity as diving. It’s dangerous, and
besides it offers an escape route” he said sipping his tea.
“What do you mean Six? That one day we may
take it into our heads to go diving, and not bother to come back!”
“Something like that” he said putting the
cup down on its saucer.
“That idea may have occurred to you, but
not to people who are perfectly happy here!” she said picking up her cup, and
then put it down again.
“There is a price we have to pay for the
club” she told him.
“Price? Oh you mean a subscription” he said
sipping his tea
“No, occasionally we are instructed by
Number 2, to carry out underwater work” she said draining her tea cup.
“What kind of underwater work?” he asked.
“It’s classified, I can’t talk about it”
she replied.
He
replenished their cups from the teapot “How does one go about joining the Aqua
Club?”
“You speak to the club secretary.”
“Who is the club secretary?”
“I am!”
“Then
you are just the person I need to talk
to, as I wish to make an application to join the Aqua Club.”
“Applications need to be put to
Number Two, but I doubt he would authorise your membership.”
“Number Two!” he said, suddenly having
the wind blown out of his sails!
“Number Two is the administrator of the Aqua
Club” she told him.
“Well you know me. You’re the club’s secretary;
you can put a good word in for me.”
“I don’t know you, I’ve heard of you,
there is a difference you know.”
In the Control Room, the supervisor picked
up a yellow ‘L’ shaped telephone “Put me through to Number Two.”
Number 2 had just been served tea in his
office by the butler. All seemed proper and correct until…..
“Just a minute! What about the biscuits?”
Number 2 said peering at the three rich tea biscuits on the tea plate.
“Biscuits, what about them?” the butler
enquired in something of a sarcastic tone.
“Haven’t we any proper biscuits?”
“What do you mean by proper biscuits?”
“Yes, proper biscuits, the ones with
the cream inside.”
“They are
proper biscuits, rich tea biscuits, served with mid morning tea. Elevenses
its called” instructed the butler
“Elevenses, what at
“It’s not my fault, although I thought it was
a bit early. But seeing as you ordered tea, I thought best include biscuits.”
“I see” said Number 2.
“Will that be all?” the butler asked.
226
“I suppose so” Number 2 told him.
The butler turned and walked towards the
ramp leading to the pair of steel doors “He’ll be wanting slab cake with his
tea next!”
The steel doors opened and closed cutting
the butler’s words from Number 2’s ears. The turquoise ‘L’ shaped telephone
began to bleep. Number 2 leaned forward in his chair putting down the tea plate
and picking up the telephone and pressed the square chrome button announcing
himself.
“Number Two here.”
“Supervisor here. I thought you should know
that Number Six is
cosying
up to Three-one-three.”
“Where are they?” Number 2 asked.
“At the café, taking tea” reported
the Supervisor, remembering his own tea break was coming up.
Number 2 put down his cup and saucer and pressed
a button on the control panel bringing the wall screen to life displaying
Number 6 sitting with 313 at a table on the patio at the cafe. To Number 2
there seemed to be an air of indifference between the two.
“I thought you said Number Six was getting
cosy with Number Three-one-three?” he said into the telephone.
“I thought it seemed more than simply
friendliness between them” the Supervisor replied.
Number 2 pressed another button to get the
audio.
“More tea?” Number 6 asked.
“No thank you” she replied.
Number 6 helped himself to more tea, then put
the teapot down.
“The weather has cleared up nicely” 313
remarked.
“Decidedly inclement first thing” he said
casually.
“Thank you for the tea, perhaps we’ll meet
again.”
“Don’t see how we can avoid it in
this place!”
“Be seeing you.”
“And you” he replied.
“You have the earlier audio recorded?”
Number 2 asked into the telephone.
“Of course Number two.”
“Well?”
“A brief summery would be that Number
Six was questioning Three-one-three about the aqua club. How long its been
going, how many members, and wanting to know how one can become a member” the
Supervisor reported.
“Did he now. I wondered how long it would
take him” Number 2 said thoughtfully.
“He wants Three-one-three to put a good
word in with you on his behalf.”
“Does he by jove, the cheek of the man!”
“But what do you want me to do?” asked the
Supervisor.
“Nothing!”
“Nothing?”
“Nothing for the moment. unless you
get the word from me. Just maintain
surveillance on our friend Number Six. Otherwise just leave him to me.”
227
“To you Number Two?”
“Well as administrator of the Aqua club Number
Six will have to apply to me directly for membership.”
“That could be dangerous.”
“Not when his application is rejected
on the spot, and yet as an experienced diver he could be useful to us.”
“Like I said” the Supervisor said
“that could be dangerous!”
Number 6 had made his way to the Green
Dome, the door opened with the all too familiar electronic hum. He was greeted
in the foyer by the butler who led the visitor through the pair of open French
doors to the pair of opening steel doors.
“Ah Number Six, do come in, do come in” bid
Number 2.
Number 6 walked down the ramp, while the butler
stood in the open doorway.
“Number Six to see you” the butler
announced.
“Alright, I can see him” said Number
2.
“Only doing my job!” the butler informed
him.
“Well Number six?”
“Can’t complain, well I could, but I
doubt you would listen!”
“Can I offer you anything?”
Number 6 stood watching the lava effect on
the wall screen “No thank you.”
“I find it soothing and relaxing” Number 2
said.
”Number Three-one-three” Number 6 said
turning from the screen.
“What about her? Oh yes, I remember you
asked her to put a good word in for you about joining the aqua club.”
“My what big ears your Observers do
have!”
“So you wish to apply to join the aqua
club, there is a question regarding your motivation” Number 2 told him.
“My motivation?”
“For wanting to become a member of
the club” Number 2 said “generally speaking, there is one thing which motivates
you Number Six, escape!”
“You have a low opinion of me.”
“You thought that if you were able to join
the aqua club this would give you access to diving equipment, thereby given the
opportunity of escape by underwater means” Number 2 explained with confidence.
“So I take it there will be no need for me
to face The Test!” quipped Number 6.
“The Test?” said Number 2.
“I think you overestimate me” said Number
6.
“Just as long as you do not
underestimate me!”
“I have read your file since joining us
here, your application to join the aqua club is denied.”
“I haven’t made an application yet”
Number 6 told him.
“Well
I’m saving you the trouble of doing so! Good day Number Six.”
228
Leaving the Green Dome, Number 6 made his
way through The Village to the Recreation Hall, and therein the gymnasium. He changed into a dark blue tracksuit. He
fenced with Number 237, sparred with Number 48, and enjoyed a bout of Judo. Three
perfect throws and he vanquished his opponent, this was followed by three
rounds in the boxing ring. Then water-skiing to cool off, but he lost his grip
of the tow rope and was left floundering in the water until picked up by the
man in the speed boat.
Number 6’s sporting activities had not gone
unobserved.
“At least he’s keeping himself
occupied” Number 2 said into the yellow telephone.
“What action do I take?” asked the
Supervisor.
“None, not unless he attempts to
escape aboard that speed boat!”
And yet to the Supervisor’s surveillance
eye it appeared that Number 6 lost contact with the boat on purpose in order to
disappear beneath the waves not to reappear for several moments...but why?
The speed boat with Number 6 back on board, wrapped up in a large towel, sped towards the shore. The water had been freezing cold, and Number 6 needed a hot bath and hot drink. The boat drew alongside the slipway, and Number 6 stepped sprightly ashore as two motor mechanics caught the two mooring ropes to secure the boat. He walked up the slipway looking at the apartment building in front of him. The ground floor had two white lattice gates, above the gates hung a sign ‘Aqua Club.’ He headed along a stone path and crossed the lawn approaching the first lattice gate, it was secured by a stout padlock. He peered inside through the lattice work into the kitting out room. He could see a number of wetsuits hanging on the far wall. In the far corner a number of air tanks, with flippers in the other corner. On a table snorkels and face masks. He moved along to the second lattice gate, the compressor room. Again the gate was secured by a stout padlock, the compressor inside no doubt used to fill the air tanks, and when operating would make quite a noise. Number 6 shivered and remembered how cold he felt. And yet there was an idea forming in his mind that warmed his heart.
The next day.
“Hello Six, how are you?”
“About the same the last time we
spoke” he told her.
“Number Two informed me that your
application to joining the Aqua club had been rejected”
“Even before I made any such
application!” he replied.
“Number Two must have jumped the gun!” she
told him smiling.
“It certainly wasn’t very sporting of him!”
“You could always join The Village golf
club!” she suggested.
“Golf’s not my game” he told her.
“What is
your game Six?”
“Two has read my file, I’m sure he
could tell you.”
“You asked me to put a word in for
you.”
229
“Perhaps you put the poison instead!”
“You’re suspicious of me!”
“I’m suspicious of everyone here.
Even more so of those who decide to befriend me” he told her.
“Not everyone has an ulterior motive” she
said.
The two parted and went their separate
ways.
Number 6 made his way back to his cottage, where he made himself a late lunch. Handel’s Water Music was being played through the black loudspeaker.
The day after.
“Good morning” Number 313 said greeting him
warmly.
Number 6 hurried on with his walk.
“Wait up Number Six. What’s the matter with
you?” she asked, trying to keep up with him.
He stopped suddenly, and turned to face
her.
“I trusted you” he told her.
“You can
trust me. I did my best to help you, and all I get in return is….”
“You didn’t get me into the aqua club did you?”
“You have your reputation to blame
for that. Number Two doesn’t trust you, why is it so important to you anyway?”
“It would have made things easier
that’s all. Now I’ll have to break in” he told her.
“Break in, break into where?”
“Do try to keep up. Break into the aqua club!”
“You should guard your words Six.”
“Is that a threat?”
“No, it’s a warning. You never know
who might be listening” she told him sternly.
“Well perhaps as club secretary you have
keys to the club” he suggested.
“She shook her head and looked disappointed
in him.
A cyclist rang her bell as she cycled
passed.
Two citizens passing in the opposite
direction greeted them.
“Lovely day” one of them said
He returned their salute “Be seeing you.”
Number 6 and Number 313 walked along
together.
“Surely you’re not thinking of escape? You are! This is ridiculous. How far do you
think you can get?”
“I don’t know until I try, perhaps
not as far as the aqua club if I’m betrayed!”
“Would I?”
“I don’t know, would you?”
They walked round the corner at the end of
the street, walked on a little way, then ducked through an archway opposite the
café. Then walked the short distance onto the Piazza, and stopped by the Pool
and
fountain. Number 313 had been turning matters over in her mind, then said
suddenly, and before she realised she had said it.
230
“Take me with you.”
“I thought you of all people were happy here. Why the sudden change?”
“For some The Village is a refuge, a place
of safety and security. A haven, Shangri-la. But who can be truly happy here,
for some it’s a
nightmare
world full of anguish and pain!” she told him.
“You, wouldn’t be playing me would you
Three-one-three?”
A startled look came over her face
“Meaning?”
“When you think The Village, no, when
Number Two is about to lose me, you step in and suggest we escape together.
Have you turned agent provocateur?”
“Agent provocateur, how can you
suggest such a thing?”
“Me thinks the lady doth protest too
much!”
“If I was an agent provocateur I should report
you” she told him sternly “don’t do it Six. I shouldn’t want anything to happen
to you” she pleaded.
“I’m touched by your concern.” he said and went on his way.
In the late afternoon, Number 6 sat observing the activity around the Aqua Club, from a balustrade above the waterfall. There were four people there, Number 313 amongst them. She and another had gone off aboard a speed boat with diving equipment towards the mouth of the estuary. Two men busied themselves at the club itself, one working in the compressor room, another emerged from the kitting out room with a pair of air tanks and carried them into the compressor room. He wondered how it might be done. He could hardly stroll into the kitting out room, take the equipment he needed and simply stroll off with it tucked under his piped blazer! Even if that were possible, he might easily be disturbed, and the game would be up. Some sort of distraction was necessary. One of the two men emerged from the compressor room carrying two air tanks and carried them into the kitting out room. The man came out of the compressor room and looked out towards the estuary, Number 6 also looked out in that direction, and saw the speed boat powering its way through the water back towards the shore. The man strode out to the slip way where he waited for the boat’s return. The speed boat slowed its approach, finally drawing along side the slipway, and one of the divers throwing him a mooring rope, which he tied around a small mooring bollard. Number 313 and her fellow diver in blue wetsuits threw their flippers onto the slipway, the man then helping the divers ashore with their air tanks, picking up the flippers and walking back to the aqua club.
In the Control Room the Supervisor was
making a note on his computer slate, when an Observer turned away from his
monitor.
“Supervisor.”
“Yes, what it is?”
“Number Six is standing at the
balustrade above the waterfall. He’s been sat there for over half an hour according
to the timer of the surveillance
camera” reported the Observer.
231
“What’s he doing?” asked the Supervisor.
“He’s just standing there.”
“Put up camera thirty-one, let’s have him
on the screen” the Supervisor ordered.....scan.”
“I think he’s watching the aqua club”
offered an Observer.
“I do believe he is” the Supervisor
agreed picking up the yellow ‘L’ shaped telephone.
“Number Two here what is it?”
“It’s Number Six. He’s been keeping the aqua
club under surveillance” the Supervisor reported.
“He’s not going to let it go” Number 2 said
“Well we had better keep Number Six under close surveillance.”
“Yes Number Two.”
Number 6 having returned to his cottage settled
himself down in the lounge with a large whisky, he needed time, time to think.
Then came footsteps and Number 313 stood framed in the open doorway.
“How did you get in, I didn’t hear
you knock!”
“The door opened for me” she told
him.
“That is only supposed to do that for me”
he told her.
“What is?” she asked.
“The door opening automatically like that.”
“Does the door know that?”
“Perhaps there is an operator of the door
somewhere who presses a button each time I go out and come back in again” he
suggested.
“Wouldn’t that be rather a waste of
someone’s time don’t you think?” she asked, still standing on the threshold.
“Perhaps. But that doesn’t answer the
question of why the door opened for you!”
“Maybe it does it for only really important
people” 313 suggested.
“Are you?” he asked.
“Am I what?” she asked in reply.
“Important.”
“Not in the grand design of things,
no. Are you?” she asked
“Am I what?”
313 rolled her eyes “Important?”
“Only Number Two can answer that
one!”
“Can I offer you a drink?”
“I don’t know, can you?” she teased.
“Whisky, gin, or vodka? Non-alcoholic of
course, but believe me, they don’t actually taste the same!” he told her.
“Then why do you drink it?”
“It’s the only drink in town!”
“Gin and tonic” she said.
“Sorry no tonic!”
That evening the maid arrived at ‘6 Private’ in order to make Number 6 his evening nightcap of hot chocolate. Quiet, soothing music was being played through the black loudspeaker, a ‘lullaby for Isabelle.’ The maid emerged from the kitchen carrying a cup and saucer, which she took into the bedroom, placing it on the bedside table. Emerging from the bedroom she bid Number 6 goodnight.
232
“Goodnight” he replied as the maid departed
the cottage closing the door behind her.
Then
over the lullaby came the announcement “Five minutes to curfew, the minutes are
five.”
Number 6 went to the door of his cottage,
it opened automatically
for
him, accompanied by the usual familiar electronic hum. He did not
go
out, he simply stood there for a while looking through the open doorway and
into the night. Then taking three steps back the door closed, and locked
itself.
“I can wait” he thought to himself “I will wait until dawn’s early light.”
“Good morning, good morning,.
Congratulations on yet another day” said the cheery female voice “the weather
today will be fine and dry, but with a freshening breeze in the afternoon.”
In the Control Room a shift change over was
taking place, as night time changed to day time. The two Supervisors went
through the night time reports, not that there were many, the night shift being
the quietist time. Once the day shift has settled down, Number 35 was given the
task of observing Number 6 through the day. So as he took his seat at the
monitor he switched himself into ‘6 Private.’ He scanned the entire cottage,
and found it to be unoccupied. He scanned the immediate area around the
cottage, but there was no sign of Number 6. The Observer then widened his
search area, he couldn’t find Number 6 anywhere.
Turning away from his monitor Number 35
made his brief report to the Supervisor “I cannot find Number Six!”
The Supervisor raised his eyebrows “That
can’t be right, look again.”
The Observer looked again, there was still
no sign of Number 6. But what there was, was the back window of ‘6 Private’
which had been forced open! It was obvious that nothing had got in. So it stood
to reason that something, or rather someone, had got out. And that he was long
gone!
Number 6 had bided his time until the electronic lock of his cottage
door was automatically released. Then dressed in his dark blue track suit he
quietly slipped out into the morning light holding a zip up bag.
He made his way behind the terraced cottages, and slipped through a passageway to the front of them and ducking down so to avoid the surveillance camera set on a plinth, then down the steps, across the road, down more steps to hide amongst the Rhododendrons. He popped his head up, all clear. Emerging from the Rhododendrons he slipped smartly down the cobbled lane and down the steps across from the Statue of Hercules with the World on his shoulders. He stopped at the balustrade above the waterfall, then went down the steps to the right, ahead of him was the Aqua club. The latticed gate of the kitting out room was padlocked which he picked with a stout piece of wire. Once inside he closed the lattice gate behind him he got to work. It took him a few minutes change into a wetsuit, picking up a pair of flippers, and face mask. He checked the pressure gauge of an air tank which indicated full, then the valve and mouthpiece. Then he put his deck shoes, and tracksuit into a polythene bag which he sealed with two stout rubber bands. He took off his wristwatch and put that into a self-sealing freezer bag, and placed them all together in the zipper bag. He picked up the air tank, face mask, snorkel, and flippers and hurried across out of the Kitting Out Room and along the path to the slipway. Strapping the air tank to his back along with the zipper bag, he put on his flippers, dipped the face mask in the water before putting it on. Then slipped into the water and disappeared below the surface.
Number 2 arrived in his office to the news
that Number 6 could not be found anywhere!
“We have looked everywhere” the
Supervisor reported.
“Have you checked the aqua club?”
“Security are there now sir.”
“And?”
“They report......the aqua club has
been broken into, and.....”
“No, don’t tell me, I’m on my way to
the Control Room!”
The water of the estuary was cold, very cold, and the underwater current strong, visibility poor, the water murky. He decided to hug the coast, no point swimming out too far, on a northerly course at a depth of some 3 fathoms. The air tank would give him approximately 45 to 60 minutes for his dive, an hour to get as far away from the village as possible.
The pair of steel doors slid open and Number
2 walked through onto the steel gantry of the Control Room. He stood at the
rail for a moment looking down at the floor and the activity therein.
“Sonar” he suddenly said.
“Number Three-one-three informs me that a
wetsuit and diving equipment are missing.”
“You don’t say!” quipped Number 2.
“I think we can do a little better than
sonar” offered the Supervisor “
“
“Undersea Defence System, it’s a newly
installed anti-swimmer defence surveillance system” the Supervisor explained.
“I thought we had the Guardian?” Number 2
said.
“Yes Number Two, but now we also have
“With underwater surveillance cameras?”
asked Number 2.
235
“No, loudhailers, and acoustics” returned
the Supervisor “with a range of one thousand yards.”
“Excellent” said Number 2 rubbing his hands
together “we have him!”
Number 2 joined the
pointing
to the screen.
“A shoal of fish” replied the operator.
“How do you know?”
“Experience, the size and shape of
the target is wrong” the operator explained not taking his eyes off the screen.
He turned a couple of knobs, refining the sweep of the detector, then suddenly…
“Target acquired” announced the operator
“almost out of range.”
“Orange alert” Number 2 ordered.
“Belay that order” said the Supervisor.
Number 2 glared at the Supervisor.
“Talk to him Number Two” the Supervisor
offered.
“Talk to him?”
“Though the underwater loudhailer” said the
Supervisor “I promise you it will disorientate him” the Supervisor said handing
him the grey telephone.
Number 2 thought what to say, then pressed
the chrome button and spoke “This simply will not do Number Six. It simply will
not do. Turn back before its too late, turn back before it’s too late!”
Number 6’s swimming was instantly disrupted
as the sound of Number 2’s voice reverberated through the water hurting the
scuba divers ears. He trod water for a few seconds, peering into the murky
water all around him, half expecting Number 2 to come looming towards him out
of any direction. There was no-one. He checked his compass bearing, then the
air pressure gauge, and swam on.
“Can we be sure he heard my voice?” Number
2 asked.
“We can” the Supervisor said with
confidence.
“Still in contact with target” reported the
Number 6 swam to the surface in order to
gain a visual bearing. There was the coast, a tree lined cliff face, with a
rocky shore. He looked back to the way he had come, and then out to sea, there
was no sign of a boat, no helicopter in the sky. Replacing the mouthpiece, he
dived into the water and swam on, but now he quickened the pace. He knew they
were onto him, but where were they?
In the Control Room Number 2 was considering
his next step “We should release the Guardian.”
“There is another way” said the
Supervisor.
“Nothing from the power boat yet?”
“Nothing” said the Supervisor “but she
is in the area, the crew making a search inshore.”
“Inshore, why not out in deeper water?”
“His air will not last him much longer.”
Number 2 continued to pace the floor, an
anguished look on his face “Orange alert” he ordered.
“There is another course of action we
could take” said the Supervisor
“to activate the in-directional acoustic impulse, set to minimum strength.”
236
“What will that do?” Number 2 asked.
“It will send a shockwave through the
water, and anything within its range, a scuba diver for example, will be
stunned and send his body to the surface” explained the Supervisor.
“He’ll drown!” Number 2 exclaimed.
“Not if it’s timed right” said the
Supervisor with a smile.
Number 2 considered his options and found
that he was entirely in the Supervisor’s hands. He nodded.
The Supervisor gave the order
“Activate the in-directional acoustic impulse, set to minimum strength,”
Almost instantly a sonic ripple was sent
through the water and through the body of Number 6, stunning him instantly. His
limp body began to sink in the water, his mouth opened the mouthpiece fell out and
water poured into his lungs through his mouth. At that precise moment a
contorted white shape appeared from the murky depths at speed, hitting the
almost lifeless body of Number 6 with force, and maintaining the contact,
pushed the body upwards to the surface of the sea. The crew of the power boat were
maintaining their search off shore, then some little way ahead their attention
was attracted by a spout of water, as the Guardian burst through onto the
surface and remained there.
“Hard to port” the Captain ordered the
helmsman, who turned the power boat in the direction of the white sphere on the
water.
“Slow ahead” the Captain ordered peering
ahead through his binoculars “there’s a body floating in the water there.”
The power boat slowed and came to a stop. The crew retrieved the unconscious body of the scuba diver and hauled him aboard. Artificial respiration was performed on the body, the kiss of life, heart massage, and lastly a defibrillator was employed by a crewman in order to resuscitate him. By which there was a sharp in-take of breath, and sea water began to spill from his mouth, the man was turned on its side. A radio message was relayed to the Control Room reporting the recovery of Number 6 from the sea. Then the twin diesel engines of the power boat were powered up and powered her way across the sea back in the direction of The Village.
At the slipway the body of Number 6 was
transferred by stretcher from the power boat into the Red Cross trailer of an
ambulance by two paramedics. Its siren blared out loudly through the Village as
the ambulance sped on its way up the hill, passed the Town Hall, along the road
and eventually out of The Village towards the hospital.
“Well done Supervisor” said Number 2 offering
his congratulations “how many times have you carried out that procedure?”
The Supervisor looked rather sheepishly at
Number 2 “That was the device’s first practical test. It’s designed to stop
scuba divers and frogmen from getting in” he said waiting for the rebuke that
he felt sure was to come.
Instead Number 2 looked at the Supervisor and smiled “It seems equally efficient at stopping them from getting out. And at least now you know it works.”
237
The Supervisor felt instant relief. As for
Number 2 he was mindful of the consequences had they lost Number 6! He
visualised the opening up of a hole in the ground…he who digs a pit will one
day lie in it! The hole in the ground closed, and Number 2 made his way up the
steel steps and onto the gantry, the pair of steel doors opening.
The Supervisor picked up the yellow
telephone “Have a taxi waiting outside the Town Hall to take Number 2 to the
hospital.”
The pair of steel doors closed behind the departing Number 2, leaving the Supervisor and his Observers to normal day operations.
“Feeling better Number Six?” Number 2
enquired from the end of the hospital bed.
Number 6 opened his eyes and tried to
focus. There was a mist before his eyes. It slowly cleared, his eyes began to
focus on the blurred figure looking down at him.
“I congratulate you Six, no-one has
ventured to try that before.”
“I always do my best to be original.”
“Where did you think you were going Six.
How far did you think you could get?” Number 2 asked in quiet tone.
“I don’t know. But any place is better than
here” was Number 6’s reply.
“Even that of a watery grave? I don’t think
you are ready for Davy Jones’s locker just yet” Number 2 told him.
“I gave you a good run for your money
though, you have to admit that much.”
“I don’t know why you bother Number Six.
Look how we saved you from drowning. These exploits of yours, they really must
cease you know.”
“Drowning would have been a happy release.”
“You don’t really mean that Six, drowning
would have served us both nothing”
“If I had” Number 6 replied “it would save
us a great deal of time and trouble.”
“Trouble, well I’m certainly in the soup.
But then you are still a prisoner.”
“And at least I know not to try that again”
was his response “so I shall have to think of something else!”
“Oh I see, you wish to put us to the
test. Excellent Number Six, you’ll find us always up to the challenge” was
Number 2’s response.
“What happened down there?”
“What happened where? Oh in the sea you
mean. The Guardian saved your life.”
“To serve and protect, is that it?”
“To serve and protect the community,
isn’t that what any Guardian does?” Number 2 replied.
The door to the hospital room opened and
two male orderlies entered the room, one was pushing a wheel chair.
238
“That’s all for today, visiting time is over. Number Six is due for his
medical” said the orderly pushing the wheelchair.
“I’ll be leaving you to it, Number Six”
said Number 2 standing in the open doorway.
The two orderlies then helped the patient
out of bed and into the wheelchair, and wheeled out of the room and into the
corridor.
“You’ll never win” said Number 6 stubbornly
as he was wheeled away along the corridor.
Number 2 stood there watching the patient being wheeled away “Funny that, I don’t see how we can fail!” he called out, then turned and simply walked away.
239
No comments:
Post a Comment