Back In Village
Number
10 stirred from her sleep, for a moment as she lay there in the half-light she
instantly knew she was no longer alone. She let out a scream and the naked body
of a man fell from the bed onto the floor ruffled and confused!
“Supervisor a disturbance in Ten Private”
an Observer reported.
“What kind of disturbance?” asked the Supervisor.
“Number Ten has just woken up screaming”
the Observer reported “what’s more there’s a naked man in her room!” hardly
believing what she was seeing.
“Put it on screen” ordered the Supervisor.
There was indeed a naked man in Number 10’s
bedroom. The Supervisor picked up a turquoise ‘L’ shaped telephone and issued a
yellow alert sending security to 10 Private in order to apprehend a male
intruder. Security was also instructed to take a spare set of clothes with
them!
Through the night time streets of The
Village sped the white Mini Moke carrying three guardians. The taxi stopped,
and they ran up the steps and along the gravelled path to ‘10 Private.’ The
door opened automatically, and in a body they all rushed in to see the figure
of Number Ten dressed in a pair of pyjamas hitting the naked figure of a man
with a pillow.
“Who are you?” shouted the third guardian.
“I am
Number Six” Blake blurted out “I am Number Six, and I want to see Number Two.”
“He’s not Number Six!”
“What are you doing in Number Ten’s cottage,
and how did you break in?”
“He’s a prowler, a seducer of women!” said
another guard.
“I’m
no seducer” Blake growled as two guardians manhandled him out of the bedroom
and into the lounge.
“He’s
a sex maniac, an abuser of women!” Number 110 shouted “he should be locked up!”
“Get these clothes on” the head guard
ordered handing over the clothes.
“Take me to see Number Two” Blake demanded
as he quickly dressed himself in the striped jersey, fawn trousers and deck
shoes.
“Oh don’t you worry we’ll take you to
Number Two alright. He knows just how to deal with citizens like you” said the
head guardian.
Number 2 had been alerted to the presence
of the intruder, and
made
his way to his office in the Green Dome still dressed in his pyjamas and
dressing gown and who now sat in the black global chair.
372
He
was a middle aged man recruited from the Civil Service who was not one to allow
himself to be ruffled, and prided himself on his calm and relaxed manner.
The pair of steel doors opened and
the three guardians escorted the intruder down the ramp as Number 2 stared at
the prisoner through steel rimmed spectacles.
“Do I know you?”
“I don’t know, do you?” 6 replied.
“What is your number?”
“Six” Blake replied.
Number 2 grunted “Don’t play games
with me!”
The pair of steel doors opened and
Number 12 walked smartly down the ramp “I understand there is an intruder in
The Village!”
“This is he” Number 2 said “what do
you make of him?”
“Seems ordinary enough” 12 replied.
“He claims to be Number Six!”
“Ridiculous” 12 replied “how did he
find his way into The Village?”
“Just what I was about to ask the
fellow...well?”
“Enigma” Blake said.
Number 2 was stunned for a moment
“What, what did you say?”
“Enigma.”
“Yes I thought that’s what you said.
Release him, and you guardians may go” Number 2 ordered.
“This is Number Twelve, he is my assistant”
2 explained.
“How did you get into Number Ten’s
cottage?” 12 asked.
“That is irrelevant” Blake replied.
“It might be to you, but not to
Number Ten, she’s in a right old state. She’s had to be sedated.”
“Yes a lot of that goes on here
doesn’t it!”
“Number Twelve go to Information and
records, and look for the Enigma file then bring it to me.”
“But Number Two....”
“Just do as you are ordered, our new
friend here and I have things to discuss.”
“Yes Number two.” Who never took his
eyes off this new arrival for one moment.
The pair of steel doors closed behind
Number 12.
“So you claim to be Number Six, you
don’t even look like him!”
“I don’t pretend to, but it’s the
number I was given, although my name is Silas Blake which will mean absolutely
nothing to you I’m sure.”
“Enigma.”
“You understand that?”
“Yes, I have been briefed that one
day someone would arrive here and use that word as a code recognition” Number 2
replied.
“Good, at least you are aware of
that.”
“Number 12 will return here with the
file, then we shall see what’s what! You call yourself Number Six, but we
already have a number Six.”
373
“That’s right” he said.
“It’s
not right as we already have a Number Six in situ” said Number Two sitting back
in his chair “so whatever game you are playing, it’s over!”
“You are Number Two, Chairman of The
Village. I am Number Six…… Oh very good, very good” the penny dropping at last
“put me in a different cottage. Place an hysterical woman in the bed, have me
dragged out for interrogation. Face me with a new Number 2, whilst at the same time feigning not to know who I
am. Make me doubt my own identity. It’s good I’ll give you that!”
The pair of steel doors opened and
Number 12 returned with a folder under his arm.
“The Enigma” file” 12 said presenting
it to his superior.
Number 2 taking the file sat back in
his chair.
“You claim to be Number Six” 12 said.
“I don’t claim I am!”
“But you don’t Look like Number six.”
“What does Number Six look like?”
“Not like you that’s for sure!”
“Look I was abducted to this village
a matter of months ago....oh I get it!”
“Get it” Number 12 said “what’s to get?”
“Install a new Number Two, give him a
different assistant. Put me in a strange cottage with a girl in the bed and
that is supposed to disorientate and confuse me! I’m not back in The Village
because I am in The Village!”
“You will forgive us” Number 2 said looking
up from the file “but we have to establish your identity.”
“This is Number Six” 12 said pressing
a button on the control panel.
On the wall screen was a picture of a
photograph.
“He is our Number Six.” 12 said.
“I know, I don’t doubt that for a
moment.”
“So you are claiming to be him!”
“No, I’m claiming to be me, sent here
by Number Two!”
“Sent by me?” Number 2 asked.
“No, a successor of yours, as I am
the successor to that man pictured on the screen” Blake explained. The cottage
in which I arrived here was, will be mine. The presence of the young woman was
unfortunate.”
“And where did you come from?” Number 12
asked.
“The Village!” Number 6 told them.
“But you’re in The Village!”
“It’s crazy I know” Number 6 said.
“You were sent from The Village to arrive
here in The Village. What you just got off the bus or something?”
374
“What year is this?”
Number 12 glanced at his superior.
“Humour him” Number 2 said not taking
his eyes from the file.
“Nineteen sixty seven.”
“And the month?”
“December.”
“At least the Professor got that
right” Blake thought to himself “later this month The Village faces a matter of
democratic crisis.”
“What rot!” Number 12 said.
Number 2 closed the file “You are
connected to this Enigma?”
“Yes. I want to see your Number Six. I
am here to take him back to The Village with me because in the future history
is about to repeat itself.”
“What repeat something which has yet
to happen...according to you!”
“I have no answer to that.”
“Well I find we have no choice but to
co-operate, it would seem we are at your disposal Number Six” Number 2 told
him.
“Now we know where we stand, I need to meet
with your Number 6. I have two implants in my arm” he said rolling up his left
sleeve “one of which must be implanted into Number Six’s arm in the same way.
These will help transport myself, and my counterpart back to The Village” Blake
explained.
They stepped forward to examine Number 6’s
left forearm more closely, seeing the scars they could feel the implants just
under the skin.
“Our doctors can easily deal with that”
Number 2 informed him.
Number 12 had been housing some doubts, and
now sounded them out “I have a problem Number Two, how do we know that this man
is who he says he is? He might have somehow infiltrated The Village in order to
aid Number Six’s escape!”
Number 6 stared at Number 12 “I too have a
problem. I only have your word as to when
I am. This could be a game Number Two is playing, and the only way I can be
sure, is if you allow me to meet with your
Number Six alone, and I don’t have too much time.”
“Don’t you mean where?” Number 12 asked with an air of sarcasm.
“I know where
I am, I’m not too sure about when. Your
Number Six will solve that for me.”
“Perhaps he was sent here by our masters”
Number 12 suggested “as some kind of test.”
“If that were the case then perhaps you
should not interfere” was Number 6’s stern suggestion.
“And
if we refuse to assist you in any way?” asked Number 12
brusquely.
“Then the game’s over” Number 6 informed them “I will still be a prisoner here in The Village. Number 2 will be replaced because he in turn will have failed, and they don’t like failure here, are you both prepared to take that risk?”
375
“See to it that this man has his interview
with his counterpart. Escort him over to Six Private yourself. And Number
Twelve, co-operate.”
“Right away Number Two, if you would follow
me Number…… Six.”
The red ‘L’ shaped telephone
began to bleep, he picked it up “Number Two here…….yes sir Enigma…… he arrived
a short time ago, we, that is to say I was unsure……..….yes sir he will receive
our full cooperation in this matter I give you my word.”
Putting down the telephone, Number 2 picked
up a yellow ‘L’ shaped telephone and put a call through to the Supervisor.
“Supervisor here” the voice on the other
end announcing himself.
“Enigma” said Number 2 “collect the file from my office. Inform the General’s office, alert our scientists and technicians and get to work immediately.”
The Supervisor was puzzled “Yes Number
Two….get to work on what?”
“A Time Reflux-Actuator. You will find
everything required sealed in containers at the far end of the storage
warehouse, you are to oversee the construction yourself” Number 2 ordered “I
will be seeing you in my office in five minutes, oh and have the observers keep
special surveillance on Number Six, and before you ask, there are now two
Number Six’s in The Village.”
“What again!” said the Supervisor.
The phone went dead.
Number 2 contacted the laboratory, speaking
with Number 246 a laboratory technician “Tell me, in laboratory two, are there
any important experiments taking place at the moment?”
“No sir, just routine work.”
“Good, have the laboratory readied. I have
an experiment to be conducted in absolute security. Put all your people onto
it. The Supervisor will be joining you with a file containing full information
and details, which you will need to both construct, and operate a machine”
Number 2 informed the somewhat puzzled technician.
“What machine?”
“A Time-Reflux Actuator” said Number
2.
Number 246 thinking aloud “A Time-Reflux
Actuator, what the devil’s that when it’s at home?”
“Just get on with it as soon as the Supervisor arrives” Number 2 ordered.
In the Control Room the Supervisor Number
56 handed over control to Number 42 his assistant.
“Where are you off to?” 42 asked taking the
offered clipboard.
“Special assignment for Number Two, so the
Control Room is all yours until further notice” the Supervisor told him
mounting the steel steps onto the gantry, and departing through the opening
steel doors.
There came murmurings between the Observers.
“Alright, settle down. Night procedures as normal” said the new Supervisor.
376
It was early morning as Number 12
accompanied Number 6 {Blake} to the round house of ‘6 Private.’ If the
situation was not complicated enough Blake was about to meet a man he had only
read about in a file, a man who was not easy to get to know. They approached
the door to ‘6 Private’ which opened automatically, stepping over the threshold
to find Number 6 in the kitchen cooking an omelette.
“It seems to me that anyone can come
walking in here, who’s this you’ve brought with you?” Number 6 asked easing the
omelette onto a plate.
Number 6 a tall man at six feet two and a
half inches, with light brown hair, light blue eyes, dressed in a black piped
blazer, dark blue turtle neck jersey, fawn coloured trousers, and deck shoes.
“The door opened for us” was all Blake
could find to say.
“In that case it will open for you on
the way out!”
The pair of Six’s stood looking at each
other. For the first time Blake was unsure of how to play the opening gambit
but it was Number 6 who spoke first.
“So who are you?”
“Number Six” Blake said.
Well you’re not Curtis, he’s dead, what’s
more you don’t look anything like me so you’ll have a job going about the
village impersonating me!”
“You are to help this man” Number 12
said.
“Help
him, why should I help him?” Number 6 snapped.
“If only had you known Susan died a
year ago” Blake said “you might well have got away with it.”
“You
know far too much!”
“You have stood for election here in
the village, brought about the demise of the General with one simple question.
At one point you became disharmonious and then posted as being unmutual…”
“Alright so Number 2 told you something
about me, now tell me who are you, and what it is you want?”
Blake broke a piece off the omelette
and put in his mouth “Your omelette is getting cold” he said.
“Never mind the omelette!”
“I’m not the first to come here looking for
help, there was that time when Monique…”
“Alright get on with it” Number 6
demanded as he scraped the omelette off the plate and into the black ballot box.
“I am a prisoner just like you” Blake told
him.
“I’ve heard that one before. By now I would
have thought they’d have thought of something more original.”
“It may not be original, but it’s the
truth” Blake told him.
“Go back and tell Number Two….”
“That you won’t go for it, whatever
it is, so they may as well stop trying!”
377
Number 6 looked at Number 12 “Where
did you get him?”
“I can even tell you why you resigned”
Blake told him “for peace of mind, because too many people knew too much.”
This stunned Number 6 “How did you know
that, you couldn’t possibly have read that in my file.”
“Eventually you will face the ultimate test, it’s called Degree Absolute. And soon after you’ve survived that, this Village will be involved in a matter of democratic crisis and you will be at the centre of the proceedings. You will eventually be given the opportunity to lead them or go. You decide to go. But it all ends in violent revolution and The Village is rapidly evacuated. You escape with three confederates, and ex-Number 2, a youthful rebel Number Forty-eight, and the midget butler who drives the lorry. In my time that all happened over fifty years ago, and now apparently, Village history is about to repeat itself, and apparently you are the only one who can bring it to a satisfactory conclusion!”
Number 6 sat thinking all this over, he
thought “it not improbable for it to be one of Number 2’s games” and said so.
“But not impossible.”
“So, time travel is in it after all!” Number 6 said.
“I am Number Six, I was abducted to The
Village in the month of July in the year twenty-twenty-one because I know too
much, the location of the Village for example.”
“Even I know that!” Number 6 replied
“do you support this?” he said looking at Number 12.
“It’s as he says” Number 12 said.
“Don’t take me for a fool” Number 6 said brushing passed the pair of them and through the cottage door and into the waiting arms of two security guards in grey overall and white helmets.
Blake returned to the Green Dome.
“How are things progressing with getting
me, and the subject back to The Village?”
“The construction of the Reflux-Actuator is
already underway, although it will be a rather crude device” Number 2 informed
him.
“Just as long as it works, the implants
will help.”
“The doctor is ready to remove that implant
to be implanted into Number Six.”
“If he doesn’t agree to this?’ Blake asked
staring up at the man upon the screen.
“He will have no say in the matter. We have our methods” Number 2 told him “come and I’ll show you the efforts being made on your behalf.”
A laboratory had been given over to the construction of the Reflux-Actuator, but such a machine could not be constructed over night, in fact it took several days. The technology needed to be understood to make the machine work. In fact it took several days to get a rudimentary understanding of how it worked. But one man did seem to have a grasp of the technology, the Professor!
378
In the centre of the laboratory were three
huge coiled conductors, equally spaced apart, and in the centre of which was a
steel disc, it was crude, but would have to suffice. Grey electrical switchgear
cabinets had been specially brought in to transmit the power required to
operate the device from a local power station. At the far end of the lab, a
control room had been hurriedly fashioned with control panels, monitors and
switches with a link to the General’s office, where all the calculations were
being made, checked and double checked.
“How much longer will this all take?” Blake
asked.
“These things cannot be rushed, as
I’m sure the Professor will agree” Number 2 told him.
“The Professor?”
“Yes, he’s over there” Number 2
pointed.
The Professor having seen Number 2 talking
with someone walked over to give an update “The project is on schedule Number
Two, but some of our people are rather confused……”
“Professor, this is Number Six” Number 2
said making the introduction.
The Professor looked the man over “Number
Six?”
“Not our Number Six Professor, this
is another one!”
“If you would step this way Number Six”
Number 2 said offering the way.
The Professor pulled at Number 2’s arm “I’m
not sure if this is going to work.”
“To be honest, neither am I” Number 2 told
him “but I have been instructed to comply with this man, just do your job and
we’ll see what happens. Is the doctor here?”
“Yes he’s in the medical room. According
to the manual two Guardians need to be made available, diagrams show the body
of a man inside the Guardian.”
Number 2 looked at Number 6 waiting at the
glass frosted panelled door.
“If it shows it there, just do it, but make
sure it is done right and there will be no comeback!”
Waiting in the medical room was the doctor,
a nurse, and two male orderlies.
“Ah, Number Six is it? If you would roll up
your sleeve, then sit down please, and I can remove that implant” offered the
doctor.
Number 6 rolled up the sleeve of his sweater “Don’t I get an anaesthetic?”
“My dear fellow” said the doctor picking up
a scalpel “this is nothing, nurse if you would.”
The nurse dabbed the area with cotton wool, and the doctor made the slight incision and removed the implant from just below the skin with a pair of forceps.
379
“The simplest of minor operations, and
there is the implant” the doctor said “nurse if you would finish up.”
The nurse again dabbed at the bleeding
incision and was about to bandage the slight wound.
“The nurse cannot do that” exclaimed Number
6.
“Why on earth not?” asked the doctor
placing the implant into a
sterile
jar.
“Because nothing will go through, I have to
be naked at the time of
reflux”
Number 6 told him
“The bleeding has to be stopped, the
bandage can be removed” the doctor assured him.
‘What about my counterpart?”
“Don’t worry” Number 2 said “he will be here soon enough.”
The security guards, under the supervision
of Number 12, bundled the struggling figure of Number 6 into a waiting
Mini-Moke which ferried the Prisoner through the village to a laboratory in the
woods. He was manhandled through a pair of steel doors, along a corridor and into
the laboratory, and finally into the office, his blazer removed before being
strapped in a chair.
“What
do you think your doing? You can’t do this to me!’ Number 6 shouted. But
for all his struggles and protestations he might well have saved his energy for
the ordeal to come.
A male orderly rolled up Number 6’s left
sleeve and straightened his arm for the nurse, who dabbed an area of his lower
arm, and an injection of a mild sedative was administered.
“‘See” said Number 2 “we are not as barbaric
as you take us to be.”
The doctor picked up a scalpel and made the
incision and carefully placed the implant just under the skin, the nurse then
dabbed the bleeding incision with cotton wool and applied a small plaster to be
later removed.
Number 2 checked his watch “It is time we
were in the laboratory.”
In a body they all left the medical room,
Number 6 was held by two orderlies, and escorted by two security guards. The Professor
stood with a clipboard in his hands, he was gong through his calculations
again.
“Will it work? asked Number 2, looking at
all the equipment which seemed so roughly hewn together that it couldn’t
possibly work.
“It’s been a rush, there can be no guarantees.
I need more time in order to run a trial of this Time Reflux Actuator.”
“I understand Professor.”
“The machine should be fully tested
first before we send anyone through.”
“I said I understand Professor, but
there is no time. Have arrangements for the Guardians been made?”
“Yes Number Two.”
“Good.”
Number 2 turned to Blake “You understand there’s no guarantee this is going to work.”
380
“The implants will give us the edge to
return both myself and our friend here back to The Village” Blake replied.
“It’s a risk” Number 2 said.
“But a grave risk which you are prepared to
take” Blake said.
“I have no alternative” Number 2
said.
“You and me both” Blake said
beginning to remove his clothes.
Number 6 watched the man undressing “I hope
you don’t expect me to take my clothes off!”
“Now don’t you be difficult Number Six,
we’ve seen it all before!” smirked the nurse.
Number 6 ignored the nurse’s comment and
stood looking about the laboratory “So this is it is it, your time machine?”
“How do you feel my dear chap?” Number 2
asked simply out of curiosity, not that he cared.
“You care, I’m touched, I feel rather out
of it!” retorted Number 6 sarcastically.
“I
was just thinking how you have been a thorn in our side Number Six. You must be
pleased to be leaving us at last, I know I am!” Number 2 told him.
“Time
to undress Number Six” the doctor told him.
“You know Number Six, I envy you”
Number 2 said.
“Want to change places?”
“Thinking about it you are set to become, not immortal, but
a person of great prominence in Village history, or at least you will be should
this contraption work!”
Number 6 was about to resist but saw the
two security guards brandishing white truncheons take a step forward, and began
to take off his clothes.
“Its original I’ll give you that.
Number One’s idea was it?”
“I am proof that it will work” his
counterpart told him.
“You,
you’re proof of nothing” barked Number 6 removing his underpants.
“You’re still not convinced?” asked Number
2.
“I’m going along with this because I have
no other choice, but when this façade turns out to be nothing more than that,
then you’re all going to look pretty stupid” Number 6 told them standing in
nothing more than his birthday suit.
“And you will be reduced to mere
oblivion!” Number 2 told him.
Final checks of the Time Reflux Actuator having
been made, all electrical circuits tested, the machine was powered up and a
full power test was made. There was a short power fluctuation, but steadied and
all circuits held.
“Its now or never” Number 2 told the
Professor.
The two naked figures of Blake and
Number 6 were led out of the medical room and into the laboratory. Steel doors
at the far end of the
laboratory
opened, and two white membranic Guardians rolled in
emitting their blood curdling roar, the sound being amplified in the confined space of the laboratory.
381
“What are they doing here, if you have got
me here just to……..”
“I should relax if I were you” Blake told
him “stand on the centre disc, then crouch down.”
Number 6 was not a man to be afraid of
anything, but facing this, the unknown, was unnerving even for him, he stepped
back as one of the Guardians drew closer. Blake saw this and volunteered to go
first. Stepping onto the concaved steel disc in the centre of the Reflux-Actuator
he crouched down, Number 6 looked on in utter amazement as a Guardian rolled
forward, “it” seemed to know what was expected of it. Blake knew what to
expect, but it was nonetheless unnerving for that. He screamed as the Guardian
membrane began to envelope him until he was completely enclosed. In the Control
Room the Supervisor contacted the Power station by telephone, ordering the gas turbines
out-put to be increased to maximum. Number 6 felt the panic rise up inside him.
Never had he been a man to turn and run, but now was the time. He turned and
ran back through the frosted glass doors into the Control room closely pursued by
the second Guardian.
“Security, restrain Number Six” Number 2
ordered picking up the turquoise ‘L’ shaped telephone he called control
“deactivate the Guardian at once.”
The
Guardian rolled back as two security guards stepped forward to restrain Number
6, and manhandling him across the laboratory into the Control Room.
“That was very irresponsible of you Number
Six, you could have jeopardised the whole operation” Number 2 told him
“continue Professor’
“Reflux-Actuator all systems are green”
reported a technician checking the gauges.
“Word from the General’s office is that the
computer link is set and the time-date coordinates are set” announced a second
technician.
“Turbines at seventy percent…..eighty
percent…..ninety percent….. one hundred percent” a voice announced
“Everyone put on their protective eye
goggles” Number 2 ordered.
Scientists and technicians alike, donned
protective eye goggles, and watched through an observation window of the
Control Room.
“I should watch if I were you, it’s your
turn next” Number 2 told him handing him a pair of goggles.
Number 6 accepted the offered goggles, and
put them on.
Number 2 gave the order “Activate
Time-Reflux Actuator….engage!”
In the laboratory on the centre disc Blake
was surrounded by blue arcs of electricity protected by the Guardian’s
protective membrane.
Then
a clash of as thunder, blue electricity arced between the three
coiled
conductors. Blake’s body tingled, as Guardian’s membrane tingled. They screamed
and roared in unison, both locked together in excruciating pain.
Then a blinding flash of white light and it
was over.
Number 2 removed his goggles and stood facing Number 6 “Whatever the fate of your counterpart, be sure that you are about to face the same.”
382
“You’re not putting me through that!”
Number 6 tore off his goggles, breaking free of the two security guards. He made a dash for the pair of steel doors which remained closed to him, barring his escape. The Guardian, seeing its next pray, emitted a sound crossed between Gregorian chant, the sound of a bicycle pump, and someone breathing through an aqua lung, bounded towards him covering his face with its membrane. Number 6 screamed as he fought for breath, clawing at the membrane with his hands.
“Is it working Professor?” Number 2 asked
anxiously.
The Professor was busy making calculations
on his computer slate “I cannot say for certain. But if we are to be successful,
we should know within the next few minutes.”
Number 2, usually a calm and calculating
man could hardly contain his anxiety. Suddenly a technician reported an
incoming signal. There was a tremendous thunder clap, blue electricity arced
between the three semi conductors, then a blinding flash of white light. Then on
the concaved centre disc, the membranic form of the Guardian, and enveloped by
the membrane the naked form of Number 6. The Guardian roared and the naked
figure of Blake was released by the protective membrane. He crouched on the
centre disc his body wrenched in pain. A doctor and medics rushed out of the
medical room to attend the body lying curled up on the disc.
383
No comments:
Post a Comment