The Prisoner An Exercise In Logistics - Chapter /Episode 29

 

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.

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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.”

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    “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?”

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    “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?”

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    “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.

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    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!”

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    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!

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    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.

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     “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.”

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    “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.

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    “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.”

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    “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.

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