The Prisoner - A New No.2 Chapter 1

 

The right of David Stimpson to be identified

as the author of this work has been asserted by

him in accordance with copyright, Design and

patent act 1988.

All rights are reserved. No part of this publication

may be produced in any form or by means – graphic,

electronic, or mechanical including photocopying, without

the prior permission, in writing, of the publisher.

 

The Prisoner – A New No.2’ is published under the banner of “Fan Fiction” which means the promotion of ‘the Prisoner’ from which no money will be earned.

Chapter 1

Once Upon A Time

 

    Through the open steels doors the butler pushes a breakfast trolley, then sets the breakfast things out on the table. The black spherical chair rises up through the floor with the white amorphous Guardian in it. The portly figure of No.2, standing on a round disc, rises up through the floor. The Butler makes to leave.

    “Wait, remove it!” No.2 orders.
    The butler begins to place the breakfast things back on the trolley.
    On the telephone No.2 tells No.1 “And you can remove that thing too, I’m not an inmate.”
    “The coffee leave it!” No.2 bellows at the butler “how many times do I have to ask?”

    The chair and the Guardian descend through the floor.
    No.6 is a likely lad, but why does he care. Picking up the yellow ‘L’ shaped telephone No.2 asks the operator to put him through to No.6.
    “Why do you care?”
    “I know your voice.”
    “I’ve been here before, why do you care?”
    “You’ll never know!”

    Having gone through No.6’s file, and a review of No.6’s activities in the Village since his arrival No.2 picks up the red ‘L’ shaped telephone “Degree absolute, I require approval, I am a good man, I was a good man. But if you want him he will be better, and there’s no other way, I repeat no other way.”

    Check profundity
    “1….2….3…4….5…6 first waveband clear” the supervisor announced.
    “Repeat and increase” No,.2 orders.
    “1…2…3…4….5….6 still clear.”
    “Third waveband slow and hold on 5.”
    “1…..2…..3…..4…..5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5.”
    “Safe enough.”
    “It’s a risk, I’d hate to see you go” the supervisor tells him.
    “Its all yours, for one week, get moving, Degree Absolute, operate!”
    No.2 passes out through the opening steel doors

    No.2 and No.6 enter the Embryo Room, in which life can be lived from the cradle to the grave. The diminutive butler is there in a baby’s play pen playing with a rattle. It seems No.2 has brought it on himself, who knows. He flicks a switch closing the door. He sets the time of the countdown clock, pulls on a cord and closes the curtains over the clock.

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   “Come ahead son, let’s see what you’re made of, find out what’s in that noddle of yours.
   “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players, they have their exits and their entrances, and one man in his time plays many parts.”
   “A, find missing link, when I have found it I shall refine it and tune it, and you will play our game.

   “B put it together, and if I fail then BANG!"

    School, and in the headmasters study the headmaster is playing the harmonium.
   “You were talking in class.”
   “No sir.”
   “You refuse to admit it.”
    “I wasn’t sir” the pupil pleads.
    “Do you know who it was?” the headmaster asks.
    “Yes sir.”
    “Who was it?”
    The pupil remains silent.
    “This is the ninth day since the incident, you have been in my study every morning at this time and you still refuse to co-operate. Today is your last chance, wasn’t you?”
    “No sir.” “You know who it was?”
    Again the pupil remains silent
    “That is cowardice” barks the headmaster.
    “That’s honour sir.”
    “We don’t talk about such things” the headmaster tells him.
    “You should teach it sir.”
    “You’re a fool” the headmaster tells his pupil.
    “Yes sir, not a rat.”
    “Rat?” questions the headmaster.
    “Rat.”
    “I’m a rat?” barks the headmaster.
    “No, I’m a fool, not a rat!”
       The boy must conform, it is the duty of the headmaster to see that he does conform, he must not grow up to be a lone wolf, and offers six of the best as punishment. The pupil suggests 12, 12 so that he can remember.

    A fencing lesson.
    “That’s my boy” the coach says enthusiastically “That’s my boy, touché! Light and easy young man, no muscle just finesse. Good nice and easy. Good but you ran mustn’t run young man. Don’t hit and run. Don’t treat it as a game young man. You’re the champ kill, kill, kill” the coach lunges with epee. But the pupil whips the coach’s epee out of his hand and stands with the point of his epee at the coach.
    “Now…KILL!” the coach orders his face dripping with sweat.
    No.2 backs to the door the covered tip of No.6’s epee at his throat.
    “Afraid to prove you’re a man, your resignation was cowardice  wasn’t it.”

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    No.6 lunges with his epee missing its target and hitting the door, he lunges a second time, but now the rubber safety cap has come away from the tip of the epee.
    “Kill!” Go on you’re the champ boy, you can do it all boy” No.2 goads him “”you’re the one man band, You won’t step over the threshold because you’re scared. Go on, kill!”
    The Prisoner screams, lunges forward plunging the tip of the epee into his opponents shoulder.
    No.2 puts a hand to his wound “You missed boy, you still can’t do it.”
    The Prisoner’s sorry, but then he’s sorry for everybody, is that why he resigned?

    Recruited by British Military Intelligence No.6 is given a job of a confidential nature, international state business.
    “Tell me” the High Court Judge demands.
    “Can’t” the defendant tells him.
    “Tell me.”

    “Such business is above the law.”
    “Above the law!” barks the Judge.
    “Tell me.”
    “Never!”
    “You’re guilty” the Judge pronounces.
    “Yes.”
    “Of speeding on the public highway. Unrestricted murder on the public highway. Thinks he knows it all, too fast! Why do you risk the murder of innocent human beings by exceeding the speed limit?”
    “I’m good at figures” mocks the defendant.
    “Don’t you like it?”
    “I’ll work any hours of the day.”
    “Fined twenty units” the judge pronounces.
    “I appeal” pleads the defendant.
    “What?”
    “I appeal.”
    “Not allowed.”
    “I can’t pay.”
    “Twenty units, nothing!”
    “Units are not for me” pleads the defendant.
    “You are a member of the village” shouts the Judge.
    “NO!”
    “You are a unit, of society” the Judge tells him.
    “No, no, no!” shouts the defendant.
    “Contempt, contempt of court!” orders the Judge.
    “I accept, I accept the ruling.”
    The Prisoner is sentenced to 6 days in jail, he was rebelling you see, rebelling against the figures. But the Prisoner intends to appeal, appeal…he’s getting the same treatment as everyone else, but then that’s why he’s going to appeal!

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    Through the bars of the cage No.2 asks No.6 why he resigned.
    “For peace.”
    “You resigned for peace?”
    “For peace of mind” the Prisoner tells him.
    “What?”
    “For peace of mind!”
    “Why?”
    “Because too many people know too much, I know too much about you!”

    Behold the clock, five minutes to go!
    No.2 desperately attempts to reset the clock, set to open on a new phase of their relationship that is if they are still there! Are they likely to move? Well its possible….somewhere sunny? The cage has built in bars, all self contained, kitchen, bathroom, air conditioning. Food supplies for six months, it even has a waste disposal unit, its detachable you see.
   No.2 pours himself a glass of wine or whisky.
   No.6 slams the cage door closed, locks it and gives the butler the key!
    Three minutes!
   No.2 is scared, he can’t take it. He doesn’t want No.6 to open the cage and go in, but he won’t come out either.
    Two minutes!
    The Butler unlocks the cage door, No.6 slides the door open, No.2 is free.

    No, he’s No.2.

    No, he’s number nothing!
    One minute thirty-five seconds as the countdown continues.
    “You resigned!”
    “I rejected!”
    “You accepted before you resigned.”
    “I rejected.”
    “Who?”
    “YOU!”

    All the King’s horses and all the King’s men will not put this No.2 together again!
    It’s not too late, for No.6, no for No.2!
    Six seconds
    “Six!” echoes No.6
    “Die Six” yells the Prisoner.
    5
    “Die”
    4
    “Die.”
   3
   Die!”

   2 No.2 takes a last drink of his whisky.
   “Diiiiieeee.”
    1

4

    “Die.”
    “Zero” croaks No.2.
    No.2’s heart stops beating and he collapses on the floor. No.6 feels for a pulse, but the man is dead. He leaves the cage, closes the door and locks it. The steel door opens and the bald-headed bespectacled figure of the supervisor-No.26 stands framed in the doorway.
    “Congratulations.”
    The door of the cage is closed and locked.
    “We shall need the body for evidence” The supervisor informs No.6.
    No.6 smashes his glass on the floor in a pique of anger.
    “What do you desire?” asks the supervisor.
    “Number 1.”
    “I’ll take you.”
    On the control panel of the clock the supervisor clicks a switch and the steel side of the cage lowers into place with a resounding clang, effectively sealing the deceased No.2 in his tomb. While No.6, the butler, and the supervisor leave the Embryo Room, the steel door closes behind them as they go to the tune of “Bah bah black sheep” with the rocking horse rocking, and the swing swinging…….

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