Season 03 - Episode 13

‘immediately the people’

“And with that,” Es announces to the room. “I call to a close this latest meeting of the official GovCo Neighbourhood Watch Committee in The Fourth. Thank you to Ny for hosting again and remember everyone, report any suspicious activity to GovCo immediately.”

The people filling Ny's room rise from their chairs or the floor and chat amongst themselves as they shuffle out into the corridor. Most nod as they pass him, standing, small and hunched in the corner, his right arm hidden inside his baggy old cardigan.

“Oh!” calls Es suddenly.“I forgot. Can the members of the Huw Patelikov Memorial Sub-Committee stay back for a minute please?”

A handful of people turn and move back into the the room, pushing politely against the tide. After another minute or two the bottleneck is cleared and the door is closed and locked. Ny straightens up and he, Es and the remaining handful look at one another in silence. Then they walk as one towards the far wall, pausing before a battered old wardrobe.

Ny reaches around the back of the wardrobe with his left hand and a discrete click pierces the silence. Then, the whole cupboard slides sideways, revealing a hole in the wall into a space beyond. They file through and the wardrobe slides back into place behind them.

The room beyond is gloomy and has been stripped almost completely bare and sealed from the outside. Only a table and a couple of rickety old chairs remain and Clo lowers her elderly frame onto the closest of these. Ny removes his metal hand from his cardigan and flexes it, then stands tall as they all gather around the table.

“I still can't get over that door,” says Clo as she settles.

“Thank Mo,” says Ny quietly. “Or rather the blueprints in his head.”

“Where is he by the way?” asks a young man called Si.

“Out gathering materials,” says Ny. “His confidence has grown a lot recently. Anyway, let's make this quick. The operation in the Twenty Second was a complete success.

“That's right,” says Es, picking up the thread. “Both sides are leaving them alone for now and we've managed to get some food running in there again too.”

“Great work everyone,” says Ny. “But it's only temporary. We need to work out how to get people out of there without either side seeing, how to get them somewhere safe.”

“A lot of them won't want to leave,” says Es.

“I know,” agrees Ny. “But we can help those that do.”

“In the meantime,” says Si. “There's a similar opportunity in the Sixth. Same again?”

“No,” says Ny definitely, despite murmurs of approval. “Absolutely not.”

“Why not?” asks Es.

“Too risky,” Ny explains. “Our greatest strength right now is that neither side know we exist. Too many coincidences will draw attention. We need to think of something else.”

“I have some news,” says Clo. “I heard GovCo executed Ol today. They heard about him siding with the Disciples before and charged him with collaborating with The Church.”

“Good,” says Es, her voice dripping with spite. “Got what he deserved, finally.”

“Es!” Ny hisses, clenching his hands into fists, flesh and metallic. “Don't say that!

“What do you mean?” asks Es. “I'd've thought you more than anyone would be happy to see him punished after what he did to you.”

“It doesn't matter!” insists Ny hotly. “Ol was one of us, whatever he did. If there was justice to be done it was for us to do, not them and either way it shouldn't have cost him his life. There's been enough killing already, more than enough!”

“Alright,” says Es, eyeing Ny with concern. “Ok. I'm sorry I spoke.”

“No, Es,” says Ny, suddenly calm and sad. “I'm sorry. I shouldn't have snapped at you like that. It's the stress of all this. I'm just... please forgive me.”

“Of course,” says Es, touching Ny's arm. “Don't be silly.”

“Anyway,” says Ny after an awkward moment of silence. “Sorry, look. Mo and I have built something else, something we think will help. Watch this.”

Ny takes a remote control from his pocket and presses a small red button. Then, everyone else around the table staggers and gasps as the floor below them suddenly disappears to reveal a black and bottomless pit.

©  a d a m   b y f i e l d , not to be reproduced in any form without written permission