Chapter 8. Return 'home'
Chris lay in a hospital bed, in fact the one Sheila had used on her return.
Blearily and crying he watched Sheila and Evara. When he heard her outburst,
"Why won't they let her come back to me!" he screamed the words at the top of
his voice. Doctor Johnson came in and tried to calm him and give him a sedative
but it was refused. "Let me die, Doc. Let me die. Life is no longer worth
living."
"It could be if only you would start eating," the doctor said. Chris had become
very depressed when Sheila was forced to leave. He gave up eating until too weak
and they had to force feed him semi-liquid food. It kept him alive but that was
all. His mind was a blank. Yvonne pleaded unsuccessfully with James to allow the
girl's return arguing that she didn't want to lose one of her finest designer
engineers. James still stubbornly refused to listen to reason.
*****
Six weeks after the return of the twelve captives, Ralph and James thought the
message should be repeated at different locations. The previous episode was no
longer headline news and lawlessness was on the rise again. Marjorie overheard
James speaking with Kate and just in time managed to link her phone in with his.
When James finished speaking, Marjorie still held the line open and was able to
contact Kate directly.
"Kate, don't hang up. This is Marjorie. I'm not supposed to talk to you but I
fiddled the connection while James was talking. It's a one and only chance I may
get so I probably can't get back to you again. How's Spitfire?"
"She's alive but dead. We can amuse her for an hour or two but the rest of the
time she is lifeless. The fire has gone out of her."
"Its the same with Chris. He stopped eating and is being force fed in the
hospital. He'll die before long if we don't get her to him."
"What can we do Marjorie?"
"Listen, here is my plan."
******
The four RH500's hovered eight miles above their targets. Robert and Marjorie
were over London. First they had to pick up the reporters from south of the
Thames and then proceed to a Finchley, a trouble spot in north London. The
navigator and co-pilot set the air chute down right outside of the Studio and
Marjorie, Robert and four robos descended. Two watched the outer door while the
humans and remaining robos rushed to the flat. Robert ordered his robo to bring
the camera gear while Marjorie's picked up a nearby large box labelled computer
equipment. Within minutes they were all back in the spacecraft and had returned
to their position above the target and were watching the events below as they
were revealed on their monitors.
A group of six white males and four females all armed with staves, looked as if
they were about to ambush a group of unsuspecting Asians sauntering homeward
across some waste ground. In seconds, the spacecraft plunged from eight miles
down to eighty feet then eight feet. Two bluemen firing silent stun guns and ten
robos emerged. They were fractionally too late to prevent two of the Asians
being hit by the youths but all ten of the attackers lay unconscious on the
ground. Only a minute later the crew, robos and the ten men and women were on
their way to Spacestation Molly.
They were the second craft to return and the first was still being unloaded.
Marjorie ordered a couple of robos to transport the camera gear and the large
box and show the ladies to their room.
"Don't open the box until things get well underway in the hall and James is
occupied," Marjorie whispered to Jayne.
Half an hour later nearly everyone was in the hall, undressing and checking the
captives. There were 19 so far and another craft had just arrived. Marjorie came
back to the ladies ostensibly checking everything was alright for them and to
see if they needed anything. Stooping to the box she whispered through an air
hole, "Spitfire, You'll have to wait a little while longer so control your
impatience but once all the spacecraft are in and their cargo unloaded, then it
should go very quiet here as everyone will be in the hall. Then you can slip out
and call for Charles. He is in James' room and they haven't re-programmed him so
he will still only respond to your voice. Get him to take you to the hospital.
Chris is there. David will be in the hall doing blood tests and things so you
should have it all to yourselves. I don't know what James'll say when he finds
out. No doubt you will think of an answer. Good luck"
A whispered, "Thanks," came back.
The last spacecraft came in and transported its human cargo to the hall. Jayne
and Kate left for the hall too and started preliminary filming. "Watch the
camera for a moment Kate while I get a filter" Jayne said it just loud enough
for James to hear but he was otherwise occupied. Jayne went to the room and
opened the box. Small though she was, there wasn't much room in it and Sheila
felt cramps in her muscles.
"You ought to have worn a less conspicuous outfit," Jayne whispered.
"No, this is my home and I am staying. I can't hide forever. Just for a hour or
so." She did grab one of the sheets from the bed and covered herself as she made
her way to James' room.
"Charles, please come here." There was a click and the digital lock freed the
door. "Charles, please carry me to the hospital and to Chris." Swiftly and
silently she arrived at Chris' bedside. She was aghast at the sight. Chris was
pale and gaunt. His eyes were closed and his breathing shallow. A shadow of his
former self.
Tears streamed down her cheeks as she cried out, "Chris, Chris, wake up. Look at
me. I'm back my love." An eyelid flickered open. Then again soon both eyes
stared at her.
"Is it really you Sheila? It isn't a dream?"
"No, my love." She gave him a light punch in the chest. "Did that feel real?"
She climbed under the sheet and held him closely to her. "Does this feel real?"
She planted a long kiss on his lips. They held each other for a long while until
David appeared at the door. He looked at her. Then smiled.
"I'm not going to ask how you got here and I don't think James knows as I just
left him but I do know you are the best medicine Chris can have."
"What does he have to do to get better?"
"Eat. But not real solid food yet. He's been too long on baby food mush we have
forced down his throat to have much yet. Needs little and often. There some in
the fridge and you can warm it in the microwave for about 10 seconds. I haven't
seen you and I must get these tests done."
"How long before James gives his speech to the newcomers?"
"Few are awake yet so I guess a little under an hour. Why? You aren't going
to......? Are you?" On your head be it. Now I must get on. Nice to see you
though."
She started to feed Chris spoonful by spoonful but then put some on her nipple
and allowed him to suck it from there. It was getting to be like old times. When
he'd had as much as it seemed he could take she kissed him and said she would be
back shortly.
******
James had nearly finished his rehearsed speech about traditional methods of
punishment and what the effect on them would be. Whispering to Charles and
wearing her multi-coloured gown, she rode on his shoulders into the hall. They
came in slightly behind James and the audience saw her before he did. They fell
silent . She stood as high as she could and allowed the light to play on the
random pattern psychedelic colours. A professional actor could not have made a
more dramatic entrance. Her arms were outstretched Christ-like or like a modern
angel. She knew too that she was centred in Jayne's lens and this was being sent
out live.
"I am Sheila, better known here as Spitfire. About two months ago, I came here
like you after having beaten and cut the face of a pensioner for just £12.58.
Like you are going to be, I was caned. I had 16 strokes, if you are lucky you
will only get twelve. Some of the stripes still show faintly across my arse.
They hurt then. They hurt like hell. They hurt like hell for days but gradually
I learned why they were given. I received not just pain but self esteem. People
cared for me. For the first time in my life I had real friends. I was part of a
community. I am still part of that community. So I say to you all, if you are
one of the chosen ones who are given a month to stay here, be glad. My life, the
life of those who were with me for that month changed completely for the better.
Your lives will too. Just don't make judgements before the end of the month.
Only then will you appreciate what is being done for you."
Sheila turned slightly towards James, "I will be here too and will try and help
you particularly through the first few very difficult days when you think
nothing will take away the pain, the humiliation and the torment. Remember you
will get through it and come out the other side in far better shape than you are
now. If someone my size can, then you can too." She jumped down from Charles
shoulders and her diminutive size immediately became apparent. "I was appointed
supervisor to the previous group and now I will be your supervisor, your link
with Mr. James and the bosses. I will help you in any way I can so that by the
end of your month, you can take your place in a better world, a better England."
Sheila paused. "Over now to you Mr. James. I have a patient to attend to." She
turned to Charles, "Take me back to Chris please."
For a few minutes James stood dumbfounded. A thousand questions went through his
mind. How? Why? Surely it wasn't possible? But his captives were waiting and
Spitfire had left the room. He couldn't but help admire her courage. For her to
come back and openly present herself before him and do it in a way, that he
couldn't reject. That took skill and courage.
A round of applause went up from the assembled Bluemen. Some of the captives
would have joined in too had not their hands been tied.
James knew he had to let her stay.
Finis
