Return to Wardate

by Bill Cornwell

  The people of the USA really didn’t want to fight back – they had no wish to. However they reluctantly knew they had to do the expected thing even though they would never make the first move and only make a move if a sufficient amount of nuclear weapons were heading their way.

  The rest of the world didn’t particularly want Armageddon so they planned an old style invasion.

  It was decided that an armada would be assembled on a scale never seen before. Thousands of ships from every known part of the non-American world had to be stocked with weapons and the best fighting men. Once ready, all would set sail to arrive simultaneously and beat the crap out of the heinous aberrations that happened to occupy a filthy land mass on the northern hemisphere.

  Chapter 17: Adam on a garden seat

  What was unusual about this new imminent world war was that everyone (apart from the Americans) was excited, positive and almost looking forward to the bloodshed. It certainly wasn’t rational behaviour. The whole world was possessed with illogical objectives and intense hatred. No one was thinking straight – even Madeline, at this moment in time.

  ‘Madeline, Barton here.’

  ‘Hello, you’ve been quiet,’ said Madeline affectionately.

  ‘Been busy. Thought I’d let you know I’ve installed a noise cancelling audio bandpass filter.’

  ‘I’d forgot all about that. You shouldn’t have bothered. I think that problem has paled into insignificance,’ said Madeline.

  ‘Anyway, I’ve done it now. It’ll screen out the all the ultrasound in this room. I’m connecting it up… now.’ Barton threw a switch. ‘Any weird effects let me know.’

  ‘Ok, will do,’ said Madeline with indifference.

  ‘Barton?’ said Adam.

  ‘Yes, he’s a treasure. Apparently I’m now surrounded by a noise channelling auto rock band filler,’ said Madeline with perhaps too many gin and tonics in her system.

  ‘Sounds far too technical for me,’ said Adam who also had perhaps had a few too many pints.

  They had more or less claimed the snug area of the inn for themselves. They absorbed the relaxing atmosphere and were on first name terms with the barman. Evenings past quickly, joining in with the regular darts match and skittles league. On the wall behind them, the television had the news channel permanently on, sound turned off but with subtitles. There was no ordinary News now, preparation for the invasion had taken over. At the moment it was showing port of Honk Kong where the Chinese were loading an impressive array of war machines on to a war ship.

  ‘You never did tell me about your trip to Warsaw.’

  ‘Lovely place, lovely people,’ said Adam.

  ‘How did you come to that conclusion, you spent most of your time locked up, didn’t you?’

  ‘Barton’s be talking, hasn’t he? …Snitch!’

  ‘Barton, he’s called you a snitch,’ said Madeline.

  ‘Damn site nicer than anywhere in the USA anyway,’ said Adam.

  ‘Oh come on! What about Seattle or Atlanta or San Francisco? Beautiful places,’ said Madeline defensively.

  Adam was expecting Madeline to completely agree with him by she didn’t. She broke the cardinal rule and praised something American. This was unforgivable, even for his girlfriend. Madeline didn’t realise it but the effect of the subliminal brainwashing was quickly wearing off. A pin dropped in the far corner of the inn - everybody had heard her blaspheme. It was exactly like a scene from the Body snatchers, everyone’s expression including Adam’s was the same. Time almost stood still as the penetrating hatred stares eroded her soul. If anyone happened to be armed, they would have opened fire on her without a second thought. If any one happened to have a pit bull terrier with them, it would now be feeding on any flesh she happened to possess. Madeline quickly realised what was happening, it was as thought she’d emerged from a hypnotic state. She glanced at the TV on the wall; immediately she knew Mark Titoo was at the root of all this. She remembered the uncontrollable rage at Capesdown hall when it was her, not the Americans being loathed. There was only one way out of the situation...

  ‘Only joking… a little bit of sarcasm, what do you take me for?’ she said slightly trembling.

  It took a few seconds before the Body Snatcher mood withered and then everyone resumed what they were doing as though the incident never happened.

  ‘What was that about?’ asked Adam sternly.

  ‘I was joking, that’s all,’ said Madeline still trembling.

  For the first time ever, Adam scared her – everybody scared her. He was completely under a spell - as she had been a few minutes ago. The whole world was under the same powerful terrifying spell. Madeline continued to accurately simulate Poppy’s tremble in her tank. She could fight a small army with her incredible new body but not the whole world. There was something she had to do.

  It was quite a while since she’d used her gift of flatulence. The gas was only intended for Adam so only a small amount was administered. Adam slumped over on to his pint. She took Adam’s mobile phone out of his pocket.

  ‘Barton, what’s your take on the Americans,’ she said, talking quietly into Adam’s mobile so as not to arouse suspicion.

  ‘Well, I don’t hate them anymore if that’s what you mean.’

  ‘How the hell has this happened?’

  ‘I think we’ve all been caught with our pants down. It’s time to prove yourself and do what Madeline Bull is best at doing. The whole world is now in your hands.’

  ‘No pressure then. You do realise the consequences of leaving that room we’re both in?’

  ‘Or if there’s a power fail?’

  ‘Well you do your bit and I’ll try and do mine,’ said Madeline firmly.

  No ‘lots of love’ to finish off this time. A modicum of rectitude was now appropriate. Finally Madeline Bull was in demand and back at work even though the rest of the world didn’t know it… yet. One thing she couldn’t bear – being deceitful with Adam. Priority was to sort that problem out first.

  ‘Could you help me carry him outside for a bit of fresh air? Looks like he’s had a bit too much to drink,’ Madeline asked the barman.

  ‘Sure love. Can’t take his drink very well, can he?’

  ‘He’s on antibiotics. Shouldn’t really have been drinking at all,’ Madeline lied.

  Madeline could easily have carried Adam – for miles, but that certainly wouldn’t have gone unnoticed.

  The barman eased him on to a garden seat.

  ‘Thanks, he’ll be alright in a few minutes.’

  ‘Give me a shout if you want me to carry him upstairs,’ said the friendly barman.

  It was all so strange - as though having a purposeful common hatred had made everyone nicer to each other. This was a fact. Terrorism, racism, homophobism and all other ism’s had all but disappeared. Wars had stopped as had slavery, human trafficking, shop lifting, burglaries, murder and rape. All personal differences had been set aside, everyone was extremely courteous, helpful and kind each other. Every person’s hate and negativity was now directed solely towards the North Americans. On reflection, if Mark Titoo’s brainwashing (if indeed Mark Titoo was behind it all) was to hate Martians or Venusians instead of the Americans, the world would be a wonderful place. Of course all the world’s natural resources would be used up in building a fleet of heavily armed spaceships – so perhaps not such a good idea.

  Madeline had no intention of returning to her room, she had to get to Capesdown hall. She spoke into her watch.

  ‘Nuttall, I need to see you urgently.’

  ‘Can’t it wait?’

  ‘I’ve uncovered a British faction supporting the USA,’ said Madeline.

  She knew with the present climate, only one subject matter would get the required attention. What she said was certainly true although for now, the faction only amounted to two people.

  ‘I’ll send the helicopter.’

  Chapter 18: Nuttall’s Aston Martin

  This time Nuttall was wa
iting at the helipad. Madeline disembarked carrying a slumbering Adam on her shoulder.

  ‘We have to go down to the ‘V’ room,’ Madeline yelled to be heard above the noise of the helicopter. ‘There are traitors about again.’

  Neither of them said a word until they were in the ‘V’ room with the door securely shut.

  ‘What’s the matter with Adam?’

  ‘I had to put him out.’

  ‘So, what evidence have you got?

  At that moment Adam started to stir.

  ‘What the hell? Where am I?’ protested Adam.

  ‘Bear with me, you’ll understand in a few minutes sweetheart.’

  ‘Come on, I’m a busy man. Where’s your evidence?’

  Madeline slowly edged towards the door and discretely prepared her laser finger. The end of her finger hinged down silently.

  ‘It’s me, I’m your evidence, I’m supporting the Americans,’ said Madeline calmly.

  ‘The hell!’ Nuttall yelled as he reached inside his jacket for his hand gun.

  ‘Don’t bother, you know it’ll have no effect. All I’m asking is that you both sit quietly for five minutes and then lock me up, if you still want to.’

  ‘Lock you up! I’ll have you dismantled for this!’ steamed Nuttall.

  ‘Think back to the last time when you shot me. Can you remember why you did it?’ asked Madeline.

  ‘What’s that got to do with anything!’ yelled Nuttall.

  ‘Think!’ said Madeline sternly, waving her laser finger at him menacingly.

  ‘We were all brainwashed to hate you,’ said Nuttall irritably.

  ‘Precisely! Everyone is now been brainwashed to hate the Americans,’ said Madeline.

  ‘Utter bloody clap trap!’ said Adam aggressively. ‘The Americans are all putrid scum. We don’t need to be brainwashed to know that.’

  It was pointless for Madeline to say much more so she didn’t. Nuttall and Adam continued to scream, threaten, spit and swear at her. She ignored them. Five minutes passed – she didn’t have to argue anymore.

  ‘What… the hell are we doing?’ asked Nuttall.

  The effects had worn off.

  ‘Oh my God – we’re waging war on the American’s,’ said Adam.

  ‘Finally, took you long enough,’ said Madeline calmly as she finished off a beef and potato dinner through her mouth tube.

  ‘It’s that Mark Titoo, whoever he is. He’s turned the world against the US with his ultrasound. Every one has to be told,’ said Nuttall in a state of panic. ‘I have to warn everybody.’

  ‘You can’t do anything. You can’t leave this room or you’ll revert back to hating the Americans again,’ said Madeline.

  ‘So what do we do?’ whimpered Nuttall.

  ‘We need those ear devices, Coley was wearing,’ said Madeline.

  ‘Good thinking – I’ll be immune from the conditioning – I’ll inform the Prime Minister,’ said Nuttall mildly hysterical.

  ‘No, not for you, for Adam, we have things to do. You’ll have to stay down here until we get another set of ear devices. Isn’t there anyway of communicating with the outside world from down here?’ asked Madeline.

  ‘I thought you’d never ask.’

  Nuttall reached into his pocket, took out a small remote fob and pressed one of the buttons on it. Immediately the whole of the back wall began to move. The wall parted in the middle and moved outwards revealing an entire wall equipped with the most elaborate communications set up ever seen.

  ‘Impressive eh? I can communicate with the whole world from here - control satellites, even communicate with all Vanguard and Astute class submarines.’

  ‘Not much point though, no one’s going to listen to you,’ said Adam holding his head. Apart from slight brain ache and a nasty taste in his mouth, the fart gas effects had all but passed.

  ‘With us now are you pet?’ said Madeline affectionately.

  ‘You bloody farted on me!’

  ‘What else could I do?’

  ‘I’ll get back to looking into this Mark Titoo chap,’ said Nuttall doing his best to restore his credibility.

  ‘Coley’s ear devices, where are they?’ Madeline reminded him.

  ‘They’re in the lab. I’ll send someone down with them.’

  ‘No, I’ll get them! Don’t be tempted to leave the ‘V’ room either of you!’ said Madeline as firmly as she could.

  ‘Try not to kill anyone,’ said Nuttall and Adam together in retaliation of her bossiness.

  As Madeline ascended in the lift, she wearily listened for the ultrasound but there was only silence. Clearly the noise cancelling bandpass filter was working effectively. Madeline was fully aware that everyone she encountered would be behaving irrationally with unjustifiable hatred towards the USA. It was a very strange world indeed. Any one with even the slightest American accent had already been beaten up, had their head shaved and now wore a placard around their neck saying: I hate the USA. It really was becoming a frightening world but everyone apart from Madeline, Adam, Nuttall and Barton seemed to be happily unaware of it.

  Nuttall had given her directions but lacking a security pass, she would surely be stopped and questioned. The lab was situated on the second floor which was exactly where the lift stopped. Fortunately she only encountered male staff as she moved along the corridors. She winked at most of them with one of her perfectly designed eyes. Her breasts were enlarged, almost bursting out of her tight top and her already short skirt was hiked up as far as she dared. Predictably they were all far too distracted to notice that she didn’t possess a pass. Finally she reached the lab – it was empty. The two ear devices were abandoned on a desk along with Coley’s other effects including a small family photo of his wife and two young daughters. The return journey was going fine until she came across a rather officious middle aged female who clearly hated beautiful, sexy women.

  ‘Where’s your security pass?’ she boomed.

  ‘Haven’t I got it on? Now where could that have gone?’

  Immediately the dragon got on her radio.

  ‘We have an intruder, possibly American, require backup.’

  Within seconds half the staff of Capesdown Hall had ascended on the attractive intruder.

  ‘It’s Madeline Bull the android!’ shouted someone.

  ‘Was she built in America?’ shouted another someone.

  ‘Upgraded over there I believe,’ shouted another someone.

  ‘Destroy her then!’ shouted another someone.

  Moments later at least twenty hand guns were poised ready to fire but Madeline already had set her laser finger on stun setting. One or two bullets got through but the sweeping motions of the laser finger quickly handled the threat.

  She did her best not to hurt anyone as she climbed over the heap of bodies with her stilettos but a few bruising prods were unavoidable. She removed a security pass from one of the stunned bodies.

  ‘Lively out there,’ said Madeline as she returned to the ‘V’ room.

  ‘Go on then, how many have you zapped?’ asked Adam.

  ‘No more than twenty, what do you take me for… they’ll be alright,’ she said dismissively.

  Madeline quickly wiped the ear devices with a tissue and handed them to Adam.

  ‘Put these in and keep them in,’ said Madeline.

  He pulled his face at the traces of someone else’s ear wax and reluctantly pushed them in his ears.

  ‘Are they on? Can’t hear anything,’ said Adam loudly.

  ‘You’re shouting!’ said Madeline. ‘…That’s the whole point, you shouldn’t hear anything.’

  ‘I assume you have a plan? I hope it’s a good one?’ said Nuttall.

  ‘I have a hunch, not a plan yet... Put this on.’

  She gave Adam the pass she had borrowed from one of the stunned and prodded bodies.

  ‘What are you going to do?’ she asked Nuttall.

  ‘All I can do is get my best men down here away from the ultrasound and
go from there,’ said Nuttall.

  ‘Don’t suppose I can borrow your car?’

  Nuttall reluctantly dipped his hand in his trouser pocket and threw Madeline the keys.

  ‘Gold Aston - don’t scratch it… and don’t floor it!’

  A few stunned bodies still remained scattered about the corridors, the rest had obviously recovered and were now vengefully looking for the android intruder.

  The only possible way to stay alive and get out of the building was for Adam to carry an inactive Madeline on his shoulder. He had done this before – not something he ever wanted to do again. Madeline was far heavier than she looked.

  ‘You got her? – Excellent. Where are you taking her?’ asked one of the staff.

  ‘The incinerator - melt her before she reactivates!’ said a quick thinking Adam.

  ‘Good idea, here, let me help.’

  Adam wasn’t going to argue.

  ‘Bloody hell, she’s heavy!’

  ‘Tell me about it,’ said Adam.

  This was a good arrangement, an inactive android and two people with passes didn’t seem to cause any suspicion. Conveniently, the member of staff took over as spokesman.

  ‘You got her then,’ said another member of staff.

  ‘Yea, we’re taking her to the incinerator.’

  ‘Good idea, best place for her.’

  And it continued like this along several corridors, passing several people until they finally reached Nuttall’s beautiful car. It happened to be not far from the incinerator.

  ‘Thanks… you can put me down now,’ said Madeline.

  ‘The member of staff carrying the heavy android tried to get his gun but she got in the way. She slid off his shoulder and fired her laser stun finger – as usual, it was completely effective… and humane.

  ‘I’ll drive! You’ll be too gentle with it,’ said Madeline possessively.

  Madeline’s theory was that if she went fast enough, the man on the gate wouldn’t have time to look at the occupants properly and therefore not stop them. Madeline completely disobeyed Nuttall’s request and thrashed it from the onset, spinning the wheels and throwing gravel in all directions. Inevitably she control around the first bend but skilfully recovered. In seconds the car was hurtling towards the gateman at an insane speed. Adam had his eyes shut – perhaps for the best.