Fergus gazed along the empty corridor； thinking to glimpse the forting glint of a multi…function riot gun as it dipped back into a far doorway。 'I'll leave you to it。 Just call out for Mr Garstang。'
'No sweat。 And fella。。。' Fergus turned。 'Yes？'
'Thanks。'
'You might have the decency to put a fellow's coat upon a hanger。' The torturers ignored Rambo and continued to strap his unclad body into the steel chair。 'No chance of a cushion I suppose？' An anonymous thug； who had just e on shift； dealt Rambo a specific blow to the solar plexus。 Ill…mannered oik； thought Rambo。 'Ouch；' he said。
The anonymous thug's equally anonymous patriot pressed the self…adhesive discs to the appropriate quarters。 'This is going to hurt really bad；' he said with relish。
'First prepared is best prepared； old todger。 Don't crease the strides； there's an angel。' The thugs gave Rambo a perfunctory thump or two and left the room。 'So this is Christmas 。。。' sang Rambo； although he didn't know quite why。
'Rambo Bloodaxe？' The voice crackled into the tiled room。
'Present；' said the man in the chair。
'Mr Bloodaxe； we have some questions to ask you。'
'Then ask away； my dear fellow。 I have pressing engagements elsewhere。' The first minor tremor loosened some teeth and scrambled his goolies。
'Leave off there。' Rambo howled。 'No need for that surely？'
'What do you know about SUN？' Rambo hesitated。 Up in the control room：
First anonymous torturer： 'Don't be so mean； the power isn't on ration。'
Second anonymous torturer： 'I'm sure Mr Bloodaxe wants to tell us all。'
First anonymous torturer： 'Burn it out of him。'
Second anonymous torturer： 'But he seems like a nice chap。 Oh well。。。'
Rambo Bloodaxe： 'Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh！'
Rex turned his face away from the viewing panel。 'If you will pardon me；' he said； turning to leave。 'I find this quite upsetting。'
Dan offered Rex the sweetest of smiles。 'No taste for revenge then； Rex？ Don't you want to twiddle the dials a bit？'
'No； I don't。 I know what it feels like。'
Dan laughed。 'Yeah； you certainly squirmed。' He looked sharply at Rex。 'No hard feelings I trust？'
'You'll kill him； I suppose？'
Dan shrugged。 'Maybe yes； maybe no。 I will see how the spirit moves me。'
Rex chewed upon his lip。 'Just another non…person。'
'That's right； Rex。 Rubbish； detritus。 Millions more where he came from。 He is merely a means to an end。 My end。 You would do well to bear this in mind。'
Rex stared into the narrow face of the Dalai Lama and for a moment his thoughts were unguarded。 It didn't matter how much credit he built up for himself； there was very little chance of him staying around for long enough to enjoy it。 Dan would simply use him up and then throw him away。 So much detritus。 And it all just came to him in that single moment。 He was going nowhere。 Absolutely nowhere。
'I am handing in my resignation；' said Rex。 'I quit。'
Dan laughed； but there was no humour in it。 'No…one quits； Rex。 You don't quit on the Dalai Lama。'
'Well I do； and I have。' Rex turned to leave。
'Stop him。' An anonymous torturer sprang from his chair and drew a handgun。 Rex turned； kicked the weapon from his grip； punched him hard across the chin。 He stooped and snatched up the fallen gun。 He turned it upon Dalai Dan。 'I'm a dead man； aren't I？'
Dan shrugged。 'You could always reconsider。 Put it down now； there's a good boy。'
Rex swallowed。 With a shaking hand he levelled the gun towards the Dalai's face。 This had all got suddenly out of control。 He no longer understood what he was doing。
'Put down the gun Rex。'
'I think not。' Rex squeezed the trigger。 A shot rang out。
Rex Mundi sank to the floor。 A gaping wound in the back of his head。 The second anonymous torturer blew into the smoking barrel of his gun。 Dan gazed down at the corpse of Rex Mundi。 'Stupid waste；' said he。 'Get someone to clear the mess up and get whatever you can from Bloodaxe。 I shall be in my apartments。 Let me know what you find out。'
'Yes sir。' The anonymous torturer turned the body over with his foot and began to root through Rex's pockets。
An unfortable trio edged along the executive corridor at Earthers Inc。 Lavinius Wisten； his hands tied securely； was strapped behind Gryphus Garstang。 Elvis Presley； his face wearing a nonchalant smile； strolled ahead； popping his fingers。 The nose of a certain gremlin…ridden gun prodded his back。 'Move on；' ordered Garstang。
'Can't get a clear shot yet；' came a voice over Jason Morgawr's headset。 'He's got Wisten tied on behind。'
'Stay in touch。' Morgawr turned to Fergus Shaman。 Fergus shrugged； 'You know my feelings； it's in your hands now。'
'We could just open up on him and see what happens。'
'You will not；' barked the lip…reader。 'You can do what you like with Garstang； but I don't want to lose any more members of my board。 Is that clear？'
'Yes sir；' said Jason Morgawr。
God's nose； thought Fergus Shaman。
'They've taken the lift； sir。'
'Are your teams in place in the research labs？'
'Yes sir。 But if we can't get a clear shot at him？' Morgawr glanced at Mungo Madoc。 Mungo's look was intense。
'Play it by ear；' said Jason。 Mungo looked him daggers。 'Er； sorry sir； no offence taken； I hope。'
'Down the hyper…ponic bench；' ordered Garstang。 'Stop at the tank at the end。' Garstang swung around； dragging Lavinius with him。 He raised his gun； Hollywood fashion。 'Stay back；' he shouted。 'Anyone messes with me； they both get it。' 'Dead exciting all this。' Elvis stifled a yawn。
'Down to the end of the bench； wasn't it chief？'
'Down to the end； and don't try anything。'
'Sure thing； chief。' The threesome reached the end of the bench。 'Just here； chief？'
Garstang turned his gun upon Presley。 'What's all this 〃chief〃 business？'
'Bio…emontic integration； chief。 Failing organism maintaining stasis through neuro…enzine shift。 Nowhere else to go。 Came in here。'
Elvis thrust his hand into the tank。 'Fergus Shaman copped on； sorry you missed it。'
Garstang's face expressed a good many things。 Surprise； shock； horror； anger。 There's a lot you can do with a Phnaargian face。 'Treachery！' He thrust the nose of his gun up that belonging to Elvis and pressed the button。 But the electric pulse struck only empty air before fading into space many metres away。 Then the Phnaargian special services opened up and there wasn't much time left for Garstang's face to display emotion。 So he fired off his weapon again and again and again。 Until it fed back and blew up。
'Oh； help；' wailed a charred and sorry Wisten。 'A change of underlinen required here。'
It was suddenly 3。35 on the afternoon of 7 June 2050 again。 The sun still wasn't shining。
Rex took to pacing the floor。 It had never been a habit which found great favour with him。 Firstly； because it was a waste of valuable viewing time and secondly because it involved a good deal of ducking and diving； if it was to be achieved without cracking one's head open upon the gilded cherub。 Now seemed a good time for it though。 Twenty…three hours had passed and MOTHER had told him precisely nothing。 Surely no…one could go a full twenty…four hours without watching television？ It was unthinkable。 Rex checked his chronometer。 Still two…thirty； he'd have to get that fixed。 Rex paced and cursed； cursed and paced。 He turned imploringly to the terminal。 'e on；' he waved his hands frantically。 'e on。'
'Holy shit；' said Elvis Presley。 'Where the hell are you； green buddy？'
'Inside； chief。 I'm inside your head。'
'My head？ But how？'
'Told you； nowhere else to run。 That Garstang was about to put his foot on me。 I had to transfer my consciousness into the nearest living thing if I was going to survive。 I didn't fancy his foot； so as your head was the second nearest； once he'd knocked you out； I came in here。 Somewhat fortuitous all round； I'd say； chief。'
'Good to have you back； buddy。'
'Cheers。 So； when Fergus learned that you were at Earthers Inc。； he wanted to check you out； see how e you had survived the time travel and all。 So while you were out cold he ran a brain scan on you and saw me in there hiding。 He knew that all you needed to do was stick your hand in the top…up tank for me to fully revive。 Clever stuff； eh？'
'But that Garstang could have done for me。'
'No chance chief； you're a key figure。 No…one wants to do for you。 Well； almost no…one。'
'You mean that Dalai？'
'Sure do。'
'Well； as it happens； I've been doing a lot of thinking about him。 I worked it all out in my head。 If all this mess in the world is because I screwed up in fifty…eight； then I gotta do something about it； right？'
'Right； so back to fifty…eight then； is it？'
'No chance； not yet anyhow。 I gotta sort stuff out here first。 We gonna have us a revolution here； little green buddy。 Shit； what are you groaning for？ And； hey； exactly where are we now anyhow？'
They were suddenly inside a bunker。 A funny…looking woman in a red gingham dress； her neck hung with medals； each of which displayed the grinning face of the Dalai； regarded Elvis with considerable awe。
'Would you li