mockingly. ‘Evidently not. Our other good lady is Victoria Wedge. I imagine you weren’t the most political of creatures, so I don’t suppose you –’
‘I know who Vicky Wedge is,’ I interrupt. ‘I don’t recognisethe face but I know the name. My dad used to talk about her. He thought the sun shone out of her backside. Not too fond of foreigners, was she?’
‘There is nothing wrong with foreigners,’ Vicky Wedge says with an icy smile. ‘As long as they are invited foreigners who can be of benefit to their adopted homeland. Was your father one of my supporters?’
‘Yeah. He had the real hots for you.He always had a soft spot for bigots.’
I expect her to flush at the insult but she only laughs. ‘What a charmless little beast. The perfect example of why I campaigned for chemical castration of the more vulgar, useless proletariat.’
‘You surely did not campaign openly about such a controversial issue, did you?’ the guy with the crown asks.
‘No,’ Vicky scowls. ‘My spin doctors advisedagainst it. They thought it might inspire some of the vile creatures to crawl to the polling stations to vote against me.’
‘And, finally, the gentleman with the crown is The Prince.’ Justin wraps up the introductions.
‘No actual name?’ I ask.
‘I prefer not to use it,’ The Prince says grandly. ‘In this world I am one of the last of my kind. One day I will be the last. People mightas well get used to calling me by my title.’
‘Not interested in being king?’ I sneer.
‘Oh no,’ The Prince says. ‘Nobody likes a king. But everyone loves a prince. I want to be loved. I will be loved.’
Justin returns to his seat and rocks back and forth as he addresses me. ‘We are the Board. We happened to be together here in London when the world fell. Rather than flee, as so manyin our position did, we stood firm and made this vessel our own, choosing it both because it’s easier to defend than a landlocked building and because it’s such a potent reminder of our glorious past.’
‘Plus I’ve always liked big boats,’ Dan-Dan giggles. ‘Sailors are my favourite military personnel. Their uniforms are to die for.’
‘We’re going to run this world again one day,’ Lucasays.
‘And run it the right way this time,’ Vicky Wedge adds pointedly.
‘From here?’ I ask sceptically.
‘Of course not,’ Justin snaps. ‘This is merely a temporary base. But we will maintain our position in London, you can be sure of that. Once the situation has stabilised and we’ve rid the streets of their zombie scum, we’ll recover Downing Street and Buckingham Palace, and run theworld from the heart of the great British Empire, as it always should have been.’
‘ Rule Britannia ,’ Dan-Dan sings at the top of his voice.
‘I think the army might have something to say about that,’ I mutter.
‘Nonsense,’ The Prince chuckles. ‘Soldiers exist to be given orders. No military junta ever ruled for long. They will need leaders to guide them.’
‘And you think you guysfit the bill?’
‘Who else?’ Justin challenges me. ‘The other survivors of our stature, who might have provided competition, fled like frightened animals when the chips were down. Class will always triumph. We stood firm and that will be acknowledged.’
‘You’re cuckoo,’ I sniff, ignoring Barnes’s warning to be careful about what I say. ‘Money doesn’t matter any more. You won’t be able tobuy your way into power again.’
‘Foolish child,’ Lady Jemima laughs.
‘Ignorant brat,’ Vicky Wedge adds snidely.
‘Money will always be a factor,’ Dan-Dan says, dropping the man-child act. ‘Cash might not be worth what it was, but diamonds and gold hold their value no matter what.’
‘We have plenty of those stored away,’ Luca boasts.
‘And we know where we can get more,’ ThePrince beams, rubbing his hands together greedily.
‘In short,’ Justin concludes, ‘we’re perfectly positioned to take
‘I know who Vicky Wedge is,’ I interrupt. ‘I don’t recognisethe face but I know the name. My dad used to talk about her. He thought the sun shone out of her backside. Not too fond of foreigners, was she?’
‘There is nothing wrong with foreigners,’ Vicky Wedge says with an icy smile. ‘As long as they are invited foreigners who can be of benefit to their adopted homeland. Was your father one of my supporters?’
‘Yeah. He had the real hots for you.He always had a soft spot for bigots.’
I expect her to flush at the insult but she only laughs. ‘What a charmless little beast. The perfect example of why I campaigned for chemical castration of the more vulgar, useless proletariat.’
‘You surely did not campaign openly about such a controversial issue, did you?’ the guy with the crown asks.
‘No,’ Vicky scowls. ‘My spin doctors advisedagainst it. They thought it might inspire some of the vile creatures to crawl to the polling stations to vote against me.’
‘And, finally, the gentleman with the crown is The Prince.’ Justin wraps up the introductions.
‘No actual name?’ I ask.
‘I prefer not to use it,’ The Prince says grandly. ‘In this world I am one of the last of my kind. One day I will be the last. People mightas well get used to calling me by my title.’
‘Not interested in being king?’ I sneer.
‘Oh no,’ The Prince says. ‘Nobody likes a king. But everyone loves a prince. I want to be loved. I will be loved.’
Justin returns to his seat and rocks back and forth as he addresses me. ‘We are the Board. We happened to be together here in London when the world fell. Rather than flee, as so manyin our position did, we stood firm and made this vessel our own, choosing it both because it’s easier to defend than a landlocked building and because it’s such a potent reminder of our glorious past.’
‘Plus I’ve always liked big boats,’ Dan-Dan giggles. ‘Sailors are my favourite military personnel. Their uniforms are to die for.’
‘We’re going to run this world again one day,’ Lucasays.
‘And run it the right way this time,’ Vicky Wedge adds pointedly.
‘From here?’ I ask sceptically.
‘Of course not,’ Justin snaps. ‘This is merely a temporary base. But we will maintain our position in London, you can be sure of that. Once the situation has stabilised and we’ve rid the streets of their zombie scum, we’ll recover Downing Street and Buckingham Palace, and run theworld from the heart of the great British Empire, as it always should have been.’
‘ Rule Britannia ,’ Dan-Dan sings at the top of his voice.
‘I think the army might have something to say about that,’ I mutter.
‘Nonsense,’ The Prince chuckles. ‘Soldiers exist to be given orders. No military junta ever ruled for long. They will need leaders to guide them.’
‘And you think you guysfit the bill?’
‘Who else?’ Justin challenges me. ‘The other survivors of our stature, who might have provided competition, fled like frightened animals when the chips were down. Class will always triumph. We stood firm and that will be acknowledged.’
‘You’re cuckoo,’ I sniff, ignoring Barnes’s warning to be careful about what I say. ‘Money doesn’t matter any more. You won’t be able tobuy your way into power again.’
‘Foolish child,’ Lady Jemima laughs.
‘Ignorant brat,’ Vicky Wedge adds snidely.
‘Money will always be a factor,’ Dan-Dan says, dropping the man-child act. ‘Cash might not be worth what it was, but diamonds and gold hold their value no matter what.’
‘We have plenty of those stored away,’ Luca boasts.
‘And we know where we can get more,’ ThePrince beams, rubbing his hands together greedily.
‘In short,’ Justin concludes, ‘we’re perfectly positioned to take
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