control of the world. It will happen, there is no question of that. It’s just a matter of when. And until then we’re keen to kill time.’ He’s been drumming his fingers on the table. Now he stops and points at me. ‘That’s where you come in. Tell me, Miss Smith, do you havea taste for combat? If you don’t,’ he adds quickly before I can answer, ‘fret not, dear girl, because you will develop one soon, once the killing begins . . .’
The members of the Board file out of the Wardroom, Dan-Dan moving swiftly to make sure he’s at the head of the procession. Half the guards go with them. The other half keep their weapons trained on me.
‘What’s going on here?’ I ask Barnes.
He doesn’t answer.Instead it’s Coley who says, ‘Entertainment will always be a thriving industry. Our lords and ladies wish to be amused, and they have the funds in place to ensure those wishes are met.’
‘You can’t care about money now,’ I mutter, again addressing my comments to Barnes. ‘Those power-hungry leeches are doolally. We can never go back to the old ways.’
‘I’m not too sure about that,’ Barnessays softly. ‘But no, I’m not in it for the money.’
‘Then what?’ I growl. ‘The kicks? Do you like seeing zombies suffer?’
Barnes only stares at me.
‘He has his reasons,’ Coley says defensively.
‘And they’re mine to share or not,’ Barnes barks.
‘Easy, big guy,’ Coley chuckles. ‘I wasn’t going to say any more.’
‘What about you?’ I sniff.
‘I like the work and I like theperks,’ Coley grins. ‘There are women here who look kindly on brave soldiers like me. We have access to alcohol, drugs, anything we want. Power and wealth mean nothing to me. It’s all about the fringe benefits.’
A guard comes to fetch us and leads us to an even larger, longer room. Some poles run along the middle, supporting the ceiling. Thick glass panels have been set in place along oneside of the room, the side with small round windows in it. Panels also cover the far end of the room, where there’s an access door. The result is a sealed, self-contained, L-shaped corridor.
The half-dozen members of the Board are standing on the other side of the glass, in the corridor. The Prince and Justin Bazini are puffing fat cigars. Lady Jemima is smoking a cigarette clasped ina long, fancy holder. Lord Luca pops a few pills. Vicky Wedge is leaning against the glass, breathing heavily, her arms crossed, and Dan-Dan is close by her, tapping on the glass with his fingers, cooing at me as if I was a caged bird. At one point he leans forward and licks the glass. Then he draws a little heart in his spit and flutters his eyelashes at me.
There are bloodstains smearedacross the glass on my side. Bits of flesh are stuck to it in places. Bones are scattered across the floor.
‘Can you hear us, little girl?’ Dan-Dan calls. ‘Is the sound system working? It had better be. I don’t like it when that breaks down. Heads will roll if there are any technical problems today.’
‘We can hear you loud and clear, Lord Wood,’ Coley replies.
Dan-Dan smiles. ‘I canhear you too. That’s perfect.’
‘Unbind her and come on round,’ Justin says to Barnes and Coley. ‘We want to share the show with you, a reward for all the hard work you’ve put in over the last few weeks.’
Barnes faces me. ‘We can do this the hard way if you want. I can taser you and release you while you’re subdued. But if you give me your word not to attack us, we can just take offthe cuffs and leave you be.’
‘No need for the taser,’ I beam. ‘I’ll be a good girl. Promise.’
Barnes stares at me for a few beats, then grins tightly. ‘I don’t believe you.’
I drop the fake smile. ‘That’s because I’m lying. If I get the chance, I’ll rip your throats open and wallow in your blood before you die.’
‘You’d rather the taser?’
‘Bring it on.’
Barnes sighs andgives Coley the nod. ‘I’m loving this,’
The members of the Board file out of the Wardroom, Dan-Dan moving swiftly to make sure he’s at the head of the procession. Half the guards go with them. The other half keep their weapons trained on me.
‘What’s going on here?’ I ask Barnes.
He doesn’t answer.Instead it’s Coley who says, ‘Entertainment will always be a thriving industry. Our lords and ladies wish to be amused, and they have the funds in place to ensure those wishes are met.’
‘You can’t care about money now,’ I mutter, again addressing my comments to Barnes. ‘Those power-hungry leeches are doolally. We can never go back to the old ways.’
‘I’m not too sure about that,’ Barnessays softly. ‘But no, I’m not in it for the money.’
‘Then what?’ I growl. ‘The kicks? Do you like seeing zombies suffer?’
Barnes only stares at me.
‘He has his reasons,’ Coley says defensively.
‘And they’re mine to share or not,’ Barnes barks.
‘Easy, big guy,’ Coley chuckles. ‘I wasn’t going to say any more.’
‘What about you?’ I sniff.
‘I like the work and I like theperks,’ Coley grins. ‘There are women here who look kindly on brave soldiers like me. We have access to alcohol, drugs, anything we want. Power and wealth mean nothing to me. It’s all about the fringe benefits.’
A guard comes to fetch us and leads us to an even larger, longer room. Some poles run along the middle, supporting the ceiling. Thick glass panels have been set in place along oneside of the room, the side with small round windows in it. Panels also cover the far end of the room, where there’s an access door. The result is a sealed, self-contained, L-shaped corridor.
The half-dozen members of the Board are standing on the other side of the glass, in the corridor. The Prince and Justin Bazini are puffing fat cigars. Lady Jemima is smoking a cigarette clasped ina long, fancy holder. Lord Luca pops a few pills. Vicky Wedge is leaning against the glass, breathing heavily, her arms crossed, and Dan-Dan is close by her, tapping on the glass with his fingers, cooing at me as if I was a caged bird. At one point he leans forward and licks the glass. Then he draws a little heart in his spit and flutters his eyelashes at me.
There are bloodstains smearedacross the glass on my side. Bits of flesh are stuck to it in places. Bones are scattered across the floor.
‘Can you hear us, little girl?’ Dan-Dan calls. ‘Is the sound system working? It had better be. I don’t like it when that breaks down. Heads will roll if there are any technical problems today.’
‘We can hear you loud and clear, Lord Wood,’ Coley replies.
Dan-Dan smiles. ‘I canhear you too. That’s perfect.’
‘Unbind her and come on round,’ Justin says to Barnes and Coley. ‘We want to share the show with you, a reward for all the hard work you’ve put in over the last few weeks.’
Barnes faces me. ‘We can do this the hard way if you want. I can taser you and release you while you’re subdued. But if you give me your word not to attack us, we can just take offthe cuffs and leave you be.’
‘No need for the taser,’ I beam. ‘I’ll be a good girl. Promise.’
Barnes stares at me for a few beats, then grins tightly. ‘I don’t believe you.’
I drop the fake smile. ‘That’s because I’m lying. If I get the chance, I’ll rip your throats open and wallow in your blood before you die.’
‘You’d rather the taser?’
‘Bring it on.’
Barnes sighs andgives Coley the nod. ‘I’m loving this,’
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