THE IMPOSSIBLE QUESTION – WHO ARE THEY? “They’re trying to destroy our NHS.”“They’re trying to eradicate freedom of speech.”“They’re trying to wipe out the Jews/Muslims/minorities etc” I find myself making these and similar statements virtually every day. I imagine you do too. But do any of us have any real idea who “they” are? I … Read more

WHAT WE DID ON OUR HOLIDAYS Being the first of, I hope, many monochromatic memories from five decades of technicolour globe trotting. I started keeping diaries, some might call them journals or day books, back in 1974, and I still keep them today. I use undated, lined A4 books in which I number the pages … Read more

CHAPTER 47 : People Get Ready Kristina examined the handset closely. “So that button shuts the doors, and that one locks them?” Delivery of the remote handset was the final stage of two intense weeks spent modifying and preparing the Union Pacific M-10000 streamliner, which had lain abandoned for decades at the southern end of … Read more

CHAPTER 45 : Back on the rails “We need somebody who can break this deadlock,” said Oliver Mayhew. “And we need him now.” Clustered around the desk of Nanovit’s chief solicitor Mayhew sat a newly established ad hoc committee of six men and three women. In the days since Elfin’s collapse, and the death of … Read more

CHAPTER 43 : Sudden Deaths Syndrome “Of course you want to sound the fucking siren,” asserted Rother. “We’re arriving at the scene of an incident in a Foundation ambulance. Can you imagine anything that would look more conspicuous than an ambulance sneaking in trying to look inconspicuous. And the lights too.” The stratagem worked precisely … Read more

CHAPTER 41 : You Are What Eats You “Sorry if this is awkward,” said Kintsugi’s lips, “but I just wanted to tell you how much I miss you.” Rother stared, his eyes growing wider with each second that passed. The face in front of him was Kintsugi, but the voice was now unmistakably Kane. Before … Read more

CHAPTER 39 : Contract Killer Challis kept Segarini and Albie waiting in the Nanovit reception area for longer than the assassin found comfortable. “Let them wait,” he had told the front desk. “Don’t give them any reason. Wait fifteen minutes and then send them up.” He was feeding Ginger and saw no reason why Segarini … Read more

CHAPTER 37 : Boxing Clever With Starkrost’s near-skeletal frame executing its awkwardly angular lurch alongside, Kupferberg made a point of walking slowly along Washington Street as they approached the Nanovit HQ. “You see that one?” he asked Starkrost, pointing towards a French-styled mansion as they passed. “Twenty million dollars. Taylor Swift had her eye on … Read more

CHAPTER 35 : Boxing Day “But it’s just a document box,” objected Kupferberg. He had opened the plain black box which Starkrost had handed him, and closely examined its insides. “Yes indeed, it appears to be ‘just’ a document box,” smirked Starkrost. He leaned forward and pointed at one of its side walls. “But take … Read more

CHAPTER 33 : A sensible law Mercy was busy modifying her number plate again, when her communicator vibrated. “Shit. I don’t need this,” she said, handing the device over to Coral. “See who it is. Unless it’s Doogle, I don’t want to know.” Coral looked at the screen and said, “It’s a text. Looks like … Read more