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certain states of consciousness the internal and the external world can change
places: the presence of horror can be visible. If thiswasn t the police, then it was
trouble unthinkable, very bad trouble
It was the police. Fiorinda had called them. They took over; the rockstars
bowed out. Later, they debriefed the incident in the Office. Fiorinda had had an
anonymous tip-off. She d called the police and rushed to the location herself,
picking up Dilip and Rob on the way. She hadn t told them what was going on
because she d been hoping it wasn t true.
Sorry, Rob, sorry, Dilip. Didn t mean to freak you out.
?Jaysus fockin God! said Fergal. ?An what if it d been a fockin ambush,
Fiorinda me love? Whut then? Was it yur business to go after these lost kids?
?They re Ax s friends, said Fiorinda. ?That makes them my business.
Fergal gave her a fond, gap-toothed grin. ?Aye, well, that s a fine broad
definition, fair enough. But ye d be better to stick to yer volunteer work, in
future, me darling. T wud be more fitting.
There were things that Fiorinda s explanation did not explain, but Dilip and
Rob didn t want to talk about it with Fergal around.
Nobody could talk to Fiorinda, because Fergal was always around. He was her
official boyfriend, he was lording it over the London barmies; he was courted by
the new government. The Reich was sidelined, but not Fergal Kearney. The Few
didn t care about their own loss of status, fuck s sake, but the sight of Fergal
taking the place of Ax and Sage was outrageous. How could Fiorinda let this
happen?Allie finally cornered the elusive princess in the Office at the end of a
working day.
?Sorry, I m in a hurry, said Fiorinda breezily. ?I have a gig in Richmond. She was still doing lo-key solo
spots, though Fergal didn t like it.
This is where she rips my throat out, thought Allie. But it s either now, or I ask
her secretary for an appointment, and get told Miss Fiorinda s very busy. My God.
?You have to give me five minutes. I need to talk to you about Fergal.
Fiorinda, poised for flight, seemed to change her mind, or relax her guard. ?Oh
do tell. I m betraying Ax? Fuck it, what do you expect me to do? Turn celibate for
the rest of my life? That may be your little bolthole, Allie. It s not for me.
?I wasn t going to say anything about
?Hey, maybe you think I should committ suttee, only we d have to burn me
with just the implant and a bit of dirty lint, not having a dead body.
?NO! yelled Allie. ?Knock it off, Fiorinda! That s NOT what I think. I think my
leader, my ONLY HOPE in a shit situation, has become so infatuated with a
deceitful, destructive drink-sodden middle-aged geezer that her stupid choice of
play-away fun is ONCE MORE going to rip the country apart
Oh no. Didn t mean to say that. Didn t mean to say any of that
Fiorinda said nothing. Her face had gone tallow-pale, her mouth was set tight.
?I m sorry, said Allie. ?I m like a rat in a trap. Screaming pitch.
?Me too, said Fiorinda. ?We re all like it. It s stress.
?About Sage. I didn t mean to say
?Shut up, Allie.
Fiorinda sat down, took out her smokes tin, lit a spliff and handed it. ?Okay,
let s talk about Fergal. I know he deceived us. I know he s a Celtic sympathiser. But I m going to keep
things going, for Ax, because he s not dead . . . and this is
the way to do it. I don t know if you ever noticed, but the Counterculture is very
male-oriented.
?Ha!
?I need a consort. I need to keep hold of the Celtics. He fits the bill. I admit it s
not my greatest idea ever. But until I think of something better, you ll have to
trust me.
?It s er, a marriage of convenience? said Allie. ?Is that what you re saying?
The doors to the Office opened. Fiorinda s secretary (recruited from the Celtic
majority) looked in. ?Oh, Aoife, said Fiorinda casually, ?I was about to buzz you.
I ll be along to my room in a moment, thanks.
The girl left. Allie stared at Fiorinda, round-eyed, open-mouthed.
?I m glad we ve had this useful talk, said Fiorinda, meeting the stare. ?Now
spin this for me. Get the Few, and the staff, to accept what I m doing
?My God. Does she spy on you? How bad is this? Tellme, Fio.
?I m getting my share of the deal, Allie. I m fine.
Allie nodded. ?You have to talk to Mohammad, she said, abruptly. ?You need
him on board too, or the Islamics are going to explode over you and Fergal.
?You re right, I should have done that. I ll get to it.
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