Needing to know

"Can we just hang on a minute," said Margaret. "This is all a bit too much for me to take in. Maybe Alice is right, and I should listen more carefully to what's going on, but can you just remind me exactly how this lot are going about brainwashing people?"

Alice sighed. "Don't you remember? Molly told us it was all on a 'need to know' basis when she had that chat with us. Remember? When she said that after we'd had the chat with her, it wouldn't affect us?"

"But what wouldn't affect us, Alice?" she retorted. "I suppose," she sniffed, "a 'need to know' basis means the likes of us don't bloody need to know."

"Now now, Margaret," said Molly in a voice that was both soothing and firm, "I didn't want to say anything until I had proof. It was easier to keep things general, rather than have you worrying about things that might not even have been true. But all that's changed now. "

Molly glared at Phil Armstrong. "So," she said, "are you going to tell them, or do I have to?"

He looked uncomfortable for a moment. But then, deciding that if he'd come this far he might as well tell all, he pressed on.

"There's this piece of gear the Major gave us," he said with a look of distaste. "Posh git. Never could stand him - never trusted him. I mean, anyone who'd believe he was doing it out of the goodness of his heart ... well, Hewson's always been a bit trusting, if you ask me."

Molly raised her eyebrows, and he realised he was wandering from the point.

"So anyway, he calls it 'the device' - that's all. Never explained how exactly it works; claims he doesn't know, and for once I think I believe him. It's somebody else's smart idea - he was just the lucky sod in charge, who nicked it. "

He took a sip of his tea.

"It's not that big, but it's bloody heavy. The main part of it fits in a big flight case, though there are more bits and pieces to it. I was happier not having it in my storage building any more, I can tell you. No, I'm glad it's in the basement of the church now. It's a grim old place though - I wouldn't fancy being locked up in there."



Part Three begins here.