Free Return to Wardate by Bill Cornwell Page B

wasn’t sure. The
battery was quickly replaced for a fresh one but it was too late,
the level of tinnitus built up in her head until it was no longer
subliminal.
    ‘I’m so sorry…
Hold my hand tightly - don’t let my thumb and forefinger touch. If
you want to live, don’t let me go no matter what,’ said Madeline
sternly.
    The Professor
did as she was told, she provided a powerful grip.
    ‘Why, what’s
happening?’
    ‘I believe you
are about to experience the effects of the ultrasound.’
    ‘Strange, I
feel suddenly depressed - a horrible wave of despair.’
    ‘So you should
you obnoxious, foul evil smelling bastard!’ scream Madeline.
    ‘What’s going
on?’ cried the Professor.
    ‘Let go of my
hand, the world is better off with out your sort,’ snarled
Madeline.
    The grip
tightened. Madeline with explosive motion turned off, had the
strength of at least one man but the power of the Professor’s grip
was enhanced with fear and adrenalin.
    ‘How surreal,
the feeling is a flood of negative emotion. I want you end my
life,’ said the professor, analysing the situation.
    ‘Well let me do
it you evil hoar. The world will be better off without you. Let go
of my hand,’ growled Madeline.
    ‘No I won’t!’
said the professor resolutely.
    ‘ Kill
her! ’ shouted Barton through Madeline’s audio system.
    For the next
five minutes, Madeline tried to wriggle out of the grip so she
could activate her laser weapon with her thumb and forefinger but
the professor held on tightly. Madeline invented a whole set of new
words to insult and offend the professor. Tears rolled down the
Professor’s face but she still was thinking rationally unlike
Madeline. She didn’t want to die today.
    Finally the
level of tinnitus died down and then disappeared – it was over.
    Madeline burst
into tears, hugged the professors and kissed her cheek despite the
grime. She was completely inconsolable. This rebound effect lasted
for almost half an hour. Finally the tears dried up and the whole
affair was pretty much put down to experience.
    ‘Impressive eh?
You’ve just felt the overwhelming effect of this… whatever it is,’
said Madeline.
    ‘Unbelievable –
absolute genius definitely but completely out of order,’ said the
professor giving a fair and well balanced assessment.
    ‘Of course you
do realise your officially dead now. Until I track down who’s
behind all this and do what I’m getting pretty good at, you’ll have
to keep your head down. No answering the door to anystrangers. I
really am sorry I’ve got you involved,’ said Madeline.
    ‘Couldn’t be
helped, you have a job to do. Please, stay tonight. I have a spare
bed. I know what you’re thinking – it’s clean. You do realise this
grime and my stained clothes is all for effect. I’m clean
underneath… honest.
    ‘I will,
thanks, that’s kind of you but first I have to go for a little walk
and do a little fibbing and a little bollocking.’
    ‘I understand,’
said the Professor.
     
    Madeline walked
for a few hundred yards until she came to the cliff edge with a
pebble cove below. It was blissfully peaceful. The sun was quietly
dipping on the sea, seagulls swooped by and the long grasses swayed
energetically in the wild fresh wind. Although she didn’t
particularly feel the cold, she experienced the breeze in her hair,
it was invigorating. The over exposure of her optics triggered
built in polaroid filters - she could now she the perfect sunset.
It was a wonderful place to live, perhaps one day in the distant
future she would settle down here with Adam and do her utmost to
get old together.
    She turned off
the little jamming device.
    ‘Nuttall!’
    As usual, a
short time passed before he returned her call.
    ‘ Madeline,
are you okay? We keep loosing connection.’
    ‘I’m fine,
Professor Braugenhau is dead, I sliced her with my laser,’ lied
Madeline.
    ‘ We all
wanted her dead for several minutes.’
    ‘Nuttall, am I
on