Free 2041 Sanctuary (Dark Descent) by Robert Storey Page B

downstairs in the living room, watching the TV.
    ‘Did they get you to do the dance?’ Evan asked her as she settled down onto the sofa next to him.
    She smiled fondly. ‘They did.’
    ‘I’ll have to record you doing that someday, for posterity.’
    ‘You’d better not.’ She dug him in the ribs.
    Evan looked across at her, perhaps gauging her mood. Leaping up, he grabbed her and pinned her down, an impish grin lighting up his eyes as he looked down from above.
    ‘No!’ she said. ‘Don’t, or I’ll scream and wake the kids.’
    His smile broadened. ‘Ha ha, that old excuse won’t wash with the tickle master!’
    As usual she descended into a screeching, laughing mad thing, fending him off as he tickled her under the arms. Just as she felt like she couldn’t take any more, she caught sight of the television in the melee of arms and legs.
    ‘Evan stop!’ she said trying to regain her breath as the shock of seeing her picture on TV subdued her laughter.
    ‘No chance, I’ve started so I’ll finish!’
    In no mood for him to continue she pinched him hard until he let out a yelp of pain.
    He rubbed his arm. ‘What was that for?’
    She pointed at the television. ‘Shut up and look.’
    The BBC news was on and in a slot sometimes presented by Jessica herself, a story about her was running. Picking up the remote control Jessica rewound the stream to watch it from the beginning.
    ‘—a late breaking news story,’ the presenter read from the autocue. Jessica knew the woman well, new blood from a rival channel and with the morals of an overripe dead frog. ‘Controversy rocks the reputation of one of the BBC’s recently departed presenters, Jessica Klein, tonight, as revelations about the disgraced news anchor, sacked this week for gross misconduct, hits the front pages of tomorrow’s newspapers. Video footage of Ms Klein, forty-two, from London, has surfaced today appearing to show the mother of two receiving bundles of cash on three separate occasions from members of a right-wing, extremist group with a well-known anti GMRC agenda and ties to terrorist factions in the Middle East. A spokesperson for the group, known as Humanity 1, has denied ever having any contact with Ms Klein, who herself has refused to comment on the allegations at this time. The footage, however, which we are about to show you, seems to be a damning indictment in itself.’
    Jessica watched, dumbfounded, as the promised video ran on screen. She watched herself, filmed from a concealed camera, taking possession of a plastic carrier bag from a well-known Humanity 1 activist. In the video Jessica then unfurled and withdrew wads of used notes tied together with elastic bands. She appeared to go through the process of counting the money. Two more similar videos were shown, filmed at the same location, this time with audio. Jessica could easily be heard conversing with the same activist, discussing how she would hijack the news channel. The last footage showed her receiving a typed piece of paper, some of which she read aloud. It was word for word what she had said on that fateful day outside the GMRC headquarters back in New York.
    The screen switched back to the presenter. ‘The BBC asked the GMRC if they would like to comment on this shocking turn of events and in the last few minutes they have released the following statement.’
    The broadcast greyed out before a white rectangle appeared containing a short paragraph of text, which read:
     
    “It is not GMRC policy to comment on unsubstantiated evidence. The video footage and supporting documentation we have received from a third party has been passed to our legal department. If it is deemed that there is a case to answer, we will pursue our interests vigorously through the courts.”
     
    — GMRC Public Relations Department
     
    ‘If this wasn’t bad enough,’ the newsreader continued, reappearing, ‘another leaked film, this time from within the BBC itself, has shed further