1985

15.00

'Apparently it's in the lower floors.'

'It doesn't look like anything is going on in there Dave.' Said Mike.

The pair were stood outside a multi-storey car park that had long since been abandoned. It was rain and fire damaged. The upper floors had collapsed inward like a house of cards.

'Only one way to find out.' Dave clambered under a steel shutter. Mike looked around outside then followed him in.

They reached a doorway to a lower level. Dave pointed out scuff marks which indicated it had recently been opened. They both pulled out their tasers and charged them up, blue electric currents shone in the pitch black. Dave lit his lighter as they went down stairs another floor. Water dripped from the ceilings and mould grew on the walls.

'Dave I'll have to stop you there.' said Mike.

Dave paused then slowly turned around. Mike was holding up his taser to Dave's face.

'It's not that I want to Dave, but I know you're going to kill me and I don't want to die.'

'I'm glad of a bit of honesty mate. You've been acting strange Mike. They are on to you and your baby, but I'm not doing you like this, they want me to hand ou over at the end of the day.'

'Dave I can't let them to take her.' Mike sharply inhaled, tears in his eyes.

'Dragging me down with you, thanks.'

'Funny thing is Mike. They've had me watching you for the last six months. Did they tell you that?'

'What? No. I have not committed and offence since my reform.' Dave was visibly distraught as he remembered his conditioning.

'Thought Crime. Apparently you have been calling out a woman's name in your sleep and denounced Big Brother.'

'Unbelievable, I would never...'

'Yes. And you brought me here to finish it. How did you plan to get my weapon?'

'I didn't bring you here.' said Dave.

'We did.' said Pauline, she came out of the shadows with two men, all three had weapons raised. 'Put the weapons down.' The detectives did as told.

'Back to finish the job Pauline. But you're wasting your time, we are off the case?' said Dave.

'We know a great deal more than you two, and how important you can be to us. We know that both of you are due to be vaporised at the end of today. But we're here to offer you a chance to end things in the right way.'

'Dave, everything that they have said has come true.' said Mike.

'Shut the hell up Mike.' He paused and looked at his partner. 'So they have got to you? I saw the rouge on your lips at the office but thought it was that Prole. But you are barking up what the wrong tree with me, I can still trust big brother to get me out of this.' There was little conviction in his voice.

'No you can't Mike. I have here a letter from Director Ann. You have been signed for vaporization today.' Pauline passed the paper to Dave and it checked out.

'How did you get this?'

'I am a former commander in the Army, as was my father.'

Five year old Pauline is playing with a doll's house in her room. Her father comes in and destroys the house with his boot. Pauline cries but is dragged up by her arm.

She is then in troop with the junior spies, in full uniform, with a sash as a troop leader. Chanting songs of hate, she gets older, the uniform more military, her look more masculine, her hair shorter.

Until she is in a dark black uniform with her father in admiral's dressage on a floating fortress. She is sent from the boat with a team in dark black berets and camo paint.

They arrive on the shore and stalk between trees and bushes, ramshackled tents and rubbish. The ground is a dusty sand and the trees tropical. They get to higher ground where they find a vantage point. They see a small fire in the distance. A subordinate indicates the cluster of people are not soldiers.

They approach the fire and see it is a gathering of refugees and escaped slaves, also some indigenous people. Pauline indicates to her group to fan out. She speaks on the radio, on her signal they open fire, killing the group. The flames of the bullets light up her face.

Pauline gets back to the Floating Fortress where her father congratulates her on job well done. He then turns the ship's huge cannons at the shore and realeases heavy fire on the area. The tropical wildlife set on fire and the animalsflee screaming. The flames flicker in the eyes of Pauline and her father. Her father smiles but Pauline has started to cry.

'That was the Congo a year ago. Big Brother claimed it as a great victory and a turning point in the war, there was nothing there. It was there I decided to change sides. I then learnt of attacks by Big Brother on the people of Oceana, and huge fictitious battles where we had murdered millions of innocent civilians. The war in many ways is not real at all. It was then I swore, I must take some retribution for the things I have done.'

'Where is your father now?' said Dave.'

'Six months later we arrived back into London. While my father slept I slit his throat. I left the boat with two trusted men, sought out the Brotherhood and have been on the run since.' said Pauline.

'That's where you get your information.' said Mike.

'I still have many contacts in the party.' Mike and Dave looked at one another.

'You two have a choice. You are dead men walking. Big Brother feels it is losing its grip. Things are going to get alarming worse with a zero tolerance policy and public executions. You can choose how you leave this world, something that not many don't get to choose these days.' said Pauline.

'I too regret what I have done but it is for the love of Big Brother.' said Dave robotically, he stood against the wall then slumped to sit. 'The things that I have done to others. This morning we killed an old woman, I felt nothing.'

'Only you did feel something Dave, like when you loved Carol, I know all about her. The party want you to feel insane, that you are on your own and you are mad. But you are not, all people feel this guilt, it is inside them. We only need to show people a way out' said Pauline.

'And how would we do that.' said Mike.

Pauline looked at the man beside her. He took off his balaclava.

'This is Allan.' said Pauline.

'Alright chaps. How are we?' said Allan.

'A Prole?' said Mike.

'A thinking Prole' said Pauline. 'The most threatening thing to the party, the 85% of the population that are currently dormant. We want to activate them. Allan was set to be vaporised for forming a community group. There are many more like him for us to find. If we can start an idea of rebellion in the proles, that would be the first step.'

'I think we've heard enough. I for one will accept my fate with Big Brother. What you are talking about is lunacy. Only a fate worse than death awaits you.' Said Dave.

'We will send a message to the people that they will understand. Mike already knows, we are planning an explosion.' Said Pauline.

'I don't want to know anymore. I won't tell of your plans to the party as it will prematurely end what is likely to be my final day on this earth. But I will not be a part of a plan that could mean I am tortured for years or turned into something more hideous than I have already become.' said Dave.

'I will do the same Pauline, you can't help us.' said Mike. 'I will take my chances with Big Brother and let them take care of my baby.'

Pauline turned away from them. 'We could do with your help, I am offering you a way out.'

'Shoot us or we're going.' said Dave. Allan raised his weapon.

'No' said Pauline. 'These men are already dead, don't waste the bullets.'