Implosion by D. F. Jones

Author:D. F. Jones [Jones, D. F.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Science Fiction, General, Action & Adventure, Cyberpunk
Publisher: Orion
Published: 1969-01-02T08:00:00+00:00

14

Bart had an early appointment with the Premier, and left Miss Parkins to get details of the accident.

Although Bart had never been particularly close to his brother-in-law, he was deeply shocked. He walked with unusual slowness to Downing Street, oblivious of everything. Roger Flavell, smooth and urbane, clever yet kindly, was dead. No more would the sun warm that bronzed face …

Someone relieved him of his overcoat, and he nodded absently. He would have to tell Julia. That, he decided thankfully, could wait—it all must wait. He wrenched his mind off the subject, and went into the Prime Minister’s study.

“Morning, John.” Farmer hesitated. Bart suspected that it was on the tip of the Premier’s tongue to ask him if he had enjoyed his holiday. “Sit ye down.”

Bart sat down in the chair he knew was carefully placed opposite the Premier. There was none of the clutter usually found on statesmen’s desks, no signed portraits, no silver inkstand or blotting pad. The sole permanent feature was a large brass ashtray, which moved around as required. Not that Farmer went to the other extreme, maintaining a clear desk. Farmer’s desk was a worktable, not a prop for his personality. The absence of the usual furnishings meant that the desk was not orientated toward the Premier’s chair, and if he chose to sit his visitor on the other side, then both were using it and there was the unspoken suggestion that they were working together as equals. This privilege was reserved only for the Chancellor and Bart. All others sat in the chair beside the desk, where they might be treated with anything ranging from sharp geniality to a very good impression of Moses handing down the Tablets of the Law.

The Premier thumbed through a red-striped folder, and produced a green sheet of paper which he flicked across the desk. “There,” he said carelessly. “That’s a nice warmer-upper to start the week.”

Bart knew red-striped folders and green paper. Both had become all too familiar when he had sat in the Premier’s chair, and the flaring red “Top Secret” on the paper came as no surprise. The stripes meant Intelligence, and green was reserved solely for PROLIX material.

PROLIX INTELSUM 34/74. Intelsums 27/73, 45/73 and 10/74 refer. The suspected use of Prolix in HARLEM, NEW YORK confirmed. Some evidence to indicate that it was administered by militant right wing white movement via local cola bottling plant. The recent colored raid on downtown MANHATTAN stems from this, and the attempt to blow up the PAN AM Building may have been the work of militant black extremists.

2. TAIWAN/FORMOSA now graded Class 3. While no evidence exists, staff appreciation is that HONGKONG must be regarded as Class 3.

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