rr.armageddonthemusical-第31章
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Elvis thrust his hand into the tank。 'Fergus Shaman copped on； sorry you missed it。'
Garstang's face expressed a good many things。 Surprise； shock； horror； anger。 There's a lot you can do with a Phnaargian face。 'Treachery！' He thrust the nose of his gun up that belonging to Elvis and pressed the button。 But the electric pulse struck only empty air before fading into space many metres away。 Then the Phnaargian special services opened up and there wasn't much time left for Garstang's face to display emotion。 So he fired off his weapon again and again and again。 Until it fed back and blew up。
'Oh； help；' wailed a charred and sorry Wisten。 'A change of underlinen required here。'
It was suddenly 3。35 on the afternoon of 7 June 2050 again。 The sun still wasn't shining。
Rex took to pacing the floor。 It had never been a habit which found great favour with him。 Firstly； because it was a waste of valuable viewing time and secondly because it involved a good deal of ducking and diving； if it was to be achieved without cracking one's head open upon the gilded cherub。 Now seemed a good time for it though。 Twenty…three hours had passed and MOTHER had told him precisely nothing。 Surely no…one could go a full twenty…four hours without watching television？ It was unthinkable。 Rex checked his chronometer。 Still two…thirty； he'd have to get that fixed。 Rex paced and cursed； cursed and paced。 He turned imploringly to the terminal。 'e on；' he waved his hands frantically。 'e on。'
'Holy shit；' said Elvis Presley。 'Where the hell are you； green buddy？'
'Inside； chief。 I'm inside your head。'
'My head？ But how？'
'Told you； nowhere else to run。 That Garstang was about to put his foot on me。 I had to transfer my consciousness into the nearest living thing if I was going to survive。 I didn't fancy his foot； so as your head was the second nearest； once he'd knocked you out； I came in here。 Somewhat fortuitous all round； I'd say； chief。'
'Good to have you back； buddy。'
'Cheers。 So； when Fergus learned that you were at Earthers Inc。； he wanted to check you out； see how e you had survived the time travel and all。 So while you were out cold he ran a brain scan on you and saw me in there hiding。 He knew that all you needed to do was stick your hand in the top…up tank for me to fully revive。 Clever stuff； eh？'
'But that Garstang could have done for me。'
'No chance chief； you're a key figure。 No…one wants to do for you。 Well； almost no…one。'
'You mean that Dalai？'
'Sure do。'
'Well； as it happens； I've been doing a lot of thinking about him。 I worked it all out in my head。 If all this mess in the world is because I screwed up in fifty…eight； then I gotta do something about it； right？'
'Right； so back to fifty…eight then； is it？'
'No chance； not yet anyhow。 I gotta sort stuff out here first。 We gonna have us a revolution here； little green buddy。 Shit； what are you groaning for？ And； hey； exactly where are we now anyhow？'
They were suddenly inside a bunker。 A funny…looking woman in a red gingham dress； her neck hung with medals； each of which displayed the grinning face of the Dalai； regarded Elvis with considerable awe。
'Would you like a cup of tea？' Aunty Norma did a little curtsy。
'No tea； thanks ma'am。 But I could use a beer。' Beside Aunty Norma stood a pair of charred boots and a neat pile of ash。 These didn't offer Elvis a drink。
'You have e unto me；' crowed the crone。 'You the born again。'
'People keep telling me that。' Elvis spied out the TV terminal。
'Say；' said he； seating himself in Uncle Tony's chair。 'No chance of one of my movies being on； I guess？'
In Odeon Towers Rex's terminal lit up like the fourth of July he knew nothing about。
IDENTIFICATION OF SUSPECT CONFIRMED。 LOCATION FOLLOWS： LATITUDE 51° 29'； LONGITUDE 0° 18'。 HAVE ANOTHER DAY； MR MUNDI。
'I certainly will。' Rex bounced up and down； cracking his head on the gilded cherub。 'Gotcha；' he chirruped。 'Oh； ouch。' Rubbing his skull he danced over to the terminal and bashed through a direct line to Dalai Dan。 The Inmost One's face filled the screen。
'Nice work；' he said； before Rex had even had time to speak。 'Very ingenious； we will take it from here。' The screen went blank。 Rex's jaw fell。 'What the。。。'
A sudden motion upon the landing below drew Rex's attention。 And a sudden sense of approaching danger that he was unable to explain。
Something told him that big trouble was ing his way。
'There；' said a pany medic。 'As good as new。' Mungo Madoc examined his ears。 You could hardly see the joins。 'Very good； a quick clean job； expertly performed。 We can all learn something from this； can't we； Fergus？'
'I pride myself on a job well done；' he replied。
'And Mr Presley。 Back in the right place and the right time； I trust？'
'Have no fear of that； sir。 We've seen the last of him。'
Jason Morgawr burst into the room。 'It's Presley；' he gasped。 'He's back on Earth。'
'Yes thank you； Morgawr。 We all know that； he's back in 1958； about to take the draft。'
'Oh no he's not； sir。 He's sitting down there right now； plotting to overthrow the Dalai Lama。 Mr Madoc？ Could someone help me pick Mr Madoc up？ Are you all right； sir？'
Rex peeped down through the roof hatch on to the landing below。 He saw Deathblade Eric and Rambo Bloodaxe creep up the stairs and approach his doorway。 Rex had left the door ajar。 Rambo put his finger to his lips and nudged Eric； who was carrying an enormous handgun。 Half of Eric's head appeared to be missing。 At a signal from Rambo； Eric burst into Rex's apartment。 Rambo followed him in。 Rex gave them a moment before shinning down the metal ladder； slamming shut the door and engaging the anti…theft devices。 'Like rats in a trap；' he observed。 Much shouting and beating issued from within； but once locked and bolted the door wouldn't be bothering about that。 Rex gave it a little pat。
'Two in the can for later。' He upped the ladder once more and climbed into the air car。 Canopy down； straps on； identification confirmed。
'Latitude fifty…one degrees； twenty…nine minutes。 Longitude； zero degrees； eighteen minutes。 And fast please。' The car dragged itself clear of the roof and swung away into the gloom。 Rex belled through to the Dalai。 Old Inmost One's face appeared on the dash screen。
'Rex； my dear boy。 Something I can do for you？'
'I have further good news to report。'
'You never cease to amaze me。'
'The bounty on Rambo Bloodaxe。' Bounty was a poorly chosen word。 'The bonus I mean。' Rex wondered just how far Dan's telepathic powers extended。
'The bonus； yes；' said Dan。
'Does it still hold good？'
'My word is my bond； Rex。 But Bloodaxe and his flesheaters died during the Fundamentalist missile attack； surely。'
'Happily not。 Although I have no idea how they escaped。 There's another one with him。 I have them held prisoner in my apartment。 You have only to have them collected。'
'Most enterprising； Rex。 My congratulations。'
'You'll have my account credited then？'
'Most certainly。 Where exactly are you now； Rex？'
Rex made crackling sounds with his mouth。 'Sorry； getting a lot of static。 I'll have to call you back。' He switched off the dash screen。 The air car flew on； its engines coughing fitfully。
Rex was left alone； or so he hoped； with his thoughts。
Something strange had happened。 Somehow he had known that Rambo and Eric were on their way up to kill him。 But how？ ESP？ The Dalai's gifts couldn't be rubbing off on him； could they？ He wasn't altogether sure that the Dalai's gifts were all that reliable anyway。 The Living God King seemed somewhat fallible； to say the least。 But something strange was going on and somehow the mystery man in the photograph was at the heart of it。 A word or two with him； in private； might yield up all manner of interesting information。 The air car informed him that it was about to land and ran through its programmed routine of solace。。。 should any accident occur。。。
'Om…mani…padme…hum；' sang Rex Mundi。 It was a catchy little number after all。 The air car whacked down on to familiar territory。 Rex screwed on his weatherdome and lifted
