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'Yes sir。' The anonymous torturer turned the body over with his foot and began to root through Rex's pockets。
An unfortable trio edged along the executive corridor at Earthers Inc。 Lavinius Wisten； his hands tied securely； was strapped behind Gryphus Garstang。 Elvis Presley； his face wearing a nonchalant smile； strolled ahead； popping his fingers。 The nose of a certain gremlin…ridden gun prodded his back。 'Move on；' ordered Garstang。
'Can't get a clear shot yet；' came a voice over Jason Morgawr's headset。 'He's got Wisten tied on behind。'
'Stay in touch。' Morgawr turned to Fergus Shaman。 Fergus shrugged； 'You know my feelings； it's in your hands now。'
'We could just open up on him and see what happens。'
'You will not；' barked the lip…reader。 'You can do what you like with Garstang； but I don't want to lose any more members of my board。 Is that clear？'
'Yes sir；' said Jason Morgawr。
God's nose； thought Fergus Shaman。
'They've taken the lift； sir。'
'Are your teams in place in the research labs？'
'Yes sir。 But if we can't get a clear shot at him？' Morgawr glanced at Mungo Madoc。 Mungo's look was intense。
'Play it by ear；' said Jason。 Mungo looked him daggers。 'Er； sorry sir； no offence taken； I hope。'
'Down the hyper…ponic bench；' ordered Garstang。 'Stop at the tank at the end。' Garstang swung around； dragging Lavinius with him。 He raised his gun； Hollywood fashion。 'Stay back；' he shouted。 'Anyone messes with me； they both get it。' 'Dead exciting all this。' Elvis stifled a yawn。
'Down to the end of the bench； wasn't it chief？'
'Down to the end； and don't try anything。'
'Sure thing； chief。' The threesome reached the end of the bench。 'Just here； chief？'
Garstang turned his gun upon Presley。 'What's all this 〃chief〃 business？'
'Bio…emontic integration； chief。 Failing organism maintaining stasis through neuro…enzine shift。 Nowhere else to go。 Came in here。'
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 righ