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that is linked to a controlling force
over distance. In this case I assume it’s an automaton controlled
by a human, yes?’ probed Merlu.
    ‘Err... yes
precisely.’ confirmed Barton.
    ‘Bloody hell,
so that’s what this is all about - That young female who’s been in
all the papers. A one woman army accredited to terminating several
evil folk with unusual talents, she’s a drone then?’ asked Hake
excitedly.
    ‘Well, it
seems, gentlemen, no gaps need to be filled in. You are up and
running to speed. Shall we get started?’ suggested Barton.
     
    And so they
did. Fresh white lab coats miraculously appeared and expensive
looking folding tool boxes were opened up. It seemed that Barton
couldn’t have chosen better; he just hoped they would live up to
his expectations. Despite the complexity of the project, cleaning,
rewiring and component changing were essentially the tasks to be
performed. Barton’s specialities were manifold but immediately his
skills were directed towards Poppy’s welfare. Remarkably she was
alive. She had survived the fire and all its qualities. She sported
a strong heart beat, her breathing was steady and fortunately she
was unconscious. Hopefully he could get her entertainment system
working before she regained consciousness and then she could watch
this week’s episode of Downton Abbey.

Chapter 4:
Adam and Jenny
     
    Where would be
the safest place to take Madeline? The Isle of Skye in Scotland
strangely materialised in Adam’s mind. This was odd because he had
never visited any part of the land of the kilts and bagpipes before
and had no idea of where the Isle of Skye was. All he knew was that
it was a long way up the M6 and then some. First though, he had to
visit his home in Bristol.
     
    It had been a
while... in fact it had been several weeks since he’d been back to
his modest town house in Bristol. In that time he had done a lot:
Experienced the delights of South Wales, including Barry Island,
faced death, been shot at... twice, almost blown up, poked in his
neck with a gun, been gassed, crammed mercilessly into a car boot
and recovered a dead body from a culvert. On the other hand life
had been thrilling, stimulating and wonderful. This was mainly
because he had been reunited with Poppy, his fiancée who was now
Madeline and who was now very much asleep. The last time he graced
the threshold there was an awkward moment with his lesbian lodger
Jenny. This time the moment contrasted sharply with the previous
one - Jenny was very pleased to see him and gave him a peck on the
cheek and a tight hug. This somewhat took Adam by surprise.
    ‘Lovely to see
you too!’ said Adam, marginally embarrassed.
    Adam entered his house even though he distinctly had the feeling that he
was the guest. He stepped in to his lounge and had a quick
glance around; nothing had changed except that it was unusually
tidy.
    ‘Where’ve you
been, I’ve missed you? The last I heard, you were in hospital with
bullet wounds in your legs, my poor little soldier,’ said Jenny
softly.
    Firstly he
wasn’t Jenny’s little anything and secondly he wasn’t a soldier. He
raced up the stairs without replying. Ten minutes later raced down
the stairs even faster. In the ten minutes he had packed a small
case and shaved off his small goatee beard. Jenny cornered him
again at the bottom of the stairs. For some reason she had removed
a layer of clothing.
    ‘You’ve shaved
your goatee off, it was growing on me,’ said Jenny slightly
groaning.
    ‘A spontaneous
thing, not sure why I did really, the razor was there and next
thing, it was off.’
    Impulsively,
Jenny gently caressed his new soft cheeks with both hands. Her
pupils dilated slightly, her eyes sparkled in a saucy way and
without any warning pulled his lips to hers and began to kiss
intensely. Immediately, after no more than thirty seconds, Adam
forcibly broke free and Jenny did too, recoiling in shock of what
she had just done.
    ‘Jenny, what
the…? I