there’s trouble, we can always fly away.’
Within an hour
they were joined by eight of Satish’s men who were still patrolling the
Deadland and the captured helicopter took off, its destination the old airport
on the outskirts of Wonderland.
***
SIX
Alice noted
with some disappointment that the old airport did not have any guards posted
near it. The runway was still functional and with stealthy helicopters like
these, the Red Guards could have landed a few hundred men there without Arun
and his politician friends even knowing about it.
When their
helicopter landed, Satish ordered his men to fan out and guard the entry points
to the airport. The Red Guards had made extensive use of the airport to fly out
labor for camps in the Mainland and to fly in supplies for their forces in the
Deadland, so the defensive bunkers near the main gate were still there. When
Alice checked, the gun turrets the Red Guards had abandoned after the airbase
had been overrun by Alice and her forces still worked. When Satish was
satisfied that they were in a defensible position, he got on the radio to
Danish.
‘Looking Glass,
this is White Rook. I have the White Queen with me and we’ve flown in to pay a
little visit to Humpty Dumpty.’
The mention of
‘flying in’ gave a surprised edge to Danish’s voice, but he sent a jeep to come
meet them, Arjun at the wheel. He ran towards Alice, relief apparent on his
face.
‘Thank God you
guys are all okay. I was so worried about you being out there without much
back-up. Danish filled me in on the battle but what really is going on?’
When Alice and
Satish had debriefed him, they saw that Arjun looked quite worried.
‘I don’t know
whether Arun and his friends will want to believe that the Red Guards were
behind the Biter attacks. He wants to sign a treaty with them.’
Alice was
dumbfounded.
‘After all
we’ve been through, does he really believe that we can make peace with the
Central Committee?’
Arjun came
close to her so that the Americans would not hear him.
‘Alice, are you
sure you want to take Vince and the doctor in to meet Arun?’
‘Of course,
Arjun! He may not believe me but they have just escaped from the Reds and both of
saw the battle against the Biters the Red Guards flew in. They’re our best
chance of convincing Arun that what we’re saying is the truth.’
Less than an
hour later, Arun arrived at the airport for the meeting. He wore a bemused
expression on his arrival at the defenses they had set up.
‘Alice, surely
you do not think I will try and attack all of you on my own?’
Satish cut in,
‘Given how much trust you have shown in us and the fact that there has already
been an attempt on Alice’s life, we thought we’d prefer to meet on our terms.’
Arun looked at
Satish with a trace of irritation – and then he was all business again, his
smile back.
‘Come on. Let’s
meet inside. I have much news to share with you.’
‘Yes, Prime
Minister.’
If Arun was
irked at Satish’s sarcasm, he didn’t let it show.
Inside, Vince
and Edwards related their stories to Arun. When they had finished, Arun looked
straight at Alice.
‘I have heard
all you had to say. Now, for the sake of Wonderland, hear me out. The Central
Committee has proposed a treaty.’
Alice cut him
off. ‘How can we even think of a treaty with them after all we’ve been
through?’
‘There was a
time for war and warriors, and people like you and Satish did more than anyone
could have asked of you in serving our people. Now it is a time for peace and
for statesmen, and I know more of that world than you do. No enemy or ally is
permanent, but only our interests are. If Wonderland is to survive, we must
learn to adapt and forget past enmities.’
‘What do you
have in mind?’
Arun held up a tablet
that had a message from the Central Committee. Someone called Commissar Hu had
signed it. Alice scanned it, the disbelief in her voice clear when she
Within an hour
they were joined by eight of Satish’s men who were still patrolling the
Deadland and the captured helicopter took off, its destination the old airport
on the outskirts of Wonderland.
***
SIX
Alice noted
with some disappointment that the old airport did not have any guards posted
near it. The runway was still functional and with stealthy helicopters like
these, the Red Guards could have landed a few hundred men there without Arun
and his politician friends even knowing about it.
When their
helicopter landed, Satish ordered his men to fan out and guard the entry points
to the airport. The Red Guards had made extensive use of the airport to fly out
labor for camps in the Mainland and to fly in supplies for their forces in the
Deadland, so the defensive bunkers near the main gate were still there. When
Alice checked, the gun turrets the Red Guards had abandoned after the airbase
had been overrun by Alice and her forces still worked. When Satish was
satisfied that they were in a defensible position, he got on the radio to
Danish.
‘Looking Glass,
this is White Rook. I have the White Queen with me and we’ve flown in to pay a
little visit to Humpty Dumpty.’
The mention of
‘flying in’ gave a surprised edge to Danish’s voice, but he sent a jeep to come
meet them, Arjun at the wheel. He ran towards Alice, relief apparent on his
face.
‘Thank God you
guys are all okay. I was so worried about you being out there without much
back-up. Danish filled me in on the battle but what really is going on?’
When Alice and
Satish had debriefed him, they saw that Arjun looked quite worried.
‘I don’t know
whether Arun and his friends will want to believe that the Red Guards were
behind the Biter attacks. He wants to sign a treaty with them.’
Alice was
dumbfounded.
‘After all
we’ve been through, does he really believe that we can make peace with the
Central Committee?’
Arjun came
close to her so that the Americans would not hear him.
‘Alice, are you
sure you want to take Vince and the doctor in to meet Arun?’
‘Of course,
Arjun! He may not believe me but they have just escaped from the Reds and both of
saw the battle against the Biters the Red Guards flew in. They’re our best
chance of convincing Arun that what we’re saying is the truth.’
Less than an
hour later, Arun arrived at the airport for the meeting. He wore a bemused
expression on his arrival at the defenses they had set up.
‘Alice, surely
you do not think I will try and attack all of you on my own?’
Satish cut in,
‘Given how much trust you have shown in us and the fact that there has already
been an attempt on Alice’s life, we thought we’d prefer to meet on our terms.’
Arun looked at
Satish with a trace of irritation – and then he was all business again, his
smile back.
‘Come on. Let’s
meet inside. I have much news to share with you.’
‘Yes, Prime
Minister.’
If Arun was
irked at Satish’s sarcasm, he didn’t let it show.
Inside, Vince
and Edwards related their stories to Arun. When they had finished, Arun looked
straight at Alice.
‘I have heard
all you had to say. Now, for the sake of Wonderland, hear me out. The Central
Committee has proposed a treaty.’
Alice cut him
off. ‘How can we even think of a treaty with them after all we’ve been
through?’
‘There was a
time for war and warriors, and people like you and Satish did more than anyone
could have asked of you in serving our people. Now it is a time for peace and
for statesmen, and I know more of that world than you do. No enemy or ally is
permanent, but only our interests are. If Wonderland is to survive, we must
learn to adapt and forget past enmities.’
‘What do you
have in mind?’
Arun held up a tablet
that had a message from the Central Committee. Someone called Commissar Hu had
signed it. Alice scanned it, the disbelief in her voice clear when she
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