1-6:The politics of thought

A camera was on the wall, its cyclops eye recording all.

Daisy frowned and her gaze flicked back to Patricia, who moved a little so her face wasn’t clear to the camera.

‘You’re disgusting,’ she said with fury. Her expression was one of regret and sadness. She mouthed two words:

Daisy blinked, shocked.

‘Your betrayal will not go unpunished,’ said Patricia, and mouthed words once again:

‘I don’t… understand,’ said Daisy slowly, trying to get her brain to function a little better.

‘You’ve denied failing us since we brought you in,’ said Patricia, angrily.

‘But you can’t hold-out forever.’

‘And if Miss Rook has her way, you’ll burn for this.’

The nurse came into the room once again.

Patricia stepped forwards and whispered quickly.

‘Just hang on.’

She turned on her heel and walked quickly to the nurse. ‘She is to be kept alive.’

‘I understand,’ said the nurse. ‘Long live Madame Pink.’

‘Yes,’ replied Patricia, her mind obviously on things other than salutes.

The nurse raised an eyebrow; Patricia had not responded as expected.

Patricia walked from the room.

* * *

Daisy was woken suddenly from sleep. Hands lifted her roughly from the bed and held her.

She gasped as the needle was ripped from her hand.

‘What’s going on?’ she asked as her arms and legs were shackled. Two people stood before her, the names on their tags were Smith and Jones.

The guards ignored her and held her under the shoulders and half-led, half-carried her from the ward.

Daisy was led down white corridors, watched by the cameras.

Her her head lolled forwards for a moment, then lifted once more.

The guards stopped abruptly.

‘What’s the meaning of this,’ asked Patricia, standing before them. She had positioned herself in the middle of the corridor. ‘Where is she being taken?’

‘We’ve been ordered to take the prisoner to another location,’ said Smith.

‘Which location?’

‘The orders come from Miss Rook,’ said Jones. ‘They cannot be countermanded.’

‘That’s not what I asked you.’

‘The prisoner is in our custody–’ began Smith

‘The prisoner,’ asked Patricia. ‘She’s a woman, a human being.’

‘Nevertheless,’ said Smith. ‘The prisoner has–’