Chapter 24: Match the Intent With The Deed
It was with this that Shagileo mounted a campaign back into the city. His intention was simply to tell Craig that he had got it all wrong and then things could do back to normal, only better.
It had taken a long time for Shagileo to trust "Marie" as she now called herself. But the way the woman acted just wasn't in keeping with what he expected of Killer Queen. This, and the trust of his daughter, had gone some way to allying his fears. But it was the stories of the locals that fully convinced him. They told stories of a kind and gentle person, willing to help strangers and neighbours alike. And yet they did not act as if they were brainwashed- in their eyes Marie was certainly not perfect.
And so, when they bumped into a patrol in old precinct, Shagileo happily stepped out to announce that he was safe and sound. To his surprise, the fellow shot him.
May rushed forwards and dragged her father out of harm's way. In an effort to defend them all Marie grabbed a near-by brick and threw it at the guard heading towards them. Knocking him straight out, she then reached forward and grabbed his weapon- it might come in useful later.
Luckily the wound was only superficial, but it looked as if it wasn't going to be as easy as they thought to get back into the city. The only thing that puzzled them was why Shagileo was being shot at as well as the others.
"Surely they recognise me?!" Shagileo said, "even those fellows outside the gate knew who I was!"
It was then that May remembered her dream. She told her father about it in as much detail as she could remember. It was when she described the man underneath the mask that it really got a reaction.
"Oh my god" Shagileo shouted, jumping to his feet and then falling back down as he remembered the danger they were in, "It's Khashoggi! He's behind all this! I don't quite believe it, but could he really be Craig?"
It didn't take long for May to hack into the cyber mainframe using some micro-transceivers she found in the old precinct. What she overheard then turned them all cold.
"He's out to get all of us" she said, "He's telling the guards to destroy all evidence of us. I think he plans to take over the world!"
__________________________________________________________________________________
That night brought restless sleep. They took turns to take watch. But May's sleep was full of dreams once more. This time she dreamt of a shining star. It shone bright, then suddenly a blanket fell across it blocking out the light. When she awoke she felt cold and wet.
__________________________________________________________________________________
No-one needed to interpret this dream for her. They all knew the significance of the shining star. And so, salvaging a bicycle from the wreckage, they peddled their way to Lake Geneva.