Doctor Who_ The Dying Days - Lance Parkin [76]
70
The news bulletin came on - a group of MPs and senior army men had tried to launch a coup last night. This had been countered by loyal army units, and after fighting in the streets around Whitehall last night, most of the plotters had been arrested. Parliament had been suspended, and until the situation had stabilised, there was to be a Provisional Government led by Lord Edward Greyhaven. To prevent the escape of the remaining plotters, all ports and airports would be closed for two days. In the interests of law and order, the major cities would be under curfew during the hours of darkness for the next week or so. People should remain calm, and go to work as normal.
'They didn't even mention the Martian ship,' Christian laughed, unable to believe the gal of it.
'I'm scared,' the girl said, stubbing out her cigarette and pulling out another.
'Everyone is,' Christian said, finishing off his fried egg.
'I like that Lord Greyhaven, though. I think he'd make a good Prime Minister.'
'You're not worried about the curfew affecting business?'
She smiled as she chewed, her mouth was full. 'I'n't he bold? I don't just work nights. I'm in what they call a recession-proof industry. Whatever happens I'll be OK.' She had a tiny bruise on her temple, scars on her wrists, and underneath that T-shirt he could see her ribs. Christian wanted to hold her, to take her little body and give her a hug. If he could just take her home, give her a bath and a comfortable bed to sleep in she'd be safe. But that was what she wanted silly old men like him to think, wasn't it?
'I'm sure you wil ,' he replied, getting up.
'Thanks for breakfast.'
'Thanks for talking to me.'
***
By seven o'clock, the phone lines of the Japanese Embassy on Piccadil y were jammed. Across London, all the embassies were fielding calls from worried tourists. At any given time, there were tens of thousands of Japanese in the United Kingdom, seeing the sights of London, Stratford, Bath and York. None of them wanted to be in a country occupied by a hostile alien lifeform. Most of these tourists were middle-aged, rich and respectable, the remainder were the children of rich businessmen. Either way, there were many powerful people at home scrutinising the actions of the embassy. The beleaguered staff were fortunate that the phone system had crashed last night - the London exchanges could only deal with local calls.
The embassy staff were quite busy enough trying to establish what the situation in Britain actually was. Tokyo had demanded clarification as to who was in charge, whether the situation was stable, whether Britain was still honouring treaties and trade agreements.
Mr Fukuyama and his wife had been among the first to arrive in person at the embassy. They were keen to leave the country. Before he had retired, Mr Fukuyama had worked in the local tax office, so he was used to a steady stream of phone calls from irate people. He volunteered his services to help take the calls from his fellow tourists.
The embassy staff gratefully agreed. They were trying to charter a fleet of aircraft to get their citizens out, but then so were al the other embassies, and for the moment at least the airports remained completely closed. A dozen Japanese film crews were in Britain - most of these were now within the embassy itself.
***
It was unusual for Eve to be a bystander in a television studio, it felt odd to be standing behind a television camera.
It was a little after eight o'clock. Lord Edward Greyhaven, the Prime Minister of Great Britain, was sitting at a desk in front of a bookcase full of fake books, in a BBC studio, recording an address that would be broadcast that morning and at intervals throughout the day. First he recounted the events of the previous night, how a group a soldiers and politicians had attempted to attack the Martian ship. The Provisional Government had been established because they were now in a new era: the existence of real live Martians presented an opportunity that the old system would have