Pastmaster:Futureking

Prologue
What if your entire life was changed by a single choice, a choice that seemed so ordinary and forgettable that if you were asked about it two days later you would have forgotten about it so completely, it would almost be as if that choice had never existed?
One bright sunny day in November, a young man had, after lunch decided to wander inside a museum instead of enjoying the advantages of Global Warming. The end result of that seemingly meaningless choice had changed not only the course of his life but that of the entire worlds.
Now, thrown into a war against a foe that knows no limits, no mercy and with allies that can turn in a second into enemies, he and his team are the last desperate hope of a world under attack from the forces of history itself.
His name is Davies, his team is PASTMASTER and his power is absolute.

CHAPTER ONE

A stupid decision was about to kill a very smart man. In the middle of a furious firefight he had tried to run from a semi covered position to one where he would be able to deal with the enemy whilst in less danger of taking a hit.

Before setting off on his run, he had thrown a grenade to send the enemy scurrying for cover like the rats they were before going as fast as his legs could carry him. Enemies, recovering from the grenade were beginning to fire at the moving target. Bullets were flying, some were hitting his armor, reacting he drew his rifle and fired.

One burst, two bursts fired, two enemies fell, the new position was within ten yards away. Nine, eight, and then death came for him. An enemy appeared directly in front of him preparing to fire. The trigger finger reacted but the rifle locked on an empty magazine.

He had forgotten to reload.

He tried to change to his trusty handgun, which he knew had a full clip and would get him out of this but before he had a chance to fire.

GAME OVER

Jonathon Peter Davies almost threw his controller at the screen. He had been playing the game for almost two hours and was defeated by his own stupidity. He checked his watch. Almost time for a film that he had been looking forward to in the way that you do on a wet Sunday afternoon when nothing else is happening. Turning off his PS3, he flipped through to see if there was anything that could pass the time for the ten minutes he now had to kill.

The BBC had something that appeared to be the news on it so he stopped to see what was going on in the world. It quickly became apparent that his was ending.

It wasn't the news. It was quite clearly a press conference being broadcast live and from the fact that the BBC was supposed to be showing Eastenders something had clearly gone wrong wrong.

"And we await the arrival of the prime minister who claims have have important information on a new front in the war on the Sons of History. Ah, here he comes now."

Johns was confused for a second. A new front in the war? There wasn't one. There was no need for one. The old one was doing just fine, he knew. He was in charge of it.

Obviously the PM was only seconds away from beginning to speak. Reacting quickly, John grabbed his mobile and began making calls. Something was happening, had his cover been breached and he didn't know? No, he would have been told. And besides, even though he could order the PM to give that speech why would he? This could only mean that the idiot had had an idea. Which meant that his film had gone out the window.

Bureau was enjoying a quiet Sunday afternoon with her son and partner. To be more precise, her son was asleep and she was enjoying her partner. Which was why she was not impressed when her mobile phone started ringing. That in itself was no bad thing, she would normally ignore it until it went away.

But the ring tone was specific. Davies was calling, and he never called. Ever. Unless something bad was happening. Annoyed she answered the phone. Davies was as short and to the point as ever.

"Put BBC 1 on now. And cancel whatever it is you were doing. And get Sam, I'm going to London to see the PM. And get everyone else moving."

Sighing she put down the phone and started carrying out orders. Davies could be so polite when there was a crisis happening.

The PM was on the screen thirty seconds after Davies call finished. He was in a full suit with a jaunty step and look that said he had worked out a problem that had been irritating him for a while. He acknowledged the waiting press and began speaking.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, my apologies for the unexpected press conference but a recent development has occurred in our battle against the terrorist organization known as the 'Sons of History'. Following a historic level of cross party co-operation we have created an organization dedicated to its destruction. Drawn from all branches of the Army, Navy, Air Force, MI5 and MI6 it will have the power and ability to take the fight to our enemy and ensure that they are brought to the justice they so richly deserve."

He paused at that point and someone else came on. Davies was pretty certain that every single member of PASTMASTER was with him in hoping that this guy would turn out to be an SOH mole so this whole terrible idea would just go away.

"Ladies and gentlemen this is Joan Browning, he will be leading the new task force."

Joan smiled. John made a mental note to find out what skeletons where in this girls closets. Blackmail was such a useful tool to have.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, starting from now, my team and I will be taking complete over the war against the terrorist group calling itself Sons of History. A wise man once said 'He who controls the past commands the future, he who commands the future conquers the past'. With this in mind, we have called ourselves Futureking. Make no mistake, we are going to bring this group and its leader to justice."

Johns phone went off.

"Davies."

The voice was one he recognized, and whilst he had half expected the call, he hadn't thought it would have been made this quickly. Frank Loughborough was in charge of the police were John lived and was well aware of what PASTMASTER was, what it did and how it operated. He didn't like it by any means but he knew they were a necessary evil.

"Just got an interesting e-mail here John, says that as of 3pm this afternoon you lot don't exist any more. Your command code is null and void and this new lot are to step in. Apparently you lot didn't do a good enough job. Just thought you should know."

The call ended. John was silent for a second, said several rude words and then went back to watching the press conference, but couldn't focus on what was being said. PASTMASTER was doing a fantastic job. It had hammered SOH left right and center. The problem was that it was immune from being influenced. No politician could bend the rules for someone who had given them a lot of money and from the look of this Jack Browning he would turn rules into jelly for the right person.

Ten minutes later John was heading to London as fast as Sam could drive them. Surprisingly Bureau was in the car. At least until she pointed out that John was likely to do something stupid such as order Sam to cut off the PM's head, which judging from the look on Sam's face he would have done in a heartbeat.

Most people had learned the one simple rule that governed the world but these two appeared to think that they were immune to it. It was time to send them back to school.

Chapter two.

The Prime Minister and the head of the FUTUREKING task force were enjoying a brandy together. To be more precise, they were drinking brandy and awaiting the arrival of a very bad storm. They were sitting with the Deputy Prime Minister, the Minister for Defence, and for a reason that no-body was quite clear on the minister for Climate Change.

The broadcast had finished forty minutes before and they were analising the public response. So far it seemed positive. A few were moaning about the endangering of civili liberities and anyone stupid enough to do so on a public forum was queitly added to a list.

The somewhat tense atmosphere meant that the room was quiet. This made it easy to hear the commotion going on outside.

"Let me in."

"I need to see some ID sir."

There was a seconds delay before a voice that was clearly a hairsbreadth away from violence said.

"PASTMASTER 90490279"

"I'm sorry sir but that code no longer exists. I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

"Sam?"

There was another seconds delay and then a rush of breath, as though someone had been punched in the stomach. The double doors burst open and a young, clearly angry young man walked in. He was followed by a young woman with what appeared to be a perfectly relaxed expression on her face as though nothing that happened was in the slightest bit unusual.

"You. Out. Now!"

The Deputy Prime Minister and two other ministers fled the room with expressions that almost looked relieved. Jack gestured to a chair that had a glass in front of it. He also looked as if having small angry young men burst into the heart of government was nothing to get excited about.

"Jonathon Peter Davies I presume? Then this must be your lovely sidekick. And i'm assuming that your thug is nearby?"

Davies sat. He knew that this guy would probably have detailed profiles of himself and his whole team. This guys was probably going to try for Johns temper. Hoping to provoke a violent outburst. Which was a stupid ploy and indicated the he didn't have anybody inside PASTMASTER. Because they all knew that Johns temper didn't make him violent. It made him cold, cool and as likely to stop as a tank encountering a perfectly flat field of grass.

"Anyway, your ten minutes early John, your coffee still needs to cool down."

John shot the offending glass a look of absolute loathing, and then preceded to act like it didn't exist. Gesturing to one of the waiters who was trying to act like this was an everyday occurrence John ordered a pot of tea with two PG Tips in the pot.

"Please have a seat John, i'd like this handover of power to be a painless one. Better for everyone dont you think?"

Johns sat down and said in the same tone of voice that someone had forgotten to button their flies.

"So you have recived a full UN resolution with the unanimous backing of the Security Council for this... agency?"

Joan blinked.

"I'm sorry you've lost me."

Bureau took over whilst John attempted to make a pot of tea without giving the PM an early shower. It was a very tempting possiblity.

"I'm afraid the removal of authority from PASTMASTER to a new organisation without the full backing of at the very least a UN resolution and the full backing of the Security Coucil is at best illegal and at worst an indication that the government has been taken over by SOH and must therefore call a 'snap election' so we can clean house. I'm sure the AG would have explained this to you."

Joan took another look at the people who were threatening to destroy her new organisation. She had read their files and thought she had the measure of them. Bureau was a young monther of one, a woman just plain enough not to be called pretty was an enigma. Her name, although blazened at the top of her file was considered taboo at the best of times, there was no real reason for this, it jsut was. However she was a skilled political operator, higly efficent and dedicated to the seemingly impossible task of keeping Davies alive until his next birthday.

Davies was also young, only 23. His history with SOH was something of a legend and he was regarded highly by all those who came into contact. Obsessed to the point of madness with the capture and demise of The Historian he took few prisoners and had fewer morals. He was right, SOH was wrong and anybody who wasnt on his side was on theirs until proven otherwise. Highly intelligent and with a run of luck that would have made most bookies run for the hills.

Sam was an interesting case and fitted in nicely with the 'Scooby Doo' way that PASTMASTER was run. His age was a mystery as was his orginal name, the name Sam was short for Sam O' Rei, a play of his fondness for swords and apparent Asian origin, he was completly loyal to Davies and would have no problem killing everybody in the building if Davies suggested it.

And then there was her, Joan Browning, a woman tasked with running an organisation that would shatter their worlds. Even now she expected that Johns people were looking for things to hold over her. Good luck there, ever since graduating from Oxford with a first in Politics and History she hadnt put a foot wrong. Never married, and with no children, family or friends she was dedicated to her career and to the challenge and this was one that she could never have turned down. She was as high as she could go, the head of something new and no group of kids were going to stop her. The UN be damned.

"You seem to know a lot about the rules Bureau, but what penalties exactly can be meeted out for us refusing to bow to a group that at best is quasi-legal and at worst a terrorist threat worse that anything Islamic militants can come up with?"

Take that! Joan thought smugly. Stupid kids.

"Oh and do please sit down Sam, your making the place look untidy"

Sam ignored her. The PM piped up.

"Besides Davies, PASTMASTER was set up in a hurry to counter SOH and althoguh you have done well in the past, they seem to have quietened down lately and we think that the problem can be brough back in house. We thank you for your service and you can of course join Futureking should you wish."

John spluttered into his tea.

"Davies, the television."

For Sam, that was almost a whole speech. John turned to look at what had caused the outburst.

But of course, the television that had been showing BBC news on mute was now showing a shadowy black figure, The Historian was about to speak. John gestured for the sound to be turned up.

CHAPTER THREE

"The future cannot rule the past. It is the past that creates the future. And with this in mind we go forward and look to unite the past with the future but know that always, always, history defeats all. For today is just tomorrows yesterday and even if we were to use nothing but time we would still triumph."

There was a seconds pause, Davies smirked, Sam and Bureau looked blank and Joan and the PM just looked confused.

"If the future and the past are to do war, then time itself must be the first casualty. That which is loved most by the home of time shall fall silent and the pips shall sound forever. With its falling, a crushing blow shall fall upon the house of lions who have turned into ducks."

With that the figure vanished and a timer began running down. Rather than starting at a round number, it began at 18:59.

The PM looked at Davies.

"What was that all about"

John shrugged.

"Afraid I dont know sir. Futureking are the people tasked with this sort of thing, might I suggest you ask them?"

Joan had gone pale. She hadnt expected to be put on the spot so soon.

"Um, well the, the thing is..."

She trailed off under the withering look she was being given by four different pairs of eyes.

The PM sighed.

"Davies, do you have any idea what that maniac is saying?"

John nodded. He was starting to feel a little uncomfortable, unless this dance went a bit faster he was going to run out of time. And he was going to need every second.

"And I assume you want something in exchange for this information?"

John glanced at Bureau who merely returned his glance. She hadnt solved the riddle but knew that John had, and that was good enough for her. Russian Roulette had better odds than this.

"I object sir, we have no idea what this riddle means and if it threatens UK Citizens then he will tell us."

John took another sip of tea with his unblinking eyes locked on Joans. In a few seconds she would twig. She was registering as a threat to him. Letting one attack through wouldnt cost him a seconds sleep. After all, he wasnt tasked to this any more. Sweat started to pool on her brow.

"Davies, as the Prime Minister I demand you tell me what the threat is!"

John stretched. He wasnt intimidated in the slightest. At least that was the impression he gave. Inwardly he was getting concerned.

"Sir, give PASTMASTER back the job it was meant to do. I assure you, unless you do this then people are going to die. British voters are going to die. On the day you announced a new taskforce against SOH. Falling at the first hurdle? Wont look good, will it sir?"

17:30 left on the screen.

The PM let lose some choice words about Davies and what would happen if he said nothing. Davies took another sip of tea.

17:00

16:45

Davies make a quiet signal to Bureau to prepare to run.

16:30

"All right! PASTMASTER will be restored to its previous levels of power, Futureking cannot be removed."

"I'll settle for it leaving us alone and doing as its told like a good little organisation."

"Deal!"

Davies smiled at Joan.

"No hard feelings, if your ever in Cambridge I'll take you out for dinner just to show that this is simply business. Now, whilst Bureau writes a nice legal document for you both to sign, Sam and I are going to stop Big Ben exploding."

And with that, he and Sam ran out of the room as fast as their legs could carry them.


Chapter One
Davies gasped for air as he tried to force his screaming legs to faster and further then they felt they needed to go. He needed to be in position and he wasn’t going to make it in time. His team, the people who were relying him to be there when it mattered were going to be let down and it would be all his fault.
From somewhere he found an extra burst of speed and managed to make it with barely a second to spare he was able to receive the item as it was passed to him. Dodging around one opponent, then wrong footing the keeper Davies brought his left foot to bear and sent the ball flying between the two jumpers that were currently serving as goalposts.