by David Scott
Dominic put his head in his hands, the grief tearing into him, like a major earthquake ripping apart the earth across a major fault line. It was the same feeling he had experienced as a boy when his grandfather had broken his beloved porcelain piece. But this emotion was greater. It was pure rage.
Dominic stood up quickly, his chair clattering behind him, screaming aloud and throwing violently any nearby object on the floor or against the wall, choosing ones which would have the maximum effect; clattering, crashing, smashing, shattering.
The door to the side of his office opened. He froze in mid-motion, holding a computer monitor aloft, ready to trash it on the concrete floor.
“What is all this racket?” A middle-aged lady dressed elegantly in black approached him, picking up the cord of the monitor, and twirling the plug around slowly in a relaxed motion. Her dark hair was covered by an Audrey Hepburn style hat, with black netting obscuring her face.
“Diana? Is that you?” Dominic asked, tilting his head to try to see under the veil. Although her voice was unmistakable, he wanted to be certain.
“You always were so melodramatic, brother.” She said, taking off the hat, smiling broadly at Dominic.
“What are you doing here?” Dominic sounded angry, “I have not seen you for years and, now, all of a sudden you decide to show up.”
“Oh silly Dommy,” Diana replied, as though this was the most pathetic question she had ever heard.
Diana liked to use her pet name ‘Dommy’ for Dominic. She pronounced it ‘dummy’; it was so potently belittling that she immediately felt empowered.
Diana continued softly, “Do you think this is a coincidence? That I just happen to turn up at your fun factory by chance? Really, you should know me better than that, Dommy.”
Diana moved closer, bending in and putting her mouth close to his ear, “No Dommy, I know everything. Of course, I do. You know that nothing gets past me and, frankly, my dear, it is a good job for you.”
She turned away from him, looking around the computer terminal area, and touching random objects, which she knew Dominic would hate her to do. It had the desired effect, Dominic was becoming agitated, and angry.
“Get off my stuff Diana, will you? You have no business being here, coming into my home.”
“Our home, Dommy. Our home. I’m not dead yet, and it was left to the both of us, remember?”
“Well, still, this is my equipment. You have no right to touch it.”
Diana moved away from the bench, back towards the centre of the room. Dominic leant against the wall, as far away from Diana as he could get, scowling at her.
“Don’t worry, Dommy. I am not here to spoil your fun, or to mess with your toys. I am actually here to help you.”
“What do you mean, to help me?”
“Oh, Dommy. You can be so stupid. I mean if you are going to create a killing machine, you ought to at least be careful about what materials you use to make it with. I mean Damascus steel? Very ornate and rather beautiful, but also easily identifiable and readily traceable.”
Dominic suddenly thought about Pulcinella’s remains. The technology might also be detectable. He had taken all possible precautions, and been meticulous in his efforts, but Pulcinella was formed from so many parts, all with differing supply chains and payment transactions. He could not account for every possibility, or permutation. A fortuitous thread of evidence may lead the FBI through the maze, and happily guide them to the puppet master, Dominic.
Who knew what resources the FBI could use to find him? If Diana had worked it out then surely the FBI would do the same? Dominic tried to calm himself. Even if they did discover some traitorous evidence, it would take time to trace him. He still had a day or two, at least, to make plans and move on.
“So, I get no thanks?” Diana asked, moving back towards him, like a cat might toy with its prey.
“It’s too late. You’re too late. It’s gone.”
“What’s gone?” Diana paused for a second, “Oh, they have somehow stopped your robot, have they?”
“Yes, Diana. It’s broken. Those FBI agents got in the way, and took a gun to it. It’s not invincible, you know.”
“I am sorry to hear that, Dommy,” Diana said slowly, pronouncing each word with false sadness in her voice, on the verge of mocking his emotions.
“Well, at least it took one of them out with it.” Dominic said, grinning.
“Oh, really? Which one?” Diana asked, casually interested, “The cute one with curly hair, or the older one with the middle-aged spread?”
“The curly haired one.”
“That’s a shame. I quite liked him. Oh well, never mind. Anyway, Dommy, if traces of steel brought me to your door, I hate to think what the FBI will discover in the scrap metal left behind. And it would not be good to tarnish our family’s reputation. Not, of course, that I would be directly implicated, given my change of identity, but I would hate it for Mummy and Daddy.”
“Yes, Diana, I am not stupid you know? I have already thought about that. I know what I have to do.”
“Well, I guess I could always help you to disappear. I mean, isn’t that what family is for? To help each other out when needed.”
“I don’t remember you ever being there for me before, Diana.”
“Well, you have piqued my interest this time, Dommy. Who knew you had it in you? I, for one, had almost given up hope. I even suspected you were adopted but maybe we are related after all.”
“I forgot how funny you are, Diana.” Dominic said sarcastically, “Listen, we need to start clearing this place out now, and fast.”
“Oh, Dommy. We don’t have time for that. Look, they will soon find out it was you and, when they do, they will crawl all over this place.” Diana inspected her hands, “No, I think a good old-fashioned bonfire is in order. We just need plenty of oil and a couple of little matches.”
Dominic considered this. It would destroy all of the evidence, if they did it properly. And all of his real work was stored electronically, and hidden away so securely that even the most proficient hackers would take months to de-code it.
This first stage, although it ended sooner than Dominic would have liked, was a success. Pulcinella had killed hundreds of people, and the messages it left behind had captivated the public’s attention. But this was only the beginning. The first part of his master plan. Dominic had only started to spread his gospel. Now it was time for widespread disaster by his design. Mass killings, the likes of which no one had ever seen before. Then the world would listen. He would make humanity change their ways. Make them better; deserving of life. Dominic vowed he would succeed. Nothing could stop him. Not now.
“Ok, Diana,” Dominic said, as he walked to the end of the room, and opened a large steel door, “We’ll follow your plan but I have to do something first.”
A row of robots waited patiently. Red eyes glowing, ready. All moulded to murder for Dominic. The glare from their artificial lights reflected in Diana’s delighted eyes.
“Oh, Dommy. You are a clever boy!” Diana purred, placing her arm around his shoulder.
“Well even an idiot, Diana, knows that twenty killers are better than one. Pulcinella was just a trial. Now it is time for the main event. Fear is the most powerful teacher, and I will use it to make sure that every human being on the planet hears my words, and learns their lesson.”
Dominic activated each of his creations in turn, and watched with Diana as the troupe of killer androids stole away together into the night, to terrorise and massacre the helpless, unsuspecting masses. The worst was yet to come.
00%); filter: grayscale(100%); " class="sharethis-inline-share-buttons">share
