I entered St Paul’s through the West Entrance. The giant dome inspired by St Peter’s Basilica was beautiful and yet there was something eerie about being in a cathedral this late and besides I didn’t really come here to admire the artwork anyway. There was an old man in tweeds praying while kneeling at the very front pew. The man heard my steps and turned back towards me.
“So you came. We finally meet in the flesh.”
How did he know that it was me? Well, it didn’t matter. Chamberlain smiled like a friendly old uncle would.
“I don’t think this is the right place to talk.”
“Why not?”
“We are right in front of the altar.”
I cocked an eyebrow at him.
“Just follow me. I don’t normally let on that I am religious since it might raise some suspicions in today’s political climate.”
“I see. Don’t worry. Your faith means nothing to me.”
I followed him up a flight of stairs. Where we reached a viewing platform from which we could see the entirety of London. Although at this time it looked no different than any other city at night. There wasn’t a window or anything so when a cold gust of air passed me I realised that this was the first time I had felt any cold in a year now.
“Have you been here before?”
“No. It is a touristy place.”
“Haha. Well, I don’t think so but I wanted to show you this because it is what we are protecting.”
Chamberlain took off his glove to shake my hand but I ignored him.
“Protecting? How? This place is emptier than ever. Mind you, I never liked it in the first place.”
“That was the only way to save it.”
I haven’t saved anything or anyone, what was he talking about? What the hell was he scheming?
“So, why did you want to meet me? I know that there’s a time limit for how long you can control Helen’s body, so there must be a reason why you would spend that precious time talking to me.”
“Are there any snipers here or security?”
“No, I am not worried about being here with you. It doesn’t matter what you do. Whatever happens to me is no longer of any relevance. The only thing that matters is that Britain is saved, and I know that you are not cruel enough to undo all that I have forced you to do just to get your revenge.”
“I have no interest in putting Helena’s body in harm’s way. All I want to know is why you are doing all this?”
“Does it really matter why I am doing this?”
“Yes, because that will give me a better indication of what you will do more than anything else.”
“Ah, it’s rather embarrassing to say out loud but since you have come this far I guess you deserve some kind of explanation. It’s quite simple really. I simply love this country, and cannot let it perish at any cost.”
“But you are already changing it beyond recognition, isn’t that the same thing?”
Chamberlain frowned.
“No, I am not destroying it, I am simply taking it onto the next level of progress. There are only two choices for nations and people, to embrace progress or be dominated and decimated by those who embrace progress first.”
It sounded to me like he loved ‘progress’ rather than this country.
“Why do you love Britain?”
“Because I chose to.”
“You just felt like it? That’s not a reason.”
“Then there is no need for a reason because there is no reason.”
“You don’t really care about anyone, do you?”
Chamberlain laughed.
“That’s a pretty cruel thing to say to someone, but you are no different are you?”
“Yes, you are right, I am no different. I just want to be left alone. It’s just strange that you would love Britain but not care about what happens to the British people at all.”
