Prologue – the Sit-Down

"So you would like me to explain why I have done this?" asked Vaughan coldly.

As he said this, Emmy gripped the professor's hand tighter. She knew what was coming.

"Well, yeah, why else would we be here?" Tony snorted. Carla gave him a quick nudge and he fell silent once more.

"Yes," said Bronev, in a tone which was equally as cold as Vaughan's. "If you could explain why you have been attacking this town and causing upset and disruption to so many innocent people, then that would be most wonderful."

Vinnie snickered, earning a kick from Carla. Carla then looked over in Emmy's direction. Emmy was as white as a sheet. Their eyes met briefly. "Are you okay?" Carla mouthed to Emmy. Emmy shook her head slightly. The professor sensed this and gave her hand a quick squeeze of reassurance. "Don't worry, my dear," he whispered. "I won't let him hurt you."

Vaughan glanced in Emmy's direction. He then turned to stare at her. Emmy blushed. Bronev reached under the table and took Emmy's other hand.

"Well, come on, we haven't got all week," he spat. "Tell us! Why!"

Vaughan smiled. "It's a long story."

"Give us the shortened version. Quickly."

"Alright." Vaughan cleared his throat. "It all began sixteen years ago..."

Vaughan is right. There is an incredibly long story to this whole situation. But this is not the place to start. Let's go back, say, two and a half months, to when the resistance started up.1

1 The resistance is an organisation set up by Bronev on behalf of the government to stop Vaughan.