Triad dashed from the dark copter as her men deployed around it. She stared in absolute horror at the rubble and muttered, “He couldn’t have survived that.

A dusty figure crawled into view and slowly stood. She dashed toward him with little concealment of her relief.

“You seem to have a charmed life Charles.”

He smiled ruefully.

“I landed on a hay bale my dear. Obviously the town had held its yearly carnival.”

He turned and gazed upon the ruins of the once lovely church.

“I suppose they will build a modern monstrosity now.”

The siren blared its all clear tone as police sirens approached. Charly watched as panda cars drew to a halt and his colleagues ran towards him.

After happy greetings, Grant handed back the precious sapphire ring.

“I suppose you two are off again.”

Charly nodded.

“We have a rather wet but delightful world waiting for us my dear.”

DI Holland hung his head sheepishly.

“Sorry for what I said mate. You did damn well.”

Charly smiled back.

“The panda car is wrecked I’m afraid.”

“We have plenty more. Is that the end of it then?”

Grant smiled.

“Unless daddy is still around.”

“Now don’t you start mate,” Charly said. “If everyone can stand aside, we just might make it back.”

He placed the ring upon his finger and the vortex opened before them. Without a backward glance, they vanished into time. Once the whirlpool had closed Triad said, “I’ll stick around for a short while. Foxley will recover from this blow.”

The DI smiled.

“We are a pretty resilient lot you know.”

The whirlpool tossed the travellers onto the ground and when they stood once more a straight faced, dark uniformed Triad said, “Hail Caesar!”

As she did this, a clenched fist slapped her right breast.

“Are you feeling okay Triad?” Charly asked. “Sorry about this but the ruddy transfer backfired.”

“We have been expecting your arrival,” she said coldly. “Your accommodation is ready.”

Charly and Grant stared at their friends. The DI and Andrew stood to attention, whilst Peters looked worried.

“What is going on?” Grant asked. “I don’t think that this is funny.”
Triad ignored it and pointed to the armoured jeep.

“If you could follow me sir.”

Charly glanced at Grant suspiciously and said, “We should get in.”

As Triad adjusted her hip holster, the group sat in their places and the vehicle set off across the town. As they reached the hotel, Charly got one hell of a shock.

Armed troops stood at attention, whilst the old cannon upon the roof had been replaced by a modern machine gun. A flagpole had been added that sported a red and gold insignia.

“We cleared out the riffraff sir,” Triad informed him. You have the top floor suite.”

“Sounds fine to me Triad,” Charly muttered as they were led inside.

The interior was completely different. Heavy tables littered the floor and a dark suited man stood behind the glass desk. They marched up the stairs to the top floor, where a sumptuous apartment awaited them.

“It is the best they have sir. Not up to Rome’s standards I’m afraid.”

“I’m confused...” Grant said.

Charly silenced him.

“Everything looks fine Helen. Where eh, will you be?”

She gave him a rather strange look.

“Downstairs sir.”

When he gave her a blank look, she added, “For the command conference sir.”

Charly rubbed his head.

“Of course. My ears must still be ringing from that blast.”

Triad gave him a wide smile.

“Don’t worry sir, we’ll get the terrorists.”

That remark worried Charly no end but he was smart enough to keep his mouth shut.

“I need to be alone now. Let me know when the conference begins.”

“Hail Caesar!”

As soon as the door slammed shut, Charly marched to the silk lined chair and collapsed into it.

“Have you any idea what has happened Grant?”

“It beats me mate. Everyone has gone mad. Troops everywhere, that ruddy flag, and as for you being Caesar...”

“We have ended up in a parallel reality.”

Grant just stared at him.

“How is that possible? The king assured us that those rings were foolproof.”

“Perhaps there is a defect that he was unaware of. I hope to hell the blast did not damage it.”

“What’s all this about you being Caesar anyway? I had problems keeping my face straight.”

Charly glanced up.

“These lot are fascists my boy. As for terrorists blowing up the church...We all know what happens to them.”

“They get shot,” Grant added helpfully.

Charly nodded.

“We better make sure that no one becomes suspicious. If they realise that we are not their people, it will be a wall for us.”

“I’ll try and remember that mate. How do we handle this conference?”

Charly smiled.

“Would you believe by winging it?”

When it began, Charly and Grant were taken back downstairs where a number of generals had gathered. Upon a large table, a map was on display.

Charly gazed at the dots within the northern border.

“What’s your report,” he said to no one in particular.

The officer to his left pointed at the map.

“Our forces have penetrated northern China sir, but we are encountering heavy resistance at Chungdong.”

Charly pointed to a brown area.

“What about this.”

The general looked puzzled.

Those are mountains sir.”

Charly recovered himself admirably.

“I know that. It seems to me that if we send infantry through there, Chungdong will be outflanked.”

“Sorry sir, I hadn’t thought of that.”

“No worries then. What are these red dots in the Pacific?”

“The enemy navy sir. As you know, they defeated ours last week. Of course the admiral was executed for his short comings.”

Charly shook his head.

“Forgive me a moment. Could you remind me how this war began?”

Triad smiled and said, “The Chinese signed an alliance with the Americans sir. We went to war after you issued the following directive. It is better to strike first before they walk all over us.”

“That sounds like you,” Grant commented.

“Perhaps we should negotiate?”

“With China sir?” the general asked.

“Who else?”

“I think we have gone beyond that,” Triad replied.

Charly thought for a moment.

“What about these terrorists. Who are they?”

“A small group sir,” Triad said. “They call themselves The Freedom Movement.”


“Do we know where they are based?”

Triads shook her head.

“They seem to be elusive.”

Charly thought for a moment.

“I’ll tell you what we shall do then. I want security ramped up and
Foxley sealed off.”

“May I ask why sir?” Triad said.

“It is obvious to me that the cell will still be here, and that now
they know that I’m still alive, they may try again.”

“Of course sir.”

“Is that everything?”

Triad smiled.

“We have a small treat sir.”

Charly gave her a withering look.

“What might that be?”

“A public execution sir. Excellent for the soul to watch a hanging.”

Charly was horrified.

“What is there crime?”

“Oh you know the type. Dropouts, the homeless etc.”

Charly gritted his teeth.

“I want my visit to create a good impression Triad. Make damn sure that they are released at once. Call it an amnesty. If they dangle you will join them!”

As she dashed outside, Charly turned to the general.

“Do we have a local map?”

The officer pulled away the large one and soon replaced it.

“What are these areas around the town?”

“Work camps sir. Very productive I should add.”

“I want to see that one.”

The officer nodded and as Triad returned, Charly barked, “The conference is over. Come on Helen, we have a camp to inspect.”

As they climbed inside the jeep, the woman suddenly took umbrage.

“If you don’t mind sir, I would prefer to be referred to by my
proper title.”

Charly smiled.

“As you wish Triad. As you wish.”

As the jeep made its way across town, Charly and Grant noted the lack of traffic. After ten minutes or so, Charly called for a halt. Gazing across a field, he noticed a pile of old rubble.

“What happened to the monastery?”

“Religion is banned sir. We blew it up with the nuns inside.”

She looked at him rather strangely.

“If you don’t mind me saying sir, you are acting very strangely.”

“Probably concussion Triad. Now, can we see this labour camp?”

She booted the vehicle and after half an hour, they drove onto a paved road that led to a gated entrance. Armed guards were on patrol as they reached the gates.

The guard saluted and allowed them in as Grant gazed upon the barbed wire and flimsy wooden huts.

Prisoners were slogging away at various ‘work,’ breaking rocks, ploughing land without horses etc as guards watched closely.

“Who’s in charge here?”

“Commandant Greame sir.”

Charly glared at her.

“Get him right now!”

Triad nodded and two guards ran off to fetch the man in question.
When he was dragged before Caesar, it was obvious that he was terrified.

“Are you responsible for this?”

“I don’t understand.”

“For this brutal treatment. Triad, I want prisoners treated humanely
from now on. As for this thug, shoot him!”

As the guards stepped aside, Triad drew her weapon and blew his
brains out.

“Now listen to me. Find a decent commandant and see to it that things are changed!”

She nodded as the corpse was dragged away.

“Now, get us back to the hotel. Grant and I have things to discuss.”

She led them back to the jeep as stunned prisoners watched them depart.

Once they were safely within their upper apartment, Grant gave him a telling off.

“What are you doing? That ruddy woman smells a rat. As for having that man shot...”

“He deserved it mate. No one here questions my authority.”

“Perhaps not, but you must be careful.”

“I usually am. So let me size things up. They have some kind of resistance movement.”

“You heard her Charly. A small force. Probably not strong enough to remove this lot.”

“Unfortunately it is all we have to work with mate. Before we leave this hell hole, I’m going to bring it crashing down around their ears!”

“You really love sticking your oar in.”

“Why not eh? Life is far more exciting that way.”

Ep 2

He raced to the rear window and gently opened it.

“Now what are you up to?”

“If these resistance chaps are good, they will have this building under surveillance. So when I leave, they will notice.”

He glanced down at the drainpipe.

“I’m not going down there mate.”

Charly glanced at him.

“What do you think Triad will do to you, when she discovers that Caesar has gone?”

“Damn you for being so ruddy persuasive.”

As Charlie climbed out, his loyal friend quickly followed. They slowly climbed down the pipe, fearing that it would separate from the wall.

Once upon the ground, they raced off, under the very noses of the security forces. Reaching the relative safety of the nearest building, they headed towards Southside.

“How can we be sure that the warehouses are still there?”

Charly stopped.

“There is always one stable area my friend. The town has not really changed. Only the damn residents. Now stop asking stupid questions and get moving.”

As they reached a junction, a dark vehicle drew up and the side door was thrown open. A gunman shouted, “Inside now!”

The car raced off but did not head for the warehouses. Instead of this, they raced to the north side before pulling into a side street. At the second home, they stopped. The gunman was in no mood for pleasantries.

“Head for that door. One false move and it’s curtains.”

The home looked pretty run down as they were roughly bundled inside.

“How the hell did you get him?” a woman of twenty-four asked.

“Would you believe skulking down the street.”

The prisoners were led into the rear kitchen and ordered to sit. They sighed deeply and picked the chairs around the small table.

“This is not what it seems,” Charly said pleasantly.

The gunman responded by slapping his face hard.

“Shut up Caesar!”

“Watch what you are doing,” Grant said quickly. “I tell you this, you have the wrong man.”

Their captors laughed of course.

“Do you really think that the great Caesar would allow himself to be taken by two half-breeds?”

The gunman was about to strike him again when the woman stopped him.

“Are you claiming to be the long lost twin then?”

“I’m not claiming to be anyone my dear. The fact is we should not really be here.”

“Let's just shoot him now!”

The woman shook her head.

“We are not killers Harry. Just freedom fighters. What were you doing outside the hotel?”

“Would you believe trying to contact you?” Grant said.

“This must be a trap,” Harry said dashing to the window.

“It’s no trap,” Charly insisted. “We had to shin down a drain pipe to get here.”

When Harry returned he shook his head.

“See what I mean?”

The woman thought this over.

“Look, I don’t know what’s going on but it feels wrong.”

“At last,” Charly said shrugging his shoulders. “We want these fascist stuffed as much as you do.”

“Perhaps if you had stayed inside, you could have done us a favour?” Harry said.

“Look Harry, it’s obvious that Triad believes that he is Caesar. Otherwise, they would be dead by now. What I don’t understand is how?”

“It would take far too long to explain,” Charly said. “What we need dear is a plan.”

The woman smiled.

“We always have one of those.”

“Triad told us you were a small force,” Grant said.

“Not as small as she thinks,” Harry said.

“That is good news. Has the town been sealed off yet?”

“Yes it has Charly,” the woman said. “The thing is that most of our unit is already here.”

“Well now we can’t lose,” Charly declared. “With the top brass within the hotel, we could decapitate the ruddy lot of them.”

“That is what we think,” the woman said.

Grant however had reservations.

“Say we succeed tonight. What then? They will simply be replaced.”

“That’s where you are wrong mate,” Harry said softly. “We have contacts within the military just waiting for the call.”

Now Charly was really happy. Jumping off the chair, he yelled, “Then we strike at midnight!”

As time rolled on, Triad and her henchmen remained blissfully unaware that their ‘leader’ had gone. The woman coordinated the three-pronged strike via a short wave radio as Charly and Grant ate a last meal.

“It’s almost time,” the woman said. “Sure you want to come?”

“Wild horses could not stop me dear. There is one thing though.
After we leave, our counterparts will reappear at once. Give them the required respect.”

Harry grinned.

“We will enjoy that mate.”

They slipped out silently as the truck bomb began to make its leisurely way toward the Crown Hotel. As they took up position, it began to make the terminal run. The guards opened up at once, killing the driver. As it raced toward the entrance, alarm klaxons sounded.

“Now!” the woman shouted and three squads sprang into the open firing wildly.

The driverless truck smashed into the front entrance, and went up in a bright orange fireball. Bullets flew in all directions as the fighters sprayed the remaining guards.

Elsewhere that night, military allies seized control of key points throughout the country. Heavy fighting would continue but within a week, the coup was over.

For this regime, history had at last run its course.

Standing once more within the cemetery, Charly and Grant prepared to depart.

“Now remember, they will arrive almost at once.”

“I heard you the first time Charly,” the woman said.

“What do you think went wrong earlier?”

“Well Grant, a solar eruption is my prime suspect.”

He put on the ring once more and as the vortex opened, they made it home. A few seconds later, Caesar and his evil sidekick appeared.

“Who the hell are you?” the emperor demanded.

“Your worst nightmare,” Harry hissed as he pulled the trigger.

i waited all day for a new episode, :)...it was definately worth it!!...Thank you, :)

Your welcome...

Quite entertaining. I'll have to look for the other installments.