MEETING HALL, BUCKINGHAM PALACE, LONDON
D r. Tom Truckle watched the Queen take the stage.
People stood up and clapped enthusiastically as she embarked on a stepper to reach the podium. The smug smile on her face was prominent as she asked them to “shut up” and “sit down.”
“Thank you for accepting my invitation for the most important event in the history of mankind,” she began. “I have chosen you for reasons only the likes of us can understand. Each one of you has a past I sympathize with and understand clearly.”
Dr. Tom thought he knew what she meant as he glanced at the list of members on the back of his card. But he needed to wait to confirm his suspicions.
“But before I lay out my plan, I’d like you to watch something.” She signaled to Margaret Kent, and a screen came down behind her. “What you’re going to see now will stir a few bad memories, but it’s a must.”
Dr. Tom watched the screen flicker, curious about what he was going to watch.