“So Mr Cruickshank, we meet again. I am Arthur and this my friend Evelynn. Perhaps you have some questions for us, but first something completely different.”
“We have thought about it, why you Mr Cruickshank walk so awkwardly, is walking painful?
We shall change you. We shall take your name away. We shall give you another name.
No bang, no flash of light, your name is now Mr Fairney and your legs are now straight.”
Mr Fairney was speechless.
“Just two words: Homo tempus?”
“Mr Beneward was a nineteen century doctor who had the idea of a better Homo sapiens: that is humans who are smaller, faster, stronger, brainier, eat less, have no need to sleep, need only a two year childhood, and more.”
“He had over a hundred daughters, he was very prolific, the daughters were even more prolific, lots of children – Homo tempus.”
“There are thousands of us all over the world. We want you to to understand who we are.”
“And now Mr Fairney; why do you want to be elected Mayor of Braidavick?”
“There is something special about Braidavick, I think that you know that too. All the buildings in the town are small, there are no businesses – neither big nor small. There are many parks, ponds and lakes. It’s v.pretty. People come here to visit.”
“I want Braidavick to stay that way, you too. No hotels, no large buildings, no industry. just prettiness. I want to be mayor and do the right thing for Braidavick. And I think that you two can help me – I’m trying to understand who you are.”
“I liked the way you saved Mrs Jenkins who was wandering in the dark. I also liked how you discovered the big sale of assault rifles at the Villa in the Valley, how you informed the police and rescued the police helicopter. Help me to preserve Braidavick as it is.”
“And now Evelynn and Arthur; what do you want with Braidavick?”
“Twins!”