Unity: Peace for All, Freedom for None

To Liz, for her unwavering support Imagine having all the peace you could dream of, but no freedom of choice Visit the Unity website: www.unitystory.com UNITY By Mike Bodnar Original characters and original storyline © Mike Bodnar, 2023 Cover design by Mike Bodnar ISBN: 9798387556555 Imprint: Independently published DISCLAIMER Unity is a work of ‘fan fiction’ written by Mike Bodnar. While most of the characters and the majority of the storyline have been originated by me, I do not claim ownership of the plot of The Prisoner (on which this work is based) nor any of the television episodes referred to in this work. The Prisoner himself, the various characters who play the role of ‘Number Two,’ and most of the action that takes place in ‘The Village’ are characters and plots created by Patrick McGoohan, George Markstein, and various other scriptwriters. I do not claim ownership over their creations, nor any of the original material now owned by ITV. My part of the story is made up and is therefore not part of the original property. Some of the characters are real; the others are purely fictional. Any resemblance of the fictional characters to persons living or dead is purely coincidental. The partial lyrics to the song ‘Dry Bones’ is in reference to the musical work of songwriter James Weldon Johnson and his brother, J. Rosamond Johnson. As a work of fan fiction, Unity is intended only for entertainment, and outside of the original canon. I do not make any profit from sales of this work. The price of the book is to cover production and publishing costs. Any inadvertent profit will be donated to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I have numerous people to thank for their – sometimes unknowing – help in writing this book. Here they are in no particular order: Alex Cox for his very useful reference work I Am (Not) a Number, which contains episodic breakdowns and analysis of all seventeen episodes of The Prisoner television series. The First Draft Review Group, who took the time to read Unity in its ‘raw state’ prior to publication and to give me excellent feedback on the story, the zeitgeist of 1967, and all the typos. Your help was invaluable. They are: Janine Andrews, David Austin, Shaun Cooper, Rick Davy, Brian Formby, Ian French, Barry Manson, Ceri Margerison, Gary Murfin, Ross Pearce, Liz Prendergast, and Craig Walter. Appreciation also to Robert Fairclough, Roger Langley, Dean Motter, and David Stimpson, for their replies to my random emails seeking advice on how to get Unity ‘officially’ published and not end up in court. Thanks also to the Six of One Prisoner Appreciation Society for their support in launching Unity, and to the Unmutual website for their coverage and encouragement. I have been entertained over the years by many writers but would like to single out some here who have in part influenced the way I have written Unity: Michael Connelly, Robert Crais, Jeffery Deaver, Ken Follett, Adam Hall (Elleston Trevor), Robert Harris, and Stephen Hunter. This is in no way saying that I’m an equal or that I even come close to any of them! And finally, special thanks to Patrick McGoohan for creating such an enigmatic and enduring work. I can only hope he would have approved of Unity. A NOTE FOR FANS OF THE PRISONER The Unity story parallels what are regarded by many as the seven ‘essential’ episodes of the original ITC television series The Prisoner, as follows: ArrivalFree For AllDance of the Dead CheckmateThe Chimes of Big BenOnce Upon a TimeFall Out But you don’t need to have seen any of the episodes! Mike Bodnar Sunbury-on-Thames March 2023 1 1967 Central London The thunderclap came out of nowhere. It shook windows in office buildings. Shoppers and tourists stopped in their tracks and looked to the sky which was bright and hazy. Confusing; no sign of rain. A second equally loud thunderclap shook the air, rolled on for a moment, and then – at least for those in Westminster – morphed into the thunderous roar of a small sports car speeding through the streets. The driver didn't react to the thunder, didn’t slow down, actually didn’t care about the weather. He had more urgent things on his mind. He swung round a corner, chopped from second to third and put his foot down. 2 Virgil Street Garage, London Charles wound down the last of the windows of the gleaming black vehicle halfway and began the almost ceremonial wiping of the tops of each door glass with his chamois cloth. Not many people know to do this final thing after washing a motor car, he thought. It’s the attention to detail that counts. Anyone sees these windows open won’t see any dried droplets along the top, or streaks. It’s what sets a professional apart, he smiled to himself. ‘There Tommy,’ he said to his mechanic who was at the workbench. ‘That’s how to properly clean a motor car. Spick and span, ready for inspection.’ Tommy turned and shook his head. He’d heard this many times before. The phone at the back of the garage rang, and Charles wrung his chamois cloth out as he headed for the office door. ‘I'll get it,’ he said. It was the red phone, Charles noted. His heart rate increased, and he cleared his throat, picked up the receiver. ‘Yes?’ ‘I understand you can supply half a dozen red roses on the 27th,’ a woman’s voice said clearly, then paused. ‘A dozen for anyone called Moira,’ Charles replied. ‘Right. Charles, job for you, priority one.’ The caller, satisfied that the counter-response was correct, now talked hurriedly. ‘No problem ma’am, where and when?’ ‘Now actually – we might already be too late. One male. We’re confident he’ll be leaving the underground car park any moment. Green and yellow Lotus sports car.’ She gave him the registration number: Kilo Alpha Romeo, one-two-zero Charlie. ‘He'll likely go home, Buckingham Place, SW1, but we’re not