LSD1: Supper with the Devil

John's day begins when a Soviet deserter is found foraging in the ruins of the East End; he tries to intercede between the soldier and an angry mob, but only succeeds in drawing Sheila into the conflict, who is struck a glancing blow when the mob stone their captive to death. Ascertaining that their victim is beyond help, John finds a photo on the body depicting some other Soviets observing a scene of inhuman carnage.

Andrew rolls out of the brothel he has spent the night in and runs into two rough types arguing over the services on offer; he bests them without realising they are a part of a trap meant to end his life, but he does find a lead on the body of one unconscious man pointing him towards the Ministry of Food & Rationing.

While helping Rev. Poulson attend to the needs of the destitute in the church, John speaks to Tom the vagrant and begins to wonder just how much of what he says is insanity and how much truth. Tom warns John to watch his back and , in allusion to the Soviet killed that morning, says that they're not all bad: "Black & white fought together once, the pawns united against the players." He sinks into the booze John has sweetened him with after this.

Andrew goes to see Gen. Gronds but is stopped by his adjutant, who does let slip that the General had a meeting the other day with Gordon Prendergast, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Food & Rationing.

John goes for a meeting with Alexei to see to the supply of food to his unit; they meet in a ruined street, with only a gang of homeless children their witnesses. Alexei takes his frustration out on the children by executing them one by one; after a tense moment where it seems like John will gun Alexei down, John sees the madness in Alexei's eyes and backs down lest he become the next target.

Andrew heads to the Ministry, where he waves his SSG pass around and makes a nuisance of himself in a vain effort to discreetly find out what Gen. Gronds and Gordon Prendergast were meeting about. He is escorted out of the staff canteen by two security guards...

Jake Stoner finds John and asks him to come with him to a meeting at the Ministry to find out what has happened to his farm and when he can have it back.

Andrew is brought in to see Gordon Prendergast who explains that there are proper channels for doing things and obfuscates him with bureaucratic jargon until Andrew actually starts to doubt himself. Their meeting is interrupted by the arrival of John and Jake; John manages to restrain John's temper and find out that his farmland is classified as 'contaminated', in the process winning Prendergast's respect.

Andrew's attempts to listen at the door meet with success, but only add to his reputation as an indiscreet blunderer, when Gen. Gronds walks in and drags him back to Army HQ.

John heads back the East End to make some deals, but his offer of AK-47s attracts the attention of bigger fish: Robert Clay makes it clear that John either supplies him with arms or stops breathing. John manages to swing Clay around to a good deal, becoming a favoured dealer on the manor. As a side note, after consultaion with his pet thug Hugo, Clay offers to supply Rev. Poulson's mission in return for the photo John found earlier.

Andrew gets a chewing out in Gen. Grond's office, which he only adds fuel to by blatantly asserting that either Gronds or Prendergast could be crooked in his book! He ends up being sent on enforced leave for a week and the General dictates a letter of apology that he is to sign & send to the Ministry!

On his way home, a man passionately enthused by England's cause exhorts John to 're-enlist'; as he grabs John by the shoulder, the cloth and then skin under the stranger's hand begins to smoulder and the man himself promptly explodes into flames, leaving nothing but ash behind!

Andrew is likewise ambushed on his way home, but in his case by Hugo, who attempts to wring his neck! Tom appears to assist, but ends up being the victim of a savage beating by Hugo. Andrew manages to overcome the giant and he and Tom drag him away to be questioned privately.

While having his unusual wound bandaged, a messenger calls on John to say that Mr. Clay wants to see him urgently; in exchange for an unstated favour, John ends up agreeing to negotiate with Andrew! Twice today, attempts to kill the troublesome Major have been thwarted, so now John is acting as broker in a deal aimed at ending Andrew's investigations...

John and Andrew meet to discuss their joint situation, while Tom & Jake guard Hugo in another room; something causes Tom to break through a window and run, allowing Hugo to get free, but John explains that Andrew is no longer a target and he is taking him to see Mr. Clay now, to come to an agreement.

Andrew agrees to stay out of Mr. Clay's business in return for a few pay offs; Mr. Clay goes so far as to offer the Major a very comfortable life if he will assist in putting Alice Hinds out of business; he goes off to do that by intimidating a random customer, but his 'hostess' turns out to be Fiona Poulson! As the man is sent packing, Andrew takes the terrified Fiona for a drink.

After a drink with Hugo, during which the giant takes a perverse interest in his strange wound, John is followed by the thug on his way out to see his unit. It emerges that Hugo can 'smell' the Zone in some way, hence his being able to detect the photo earlier and his interset in John's wound. John sends the thug home then goes to confront his unit commander with good news about the supply situation, but prepares for a showdown over the actions of Alexei...

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