The beach near the pumice slopes was empty when I arrived

Which angered me

With a little difficulty I found a room for the night

There was a note under my pillow

Be at the beach at nine no later

This is very important

The note was not signed

I did not dream or at least did not recount my dreams and as requested I walked to the pumice beach

A few children were running down the slopes blissfully unaware of the movie

In the distance two women sat in bikinis

One was the in blue

The other in red

Although I knew who they were I was surprised to see them so far away from England

Lynne looked up

But Geraldine carried on reading

You have finally arrived Stephen

Yes

Sit down

Hi Geraldine it is nice to see you again our time in Dover was far too short

Geraldine did not answer

It she ok?

Ask her

Stop fucking about Lynne otherwise I will walk away now

Geraldine stood up and kissed me on the cheek

Sorry Stephen I was so engrossed

Happy now

What do you mean happy?

That mummy has greeted you as you wished 

Lynne I am losing the plot what is going on?

You are here for a reason

There is a contract out on me

Yes

And I am standing here in full view

Yes

Are you taking something?

No

So

So you are here for a reason

What reason?

You are going to assassinate Corbett’s brother

Like fuck I am

You are or you will not make it off the beach alive

Fuck you Lynne

I moved forward and a bullet hit the sand in front of me

At present I would guess that you are in the gun sights of at least five marksmen

Sit down Stephen

I sat down

Lynne pointed to a bag that was propped up against a rock

Inside that bag is a high powered rifle similar to the type you used to kill Corbett

But this rifle is oh so sophisticated

You will position yourself up there and wait until the ship you see gets closer

At about five o’clock it will move closer to the beach

Corbett’s brother will come on deck at about five thirty to have a cigarette

You will then kill him as you did his brother

And if I refuse

You will not leave this beach alive

Why do not ask one of your pretty boys to do your dirty work?

That is impossible

I shot Corbett nearly twenty years ago because he was a despot and ruining our country

Would you do it again?

Yes

I looked at Geraldine she was still reading her book

You brought up a fine daughter Geraldine just like you

She will not answer Stephen

Why?

Because she is dead

I stared at Lynne who had removed her bikini top

I have nice breasts

Do you agree Stephen?

Fuck your breasts Lynne

You already have

Do not worry it is not for you

You have lost me totally

It is a sign to the chameleons with the rifles

I want you alive

Chameleons?

Yes chameleons Stephen

I am a chameleon Stephen

You have not guessed have you?

Guessed what?

Do you know what a chameleon is?

And no it is not a creature that changes colour

I did not answer

Lynne looked at the pumice slopes

Do you know that I have always wanted to run down those pumice slopes ever since I saw the movie

Then do it

I will this evening after you have killed Corbett

The place will be crawling with bodyguards 

Who would suspect a small girl running down the pumice slopes?

I will be led away for my own safety but that’s all

Lynne stood up and walked into the sea and began swimming

Geraldine what has she done to you?

I put my hand into my jacket for my gun and as I did so a bullet whistled by and disturbed a nearby bush  

My pocket was empty

But I still had Ingrid’s pistol concealed in my sock

Lynne returned

That was silly of you Stephen and yes I know about the pistol in your sock

If you promise to not to do anything rash then I will explain things as I think I owe you an explanation

Yes I think you do

Lynne smiled and looked at the milky sea

In 1711 a spaceship landed in Northern Russia or rather it crashed

It was full of people or creatures from a different planet

That’s science fiction

Do not interrupt me Stephen

Well these creatures we quite hardy and within a few years had totally adopted human characteristics

Well apart from one thing

That being?

We could change form at will and also we tend to live for a large number of years

Change form

Yes

A shape shifter

That is a rather crude way of describing it but yes

Geraldine never existed you know

Explain

Geraldine was Lynne

But I knew you when you were younger there were two of you

And so there were

But it was all an illusion

There was only ever me

So you are saying

Yes

To satisfy the authorities Geraldine took an overdose

And the flower shop

What flower shop?

It was all an illusion Stephen

As was Batgirl

Ingrid Janet Rees

Pauline

Geraldine they were all me

Why the games?

I had to be sure of you Stephen

That is why I wrote that awful poem and that sickly letter

And your London life?

I am in London at present doing a job I hate

I will return home to my apartment this evening and be worshiped

Perhaps I will let him fuck me

You are sick Lynne

I am everything to everyone

Why do you not assassinate Corbett as you are so good at everything?

Because the Chameleons are a peaceful race

We cannot kill

I have no violence in me

Buit if I walked off of this beach one of your goons would kill me

He would die also

The acids in his body would overwhelm him which would be unfortunate

So what is in it for me?

Whatever you want

Me

Geraldine

Whatever you like

So there was never a Geraldine I was fucking you all along 

Correct

But I could be Geraldine

I could be Batgirl in Gotham City

It is your choice

I can change into any woman you like

At tall Italian woman walked by

She looked down and smiled from behind her dark glasses

I could be her

I could be Ingrid Janet Rees

Anybody

You just have to do this one job

And me?

You might end up getting shot

That is all down to you

If you are good then you will escape

If not you will end up dead 

Why does Corbett’s brother offend you so much?

Corbett was a chameleon and so is his brother

You did us an enormous service when you killed Corbett

I knew that you had it in you

That is why I worked with you and shared your life

But the brother is even more dangerous

He is aware of our weaknesses and uses them against us

He is a risk to our race

We came here to do good

But to do well sometimes you have to make cruel decisions

If you kill Corbett then we will progress

If not then our work is compromised

I thought all chameleons were good

They were genetic mutations

We have neutralised most of them save for the odd dictator

But this Corbett is out of control

I will leave you now Stephen

Do as you will

You are free to leave

But I know you will not

If you do kill Corbett and survive then meet me at the villa by the pool 

I will be whosoever you wish

Nothing more will be asked of you

And by the way you will get paid for this

Review your bank statement when you have time

Lynne threw a black batman shirt over her shoulders and walked away

Geraldine slowly faded in front of me as Ingrid Bergman had previously

 

I was in position by five and hid behind a sparse bush

I had the deck of the boat in my sights

There were a number of other people on deck

But not Corbett

At 05.29 he came out on deck and lit a cigarette

I had a clear shot

 

There was a return of gunfire which was heavier than I had anticipated

His bodyguards were on the island around me

I had not anticipated this

I am an assassin not a hit man

I shot one who broke cover

But the others soon surrounded me

Kill him don’t ask questions

But 

That is an order

Suddenly a small girl grabbed my hand and together we ran towards the pumice slopes

This illusion will only last for a matter of seconds Stephen and then you are on your own

I had not seen much magic in my life and had spent a considerable amount of it in prison but as we ran down those white pumice slopes I felt I was floating

I could hear music but could not identify it

The small girl held my hand tightly until we reached the sea

Then she released her grip

Swim swim as hard as you can Stephen

I ran into the sea and swam as fast as I could

Bullets were cutting the water

The small girl was being led to safety by the very men who were trying to kill me

I was alone

Respiro

Respiro

This was the only word I heard as I swam out of sight

Beyond the range of the bullets

 

Six weeks later I was at the villa

Nobody was trailing me

The road was quiet

Pauline was sunbathing by the pool

So you made it

Yes

It appears that you were killed in an exchange of fire

So the papers say

You do not exist Stephen

I know

Pauline sipped a shiny cocktail

A drink Stephen?

I am a poor host

No

You have come here for your payment

Don’t play games Lynne

It is up to you who you want to be?

Who do you wish to share your life with ?

I can be Geraldine again

I have not really considered  it

For me the future the past and the present have merged

For now I am happy just to be who I am

 

End