the screwtape controversy

"Crikey. No tension in that meeting then!" Professor Acosta looked aghast across the table at his colleague.

Professor Tenbury sucked calmly on the mouth piece of his briar pipe, as a giant curl of creamy white smoke ascended to the ceiling of the faculty bar lounge.

"Fear not, dear friend," he replied. He was smiling because he'd already thought of somebody he was going to blame for all of this. In fact, blame was not the only possible option here. He may even need to resort to murder.

The bizarre situation the duo found themselves in had all resulted from the shady dealings of one Dr Chan, a Researcher in their department.

Reputed by most female colleagues as the department's most desirable sperm donor, Chan had spent several years building a nice empire for himself until his charm and influence appeared to have shot like a corrosive thread through almost all of the department's activities.

Dr Chan had somehow succeeded in answering to nobody, which had eventually resulted in nobody being clear about either his remit or his activities in the department. In fact, though his position became gradually more prominent, Dr Chan was rarely to be seen on campus.

Tenbury believed that Chan had made some influential contacts in the international research community as well as some enduring friendships with fellow members of a dark and mysterious society known to outsiders only as "The 3rd Front."

It was rumoured that this covert organisation was comprised of powerful individuals positioned in the higher echelons of the University of Rochester. Tenbury's and Acosta's own boss was one of them, as was an inner circle of clandestine bag men who had often been seen in the upper floor windows of various offices late at night and sometimes before dawn engaged in possibly nefarious activities. As with many of the mysterious happenings at the University of Rochester, nothing was ever reported, or investigated.

Tenbury's eyes narrowed. "I'm going to kill them all when this's over," he whispered coldly.

"I'll give you an alibi," replied Acosta. "But first we need to compare notes."

"What notes?" Tenbury was puzzled.

"At least we should compare our hit lists. It would be a shame if we were competing to assassinate the same people."

(This completely fictional story will be continued soon...please keep logging on...)
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