a balcony overlooking the entrance foyer.

They made their way down a long hall and through double doors into what looked like a cross between a modern health club and a unisex beauty parlor.

,q if she'd been listening for their arrival, a broad shouldered blond woman wearing a crisp white coat came striding through double doors. The cheerful smile plastered on her face didn't quite reach her eyes.

"Mrs. Zacharias, I've been expecting you. I'm Bridget

McKenna. " She was large and strong, and when she shook hands, Noel had thedefinite sensation that if she'd wanted to, she could have crushed bones. ""Really, this is so kind of you. I know it must be past your regular hours.But I'm exhausted, and I wouldn't mind waiting until the morning."

"Oh, no bother. I'm getting paid overtime."

Terrence and Kevin took up sentry positions on either ' side of the entrance.

There was nowhere to go except through the double doors with Bridget.

Jasorr q back in a butter-soft leather chair. The room was entirelyfamiliar. The Sovereign's private study. Floorto-ceiling bookshelves linedone wall. Opposite them was a stone fireplace where oak logs flickered andburned.

Sir Douglas picked up a decanter of Scotch from the Victorian sideboard, poured some into a beautifully cut glass and added a dash of water. "How about you, laddie ? "

"Not tonight, thanks." Jason crossed one leg over the other. "It's been along day. Longer than I anticipated."

"Sorry our timing was a bit off."

Jason's voice held a hint of amusement. "Your timing is never off. You wanted to see how I handled the invasion foroe."

Sir Douglas nodded, his thin lips breaking into a grin. " " Aye. I relishtesting a man's wits. Even yours: '

"I was half expecting it after you neglected to tell me q about the chip in the girl's head."

"You never disappoint me, lad: He took a swallow of. his Scotch. " Have youenjoyed her? " " "Well enough."

" Not a fizsracker in bed? "

"A little inexperienced for my tastes." Jason wished he'd accepted the offer

of a drink. He turned to face his employer. " " I would have appreciated knowing you'd given her an implant before she started acting as if we were married. " " "That would have spoiled the surprise. Besides, I _ couldn't be absolutely sure the terhnology would work. She's the first human subject we've fitted out with a full, set of false data. What happened when we switched it on?"

"She was in a lot of pain. Then, as I told you, she got ; sick. Nauseated."

Sir Douglas swirled the liquid in his glass. "We'll ha veto work on that. It's better if the subject doesn't have q';.

" clue about the mind control. " "Mmm, I'm sure. But what if I'd handled it wrong?"

"As I said, you never disappoint me."

"Well, I guess my little wife will be glad to get some sleep after that show this evening. Which suite did you give us?"

"The two of you won't be needing a room together.

Jason felt his throat close. "Oh?"

"I had the lads take her to the spa. When she's all washed and shampooed, Bridget is going to remove the chip."

Jason didn't twitch a muscle, and he prayed his facial ecpression didn't betray the blood suddenly roaring in his ears. Careficlly. Do this carefully. "I'm surprised. It's not like you to miss an opportunity."

"What do you mean, laddie?"

"You've gone this far with the experiment. And now here's your first mind-control subject delivered safe and sound to the castle. Don't you want to test the limits of lqcr conditioning?" he asked in an astonishingly steady voice.

_ 'q-q noqnr Hor w Arq . rErs felt good against Noel's battqered skin. The soented soap and shampoo washed off the grime of the past few hours. But she couldn't relax qd enjoy the experience.

From somewhere outside her wet, steamy world, she q;q ird Bridget humming what sounded like a traditional d tune. Somehow the lively air set her teeth on "the humming stopped. q'All done?" '$ body went rigid, and her eyes swung to the -glass door. The woman stood outside the shower , wa very shape. ' qqq the you finished? I really can't stay here all A little while ago Bridget hadn't been worried about the time. Noel flattened her hand against the tile wall, wishing it had a secret panel leading to a hidden escape route. " " I've got to rinse out the conditioner," she called out, bending her head and soaking her already rinsed hair. When she knew she had delayed as long as she could, she shut off the water.

"Want me to hand you a towel?"

"No. I-I'd like some privacy," she replied.

Alone again, Noel snatched up the mint green towel waiting on the nearby bench and began to rub herself dry. Her heart was thumping as she quickly slipped into the terry robe and knotted the belt around her waist. She'd started across the dressing area when Bridget's broad shoulders blocked the doorway.

"Ah, I see you're ready. Let's go dry that pretty hair of yours."

Noel swallowed, fighting the impulse to flee.

"If you'll come into the ladies' salon, we'll get you fixed up."

"Thanks."

Noel wrapped her arms around her shoulders as she followed Bridget down the hall to a brightly lit room with a lone padded chair, two walls of mirrors and a rolling cart covered with a towel.

"Just havea seat, dear, and I'll be right with you: '

"Where's the hair dryer?"

"In the cabinet. I'll just get it."

Noel stared at the chair. It wasn't facing either of the mirrors. In a beauty salon, didn't they always want you to see what they were doing? Circling the chair, she came to an abrupt halt beside the cart. Then her hand whipped out and snatched away the towel. Underneath was a row of gleaming surgical instruments.

f Snt Douct,as sEr down his drink on an inlaid table. q "The limits of her conditioning," he said thoughtfully.

"I could write you a report, of course. But it would be much more interesting for you to press some of the buttons yourself. Get a feel for the kinds of things the implant can accomplish. And what it can't. How far will she trust me, after the ordeal at the house, for example? Tomorrow morning if I asked her to jump into that underground river that surfaoes in the courtyard, do you think she'd do it?"

Jason could see he had Sir Douglas's full attention.

"Hmm. Your suggestion is tempting. Hands-on experience , as it were. But there's something I haven't told you yet. The circuits are only part of the chip." The Sovereign gave Jason a direct look. "The formula conoealed in the jewelry is a decoy."

Jason pretended to be surprised. "Then where-?"

"I used a micro dot it's on the chip."

"You old devil. So That's why you were so worried about getting her here."

Sir Douglas grinned.

"I suppose you're anxious to have a look at the formula"

" Quite. "

"But you trust the source of the information absoiutely"

"Absolutely. It's sterling product.

Jason rubbed his chin thoughtfully, as if he were try ;m8 to work out an idea that had just formed in his mind. q'And you're having an auction-when? " q " qay after tomorrow. ,.

Jason steepled his hands, feeling unaccustomed dampness where his fingertips touched. In the long, painful hours of the night when he'd lain awake in the same room with Noel, he'd tried to come up with contingency plans. He discarded some of them as too dangerous to try. Now he found himself speaking words he'd told himself he'd never have to utter. "Imagine the drama if you asked Ms. Emery to serve as your hostess at the auction-like one of those pretty girls on a TV quiz show." He waited, letting the image take hold.

"Interesting idea, lad," the Sovereign murmured.

"Picture this. When the final bid is in, you open up her head and take out the information. Then you project the formula on a screen and the bidders all get their first look at the same time."

Sir Douglas tipped his head to one side as he looked admiringly at Jason. "You do have a flair for the dramatic , lad."

" " I thought the idea might take your fancy. " " " I could even give her to the lucky winner. Or better yet, auction her off, too. That way I won't have to worry about how to dispose of her."

Chapter Fourteen.

Bridget was right behind her, so close that her breath stirred the hairs on Noel's neck. Her skin prickled all the way down her spine. Instinctively she tried to spring away, but the woman's strong hands came up to grasp her shoulders. "Time to get on with the main event."

Blood roared in Noel'sean "No. Please-"

Something sharp pricked the side of her neck where an artery puLsed. Almost at once, her knees gave way and the steady hands shifted to keep her from slipping to the floor. Then she was being eased into the chair.

"Wh-wh-" Noel couldn't make her lips form the qurstion. Nor would her eyes focus.

"Just relax. Don't fight the anesthetic." The voice was soothing-and deadly.

She tried to scream. No sound came from her throat. But she could still hear. The clink of metal against metal. Footsteps moving back and forth on the tile floor.

Her damp hair was just being swept to the side when, as if from far away, she heard an unfamiliar double qging sound. A British telephone.

The hand left Noel's hair. Something small and metal qaqred against a hard surface.

"Bridget McKenna here."

There was a short pause.

"No. I was just getting ready. Yes, sir. Of course, sir. I won't do anything further until you get here."

VoIcFs F. q AwAY Talking about her. Only catch some of the words through the layers of fog that shrouded her brain.

"Does she know we're.. . q" " " No, sir. . The drug. : q " " And the incision is intact? "

"You may want to see for yourself."

Once again, fingers swept aside her hair and probed. " " Yes. Good. . opportunity to. . the experiment. . I only want her. . partial consciousness. " Sir Douglas was talking about her as if she weren't there. Maybe she wasn't.

Another needle pricked Noel's flesh. " " How long do we have to wait? "" " A few minutes ."

It was like the hospital. Her mind and body were separate Far away. . ""

Noel? "She didn't want to be here."Noel, lass, open your eyes." ,She tried to hide from the commanding male voice."She's not responding to me," the Sovereign muttered' You try it. ""Noel. It's Jason. Come back to me."Jason.He was calling to her again. Her name was like a rope around her waist, pulling her upward through layers of mist. : Finally her lids fluttered open. She was lying on her back. Three blurryimages hovered above her. "Whawha . doing to.. . ? ""You're in the beauty salon, lass." It was Frye who responded.Noel's hand touched her hair. To her surprise, it was dry."Bridget was getting ready to give you a styling when you had a fainting spell."

Styling? With the metal instruments? Somehow she kept her eyes fromswinging to the table that had held the tray."The chaos earlier must have been a bit too much for you: 'ChaosNoel felt as if a steel ball had been caught in her chest."Is she all right?""She may be reacting to the drug combination, Sir Douglas," Bridget spoke up.But Noel barely heard her.ChaosThe word echoed and reechoed in her mind. She shrank away from Sir Douglas.

And from the frantic, clawing sensation inside her throat.