Dr. Frost fiddled with the program on the mirror machine, setting dials and power levels while Diane checked the containers with her samples.

"Are you okay, Diane? You seem distracted."

"No- yes, I'm fine." She kept her face turned so he wouldn't notice the blush. "A little nervous I suppose. What about Alice?"

'The doctor has programmed everything perfectly, Dr. Sommers. I will be fully functional wherever you choose to initiate.'

"That's great. I didn't know you turned it on," she added, speaking to Winston.

"Just to make sure."

'I think your nervous state may be the result of your emotional doubt about Mr. Hunter.'

Diane flamed red and set her mouth. "Okay, that's enough. And you can turn that off please."

"Of course. Sorry . . . so uh, was she right?"

"Could we just focus on our purpose here and forget my private life."

"Certainly. Sorry again."

"I'm sorry too, Winston. I didn't mean to snap . . . I just- it's . . . it's confusing." She hefted the box of samples and headed up the stairs leaving him to bring the machine and lock up.

********

Security met them at the gate and escorted them inside and down to the research lab. Horace, in his lab whites, greeted them at the elevator.

"An exciting time, Doctors. We've all waited for this moment."

"I've brought everything we will need but there still remains the fabrication of the last stage equipment."

"Vatten engineers are standing by with everything you requested. They can begin as soon as you give them the plans." Horace eyed the odd looking machine Frost was carrying. "Can I put that someplace for you, Doctor Frost?"

"No thank you, this stays with me."

"May I ask what it is?"

"It is our remote lab assistant Alice."

"Your assistant is at another site?"

"In a manner of speaking." Frost smiled mysteriously.

Diane handed Horace the plans for the transition stage, interrupting his curiosity about the machine called Alice. He called his engineers together and they spent some time discussing the procedure. Horace returned to the others, explaining the work could take several hours; it had proven more complex than expected.

"What would you like to do meanwhile? We can stay and watch the construction or go up my office - it's quite comfortable. Or perhaps you want to leave and I can inform you when it's ready."

"I think we could pass the time profitably in your office, Mr. Torrance."

"Please, Horace will do. After all we are colleagues . . . Diane."

She nodded her acquiescence.

"Good, I'll just check once again with my people and we'll go up."

Horace spoke to his people then made a text call to his secretary telling her to get Arlen out of his office and into the security office and order him to stay there.

********

Word finally came up from the engineers that they had the fabrication finished and ready for inspection. Horace had the lunch dishes removed and allowed the extra few moments for his guests to finish their coffees and savour the excitement of taking the next step.

"This will be a huge leap forward in biotechnology, Diane. You and Winston will become, as they used to say, household names."

"Let's hope because it works and not because it's a bust." She stood and smoothed her skirt. "Are we ready?"

Winston stood and picked up his machine, waiting for Horace to lead the way.

"I have to say, that piece of equipment intrigues me, Winston. Will we be using it in the demonstration?"

"Most certainly." He smiled, offering nothing else.

The engineers were lined up in front of the addition to the original Promession machine, eagerly awaiting the doctor's approval.

"Your design was brilliant, Dr. Sommers although it had some of us scratching our heads. We can't wait to see the results."

"I think we are equally enthusiastic, maybe more so." She turned to Winston who inserted an earpiece and turned on his remote Alice, and smiled at Horace awaiting Winston's results.

'The structure is per Dr. Sommer's design. Two slight modifications which I can correct during operation. Horace Torrence is worried about you using me without explanation.'

Instead of a vocal response, Winston used the keypad to reply then nodded to Diane.

"Very well, gentlemen, I have a test sample here so shall we see how we've done?"

Winston activated Alice again as the sample was loaded into the Promession first stage. Once crystallized it was moved to the vibration stage and almost immediately to the evaporation. At this point, Diane, under the remote guidance from Alice, entered the instructions for the evaporated water to be condensed back into a liquid.

She turned and nodded to Winston and Alice continued with the process automatically. Codes and data were all entered remotely and no one could determine the sequences. After a few moments the monitor lit up and they all gathered around to see the results. On screen was Diane's original sample as compared to the original on the second viewer.

She congratulated the engineers who waved it off and jabbered about her genius and the possibilities now available to science. Only Horace seemed reserved and disappointed over not having the actual method revealed. He glared toward Winston who was closing up his mysterious piece of equipment.

"Your people did an amazing job, Horace, you should be very proud." Diane patted his arm and smiled. "The machine can now go into production, so to speak."

"Except that you and Winston have to be here to operate it."

"Not at all! The codes and data are all programmed in and secured. The process will work for anyone now. Of course our agreement is, it be used for the safe storage of biological materials." She folded her arms and canted her head. "The process is mine, Horace. The late Dr. Cusack and mine. That information will remain classified with me. She wrinkled her brow as the realization struck her that Alice also knew.

"I felt that my generous contribution of considerable funds and all this," he indicated the lab, "might have entitled me to have the same level of security."

"I'm sure when word gets around your fees for processing and storage will more than compensate. My intention is to protect the data from organizations like HEEP and to honour Dr. Cusack's wishes." She stated pointedly.

"Speaking of compensation, we need to discuss what you and Winston have in mind."

"Dr. Frost and I agreed to split fifteen percent of the fees you amass through this procedure. We can manage quite well with that and any speaking engagements that evolve from this project."

Horace thought briefly that it wouldn't matter what he agreed to, he had other plans anyway.

"I believe Vatten Industries can live with that - very generous, Dr. Sommers. I'll have our company legal department draft an agreement."

"Very good. We'll be on our way then and await your call." Diane paused and gestured toward the machine. "When do you think you will begin advertising?"

"Oh, we have a number of businesses and research centres already interested. After a few more test runs here and a staff that are fully trained, we'll launch."

Diane nodded and shook his hand. "Thank you for the trust and much success going forward."

Horace saw them both out, his eyes enviously on the machine Winston carried. When they were gone he hurried upstairs and spoke to Arlen; that machine was number one priority.

********

Uncertain of his status with Diane, Not wanting to call and annoy her, Hunter had busied himself nosing around for any information about the deaths of Hargreave and Chesterton. What he discovered made him drop any concern and call her immediately