The Empirium vessel Strike 1approached the Galapagos abandoned research site. Scans and probes were employed to find all available information from the HEEP structures and the surrounding area for miles.

When the readings were analyzed the ship pulled back and on command, released a barrage of photon bombs that completely destroyed the planet beyond recovery. Back on Earth the report was received with serious relief.

Months earlier, during the debriefings of the two doctors, the news of what had been released in the laboratory had prompted panic and an instant response. After reassurance from the CRS that the seal of the building containing the lab had not been compromised in any way, steps were taken to demolish everything within a large area including the removal and sterilization of tons of soil beneath the lab and surrounding buildings.

Urgent meetings were held with Empirium's military and Dr. Sommers had been forced to reveal her secret code for the transition stage in the Promession process. Diane was also released from service at HEEP, forbidden to take part in any further research anywhere.

Dr. Frost was remanded by the Empirium to serve in their biotech centre to immediately begin work developing another Alice. The initial fear of the doctors was coming true - Empirium meant to create a weapon.

Hunter Lewis was sent to a facility for re-indoctrination training and reassigned to a government office analyzing, ironically, the surveillance reports on suspicious citizens and the unpleasant demise of Horace Torrance was finally recorded as a blameless occupational misadventure, and his file was closed.

********

The tiny cube sample Diane had saved from Horace's attempt to transition tumbled out of the bag, which had been left in her living quarters and forgotten. When she was informed of her dismissal, she tried to explain that she needed a number of personal things from her unit but was refused entry and sent from the HEEP premises.

The cube's shape and consistency began changing and soon it was a small puddle of black slime that oozed its way across the table and dropped to the floor.

A security droid making rounds, stopped and looked at the black substance oozing from beneath the door seal of Dr. Sommers unit in the HEEP tower. Immediately a report of the item was recorded and prepared for submission.

An employee returning from her shift saw the strange pile on the hall floor and approached to examine it, looking in horror at the dissolving security droid. She turned and ran screaming to the elevator, unaware of the splash of slime that had adhered to her uniform leg.

********

"Hunter? It's Diane, thank god I found you. It's here!"

"What's he- oh no, you mean the slime?"

"Shhh, yes. We need to talk - privately."

"Where are you? What happened--"

"Not now! When we meet. Can you get a cab and pick me up, I'll be on the street by that restaurant you took me to."

"Bathtown!"

"Just get here, Hunter."

********

The cab stopped when he saw her waving. She had changed in the past months, he noticed. Longer hair, slimmer and dressed in the casual uniform worn by most of the populace. The door opened and she slid in beside him.

"Are you still being monitored?"

"Hello to you too."

"Hunter!"

"Nope, not important enough anymore."

"Let's go right into town, there's more interference there."

"Boy you are worried."

He directed the cab to the area where Hargreave had once lived and had it pull into a side alley beside a gaudy, open air bar and restaurant. Within minutes Hunter had sent a number of sex droids and dream pushers on their way.

"You sure you want to be here?"

"Only while we talk. It hasn't been announced, and with good reason, but it's here, Hunter. Somehow it's here."

"How do you know?"

"Someone I worked with sent me a message because they knew I was involved on Galapagos at one time. There have been several cases of- of attacks. People died, Hunter."

"Where? They obliterated the lab site."

"HEEP! The living quarters at HEEP!"

He stared at her, puzzled and then swore. "The sample! The one that was going to be transitioned that day when- that day at Vatten."

"It has to be. I wasn't allowed back in my unit for anything. The pack was there with the sample."

"But how?"

"We wondered at the time if it could happen naturally. We talked about that. I can't see any other possibility."

"What are they doing about it? I mean their complex could get overrun!"

"Nothing, that's just it. Empirium has my code and I'm betting they are somehow trying to implement the process we developed and control it."

A sharp knock on the glass startled them and Hunter saw the impassive face of a security droid motioning for him to open the window.

'Identification.'

Hunter held up his wrist pad while the droid tapped it.

'You are in violation of work time.'

"I just had to do some deliveries, I'm still working."

'Deliveries are not part of your function. Step out of the cab.'

"Get ready, Diane," he whispered as he stepped out.

'Passenger number two as well.' The droid leaned down to speak to Diane and Hunter snatched its weapon from the snap-on, delivering a full charge to the side if its head.

"Hunter! Are you crazy?"

He dragged the droid to a spot behind the cab and then jumped in, directing it to another place.

"If I let it take us in then we couldn't figure a way out of the transition mess. Do you have a place to stay now - off HEEP property?"

"We can't go there. They monitor the site. What about you?"

"No. Same problem. Twenty-four hour monitoring." He rubbed his face. "I've got an idea. Get out, we'll go on foot." He paid the cab and sent it out of town on a phony call.

Diane made a face and looked at the building. "What's this place?"

"It's where Hargreave lived. Maybe his unit is still empty. If not we'll find another."

The name plate was gone but the door was not locked and Hunter stepped cautiously inside. He held up a hand for her to wait while he went right in to check.

"It's okay, shut the door and come on in."

As far as Hunter could see nothing had changed since he was last there. On the floor in the corner was the forgotten remains of Judith, Hargreave's beta droid. He tossed a sheet from the bed over the body and they sat on the bed together.

"Now what?" Diane's eyes traced the outline of the sheet.

"Do you know where Frost is?"

"Some research site at Empirium."

"Can he be reached?"

"We haven't spoken since- since that day. I have no idea where he lives."

Hunter stood and wandered to the shelves over the dusty desk. He plucked a couple of old hardback books from the shelf and flipped through the pages.

"Give me a hand here. Hargreave had contacts everywhere for information. Maybe we can find a lead to learning where Frost is."

"That's pretty optimistic."

"If we can find him and talk with him, we might come up with a plan."

"That's even more optimistic.

"Better than nothing, Diane."

An hour later they had three names that looked promising. A message to the first one was a rude disconnect. The second suggested a meeting to discuss the value of the information. They agreed and were given a location not far from where they were.