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6. ...And Procedures "The process is important, regardless of the outcome, just ask Schacter. (...)mental health... is not a destination but a process. It's about how you drive, not where you're going. The therapist is like a driving instructor, not a chauffeur," -- Noam Shpancer, The Good Psychologist ***** Ray didn't react to the second playing of the tape, although he wanted to, he was just a little too confused and disoriented. A sound told him he was being visited, but he wasn't really prepared for what happened next. The lid of the tank was opened quickly and two bright lights blinded him completely after the pitch darkness inside the tank, involuntarily, he cried out. He closed his eyes tightly, but the bright blurs were ingrained on his retina and floated in front of him like two fuzzy suns painted on the inside of his eyelids. He felt himself being lifted out of the tank and placed in what he had to assume was the wheelchair. A strap, which hadn't been used before, was wrapped around his torso to keep him in the chair. He was then wheeled back, he presumed to the feminine room, indeed he could smell the scent of Chanel as the door opened, shortly overpowered by the smell of summer roses; It reminded him of Grandmas' rose garden. The towel he had been wrapped in, along with the restraint, were removed, as was the restricting garment around his genitals. He passed through a soft, light layer of only slightly cold moisture, into lovely warm water, without the smell of salt, just roses, lovely roses. His arms were laid over two covered metal arms which supported his shoulders, keeping his head above the water. Someone then slipped a sleeping mask over his eyes, allowing him to unscrew his eyelids as, very slowly, the light blur disappeared. After ten minutes it was rather like being in the tank, except he could feel the bottom of the bath beneath his buttocks and legs and the smell was much better. "Ah Bueno se?orita," a familiar voice cried. "Carmelita?" "Si, Yes." "Am I safe in here? I won't drown?" "No, we look after you. My friend Rosaria, remember? She give good massage." "Great." "You soak 'nother ten minutes, then we leave you eat. Nurse bring pills and you have massage good and maybe get dressed." "Eh, okay." The last thing Ray wanted, at the moment, was to have anyone here dress him, because he was sure it would be in a dress. A little while later, Ray was sure it wasn't ten minutes, but Carmelita assured him it was, they lifted him out of the bath and dried him off. They then applied talc over his body and slipped another brief up his legs and imprisoned his genitals again. They dressed him in a fluffy bathrobe for his breakfast, and slowly removed the eye cover. He still had a couple of large black areas floating in his vision, but he could see enough to eat the cornflakes and drink the orange juice they provided. The nurse from the day before gave him his pills, one pink, one purple and, this time, the circular white one. He took them or rather they helped him to swallow them because he felt so lethargic having apparently used all his strength to eat his breakfast. For safety, they used the restraint to keep him in the chair while they wheeled him to the beauty-shop. Once he was face down on the couch they set to work, massaging him from his toes upwards. It was quite an interesting sensation to have his legs massaged, and he could sense some more feeling coming back, but he didn't know if he could walk on his own. The same with his thighs as they moved up his body, working the muscles from the outside. "Si, Nice legs," Carmelita commented. The two of them then started on his hips and back. Pummelling certain areas, massaging and manipulating. However, the tension that had been building in his shoulders slowly dissipated as they worked. Even his neck got worked on, then came the moment he had been half dreading. They turned him over onto his back. Immediately he was aware that the double soaking had bunched his upper chest into passable juvenile breasts. The breast pump work from the first long soak had begun to wear off, but as they worked on that area he became aware that the nipples extremely tender and sensitive and that there was an underlying bulge. He wondered what had caused that. The two women worked on his breast area, very gently, but also very firmly, until he had a fair approximation of a pair of A-cup breasts. The image was enhanced when they used clear surgical tape to hold the flesh in place and enhance the cleavage. "You no touch this," Carmelita admonished as she finished off the cleavage effect. "Colonel and General not nice when angry, you not make them angry with Carmelita and Rosaria." "O...Okay," Ray agreed. Carmelita then turned her attention to his face, looking at his eyes, eyebrows, nose, mouth, cheeks and chin. She took some cream on her fingertips and began to massage the cream into his face. When she had finished the facial, he had to admit his skin felt better for the massage. They sat him up on the couch and, before he could realise what was happening, they had slipped another nightdress over his head and arms. "This do for time, until you stronger. Now, we get you walk, si?" "Please." Rosaria slipped nylon foot-lets over his feet and then slipped them into a pair of four-inch heeled court shoes. He looked in surprise at the shoes. He was about to object to them, but Rosaria shook her finger at him. "You wear or not be able walk," Rosaria explained. "Your foot, stuck," She indicated the way his feet sloped. "You try walk flat, you snap..." and she tapped the back of his calves. He didn't resist as they eased him forward until the balls of his feet touched the floor. Then they took an arm each and settled him onto the heels. If he was to get out, he had to be able to walk, preferably run, so he allowed them to ease his weight onto his legs. The unusual angle of his instep caused a momentary uncertainty, but the women moved him until he was able to regain his balance. "Lift right foot," Carmelita instructed. Ray found lifting his foot easier than he had expected. The enforced inactivity hadn't completely wasted his leg and the soaking and massage seemed to have re-tensioned his muscles so that they would support him. After the disaster of first arrival, when the cramp and the bruises and the immersion seemed to have drained him, he felt quite confident that he would be able to walk. "Short step," came the next instruction. "Keep balance." As they moved Ray forward, he became aware of the strain on his calves and instep. He also found himself sweating from the concentration and effort. With the women supporting his shoulders he was obliged to shift his legs from the hip, forcing him to assume a feminine 'wiggle'. It also took him a few seconds to realise that he was actually putting very little weight on his legs, the two women were almost totally supporting him. The energy required to move also shortened his pace to little more than a pigeon-toed mince. The walking exercise continued, in bursts of five minutes walking, ten minutes' rest, for nearly ninety minutes. By the end Ray could walk, with support, but he noticed that the enforced use of the heels had changed his gait. He could feel the hem of the nightdress tip-tapping on the back of his calves as he took each step. Finally, Carmelita called a halt to the exercise and sat Ray down in a hairdressing chair. Her fussing with his hair gave Ray another strange sensation as she gently massaged his skull before brushing out the bob hairstyle. Ray relaxed so much from the massage that Rosaria had applied lipstick before he even realised what she was doing. "Bueno," she had said, having blotted the tawny colour on his lips. "Hambre? You eat now?" Carmelita asked Ray. "Lunch, I suppose so." "Bueno," Rosaria said, handing over the fluffy bathrobe. "Come." Ray started to panic, come where? They helped him into the robe and then started for the door. "You want chair?" Carmelita asked as Ray stood, rooted to the spot. He nodded and they sat him down and wheeled him back to the rooms he was realising were his new prison. The wheelchair was locked in place at the table just as a salad was delivered from wherever the kitchen was. Carmelita smiled at his and encouraged him to eat. Taking her advice, he took his time to eat the meal. He could only manage a small meal, and only in delicate small mouthfuls as he wasn't able to chew much. He was finishing the meal when a new nurse approached. She handed Ray a cup with the two different white pills in. "You expect me to take these pills?" he asked. "Swallow or needle, you choose," she replied, slowly but firmly, choosing her English words carefully. Ray looked at her, then the pills in the cup. He looked back at her and watched her stare as he swallowed them. Ray really wanted to know what the two 'vitamin' pills were. So what were they? Moments later four soldiers arrived in the room. "Hydrotherapy?" He asked. "Si." The guards wheeled him back to the tank room, where the nurse undressed him. Then the guards lifted him into the tank. As this was the first time he had been immersed more than half-conscious, Ray made a note of the room. The two spotlights that had almost blinded him earlier disappeared into the still persisting, but indistinct, shadow of their creation, but they were off. The light came from the spot on the far side of the tank. Nothing was said as the soldiers shut the lid, cutting Ray off again. "Oh great," Ray thought, as silence fell again on the tank and he felt his tummy rumble as it digested his 'lunch'. The sound of waves started up again, building to a crescendo of great surf rollers then dropping back to a soft lapping sound. Ray was almost anticipating the sound from the school play they had used last time. Only it didn't come. He found it disconcerting to think that he might have imagined the incident, something to do with them feminising him or those unidentified pills. Lapping waves again eased his tensions and he tried to meditate. As he tried to concentrate other facts from the 'days' activities struck him, causing more than a little confusion and the beginnings of anxiety. No one had asked him any questions and he hadn't seen Alvarez. Nor was there any further evidence of Heinmann's involvement. He couldn't understand what they were trying to achieve, except his feminization. In the observation room Heinmann was giving instructions to Carmelita, Ortega and Constantine. He was precise in his instructions but could see doubt in the faces of his subordinates. "You must be precise in following the instructions in the next few weeks." "Weeks?" Constantine asked. "Yes. We have to give the medicines time to begin the changes we want. So no questions, no pressure to talk about anything to do with why she is here. The emphasis must be on increasing the feminine appearance and actions." "Rosita and I can work on many things." "Especially the walking in heels." Heinmann checked his watch. "Note, a new nurse starts later today. Follow her instructions for medications. Her name is Sister Sanchez." With that, he made his way back to the ground level and found his driver. Shortly after he was at Police Headquarters talking to Cortez, making plans. ***** Plans were occupying Alvarez. Physical plans of buildings and equipment. Amongst the papers they had recovered at the Diaz home were blueprints and detailed statistics of the refinery. The locations of the two bombs were marked along with several other markings. Alvarez had already sent men to look at these locations, dreading the result. He had lots of questions. How had Barker managed to get his bombs into place? Who had helped him to build the bombs? He knew he needed to interrogate Barker further, but the whole situation in the bunker disturbed him in a way he didn't understand. Besides, he was no longer in charge of the 'interrogation', Cortez had made it plain that the foreigner Heinmann was in charge of Barker's confinement. At least he had the Diaz family in custody, and Tormollos' brother, also a malcontent. They were in the prison where he could question them at his convenience. Also, they hadn't been conditioned to resist his skills, they had already cracked and were providing some interesting information. More would come, he was sure. He started this day with breakfast, then went to the prison to interrogate Diaz again. His tool wrap had given way to a solid hemp rope with two knots. Black eyes on the one-time corporal told their own story. Alvarez sat down opposite his victim and smiled, a friendly, crocodile smile. "Miguel, my friend, tell me where Barker kept his explosives." "I don't know, please Colonel, I don't know." "How long did it take him to get it? "What?" "When he picked some up for the devices you planted, how long was he away to fetch it." "I don't understand." Alvarez nodded and d'Santos picked up the hemp. "No Colonel, please no... " "How long?" He held his hand up, apparently to restrain d'Santos. Miguel Diaz was close to tears, except his eyes hurt too much. Sobbing in fear he replied: "Ninety minutes, he was gone an hour and a half." "In a car?" "My truck." "I see. Did you have to refill much fuel?" "I don't... " "How much fuel did he use?" "Half a tank." "Put him back in his cell. We will talk again later today." Alvarez went out to the prison car-park, where Miguel Diaz' truck was parked, having been impounded. The battered Ford pickup was a clich? in many ways, but it had proven to be a reliable workhorse. He checked the tank size, 38 gallons approximately 144 litres. "Half a tank, that's 72 litres at about .25 litres per kilometre. That's 288 kilometres. No. That's not right." Alvarez marched back into the building, walked by the interrogation room to collect the rope and then went down to Miguel's cell. "You lied to me Miguel," he said, allowing one end of the rope to drop from his hand. "Unless he made more than one trip?" "Yes, yes, Colonel, please not again..." Miguel cowered under the bunk. "How many?!" Alvarez shouted. "Three, he made three trips." "Thank you Miguel." Alvarez left the cell and walked back to his office. There he picked up the map of the local area. "So. Three trips, totalling 288 kilometres. 48 kilometres each way." He opened the dividers and calculated the maximum area. He went to the door. "d'Santos. Get a squad. We're going to search some villages." He rolled up the map and picked up his cap and gun. This was starting to be a good day. ***** By lunch he was beginning to regret only bringing a squad. The areas that he was searching were a lot larger than he realised when he first looked at the map. If he was lucky, he would complete this first area by midnight. The deserted village had been his first pick. Emptied in the last big purge before independence no-one had returned to this shattered collection of houses and shops. It was the perfect place to store illicit supplies, not too far from the border, quiet, unremarkable. The squad had searched through about a third of the houses, checking for signs of disturbance or passage of people before their arrival. The soldiers were good, hand-picked by Lt d'Santos. They knew what to look for and didn't waste time going into houses where there was obviously no sign of entry in the dirt, dust and soot on the floors. Alvarez sat in his field Land-Rover, an old long wheelbase 101. Tapping his gloves on his knee. It would be a wonderful coup if he could find Barkers' cache. Get him back in Cortez' good books, because he was sure the General was being poisoned to him by the conniving Heinmann. Thinking of the former East German interrogator, he wondered what it was about Heinmann's plans for Barker that had spooked him so. A shout from away to his left broke into his reverie. "Colonel, Activity in this house." He crossed to the corporal and private who were standing outside a substantial building, probably the mayor's house. Inside the door were definite tracks, human, no animal left shoe imprints in dust. "Follow them, carefully, and see where they lead." The private saluted then, on the balls of his feet, he stepped along the corridor, stepping into the previous tracks. "Good man." "Yes Colonel, he used to steal cattle until he was conscripted. He is used to sneaking," the corporal explained. Alvarez laughed, the first really full-blown laugh he'd had since Barker's presence in the country, and his probable purpose, was made known to him. Fetch Lt d'Santos." "Sir." The corporal disappeared off and Alvarez went back to the land-rover to pick up the map again. There were two other villages just as deserted, both a little closer in, only about fifteen minutes away from the Capital and the Diaz residence. He marked them off with a pencil and then returned to the house just as the cattle rustler private returned. He saluted and made his report. "Signs that equipment was left here sir, but it seems to be all gone now." "Any papers or wrappers?" "No sir. But there is a blotter on the desk in the main office that may have had something resting on it." "Good, fetch it. Carefully." Lt d'Santos and the corporal arrived and Alvarez formulated his idea. "Lt. Have a couple of men search the grounds of this house. Then get another unit out here to help with the searches. Document anything found, when and where, then collect everything together for examination at headquarters." As he returned the salutes Alvarez saw another vehicle approaching. It proved to be Major Hernandez himself, bringing his report on the second search of the Tormollo home. Behind his Land Rover came a truck full of soldiers. "No need for reinforcement's d'Santos," Alvarez called, smiling. He met Hernandez formally and they adjourned to a quiet spot. "Colonel, we found very little at the Tormollo home, but he was a car mechanic, so we checked his workshop." "Yes." "We found several non-automobile parts, which I have collected. He was un-married, there appears to be no family save the brother, who is also a mechanic. Searches of the homes of the older Diaz children, his two sons, proved fruitless. They are, they say, dismissive of their fathers' political opinions. I have left them under observation." "Good. Well done Major. I am borrowing your soldiers, as you can see," He pointed to Lt d'Santos ordering the soldiers into groups and sending them out to search. "I heard you were here with a large squad, I considered that additional troops would be useful, as our searches have now completed." Alvarez pondered for a moment, then came to a decision. "Barker was staying at the Grande." "Yes sir. Major Calavera checked the room." "The receptionist told him Barker is away on a field trip with some locals. Something to do with endangered species. Barker is good, he would have established a cover. Go to the mountains, see if you can find his 'base camp'. This could work to our advantage. Do you need men?" "Just four." Hernandez looked back to the truck, spotted one of his four and called out. "Sergeant Santana. Get your three men, you are coming with me." As the five men bundled into the land rover and sped away, so Alvarez re-appraised his impression of Hernandez. In a crisis, it seemed, the man could think. The soldier who used to rustle cattle was waiting by his land rover, holding a very large desk blotter. He walked to his own vehicle and signalled for his driver to start up. Spotting d'Santos he beckoned him over. He indicated for the soldier to put the blotter in the front passenger foot-well "I am returning to headquarters, Lieutenant. Carry on here. I will send out a relief and I will expect your report once you return." He accepted the salute and climbed into the back of the land rover. He had a lot of things to think about on the journey back. ***** General Cortez was waiting for him when Alvarez reached his office. This un-nerved the Colonel a little. "Alvarez, what are you chasing around the countryside for?" "Following the trail of Barkers Explosives Sir. We seem to have uncovered a secret cache in a deserted village in the foothills. I have also discovered that Barker is a diplomat, so we are going to have to hand him back, with an apology." Alvarez knew this would not sit well with his superior, thus, hopefully, causing a breech between Heinmann and the General. "Yes, he is." The General seemed unaffected by the knowledge. Indeed, it occurred to Alvarez that Cortez already knew. "Have you still got Mr Diaz in custody?" "Um, yes sir." "Good, his body will be useful." "Body sir? He still has information we need." "Barker asked for permissions to explore the mountain areas, mostly the habitat of our local Lynx. It was his excuse to cover his bomb making and the attack. Find his camp and then arrange for an accident, Diaz should be recognisable, but preferably dead. A body can be provided for 'Barker', suitably 'crushed'." "I have Hernandez doing that now sir." "You do not approve of my orders Alvarez?" Cortez asked, his face was calm, but his eyes blazed angrily. "You do not like what we are doing to Barker." "I don't understand what the Doctor is doing. It is humiliating." "Precisely. Lt. Colonel Rodriguez has no problem with what we are doing, he will take over the work in the Bunker. You will return to your normal duties." "Sir! I captured Barker I should be the one to interrogate him." "You do not like or understand the processes Dr Heinmann is using, you are better put to use doing your main job, running the security police." "Yes General," Alvarez replied, dejectedly. Cortez left his crestfallen subordinate to his misery and returned to his own office, where Heinmann waited. "He did not like it?" "As you predicted Herr Doctor." "I wonder why you keep him General?" "A workman will always need a hammer Doctor," Cortez replied, succinctly. ***** The rest of the day went quickly for Alvarez, thankfully. Reading the reports from the various teams searching for dissidents, Calavera's latest report on the slow work to repair the electric supply included the discovery of an unexploded device. Finally, he went to the little backroom for the night. Even as he undressed for sleep he wondered about sleeping at the job, but shrugged and settled ready for sleep. Let Rodriguez earn his new rank and position. He ignored the radio report of a new storm striking the mountains. ***** 7. Unveiling Sin lies only in hurting other people unnecessarily all other sins are invented nonsense. - Lazarus Long. ****** Ray met his new 'nurse' the next morning. Without make-up, her long hair tied in a severe bun and wearing flat loafers and a regulation sisters' uniform Juanita looked nothing like high quality doctor who had met Heinmann the day before. She arrived with his morning medication. He had been moved from the tank to the bedroom and then bathed again in bubble bath. Juanita gave her a cursory examination and then the pills. Then she sat down and questioned her on medical facts. Was she allergic to any medications? Was there a family have a history of Diabetes? Stroke? Heart disease? Once all the normal medical questions were over, she left. Carmelita and Rosaria then took Ray to the gym and used the set of parallel bars to support her while practicing walking in the high heeled shoes. This went on in fifteen-minute bursts, with twenty-minute rests, until lunchtime when Ray was returned to the boudoir, still in the chair, where a salad lunch awaited. The afternoon was filled with massage and manipulation. Various hairstyles were also discussed by the two beauticians, trying to involve Ray, but without success. He decided to make passive resistance his protest as he needed to gain strength to be able to do anything. Dinner followed, with the second dose of pills delivered by the original nurse. The evening was spent listening to classical music and modern female pop stars, as available. Ray was then put to bed. This proved to be the start of a near identical cycle each day. ***** Alvarez started the next morning with breakfast. He then made his way to the village, rather than deal with the reports. Besides, Rodriguez was supposed to be looking after Barker, he remembered, so let him get on with it, he would be no more successful. Work had proceeded apace while he had been away, most of the village had been checked, logged, photographed and the finds collated. d'Santo looked exhausted but pleased as he saluted and began his report. "There are very few important finds, but many small pieces. I have listed them by most relevance to what we know Barker had been doing and what he had probably been storing here." "Any references to other locations?" "Nothing here, but the second check at the Diaz home found co-ordinates for another village." "Very well, finish up here and then move to the next location. I am going to finish my conversation with Corporal Diaz, before he is taken from me." d'Santos knew better than to comment at this atypical confidence. He merely saluted and went back to the men. ***** Alvarez got to the prison just as a courier arrived. He recognised the man as one of the group that had gone with Hernandez. "Colonel, Major Hernandez' complements sir and he had found Barkers camp at this reference point. The camp actually looks a mess, there seems to have been an accident." "He is not disturbing anything I trust." "No sir. He thought you might need it 'as-is' Oh, there were some dead men there One dressed like an Englishman." "Really? Can you say what happened?" "There seems to have been a flash flood from the storm last night. It looks as though a mudslide tumbled boulders down onto the camp." "I see, anything else?" "The Major has a theory about why the camp was manned." "Which is?" "If the camp was Barkers' alibi, then there had to be someone there, someone for the populous to view. The storm last night just caught them out." "Go and eat, I will probably come back with you." Alvarez went to the nearest phone and contacted Cortez, informing him of the report. He finished up with... "So we don't need to lose Diaz." "On the contrary Alvarez. His handlers here will know about the alibi, using Diaz implies that Barker was there, since he was assigned to Barker personally." "Yes sir, do I have to do this now or can I get some more information from him?" "An hour Colonel, you must be on your way in an hour." Alvarez went to the interrogation room, where Miguel Diaz sat, shaking. "Miguel, comrade, I have bad news for you. I must show you something which is several hours drive away, on the way we shall talk, but before we go, I am going to let you wash up and put some clean clothes on. If you satisfy my curiosity on the journey, your family will be released." "Colonel? Your word?" "As your former Lieutenant Corporal, my word." He waved the guards forward and they took Diaz to the washrooms and cleaned him up. While they were busy Alvarez went to the officer of the day, the other lieutenant involved in the inquisition. "When we have left I want the Diaz family gone. Clear?" "Absolutely Colonel." "Get Diaz the clothes he was captured in. Then we take a little ride." Alvarez was smiling benignly when Diaz, somewhat unsteady on his feet, re-joined him in the foyer of the jail. "Let us go." They went out to the land rover and drove out of the city and along the road to the mountains. As they went Diaz poured his heart out, all that he had agreed to do, where the caches of arms and explosives where, everything, thinking he was making a bargain for the life of his wife and children. As if in remembrance of the fateful night, a storm was just threatening as they arrived at the car park at the base of the climb, shortly before twilight. The soldier-courier assured them it was only an hour up the hill. They set off at a slow pace, Diaz needing help now and again. It was nearly full dark when they reached the edge of the plateau that made for the campsite. Then the rain began, not quite as heavily, the wind not as fierce, but a storm none-the-less. "Your little decoy seems to have gone. You have one chance Miguel. If you can run down the hill to the car park in one piece I will spare you. So RUN." Miguel then noticed the length of hemp in Alvarez' hands. Screaming, he ran back down the path, looking back in panic, then looking forward, so he failed to notice the tree root near the edge. His broken hand scrabbled to grasp the tree despite the agony, then there was a diminishing scream as he went over the edge. A powerful torchlight found his body sprawled at the foot of the ravine that skirted the edge. To Alvarez' surprise, Miguel Diaz was still alive. He crawled, one handed, to the path, where he collapsed. "Right, Sergeant, get down there with your two men. You are a patrol sent out to find Mr Barker after the storm. You will find Mr Diaz there, and take him to hospital. Make it clear that if he survives the trip, which he seems determined to do, he is NOT to recover. You will then 'return' here to find the shattered camp and report it, Clear?" "Yes sir." "Major, the rest of us will return to the Capital and see what Lt d'Santos has discovered." They made their way down to the car park, Alvarez, Hernandez and their drivers got into one Land Rover, the Sergeant and two others in the second. The second vehicle made its way over to where Diaz lay and they collected him, then sped off. The officers departed in a more sedate manner, glad to be leaving the carnage behind, the one change they had made was to arrange a small rock fall onto the 'Englishman's' body, so that the face was obliterated. Thus it was that Alvarez was in the city when the report of the terrible tragedy hit the newspapers locally. Soon western reporters, and representatives of Her Majesty's Diplomatic Service went out to the site and pronounced the entire expedition lost. His smug look at Heinmann when the report came in told the doctor that something was wrong. He simply compressed his lips and went back in with Cortez. Next day Alvarez found himself ordered for a physical. The doctor, a woman, checked him over thoroughly and said: "You need more iron and trace elements take these yellow vitamin pills twice a day, the cod- liver-oil tablets twice a day and the zinc and iron supplements, these brown pills, every evening. Without fail Colonel otherwise we'll have to do it by injection every day." ***** Alvarez started on this new vitamin regime with his usual obedience to orders. He set himself times to take the pills and arranged for some form of snack or meal to go with them. Although fitting them into the routine of searching was a little harder, he insisted that it be done. He was pleased to have something to keep him away from Heinmann, for his distrust of the man had only grown harder and more entrenched. All the more so for he could see in himself some of the Germans' more irritating behaviours, especially his compulsive tidying of things. More disturbing still, he kept remembering the image of the feminised Barker. Each time it made him feel more and more uncomfortable with what was happening. It also seemed to shorten his temper and make him more emotional as time went on. He also noticed the populous more. He found himself taking more note of the attitudes of the few people they disturbed in their searching. When he explained that the troops were there because of activities by foreigners, trying to break the country, the resistance to the searches generally melted away. Where there was objection or resistance, they usually found something, mostly someone hording for themselves, not giving their due to the Country. Small items from Barker's 'plot' came to light now and again, but nothing substantial. It took Alvarez and his little teams four weeks to go through all the deserted villages and towns on the map, some of which were on the edges of the mountains and only used in the depths of winter by the goatherds, shepherds and alpaca breeders. Alvarez found himself sympathising more and more with the people he was hunting down. He would find the reasons for not pursuing someone if he thought he could get away with it. As time passed he realised he was losing the desire to dominate and control, so he had to compensate for his compassionate feelings when with his subordinates. Something else had started to trouble him. The more he thought about it, the more he realised that he had noticed an anomaly in Barker's capture that had been eating at him. Finally, he went to the prison property office and collected everything from the seizure. He went through the pockets of the clothes, gum, mints, knife, had all been removed and there was nothing else in the pockets except the plan of the building. That shook him and made his unease grow into near paranoia. If Barker had a plan of the building, why had he sent Tormollo and Diaz into the control centre. He also thought about the charge into the canteen area. With his Uzi, Barker could have taken out more than half of the guards, including Alvarez himself, as the door swung open. He picked up the Uzi and removed the magazine. He then stared down at the bullets. Picking up the Python, he ejected a cartridge and looked at it, it seemed okay, except for some tiny scratches on the brass by the cap. He picked up the plyers from his little toolkit, which he had carried in with him, and bent the bullet off. Inside was gunpowder, and fine sawdust. 'Why hadn't I seen it?' he thought. This is what had been bugging him since the whole incident had happened. Unaware of why, he found he was almost crying with frustration. Then he looked at the components of the 'bomb' that Barker had been assembling. Most of the pieces were there, only the primer-cord and detonators had been disposed of safely. He examined the clock, then turned to the appropriate page in the report that had finally landed on his desk, the report which had triggered this phase of investigation. 'We've been had,' he thought. Grabbing the clock, the Uzi and the Python, he swept out to his car, catching his driver in mid cigarette. "Interior Ministry, and step on it." The thunderous look on his face and his reputation meant that no-one stopped him as he almost ran through reception to the lifts and down to the bunker level. He was shaking with the many conflicting emotions, but the guards all took it for unreasoning rage. He stepped up to the gate guard. "Where is Barker now?" "Eating lunch in the boudoir Colonel, but..." "Shut up, open the gate now. Or else!" He cocked the Python. "Yes sir." Alvarez passed through the gate and turned back to the guards. "You work for Me remember. Or you don't exist!" He opened the first corridor door and stormed his way to the connecting door. Once he was outside the boudoir he took a deep breath, gained some control over his emotions, then opened the door. He walked into the boudoir and placed the Uzi, Python and timer onto the dining table Although he was quite astounded at how feminine Barker now looked. Neutral nylon covered his legs and a pair of heel-strap three-inch court shoes adorned the feet. A pale pink fluffy bathrobe covered almost everything else. The eyebrows had been further treated to make them even thinner. "We've checked the ammunition in your guns Mr Barker." "Mr Barker now is it Alvarez? Or are you not reading the script?" Barker sounded triumphant, "Blanks in the Uzi, contaminated powder in the cartridges for the Python and the timer is a splendid clock." The only thing likely to explode in your device was the primer cord and detonators. What were you playing at?" "Not very polite, no way to treat a lady," Ray replied ironically. "And the answer is the same as it was when you caught me, GO TO HELL!" "Why did you set up such an elaborate hoax? To stop us finding your real explosives, or are they just a sham too." Alvarez could hear the sound of army boots pounding down the corridor. He had only a few moments left before his career came crashing down around him. He bent forward, falling to his knees. Imploringly he asked the question again. "Please, Ray, tell me why the hoax?" Ray looked at the tears forming in Alvarez' eyes. 'God!' he thought, emotionally it was like looking in the mirror. The confusion, fear, desperation and sense of disconnection he himself was feeling reflected in the eyes of the one-time scourge of San Carlos. He lent forward. "To get you out of the capital, you and your troops," He hissed quietly. "Thank you," Alvarez whispered back. Five soldiers burst in the door followed by a furious looking Rodriguez. "Now you've done it Juan," Rodriguez told him. A few moments later Cortez entered. "Colonel, you are obviously unwell, we will take care of that, you are relieved of command. Lieutenant-Colonel Rodriguez will assume overall command now." Alvarez didn't care. Tears streamed down his face as his emotions just went wild. His one consolation, he had got one piece of information that Heinmann didn't have, wouldn't have, that was his secret. With surprising gentility, three of the soldiers escorted Alvarez out of the room. A momentary epiphany struck Ray. "Where our foes lead..." And he knew he had seen the last of Colonel Alvarez. The two remaining soldiers collected the guns from the table but left the clock. That left Lt Colonel Rodriguez and General Cortez. "My my, Old home week," Ray commented acidly. He winced as his budding breasts scraped against the material of his clothing. "Not nice young lady," Rodriguez chided. "I'm not anybody's 'young lady,'" Ray countered. "Noisy for a corpse, isn't she?" Rodriguez commented. At Ray's sharp look he continued. "Oh yes, regrettably Se?or Raymond Barker died during a storm two nights ago, we found his crushed body near the wrecked camp, the storm created a flash flood and that caused a mud and landslide which overwhelmed the camp, Bodies were spread around, Mr Barker was crushed by a rock. Senor Diaz, one of his team, managed to live long enough to raise the alarm before dying of his injuries, including several broken ribs, hand and arm." "You bastards. Diaz had done nothing." "Language Miss." "Bugger off, you know I'm not a woman, bloody treat me like a man and tell me what you want." "Very well," Cortez replied. "Since you insist Barker, here is our ultimatum. Give us the information we require and we will reverse the feminization you have so far undergone. Until you do co-operate, we will continue to transform your appearance and behaviours until you will forget you ever were a man, at which point, if not slightly before, we will remove the final reminder." "The pills, hormones?" "Some of them," Cortez confirmed. "But if you don't take them orally, we will simply inject you with them." "Can I ask? Why do you continue with the tank? I know it's not a full sensory deprivation tank, all you do is make it hard for me to move and give me time to meditate," Realisation dawned. "Oh clever. Waste away the muscles... make me weaker, 'like a woman' Heinmann is behind this isn't he. Everything is worked out precisely, it has to be him." "Will you answer our questions?" "No. Go to hell, like I told poor old Alvarez. What have you been doing to him, he looks a mess?" "Very well then, Miss Barker, your rehabilitation will continue, but from tomorrow on we will inject the drugs. Good afternoon." The two men left, leaving Ray's question un-answered. Ray looked at the door, then at the clock. A brief smile played across his lips. Two guards returned to collect the remnants of his lunch. Almost immediately after Carmelita and Rosaria arrived to take her for massage and manipulation. Five hours later, massaged, a facial performed, highlights having been redone and hairstyle trimmed, Ray was wheeled back to the boudoir. Once there he was given a meal and the late pills, which he swallowed, mindful of the threat. Once the meal was over he was lifted out of the wheelchair and stripped of his robe and nightdress. Then the knee length nylons and the shoes were removed. He was taken into the bathroom, where Carmelita had already run a warm bubble-bath, and slipped into the soothing, rose scented water. As he relaxed into the warmth he wondered what would happen to Alvarez. He was still wondering what had triggered such an outrageous reaction in the militarily strict Colonel Alvarez. Realising that he was unlikely to ever know, he waited until the water began to get cold. As if on cue, Rosaria arrived to help him out. Once dry, she gave him a new nightdress and then suggested he went to bed. ***** Robbed of the spectacle of Alvarez' fall, Heinmann was appeased by the discovery of Ray's memento box. Like Alvarez, he delved into the memories and reminders, but he was looking for another weapon to use against his adversary. He found the rings and the keepsakes. He decided not to add them to his collection, they could be sacrificed to Cortez if he wanted what Alvarez had found. After all, Alvarez had been, efficient, and recorded everything he'd found. He could claim them later, put them with his other treasures. ***** The ex WWII Jeep was bouncing along the road. Two women, the younger, a blonde, driving along the rough road as if being chased by the hordes of Hades, were finding the terrain uncomfortable. "For Christ's sake slow down!" the older woman screamed. "We don't have the time." The jeep bucked and rattled as they drove over boulders and bricks and other debris from destroyed and demolished houses and other buildings. In the distance their destination, a makeshift triage centre under canvass next to the remnants of the local hospital. In the back of the jeep three cool-boxes were bungeed and strapped tightly down and suspended against the movement of the jeep. The jeep bounced again and the driver almost cracked her head on the windscreen. Perhaps that shaking had blurred her vision, or perhaps the sunlight, glinting off the few remaining windows of their destination had blinded her, but she was unsighted as the jeep climbed up a bank of rubble under the driver only to drop suddenly on the passenger side as the jeep failed to clear the shell-hole and the vehicle tumbled over and over three or four times before coming to a halt on its right hand side. The driver, who had smashed the windscreen with her face this time, scrabbled clear and desperately began releasing the cool-boxes. "Come one Kath!" she called, releasing two of the boxes so suddenly she fell back onto the wall of the hole. It was then she noticed her companion, head thrown back over the seat and arms in total disarray. Desperate, she tugged the last box clear and began to stagger as fast as she could towards the hospital. Someone seemed to have realised that the smoke was a crash because three people in theatre greens were heading towards her. Two of them took the cool boxes and the third picked her up bodily and carried her to the triage centre. Drained and exhausted, she could only murmur "Kath, help Kath..." A fourth medic appeared and the man carrying the blonde jerked his head towards the crash. The fourth medic made his way to the crash site, when he got there however, it was obvious that there was very little he could do for the second woman except carry her body to the morgue. ***** 8. Review and Revise. "Tension, in the long run, is a more dangerous force than any feud known to man." -- Criss Jami ***** Alone in bed, Ray did his nightly examination. His skin condition had changed; he barely noticed that there were still tiny hairs on his arms. His breasts, no hiding now that that's what they were, had become two large, extremely tender bumps about the size of two tangerines. Carmelita had made them into a believable cleavage. Ever since Alvarez had left, after that first encounter in this new prison, his body had become more and more feminine. Carmelita had started using electrolysis three weeks ago. Painful, especially under the nostrils, lip and chin-line, they had been letting his beard grow, then working for an hour at a time. He had been surprised at how sparse his beard had been to begin with, although he had never had a full beard or moustache of his own before. They had started on the hairs of his upper lip, then his hairline and sideburns, first on his right, then his left. The area between lip and chin line came next, moving onto his jawline and then his throat. Yesterday he'd been reminded how it felt under the chin. They had worked on almost his entire beard now, so there was a larger area to work on for the same number of hairs. They were now working on it every three days, since they had to wait for the skin to heal from the burns the method left. They had waxed his legs and 'panty-line' again two days ago, which left him with smooth, feminine calves and thighs. Every day was becoming a battle with the feeling of helplessness and vulnerability, encouraged by his jailors and interrogators and augmented by the erratic way his emotions were coming to the fore because of the unrestrained effects of the hormones he knew they were giving him. The changes in his appearance also undermined his sense of self, he had already noticed how, when he had first been dressed in the nightdresses, they had hung like sacks from his shoulders, now they clung to him, accentuating feminine curves that he shouldn't have. The recent addition of a ceiling mirror in the bedroom made his condition constantly visible. He also figured that the ultimatum from Cortez meant that the days of swanning around in a nightgown being pushed everywhere in a wheelchair would be coming to an end as well. He'd know if they came and woke him at one am for the trip to the tank. If he had an undisturbed night, he could expect to be fully dressed as a woman from after breakfast. That was also starting to bother him. It had been twenty years since he had last worn female daywear of any kind, when he had been at school practicing for his role in Midsummer Night's Dream. He shied away from that memory, because of the complicated feelings he had experienced at the time. Desperately tired and emotionally torn by the events of the evening, Ray fell asleep, a rest only lightly disturbed by memories of those school plays in which he had acted. Not just Midsummer Nights' Dream, but Oliver and My Fair Lady. He awoke briefly at one am, and then dropped off again, not stirring until six, when, Juanita came in with his medication. "I have to give you pills and help you to dress this morning. Colonel says he will join you if you look like a 'proper young lady'." "Mustn't disappoint the Colonel." Strangely, Ray actually meant that, although he didn't realise until he had said it. He had only seen Rodriguez a dozen times over the last five weeks, mostly since Alvarez 'disappeared' the first time. As antidote to the roughness of Alvarez before the fall, Rodriguez was gentle, urbane and solicitous. Polite to the point of old fashioned chivalry, therefore very easy to like. He also spoke English like an Englishman. "Bath first. Use the chair, or would you prefer to walk?" "Don't think I can, certainly not without heels." Juanita provided a pair of feather trimmed slippers with two-inch heels, adding. "And my shoulder as support." Ray knew he had to give in, so he slipped on the shoes and let her help him to his feet. The walk to the bathroom took a couple of minutes, but he made it in one piece. The bath had already been run, before he had been called. Juanita helped Ray to undress and then into the bath, through the bubbles. Ray knew he had to give in, so he slipped on the shoes and let her help him to his feet. The walk to the bathroom took a couple of minutes, but he made it in one piece. The bath had already been run, before he had been called. Juanita helped Ray into the bath, through the bubbles. By the time the water had chilled to the point that Ray wanted to get out, Juanita had been joined by Carmelita and the two of them helped him from the bath and dried him off. They then helped him into the boudoir and into the wardrobe. "You chose," Carmelita said, indicating the wardrobe full of feminine clothing. At first Ray resented being compelled to co-operate in his own humiliation, then he realised that this was a chance to have control over his appearance. "The Armani suit, the charcoal one," He pointed to a tailored jacket and trouser suit facing him at the end of a long row of suits. To his surprise Carmelita picked the jacket from the rack, then she lifted a hanger from behind the trousers to reveal a matching pencil skirt. "Yes?" She asked. "Yes," Ray agreed, knowing that they had manoeuvred him cleverly. A white lace uplift bra with matching panties, a white silk slip, natural coloured tights and three-inch court shoes joined the suit. A plain white shirt-blouse with a black bootlace tie completed the outfit. Before they removed his nightdress, Carmelita completed his make-up. A light dusting a soft pink blusher came first, then a gentle brushing of face powder, followed by an off red lipstick. The two women then helped Ray to dress in the underwear, before instructing him on how to slip on the outer clothes. A pair of black court shoes with three-inch heels were added. Finally, Ray was stood in front of the full-length mirror to look at the womanly image he presented. Looking back at him from the mirror was a modest, if slightly hairy faced, woman in her mid to late twenties, possibly younger. Wearing a trim outfit, she, and Ray accepted the pronoun for the reflection, looked very business-like. He could almost have fancied her before this had started. These days he didn't know what he fancied, if anything. He was broken from his reverie by a loud wolf-whistle, which was just as well as he found he was being swamped by emotions that he struggling to keep in check, yet alone control. Paulo Rodriguez stood in the doorway, a new uniform, with shiny new rank insignia, looking bright as Rays' clothing. He had obviously ordered new clothing. "Good morning Miss Barker. May I say how very becoming that outfit is." A mischievous thought crossed Ray's mind and he gave a quirky smile. 'Let's play a little.' He thought and set himself, dredging from memory his acting technique from playing Titania and Eliza and accepting, at least for the duration of the performance, the feminine role, she offered her hand palm down. Rodriguez took her fingers in his hand and brushed his lips across her knuckles in salute. Ray was taken by surprise by the sudden electric thrill the contact generated. Ray almost snatched his hand away as the dangers of the play-acting were demonstrated forcibly. "Okay, we've had our fun, can I have some breakfast?" Ray had dropped back to a more masculine tone. Juanita and Carmelita left, while Rodriguez studied Ray with an almost expectant look, as if appraising Ray's mood, then he stepped back, to allow two of the kitchen staff to wheel in a trolley filled with serving trays. "What's this?" Ray asked. "Celebratory Breakfast. I only have half an hour, I have to report to the General, but I thought I would celebrate your progression with you." "My what?" "Your progression, you can now stand unaided, you are wearing your own clothes..." "These are not my clothes." "I believe they are. They are tailored, especially that Armani." "So this is a progression?" "You are dressing properly now, which makes you, interesting, to me. I want to get to know more about you. Anyway, let's eat." Ray sat down rather less gracefully than his clothes implied as Rodriguez uncovered a Full-English breakfast, including kippers, scrambled egg, crispy bacon and what looked like proper sausages. He put together a plateful for Ray, not massive portions, but a full spread, and served himself a portion almost half again. They ate in comparative silence for the first part of the meal, Ray happy to have a real influx of protein. Halfway through Rodriguez asked. "So what's your first name? Mine's Paulo." Ray knew it was a trap, so he shook his head. He wasn't about to give himself a girls' name, he'd rather not hand that coup to them. This situation was proving to be worse than going through an active minefield without a map. "So where exactly am I?" Ray asked. "It's not a normal prison." "I'll answer that if you give me your first name," Rodriguez replied. "Ray." "Really? Rae? Bit American for an Englishwoman." "Short for Raymond." "That's not a girl's name Miss Barker." "I'm not a girl, as you well know, Paulie." "I doubt I will be sharing that fate," Rodriguez said, significantly. Ray looked inquiringly at Rodriguez. Rodriguez wiped his mouth on his napkin and stood. "I will see you later. Do think about my question." With that he was gone. Ray looked at the remains of the breakfast on his plate and realised that he couldn't eat it all, his appetite had been curtailed by the bland food and the smaller portions they had been feeding him. In fact, despite the month since being freed from The Hole he had not had a meal that came anywhere near the meals he had taken before being captured. Also, to his surprise and distress, he found Rodriguez departure upsetting, as if he wanted his new tormentor to 'hang-around'. Annoyed at how his feelings and his metabolism had been manipulated, evidenced by his inability to eat all of the breakfast, Ray pushed the plate aside and looked around the room. Hoping for confirming evidence that the perpetrator of this insane regime was Heinmann, Ray cautiously made his way around the room, a very slow mincing walk enabled him to keep his balance and support his bodyweight on his protesting leg muscles. The dresser, with a plush velvet chair in front, sported his mothers' hairbrushes, a collection of Lanc?me, Max Factor and Chanel make-up products and a small bottle of No.5 perfume. Every item meticulously placed and aligned with each other and the mirror. The layout of the drawers was equally precise and regimented. The settee that guarded the wall opposite the dresser was angled; Ray knew it would be at a sixty-degree angle to the edge of the dining table. All the signs were pointing to Heinmann's obsessive behaviours. 'If it's not him,' Ray thought. 'I really am in a mess.' Almost absently he put his hands into the pockets of the tailored jacket he was wearing and stifled a squeak as he realised there was a piece of paper inside. Moving at the same pace that he had used this far, he made his way to the one place they didn't seem to have cameras. Once he had hitched his skirt and petticoat up and dropped his knickers to sit upon the toilet, he pulled the paper from the pocket. The note was printed by a matrix printer and quite short: 'Situation understood. More later. The force is with you young Skywalker, but you are not a Jedi yet.' Ray tore the note into small pieces and wrapped them in a wad of tissue paper which he then dropped into the bowl and flushed away. He then straightened his clothes and made his way, very cautiously back to the bed. The note gave him pause for thought. Who had left the note? When? He had no idea who the contact was, had he even met them? Did the embassy know what was happening, or London? It was absurd, the note makes things worse, not better. He sat on the bed, waiting for someone to arrive to take him to his first routine appointment, fretting. ***** Rodriguez arrived at Headquarters and went to report to the General. As he had expected, Karl Heinmann was also there, along with Juanita Sanchez-Montoya, still in her disguise as a senior nurse. Cortez was brief, but to the point. "You have seen what happened to Colonel Alvarez, do not fail me. I need results, not introspection." "General. I am confident that I can help mould Captain Barker into Miss Barker within the confines of the plan. I have one reservation," At this point he turned to Heinmann, his face masked, but his eyes challenging. "What are your plans for Barker once he is broken?" "Once you can break Barker, or accepting his being a woman, I will take over." Cortez looked at Heinmann and shook his head. "We need his information first." He turned to Juanita. "Your findings Doctor, before everyone arrives?" As before, Juanita spoke in English: "The physical reassignment will be straight-forward, however I would like a colleague to examine him." "What kind of colleague?" "A psychiatrist who deals with people who suffer from gender dysphoria." "Why would you need this?" Cortez asked. He then looked at Heinmann who was already shaking his head. "From abroad?" Heinmann asked. "He works at Johns Hopkins. He is an American." "NO!" Heinmann said emphatically. "No outsiders. We must force the confrontation of his femaleness in order to destroy his ego and personality. If he meets with someone from America or England, he will not break." The three South Americans looked at him. Rodriguez then looked at the floor with embarrassment. "I have a Doctor who can help," Cortez said, "He will be at the conference later. He is a reliable man." "This is interfering with the plan. I will consider the options," Heinmann said, before he marched out with his pilot bag, leaving the others watching him in surprise. Only Cortez looked anxious. ***** Down in the bunker, Ortega was watching the new screens which observed Barker, sitting in the client chair in the beauticians while Carmelita tested different coloured make-up on his eyes and cheeks. He motioned for a non-com to take over his post and collected his hat. He had two reports to make and he met with the doctor who had examined Alvarez on his arrest. They made their way to Headquarters and to General Cortez. ***** The meeting was in the conference room in Police Headquarters. On one side, Colonel Rodriguez, Major Hernandez and Captain Ortega and a man with black hair and a short goatee, wearing the uniform of a Captain in the medical corps completed the military side. Opposing them were; Juanita Sanchez-Montoya, now dressed in her normal clothes, beside the doctor who had accompanied Ortega, three nurses and another, older man. The age implied by his grey hair and wrinkled face were belied by the piercing aspect of his brown eyes, which seemed to miss nothing. Heinmann joined the conference last, taking the remaining seat. He had schooled himself to show nothing, but his eyes flicked incessantly from speaker to speaker as the meeting began. General Cortez rose and gathered their attention. "I will make the introductions, starting with my subordinates. Lieutenant Colonel Paolo Rodriguez, with overall responsibility for the security and now chief interrogator; Major Ernesto Hernandez, Security and counter-intelligence, Captain Carlos Ortega, agent liaison and Captain Jorge Oviedo, responsible for all medical supplies, procedures and facilities. Gentlemen, you all know Doctor Karl Heinmann. May I present Doctor Juanita Sanchez-Montoya, Urologist; Doctor Luis Mendez, cosmetic surgeon; theatre nurses Maria Saenz, Silvia Almenar and Carlotta Romero and Professor Paul-Luis Ferrandis. The Professor is head of anaesthesiology at our main teaching hospital and has some experience of psychology." "I would like Dr Mendez to report first." "So far I have only examined photographs, as direct access to Barker has been denied," The sidelong look at an unconcerned Heinmann spoke volumes. "From what I have seen of Barker from surveillance tapes, slight changes to nasal shape will be effective. Breast enhancement is always possible since the intent is, I believe, to undermine the subject's machismo by overt feminisation?" "That is the initial goal, yes," Cortez confirmed. "A physical examination, taking measurements and examining the bone structure must be scheduled before any further consideration can be given to cosmetic surgery." "Thank you. Dr Sanchez-Montoya?" "I am currently acting as senior nurse to your captive, monitoring the changes you are requiring in his body and psyche. I am doing this to gain an understanding of the patient. Especially since it appears that my true skills are to be hidden for the time being, I believe at your request Dr Heinmann?" "I want to have the ultimate sanction available without Barker's knowledge, but you need to be able to assess your patient. This is a tolerable compromise. You also understand the tell-tales and signs that will enable us to monitor Barker's mental state." Juanita nodded to Heinmann, then indicated the women alongside her. "The nurses all know what is required of them for whatever procedures we deem necessary and will be available collectively with sufficient notice." Juanita looked back at Cortez. "Thank you! Professor?" "I will need to see their medical records to estimate type and method of anaesthesia. I understand that a second opinion is required as to this patient's mental state before any actual surgical intervention is attempted? A conversation with Barker would be essential to achieve this. Physically I will only need to see the patient's weight and general health for the anaesthesia." "Gentlemen?" Cortez looked at his staff. Oviedo was the first to speak. "The bunker operating theatre is fully equipped as per Dr Montoya's requirements. The room is ready. The supplies are in storage." "Ortega, you have been befriending Barker?" "I have spoken with Barker, but Colonel Rodriguez is better with her." "I'd prefer Ortega to replace Alvarez for the moment," Heinmann interrupted. "I have observed Barkers reactions to Colonel Rodriguez, which are most favourable. Since I must wait, I want to build on the dependency Barker is showing. Although Ortega has been useful, his 'cover' as a civilian causes problems within the barracks. Giving him back a military role will assist later." "So ordered. Colonel?" "I am making progress with Miss Barker. She doesn't trust me, but she does like me. This can be useful. I believe there are other things I can use, since I am considered an Anglophile. It would help if I knew more about his past. Something I can use to build common ground perhaps?" "Doctor, perhaps you can give Colonel Rodriguez some insights from your file." "I..." "If you want further co-operation," Cortez said, mildly. "Very well." Hernandez made his report. "Tormollo admitted there was a fifth member of the group, he was about to say more but he suffered a heart attack, he has survived, but is not able to contribute much at present. We are trying to find the fifth saboteur, but he had not been seen since the attack." Cortez looked at his notes and then at the people around the table. "Very well, we will continue with current activities for another month, Barker will continue until all surgery preparations are complete and can be used for confrontation. Any and all information gained is to be passed directly to me! Dismissed except Colonel Rodriguez and Doctor Heinmann." Everyone filed out of the room, Karl Heinmann did not look pleased at having been ordered to remain, Rodriguez was just curious. "You need to give Barker's box to Rodriguez Doctor, also any other trinkets that have come into your possession that we can use as leverage. The information on his father, mother and brother and any other historic information that could affect his behaviour. If you want me to have Barker handed over to you after the surgery you will co- operate with us in getting him to that point and providing us with the intelligence we need." Annoyance vied with frustration as Heinmann opened his pilot case and took out the