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they had the country house to prepare for their precious lord and master's visit。 Then who？
Palusinski slipped off the stool and reached inside his jacket； which was draped over a chair back。 His hand came out with a thick； round metal bar； its length matching the blade protruding from his other fist。 He crept over to the lightswitch and extended finger and thumb to turn it anti…clockwise。 The light in the kitchen faded。
From where he stood the Pole could see a broad section of lounge beyond and he cursed the shadows out there； the darkness of the furnishings； the blackness of the walls。 He could wait； or he could venture out。 He had the patience…skulking and hiding in the old country had instilled that in him…but he also had a duty。 To Felix。 He must never fail in that。
He held his breath and armed with the weapons moved towards the open doorway。
The danger…if there was someone out there…would probably be from either side of the doorway where a person could lurk safe from view。 Which side？ Always the dilemma。 Which side would an assailant strike from'？ If there was someone there 。 。 。
He crouched low and ran through； counting on surprise； the knife held at hip level； tip pointing upwards； ready to plunge or swipe。 Palusinski turned immediately he was clear； thrusting one leg back for balance and for leverage； so that he could spring forward or withstand an assault。
There was no need。 Nobody hid outside the kitchen doorway； not on any side。
But somebody was behind the long black couch nearby。 Only Palusinski； sensitive to intrusion though he was； neither saw nor felt the shadow that rose up from it。
He may have felt fingers tilt his head to one side so that certain nerves in his neck were exposed； but if so； he didn't remember later。 He definitely did not feel the edge of the stiffened hand chop down； fast and silent； to deaden those nerves。 Nor would he have felt the shock travelling along their roots towards a certain terminal inside his brain。 The journey was too swift for that。
Kline was within himself。
He swam in blood vessels amid cells which changed from red to scarlet around him； through narrow passages； breaking out into round caverns； swept on by a bubbling tide that never stilled； towards a source that was no more than a distant rhythmic echo somewhere ahead in the labyrinth of busy tunnels； the rush to the sound as exhilarating as it was terrifying。
There were other things racing with him that were alien to these passages； black misshapen forms that were there only to disease and destroy； but these parasites themselves were steadily destroyed； attacked by globules which engulfed； swallowed； digested。 And these defenders decided that he； too； was foreign； had no place alongside healthy corpuscles； that he was an interloper； a danger； up to no good。 Even though it was his own body he journeyed through。
He screamed at the giant lumps to get away； to leave him alone； he meant no harm。 But they were programmed to fight to the death all that was not right in the system and had no minds of their own。 Two attached themselves to him as he was flushed through into a wider tunnel； and he felt the burning of his own back； his arm； acid seeping into him。
Yet he was so near； the rushing even faster； moving in contractions； the steady beat louder； louder still； being a thunder； the rapids leading to a fall； the fall to be mighty and devouring。 And that was his desire； no other yearning possible to him now： he wanted to be consumed by the mountainous heart。
Instead these blind； ignorant creatures； organisms that knew nothing of other things； were eating him。 His body was deposing under their chemical excretions。
Nearly there； nearly there。
He could hear the hysteria of his own laughter。
Nearly there。
The noise ahead…THUD…UP THUD…UP…deafened him； filled him with dread。 Elated him。
Nearly there。
Nearly swallowed。
It wasn't too late。
He would make it。
Be absorbed by the heart。
THUD…UP THUD…UP There 。 。 。 ！
But not there。
Drifting back； drawn away； consciousness ing upwards； a soft retreat 。 。 。
An abrupt awakening。
There was someone with him in the bedroom。 Kline opened his mouth to call out； but something clamped hard over it。 A hand。 A strong； threatening hand。 He felt the extra weight on the bed。 Somebody； a shadow among shadows； kneeling over him。
Another hand encircled his throat。
'Someone else and you could be dead；' Halloran whispered close to his ear。
11 A DANGEROUS ENCOUNTER
Halloran glanced into the rearview mirror。
The blue Peugeot was still there； keeping well back； at least four or five other cars between it and the custom…built Mercedes Halloran was driving。 His own back…up； in a Granada。 was directly behind him。
He reached for the RT mounted beneath the dashboard and set the transmit button。
'Hector…One；' he said quietly into the mouthpiece。
'Hector…Two； we hear you；' came the reply through the receiver。 'And we see the tag。' Kline leaned forward from the backseat； his face close to Halloran's shoulder。 There was a bright expectancy in his eyes。
'Turning off soon；' said Halloran。 'Stay close 'til then。 Out。' He replaced the instrument。
'We're being followed？' Kline asked； nervousness now mingled with expectancy。
Cora； next to him in the backseat； stiffened； and Monk； who occupied the front passenger seat…riding shotgun； as he liked to think of it…shifted his bulk to look first at his employer； then out the tinted rear window。 His fingers automatically went to the revolver at his waist。
'No need for that；' Halloran warned。 'And use the side mirror if you want to spot them。'
'Nobody can see in；' Monk protested petulantly； already aggrieved with Halloran for having made him look so useless twice the day before。
〃They can see shadows through the glass。 Face the road and take your hand off that weapon。'
'Do it；' snapped Kline。 Then to Halloran： 'Which one is it？'
'The light blue。 A Peugeot； a few cars back。 It's been on our tail since we left London。 My guess is it took over from another car that picked us up in the City； probably close to the Magma building。' In fact； Halloran had felt uneasy long before he'd arrived at Magma early that morning to take Kline down to his Surrey home for the weekend。 Yet he'd been unable to spot the 'tag' until they were into the outskirts。
'Are you sure？' asked Cora； resisting the urge to look over her shoulder at the traffic。 'This road is a main highway south most of these cars have probably been with us for miles。'
'Cora；' said Kline； 'if he says we're being followed； that's it …I believe him。' Halloran's easy penetration of Magma's security system the night before had impressed him。 By wearing clothes that had merely resembled the security guards' uniforms； Halloran had strolled into the basement carpark； hidden until most of the day staff were leaving that evening； then found his way to the upper floors using the outgoing rush as cover。 Nothing more than a stroll against the tide。 Then a vacated room； a broom closet； or a toilet…Halloran hadn't giv