Flanked by two men, Six descended the ramp into Two's office under the watchful blue light. On the screen Number Seven was still busy about her work. She was attaching the line to a long, slender branch, fashioning a crude fishing pole. He was pleased to see she had started a fire. It burned brightly against the face of the rocks. Casey possessed a truly interesting skill set.

Two glared at Six from his chair. "You disobeyed me."

"Do you think she'll catch anything?" Six asked.

Two took his meaning with a glower and waved his hand at the guards. "That will be all."

Obedient as dogs, the men went out leaving them alone.

A chair came up out of the floor.

"Have a seat." Two said.

Six sat on the desk.

"I warned you to leave that girl alone, Number Six."

"I hardly think that's what you really want."

"The blazes with what you think." Two leaned out of his chair. "My orders were clear. You were to have no contact with Number Seven. Your interference has only bolstered her resolve and no doubt prolonged her rebellion. This is a very serious matter."

"Life and death?"

"Her life. And you may have very well sealed her fate."

"I should think you have." On the screen Casey was baiting her hook with bits of shell fish. "Quite the Robison Curuso, isn't she?"

Two looked contemptuously at the screen. "You spent a lot of time out there. What did the two of you talk about?"

"Fishing."

"I could have you in for interrogation, Six."

"It's been tried."

Casey walked into the surf and cast her line. They watched silently as the girl stood in gathering dark. The waves brought her line back to shore and she cast it out again.

"What is it that makes it worth her life to win her over?" Six asked. "What does she know?" Or was it who?

"What would she know?" Two said scornfully. "She's nothing. A school drop out. Made her living as an agricultural laborer."

"Hardly the type of person who winds up in this place."

He watched Two's eyes. His own suspicions were not reflected in them. Perhaps he was mistaken.

"It's not what she was," Two gave him a conspiratorial smile. "but rather what she has the potential to become that interest us."

"And that is?"

"She is not so ordinary as she appears, Number Six." Two leaned back into his chair watching the antics of his newest prisoner. "That girl is a top rated marksmen. Uncanny accuracy with any weapon." Unconsciously he touched the mark on his head. "An innate ability, it would seem."

"You intend to turn her into an assassin."

"That was our hope." Two shook his head as if suffering a terrible disappointment. "As you witnessed, she's not proving to have a tractable nature. Of course we did expect as much."

"Why?"

"We aren't the first to attempt to recruit her. Her own people tried and failed."

"And who are her people?"

"You know we don't discuss such matters here." Two scolded.

Six got up and walked round the room, forcing Two to spin his chair to keep an eye on him.

"And yet, you bring it up." Six stopped by the bicycle. Leaned on it. "Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why do you want me to care about this girl?"

"I want you to leave her alone." Two sounded truly angry. "Get that through that thick skull of yours. You are to have no further involvement with her. Is that understood?"

Six didn't answer. He moved back to the desk. Looked down on Two.

"I think you aught to know Six, this innocent girl you are so foolishly trying to save, shot two men in her last escape."

"Good for her."

"No, not good for her." Two hissed. "Her violent impulses make her quite unmanageable."

"I should think violent impulses would be desirable in a killer."

"She is only useful in that capacity if we control her. Wouldn't you agree?"

"I see your point." Six said. "It wouldn't do to have your pet killer killing you."

"Be as flip as you like, Six. This girl will give us what we want." Number Two looked him in the eye. "As will you."

"That remains to be seen."

Two came out his chair, leaned across the desk. "I warn you Number Six, stay away from her. There will be very serious repercussions if you continue to disobey me."

"Such as?"

"We have ways to make you suffer." Two snapped.

On the screen the girl was still knee deep in the rolling surf, casting her line again and again into the dark water.

"Suffering is your specialty."