From the mouth of his chair Number Two watched as several men dragged Six back to his apartment . He struggled every step of the way. In a rage. Spoiling for a fight. Soon he would have one.

As they approached to door, Two switched to an interior view so he could see as Six was forced inside. They sent him stumbling into the room and retreated quickly. Six regained his balance and charged the door. It didn't open. His hand was reaching for the handle when Rover's howl brought him up short. He stood frozen, his body rigid as he stared at the door. The man was not impervious to fear. He would stay put until the girl was dealt with.

Two picked up the yellow phone. "Have the doctor sent to my office. Immediately."

Absently he switched the screen to the mountains. The smoke from the camp fire was beginning to thin as if the fire were dying down. He tapped the cane. It seemed odd Number Seven would let her fire die. Odder still that she hadn't signaled again. The cane tapped faster. As soon as she was returned to The Village he would have his answers and his peace of mind.

The phone buzzed. The good doctor. He lifted it "Show him in."

Without thinking he switched the screen back to Number Six. He ignored the uncanny glance of the man's eyes. His time was coming.

The doctor came down the ramp, surely as always. Two went round the desk to meet him.

"I was with a patient." The doctor said irritably. "What is so urgent that is couldn't wait for a more convenient time?"

Number Two motioned to the screen where Number Six continued his incessant pacing. "I have a more interesting subject for you. Our most prized and difficult pupil."

"An insufferable nuisance." The doctor snorted contemptuously.

"That's not very charitable." Number Two scolded. "Perhaps you would like give your medical assessment of Number Six."

"Highly aggressive. Independent. Individualistic, to a pathological level." The doctor said. "Most unsuitable."

"Our masters disagree." Number Two said. "They place a great deal of value on him. Bringing him into submission is of the highest priority."

"Surgery would soon solve it."

"True. But it would hardly serve our masters' purposes and we mustn't disappoint."

On the screen Number Six moved between the door and window.

"Extremely agitated today." The doctor noted.

"Things on his mind." Number Two said. "Poor chap."

At the door Number Six stopped and stood for a long moment as if in contemplation. Suddenly, he grabbed the handle. Tried it violently. He gave the camera a savage smile.

"Why have you got him locked in?"

"I thought it for the best." Number Two said. "He was in my office earlier. Rather adamant about going after the girl himself. He insisted I would allow it."

The mention of the girl soured the doctor's mood. "Would you?"

"That's impertinent." Number Two warned softly.

The doctor was unabashed. "You've been under a tremendous strain. Desperation can drive one to rashness."

"Are you questioning my fitness to serve?"

"I only caution you. Number Six can be quite persuasive.

"You needn't worry. Number Seven will be returned to us shortly. Everything is well in hand."

"She has proven to be a good deal of trouble." The doctor complained. "Such disruptive behavior cannot be tolerated. I will make a formal recommendation that she be subjected to the procedure."

"You may make your recommendation, of course." Number Two said coolly. "But I will recommend against it. My experiment has proven successful. It must be allowed to go forward."

"I made my objections clear when you first proposed giving him access to her." The complaint in the doctor's tone ratcheted up. "The uniting of rebels can only lead to a rebellion."

He allowed the rebuke. "It was well worth the risk. He is devoted to her."

"To a dangerous degree, I should say."

"To the perfect degree, my dear man." Two said patiently. "He is desperate to save her. He will do anything to protect her from The Village."

"Are you suggesting he has fallen in love?"

Two scoffed. "He would never allow himself."

"Then what is it?"

"Loyalty." Number Two said. "He failed her father. Something which that ego of his can not bare. He must make amends. At any cost."

"He's made himself vulnerable." The doctor was now watching Number Six with interest.

"For the first time since he was brought here," Number Two moved closer to the screen. "We would be remiss not to exploit it."

The doctor took his chin in his hand and worried it. "What do you have in mind?"

"I'm going to have him in for interrogation."

"Standard methods have never worked on Number Six."

"I don't expect him to talk, doctor."

That got the man's attention. He was as keen as a terrier at a rat hole. "What do you have in mind?"

"Number Six prides himself in his ability to defy us." Number Two said. "If he were made to believe he had given up some information, what would the physiological effect be?"

"An intriguing concept." The doctor nodded approvingly. "It would shake his confidence. Cause him to doubt himself." Now a shadow of skepticism. "If you could make him believe it. Number Six has proven most resilient to deception. He is remarkably good at discerning reality from fantasy."

"Naturally he will be suspicious. Suspect some kind of a trick." Number Two smiled broadly at the angry man on his screen. "But he won't be sure that in a moment of weakness, he didn't break. It will eat away at him."

Number Two paused to let the doctor consider the brilliance of his plan. Then went on.

"Of course he will receive a very public commendation for his service." He laughed. It was delicious to consider. The girl would believe Number Six had betrayed her and hate him for it. But the true betrayal would come latter."The entire Village will know that the great Number Six has broken. His rebellion, to the minds of the people, will have failed."

"Impressive." The doctor said. "Very impressive indeed. It would in effect create two competing realities. Number Six would be isolated in his belief against the world. Even against himself."

"What I require from you is a means by which to confuse his mind. To disorient him to such a degree that while under interrogation we can feed him the memory of his confession without his awareness."

The doctor was thoughtful for a moment, studying Number Six as if he were a germ under a microscope. "There are ways." He said finally. "In the right mental state the desired memories could be implanted directly into the subconscious mind without the subject's knowledge."

In all the world the only one Number Six trusted was himself. A pity, for him to lose that.

"Excellent." Number Two said. "Do you have every thing you need?"

"We've been experimenting with a new psychotropic." The doctor said, excitement tinged his voice. "Very powerful. Produces a deep hypnotic state. It should do nicely."

The doctor was invested in the plan. Eager to work his chemical magic. He couldn't envision its obvious flaw. The indomitable mind with which they had to contend.

"It will shake him. But not for long." Number Two said without inflection. "Given enough time, reason will assure him that whatever information we claim he provided could have been gotten by other means. He will reject his own recollection, knowing we had induced it. His confidence in himself will be restored. His rebellion absolute."

He enjoyed watching the doctor's confusion as what seemed an ingenious plan fell suddenly apart.

"If you anticipate failure," the man hissed in aggravation. "why bother?"

"We don't allow him the luxury of time. While he is still in shock. Confused. Reeling with self doubt. We hit him again. Harder still."

"How?"

"The girl. She will be his down fall. We will break her and worse." Number Two said, enjoying the moment. "When he understands what is to become of her, he will come to me and bargain for her life. He will make a deal."

"It could prove a most interesting experiment." The doctor smiled as with secret pleasure. "When would you like to schedule it?"

Number Two looked up at the screen. Number Six seemed to meet his eyes. He was so very angry.

"As soon as Number Seven has been safely returned to our care." Two said. "Be ready."

The phone demanded his attention. Something about it troubled him. He hesitated for a moment before picking it up.

"What is it?"

The voice the answered him belonged to the Supervisor. "Report on Number Seven." He said.

"Did they get her?"

"Her camp was found abandoned."

He felt cold. Perhaps Number Six had been right. The girl was playing them. Where was she now? He realized the Supervisor was still speaking.

"They discovered a blood tail," he was saying. "leading away from the camp."

"The girl's?" Dread fought with anger. If the girl died out there it would ruin everything.

"Presumably. It led to edge of a ravine."

He interrupted impatiently, "She's dead?"

"The body is difficult to see, a long way down, nearly hidden in the rocks and brush."

The hand that held the phone was trembling. He could not make it stop. The doctor was watching him. He was aware of the clinical scrutiny of the man's gaze.

He held himself steady. "Suicide?"

"Impossible to say." The Supervisor answered. "The country is very rough. She may have simply fallen."

The girl was of no use to him dead. She had cheated him.

"I want the body." He demanded.

"It's several hundred feet down." Was the cool reply. "Extremely difficult to reach."

"Get it."

There was a pause. then the Supervisor's pragmatic response. "It will be quite dangerous and take several hours. We won't be able to attempt a recovery operation until morning."

"Keep me advised."

He set the phone down with exaggerated care. A rage he dared not show flared wildly. Number Six would pay dearly for this. He turned to face the screen so his back to the doctor.

"It's a shame really." The doctor said. "It may have worked."

"Nothing has changed. We proceed as planned."

"Without the girl?" The doctor protested. "You said she was crucial to its success."

"Make the preparations. The experiment goes forward." Number Two said softly. " Tonight."