of emergency, Sir.Ive beena-sea, Theo explained. What is the emergency?Weve beenexposed, Sir. Everything is chaos. Martin coughed and cleared histhroat. Im sorry. This voice is difficult.You dont haveto do it, Henry told him, but he couldnt mask hisdisappointment.No, Henry, Illdo it. Just let me get some water. He went to the bathroom andcame back with a glass of water and drank. All right, Imready.Theo demanded to betaken to whoever was in charge, and the butler led them deep into thehouse, through innumerable parlors and suites and down flights ofstairs until reaching a sub-basement secured behind three locks.Beyond this sturdy door they found a laboratory, thoroughly modernand state-of-the-art, and a surgical theater showing bloody signs ofrecent use.The Doctor didsome work while he was here, Sir, the butler explained hoarsely.Weve still to do the cleaning up.Beyond the medicalrooms, there was a dungeon-like area with a cell housing perhaps adozen miserable wretches, all slaves. Like the gruesome butler, allof these slaves showed evidence of tampering with their marks,healing patchwork scars or fresh red-eye tattoos. These captiveslooked upon Theo and Dooley with expressions of true and unrelievedmisery, as if without the least hope of salvation. Theo resolved uponseeing them that he would see each one released from captivity or dietrying.Captain Theoreally is a wonderful person, isnt he? Martin asked,though Henry did not think he expected an answer. He reminds me ofyou, you know.Me? Henry wassurprised.You care aboutslaves, Martin explained. In Captain Theos place, youdrescue them if you could, wouldnt you?Henry thought thathed certainly have the impulse to help, but seriously doubted hisability to carry off a successful escape. Nevertheless, he likedhaving Martins good opinion. Id try, he agreed. Becausewhat if some of them were like us? The master would be out in theworld somewhere missing his slave so much.The slave wouldbe missing his master, as well, Martin pointed out.They were both quieta minute, contemplating the romance and drama of a forced separation.Henry liked the idea that hed go to the ends of the earth tosearch for Martin if Martin was stolen away, but he suspected hemight become entrenched in the inertia of despair instead.If it was me,Martin began slowly, thinking out loud, Id do my best to sendyou a message of some kind, or leave a clue that would lead youstraight to me. But if I couldnt do that, Id just do my best tostay alive until you came for me. Because you would come,wouldnt you, Henry?Of course Iwould, Henry assured him. Of course he would. There was verylittle he wouldnt do for Martin. Really only the one thing.Shall I keepreading? Martin cocked his head, looking to Henry for an answer.Please.Theo and Dooley wereled into the inner sanctum, a dimly-lit room redolent of incense,quite in contrast with the medical area. They were surprised to see ayoung woman in a kimono lying limp across a divan, her long, darkhair cascading to the floor. She did not stir when they entered.The man in chargewas suitably gruesome, with a grey complexion and the pale eyes of awolf. He wore a white doctors coat and had a stethoscope loopedaround his