A brass plaque on a redbrick pillar beside the gate bore a two-inch- high inscription, THE DORIAN INSTITUTE, and just below it was an intercom. She stared at it for a moment, then said, "There, give it a buzz. I think there's a video camera around here somewhere. Last time I was here, they knew I'd arrived." He reached out and touched a black button. "Yes," came back a quick voice. She recognized it as belonging to the woman she'd spoken to on the phone. "It's Alexa Hampton." She leaned over. "We talked--" "Yes, I know, Ms. Hampton. He's been waiting for you." A buzzer sounded and the two wrought-iron gates slid back, welcoming them. As they drove down the tree-lined road, an elegant three-story redbrick structure with white Doric columns across the front slowly came into view. "From here, it's pretty classy-looking," Stone declared, sizing it up. "I know his big manufacturing-and-research campus is right down the road. But still, it sure feels godforsaken and lost out here in the middle of these pines. It's like the place is hiding from the world." "Where better to do secret medical research," she said. "If you want to keep everything proprietary, then the isolation gives you a big jump on security." She directed him to the side parking lot, where she'd left her car that morning. "Stone, here's what we'll tell them. You're next of kin, a cousin on my mother's side." "Works for me," he declared. "I'm beginning to feel part of the family anyway." He pocketed the car keys and helped her out of the Toyota. As they headed up the wide steps, past the white columns, Ally felt a wave of nausea sweep through her. She reached out and took Stone's arm and sank against him. "I'm... I'm not feeling at all well. Please let me hold--" No sooner had she said it than the front door opened and two nurses appeared, their hair backlit from the glow of the reception area. She recognized one as Ellen O'Hara. "Here, dear, let us help you," she said as she strode toward them. She was dressed in white and her eyes were flooded with concern. Ally looked through the doorway to see a waiting wheelchair. "That's fast," Stone said. "Looks like they were ready for you." My God, she thought, did they already know what kind of shape I'd be in? What else do they know? Surely Van de Vliet has heard by now that I'm aware of Kristen. Then she saw him standing behind the nurses. "Alexa, we need to get you downstairs as soon as possible." He was coming forward to help her settle into the wheelchair. He appeared to take no notice of Stone Aimes. "I'm just feeling a little dizzy." He smiled reassuringly. "There's always a small percentage chance that there may be side effects from the initial inoculation." Huh? "What 'initial inoculation'?" She bolted upright in the wheelchair. "I was just supposed to be giving blood."