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3:45."
    "Wow, I had no idea you were keeping tabs on
me."
    "Your father asked me to."
    "Why? Because you've been complaining about
me?"
    "That's correct."
    "Well, at least you're honest. Unlike
Simpson in accounting."
    "I expect you to be here from eight to five,
like everybody else. Not to come in at all hours of the night
trying to make up your time."
    "What's the difference? You're here
practically 24/7."
    "The hours I'm here in the lab are none of
your concern. I enjoy working alone at night."
    "But wouldn't it be nice to have a partner?"
Before she could respond, he said, "Hey, what's that gadget over
there on the workbench?" He went over to check it out. "I've never
seen one of these before. Is it some top secret thing? Is that why
you don't want anyone body else up here at night?"
    She smiled nervously. "You watch too much
TV. It's just a new type of TENS unit."
    Wiley launched into his TV
commercial voice. "TENS, or Transcutaneous
Electrical Nerve Stimulation, is used to treat pain with electrical
pulses. Two or more electrodes are attached to pads, which are
applied to the skin. The pads are similar to EKG pads."
    "Very good. Now go home."
    He picked up a little black thing, shaped
like a small watermelon seed. "What's this?"
    "Put that down. It's an electrode. It
attaches to a pad. Same as all the others."
    "You think I'm stupid, don't you? Just a
dumb actor. This is not like the others. Where's the wire?"
    "Put it down, Wiley."
    "He held it up to the light. There's
something inside. A computer chip."
    "Give me that."
    "It's an implant, isn't it? It goes under
your skin."
    She stared at him.
    "I knew it!"
    "Now put it down. And go home."
    "What's it going to be for?"
    "You must not tell anyone about this. Do you
understand?"
    "Sure, sure, I know. I won't tell
anybody."
    "It will work like the others, only
better."
    "To kill the pain."
    " Reduce the pain. And do it more
effectively than anything else on the market.
Wirelessly."
    " Wirelessly . Cool. My dad's always
complaining about the wires."
    Big Bill had suffered from chronic lower
back pain since his thirties, and had been using TENS units for
years. It was the reason he had formed Smotherburn Technologies—to
develop a better TENS unit—and make a fortune.
    "That's right."
    "So, that is a tiny computer chip
inside."
    "Yes. And the user will recharge it each day
by wearing a special charging cap that I'm developing."
    "Wow. That is cool." Wiley thought for a
moment. "Could it be used for other stuff?"
    She hesitated. "What do you mean?"
    "You know. If you implanted a couple of
those babies down below the belt," he said, pointing to his crotch,
"could you make somebody go from frigid to red hot with the flip of
a switch?"
    "Why do you have to be so crude? This device
is for pain management. Like all of our other models."
    "But... could it be used for
pleasure?"
    "Well, that's a good question."
    He smiled. "See. I have something to
contribute. I make you think."
    "Sure. Very good. So, do you want to be my
test subject?"
    "Uh..."
    "You'll need to strip down, and get up on
that table," said Phillipa.
    "Naked?"
    "Yes, of course. Don't be embarrassed,
Wiley. I'm a scientist. I'll cut two slits and insert the
electrodes. Then we can test your theory."
    "You'd have to cut me?"
    "Yes, of course. How else
can I insert the electrodes? They'll be tiny slits."
    "Where?"
    "Hmm. In the scrotum."
    "Whoa. Wait a minute."
    "But, I must warn you that I have no idea
what will happen. Maybe nothing. You might not feel a thing. Or it
could light you up like a Roman candle."
    He grinned.
" Great Balls of Fire ."
    "Literally ."
    "You know what? I think I'll pass."
    "Goodnight, Wiley."
    He headed for the door. "See you
tomorrow."
    "Be on time."
    "Right."
     
     

CHAPTER 7 - Tuesday, 12:03 a.m.
     
    "Are you sure Joey won't recognize me? And
what about the waitresses? And the maître d'?"
    "See for yourself." Gabby spun Rebecca
around to see herself in the full-length mirror.
    "Who is