pstairs； in rooms that were unfamiliar to Buddy； and that raised the question of cats。
Now he had more time to puzzle it out on his own。 If Sam was in the store the next time Buddy went there； he would tell him the story。 But not for a few days yet。 He sat in the patterned late…afternoon sunlight that came through the curtain； drank Coca…Cola； and wondered。
8
Eight Months Earlier：
Saturday； December 18； 1976
IN THE PUTER CENTER of the sealed wing of the Greenwich house； seven days before Christmas； the monitor boards and systems bulbs and cathode…ray tubes and glowing scopes； although they were mostly red and green； had not reminded Salsbury of the holiday。
When he entered the room； his first time there in months； Klinger looked around at the lights and said； 〃Very Christmasy。〃
Strangely enough； it was rather Christmasy。
However； because he hadn't perceived something which had registered with the general in mere seconds； Salsbury felt uneasy。 For almost two years now； day and night； he had been telling himself that he must be quicker； sharper； more cunning； and more forward…thinking than either of his partners…if he was to keep his partners from eventually putting a bullet in his head and burying him at the southern end of the estate beside Brian Kingman。 Which was surely what they had in mind for him。 And for each other。 Either that or slavery through the keylock program。 Therefore； it was quite disturbing to him that Klinger…hairy； flat…faced gorilla that he was…should make； of all things； an aesthetic observation before Salsbury himself had made it。
The Only way he could deal with his own uneasiness was to
put the general off his stride as quickly as possible。 〃You can't smoke in here。 Put that out at once。〃
Rolling the cheroot from the center of his thick lips to one side； Klinger said； 〃Oh； surely…〃
〃The delicate machinery；〃 Salsbury said sharply； gesturing at the Christmasy lights。
Klinger took the slender cigar from his mouth and appeared to be about to drop it on the floor。
〃The waste can。〃
When he had disposed of the cheroot； the general said； 〃Sorry。〃
Salsbury said； 〃That's all right。 You're not familiar with a place like this； with puters and all of that。 You couldn't be expected to know。〃
And he thought： Score one for me。
〃Where's Leonard？〃 Klinger asked。
〃He won't be here。〃
〃For such an important test？〃
〃He wishes it weren't necessary。〃
〃Pontius Pilate。〃
〃What？〃
Looking at the ceiling as if he could see through it； Klinger said； 〃Up there washing his hands。〃
Salsbury wasn't about to take part in any conversation meant to dissect or analyze Dawson。 He had taken every measure to protect himself from any attempt on Dawson's part to plant bugs in his work area。 He didn't believe it was possible for anyone to spy on him while he was in here。 But he couldn't be positively； absolutely certain of that。 Under the circumstances； he felt that paranoia was a rational vantage point from which to view the world。
〃What all have you got to show me？〃 Klinger asked。 〃For a start； I thought you'd want to see a few print…outs from the key…lock program。〃
〃I'm curious；〃 the general admitted。
Picking up a sheet of puter paper that was folded like an accordion into dozens of eighteen…inch…long sections； Salsbury said； 〃All three of our new employees…〃
〃The mercenaries？〃
〃Yes。 All three of them were given the drug and then shown a series of films； ostensibly as evening entertainment： The Exorcist； Jaws； and Black Sunday； on successive nights。 These were； of course； very special copies of the films。 Processed right here on the estate。 I did the work personally。 Printed each of them over a different stage of the subliminal program。〃
〃Why those three movies in particular？〃
〃I could have used any I wanted；〃 Salsbury said。 〃I just chose them at random from Leonard's film library。 The movie is simply the package； not the content。 It merely establishes a reason for the subjects to stare at the screen for a couple of hours while the subliminal program is running below their recognition threshold。〃 He handed the print…out to Klinger。 〃This is a second…by…second verbal translation of the images appearing on the screen in the rheostatic film； which begins simultaneously with the movie。 Wherever the puter prints 'This Legend' it means that the visual subliminals have been interrupted by a block…letter message on the rheostatic film； a direct mand to the viewer。〃
SUBJECT CODEDKEY LOCK
REVISED PROGRAM/STAGE ONE
STORAGE MATERIAL
PROGRAM STORED： 8/6/76
THIS PRINT： 12/18/76
PRINT
SECONDS SUBLIMINAL CONTENT
0001 NO CONTENT
0002 NO CONTENT
0003 VISUALWOMAN'S BREASTS
0004 VISUALWOMAN'S BREASTS
0005 VISUALWOMAN'S BREASTS
0006 VISUALWOMAN'S BREASTS
0007 VISUALWOMAN'S BREASTS
0008 THIS LEGENDYOU WATCH
0009 THIS LEGENDYOU WATCH
0010 THIS LEGENDYOU WATCH
0011 THIS LEGENDYOU WATCH
0012 THIS LEGENDYOU WATCH THIS FILM
0013 THIS LEGENDYOU WATCH THIS FILM
0014 THIS LEGENDYOU WATCH THIS FILM
0015 VISUALDETUMESCENT PENIS
0016 VISUALDETUMESCENT PENIS
0017 VISUALDETUMESCENT PENIS
0015 VISUALPENIS IN WOMAN'S HAND
0019 VISUALWOMAN STROKING PENIS
0020 VISUALWOMAN STROKING PENIS
0021 VISUALWOMAN STROKING PENIS
0022 VISUALWOMAN STROKING PENIS
0023 THIS LEGENDYOU WATCH THIS FILM
〃The first sixty seconds do nothing but insure that the subject will pay close attention to the rest of the movie；〃 Salsbury said。 〃Beginning with the second minute and continuing throughout the movie； he is very carefully； very gradually primed for stage two of the program and for eventual； total submission to the key…lock behavior mode。〃
〃Carefully and slowly…because of what happened to Brian Kingman？〃 the general asked。
〃Because of what happened to Brian Kingman。〃
0061 VISUALWOMAN FONDLING TESTICLES
0062 VISUALWOMAN FONDLING TESTICLES
0063 VISUALWOMAN STROKING PENIS
0064 VISUALWOMAN STROKING PENIS
0065 VISUALWOMAN STROKING PENIS
0066 THIS LEGENDOBEDIENCE TO THE KEY…SATISFACTION
0067 THIS LEGENDOBEDIENCE TO THE KEY…SATISFACTION
0068 THIS LEGENDOBEDIENCE TO THE KEY…SATISFACTION
0069 VISUALERECT PENIS
0070 VISUALERECT PENIS
0071 VISUALERECT PENIS
0072 THIS LEGENDOBEDIENCE TO THE KEY…SATISFACTION
0073 THIS LEGENDOBEDIENCE TO THE KEY…SATISFACTION
0074 VISUALWOMAN SMILING AT ERECT PENIS
0075 VISUALWOMAN SMILING AT ERECT PENIS
0076 VISUALWOMAN SMILING AT ERECT PENIS
0077 THIS LEGENDOBEDIENCE TO THE KEY…SATISFACTION
0078 THIS LEGENDOBEDIENCE TO THE KEY…SATISFACTION
0079 VISUALDOG STYLE INTERCOURSE
0060 VISUALDOG STYLE INTERCOURSE
0081 VISUALDOG STYLE INTERCOURSE
0082 THIS LEGENDOBEDIENCE TO THE KEY…SATISFACTION
0083 THIS LEGENDOBEDIENCE TO THE KEY…SATISFACTION
0084 VISUALMALE DOMINANT INTERCOURSE
0085 VISUALMALE DOMINANT INTERCOURSE
0086 VISUALMALE DOMINANT INTERCOURSE
0087 THIS LEGENDOBEDIENCE TO THE KEY…SATISFACTION
0088 THIS LEGENDOBEDIENCE TO THE KEY…SATISFACTION
0089 VISUALWOMAN'S FACE EXPRESSING ECSTASY
0090 VISUALWOMAN'S FACE EXPRESSING ECSTASY
0091 VISUALWOMAN'S FACE EXPRESSING ECSTASY
0052 THIS LEGENDOBEDIENCE TO THE KEY…SATISFACTION
0093 THIS LEGENDOBEDIENCE TO THE KEY…SATISFACTION
0094 VISUALEJACULATION ON WOMAN'S PUBIC HAIR
0095 THIS LEGENDOBEDIENCE TO THE KEY…SATISFACTION
0096 VISUALEJACULATION ON WOMAN'S PUBIC HAIR
0097 THIS LEGENDOBEDIENCE TO THE KEY…SATISFACTION
0098 VISUALWOMAN'S FACE EXPRESSING ECSTASY
0099 THIS LEGENDOBEDIENCE TO THE KEY…SATISFACTION
0100 VISUALEJACULATION ON WOMAN'S PUBIC HAIR
Klinger said； 〃The penis doesn't bee erect until the viewer is to＇d that obedience to the key equals satisfaction。〃
〃That's right。 And you'll notice that both the man's and woman's orgasms are represented。 This program would be effective with either sex。〃
〃Was all this taken from some porno movie？〃
〃It was shot especially for me by a professional pornographic…film maker in New York City；〃 Salsbury said； pushing his glasses up on his nose and wiping his damp forehead。 〃He was instructed to use only the most attractive performers。 He shot everything at regular light intensity； b