Seraphine turned to him. ‘First, we just test their character. Are they really impulsive? Are they prepared to walk away from their lives, even if they are about to become a father?’ Seraphine glanced over at Stuart. ‘Then we push a bit more. Are they willing to do something dangerous in order to beat the competition? Will they steal, speed, get a tattoo on a whim, or remodel themselves into someone new?’

‘And if they do?’ said Jameson.

‘You know what comes next, don’t you, Augusta?’ Seraphine’s voice was syrupy sweet.

Bloom answered without a beat. ‘Once the traits of impulsivity, risk-taking and rule-breaking have been established, the next step would be the social traits. So you have to make them manipulate others, use them or even harm them.’

‘Exactly.’ Seraphine turned to Jameson. ‘We test if you’re good at playing with others.’ She tilted her head and a patronizing smile touched her lips. ‘You know. Like I did with you.’

‘You total—’ He stopped. It would be stupid to lose his temper. ‘Is that why Faye killed her husband?’ he asked instead.

‘That was unfortunate. Their final challenge is to pick someone they know and destroy them. Most functional psychopaths read this as destroying their relationship or their career, but Faye took it a little more literally.’ Seraphine shrugged. ‘With our kind you’re always going to get the odd one with violent tendencies.’

‘You’re sending these sickos out there to destroy innocent people’s lives? For what possible purpose?’

‘It’s simple,’ said Bloom. ‘If she’s designed a good enough test, it will show whether the players are truly worthy of the label.’ Bloom looked impressed; she actually admired Seraphine.

Seraphine responded to Bloom’s appreciation with increased confidence. ‘If done well, it can not only identify the high-functioning psychopaths, like Bloom and myself, but also be used to remove the weaker strains.’

‘Christ, you really are cold,’ Jameson said. ‘You’re turning the country into a playground for psychos.’

‘You do have a lovely turn of phrase, Marcus. But let’s face it, society is already our playground.’

He ignored her self-satisfied smugness. ‘And if they excel at your challenges, and prove to be high-functioning, what then?’

Seraphine turned back to Bloom.

‘They re-enter society,’ said Bloom. ‘But working alongside you. I met Clive Llewellyn, by the way,’ she said to Seraphine. ‘I take it he’s one of us? And the rest? You remove them from circulation.’

‘Clive is an absolute darling. He was very impressed with you. He said you were elegantly authentic. To be honest, I think he might have fancied you,’ said Seraphine.

‘No one else goes home,’ Jameson said.

‘Oh, we give them the chance to go home,’ said Seraphine. ‘But they always pick the other option. The problem with tasting freedom is that you just want more. So that’s what we give them … just not here.’