“Yes, it is. Maybe he left something he needs.” Nicole was too relieved to really care. As long as he wasn’t headed for the museum, he could roller-skate down the hallways of Central Control for all she cared. “Thanks, Shirley. Keep an eye on him just in case.”

As she dropped the phone back onto its cradle, she thought about Eric for a moment. Then she returned to her paperwork.

A few minutes later a knock sounded at the door, and she looked up, a little surprised. She and Travis were supposed to work until five, and it was still only twelve minutes to.

She brushed at her hair quickly with her hands and swept the papers into the top drawer of her desk. “Come in,” she called.

The smile of welcome froze on her face as the door opened and Eric stepped inside. He was dressed casually, in jeans, an opennecked knit sports shirt, and tennis shoes. A large, odd-shaped package wrapped in brown paper was tucked under one arm.

“Hello, Nicole.”

She managed to recover and keep her composure. “Hello, Eric. This is a surprise.”

He closed the door, moved to the chair in front of her desk, and sat down. “You mean nobody is watching me on Big Mama?” he said, teasing her gently.

“Well, I—I mean I’m surprised that you’re here to see me. What can I do for you?”

He lifted the package and set it carefully on her desk. “Well, believe it or not, I’m here on a mission of peace.”

“Oh?”

“During the past weeks I’ve decided something about you.”

“What?”

“You don’t particularly enjoy this, do you.”

She started at that, and gave him a long, searching look. “I enjoy my work,” she finally said.

“Oh, I know that. But being my electronic supervisor—you don’t particularly enjoy that, do you. Or the thought of having to recommend me for Stage Three implantation if I don’t make it?”

She dropped her eyes, unable, in her surprise, to meet his. The Major’s threat of Stage Three implantation was supposed to be a secret. How had he found out?

“You even find the whole idea of implantation distasteful, don’t you.”

“I…”

“You promised me once that you’d always be totally honest with me,” he said softly. “Remember?”

“I—yes, I’ll have to admit, I don’t like some things about this particular assignment. And I’ve never been overly thrilled with implantation.”

“I thought so.”

“But make no mistake, Eric Lloyd. If you aren’t smart enough to accept the way things are, I’ll recommend whatever is necessary. Please believe me on that.”

“Oh, I do. And I suppose in some ways that still raises my hackles a little. But not as much as it would if you enjoyed doing it.”