As the Cadillac comes to a stop and I and Elizabeth approach, Zoë and Esther are already at the car doors. Two uniformed women of Amazonian statue, with long platinum-blond pony-tails wrapped in golden headbands, flanked by short dangle silver earrings bearing an unfamiliar crest, wearing reflective sunglasses, ivory velvet gloves and dressed in turquoise blazers, knee-length black skirts with satin sheer stockings underneath, finished off with creamy white open toe stilettos, step out and present their credentials to our guards. After scanning their ID-cards, Esther gives us a nod and we introduce ourselves to the Nordic beauties. They do not share their names, briskly shake hands and move to the back of the car to unload the luggage. A little taken aback, we both stand awkwardly in the light cones of the SUV, like the proverbial deer in the headlights. While Eliza is squinting through the bright light at them, still stunned by the cold, repellent encounter, I whisper: "This is inner circle, they do not want to be identified. That's why the sunglasses at night." Eliza catches herself and says: "Well, let's get a few maids down here for the luggage", while she fiddles with her mobile phone to summon the males. Immediately four maids, dressed in uniforms identical to the one Krone wears, approach. Heads bowed in supplication, each of them makes a curtsy and they pick up the luggage, while one of the Amazons walks up to us and says: "The shibboleth is Aditi". Again Eliza looks confused, but I smile and tell her: "Inner circle members are identified by code words only. Tell the maids to move the luggage to the chambers reserved for Aditi." Eliza smiles back at me and says: "Thank goodness, you're here big sis. I feel like a stranger in a strange land." I chuckle and reply: "Are you quoting Heinlein or the King James bible?". Eliza smirks back and counters: "I don't grok the bible", while she leads our four lackeys back into the chateau.

One of the Amazons proceeds with parking the SUV while the other waves a navy blue Bentley Mulsanne limousine in. It drives up and gives way to the rear party of the convoy. Again two amazons in the same attire of the advance party climb out of the rear SUV. No security check necessary this time. The amazons open up the cargo bay, but instead of luggage an iron cage comes to light with four slender male figures crammed in. All four are naked, totally devoid of body hair, only wearing heavy black leather masks which completely enfold their crania with two rubbery tubes sticking out of each, presumably to allow for breathing. One of the amazons raises her right wrist and whispers into her sleeve, as the other unlocks the heavy pad-lock. Apparently the masks do not only deprive the slaves of vision but also of hearing and I assume they must be equipped with earpieces and their handler probably talks to them via a tiny microphone attached to her sleeve. The slaves promptly exit the cage and kneel at her feet as she proceeds to leash them.

Whoever that enigmatic passenger inside the Bentley is, she is not only well-to-do but also has style and knows how to make an entrance.