Other solution. Insert $var variable before the file and send the stream. The Perl script will read it at BEGIN step:

#!/bin/bash
file="timer"
var="Two"
(echo $var; cat $file) | perl -e 'BEGIN { $var=<> }  print <>; END { p
+rint $var }' > output
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Ok... Is UGLY, I know it... but I have impatience!