Synopsis: Meet Alexandra Ryder, secret agent and skilled mind-controller, as she’s assigned a very special mission.
Author’s note: the following piece was originally written back in 2005, if I’m not mistaken. Just like the older stories I’ve been reuploading every once in a while, this one suffered some minor editing tweaks. If you haven’t read it in the past and do now, I hope you enjoy it.
Agent 47-D
(By S.B.)
Part I – The new assignment
According to the Government of the United States, the two men standing in front of the high-security elevator didn’t exist. The same thing could be said about the organization for which they worked, and whose main facilities they were about to enter. Its name and purpose was one of the White House’s most guarded secrets, in spite of some stray rumours that sometimes made the headlines of the country’s most famous tabloids.
The two non-existing men knew each other for quite some time. Their friendly relationship dated back from the days when Kennedy was still America’s number one and the Army was their home.
The man on the left, with grey hair, piercing black eyes and an aquiline nose was General Rupert Hayes. He was a stern and upright character, perhaps a bit square on his shoulders and legs, who had lived through many wars before giving up his name and life to serve a higher cause half a mile below Washington’s belligerent streets.
Next to him, stood nicotine-addict Colonel Eric Gibbons who was said to consume five packs of cigarettes a day on a normal day and seven or eight when his emotional balance was disrupted. Unlike his superior officer and friend, he had a quizzical, oval face and no hair of his own ever since his fiftieth anniversary. His eyes had been green but they were getting more and more yellow due to his uncontrollable vice.
Before the doors opened, a third man joined them from behind. His name was Henry Simms and there was nothing military about him. The mid-thirties giant wore the black suit of a civilian bureaucrat and was the only one of his kind with a direct line to the President, a line he used quite often when times were bleak and the whole world was on the verge of collapse.
The two military looked rather disdainfully at the newcomer but were courteous enough to let him enter the elevator first. Henry Simms nodded in appreciation and repaid the gesture by setting the destination as soon as they got in.
The elevator started moving swiftly, going deeper and deeper underground. The silence inside lasted for about ten seconds and was suddenly broken by a question coming from the nervous lips of the Colonel:
“Simms, is it true?”
“You’ll find out soon enough, Colonel Gibbons.”, the younger man replied.
“It’s true, alright!” intervened the General. “Can’t you see by the look of triumph in his eyes?”
“I had forgotten about your sharpness, General…” Simms replied. His voice was cold. He didn’t like him one bit and knew the feeling was mutual.
Before the conversation could continue, the elevator reached its destination and the doors opened to let them out. Underground Level 15 was very similar to the other fourteen of the complex: a labyrinth of grey-walled corridors, strategically placed infra-red cameras and large, indestructible black doors. The two main differences between this particular floor and the rest of the base could be seen in the exaggerated number of armed guards one could find in the most eastern section and on the fact that all of the doors led to inevitable prison cells.
The trio stepped out of the elevator and proceeded along the right corridor where they were saluted by a heavily armed group of muscle-men in Army uniforms.
“Who captured him?” insisted the General after they passed the guards. “And why weren’t we informed of the operation earlier?”
“Gamma Unit did the job. You weren’t informed because the President himself chose not to do so. The operation was classified as top secret and the best way to control the flow of the information is to limit the number of people with access to it. I’m sure you can understand that.”
“Of course, but Colonel Gibbons and I have been working on this Division for the last six years. You, on the other hand, only found out about its existence three months ago and military secrets should not pass through your hands at all.”
“Like I said, it was the President who gave the orders. Talk to him yourself if you want more details.”
“I will, but let us return to our… guest. He was detained in Pakistan, right?”
“That’s right, but at least he had the decency to stay away from tiny rat-holes like the one where we found you know who sleeping. He put up quite a fight before being captured.”
They reached another corridor, this one with twelve bulked doors, six on each side. Beyond it was a small pathway that led to the Surveillance Room, where they could see the images transmitted by the electronic cameras inside each cell. Number 12 was the one that mattered, as it gave them a fairly good view of the prisoner’s face with his long beard and challenging eyes. Though trapped and with no chance to escape, he still looked dangerous.
“I can’t believe that’s really him!” Colonel Gibbons said. “He managed to escape us so many times…”
Simms took the lead to answer back.
“Those are past days, Colonel! Think of the present. He’s here and now he has to be dealt with.”
“When’s the President planning to reveal his capture to the American people and the rest of the world?” asked Hayes.
“Right around Election Day, obviously.”
“That will boost his campaign for sure!”
“That’s the plan, but first he wants to get as much as information from him as possible, without mistreating him in any way. We’ve had enough cases of torture in Iraqi territory and things don’t look too good for us in the Human Rights agenda at the moment… The Chief of Staff needs a full-proof solution to guarantee his position as a strong and reliable leader, a leader that keeps his promises and deserves a re-election.”
“I don’t think that’s possible… the only thing we know for sure he’s good at is lying.” said Hayes and laughed afterwards, probably a bit louder than he should.
Simms resented that and gave him a cold face.
“Spare me your criticism. I understand you have an Agent working under your direct supervision that’s specialized in the ways of obtaining information without the use of physical torture.”
“That’s right – Agent 47-D, one of the finest I’ve ever met.”
“The President wants him on the job, pronto! Where is he right now?”
“He?! I really haven’t got a clue...” answered the older man. Now it was his time to laugh at his expense.
“What is that supposed to mean?”
The General raised both his eyebrows at the same time and spoke like an angry teacher to an unworthy pupil:
“That you forgot to do your homework. You see, Agent 47-D is a woman…”
Twenty-six year old Alexandra Ryder was coming home from an exhausting aerobics session, when her cell phone rang without warning, making her heart race. For a moment, the world around her became hazy, as she let go of the steering-wheel, causing the vehicle to turn abruptly, its wheels jumping over the nearest sidewalk. Immediately, she hit the brakes and was lucky enough to stop before killing anyone. While some people gathered around the car to see if she was hurt or something, she looked at the special number flashing on the cell screen and opened the lid to take the call.
There was no talking on the other side of the line: only a series of mechanical sounds combined in a rhythmic sequence that only high-security level field agents knew how to interpret. The coded message was simple and written in conventional English would go as follows: “Your presence is required at Headquarters a.s.a.p. We have a very special prisoner waiting for your delicate treatment…”
The code played only once, but she understood it perfectly and didn’t bother thinking who the prisoner was. She would surely be briefed when she reached the facilities: the only thing that seemed to upset her was the fact that she had to go home and change in a hurry, so that she would look as presentable as possible for the work she was required to do.
Already feeling altogether, she took the liberty of throwing the cell phone into the back seat, and then made the car jump off the sidewalk as if nothing had happened. Some angry faces looked at her as she was leaving; they were probably thinking she was a menace behind the wheel, which was quite understandable, but hardly accurate. If there was one thing she was really menacing at was in her unconventional use of simple objects, such as candles, pocket watches or glimmering key chains…
An hour later, after a very relaxing shower, Agent 47-D reached the underground facilities and immediately upon entering them, offered a warm smile to one of the guards on duty.
He smiled right back at her, as he watched her magnificent hazelnut eyes. It didn’t take long for his eyes to roll down into her asymmetric transparent shirt partially visible behind a beautiful Navy-blue jacket, plunging afterwards into the contours of her matching, tight skirt, until they became suddenly transfixed in her unbelievable long legs and on the highly erotic pointy shoes she was wearing. Under normal circumstances, that wasn’t a very polite attitude, yet at that time it was the only one his brain was telling him to adopt. Alexandra stopped in front of him and kissed him on the forehead while whispering:
“I’m so glad you remembered your instructions, Chas, but I’m no longer interested in having fun with you. Remember the pleasure you experienced with me, but forget everything else, ok? This was the last time you fell under my spell!”
The soldier nodded his head almost imperceptibly and the hypnotic power of her shoes was gone. Having resolved that, she continued her walk in a seductive way so that everyone could see her natural feminine attractiveness until she entered the Surveillance Room.
General Hayes was the first to greet her, with a kiss on each cheek, followed by Colonel Gibbons who mimicked the ritual, feeling so happy to see her once again. Simms was left for last. He had been told a couple of strange stories about her methods while waiting for her arrival and was a bit reluctant: he didn’t know exactly whether to believe them or not. His approach was swift but extremely diplomatic.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Agent 47-D.” he said, as he shook her hand. She had a firm grip, as strong as many men’s. He smelled her perfume discretely as she replied:
“The feeling is mutual, Mr. Simms. I confess I was quite stunned when I received the call. After the last assignment, I was given the impression that I would be allowed some time to breathe. May I know the reason why I was summoned here on such short notice?”
It was General Hayes that gave the answer, by pointing into the same monitor they had observed before.
“The reason is that man over there.”
Alexandra Ryder recognized him on the spot, and her eyes glittered with satisfaction.
“Oh, you finally caught him! It was about time, anyway! He doesn’t look so dangerous to me in that tiny little cell of his…”
“For the time being, he’s still the most dangerous terrorist we ever came across with…” intervened Gibbons. “But I suppose he won’t be for long, isn’t that right, Alexandra?”
“I suppose so. As you know, I never failed in my line of work before, and I think I’ll enjoy bringing him under a lot”
“So, do you really think you can… hum… soften his mind for us?” asked Simms, who was feeling more and more uncomfortable. The woman gave him a funny look. The tone of her voice became ironic and somewhat intimidating:
“Sure, if softening is what you want… but I can also take him deeper and drain all of his will-power so that he won’t orchestrate any more terrorist attacks against our country.”
“What exactly do you mean by draining all of his will-power?” retorted Simms. He was beginning to sweat under his armpits.
“Wasn’t I obvious, Mr. Simms? I’m talking of a complete brainwash: deprive him of his set of beliefs and replace them with more agreeable contents for a civilized person. It’s not so hard to accomplish and besides, I’ve done it before with less threatening individuals.”
“I see, but The White House is not interested in such drastic measures. We’re only looking for information on terrorist cells spread across our country and in the countries of our NATO allies: the names of the leaders and operationals, the kind of weaponry they possess, etc. Such information must be acquired without breaking him completely, as you said. There mustn’t be any signs of manipulation when we make the announcement of his arrest to the world.”
“It’s all a matter of politics, Alexandra!” General Hayes spoke out loud. “The President is hoping to clear all of his mistakes in the past few years with this capture.”
“I know, but I think the people won’t buy any more crap from him anymore.”
“Miss Ryder! You’re talking about the President of the United States of America!” said a very shocked Simms. “Please, show a little more respect!”
“Relax, Mr. Simms. He’s not here to listen, and there’s nothing wrong in stating the obvious. He’s going to lose the elections even with this Arabic ace of his… are you sure you only want that sort of information from him?”
“Positive.”
“In that case, I suppose a mild trance will be enough. I’ll simply distract his mind long enough to plant a simple suggestion that will make him start spewing all of his dirty secrets in no time.”
“What sort of suggestion?”
“Well, considering he’s not willing to cooperate with us, I’ll hypnotize him and then use his natural resistance against him. The more he tries to evade questioning, the more words will try to come out of his mouth, until they all come rushing in. Call it hypnotic reverse psychology, if you like.”
“What are you going to use to capture his attention?” asked Gibbons, who had always been an enthusiast of her sultry schemes, especially after he himself had come to understand that she was unlike any other Agent engaged in that kind of activities. He clearly remembered the first time she had worked her magic on him just by making him look at a reflection of light on a small paperclip, while singing softly at him.
“I brought this small piece of jewellery with me…” and from her left pocket she drew a golden necklace with a crescent, the symbol of the world and the power of Islam. Gibbons caught a glimpse of its shape and looked away just in case his mind decided to drop for her just like that. Simms noticed his sudden embarrassment, but said nothing for he too was in a very similar position.
“That’s an interesting coincidence.” he eventually said.
“I suppose so, but it was completely unintentional, of course. It just happened to be the first shining object that came into my hands …”
“Perfect.” completed Hayes. “Go on and do your best, Alexandra. “We’ll monitor the whole session from here.”
“Very well.” she said as she wrapped the string of the necklace around her fingers. “I’ll be back in a flash, gentleman.”
Gibbons saw her turn away and sighed.
Part II – Hypnotic reminiscences
Agent 47-D found her way out of the Surveillance Room, completely confident in her abilities to exert true mind-control over anyone that crossed her path. Hypnosis ran in the family: it was a secret art that went as far as the seventeenth century when her forefathers were still living in England, a tradition that her mother had taught her a year before dying of cancer on a white hospital bed.
At first, when she didn’t really quite understand the principles of it all, she amused herself with small tricks much like the ones on a stage hypnosis show, using some of her classmates at college as subjects. A few months later, probably out of grief for the loss of his wife, her father committed suicide in a most atrocious way, by swallowing a dozen sleeping pills before taking a bath, allowing himself to drown shortly after. At the age of nineteen, she was left alone in a big house, with too many bills on her shoulders, and only a small amount of money that would last her a year tops. If she wanted to finish her degree in Psychology, she had to find other means of subsistence.
Alexandra applied for a scholarship whilst looking for a part-time job at the same time. She tried to use her charms to ensure a rapid approval of her requests, but she was never face-a-face with any of the members of the Evaluation Committee and the subtle changes she made on the mind of some minor employees eventually didn’t do her any good. As for the job, she was lucky enough to be hired as a real stage hypnotist on a night-club simply known as The Red Rose. Her inexistent references on the field turned out to be unimportant, as she realized that the owner of the establishment had been magnetized by a few of her flirting gestures around her auburn hair, granting her a real opportunity to have fun and actually be paid for it.
She only made a one-hour appearance on stage every day and received a whopping two-thousand dollars per week, courtesy of her more than entranced employer. On stage, she was as civil as possible, giving her subjects simple instructions that wouldn’t offend their dignity, but when the lights went out, she often chose one or two of them for a private session, as a series of tests to her true powers of mesmerism and control. For three years, she perfected her techniques until she was utterly sure that she could find a way to elude anyone. The prospect of financial slavery crossed her mind more than once but Fate had already decided that she was to work for the Government.
On the day of her final performance at The Red Rose, she was approached by two military men, General Hayes and Colonel Gibbons who, apparently, had heard many rumours about her shows and wanted to know if she was for real and not a charlatan like so many others they had encountered before.
“I’m real, alright, but why are you so interested in knowing that? Do you want a private demonstration of my hypnotic skills?” she asked as she lit a cigarette.
“As a matter of fact, yes, we would like that. We have a car waiting for us outside. If you care to accompany us, Miss Ryder…” said Gibbons.
“That’s not how I do things, gentlemen. Accompany you where?”
“We have a special room prepared not so far from here. Inside it, there’s this man who has something we want, but he won’t reveal its location to us. We’ve tried many things against him, but he seems to have been trained in a rather exquisite way. He resisted our every attempt so far!”
“Is he some sort of spy?” she asked feeling rather intrigued.
“You’re asking too many questions, Miss Ryder. If you want to know more, you’ll have to come along with us. Otherwise, we’ll be on our way and it will be as if this conversation never took place. Think about it while you go change. We’ll be by the front door, in case you decide to do the right thing.”
Hayes and Gibbons left her alone in the corridor near her dressing-room. She hardly used it, but on that final day there was something very special inside waiting for her. When she opened the door and turned on the lights, the big silvery cage came into her line of sight. Inside it, on his fours, wearing a ridiculously tight pair of leather boxers was Paul Summers, the night-club owner’s oldest son who used to mistreat his girlfriends before becoming Alexandra’s sweet hypno-doggy. His drooping head became alive again and he started to bark happily.
She opened the cage and allowed him to play for a while, just like every pet needs to.
Seconds passed, there was a faint knock on the door and she opened it to let Charles Summers in. The father saw his enchanted son licking her feet and got the impression that it was something he should be doing as well now that she was about to leave his life. He closed the door behind him and gave himself to her one final time, unleashing his hidden animal instincts. When she got fed up, he gave her a real fat farewell check for her services and then she dispatched them both, back into the world of free-will creatures.
After freshening up her make-up, she said goodbye to a lot of fond memories and went to see what kind of new experiences the two men waiting outside had to offer her. The car was an official Government black Sedan, with bullet-proof windows and tires. Hayes opened the door to let her in and Gibbons gave her a paper to sign.
“What’s this?”
“It’s just a simple confidentiality agreement between you and the Government, Miss. By accepting our proposal, you’ll come to learn a few secrets and we want to make sure you don’t go off running telling everyone about them, especially reporters or agents of foreign, potentially hostile countries.” Gibbons offered her a pen, and she signed the paper, feeling quite amused.
“Don’t you think you should have read it first?” Hayes asked.
“What for?! If it turns out to be something I don’t like, I’ll hypnotize you both and get rid of it. Oh, and the driver of course… Now, I would like to know more of this strange man of yours and how you decided to look for me in the first place.”
The car drove off in the time it took her to say this. Hayes was very well impressed with her directness, although the line between it and sheer impertinence was a very fragile one. Still, he told her everything he knew.
“We work for a Government Institution whose name and existence is kept off the public. We deal with imminent threats against the safety of our citizens, and provide all kinds of needful services to the nation, such as secret military operations, espionage, political assassinations if needed be, etc. You see, we’re a sort of sweeping task force for the problems the CIA, the FBI, the NSA, and all the other known agencies can’t deal with, the last line of defence when all others tumble down.”
“That seems like a Hollywood-type scenario!”
“So does the prospect of mind control through hypnosis and you claim you can do it…”
“You got me with that one, General, but I’m sure I’m not the only one with such abilities.”
“I don’t know about that. I never met anyone that could actually do it, without using tons of drugs and torturing skills. We’ve been on the lookout for quite some time now, examining the so-called attributes of stage hypnotists and hypnotherapists around, trying to find someone with the proper requirements to join our Division, but so far…”
“…you’ve accomplished nothing and I happened to be the next one on the list, right?”
“That and the fact that apparently you made one of our undercover agents start crying like a baby on The Red Rose’s stage about a week ago in one of your hypnotic sessions. He was a dark, tall man, with an ugly-looking scar next to his right ear. Do you remember him?”
“Now that you mention it, yes I do. He was very cooperative when I showed him this ring.” it was a copper-coloured piece with the carving of a snake’s head. Two small red gemstones represented its eyes. “It is a given fact that snakes hypnotize other animals just before eating them. This little ornament can do just the trick as well… why you don’t look at it, General? Or may be you, Colonel Gibbons?”
“Save your energies for our man, Miss Ryder. A lot of good things can happen to you if you can really make him become more willing to cooperate, so to speak.”
“Will you invite me to join your little secret club if I do? Is that what you’re trying to say?”
“You’re a quick learner.”
“I’ve always been and always will be. Show me that man, General, and you’ll get whatever you want of him, which by the way is…?”
“Eric, show her the papers.”
Colonel Gibbons gave her a small file on a man named Craig Fitzpatrick, an alleged former IRA operative (there were no real evidences pointing to that fact…) who was living in The States for over a decade. He was suspect of involvement with a group of overzealous patriots in the plotting of an armed attack against some eminent members of the Senate. The attack itself never occurred – they were caught before they had the chance to perpetrate it – but being as smart as they were, they didn’t place all of their eggs in just one basket—there were still a lot of illegal guns at large, stashed somewhere, ready to be used by the next terrorist.
“These guys wanted to make a name for themselves by striking from within. We’re pretty sure he served as their liaison in the acquisition of the heavy artillery for the attack and that he knows where they’ve hidden the surplus, but he keeps denying the charges. The already mentioned drugs and torture didn’t work on him at all. We’re hoping you can be able to break him gently. If indeed you managed to make a professional soldier act like a child on a stage, I’m sure this poses no real challenge for you.”
“Probably not…” and as she finished examining the file, the car came to a halt.
The three occupants stepped out. They had entered what struck her to be a very large underground parking lot, with soft, even-spaced lights placed above their heads. The smell of fresh paint came from the surrounding walls; in front of them; one could see a passageway being guarded by four soldiers. The black man with the twisted scar was one of them. He was the one closest to the brand new king-sized elevator they were about to enter and the only one who shuddered upon seeing her. Alexandra raised her right hand, enabling him to see the ring that she had used to enthral his senses earlier in time and before the doors were closed, he was crying again from the top of his lungs, just like a young baby wearing a dirty diaper.
Hayes and Gibbons didn’t react to the provocation, but they were visibly surprised.
“That was the result of a hypnotic reminiscence.” She explained to them. “He liked my ring so much the first time that, when he saw it again, he simply returned into that special state of consciousness he experienced before. He’ll snap out of it in no time, without any consequences for his mind whatsoever.”
The two men remained speechless, as the machine plunged into the bowels of the Earth. At that time, they already knew that she was the one they were looking for… the way in which she handled Fitzpatrick’s stubbornness was but another proof of Alexandra Ryder’s infinite charms.
The bald and broad-shouldered Irish man was being held in a rectangular white room in the very centre of Underground Level 7. There was a mahogany table in it, along with two equally brown chairs, except these ones were made of plastic. Fitzpatrick was sitting in one and had no cuffs or restraints of any kind, mainly because of the two guards that stood behind him whose primary job was to make sure he didn’t try anything foolish. One of them had his camouflaged shirt covered with speckles of fresh blood. That fact was undoubtedly related with the huge bruises in the prisoner’s face and jaw. Fitzpatrick was still drowsy with the pain of the recent beatings and didn’t utter a word when she sat in front of him, and slowly unbuttoned a portion of her blouse, to allow a little cleavage to show through.
Looking to the right side of the room, she saw a big mirror. As usual, there were people observing what happened from behind it, namely the General and a couple of highly distinguished men. Gibbons had gone into another room to supervise a secret military operation that was bound to take place in the harsh landscapes of Libya somewhere over the next week and missed the whole show. Alexandra couldn’t see them, but knew they were there. So, she smiled at them and then at Fitzpatrick, who seemed indifferent to it all. As she moved for the blouse again, the pearly skin of her vibrant breasts became more visible.
He looked at it almost instantly. She was the first woman he was seeing ever since he had been captured and after almost twelve days of abuses, he truly felt that such a generous offer shouldn’t be declined. The seduction process was on its way…
There was silence in the room for about five minutes, where she did nothing but to look at him while realizing how he was beginning to focus more intensely on the presents she was so willing to share… occasionally, he would raise his head to look into her ever-smiling face, as hoping for her to say something. When that happened, her hand slid down into the open blouse again, and that was stating that the space between her breasts was the only place he should be looking at. Curious, and at the same time getting aroused by that game of subtle gestures and silence, Fitzpatrick didn’t mind playing it, although he was unaware of the significance of the rules. He looked at the unveiled fragments of her bosom, going deeper with each breath… looking for what wasn’t there…
“As you’ve noticed by now, I’m not wearing a bra. I bet you’re trying to see my nipples coming out right now, aren’t you?” Alexandra asked. “That’s naughty of you, but I don’t mind… you can actually see them if you continue to look hard enough: just like you’re doing right now, but more intensely…” she suggested, drawing his attention further. “If you want to see my hard, erect nipples, you need to make my breasts the centre of your world, by looking at them and at them alone… never mind the ghostly walls or the reflections of the lamp on the table… don’t worry about the bulked door behind me or the fabric of my blouse… I was brought here for your satisfaction and pleasure alone and I can give you that if you just stare at my breasts… listening to my lovely voice while staring… letting my words bring you inner calm and relaxation… peace and contentment… that’s right… feeling pleased to stare and listen, while listening and staring, knowing that the more you stare, the more clear my words become, and that the more this happens, the greater the satisfaction that comes to you for being able to listen to such a beautiful and compelling woman, whose breasts are as magnetic and enticing as her voice that is pulling you more and more now, washing over whatever stray thoughts may still be trying to roam in your mind…
Stare, listen and relax, anticipating the heavenly promise of my nipples completely exposed for your delight… that sight will become a reality soon… you just need to relax deeper, stare deeper, listen deeper and let your spirit fall, as if you are falling down a very large pit, giving yourself to me in the process, yielding to the suggestions I’m planting in your brain… you know you want to do this for you already desire and crave my breasts, you already desire and crave my words and my voice and when you finally get to see my sexy nipples, that desire will turn your head around and you’ll fall asleep… asleep into blissful, dreamy submission… your mind completely shut-down and enslaved, unable to resist… yes… unable to escape… unwilling to displease me… that’s right… a little more, now… just a little more… listen, stare, close your eyes and sleep!”
She opened her blouse completely. Fitzpatrick saw her breasts and accepted the conditioning without so much an attempt to break it off. Alexandra had entranced him, and not just him. The two guards were also under her control, after staring and listening just as intensely as the Irish prisoner. She buttoned herself, got up, and while moving closer to the mirror, a question emerged from her lips:
“He’s completely hypnotized, General and will keep on being so for as long as I want to. The same can be said about your security-men, and I bet you’re feeling kind of drowsy as well in that secret room of yours, aren’t you? Is this demonstration sufficient?”
“Yes, Miss Ryder. I believe it is… It is clear to us all that you’re just the kind of material we need for this Division.” answered Hayes whose mind was spinning uncontrollably. He had been saved by the fact that he couldn’t see her nipples flashing in, and now that her breasts were hidden from plain sight once again, the induction was subsiding, slowly vanishing into thin air. The other two men sitting next to him were also hazy and with a slight inclination towards meekness. Had she really wanted it, she could have easily doubled the number of subdued men that day.
“That’s just great. I fairly enjoyed the experience and I’m sure I’ll enjoy it even more when my real job begins. Now… before I instruct him to reveal all of his dirty secrets to me, I have a few requests… your Division better attend to them in order to ensure my loyalty!”
“That’s not a very usual proceeding…”
“Do you want me to turn you into my slave and express my wishes under the form of direct orders instead of simple requests?” she asked all of a sudden.
“No… I really don’t want that at all. We’ll make sure you have everything you need, Miss Ryder. You can trust my word for it.”
“I will, General.”
“Then, we have an agreement. Would you mind awakening my men first and then have Fitzpatrick tell us everything he knows?”
“Actually, I’d rather see a dance exhibition first…” she called upon her hypnotized military and they both began waltzing around in the room. They were quite clumsy at it with little or non-existing coordination of movements at all, but the show was entertaining enough. Alexandra clapped and then began the process of extracting information from her new European pet.
Part III – In the name of Allah
The situation she was now in was very similar to the one involving Fitzpatrick. Agent 47-D had been born from it and her life had started changing for the best, until it reached the peak of true and most welcome satisfaction. Thanks to her special abilities, she was given a brand-new house, two vehicles of her choice and an income that was more than enough for her needs at the time. Being a natural spender, she obviously found new ones, new desires in which to burn her salary to the crisp.
After finishing college, she and her best friend Delia Roberts opened up a clinic for the mentally disturbed. It turned out to be a successful enterprise, but she never actually worked there. Her special assignments caused her to travel much throughout the world and time simply became insufficient to allow her to do a good job on that area. Delia got the fame and glory of the project. She gave in the money whenever needed.
The loving memories of that marvellous day and subsequent achievements walked silently with her until she reached the muslin’s private quarters and the short-haired guard at the door granted her access in.
The servant of Islam gave her a cold look, as she invaded his space. Solitude and isolation didn’t bother him at all, but the same could not be said about her presence, especially given the fact that she was going against some of the most sacred principles written in The Koran by showing herself in such libidinous outfits. If it were Mohammed being locked there, he would certainly abhor such manifestation of western decadence. That belief was reason enough for him to raise his eyebrows to the camera, make an obscene gesture with his finger and practically scream in a noisy desert dialect. It seems he was demanding respect for his religious principles, but no one in the Surveillance Room heard him: the camera had no audio signal—only the images were patched through.
When he was finished with his complaints, Alexandra knocked on the door to call the guard and asked for a chair, as she really didn’t feel like standing. The fatigue of the aerobics exercises was beginning to make her legs grow numb, threatening her delicate balance. The chair was there in less than a minute. She sat and observed the prisoner, placing one hand over her thighs and the other playing cheerfully with the trinket, making it spin soundlessly, giving it a whirl to attract some concealed source of light or simply caressing it with her ivory-black painted fingernails.
The man who was considered to be The United States’ Public Enemy Number 1 was curled up on the floor, dressed in fluttering white garments with fine golden embroideries on the sleeves. His greyish hair was loose and in complete disarray. Next to him stood a metal plate with some greasy food (she was pretty sure it was pork, yet another provocation!) and a bowl filled with tap water. None of the referred sustenance had been touched, and truth be told, none of them smelled nicely either.
“I bet these details won’t be filed on any report…” she thought. Her face became rigid and she spoke to him for the first time, making use of undisguised irony and a low tone of voice.
“Good afternoon. I hope you’re enjoying our stay here with us. My name is Alexandra Ryder and although I know the basics of your language, I won’t use it for I also know you understand mine quite well. I must say I never thought I would be face to face with you in a cell, but I’m fairly glad this happened. That way, I get to have my share of delight…
I can guess what you’re thinking as I make this opening speech of mine: you’re most certainly wondering who I am and why I was sent here to see you. I’m not really allowed to divulge such information to you, nor can I tell you the exact location of this base of ours as I am sure you understand, but I can tell you that we have something in common: that’s right, we both believe in a higher power that gives meaning and purpose to the world. I think I can say we’re both religious persons, even though my own set of beliefs is somewhat different from yours. If one is better than the other or not, that’s not something I think about much, for it’s such a futile and trifling question in the end, isn’t it? I don’t know if you agree me on this, but you also probably believe that there are certain things in which we shouldn’t think at all… it’s so tiresome to be thinking all the time… you don’t really get to enjoy life at all with that attitude… that’s why I often pause my flow of thoughts from time to time, so that I can really cease the moment and understand with my heart, not with my brain. I know it’s not an easy thing to do… to just relax and let go in a simple and smooth way… somehow, thinking always shows up in-between, disrupting the peace and quiet my self truly desires… in order to prevent that from happening, I usually grab something in my hand and I make it move around my fingers, as if my soul is sliding along with it, drifting into a mellow horizon that lies far, far away…
Since your hands are empty at the moment and you’re obviously feeling a little tense for being trapped in such a small space, perhaps you would like for that stress to go away by looking at how I give life to this crescent, a symbol which I understand you cherish very much… it represents power, doesn’t it?... power, strength, control… oh my… I can really see why now that it’s moving in small circles and each movement is deeply locked with the movement after and the movement before, creating a rhythmic chain that seems to engulf my eyes, drawing my attention in the same way it is drawing yours… making me want to keep looking at it and follow its sequential path without feeling the need to think why this is happening, in fact, giving away all the burden of wide-awakeness and simply melt in it… melt by looking at its moving reflections, melt by realizing that everything is so much more obvious in its colour and winding shape and that if it feels good to slowly be relinquishing all your energies in observing it, then it’s almost certain that the same thing should happen by guiding some of that attention into the person that makes it move.
The relaxation you’re feeling taking control of your mind right is also a product of my gestures, it lives in my voice. If this crescent fascinates you, which I know it does, and I’m the one responsible for it, I truly believe that your drooping, melting soul is equally ensnared by me, and that giving in to it, is the same thing as giving yourself to me.
Being the symbol of Islam, this crescent represents the power of the almighty Allah, the god you serve with every action you take, the god you invoke when calling out for the Jihad, the one that apparently rejoices when a suicide bomber blows up himself and takes the lives of many innocent people along the way… when you look into it, you’re looking into the manifestation of the god itself, and I’m the one pulling the god’s string… yes… if you love Allah, you love me… Drawn as deeply as you are right now, your non-thinking brain is wishing only to submit to the crescent, to acknowledge its power… you’re renewing your faith with each passing second, making Allah very pleased, making me very pleased… the pleasure from that renewal is vivid, intense, and completely addictive. You know this is true… you’re addicted to it… addicted to my voice… she’s inside your head now… you’re engulfed by it… deliciously overwhelmed…
Now, as the crescent moves and spins, your eyes are slowly sinking into the ecstasy of sleep… yes… you want to sleep for Allah… sleep for me… you want to sleep and you will do so… right now!”
Just as she expected, his magnetized eyes sank. Her fun was about to begin.
“Wonderful! Your mind has fallen into the crescent, and the one that holds it, now controls your world. You’re going to do exactly what I tell you from now on, just like a beguiled drone. My hypnotic spell has brought slumber into your brain and servility into your life. Now, I want you to open your eyes, while remaining in this magnificent state of altered consciousness… very good… keep looking into the moving necklace, listen closely and obey my instructions…
When I leave this room, some people will come in and take my place. They will ask you all sorts of questions about the terrorist activities of your organization and all the subsidiary groups that kill in your behalf as well. In the name of Allah, you’ll want to answer their questions with truthful and crystal-clear answers, but at the same time your mind will fight that desire that way creating a very interesting conflict scenario in your mind. I’ll tell you why I want this to happen since your hypnotized little brain of yours won’t tell anyone else: I don’t like people who rush me, people that decide to alter my routines. I had some very interesting plans for the rest of the afternoon, but because of you and that collared rat named Simms, I was disturbed, my day was ruined. You’re going to ruin his as well, by putting up as much as struggle as possible, do you understand? Test the limits of your consciousness by fighting against the words as they try to come out. In the end, the need to obey my first command will conquer the resistance imposed by the second and you will tell them everything they want to know, but until then, you and Simms will sweat a bit. Do you understand everything I just told you?”
“Yes.”
“Good. You will comply, won’t you?”
“In the name of Allah, I’ll comply!”
“Splendid. That means my job is done. I can finally go home and rub some soothing oil on these legs of mine. They’re simple killing me, you know? Thank you so much for being a good listener and an even better hypno-slave. You’ll become conscious of your surroundings once again when I walk out the door, but before that there’s just one more thing I want you to do for me. It’s something you probably never dreamed of doing, yet it will make you feel like you’re on cloud nine… are you prepared, unworthy human ball of slime?”
“I am.”
“Okay… this is what I want to do. First, get down on your knees. Second, unzip my skirt and third… kiss my ass!”
She turned around as the muslin knelt, sought the zipper feverishly and then slowly calmed down the moment he placed his lips on that piece of heavenly anatomy. “In the name of the Allah that really felt good!” thought the dazzling Agent who had just added another great triumph to her personal records. The skirt went up again and the crescent disappeared into the pocket from which it had emerged, leaving him with the remembrance of the day when a woman’s wit had been far more superior to any law made by men or any religious precept carved by gods.
Simms face was very much similar to a volcanic crater about to erupt when she walked back into the Surveillance Room.
“What the hell was that?” he blurted. “Have you completely lost or your mind, Miss Ryder?”
“No, I haven’t. I was just having a little fun. I could have done a lot worse, but then you would have to look away from the camera…” she teased.
“Having him kiss your ass was not part of the assignment!”
“The assignment pretty much sucked, if you want to know what I think. He happened to enjoy doing it! Tell me one thing straight, once and for all. Don’t you think he ought to be severely punished for the things he did?”
The emissions of sweat seemed to soften a bit, but his anger was still there for everyone to see.
“He will be… in due time. The President…”
“Fuck the President, Mr. Simms!” She stormed out. “Remember the number of people that died in recent years because of him! The President isn’t honouring the victims by keeping him away from justice like this! Is the re-election all that matters? If it’s the case, he sure isn’t my President at all!”
“General, your Agent is way out of line! Could you please calm her down?”
“You’re on your own, Simms! After all, you’re the one that started a fuss over such a trifling matter. No one will know what transpired in that room but us and I’m not going to waste my time thinking about it much. So he kissed her ass! Big deal… I agree with what she said about a severe punishment for a man of his kind. He should be hanging by a rope in this very moment or having his brain fried in an electric chair!”
“I second that motion…” intervened Gibbons. A pack of cigarettes was already gone. “Besides, Simms, Alexandra has special privileges inside the Division. Having a little fun, as she so nicely put it, is one of them.”
“I can’t believe what I’m hearing! His face was now red and his eyes boiling, cooking on the inside. “I thought I was in a serious Government Agency and not on some deranged underground mental institution!”
“Careful, Simms…” warned Hayes, whose experience enabled him to know when to play rough as well. “Now you’re the one who’s getting way out of line. Let Agent 47-D tell us the result of her session and after she’s gone, we’ll talk about it some more.”
“That’s practically insubordination of you, General Hayes! Remember who the President chose to run this place! Anyway, I don’t want to be here more than absolutely necessary. Miss Ryder, is he ready to speak?”
“He will be in a couple of hours, maybe a day. Since I couldn’t screw up his mind much, my suggestions will take a while to be fully assimilated. In the meantime, I would send someone right away to start the questioning and put him under pressure. If you linger too long, the power of my instructions may begin to wear off…”
“I see… I’ll take care of it right away. If you three will excuse me…”
Simms went out, thinking Alexandra had too much power in the Division. She was obviously deceiving and dangerous, but everyone liked her and practically worshipped her… how many men working on that facility had already kissed her ass? Wouldn’t it be interesting to know? And what would the President think about it, that is if he hadn’t met Agent 47-D before?
“You were better off in ignorance of this place, and most certainly in ignorance of her!” his consciousness screamed. It always did that when it was already too late to change his destiny, and more than relief, that voice gave him headaches. He pushed it away, looking for his bureaucratic composure. It kept him alive. Taking a deep breath, he forced himself to forget that scene of control and the unwanted feeling of fetish arousal that whirled in his brain, producing a lot of equally undesired swelling effects throughout his body.
Part IV – The General’s request
After Simms’ little whining which only proved he knew nothing of her way of doing things, Alexandra left the base and went home. As she had promised herself, she rubbed her legs in fine oils and stretched herself on her favourite leather sofa, with nothing on but her laced panties. She slept there for about an hour, until it was almost dinner time and then, feeling lazy but still commanding enough, journeyed up slowly into her bedroom and unlocked the door.
Inside it, next to her water-bed, all tied up to a metal structure firmly attached to the floor and almost reaching the ceiling was her next-door neighbour, plastic surgeon Patrick Davenport, still under the influence of the powerful massage she had given him after a so-called attempt of a romantic dinner. He had moved into her territory quite recently and was handsome enough to deserve a chance of getting to know her true spellbinding nature. He believed to be a sexual predator when in fact he was no more than a helpless prey, as insignificant as an ant ready to be crushed by a human foot. Alexandra liked his hairless, almost baby-like face, his strong, black hair and the uncanny size of his genitalia, as if he himself had gone through an intervention of some kind.
A small whip was dormant at his feet. She picked it up and used it to tickle him in the chin until she got a reaction… he opened his big, sapphire eyes, his heart pumping fast as the words of her training came back to him… alluring… intoxicating… reminding him of all the things he was supposed to say when he saw her again…
“Ah, Alexandra, my sweet enchantress… I’m so glad to see you. I was just dreaming of you, just like you told me to do.”
“Were you aroused and obedient in that dream?” she asked as she began to untie him.
“Yes… very obedient… the more I listened to your voice and followed your orders, the greater my pleasure. I love this feeling, Alexandra… I love being at your service…”
“And so you should. Obedience is such a wonderful thing, Patrick. Nothing wrong can come to you if you simply recognize this as true and obey me in all things.”
All the ropes were removed and the good doctor was more excited than ever. The whip slid gently across his chest, down to the crotch and then under it. Its end rolled onto his naked buttocks and he was overwhelmed by the insinuating power that was carried along.
“I want to sit on you… right now.” she sibilated. Patrick fell to the ground, and his limbs shaped themselves to become the legs of a very comfortable bench. She sat on his back and brought the whip closer to his face, as if kissing him for his complete understanding of her desires.
“Good. This is very nice… isn’t it? Doesn’t this give you an incomparable sensation of delight?”
“Yes…it does… it’s the perfect position for someone like me… under you… always under you…”
“I was pretty sure you would say something like that, my handsome, horny slave… I wouldn’t mind exploring other ways of putting you under me, but right now I’m beginning to feel kind of hungry. Yesterday, when you told me you were a wonderful cook… was that true or were you just bragging, thinking that might impress me?”
“Everything I said last night is true. I’m quite good in the kitchen.”
“That’s just superb. I find cooking rather a waste of time and energy, so you’ll be rewarded with the opportunity of serving me in that way too. If you can fix me a nice meal, I’ll prepare you a special dessert…” she cooed.
“Thank you, Alexandra.” He felt her weight being lifted of him and was shown the way into the kitchen so that he could he play with the pots and pans and prepare something absolutely delicious. He had just finished entering it when he heard her cell-phone ringing. Promptly, he asked:
“Shall I take the call for you, my love?”
“Worry about dinner only.” she replied stretching herself on the sofa again.
Alexandra looked at number flashing on the cell’s screen. What was the big emergency this time? She answered the call with a frown on her face but instead of a coded sequence she heard the General’s voice, which was something totally unexpected and surprising. In four years of service he had never reached her that way—she was always briefed in headquarters. Therefore, the circumstances surrounding that call had to be extremely exceptional.
“General Hayes? Forgive me for saying this, but I’m completely awe-struck with your call! What happened?”
“Hello once again, Alexandra. I’m terribly sorry to disturb you, but I have a matter of great importance I would like to discuss with you.”
“Has it got something to do with the job I made today? Don’t tell me the prisoner is already spewing his guts out!”
“No, he’s still avoiding the questions… after all, you did tell him to resist as much as he could, didn’t you?”
“Ah… you know me so well, General… yes, I did just that… that man is so eager to declare war at others… why not fight against himself, for a change?”
“I’m betting that wasn’t the only reason: you wanted to piss Simms, didn’t you?”
“You’re right once again! I’ve heard too many complaints about him in the last months and did you notice the way he looked at me when we shook hands? I’ve seen that look too many times in my life to know what it means: he thinks I’m a freak and that my abilities shouldn’t be allowed to exist at all. I don’t like people who dislike me on that account.”
“You know, Simms is the main reason why I’m calling you…”
“Is that a fact? Well, tell me all about it…”
“It’s a touchy subject… it really shouldn’t be discussed over the phone. I’m about to leave the facilities. I’m already inside the elevator. Do you think you can receive me in your house… say, in ten minutes or so? The conversation won’t take long, unless of course you’re too busy with something else…”
“I’m having someone cook me dinner, but I must confess I’m getting intrigued by this awkward behaviour of yours. If you don’t mind seeing a submissive half-naked man with puppy eyes wandering around, you’re free to come. It’s your call.”
“The days when those things could bother me ended when we met, Alexandra. Thank you for your patience. I’m on my way over there.”
Having said this, the need to prolong the call wore off, and Agent 47-D was left thinking of what had just happened for a couple of minutes. The thoughts were languid, most of them meaningless, bubbles of questions that after gaining enough altitude in her mind, exploded from within, and fell into her blood stream where they would simply disappear.
So, General Hayes wanted to talk to her about Simms! What kind of touchy subject would he bring along with him, and for how long had that very same subject been bothering him? During the conversation, he sounded disturbed but also very reserved and self-contained at the same time. His speech hadn’t been hasty… there was a lot of rational thought behind it that could only be surpassed by a great emotional restraint. Alexandra didn’t take long to give up trying to find the answer before he got there and since she was not planning on receiving him without proper clothing, occupied herself with the Herculean task of finding an inconspicuous and innocent set of clothes on her wardrobe.
The bell rang only once. Patrick was forbidden to try to open the door and continued solely engaged on his culinary masterpiece to please the woman he adored. Alexandra opened the door wearing a light-blue long dress. Her hair was strapped by a satin ribbon falling in a beautiful pony-tail. The General said she looked like a beautiful angel that had just descended from Heaven and followed her in.
“Sit wherever you like, except on this sofa. This is the only piece of furniture that isn’t to be used by anyone else, except me.”
“We all have our fetish items.” said the sexagenarian military man. He took a chair in front of her and sat. On his right hand, he was holding a linen brown-patterned handkerchief. The palms of his hands were sweaty and he seemed to be having a hard time to breathe.
“Are you feeling alright?”
“I’m fine… just a bit nervous, I think… and ashamed as well…”
“About what?” she asked gently.
“About the reason that brought me here…”
“Is it such a dreadful one?”
“It’s something I never…”
“… thought of saying?”
“Thought of asking… That’s right… I didn’t come all the way here just to talk… I… How shall I put it…? I have a request…”
“Go on, I’m listening.”
“I need a favour from you, Alexandra. A really big favour. You’re the only one who can do it, but I don’t know if you’re willing to do so…”
She scratched her nose as an idea lit her spirit. The General’s posture remained unaltered. He knew her sharp brain was beginning to cross the fainted signals he already given her. It was only when she nodded her head in approval showing him that she understood what he wanted that he became himself again. Of course, she wanted to know the motives behind such an unusual request…
“Why do you want me to hypnotize Simms? What’s the purpose?”
“He doesn’t fit the profile of a leader, especially of an organization like ours.”
“And you think you do? It is what you want, isn’t it… to take his place?”
“You seem to know me pretty well yourself. What you said is true. There’s no point in denying it. I desire his position. I desire it for a long time. When I first joined the Division and got to understand its organic I started wondering what would it be like to be the first one in the chain of command, to be able to call the shots on the most important secret missions of our country. You’re also an ambitious person, Alexandra, I’m sure you can understand my wishes…”
She yawned, not out of disrespect, not because she thought he was wasting her time with that line of reasoning, but due to the fact she was really tired. There was no real connection between the facts, but it was almost as if the act of hypnotizing someone (and she had already used her influence twice that day…) sucked a bit of her energy as well… after eating her dinner and playing with Patrick some more, she would have to sleep a good twelve hours to feel whole once more.
“You’re obviously tired. Do you want me to leave?”
“Not just yet. You still haven’t told me everything… why did you wait three and a half months to tell me this? I could have disposed of him earlier…”
“It was the President that appointed him to, although I never understood his reasons. My sense of loyalty made me shudder at the idea every time it surfaced but, after seeing him work, after observing his attitudes, I realized something had to be done. So, if you can use your powers on him, and alter a few aspects of his personality so that everyone can see his inadequacy for the job I would be very much obliged. After that, it’s just a matter of time until he’s kicked out and I can go directly to The President and try to get the job.”
“That doesn’t seem drastic enough. It has to be a complete revolution so that The President doesn’t think twice in replacing him… or I can even convince him to quit on his own…”
The General was very thrilled with the last prospect. She was being more helpful than he had anticipated. Suddenly, such kind of conspiracy against a fellow human being didn’t seem that wrong at all: Simms was just another enemy flying blindly through the darkness, unaware of the invisible web just ahead.
“Will you actually do that for me?”
“Not just for you, but for me as well. I like you, General, which is more than I can say about him. I’ll be happy for a chance to play with him for a while, explore his dark secrets and some of mine as well…”
“I beg of you. Don’t abuse him… much! Get the job done in the best way you can and I’ll reward you with anything you desire…”
“Anything?! Really?”
“May a lightning strike me right now if I’m being untrue! I’ll be retiring myself in a few years. If I don’t get that position now, I probably never will. That’s why I’m prepared to sacrifice anything… anything at all… just say the words… what is it that you want?”
“Hmmm… let me think…”
“In the meantime, can I get something to drink? I’m in need of good liquor right now…”
“Help yourself. The bar is right next to the kitchen.”
Hayes got up and looked about until he found the precious cabinet that contained everything he needed for a fine cocktail. On a reflection of a gin bottle, he saw entrapped Patrick for the first time, smiling at a freshly marinated piece of veal while his scalpel-addicted hands removed the peeling of a big potatoe.
The plastic surgeon took no notice of him, and opened the refrigerator door to get some vegetables for a salad. There wasn’t much to choose from, for she had been neglecting her shopping in the last few days, but the half a dozen lettuce leaves left were still fresh and tender and he could scrape a carrot or two. When the door was closed, the military was already walking back into his chair with a quarter-empty glass.
“Have you decided what you want?” he asked.
“Yes, I want to play with you, too. Unlike your friend, the Colonel, I never really hypnotized you fully, have I? There were times when you almost slipped into a trance when I was conducting my assignments, but you never went all the way through. I’ll take control of Simms and have him resign in your favour if you agree to submit your mind to my dominion too.”
“Submit in what way?”
“In the way I see fit. I’m a woman of many desires. I like to live my fantasies to the fullest and you never participated in one. Well, what say you? Do we have a deal?”
He began perspiring. When the drink was finished, he sank on the chair, both hands pressed firmly against his skull.
“Do you plan to control me forever so that you can become the real power in the organization when I get the job?”
“No, General. I really don’t want that at all. You get to have all the tough decisions about the assignments and the coordination of the agents. I won’t interfere in those matters because I find them very boring. My control will only last for an hour or so. I just want to see what you can do and then I’ll save you from your memories if the experience of servicing me doesn’t please you.”
“Alexandra… I… you know I’ve always supported you when you began working for us. I know you played with all of the security guards in the compound and whenever a new face appears, I look away while you introduce yourself and seduce the poor guy… yet… what you’re asking me is… I don’t know if I can let go of myself just like that…”
“Then you’re a liar, General! You’re the one that said you would do anything for me if I helped you get your dreams come true. Indulge me if you will and we’ll all be happy.”
“Can I talk to you about this later? Please…”
“No. You’ll only find more hesitations in your mind… accept my proposal now and I’ll even let you choose the way in which I’ll make you fall into my power.”
“I… hmm… you want to do it right now?” The man’s babbling was getting out of hand.
“Right now, before you go home! If not now, then never and Simms will continue to run the show…”
“That’s blackmail, and… and… my wife will kill me!”
“Your wife…” she whispered. “…will never know… and a simple business arrangement isn’t the same thing as blackmail!”
He looked at her… so simple, yet so beautiful… a woman he could have loved with all his heart thirty years ago without feeling guilt.
Alexandra leaned her head, and started playing with the proximity of her body, holding a portion of his thoughts sway. How was he supposed to deny her the satisfaction she wanted? Placing her hands on his shoulders, she was more than satisfied when she saw his body loosening up as his dried mouth gave in to her smile; to the light in her hair…
“Can you use a candle, and have the flame’s flicker dance in your eyes?” The General heard himself asking. “That’s the way I want to go under.”
“Yes, Sir. A candle it is, then.”
Alexandra escaped his grip and suspended Patrick’s chores. Dinner would have to wait a little longer. Tiredness had disappeared from her and a new hunger had arisen… her surgeon and her military would make quite a show for her… oh, yes, no doubt about it… just as soon as she found a candle…
Part V – Personality changes
Henry Simms had been an insecure man for the most part of his life and only two things in the world helped him overcome that sensation of powerlessness that was glued to his personality.
The first was pretending to be his exact opposite: a strong, self-assured and inflexible character – the fact that he was over six feet two and had a well proportionate body helped him convey that image which he believed to be the correct one for a man with so much power in his hands.
As for the second… well… it was something he wasn’t too proud of and therefore did his best to prevent anyone from finding out.
For some people, certain pieces of clothing are considered magical, somewhat impregnated of an aura of well-being, that passes from body to soul by utterly strange and unexplained ways.
Just like Alexandra’s hypnotic skills, this maniac and superstitious inclination for the use of some clothes ran in the family, mainly on the masculine side. Simms’ grandfather had a peculiar taste for red and black ties; his own father never left home without his dark-blue leather shoes and ended up buried with them so that he could have a safe walk into the world beyond; as for himself, he had diverged a little in his choices and was a fanatic for women’s underwear, which he used every day, very well hidden beneath his normal working outfit.
On the day following his first encounter with Agent 47-D he was more nervous than ever and none of his relaxation strategies worked on his behalf. Early in the morning, he received a call in his office from The President himself, informing him that he and some other high officials involved in the policies of National Defence would be conducting a visit to the facilities very soon. When he asked what that ‘very soon’ meant in mundane, clockwork time, The President simply answered:
“Tomorrow morning, around ten, we’ll be there… and we expect to see some results, regarding that delicate matter of ours…”
“Of course, Mr. President.” He said, while trying not to choke on his words.
A visit from the President was the worst thing that could happen at that time. Amongst other things, it involved: checking the level of coordination between all the sections of the base, presiding boring meetings with the supervisors of each one as well as the indexation of the reports regarding the latest missions complete with elaborated statistics of the resources spent in each one of them and the current situation of the budget that had been allocated to the whole functioning of the organization itself. Adding to that, the so-called results The Chief of Staff was hoping to see – namely, the breaking of the prisoner – had not yet occurred. He was still resisting the need to answer their questions, and for that Simms was forced to think badly of Alexandra’s schemes once again.
At noon, the muslin finally gave in and began talking, revealing the secrets they were so anxious to know. Immediately, the recorders started working trying to capture the largest amount of information possible. When Simms was informed of the occurrence, he was visibly relieved but considered the news to be only a small victory: the truth is there was still too much work to be done in terms of the basic preparations of the visit and he wasn’t sure he could handle it all.
The hours passed him by languidly, bringing along more and more layers of stress that gathered around his shoulders, his hands and his legs.
When he had everything prepared, all the information compiled and nicely encapsulated in green dossiers, he left the building and proceeded to the black vehicle that was supposed to take him home. He was way too bushed to notice that his designated driver had been replaced by a woman with auburn hair and dozed off while being taken away from where he was supposed to go.
During his sleep, he was convinced he heard some low musical notes being played in his ears. At certain points of the melody, a woman’s voice was introduced. It whispered: “Follow me… follow me, gladly…” Upon opening his eyes, he realized the car was stopped in front of a very feminine house in a fancy neighbourhood. Alexandra Ryder was standing at the door, beckoning him with a finger, inviting him in.
“Follow me, Simms” she said and disappeared inside the house.
“What the…? Am I hallucinating?”
No he wasn’t. The house was as real as the misty cloud hovering in his brain. He stepped out of the car and walked into the open door, not knowing why he was doing that, or how to break free of the newly discovered obsession of following her. He closed the door as he entered her domains and followed her into her bedroom; the same structure that had held Patrick was now empty, waiting for its new occupant…
“Miss Ryder…” he said, half asleep half awake, hearing his sunken voice as if it were something misplaced, that didn’t belong there. “What’s the meaning of this?”
“Follow me gladly.” she answered as her eyes moved to the structure. She guided him to his proper place in her confinement area, tied him up with a series of rapid moves and then sat on the bed, waiting for him to snap out of her small mind game. His eyes became fierce when that happened, but he could no longer move freely and his threats were useless:
“How did you manage to bring me here?” he asked, bewildered and confused, as he caught the first glimpse of her dominant position on the bed and the sexy combination of clothes she was now wearing.
Alexandra looked savage and dangerous enough in her leopard top and black leather pants. The heavy make-up she had applied on her eyes and lips was something he didn’t like seeing in women, although he had to admit she didn’t look too bad in it.
“I simply slipped in a suggestion or two while you slept in the car, and you came. You’re a very receptive person, Mr. Simms, probably the most receptive person I’ve ever met.”
“What do you want from me, Miss Ryder? Are you seeking revenge for our little difference of opinions yesterday?”
“It was more than that. Your diplomacy wasn’t good enough to hide what you truly feel about me. You think I’m dangerous…”
“I don’t think… I know you are dangerous. The fact that you kidnapped me and brought me here proves just that. I suppose you’ll try to hypnotize me, next…”
“Your use of the word trying is ridiculous to say the least, considering the simplicity in which your mind fell into my trap. You must have been hypnotized before to be so ready and willing to give yourself in just by repeating a couple of phrases into your sleepy head… and you’re the man The President chose to control the proceedings of the Agency… oh, my… what a disappointment you’ve turned out to be!”
“You still haven’t answered my question. What do you want?”
“Keep your voice down. You’re in my house now and screaming at me doesn’t favour your cause much. I’ll answer your question only when I want to. Your delusional authority doesn’t work here. Listen to what I have to say and follow… follow gladly… you will follow gladly every syllable I utter…”
“Let me out of here, 47-D!”
“Only when you follow gladly and not a moment sooner…” She got up, moved silently towards him and placed both of her hands on his virility, grabbing the tortuous mass of engorging skin and pulsating veins. He became completely aroused as she moved her hands, caressing and squeezing his sex at the same time.
“Stop that…” he said, but the rush of sudden pleasure betrayed his voice.
“Why should I stop if you’re obviously enjoying this so very much? Just follow the wave of pleasure as it begins to circle through your body, follow it gladly and don’t hesitate in focusing exclusively on the feeling itself and on me. Don’t hesitate to follow the sound of my voice… follow it so very happily… as it lodges itself within you, in the same way that it happened while you were in the car… but this time, letting it sink deeper… deeper with each word, with each massage in your cock and balls… your mind sinking with it… you free will travelling in the same path… wanting to go away… to escape yourself and follow me… follow me so very fucking gladly into complete dominance and complete control…”
Simms forced the ropes around his wrists. The strength allowed him to move his torso a few inches, with no practical results. Alexandra was firmly grabbed to the only piece of anatomy she was interested in that moment; her nails played with it, shaping the burning flesh into highly alluring hardness. He was beginning to feel enchained by his own reactions as he protested less and listened more… listened and followed her voice … adrift in sexual excitement far beyond his ability to withstand… letting himself go in the promises of her intensifying lust…
“I’m so glad you’re beginning to understand things my way… as you realize that following gladly is just what you need right now… following to become closer to me… you want to be closer to me and closeness is something only the week and submissive to me have a chance to get. So, it’s obvious you need to be obedient, you need to respect me and defer to me… follow me gladly down the stairs of surrender… follow me gladly by feeling your eyelids getting heavier, follow me gladly by wanting to close your eyes for me… good boy… almost ready to accept the need of being trapped by me… close your eyes now and enter the realm of hypnotic enslavement. Continue to follow my voice… gladly assimilating what I have to say… learning the truth about yourself and your existence in the commands you’re about to receive…”
He was already in too deep to try to escape once more. His spirit was in her hands, exposed in its maximum fragility. Alexandra’s first real order was given with a stolen and ironic kiss on his lips:
“Open your hypnotized eyes and face me. I have some things to show you…”
As he obediently opened them, she showed him a couple of Polaroids with images of bizarre sexual explorations between two men whose eyes were completely blank.
“Do you recognize General Hayes? Yesterday, he came to me asking me to put you under my hypnotic control and didn’t mind being brainwashed in order to get what he was after, which is your job of course, in case you didn’t know it already. I’m going to make sure he gets it, because of his attitude. He’s a brave man, a man I can trust. You, on the other hand, are a scumbag in a suit and it’s because of that that you’re now completely mine! Yes, you heard it correctly and will follow gladly… you’re mine, Simms! All that you are now belongs to me… I’m going to let you go and show you what I mean!
She loosened the knots, giving him space to manoeuvre and ordered him to march towards the bed. Simms walked mechanically into it, unable to do anything to the contrary. Alexandra unzipped her pants and had him smell her ass:
“You were so disturbed with the fact of having that terrorist kiss my ass yesterday, weren’t you? Let’s see what your response is right now. It’s your turn to do the job, slave! Fifty kisses will do… beginning right now…”
Simms lowered his head respectfully and his lips merged with her glimmering skin. The correct compliance with the first set of instructions was always important, as it prevented sudden awakenings and meaningless disobediences. Alexandra knew that wouldn’t happen with him, for he just wasn’t an actual fighter but a lousy actor pretending to be a leader.
“Good job! You’ve learned your role in no time. I see my little massage made you grow a lot… aren’t those pants of yours too tight? I think they’re too tight indeed and that you shouldn’t be wearing them at all… take them off!”
He removed them without a sound and his long kept secret was revealed. The black satin thong wasn’t big enough to contain its exaggeratedly large sexual organs, even bigger than Patrick’s. She devoured them with her eyes, for they meant that the poor bastard had something good after all.
“I really didn’t see it coming… the head of the most secret organization in the world likes women underwear! Are you a pansy, Simms? A faggot?! Answer me…”
“No. I only like women.”
“Then why the thong?! You look absurd with it!”
“Feminine lingerie makes me feel good about myself. I’ve been wearing it ever since I was eighteen…”
“Did someone teach you to like wearing it?”
“No. I simply like it. I can’t explain why but it heightens my masculinity.”
“Okay, I can see you’re quite twisted on the inside, much more than I thought you would be… Now, I want your mind to awaken just enough for you to understand that I can puppeteer you in which way I want, but at the same time, remain completely hypnotized and obedient! On the count of three, you’ll feel this slight change in you. Ready…? One, two, three!”
The final number caused some of Simms’ early anger and indignation to rush in to his face. His lips were invaded with the anxiety of unbecoming words trying to release themselves into the world; two fists were raised to assault her, but froze in mid-air when she spoke again:
“Stop right where you are, human statue of mine! You can’t move unless I give you permission! I will grant you two minutes of this controlled awareness so that you can tell me what you think of my skills now. The clock is already ticking…”
“Your skills are indeed very impressive. You got me right where you wanted, didn’t you? And now I’m totally vulnerable to your programming…”
“That’s exactly right… you’re like a sponge now just waiting to absorb my instructions. Get ready to say goodbye to your old self as your personality will never be the same when I let you walk out of here.”
“Can you at least tell me exactly what you’re going to do with my mind?”
“No, because I haven’t really decided… although you gave me a few ideas with that thong… I can’t help but laughing seeing you dressed like that…” and she giggled cheerfully.
“Whatever you’re going to do, please do it fast… that’s all I ask!”
“Though I don’t think you deserve such clement attitude, I’ll concede you that. Your lack of struggle and self-esteem bores me to death… it’s time to make some appealing adjustments…”
Simms knew that the two minutes of consciousness were over when he was left without words to say and his thoughts faded away. Only Alexandra’s wishes existed now. Absent-minded and empty, his brain awaited passively the introduction of new contents, majestically heralding the dawn of a new life…
On the following day, The President of The United States and his most honourable guests arrived at the facilities unprepared for last-minute surprises. Unfortunately for them, there was no escaping to the laughable revelation Alexandra Ryder had cooked up.
Simms received them before they entered the elevator wearing a black hat over a curly blonde wig, luscious red lipstick on his lips and a semi-transparent long dress that occasionally revealed the outlines of the satin thong he loved so much. A pair of plastic sandals completed the shocking outfit.
“Henry…are you feeling alright…? Why in God’s name are you dressed like that?!” The President asked in frenzy.
“Your question amazes me, Sir.” He answered as if he had been insulted by it. How else would you like for a woman to dress?! And please, Mr. President, my name is and has always been Henrietta! Now, are you ready to begin the tour?”