Deep Undercover
Part Seven — A Very Deep Conspiracy
Buzzzzz Buzzzzz Buzzzzz
Megan glanced at the phone and frowned. Here she is. Madame Franz. The towering stacks of paperwork on both desks told her to ignore the call and let it go straight to voicemail—Paul was hardly paying her for all of the work that she’d already done, and besides, answering the phone wasn’t going to get Ellen Zang’s financial records sorted any faster. Then again, this was literally a matter of national security. It wasn’t just Paul who depended on her, it was Tara, and the Navy, and the entire country. Fine, I’ll get it. She grabbed the phone and answered. “Siberia Investment Company, this is Megan.“
The expected pause. “I... oh, I’m sorry. I must have the wrong number, but I was told to call, and...”
“Deep sleep, Marta.” Megan dug through her pile of paperwork and came up with a notepad and pen.
She clicked the pen just in time for Marta’s response. “Yes, Mistress. I am deeply asleep. I have received some very important information.”
“Your mind opens as you speak to me, Marta. Tell me about the information.”
“Michelle came to the spa today. She reports that Captain Alsing has delayed the XR-7 test as ordered. The test will now take place on the fourteenth of June.”
“Mmm hmm.” Megan jotted down a few notes. “You’ve done very well, my pet. Now listen to—”
“Mistress. I have more information for you. I must report everything I know. I must obey my Mistress.”
Well, this is new. “Okay... yes. You must obey, my lovely plaything. Your trance deepens tenfold now, going deeper, letting me know everything that you have learned. Deeper, Marta. Deeper and deeper. Why have you learned?“
“So deep. I’m very deep in trance, Mistress. Cassie came to the spa today.”
“Okay.” Megan jotted down a note. Cassie had been a no-show at the spa for a while. Paul was so worried about it. And now, just as Megan predicted, she was back with more stolen secrets. “What did she have to say?”
“She reports that Lieutenant Rogers said Megan, Wednesdays, willows, and warlocks.“
“I? Whaaaaauuuhnnn.” Megan’s eyes slid closed. She sighed softly, letting her body relax until she was resting on the surface of the desk itself. A pile of papers slid to the floor. Somehow, she managed to keep the phone in her hand. “I am under your control.”
“Cassie reports that you will meet Tara tomorrow morning at nine o’clock in the parking lot of Big Bagel. You must go to this meeting. Nothing is more important than this meeting. You will cancel any other appointments that you have for tomorrow and tomorrow evening. You must go.”
The words flowed into Megan’s empty mind and hardened, like concrete. “Yes. I understand. I will cancel my appointments and meet Tara at Big Bagel.”
“Also, Cassie reports that you will not remember being hypnotized by this phone call. Everything will be completely normal when you wake up. Megan, Tuesdays, tiaras, and tea.”
Megan rose from the desk without even realizing that she’d been sprawled across it. Without thinking about how odd and inappropriate that was. Like a volunteer at a stage show, she simply accepted it as being completely normal, before the memories of it vanished from her mind. “That’s, um... that’s very good, my... um... my pet.” She looked down at the pad of paper, confused as to why she hadn’t taken any more notes about Cassie. “Close your eyes, Marta, and go deeper into trance for me.“
“Yessss... Missstresss...”
“Um, when I hang up the phone, you will wake up. You will not remember speaking to me, or calling me. You will call Avery as normal, and relay the information you received from Michelle and Cassie.” What information? Why didn’t I write it down?
“Yes, Mistress. I understand.”
“Good, pet. Good.” She tapped the phone to end the call and stared, once again, at the notepad. Cassie. Spa. Rodgers. Well, things like that happened from time to time. It was completely normal. At least she had the information on Captain Alsing, which was critical to Paul’s case. Alsing was the biggest fish in Avery’s tank, and the one with the power to actually influence policy. He also had a particular weakness for hot young brunettes. She smiled to herself. Maybe she could use the evidence she was gathering for Paul in a future divorce case between the Captain and Mrs. Alsing.
She bounced the end of her pen against the desk for a minute, gathering her thoughts. The vast pile of Zang paperwork awaited her, but there was something else she was forgetting. Finally, it hit. “Oh, shit, that’s right! I have to meet Tara tomorrow!” She glanced quickly from side to side, scanning the desk for her phone. It was still in her hand. Senility, here we come, she thought, as she scrolled down her contact list.
Hey sexy, can we take a rain check on dinner tomorrow? Got a thing I have to go to. I’ll make it up to you, promise. xoxoxoxoxo
Brandi, something’s come up. I’m going to have to postpone our meeting tomorrow. Say next Wednesday at three?
Marta finally checked in. Give me a call when you get this. Heard news about Cass too. Call me!
Satisfied, she set the phone on top of a pile of financial records and dived back into the dull paperwork of the Markham case.