The Dorvak Protocol 5
“I’ll be right back....I’m going to get some fresh air.”
Trevor stood in the doorway of the motel room. Norma had already showered and was in a modest nightgown and robe, her blond hair in a towel wrap. She was sitting up on the bed closest to the bathroom, deeply engrossed in the latest Jacqueline Susan paperback. She wore her reading glasses.
He’d been watching her closely ever since the fiasco in the desert. When they arrived at the motel in Henderson, a small town about twenty minutes out of Vegas proper, he had carefully done the shoulder thing to her. He was greatly relieved to find she had automatically reverted to her “Good Norma” personality. She showed no signs of remembering their near crash or what had caused it.
”Oh.....do you want company? I can get dressed in a jiffy....if you want.”
Trevor needed to call his aunt and check in with her. There was a phone in the room, but he didn’t want to talk in front of Norma. He could have done the shoulder thing, but he was still shaken from his earlier attempt at hypnosis.
”I think it best you stay in here, and enjoy your book, Miss Breckinridge.”
Norma blinked twice.
”Yes...you’re right...you know what’s best.” She went back to her novel. Trevor left, closing the door. Norma counted to ten, then put the book down. She got up and looked through the window. Once she was sure he was clear, she went back to her bed and sat cross legged. She opened the nightstand drawer, and found the local phone book. She quickly found the entry, then tore a page from the book. She then replaced the phone book, and went back to her novel.
Trevor walked until he found the pay phone near the motel office. The “Henderson Motor Inn” wasn’t exactly dingy, but was no one’s idea of a Vegas hotel. He knew the Agency had an arrangement with the owner, it provided a kind of safe house for detectives working the many adulatory cases that involved Sin City.
After a few rings, Angie picked up and accepted the collect call. He told her they had made it. Embarrassed, he didn’t tell her about his earlier use of Norma’s trigger.
Angie filled him in about the next day.
”We got a message from Dr. Spender....something’s come up with him. Now, he wants to meet you at Binion’s Horseshoe.....it’s downtown. Be there at noon. He says bring Norma. Here’s the thing...he’ll be playing Poker, and you may have to wait a bit. I told you....he’s kinda eccentric. He’ll scope the two of you out, if he’s comfortable, he’ll check her out, decide what’s next.”
”How the Hell am I going to find him at Binion’s?”
”He said he’ll be easy to spot.”
The tech looked up from his equipment, then took off the large earphones.
”They’re meeting Spender at Binion’s, at noon tomorrow.
About forty miles from Henderson, Daisy sat desolate in the nearly empty 24 hour diner. Trevor’s abandonment of her and the Cause had hit her hard. So hard she had just driven the Bug almost all the way to Vegas. She hadn’t even stopped to change clothes other that throwing on a “Badfinger 1970 Tour” tee shirt over her bikini top. She hadn’t even gotten her sandals out of her bag. She had always preferred driving barefoot. Luckily, at 2 am, the diner wasn’t enforcing any dress code.
Daisy had planned to head back to campus, but the mixture of hurt and anger set her on this path. She got as far as the diner when she realized she had no idea where in Vegas Trevor and Norma were.
Now, she was filled with self recrimination. Professor Pace needed her for the Cause, and here she was, pinning away like a weepy, bourgeois sorority girl.
A semi with no trailer pulled into the diner lot. It’s powerful headlights shined through and lit up Daisy’s table. It parked next to her VW.
She decisively drained her coffee cup, resolved to head back to campus. That was where her life was, the one that mattered. If it needed to go on without Trevor, so be it. She opened her purse to find her wallet.
The bell over the entrance tinkled, and a burly trucker came in with a large coffee thermos. He set it on the counter, and the waitress took it to refill it. He called out a to go order. The man then strode over to Daisy’s table. He towered over her and stared. The odor of diesel and sweat wafted from him.
Daisy felt naked in her cutoffs and bare feet. But she wasn’t going to let a Neanderthal intimidate her.
”Can I help you with something, Mister?”
He smirked and quietly said:
”Professor Pace sends his regards, Daisy.”
Daisy’s mouth dropped open in shock. She looked around to see if anyone was close by as the man sat in her booth, across from her. Daisy’s mind raced. The big man looked real familiar. He knew about her comrade and mentor, the professor. Could it be the Cause had a mission for her? But, it didn’t make sense.
”How’d you know you’d find me here? I didn’t call anyone.”
Instead of answering, the man took a small silver music box from his pocket. Daisy watched him wind it. Her confusion and anxiety took over, and she raised her voice.
”Answer me, Mister....How’d the hell did you....”
The music box began to play, and Daisy’s words and the very thoughts behind them evaporated. All the sounds in the diner and the nearby highway faded away until there was only the music.
The daughter of two left wing Sociology professors, Daisy knew the words to the “Internationale” by heart. She had often sang the Marxist anthem at meetings and gatherings. She even knew the lyrics in both English and Russian. But this music box arrangement always affected her in a different way. A way she never remembered.
The trucker studied her face. When he spoke, he did so in a quiet and measured manner.
”Daisy, are you with me?”
Daisy felt so much better now. All her worries and cares about Trevor or the Cause were gone, replaced by the sweet peace of absolute obedience.
“Yes, Comrade, I am with you and I am your barefoot instrument.”
The man’s smirk turned into a full smile.
”And a pretty instrument you are, Daisy. I couldn’t keep my eyes off of you at the cemetery. Now, listen. I’m a trucker, and you are a hooker, and we just made a deal for your services. Understood?”
Daisy blinked, then nodded. There was a now hard look on her face. The waitress came to the booth with the thermos and a bag of sandwiches. The man took out his wallet, and paid her for both himself and Daisy.
Daisy said ”Hey, Mister....if we’re doing this, we gotta do it now....I gotta be in Vegas by morning.”
”Don’t you worry, Honey. It’s been two weeks...We’ll be done real quick.”
The waitress look at both of them with contempt.
”Just so you ‘love birds’ know...the highway patrol stops by for breakfast at 4. You best be outta our parking lot by then.”
A minute or two later, the man was helping Daisy up into the cab of the semi tractor. She sat with a bored expression as he made his way around to the driver side. He got in. Daisy turned and reached to open his pants.
”Stop now Daisy. You’re no longer a hooker.” There was disappointment in his voice.
”Yes, Comrade.” Daisy straightened.
”Everything you need is in the rucksack at your feet. You’ve trained on the equipment, but if you have any questions, call the Import number.”
”Yes, Comrade.”
The next day, the Horseshoe’s air conditioning hit Trevor like a cold front. He had been shocked to see the banners, crowd, and local TV news cameras. He immediately realized what his aunt meant. He looked around for the tournament area, when a huge security man approached.
”Excuse me, Miss, but I need you to put your shoes on while in the casino area.”
Trevor groaned. Between Daisy and the women of Seaside, he had forgotten how most of society expected footwear.
”Yeah, Miss Breckinridge, it’s best if you put on your sandals in here.”
There was a pause as Norma blinked rapidly, and the security guy looked like he was about to speak. But, Norma stopped blinking and smiled.
”Of course....you know best, Trevor.” With that, she pulled the flat sandals out of her purse and put them on her feet. The guard went back to his post.
Eventually the two found the tournament area, just in time to hear Old Man Binion say “Shuffle up and deal!”
The poker table had eight players, most flamboyantly dressed like Texas cowboys. One player stood out by his jeans and polo shirt. He was thin, pale, in his thirties or forties, and he wore thick spectacles. His identity was confirmed by Binion when he took down a pot. He was Dr. Grayson Spender.
It was obvious it’d be a while before they could make contact with him, so they watched the tournament. It was different then the stud Trevor had played in the frat house. Each player was dealt two cards which they combined with community cards dealt face up on the table. Trevor noticed that when the cowboy hats won a hand, there’d be a round of applause. Spender got no such appreciation. Once, Trevor heard someone in the crowd call him “Aussie Egghead.”
The tournament area was far too small for the crowd, and Trevor had no choice but to stand very close to Norma. He felt the familiar intoxicating effect of the press of her body. He was soon lost in an erotic daydream until heard an excited Australian voice.
“Call.”
As Trevor focused, Spender was pushing all his chip into the middle of the pot. He then showed his hand.
”Dr. Spender is all in with a set of threes”, intoned Binion.
Across the way, an old man in a ten gallon hat smiled, and showed his cards. There was a gasp from the crowd, then cheering.
”Amarillo has the wheel....on a gutshot....Let’s give a big hand to Dr. Spender, out in 7th place.”
There was a smattering of clapping as Spender muttered obscenities and stood, up gathering his belongings. Binion attempted to shake his hand, but Spender ignored him. Trevor took Norma’s hand and tried to intercept the Doctor. Due to the crowd and Spender’s haste, they didn’t catch up with him until he was outside of the main entrance. There he was being accosted by a local TV reporter. Spender gruffly said “No interview and no comment.”
As the reporter and cameraman walked away, Trevor tapped him on the shoulder. His quarry suddenly turned, his face a mask of rage and terror
”DON’T TOUCH ME! DON’T YOU EVER TOUCH ME!” Spender’s accent was even more pronounced in anger.
“I’m sorry.....Doctor....I’m Trevor Dupuis.”
Trevor’s words seemed to calm Spender. His eyes focused on Norma.
”Why hello, Norma.....it’s been a while.” Spender took her right hand into his.
Norma looked confused, but shook his hand.
”I’m sorry, Mister.....have we met?”
”Barefoot Norma must listen. Luck let a gentleman see....”. His voice was quiet but confident.
Norma toed off her sandals.
Bad Norma was in a panic. If anyone could discover her return, it was this man. It was so frustrating....she knew she should have made her escape before now. But the commands Angie had given her were too strong to overcome. Though her mind was far more her own now, she still couldn’t resist Trevor’s direct instructions. As a result, she was being handed over to this........this.....
Gorgeous......handsome.....wonderful man...
Her Master in all things.
As she felt her lips form the response to her trigger, Bad Norma sank back down into the depths of the subconscious mind.
Trevor felt the pangs of jealousy as Norma longingly gazed upon Spender, and hated himself for it. He knew the woman was poison, but he couldn’t stop thinking about her.
Spender was looking closely at Norma’s pupils. Then he quietly spoke.
“Norma. We’re playing the Response Game.”
Norma’s eyes fluttered shut.
“I’m ready to play, sir.”
”Copious Truncation.”
She immediately answered.
”Barley Pronoun.”
”Submarine Clockwork.”
“Pretense Acclimation.”
”Platypus Dissension.”
”Game over, Norma.”
Norma’s eyes sprung open, the strange test completed.
Spender seemed lost in thought for a moment.
”Right then......good on you to bring her....she got the words right enough....but her reaction times are off. Where you parked?”
Trevor pointed out the parking garage.
”Right. I’m in a grey Plymouth in the city lot over there. I’ll go get it, you and Norma follow me to the compound. I’ll run some tests....maybe she goes back with you....maybe she stays. We’ll see.”
Trevor started to say something, but the psychiatrist was already making his way to the city lot.
Daisy followed Spender in her binoculars. When she was sure he was headed for his car, she picked up the radio transmitter and armed the device under his car.
”Ok, Norma, come with me.”
She just stood on the sidewalk, as if he didn’t exist.
”Shit.” He realized that Spender forgot to transfer control back to him.
“Norma.......Luck let......Wait...I mean Barefoot Norma must......”
The explosion roared and echoed through Glitter Gulch.
Trevor turned and ran towards the lot.
From the depths, Bad Norma screamed.
”The Master is dead! This is our chance..... We have to go now!”
In the real world Norma blinked, then smiled. She turned and ran through the gathering crowd.
A black van slowly passed her.
Trevor made it to the edge of the lot and saw the burning wreckage of the Plymouth. His worst fear confirmed, he turned and ran back towards the Horseshoe.
Norma was gone, only her sandals remained on the sidewalk. Trevor desperately looked for her. He didn’t see the van pull along him.
The big man from the cemetery came up from behind. Trevor wasn’t ready when the handkerchief was shoved over his nose and mouth. Everything faded to black as he was shoved into the van.