Everyone in it is 18+ and everyone outside should be as well. This one is a bit more gruesome than anything since “Welcome and Thanks,” and there is a character based on a real-world individual whose fate and crimes I delve into.
Spellbinders Saga
By Arthur N. Owen
Volume III: Life and Mind, Chapter 8: Family Reunion
David Wilson stared at the photographs in his hands. They had come from an envelope dropped off by his brother two days ago. However, Steven had caught David in a compromising position, which necessitated a confession, a bribe, and the envelope being banished from Steven’s mind until just before David dropped him off. While the envelope had letterhead from his father’s law firm, that really didn’t mean anything.
There were the same three people in the photographs, which David estimated to be about sixty years old. One of the people David recognized as his grandfather, Ebeneezer “Knees” Wilson. The only female of the trio was extremely attractive, which made Kelly guess that this was possible evidence of one of Knees’ bastard children. Knees Wilson had countless affairs, which eventually drove his wife to suicide (a fact John and Jacob Wilson, their sons, never forgave him for). But it was the third person who shocked David. He didn’t recognize him at all (which was understandable, because David estimated that the man would currently be in his late eighties at minimum), but he did recognize the man’s pocket watch. A watch that currently belonged to his former mentor, Malcolm Masterson.
Speaking for the first time since he saw the watch, he said “That’s Malcolm’s watch. It doesn’t have the gems yet, but I’d know it anywhere.”
Kelly said. “Malcolm mentioned the watch is a family heirloom, maybe that’s his father.”
“Or at least that’s what they believed.” said David.
“What are you saying?”
“I can’t believe I didn’t put it together before. My grandpa was a master hypnotist!”
“From what you told me about him, that makes a lot of sense. All the affairs, the stock success, how everybody deferred to him inexplicably, and why your grandma stayed with him despite... you know.“
“I had the exact same thought.”
“But what does that have to do with Malcolm’s parents?”
“I figure that Knees impregnated Malcolm’s mother, then hypnotized the whole family to believe that Malcolm was his ‘father’s’ son. Mama herself didn’t know whose baby she was carrying.”
Kelly said. “Let’s say for a minute that you’re right. That makes Malcolm your half-uncle.”
“I know.” answered David. “Malcolm considers me the closest thing he has to family. I guess that is more true than even he knows.“
“But your dad told me that he never found any half-siblings except Jacob. All of them were aborted or... died in the cradle. Oh my god... He wouldn’t... His own children.“
“It’s what the evidence suggests. Uncle Jacob must have only survived because, ironically, his mom died before she got the chance!”
“Wow. Everything I learn about your grandfather makes him just look worse!“
“Steven and I felt the same way. We begged Dad to tell us about Grandpa Knees right after he died... and we all regretted it for years.”
“So why did he spare this one, let alone set him up as a brood parasite?”
“We need some help to find out. I’d rather not involve my father until we’re sure.”
“But who else is there?”
“Someone I really didn’t think we’d ever again...”
Sean Clarke sat at his desk, looking through a set of photos of Livvie Domingo for the third time that night. She hadn’t done anything of note since her tour ended six months ago, and she and her boyfriend did not appear to have any changes in their relationship, for good or bad. Tabloid journalism was soul-crushing, but not as soul crushing as going back to the Sentinel knowing she wasn’t going to be there... Suddenly his phone rang, and he didn’t recognize the number. “Hello, who is this?” he answered.
“Someone who needs your help with research.” came the answer.
“Will I get a story out of this?”
“No, because you won’t be able to tell anyone.”
“Will you pay me for my time?”
“You won’t doing the work, so no.”
“Then what are you offering me?”
“ Regina Abernathy, and how you suddenly lost interest in her? That was me.”
“Did I stumble on to something you wanted kept quiet?”
“More or less.”
“Will you tell me what you made me forget?”
“Why would I do that?”
“You still haven’t given me any incentive to help you.”
“Have you noticed a certain... condition you’ve had for the last two years?”
“That was you, wasn’t it?” Sean was getting intrigued, despite not having a clue what was going on, and assuming that this person could be dangerous.
“Technically it was my wife, but close enough. If you help me with this, I will undo your condition.”
“So all I’m getting out of this is extortion. How little integrity do you think I have?”
“Mr. Clarke, you’re a tabloid reporter. If command of the English language wasn’t a requirement for your job, I would doubt you could even spell ‘integrity’.“
“I wish I could disagree with you more than almost anything. I accept your offer.”
“Meet me tomorrow, at 10:30 AM, on the west side of Griffith Park. Considering what you do for a living, I knowI you’ll have the time.“
“I’d take more offense if you weren’t correct. I will see you then.” The call ended, and Sean wasn’t sure what would happen tomorrow, and also wasn’t sure if he cared all that much if it ended badly.
The next day, David was waiting for Sean in the park. Both wore thick sunglasses and were overdressed for the weather. Sean said. “What is this about?”
David handed him the pictures from the envelope. “Find out who these three people are, and the connection between them. Call me if you find anything.”
“Can you give me a hint as to who this concerns?”
“Malcolm Masterson.”
“You should have led with that. I’ve got my own issues with that guy.”
“What do you know about Masterson?”
“I know that he’s one of the richest, best-connected men in the state, and that he’s as Teflon-coated as your average Mafia don, and just about as dangerous.”
“Then why would you get involved with him?”
“You’re the one looking for answers, not me. I have my reasons, emphasis on ‘MY’.” Sean left before David could ask him anything else.
On the way back to his car, David wondered what Malcolm had done to Sean, if Sean was now in danger from Malcolm (for the incident with Regina, along with this and whatever happened between them before), and whether he had put his trust in someone with a death wish.
David got a call from Sean less than twelve hours later, “I know what happened between these three. Same time and place, tomorrow?”
“Yes.”
When David got to the park, Sean explained. “That one is investor Ebeneezer Wilson, who went by the nickname ‘Knees’. The other male is Elijah Masterson the Third, then heir to a jewelry fortune. The woman is Loretta Ellerson, who was courted by both of them.”
David knew Loretta wasn’t his grandmother, and had already known the identities of the two men, but played dumb. “Who did she pick?”
“Masterson. It was no contest, really. Not only was he ten years younger and more than ten times richer than Wilson, but Knees was a widower with his late wife less than a year gone, and had two children and a history of cheating. There were even rumors that one of his kids was from an affair, and that he’d killed his wife and made it look like suicide.“
“Okay, what happened after the wedding?”
“The marriage produced one son, Malcolm. For some reason, Knees Wilson ingratiated himself into the family. Despite it including the woman he was denied, the man who caused that denial, and the living proof of his loss, he remained friends with them until Malcolm was about ten years old. That’s all the official record says.“
David said. “Well, here’s something unofficial, Mr. Clarke. Knees Wilson was a master hypnotist and the true biological father of Malcolm Masterson. He hypnotized the other Mastersons to not question the boy’s paternity.“
Sean was stunned. “How do you know? They’ve been dead for over twenty years.”
“Because I’m David Wilson, Knees’ grandson. And the talent runs in the family, though it probably skipped a generation.”
“David Wilson, one of the few known friends of Regina Abernathy outside the industry. That’s why you forced me to leave her be!“
“Something like that.”
“Well, since you’re being so honest with me, I’ll tell you my history with Malcolm Masterson. I’m pretty sure he had my fiancée killed.”
“Who was she?”
“Louise Streeter.” Sean pulled a picture out of his wallet for David to see. “We worked at the Los Angeles Sentinel together. You might her as the one who broke the...”
“Gerald Stein story.” It had been the top news story during his freshman year of college.
“What you probably don’t know is that Malcolm Masterson was one of her sources. She never told anyone who her sources were unless absolutely necessary, not even me or our editor Bianca. I only found out after she... was gone while I was looking through her things.“
David actually had his own suspicions about Gerald Stein, the multimillionaire serial pedophile who was as infamous as any Mob boss. While he had never asked Malcolm about him (or any other people he suspected were major controllers), the fact that he was involved with Stein’s downfall confirmed them. “What makes you so suspicious of Masterson?”
“Stein was found dead in his cell less than two days before the trial was supposed to start. It was ruled a suicide, but there are a lot of people who think otherwise. Before the news even broke, Louise drove her car through a barrier along the highway-and into the ocean off a cliff! Her body was never found, but they gave up looking after about a week. It was a clear night, she’d driven that stretch of road so many times, and there shouldn’t have been anyone around that late. Her family took it as it appeared, but I refuse to believe that it was an accident.” Sean had gotten more emotional than David had ever seen him.
David knew that Sean was probably right about Louise’s fate not being an accident. David also knew that the truth about Malcolm, Knees, and even Stein was far worse than Sean could imagine (and someone in his line of work probably had a vivid imagination), and he couldn’t bring himself to tell the man what he guessed really happened to Louise. “Masterson is dangerous, you’re right about that. It’s probably a mercy that you’ll forget about all this, so he won’t come after you.“
“Thanks, I guess. But what about you?” asked Sean.
“If I’m right, he’s my uncle. I have my own issues with him, but I can handle it.”
“Good luck. If you get out of this alive, I’d love to interview you and get the whole story.“
“If I can, the story is all yours. And I’m sorry you had to get involved at all.“
“Getting involved is my job, for better or worse.“
David now had to remove Sean’s knowledge. “Give me the photos back, and any documents you gathered, then sit down on the bench.” Sean did so. “Stop the presses.”
“This... just... in... I... obeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeyyyyyyy...” said Sean as his head slumped forward and his eyes shut.
“Sean, you will no longer shit yourself when you orgasm. When you wake up, you will not seeing or hearing from me, or anything involving the work I commissioned, that occurred over the last 24 hours. You spent the whole time doing your regular work, and came to the park today out of boredom. Do you understand?”
“I... understaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand...”
“Count to 100 in your head and awaken.” David then left, He waited out of sight of the bench just long enough for Sean to awaken before heading to his car.
“Is it true?” asked Kelly after David explained what he’d learned.
“It probably is true.” answered David. “Knees was pissed off that Loretta picked Masterson over him, even though he objectively didn’t stand a chance. So he impregnated her and forced them to raise his son as theirs for revenge.”
“Which would explain why he lived to adulthood unlike almost all the other bastards. How sure are you that Malcolm is your uncle?”
“As sure as I can be, short of a DNA test between him and Dad or Drunkle.”
“So now what?”
“What do you mean ‘Now what?’ We go see Malcolm and tell him!”
“He has to know by now what we did with Regina. I doubt you’re his favorite person at the moment. And I never was in the first place!“
“He has a right to know. And besides, if he is family, maybe he’ll be more merciful.“
“Well, if there’s anyone he’d show mercy towards, it’s you, big boy. He thinks of you as akin to a son already, it’s just closer to the truth than he realized!”
An hour later, they had called Steven to babysit and were on their way to Bakersfield. “How many times have you been here?” asked Kelly, who had never been to Malcolm’s mansion, and never wanted to go either.
“Counting today, five. The last was when I told him that I wanted to retire.”
“What’s this place like?”
“At least as big and luxurious as Marks Manor, with some changes. One big difference is that Jason Marks Senior does not have hypnotics over every inch of his front hall. Hidden spirals in the paintings, subliminals broadcast throughout, patterned strobes in the lights, moving lights on the chandeliers, multiple metronomes and grandfather clocks...”
“That’s one hell of a security system!” said Kelly.
“That’s part of its purpose, yes. Count yourself lucky that we’re locked down, so it probably won’t affect us if we’re there less than an hour or two.”
“Okay, does he have a soundproof office with built in hypnotics like you do?”
“Who do you think gave me the idea for it?”
“Is there an army of sexy half-naked live-in servants ready to fuck him whenever he wants?”
“No.” said David. He then added. “Only two, though he could probably house an army of them if he was so inclined, the place is that big.“
“I just thought of something.” said Kelly. “Even if this goes as well as it can, and Malcolm accepts you as family, how the HELL are you going to introduce him to your dad without explaining who he is and what you’ve done for him? We don’t even have a cover story of how he met you in the first place!”
“We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.” said David nervously. “I’m more focused on Step One.”
“We didn’t call ahead, are you sure he’ll be there?”
“Malcolm’s number one interest is fucking sexy hypnotized women. His house is pretty much designed to facilitate that. Where else would he go?“
“To find more women to hypnotize and fuck?“
“He delegates that more and more these days. We should know.”
“I still say call ahead.” Before David could respond, Kelly had taken the phone out of his pocket and begun to dial Malcolm (Kelly was never given Malcolm’s number, and she doubted he’d pick up a call from her anyway).
Malcolm’s voice came through the car speakers via Bluetooth. “David, I didn’t expect to hear from you for a while, for obvious reasons.“
“I would think so, but we need to talk. Are you home?” asked David.
“I am, but what you did was self-explanatory. There is nothing you can say, and nothing I want to hear either.”
“We’re already en route. We’ll be there in less than an hour.”
“We? I should have known that Kelly would be with you. I guess the die has been cast, so I await your arrival. I hope you know, that anyone else would be intercepted by the cops before they even reached the city limits. See you soon.” He then hung up.
“You get the feeling like we just accepted dinner reservations from Hannibal Lecter?” asked Kelly.
“At least Hannibal would kill you by the end so it would be over.”
They arrived at the mansion, and Kelly let out a low whistle (she’d done the same thing when first seeing the house James grew up in). “I will never let him hurt you.” said David as he hugged her from behind.
“Sentiment appreciated as always, but it might not be up to you.” she responded as he broke off the hug and opened the door. A pair of gorgeous women in skimpy French Maid outfits greeted them.
“Natalie, Lulu, this is my wife Kelly.” said David. “Kelly, these are Malcolm’s live in servants, Natalie Macavoy and Lulu Rhodes.”
“Nice to meet you!” the maids said in unison.
Kelly ignored them, she was trying to find a place to look that didn’t have some kind of hypnotic focus. As David had described, it was difficult. Chandeliers, grandfather clocks, metronomes on the baby grand piano, they were everywhere! She looked down at the floor, only to see the black and white spiral design on the rug.
David noticed the rug as well. “Spiral on the rug, that’s a new one.”
“I replaced the old rug after the stains wouldn’t come out.” said Malcolm, entering the hall. “At least tell me you covered your tracks this time!”
“He kept the memory, but he can’t speak about what he knows with anyone except me or Kelly.”
“Good enough. If you had picked any other thrall I allowed you access to, and everything else was the same, this could easily be swept under the rug. Not this rug, it’s taped to the floor. But Regina is special. And I thought you wouldn’t make someone else cheat.“
“She’s been single as long as we’ve known her, and you programmed her not to tell anyone her relationship status.” said Kelly. “Thus, there was no way we could have known without David already having put her under before asking!” Kelly didn’t mention that she didn’t count Regina and Malcolm as in a relationship because of how much control he had over her.
“Okay, I’ll give you that one.” said Malcolm. “But you still made the wrong choice on principle. How many times do I have to tell you to wipe first, ask questions later!”
“He’s my brother!” snapped David. “I couldn’t do that to him. And the only other woman he would have accepted is Kelly’s sister, which she couldn’t let happen either.“
“I forgive you.” said Malcolm. “And your status with my thralls will remain intact. EXCEPT WITH REGINA!”
“Did someone mention my name?” said Regina as she came downstairs. David and Kelly were shocked at how she had changed. Regina was clad in nothing but a plunging white lace teddy, so sheer and tight around her bountiful breasts that her nipples could be seen through it. Her smile was so wide they almost thought she was in a trance, but her eyes, looking normal, told a different story.
David immediately said her trigger. “R.A., Relax Absolutely!”
Regina’s posture and expression did not change at all. Having seen her respond to the trigger so many times, Kelly was shocked at the lack of reaction, but realized the cause immediately.” “You took away her key from David!”
“What is he talking about, Master?” Regina asked, shocking Kelly for a third time in as many minutes.
“What did you just call him?” she said, expressing great restraint in not shouting those words.
“It’s my nickname for him.” answered Regina. “It’s a shortening of his last name.”
“No, it’s a sign that you stepped up your timetable to turn her into Mrs. Sex Slave!”
“Malcolm, I am confused. I do not understand what Kelly is saying.” said Regina.
“Take a wonderful nap, my dear.” said Malcolm.
Regina sat down on the floor, crossed her legs, and as a big empty smile grew across her gorgeous face, shut her eyes and said “Yes, Master!”
Malcolm addressed David and Kelly. “She won’t respond to anything until I touch her shoulder. The only thing in her head right now is dreams of what we’ve done together on a loop, and a voice repeating how good it is to trust me. When she awakens, any confusion and anxiety will be gone as if it never existed. Yes, I made it so David can no longer trigger her into trance. I have, as Kelly said, ‘stepped up my timetable’ because your actions forced my hand.”
Kelly snapped. “That’s some quick overhaull! She was at our place what, two days ago?“
“And came here immediately from there. She told me what happened from the car, at least the parts that you let her , and I immediately directed her here. She hasn’t left the mansion since.”
“Wearing that, I’m not surprised.” said David. “How long until you give up the pretense of her independence and have her move in with you?“
“June, most likely.” answered Malcolm, although David had intended the question to be rhetorical. “And by a year after that, she’ll be Mrs. Regina Masterson.”
“You’re following my paper exactly.”
“The Chrysalis Loophole, yes. Slave first, celebrity later. Keep all of the most noteworthy stages of the enslavement out of the public eye.”
David, ing the plan he had outlined, listed off what Malcolm had done or was doing. “She has no friends besides me you don’t already control, you employ her and thus control her coworkers, and I know you’ve had her family for years. No one will ask any questions besides the age gap, and even that puts as much suspicion on her being a gold-digger as it does on you being a sugar daddy. Congratulations in advance, boss. By next year, you’ll have achieved the ultimate victory for a controller. Marrying an enslaved super-hot celebrity in front of the WHOLE FUCKING WORLD, effectively legalizing your absolute control over her, with nobody suspecting a god damned thing!“
“And I couldn’t have done it without you.” said Malcolm. “I’d ask you to be best man at the wedding, but I only made it plausible you’d be a bride’s guest, not a groom’s.“
Kelly smirked. “Funny you should mention that. We found a reason for David and me to be on the groom’s side of the aisle at your wedding. That’s why we’re here!”
“Do tell.”
David explained. “We have reason to believe that my grandfather was a master hypnotist. Among those things he did with his ability was sleep with countless women.”
“It’s what you and I did, what of it?”
“Unlike us, he didn’t seem to care whether anyone knew he’d been with these women, least of all his actual wife. He only made them forget why they were in bed with him.“
“I still don’t see what that has to do with me.”
“After he drove my grandmother to suicide, he wanted a new wife. The object of his desire was Loretta Ellerson. Your mother. However, Elijah Masterson the Third won her over by being younger, richer and not having two sons and a reputation for philandering.“
“Yes, I hearing that my father had a rival for my mother’s affections. From what you said, calling him a true rival seems quite generous. Small world.”
“Smaller than you think. My grandfather, Ebeneezer Wilson, was nicknamed Knees. Mainly because nobody ever was able to deny him anything. I assume this was another aspect of his hypnotic skill. But when Loretta chose Elijah over him, it represented the first time he really wanted something and it was denied him and that pissed him off. He wanted revenge on Elijah Masterson, but he wanted the revenge to be something that only he would ever know he got. So...“
“He impregnated my mother, then hypnotized her and everyone else in the family to believe my father was who everyone expected him to be.” David nodded and Malcolm’s jaw hit the floor. “That’s why she left. Somehow she knew.”
“Why who left?” asked Kelly.
“My father’s cousin. Well, the cousin of the man who believed he was my father. Effectively, she’d be heir to the Masterson fortune if he died without reproducing, as he was an only child. I her not wanting anything to do with me, and eventually she disappeared.“
“She probably got sick of everyone accusing her of being jealous.” said Kelly.
“If this is true, that makes you my nephew, David. Maybe I knew it all along, subconsciously.”
“There is no way to know for sure without a DNA test. Because you’d only be a half-uncle, my genetics wouldn’t be conclusive enough. It would have to be compared to my father or the uncle I already knew about.“
“I can understand that, but how would you even get me to meet them without explaining how we know each other?”
“I asked him the same thing on the way here.” said Kelly. “He was more concerned with your reaction than theirs.“
“The only connection I have with you that doesn’t involve my,,, previous employment is through Regina.” said David. “And even that is tenuous, since our friendship only exists in her mind and the tabloid record. Logically, we shouldn’t have had any since she graduated.”
Malcom’s face lit up. “I can give you invitations to my birthday party tomorrow. Just tell them I’m with your alumni association.”
“It’s the best we’re going to come up with on such short notice.” said Kelly. “Now can we leave? Staring at Regina like that is terrifying!” David had to it, Regina’s new programming made her look even more vulnerable and dominated than usual. David made the arrangements with his family, and they left. As David closed the front door, he noticed Malcolm go over to the motionless mesmerized model and whisper in her ear.
On the way back, Kelly commented. “You know, we got so caught up in the history of those photographs that we never bothered to ask where they came from.”
“It was Steven who delivered them, we can ask him when we get home.” said David.
“Why wait?” She dialed Steven on the car’s Bluetooth.
Steven answered. “I know I’m not allowed to ask questions about any of... you know what...” As Eliza was in his lap, he was about to start coughing, but caught himself in time. “I just hope it went well.”
“Well enough.” said David. “You never told me who gave you that envelope.”
“It was Penelope.” said Steven. “I thought you would have known, she said it was something she looked into for you. How long until you’re back?”
“Two hours, tops.” said David and then he hung up. David turned to Kelly. “Why would Penelope lie to him?”
Kelly said. “Maybe it was a conflict in orders. She was told to deliver it to us, but you told her to keep away from us. Steven presented a way to fulfil both directives.”
“Yes, but if it came from anyone at Wilson and Spaulding, she would have given their names.”
“You’re right. Penelope would have no reason to lie to us or Steven... unless she was unable to tell the truth in the first place!”
“She was programmed to get the stuff to us, by someone who didn’t know we’d programmed her to stay away. If she’d come to us directly, she’d make up something more believable. What she told Steven was only believable to him.”
“Aren’t you forgetting something, big boy? The only person who could have given Penelope those orders besides us is Malcolm. And if Malcolm arranged for us to start on that investigation...”
“Then he already knew about his true parentage! But Malcolm was genuinely surprised when we told him. I could see it in his eyes.”
“The only one who can tell us what really happened is Penelope. First thing in the morning, you’re getting the truth from her.”
The next morning, David was at Penelope’s apartment. While he’d known where it was as long as she’d lived there, this was the first time he’d been here, since it was so much easier to control the narrative from his home than hers. He rang the bell.
Penelope opened the door and her eyes went wide as she saw who she was answering. “David, what are you doing here?”
David’s eyes also went wide. Penelope was only wearing an oversized T-shirt, with her panties peeking out under its hem. As he snuck a glance at her bare legs, David couldn’t the last time she looked more alluring outside of trance. “Something I began regretting on the way over.” he answered. “May I come in?” She nodded, and moved out of his way.
“Please don’t tell me you and Kelly are having problems.” said Penelope, as her eyes widened further. “I know it’s a good idea to talk to a lawyer in that kind of situation, but this is more of Tom’s thing, or at least your dad because he’s your dad. You know I specialize in criminal law. As flattering as what this visit implies, it’d be very hard for you two to reconcile if...“
David could tell that even after almost two years of her emotions being suppressed, Penelope was still attracted to him. He didn’t expect her to make the first move though, her respect for his father would prevent that. “No, that’s not why I’m here.” he interrupted, then under his breath, added. “If only.”
“Then what is this about?” she asked.
“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you, and I don’t have time to explain anyway. Forgive me.” said David as he closed the door behind him.
“For what?”
“For this. Nell and Void.”
“Case... closed... defense... ressssssssssssssssssssssssts...” droned Penelope as she went into a trance. David had almost forgotten that Penelope was incapable of remaining upright if she went under while standing up. He had to quickly grab her to keep her from falling on her face. Unfortunately, this made the situation even more awkward than it had been. Not only did Penelope’s luscious lips take on the sleepy, peaceful smile they always did when she was entranced, making her face look its absolute prettiest, but the position David caught her in allowed him to discover that she wasn’t wearing a bra. David hadn’t been this tempted since the first time he’d bedded Regina, and he knew full well how that had turned out.
“Penelope, open your eyes and stand up straight, but remain asleep.” he quickly said so he could release her. David could swear he saw hints of pleading in her blank brown eyes. It was as if her subconscious knew what typically happened next and welcomed the idea, silently trying to beg him to do to her what she wanted more than anything, what hadn’t been done to her in so long...
NO! David had enough issues right now without sleeping with the one woman Kelly had demanded be excluded from their otherwise open marriage, the closest thing she had to a romantic rival. “Penelope, where did you get the photographs you gave to Steven?”
“From... the... other... voice... in... dreams... sent... by... email...” she answered. David knew that she could only be referring to Malcolm. “He... told... me... to... make... them... look... like... a... work... task... and... give... them... to... you... without... you... knowing... it... was... him...”
“And since I told you to stay away from me as much as possible, you gave them to Steven to give to me instead, didn’t you?”
“Yes... I... did...”
“Okay, Penelope, I need you to go deeper into this wonderful sleep, and back to the first time I brought you into this sleep. Will you do that?”
Penelope’s smile grew a tiny bit wider and more dreamy. “Of... course... I... will...”
“Okay, sit down.” After she sat down in a kitchen chair, he continued. “Now go deep and deeper until you get to that point. When you do, say ‘first coming, first service’. Understand?”
“Yes.,, David...” Penelope’s eyes fluttered shut after half a minute, and her smile kept growing wider. Soon her body began to slump and David had to physically prevent her from falling off the chair. It was nearly five minutes before she said. “Firrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrst commmmmmmmmmmmmmming firrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrst serrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrvice.”
“Can you see the instructions about who can send you to this wonderful sleep?”
“Yesssssssssssssssssssss... youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu... Kelllllllllllllllllllllllllllllly... Malllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllcommmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.”
“Not anymore, Penelope. It’s only me or Kelly now. Malcolm’s voice can no longer bring you here. Do you understand?”
“I... Unnnnnnnnnnnnnnnndersssssssssssssssssssssssssstaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaannnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnd...”
“Did Malcolm give you any other instructions besides the part about the photographs?”
“Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee... diiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiid...”
“What are they?”
“Doooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn’t... knoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooow... nooooooooooooooooooot... deeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep... enooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooough...” David knew that this was a problem. In order to find out about the programming, he’d have to take her a lot deeper than she’d ever gone before for him. A lot deeper than he’d taken anyone, with the possible exception of Eleanor. The deeper Penelope went, the more risk was involved, and his plan to get rid of her crush on him had been set back enough with what he had already done. At least that programming would remain inert since Malcolm couldn’t trigger her. That would have to be enough for now.
“Penelope, it’s time to come back up.” said David. He knew that there was no believable reason Penelope would accept for his being there at all besides the truth, which was out of the question. It was better for everyone involved if his visit was put out of her mind-literally! “Keep coming up until you reach the point when you entered this wonderful sleep today, Then, you will open your eyes again but remain deeply asleep. After I leave, you will lock the door, go back to your bed and return to a true deep sleep for the next hour. You will forget that I was ever here upon awakening. Do you understand?”
Penelope was too deep to respond while processing her new orders, so she simply nodded her head. Her smile had turned into a pout, which with her lips, made it all the more prominent. It also made kissing those lips even more tempting than it had been, so David was out the door and on his way home as soon as he had confirmed that Penelope would do as she had been told.
“So how hard was it?” asked Kelly when David got back.
“To get the answers and bring her down, like riding a bike.” said David. “To keep myself from taking advantage of her hypnotized state, unbelievably. All she had on was a T-shirt and panties, and even two years later, her subconscious still re all our fun times and was practically begging me for another go. When she pouted her lips at the end, I was this close to giving new meaning to the word ‘solicitor’...“
“When you consider that the only booty she’s gotten since graduating from law school was in Coital Court, and like you said, it’s been almost two years since she’s been there, I’d say her subconscious was about as tempted as you were!”
“I could tell.” said David. “But on to more important matters. Malcolm did plant the evidence that she gave to Steven to give to us.”
“But why?” asked Kelly. “If he knew you were his nephew, you’d think he would have told you sometime during the ten years you’ve known him.“
“Maybe he really didn’t know, at least not consciously. Sean said that Knees kept visiting the family until Malcolm was ten years old. Maybe he’s been programmed to carry this out.“
“Programming that laid dormant for almost fifty years? It doesn’t seem possible, even for someone as skilled as you believe your grandfather was.”
“Unless it wasn’t all dormant. Malcolm’s been setting up the network literally for his whole adult life. And was trained with the skill to make it all possible. What if Knees made sure he would follow in his footsteps?“
“Let’s say that was the case. I still need to ask why?”
“Knees Wilson was a very petty individual. Look at what he did to Elijah Masterson.“
“My point exactly. Nobody denied him anything, they always bent the knee. Elijah Masterson was the exception, so he cuckolded his wife and stole his legacy. But who else is there for him to enact revenge on through Malcolm?“
David said. “I honestly can’t think of anyone. Especially when you consider that everything Malcolm has done is kept totally secret.”
Kelly’s eyes went wide. “I just thought of one person who fits the bill. Your father!“
“Okay, that makes some sense. Dad hated Grandpa after what he did to Grandma, and dedicated his life to being everything Knees would hate in a son. If there were anyone he’d have a grudge against, it’d be Dad.”
“Knees would probably try to take your dad’s son away from him as revenge.”
“I really can’t see him impregnating my mom. He never liked her in the first place, and they barely interacted. As much of a monster as Knees Wilson was, I just can’t see him cuckolding his own son.”
“He didn’t need to do that, corrupting you to be everything he wanted in a successor and your father wouldn’t would be revenge enough. That’s why Malcolm sought you out.“
“Okay, I’m not going to say that I wasn’t surrounded by temptation from the moment I met him. Hell, the biggest temptation of all was literally right outside my door!”
“Hard to argue with that one.”
“But he never ed for me finding you. Having you kept me from succumbing to the temptation entirely. It kept me on the path to benefit the girls more than myself.”
“Yes, if he wanted you to be everything your father wasn’t, you denied him that when you insisted that my mind be left alone. And he probably kept you around since then because you were too valuable to get rid of.”
“But if he knew who I was to him, then he had to know who my father was. We both know he’d never understand, and he could have spilled the beans at any time. Ruining the relationship between me and Dad would be pretty petty. What else could his revenge entail?”
“That isn’t all, big boy. You said Malcolm had more programming in Penelope’s head, so deep you wouldn’t have noticed it if you weren’t already poking around in her subconscious.”
“Yes, and for all we know, it’s in every thrall because of the confirmation calls. And I still have no idea what it will make them do or when.“
“You may have protected Penelope from it, but there are still over a million other babes he has in his power.”
“Yes, but the party is in two hours. Whatever is in store, we have to be there.“
“Hard to argue with that one, but what do we do with Eliza?”
“Not take her with us, that’s for sure. Babies do not belong in the lion’s den.”
“But your family will be there with us, mine are leaving for the airport in just over an hour, every one of our couple friends includes a thrall, and we have no idea if any of our babysitters are compromised!”
“He doesn’t have Macintosh. I check them every week when you’re not around.”
“I have an idea. We can bring your uncle first. Make Malcolm try to cure his alcoholism with hypnosis.”
“Yes, I tried, but it wouldn’t stick because I couldn’t take him deep enough. I hate the idea of offering him up as a decoy.”
“We both know that he’s the most expendable member of your family. I hate that I’m even thinking that, let alone saying it. Why does your dad let him live with them?“
“Another thing to spite his father. , Jacob was thrust upon Knees by dumb luck, and it was Amanda who demanded he stay. My uncle has never held any job longer than a year and would be homeless or worse without his brother.“
“It honestly surprises me that both of Knees Wilson’s sons aren’t alcoholics.“
“Everything Dad did was to make sure he wasn’t his father. Unconditionally ive of his sons and brother. Treating his wife with respect and never even considering an affair. Giving back to the community of his own free will. And now I’m going to break his heart.“
“If he’s unconditionally ive, there’s still a chance.”
“Adultery has always been his line in the sand. I think this might be a bridge too far.”
They managed to get Jacob to come with them early and Mackintosh to watch Eliza. They got lucky because Bernice, who saw Eliza as akin to a little sister, made the decision for her mothers. “I’m glad they said yes on their own.” said David as they drove off. “I’ve hypnotically manipulated enough women for one day.”
They picked up Jacob and arrived at the venue 45 minutes before the party was supposed to start. David had decided that he wouldn’t tell Malcolm that he knew about his manipulation of Penelope until later on. Regina and Malcolm were the only ones there besides staff. Staff that had a suspiciously high percentage of young beautiful women. “Do you own the place?” asked David.
“Yes, and most of the employees as well. This place doesn’t serve to process, I just happen to staff it with thralls who have no other employment.” answered Malcolm.
Kelly groaned. “You just can’t stop, can you?”
Malcolm pointed towards the bar and asked “To whom were you referring?” Jacob was at the bar banging on the surface for service. The two women behind it were busy stocking up and ignored him. This caused him to bang louder.
Kelly sighed. “What’s his current streak?”
“Steven said he failed at ten days yesterday. Currently the measure is still in hours.” answered David.
“That must be your uncle and my presumed half-brother. Let me guess, you are referring to the duration of his sobriety?” asked Malcolm.
“Quite so. His standing record is 25 days, but he only accomplished that by spending most of that time in jail. It’s been an issue for him for his whole life.”
“Have you tried to... intervene?”
“A few years ago. He shook off my programming after seventeen days. It’s the best he’s done without incarceration. I tried again a few months later, but he shook it off after half that time.”
“You refuse to risk changing who he is, don’t you?”
“I’m not skilled enough to go that far down. So, as a gesture of good faith...”
“Consider it done.” Malcolm went over to the bar, and took Jacob into the corner of the room.
Regina came up to them, wearing a plunging red evening gown. Kelly had noticed that Malcolm preferred her to match her hair with her clothing. “You know, you never told me how you two know Malcolm.” she said.
David, knowing he couldn’t trigger her anymore, said. “He gave me a part-time job during college.” While this was true, he left out what the job had entailed, and that Regina was part of his duties.
“Wait, you already had a job back then...” Regina’s eyes went wide and glazed over briefly before she said. “You must have made some impression on him!” Even if he couldn’t program Regina, Malcolm hadn’t bothered to take out the programming which prevented her from thinking about him suspiciously.
“You have no idea.”
Soon, the other guests arrived, including David’s parents and brother. David noticed that only half a dozen people were at the party who didn’t fit the profile of one of Malcolm’s thralls, his family notwithstanding. “This reminds me of your birthday party.” he whispered to Kelly. “The one with the orgy.”
“You’ll have to be more specific.” she whispered back. “Half of my birthday parties since we got together ended up that way.”
“The one where I turned Erica into a nyotaimori and then we had the Slut Olympics.“
“Oh, that birthday party. You still never topped it, to this day.” Kelly looked around. “Now that you mention it, I see your point. It feels like Malcolm’s setting the table for an all-you-can-eat feast of fucks, just like you did.“
“With Regina as the main course.”
Malcolm came back with Jacob. “He’ll never touch another drop.” he said. “I swear on my life.” As if to demonstrate, Jacob walked to the exact opposite side of the room from the bar.
“If he can make it thirty days, I’ll believe you. But not a second sooner.” said David.
John approached them. “You must be Malcolm. David has told us absolutely nothing about you before yesterday, and he’s still very slim on details. You met my son while he was in college?“
“Yes, Dad.” said David. “I was in college when I met him.”
“You seem familiar, have we met before?” aske John.
“In a manner of speaking.” said Malcolm. “I was invited to your son’s wedding, but I left early. You might have seen me, but we never interacted.”
“There’s another reason he’s familiar, Dad.” said David. “I have reason to believe he’s your half-brother.”
“I checked every woman in Knees Wilson’s files. Your name never came up at all.”
“It wouldn’t have.” explained Malcolm. “My mother... kept the affair secret. Her husband died believing I was his son, and I myself only learned the truth earlier this week.” David kept his eyes glued to Malcolm’s face, and didn’t see any of the signs of hypnotic memory modification. Malcolm was telling the truth.
“Well, put ’er there, brother!” said John.
Malcolm shook John’s hand, but then he collapsed to the floor, head slumped over and eyes shut. David had seen this happen to thousands of people, but never in a million years did he expect it to happen to Malcolm Masterson. He’d been triggered.
Malcolm stood up and opened his eyes. His facial expression had changed dramatically. Before it was neutral to happy. Now it was sinister, almost evil. And his eyes were completely glazed over.
Kelly recognized the effect immediately. “Malcolm’s been puppeted. He did this to one of his assets so he could speak through them via programming. It was like she was possessed.”
“Possessed, you say?” said Malcolm in an unfamiliar tone. “Well, the lady’s more right than wrong!”
John’s jaw hit the floor. “It... can’t be.”
“But it is, Johnny-boy. FATHER’S HOME!“
“That’s impossible. You’re dead. You died over twenty-five years ago.”
“And I’ve been hiding in this guy’s head since twenty-five years before that! But now the wait is over, and it’s all thanks to your son! David, your grandfather is very proud of you.“
Melissa chimed in. “Proud of him for what?”
“Nothing you’d be proud of him for, daughter-in-law. And you’ll like what happens next even less!” said Malcom, or rather Knees. He then went to the microphone that had been set up for the speech he was going to deliver later on. After an evil cackle, he said “KNEES WILSON SAYS TAKE OFF THE KNEECAP!“
The head of every woman in the room except Kelly, Melissa and Regina slumped forward as her eyes shut. Then they popped up and started removing their clothes. Then, once naked they gathered around Knees/Malcolm and Regina. Outside in the hallway, more women did the same thing, except they stood at attention once naked. Knees’ voice was broadcast on multiple frequencies, activating a payload of programming in every thrall in its path and spreading rapidly.
Across Los Angeles...
Across California...
Across the United States...
Across the world...