Wings of Deception (44 page)

“This is that huge room with all the people!” Sheila stopped. Honey said, “Okay, but if we wander in they must realize we are not trying to escape. As if we could. Don’t you see
,
there is nowhere else to go? At least we can get a better look at things before they make us go back.”

“I guess you are right so
let’s go!”

“Hold on just a minute. We need to see what kind of communication they are using i
n
there
,
so pay attention. It may be the only way we can get out of here alive. They must be in touch with the outside world with all th
ose
monitors and stuff
in there
.”

They walked
through the opening and into the place as if they were supposed to be there and every person kept on doing what they were doing, paying them no attention. They stopped and stood behind a dozen or so men and women who were sitting in front of large screens and typing on keyboards.

“Whoa, look at how fast they are typing! I wish I was half that fast.” Sheila remarked and at her words a
tall woman walked up to them.

“You do not have permission to be here.” She looked at them from large dull brown eyes. Honey spoke back as nonchalantly as she could, “No one has told us we could
not
be in here and we are bored so we thought we could get some exercise. It is not like we can hurt anything by walking around. But if we need permission, why not just ask
Ga
…
Asa
?”

“He is not here.”
The woman looked at them with the same dullness of the others.

Honey felt an excitement at her words. “Oh really, then where has he gone?”

“That is not for you to know. I will have you escorted to the gardens where you may get your….exercise.”

Honey
was certain
that the woman was under some form of hypnosis
after observing her closely. The pupils of her eyes were drastically altered, indicating that she was correct.
If only she could get just one
person
alone she knew she could reverse it
,
if
she was right
. It was worth a try anyway so to Sheila’s surprise she
put her hand to her stomach and told the woman
, “I
am
not feeling so well but Sheila really could use some fresh air
. I
f you w
ill,
let her go and enjoy the gardens and I will
just
go back to the room.

“As you like, I will have someone go with you.” She turned and without speaking
made a sign for one of the younger men to come to them.

“Take this one back to her room.” Another
appeared
to lead
a wondering
Sheila in a different direction
. T
he first
one
accompanied Honey back down the hall which led to their room. Honey kept looking at
him
and recognize
d
the same dullness to his eyes. She was sure
he was in a hypnotic state of awareness.

When they got to the door and he started to turn to go back, she grabbed her abdomen and groaned. Doubling over in fake pain
,
she was grateful when he put his arms around her to help her in. But when he would have taken her to the bed, she gagged as if she were going to thro
w
up and pointed to the bathroom.
She had to get him away from the camera if she wanted to undo the trance. It worked, for he helped her in as she made on as if she were really ill. She leaned over the toilet long enough
to make sure he was in and then she straightened up and looked him dead in the eyes.

“Thank you so much. What is your name?”

“I am called William. You are alright
now
?”

“I will be
,
but first will you do me a favor?”

He nodded and she did what she had never done before in her line of work. She used her knowledge
of hypnosis
for personal gain and in just a few moments
,
life came back into the young man’s eyes
although
he looked lost and
confused
.

“What have you done? Where am I?” His questions were close to
frantic
and Honey calmed him before explaining where they were and what was happening. It was not an easy task but she was desperate and when she finished
,
he dropped his head with shame at her next questions. “How do you know
Asa
.
What is your connection?”

She sat him down on the toilet and he looked at her in dejection. “I joined a group that used drugs to conjure up spirits. Me and the others, we used
a
Ouija
board at first and when we were successful
,
we tried others ways
.
Asa
became out teacher. He was very good to us
and I
thought he was a great man. So did the others.”

“Okay William, do you want to be free from him?” He looked up at her with a slight hint of hope. “I don’t know if that is possible but yes, more than anything I want to go home. My parents are probably worried to death with me gone and I don’t even know how long I have been here.”

“So tell me
,
what is the last thing that happened in the news you remember and maybe we can figure it out.”

“The election for president, Obama won the night we all celebrated with a party and there was a séance, a special awa
kening of the gods.
 
Asa
told us
it would make us immortal.”

“How old were you when that happened?” Honey asked.

“Sixteen.”

“Well, you are
almost eighteen
now
,
so that means you have been here for
near
two years! William, can you pretend to still be under the hypnosis?”

“I think I can but I really just want to go home.” His eyes watered and Honey knew she would have to convince him that to get away he had to do as she asked.

“I know you do but they will start to wonder if you are much longer in here and there are camera’s everywhere, so I need you to show me you can keep your face like they all are….like stone. All of our lives depend on you William. Can you do this?”

“Yes ma’am!”

“Okay, now here is what I want you to do for me. Do you believe in Jesus?”

“My folks took me to church and I know about Him but I never was very good
or
Christian like.”

Honey sighed, for not to be a believer in this place was a very dangerous thing.

“You might want to ret
hink things because without Him, no
n
e of us are liable to escape. I keep his name upper most in my head for there are many evil spirits surrounding us.”

“I
will
do anything you tell me Miss.”

“My name is Honey and I have a friend here with me, Sheila. I want you to help me get all of your friends alone with me somehow. It is important to reverse the hypnosis for we will need all the help we can get, understand? Now let me see you look as you did before, without emotion.” She nodded her head as he assumed the dull look she was looking for.
She briefed him on some import issues and satisfied that he understood everything she said,
“Great! Now go and if you are asked, just say I am ill and you had to help me. Just make sure one of your friends come to check on me later.
And William, you should learn how to pray real
quickly
, because Jesus Christ is your only savoir in this, understand? Now g
o!”

He
shook his head yes and
went out
of the bath. S
he followed moaning and holding her stomach
for the camera’s sake
. When he left the room she
was lying
down on the bed eyes
closed
as if she were going to sleep but her mind was working hard trying to figure out the things William had confided to her. How had
Asa
pulled off making seven boys
and two girls
disappear without a trace?
She thought about all the people she had heard of who just disappeared and were never found. Could it be that this is what happened
to them too
?
Dear Lord, help me, for I am lost without your help!

Sheila arrived back shortly after William left and Honey silenced her questions with a ‘look’ and rising, said to her, “I am ill, will you help me to the bathroom?”

“Sure, come on.” She put her arms around her friend
with great concern
and helped her to the room where Honey quickly recovered after pushing the door closed.

“What are you doing? I thought you were ill! I was worried.”

She was surprised to find that Honey had faked the illness but when she heard all that had transpired she was shocked.

“You have got to be joking!
You were right?
These people are all in
some sort of
a trance? You really reversed it on this guy? Oh Honey, this is fantastic! Maybe we will get out of here alive!
”

“Ye
s
, if William comes through with the act but we have to be prepared for the wors
t
. He is so young! The others must be around his age too. What a cruel thing to do to families
,
making them think their children are dead. I just want to strangle that man!”

“You say there are
nine
of them and they disappeared together. Honey! I know
about
this! I remember
,
it was big news back a couple of
summers
ago. Yes, it was seven
young boys and two girls. T
he
news
papers said it was an accident on the Hudson. No
t one
bod
y
w
as
ever recovered!”

“Do you remember any of the families?” Honey asked
enthusiastically
.

“No, darn
it
! But Jacks was terribly upset over anyone who would let young kids like that go out in a makeshift boat
,
without adult supervision.  We have to help them Honey!”

“We can only do what we can. Just pray William is successful in getting his friends here before
Asa
returns.”

It was an answered prayer for soon
after they went back into the room
there was a knock at the door and a young girl entered with a tray of food.
Honey looked at Sheila and began her moaning. Sheila asked the girl to help her friend to the bathroom and as soon as they were in
,
she stepped back out and closed the door. She went to the table and proceeded to eat as if she were more interested in the food than Honey’s illness.

When the girl came back out Sheila saw a flicker of emotion before she reassumed her poker face look and left the room.

Honey joined Sheila at the table but just picked at her food just in case they were being watched. Then she lay back down for a while before exerting her pretend illness again which gave them a chance to be in the bathroom again for communicating.

“I can’t believe you are able to do this Honey, it is fantastic! Thank God you have the training.
Now, if only we have
more of them to
help when Jacks gets here.
”

“
This one
was not as easy as William though and I am afraid if it fails on one of them, we are in deep trouble
and Jacks will be too
.”

“I know
,
but we can’t think about failure. How long can you keep up this illness?”

“I think I can get away with it until
Asa
returns. Let’s just hope everyone that walks through that door is responsive to my
….uh….talents.”

They both laid on their beds waiting for whoever would come to take the tray away, praying it would be one of the young people in
William’s
group.