The Dorvak Reckoning 14
Simultaneously, in the Count’s Castle in the Swiss Alps and on a train in Southern France
December 12, 1972
The Dark Count suffered, though many would envy him his predicament. Physically, he floated in his tube, his ravaged, emaciated body curled and still. But his powerful consciousness was hundreds of miles away in a train’s sleeper car bed, laying between two beautiful but utterly contrasting women.
To Norma, he presented as Frank Sinatra. Soon, she’d be in his physical presence, and such games wouldn’t be needed. But for now, he did what was needed.
So much rode on her continued obedience. Once the undisputed King of the Underworld, Spenzini was now dependent on Norma’s wealth and resources. Once the commander of both an army of henchmen and a cadre of hypnotized women, he now had to rely on his last remaining Lornas to keep his physical body functioning.
Attrition and the bloody demands of his Dark Sponsor had left him only two slaves now. Also, his once incalculable wealth was gone, spent on several lifetimes worth of plots and crimes. His access to the Breckinridge fortune had come just in time. There would be immediate demands for the ten million dollars his beautiful slave was bringing. He had no real idea how long this refuge below his ruined palace would last. There were constant rumbles as rocks and portions of the castle fell around them.
Norma and her money was a true gift. The problem was, even deep in hypnosis, she was an insatiable consort. Her carnal appetites were a wonder. Keeping Norma satisfied, even by hypnotic illusion, was greatly sapping his strength.
Then there was the bitch, Briar Gasdsen, who also demanded his attention. But, she taxed him in a different way.
Looking to his left on the sleeper bed, he was in the form of the crooner, circa 1955. He wore a tee shirt, boxers, and his famous, slouched hat. He was panting and covered with sweat.
“You.....You really outta get some sleep, Doll-face. Once you and your crew are at my joint, things are going to get busy, pronto. So you better catch a few z’s while you can. Go ahead...Sleep....nice, restful, sleep.
Norma smiled her Mona Lisa smile.
”Oh, c’mon, Frankie. The night’s still young. Kitty wants to play some more.” She actually made a purring sound.
Despite her words, Norma’s eyes were heavy lidded, and she yawned as his subtle hypnotic suggestions took hold. To his great relief, her eyes closed and she fell into slumber.
He looked to his right, now he was in the form of a thirty year old Armand Dupuis, dashing in a silk smoking jacket. Briar Gasdsen gazed at him with an angelic smile.
It took all his great will to hide his hatred for her. Every fiber of his being wanted only to torture her. Only the thought of the glorious moment when he would wake her kept his malice at bay. How delicious would it be to see her powerful mind crumble when she saw the bodies of her son and the Dupuis boys at her bare feet, the bloody dagger in her dainty hands.
For now, he had to maintain his seductive hold over her.
“Darling Briar, my love........you must trust and obey me. It’s the only way we can be together....the only way you can save him. You know this now, don’t you Briar?”
”Yes...Armand. I do trust you.....you know best. But what you ask....”
”Is hard, Briar, I know...it’s hard. That’s why I’m here....to help you. Help you to understand. Help you to save us....save Singh. It won’t actually be Peter, Trevor or Grayson you’ll be killing, My Pet. They are evil things.....not truly human. They are imposters who want us to remain apart from each other. Demons who wish to kill me.....and keep poor Singh dead. They must be stopped, Darling, and you are the only one smart and strong enough to defeat them. Do it for us and do it for poor....poor Singh.”
”Must do it for Singh.” The words came out like a sigh.
The Count was about to continue conditioning Briar, when suddenly a great lassitude overcame him. Horrified, his powerful mind realized what was happening. His Dark Sponsor demanded a terrible price for Spenzini’s continued consciousness. Now, on the precipice of the Count’s triumph, the Dark Sponsor was ruining everything with His mindless thirst for blood.
The Count used his ebbing strength to send a summons to another, closer mind.
Lorna 3942 suddenly looked away from the gauges towards the glass cylinder. The petite Chinese woman worked eighteen hours a day to maintain her Master. Now, she fell into an even deeper state of trance. She robotically strode to the cylinder, then placed her hand on its cool, glasslike surface. Her eyelids fluttered, then her eyes rolled to the back of her head.
She seemed to listen for a while, then whispered in response.
”Yes, Master. If.....if that is what must be done.....it’s just.....that leaves only me to take care of you....yes...of course.....you know best, Master.....it shall be done.”
She removed her hand. A tear slowly ran down her left cheek.
She found Lorna 6748 in the food storeroom doing inventory. She tried not to think of all the nights they found comfort in each others’ arms during their long vigil.
She gently took the inventory clipboard from her sister slave.
”It is your time, Lorna 6748. Remove all your clothing and follow me.”
”Yes, Sister.” She began to disrobe, trying not to look at the ceremonial dagger Lorna 3942 held.
Norma suddenly sat up. She looked over, and saw Frank was gone. In his place was the the Gasdsen dame, still deeply entranced. Her lips kept forming the word “obey”. Norma appraised her bedmate. The old broad was still a looker. Norma thought her silver, white hair was actually a turn on. She thought about playing with Briar, see if she’d respond in her stupor.
But something told her Frank wouldn’t like that.
Frank....where the Hell was he? Just like a man to sneak out after a little love making.
Now that Norma thought of it, he’d been a bit of disappointment lately. For one thing, she’d had to pay for everything. The flight, the ships, the train....all had come out of the ten million she brought. She’d thought that Frank would have an army of syncopates waiting to serve her every need. Instead, it’d been left mostly to her to arrange everything.
Even this strange antique of a train had no crew, no servants to wait on her.
Norma Breckinridge was not used to boyfriends who made her pay for things and do all the work.
Worse, she had to share Frank with the old zombie next to her.
Frustrated, Norma swung her long legs off the bed.
What to do?
She left the sleeper car and found Cassie and Jackie standing ever vigilant guard duty, both armed with holstered pistols.
They were quite a delicious pair. Her gaze lingered over both of their toned bodies.
But not all of her thoughts were lascivious. Sure, Norma was loyal to Old Blue Eyes, and would do whatever he asked. But he wasn’t here now. His absence was letting her think a bit. And when Norma was allowed to think for herself, she usually thought about only herself.
It was time to buy herself a little insurance.
Norma triggered the two former CIA slaves just as Briar taught her.
Soon, they were all three rolling on the carpeted floor, the gun holsters and clothing cast aside. During their lovemaking, Norma would occasionally whisper into their ears.
“Always remember......you belong to me. I am your Goddess.”
“Wake up, lad.”
Trevor’s eyes open to the sight of a concerned face. After a moment, Trev connected the face and the Aussie accent. His surprise must have been obvious, because Spender laughed.
“Nope. I’m not blown up in Vegas, despite Cassie’s best effort......Though, I guess you still think of her as Daisy. Now....give it a minute. Whatever sedative they used on us, it’s pretty potent. But, it’s somewhat inconsistent. If I had to guess it’s degraded over years in storage. Peter woke up first, got me up. We found your Aunt Angie in a trance...then she just woke up on her own. Now relax a sec while I check out the butcher job they did on your throat.”
As Trevor’s mind cleared he realized they were moving. The faint clacking of train wheels could be heard. Their car was elegant in an odd, austere way. The wall, floor, and furniture were all a stark white. The furnishings were comfortable but oddly shaped. Bauhaus....it reminded him of the 1920’s German cultural style. The car’s residual mustiness confirmed it was a kind of relic.
He then saw the best thing he’d seen in months. His Aunt Angie.....Mom....had her arms around Petey and was smothering him with kisses. Both were crying, and Trev felt his own eyes welling up.
Angie saw he was awake. She smiled and motioned him over, and soon it was a three way embrace.
Finally, Spender cleared his throat.
“Sorry, folks....but we have to talk whilst we got the time.....compare notes.”
Reluctantly, the Last of the Dupuis Family broke their embrace. Spender continued.
”Question One. Who is our adversary?”
Peter looked like he was going to explode, but Grayson continued.
“I think Petey here is right. I don’t want to believe it, but this is all bigger than Norma Breckinridge and the CIA. Somehow......someway.....I think we’re facing the Dark Count. Only he was this powerful, so full of malice. Mother often suspected he was still acting out his plots. I suppose with his knowledge of natural science....”
Angie interrupted Spender. “I stood outside the door while Norma performed the ceremony. There was nothing natural about it, believe you me.”
Grayson looked down at his shoes. “Yeah, there’s that.”
Peter put his hand on Spender’s shoulder, knowing the guilt running through his older friend. Spender gathered himself.
”I actually performed the ceremony once....enslaving a woman. I’ve done my best to forget the voices.....the presence in the room. Thank God Mother pulled me back from all that.”
There was an awkward silence. Finally, Angie spoke.
”You’re a good man, Grayson. You’ve helped hundreds of women since then. Without your mother and you.....”
He rallied. “Right. Question Two. How, across continents and oceans, did the Dark Count take control of Mother and Norma?”
Petey spoke. “I think he got in their dreams....found someone in their memories to use...working past their defenses. Remember, when Aunt Briar was sleepwalking.....she acted like she was talking to Armand Dupuis. No disrespect to your dad, Grayson, but Armand was the great love of her life, right?
Trevor raised his hand. Then he took a deep breath, and tried to huff out a word.
”Hinadra.”
Peter and Spender looked confused. Only Angie understood him.
”That’s right....Sinatra...Norma’s been cleaning up her act.....for Frankie, she said. Frank. The greatest moment of her life was when she sailed to Catalina with Sinatra. Even in her ‘Good Norma’ trance, it was all she could talk about. Of course, I guess he saw her for the conniving slut she was. He dumped her soon after. Norma never got over it. I guess that’s why Kenny Dorvak chose ‘Luck Be a Lady’ for her post hypnotic trigger.”
Peter continued. “That must be it. But, I think these memories aren’t all bad. It’s what helped Cassie to break out of her ‘Daisy’ programming....her memory of her brother, Mikey.”
Trevor looked meaningfully at Angie. She blushed, then told Spender and Petey about the tape that Johnny made for her, and how it created an avatar of her dead husband in her head.
“Is Dad here now, Mom?” For once, Petey sounded like a child.
Angie smiled. “He wants me to tell you how proud he is of you, Peter.”
Spender continued. “That brings us to Question Three. Why? Why go to all these lengths to bring us to wherever he is? My guess is that whatever is aiding Spenzini isn’t doing it for free. I fear we are to pay the Count’s butcher bill.”
“I think I know how he’s going to do it.” Peter again sounded grown up. “I think we’re acting out a sequel to ‘The Mysteries of Armand Dupuis #39’....but this time he wins and beats Briar Gasdsen. The woman who humiliated him.”
Spender looked worried. “You’re saying he’s going to murder Mother.”
”No, Grayson. Think about what happened in 1895. He hypnotized Aunt Briar to kill Singh and then Roosevelt and Armand Dupuis. Then he planned to wake her and drive her mad with guilt. Killing Singh alone almost did the trick. I’m guessing she spent a lot more time in Bellevue Hospital than what the book says. Imagine when she learns she killed us.
There was momentary silence as Petey’s theory sank in. Then Spender shook his head.
“Let’s go back to the memory thing. How do we use that to our advantage, Petey. The Count created the perfect memory avatar for her, Armand Dupuis. How do we compete with that?”
The teenager smiled.
“Grayson....I think maybe the Count chose the wrong memory....the wrong avatar.”
The Swiss Alps
Hours, later
Lorna 3942 mopped the pentagram covered floor, taking great care to step her dainty, pale feet around the puddles of blood. Most of it was gone though. The Dark Sponsor took most of it, along with her body.
She dutifully glanced at the gauges, and saw they showed no readings other than the barest heartbeat and breathing. So far, the Dark Sponsor hadn’t rewarded the Master for Lorna 6748’s sacrifice.
The mop touched something metallic. She knelt down, put down the mop, and saw one of the long hair pins that held Lorna 6748’s hair. She picked the pin up, and tears gushed from her eyes. When the Master slept, his Lorna’s all stayed steadfastly loyal and obedient. But during those times they had a bit more independent thought and feelings. Lorna 6748 had become her loving companion during those achingly lonely days under the ruined castle.
Suddenly, the gauges began to flicker. Before Lorna could notice them, a warm sense of calm swept over her, washing away her regret and guilt. The sobs subsided. Her entire consciousness now focused on one thought. She must obey. She slowly stood and padded through a bloody puddle, not caring. She placed her hand on the cylinder and her Master spoke to her mind.
After a bit, she responded:
”Yes, Master.” She then left the room.
Soon, she was outside, mindlessly barefoot in the snow. After a time, she arrived at the railroad switch. Now, the antique train would be directed to its underground home. Her mission accomplished, she headed back.
“You are....my Goddess.....
The train suddenly slowed.
Norma, Cassie, Janet suddenly ceased their lovemaking. The two hypnotized assassins retrieved their guns while Norma sleepwalked back to the sleeper car.
“Mom.....you okay?”
Angie had stopped speaking mid sentence and stood, her face utterly blank.
The train rocked to a stop.
Spender looked glum.
”I think we’ve arrived, Petey.”
A hissing sound issued from the ventilator grill, and soon they were all asleep on the floor.