The Dorvak Reckoning
Chapter 9
Isla Garda, Florida
Petey knocked carefully on the side door to the detached car garage. Hearing no answer, he entered.
The garage had been converted into Dr. Spender’s lab, complete with lounger, foot bath and light array. The structure had been previously converted as a “mother in law” apartment, so it had sufficient plumbing for the special foot bath central to the Process. Currently, Cassie sat in the cushioned seat. Spender sat next to her.
The smell of cinnamon pervaded the room, rising from the quietly gurgling foot bath. Sparkling lights From various colored prisms played across her sleeping face. She wore her normal cut offs and a white tee, and Petey tried his best not to stare at her cleavage or her tanned legs. Instead, he looked at her slack, sleeping face.
Spender ignored him, and spoke to her slowly, carefully enunciating each word.
“Now, Cassie, you’re doing so very well.”
“Obey. Obey. Obey. Obey. Obey.......”
“Yes...obey. Very good. But you can stop saying your Word of Truth. Now, you will obey by letting me speak to Daisy.”
Petey watched her face subtly change, becoming more hard. She sat up in the lounger, though her feet remained in the burbling water and her eyes kept closed
“Yes, Comrade Leader. How may I serve the Cause?”
“For now, you serve the Cause by answering my questions. When were you created?”
Cassie brow furrowed, as if she was confused.
“I was born in 1950, in...”
“No, Comrade....Go deeper, ever deeper...beyond time......beyond any other instructions....I want to know how and when your “Comrade Daisy” persona was created.
“I have always been Daisy, Comrade......” There was a tinge of desperation in her voice, and she shook her head.
“Stop, Comrade...rest. Completely rest.” Her body and features become lax again.
Spender thought for a moment. She was so much harder to handle as Daisy.
“Yes, that’s it. Relax.....sink deeper, ever deeper. Now I’m speaking to Cassie.....just Cassie. Cassie, you’ve told me your Cause is now protecting Peter Dupuis.”
“Yessssss....so much like Michael......must save him.....must protect him.....”
“Right now, Cassie protects Mikey and Petey by answering my questions, fully and truthfully. You must penetrate any wall that Daisy or your other comrades have built to block your memories. You can do that, can’t you Cassie....for Petey....for Mikey?”
Her brow furrowed again, then smoothed.
“Yessssss....for them.”
“You’ve told me about Professor Pace and how he started hypnotizing you and two others. We left off with you being taken somewhere. Remembering how important it is to your brother.....to your two brothers, tell me where you were taken.”
“Big.....military plane.....flew for hours. Then a truck.....mountain road......Blue Bird School.”
“And then?”
“Room like this.....but bigger. Every day...just like this....For two weeks...then they brought me back every couple of months...to feel the water...the lovely water...to listen...to learn....learning to obey....obey......obey....obey......obey...obey” Her tone became robotic as her memory of her basic programming drowned any other thought. She would have kept repeating the word through the night.
Spender rolled his eyes in annoyance, but kept his voice calm and reassuring.
“Yes, Cassie.....and you do that so well. But, please continue, how many times were you brought to the Blue Bird school?”
“Four.”
“And, when you were there, how long did you stay?”
“Two weeks. Always exactly 14 days.”
“And when was the last time you were there?
“When I graduated.”
CIA Project Bluebird Main Facility
Virginia, December, 1970.
Timothy “Wild Tim” Hickok, a.k.a Federal Prisoner 657869, walked to the gym with an escort of two armed military policemen. So far, the “Blue Bird College for Women” was a major disappointment. In the day he had spent there, he hadn’t seen a single, juicy coed. He’d been kept in a holding cell with another convict from a federal pen. The other one was just like him.....serving a life sentence.
“Why are we going to the gym.......Play some hoops, maybe? It’s kinda late for exercise. Besides, when am I getting some supper? I got rights...I never agreed to any of this........I want to call a lawyer..I....
A quick backhand from a soldier shut him up.
Soon, they reached the gym. It took a moment for his eyes to get used to the brightly lit space.
About ten men is black suits sat in the bleachers, high above the court. More interesting, two pretty girls sat in center court. Oddly, they were in army issue fatigue pants and tee shirts. Even stranger, both were barefoot. One chick was colored, the other white. Both were beauties. They sat on folding chairs with their hands folded, and seemed kinda bored. The black one yawned as he was seated in a folding chair a few feet in front of her,
Wild Tim was pissed off not being able to look at the women, and he had a million questions. But his swollen lip reminded him to keep his trap shut.
A big fellow in a black suit and tie stood behind him with a microphone.
“Gentlemen, meet Federal Prisoner 657869. This charming fellow is presently domiciled at the Florence Maximum Security Prison in Colorado. His current life sentence is for Bank Robbery and Felony Murder. The Supreme Court saved him from the chair.”
“Howdy Gents!” Tim braced himself for a blow as the burly escort MP approached. But the big fellow in the suit waived the soldier off. He then walked over to Tim.
“Hello.....Tim, right? Thanks for volunteering to help us...help Uncle Sam, tonight.”
“I don’t rightly remember nothin about volunteering for anything, Hoss. What’s in it for me?”
The Big Man laughed. “I assure you, Tim, you’re about to have quite a party. Let me ask you, you’ve been a prisoner at Florence six years, right?”
Tim nodded his head.
“Boy, that’s a long time with no feminine company.”
“Yeah...shit...a fellah does what he has to.”
“I bet you do.....but here, you can do a shitload better, my friend. Here, have a drink.” The Big Man handed Tim a flask. He smelled the contents, then quickly took a swig.
“That’s good whiskey, Boss.....got a weird aftertaste though......it’s strong enough...”. He took another swig. “Yeah....it really packs a wa.....wallop.” His voice had a slur.
The Big Man took the flask, and spoke to the audience.
“I gave him some whiskey laced with a sedative, something to keep him dumb and happy. Now, Let’s have some mood music.”
A recording of “The International” with orchestra and massed chorus began playing in the gym. Both girls sat up in their chairs.
“Comrade Rukiya, are you with me?”
“Yes, Comrade....I am with you and am your barefooted instrument. How may I serve the Cause?”
“Aisha, or Comrade Rukiya, is now in the deepest, most obedient state of trance. Comrade, stand in front of the man seated in front of you.”
“Yes, Comrade.” She moved to comply.
“That’s my good girl. Now, listen carefully.” He then whispered in her ear. Her posture relaxed as she sighed. A dreamy expression settled on her face. Her nipples pushed into the green tee shirt. She went to a knee and was face to face with Tim.
“Hey Baby....What’s a fine man like you doing all alone?”
“Uhhhhh...ain’t you something. Course my daddy wouldn’t want me mingling with a ni......negro..but.....I think...”
His words were interrupted by Rukiya’s tongue exploring his mouth. They kissed without inhibition., then she was straddling him in the chair, grinding his crotch through their pants.
It didn’t take long for them to finish.
The Big Man laughed. “I told you Wild Tim....I told you you’d like it here.”
Tim laughed back at him. “Yeah, Hoss I’d have to say you were right about that.”
“Well...there’s a lot more fun planned for you, Buddy. Comrade Rukiya, be calm now and go back to your chair.”
“Yes, Comrade.” All her passion evaporated and her face became blank as she moved off Tim.
“Hey...where’s she goin, Hoss? Give me a few minutes and me and her can start round two.”
“But Wild Tim, you’re neglecting your other date. Shouldn’t you give our sweet Daisy a spot on your dance card?”
“Hell’s yeah, Hoss.....bring Sweet Daisy on.....”
Flanagan finished Daisy’s trigger, then whispered her instructions.
“Yes, Comrade...I will obey”, she responded.”
“Hey Hoss.....maybe tell her to.....you know....use her mouth.”
“Nah, Wild Tim, I got a better idea.”
Tim heard a click and even his drug fogged mind recognized the sound.
“Wait......Hoss....”
There was a bang, then Wild Tim Hickok breathed his last.
The Big Man stepped gingerly around the pool of blood and brains and took the pistol from Daisy. The girl seemed utterly calm.
“Ok, Boys...let’s get this all cleaned up. Then we’ll get our other guest into the party. This time, Comrade Daisy, Honey, you’re on seduction duty. Comrade Rukiya, you’re on termination duty. Corporal, give her the knife.”
Petey gasped. What made it so horrible was how matter of fact she was about her murder of the prisoner.
“Master Peter...the telly not passing your fancy tonight?” Spender had begun to soften to the boy, impressed by his intelligence.
“Aunt Briar really likes the ‘Waltons’.....I don’t. How’s Cass doing?”
Spender gave a short laugh. “Well, she’s brainwashed....but you knew that. Uncle Sam did a pretty good job of it, considering he doesn’t have the whole Dorvak Process. She was chosen because of her high degree of susceptibility to both hypnosis and doctrinaire thinking. Then, they used hypnosis, sensory deprivation, drugs, and a whole host of other unpleasantries to turn her into Trevor’s girlfriend, and the perfect assassin.”
“So Mikey is...”
“Like we guessed, she had a brother who was your age when she was first recruited. Turns out you were a trigger for her, not to break her free, but to allow Cassie to re-emerge. I think the system this Big Man uses is flawed. It works well enough for a while, but eventually it creates all sorts of conflicts in the subject’s subconscious. This causes cracks through which the real person begins to leak through.”
By the way, she knows you’re not her brother, but calling you that gives her comfort.....comfort we shouldn’t take from her.”
“You’re right......she deserves that.....if it helps her.”
There was a long pause, then Petey spoke again.
“So, can you free her?”
Spender slowly shook his head.
“Once a woman is processed, she physically and neurologically becomes a new person....permanently re-wired to respond to her trigger. No woman has ever been cured, nor even had their trigger altered in any way. The CIA knew enough of the process to make that true for poor Cassie here. There’s only one way that might work......but it’s not an option. The cost is too high.”
Petey grew excited.
“What are you talking about.....If there’s a way you can free Mom, Cassie...Aunt Briar.....everyone....how can you not try it?”
“That’s enough, boy.....go back to the house.“ His tone became strident.
“No....I won’t.....tell me why you won’t even try. My mom......just about every woman in my life, are slaves to the Process. At least tell me why you won’t help them...why it’s not even worth trying. You owe me that much, Grayson.
Spender’s shoulders slumped in defeat. He closed his eyes, and quietly spoke.
“I would have use the full Process, including the Count’s contribution.”
“So....what’s so bad about that?”
Spender just stared into space for a while. Petey was about to repeat his question, when the scientist quietly spoke.
“I....I pride myself in being a man of science. But to understand the real Dorvak Process, you got to go places beyond science, at least as I understand it. You see.....The Process is a marriage of a scientific methodology and what can only be described as the Blackest of Magic. And if you call on such powers, there’s always a terrible price.”
“Anton Dorvak began as a good man trying to heal others. Taking away his wife Lorna’s chronic pain was his great, first motivation. That’s when the Dark Count came into their lives. Spenzini saw Dorvak’s weakness as a man as well as his concern for his wife and other patients. Dorvak in desperation became the Count’s apprentice, combining his genius for neuroscience with Spenzini’s knowledge of Arcane Mysticism.
The result was the Process.
But then, over time, Anton began to change.....become corrupted. He now had the ability to utterly enslave any woman. His motivation became an obsession.....a carnal one.....one that the Count encouraged.
His nephew, Kenneth Dorvak, wanted nothing more than to be an entertainer...a stage mentalist. The Process soon corrupted him. The same carnal urges, plus greed, took him over....until many innocent women like your Mum were his minions.
What I now realize is that this corruption flows from one vile source. Every time the full process is utilized, it sustains the Count and something worse. Now, I think Norma......no angel to begin with.....is similarly being consumed. You see it gives you so much power...you don’t notice it’s eating you, body and soul. I won’t....I can’t...”
Petey studied the man’s face.
“You’ve done it, haven’t you? You did the Black Magic to some woman....and now you’re afraid.”
Spender whirled around, yelling. “Bugger off, kid or I’ll......
Both we’re shocked when Cassie suddenly loudly spoke.
“Leave Mikey alone.”
Spender sagged as the rage left. He leaned down and calmed her, deepening her trance.
“Go on Peter, Old Sport....I need to finish up with your new sister here. I promised to have her awake in time for “The Streets of San Francisco”. You know she’s got a crush on Kirk Douglas’ son.”
Petey saw that their moment was over for now. But he chanced a few more words.
“Fine.....we don’t do the Black Magic stuff. OK. But that means we got to figure out something else....some other way to free Mom.....free all of them.”
“Sure kid........we’ll do just that”, Spender lied. No harm is the lad having a little hope. But Grayson knew that the Dorvak women would never be truly free.
Seaside, California
Near Midnight.
Angie stood perfectly still in the hallway between the Spa and the Chapel. Her left hand held up a tray with a tumbler and a bottle of Jack Daniel Black Label. Her still hypnotized mind made it so that she held the tray without difficulty. It was important that she be there to pour the whiskey as soon as Goddess was done Goddess always needed a snort after performing the ceremony.
“Stop calling her Goddess, Angie.....she’s just Norma Fucking Breckinridge. You got to be strong, Honey.”
“I’m trying, Johnny.....but...it’s so hard.”
“Shhhhhhhh...Babe, someone’s coming.”
The Spa door opened, and Barefoot Gloria was gently guiding the newest slave towards the chapel. The new girl’s bare feet were still damp. They passed Angie, and went into the Chapel.
Dream Johnny whispered, ”Is it just me, or does she look like Mary Tyler Moore?”
Angie was about to answer when she saw Goddess, wearing her black hooded robes, slowly padding from the other end of the corridor. Angie’s lips parted as she sighed.
Goddess was so breathtakingly beautiful. Angie imagined a silver halo of light emanating around Goddess. As Goddess slowly drew closer, Angie felt bathed in her power.
Behind her Dream Johnny was yelling something in her ear. She ignored him.
Who was she to rebel against such magnificence. This was her Goddess. She still had a chance to repent. All she had to do was throw herself to Goddess’ gorgeous feet and kiss her long toes, and confess...confess everything.....all her sins against Goddess.
Goddess was about thirty feet away when Johnny’s voice finally broke through. He was reciting the opening to “Ode to a Grecian Urn.” Angie blinked and whispered her programmed response.
“Remember Peter and Trevor...our boys....you gotta be strong for them, Baby....you gotta.”
Norma reached her and stopped. “Something on your mind, Waitress?” She closely studied Angie’s face.
“Answer her, Babe.....answer her.”
“Yes....Goddess. You’re just so beautiful...I want to kiss your feet.”
Norma kept staring. Then she sighed, and proceeded to the door to the Chapel.
“Just have that whiskey ready, Waitress.” She entered the Chapel.
Dream Johnny stood close so that Angie smelled his cologne. He leaned in and softly crooned Sinatra’s “The Summer Wind“ into Angie’s ear. But nothing could snuff the smell of sulfur. And no tune could drown out the sounds of the fierce wind, Norma’s incantations, or the guttural voice that began to answer her.