Paperback Part Three
Hmmmm.....let me adjust that....make it a bit more comfortable for you. That’s better, I’m sure.
So....where was I?
Right, Agent Lindsey knocks Stella out and Cynthia used a powerful version of the Svengali Device on her.
I’m sure you can imagine my delight. The seemingly unhypnotizable Stella Stryker appeared to be vanquished. Of course, I was still nervous....maybe she was still faking. Or maybe the ghost of her mentor would again snap her out of it. Also, I would have preferred a male hypnotist. And I was a tad disappointed that the author did go in further detail about Stella’s full hypnotic induction and initial programming.
I was left to figure those things out for myself.
But the idea of stimulating the peripheral nervous systems of women stuck with me. Matt Gunner, hack writer he was, had stumbled onto a stroke of genius. A neurological induction that utterly bypassed the subject’s critical mind and all of her cognitive defenses.
The Eighties were a boom time for me. The Cold War was at its coldest, and there was plenty of secret funding to go around for CIA and NSA Black Ops. Contrary to what Congress believed, MK Ultra never really died, and quest for reliable mind control continued under their noses. Of course, at first I wasn’t allowed to work on my pet project.....not directly at least. I was assigned to Interrogation at first. I found that work.......distasteful.
Eventually, as I proved my usefulness, I was given more discretion and resources. Now I had a well funded lab, a staff, and an unlimited pool of female test subjects from the Federal Correctional System thanks to the misguided “War on Drugs”.
All was peachy. Then the damn Wall came down. Just as I was on the brink of my own Svengali Device, all the funding disappeared. Worst, then that, the Government grew fearful of the potential backlash, and quickly got out of the mind control business. I became unemployed.
Soon, I was scraping by teaching. Then that ended due to a silly scandal...Let’s call it a unfortunate incident. I was merely helping some coeds study harder and lose bad habits. I had by then developed superb hypnotic techniques that integrated my theories. I confess I was a bit self indulgent. Someone noticed that my....I mean the ladies, stopped wearing shoes around campus. Other odd behaviors were noted, and my attempts to help these girls were discovered. Unfortunately, an especially ignorant dean assumed the worse about my methods.
Luckily, the Government had every interest in keeping my talents quiet. They made sure I wasn’t sued or prosecuted. I just had to promise to not teach again.
But...well....universities would no longer employ me. I had no choice but to turn to less conventional employers. This lead to renewed funding and resources for my research. I always impressed these paymasters, but never showed them the full extent of my progress.
That I kept to myself.
In 1997, I met Noelle in a coffee shop. I was now based in balmy Southern California. It was love at first sight. I remember her long, brown dress to this day. Of course the fact she had entered the shop barefoot had something to do with my attraction. I hovered close as she made her order, loving the sound of her French accent. She noticed, and broke the ice by speaking to me.
She was a guest professor in Art History. I made up something about being a consultant. We really hit it off. By 2000, we were married.
I guess Noelle brought out the best in me. I started taking more vanilla consulting work. I made important contributions to conventional neurological medicine. My secret research was nearly forgotten. We were talking about starting a family.
Then disaster happened.
I had a dvd on which I had several of my......more interesting......hypnosis experiments. I know I should never kept it at the condo, but I do have a hypno fetish and well...I did like to watch them. And yes, Noelle happened to be on the disk.
I tried to explain....that I never forced her to love me under hypnosis.....that whatever we did while she was under she would have done awake....but she just wouldn’t listen. It wasn’t some story on Simon’s Archive....I had no magic trigger word make her automatically compliant.
After that, she only communicated with me through her lawyer. My problems back at university resurfaced. There was even talk of a criminal prosecution. I had no choice but to call upon my Government contacts again. But, my so called “friends” had had enough of my transgressions and left me hanging. I had no choice but to turn to my less savory employers who helped me leave the country. You can imagine what that cost me.
Sorry....I guess I got a little depressing there.
Back to the book.
By the mid nineties, I was on the early web. Soon I was on various Usenet boards. I discovered, wonder of wonders, I wasn’t alone, that there were others who saw hypnosis in erotic light, though their understanding was typically simplistic.
I even posted a few stories on the boards and the Archive under the pseudonym “MGunner”. A few readers even theorized I was the Stella Stryker author.
After awhile I grew contemptuous about my fellow hypnofetishists. Most were good at fantasy, but few did anything concrete to live out the dream.
But, it was through one of the boards I got this, my second copy of the book, the one from which I’m reading to you. Apparently, there had been a second printing. The cover art has a different color scheme than my original torn up copy. But the text is the same, and I was finally able to throw away my battered collection of photocopied pages.
Enough about me. Let’s return to “Stella Stryker #23.”
CHAPTER FOUR.
STELLA TAKES A TRANCE ON LOVE
The pleasant feel of cool air running through her toes began stirring Stella awake. Her eyes slowly opened, and she gazed upon her long, tanned legs stretched out, her bare feet crossed at the ankles and jutting out the passenger side window of the speeding car.
Her reverie was interrupted by a Agent Lindsey’s amused voice:
”Hey....Sleepyhead....you had a nice nap.”
The first thing Stella noted was the voice was coming from very close behind her. She actually felt the younger agent’s warm breath on her hair. The cobwebs cleared and Stella realized her head was on Laura Lindsey’s right shoulder. The cobwebs cleared, and a wave of embarrassment swept through her. She quickly brought her feet into the car and straightened in her seat.
”Uhhhmm, sorry...I...I guess I dozed off........”
Lindsey gently laughed, then said:
”No apologies needed, it was rather nice.........anyway, it’s me who should apologize, the way I wasted your time with the Du Maurier Society.”
This statement had an odd effect on Stella. Words flowed automatically out of her mouth:
”The Du Maurier Society was a dead end. It had nothing to do with the skyjacking.”
Agent Lindsey smiled. “That’s right, Darling. A dead end.”
Stella blinked. Normally, her sense of professionalism would have been offended by Lindsey’s term of endearment. But, she said nothing about it, and instead looked out the windshield. What she saw should have concerned her.
”This isn’t the way back to HQ.” Her voice was nonchalant.
”Silly Stella. We talked about this on the way to the Du Maurier Society. After the mission, we were going back to my place to relax and gather our thoughts.”
That seemed somehow familiar, so Stella said nothing. Soon, she found herself staring blankly at the beachside scenery.
After a bit, Agent Lindsey pulled the sedan into her the apartment complex and parked near the entrance. She spoke first.
”Here we are....my humble abode. It’s not much, but I think you’ll find it cozy....and inviting, Stella.” She opened her car door and reached for her bag, then bent over. Stella assumed she was retrieving the flat sandals she had worn before the mission. Lindsey continued her small talk:
”You don’t know how long I’ve dreamed of you being here, Darling.”
Laura Lindsey’s second use of the term of endearment jolted Stella. She realized it was time to gently make clear to the younger Agent that there would be no sexual relationship between the two of them. She sighed, and said:
”Look, Agent Lindsey.....Laura.....you’re certainly cute...and if we had met under different, nonprofessional circumstances.....”
Lindsey giggled and spun around, lifting her still bare right foot to the driver’s seat. A yellow ribbon was tied around the ankle. Surprised by the gesture, Stella’s gaze locked unto the ribbon.
Stella’s confusion quickly gave way as a wave of relaxed contentment passed through her. All thought and concern seeped away, leaving only a blank obedience in her entranced mind.
Lindsey spoke in a quiet voice.
”Pretty, isn’t it, Stella?”
Each word forced their way into Stella’s blank mind. Her answer came out as a murmur.
”Yes, Sister...it is very pretty.”
”Yes, it is Stella. Now tell me, what does my yellow ribbon mean to you, Darling?”
Stella blinked, then smiled, proud she knew the answer.
”It means that since there are no pink or blue ribbons present, you are the voice of Sister Cynthia....and I must think as you say, feel as you say, remember as you say, and do as you say.”
”Very good, my dear. It was my reward for training the skyjackers. Now, Sister Cynthia has made me your control....I will guide you as you prove your absolute obedience and loyalty to our Sisterhood. I will be giving you tasks.....missions that further Sister Cynthia’s goals, but will also provide tests for your hypnotic programming. How does that sound, to you, Darling?”
”Wonderful, Sister.......I live to serve Sister Cynthia.”
Lindsey re-entered the car, and closed the door. Now fully triggered into an obedient trance, Stella shifted her gaze to Lindsey’s face.
”Well, let’s get started. Hmmmm, Sister Cynthia said I should begin with easy tests. What shall we have you do?” Lindsey looked around the apartment parking lot, then spied something. She giggled.
Old Miss Henderson regretted promising to take her two small grandchildren to the apartment pool. Her arthritis ached, and the day was hot. She was trying to keep the youngsters in tow when they approached a dark, parked sedan. The passenger door opened, and a blonde surfer girl exited. The girl walked to the front of the sedan, then placed a bare foot on the bumper and effortlessly stepped the other onto the hood, which made a denting sound as the blonde girl placed her full weight on it. She had a dazed look, but then broke into a pretty smile. The girl placed her left hand on her left hip and stretched her right arm to her side with the fingers of that hand pointing down.
Miss Henderson was about to say something, when the blonde girl began to sing:
”I’m a little tea pot, short and stout, here is my handle, here is my spout.”
The two children smiled with glee, and sang along with the blonde, who did all the body and hand gestures that went along with nursery rhyme. She concluded, her agile body bent at nearly ninety degrees to the right:
”Tip me over and pour me out.”
The two children burst out in laughter and cheers, asking the blonde to do it again. But now the song was over, the blonde just stood straight and motionless on the hot car hood. She stared blankly into nothingness.
”Dope addict” muttered Miss Henderson as she corralled the youngsters and herded them towards the pool.
After the old women and the kids were safely out of earshot, Laura Lindsey emerged from the sedan, laughing.
”I’m sorry, Darling, but that was too...too precious. If you ever give up espionage there’s certainly a career in kindergarten teaching waiting for you. Hop down now, Stella.”
Stella obeyed and landed in a crouch on the hot asphalt with her feet spread perfectly to distribute her weight. The car hood popped back into its original form. Stella then stood upright with her feet together, almost as if she was at attention.
Lindsey approached her from behind, admiring the view.
”Thank you, Sister Cynthia. To dominate any woman in your service feels wonderful...but to have the formidable Stella Stryker so under my control....that’s an incredible rush. I’ve worshipped you from a distance, Stella, ever since I joined P•O•W•I•E. You were my hero.......the example I’d never be able to match. Now, thanks to the Sisterhood and their empowerment.....you’re nothing but my plaything...my slave. Isn’t that right, Darling?”
”Yes...whatever you say, Sister.” Stella’s answer was toneless and subservient.
Agent Lindsey thought for a moment. “We need another test of your loyalty.” She gazed at Stella’s perfect face. She leaned in and whispered into Stella’s ear. “And I think I have just what the doctor ordered....for both of us.”
She started walking towards the apartment building entrance, and Stella, her arms loose at her side, followed her.