''Do you want to hear what happened, or you're going to keep interrupting me?''
''Sorry.''
''When I got there, she was screaming how he was touching her against her will, and he said how he was touching only her ears. Imagine.''
''Crazy.''
''Yeah.''
Ears.
''How did they get their ears to look like that?''
''I don't know. Surgically, probably.''
''And her eyes… She's an arouser.''
''I don't like her. Even her breasts are probably implants. She looks like one of those cut up whores from your porn movies. Cruel plastic face.''
Note to the reader: She looks better.
''Kristen is the best looking one here. At least she looks like a human being.''
''I think her name is Kirsten.''
''That's what I said, Kirsten.''
''You said, Kristen.''
''Kirsten or Kristen?''
''Kristen. Krirsten.''
''Krirsten?''
''Kirsten.''
''Go fuck yourself, Jove!''
Chapter thirty five
Mugshot
'' Ezequiel Holodnik (born May 25, 1977 in Fresno), is an ex officer of Los Angeles Police Department. In 2011 he was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for armed robbery of Los Angeles Central Federal Bank. ''
I didn't even know that there's such thing as central federal bank. This is from Ezequiel Holodnik Wikipedia page. I know this case from the media, they were buzzing so much about it, but I'll check it in more details now. There's even a mugshot of Holodnik. By the way, Holodnik jr. is here, in the summer garden.
'' Holodnik's indictment and conviction have been the subject of much controversy, and stired protests in the public. ''
This is from Los Angeles Central Federal Bank robbery section:
'' On April 10, 2011, two heavily armed men wearing clown masks, entered the premises of Central Federal Bank in Los Angeles. After disarming the guards, they blasted open the vault's doors using Semtex explosive. They fled the crime scene in a stolen black mini van, taking with them over thirty million dollars. Half hour after the robbery the mini van was found burning in one underground garage.
During the next few days of investigation, it was informations from underground informants that brought success to the efforts of LAPD. Upon discovering the person that black marketed Semtex, the police connected him with a local drug dealer, Jorge Basajaun. On April 14, police raided the apartment in East Los Angeles, the supposed residence of Basajaun. Neither Basajaun, or the stolen money were found, but the police discovered further evidence connecting Basajaun with the robbery, such as map of the city with marked escape route to the garage where the mini van was found.
To this day Basajaun was not found, it is presumed he fled over the state border for his native Mexico.
On April 16, Ezequiel Holodnik was arrested. Connection of Holodnik and Basajaun was revealed, Holodnik later confessed he extorted Basajaun for allowing him to work on the street. Another piece of evidence that linked Holodnik to the robbery was the fact that Holodnik was a part time employed at 'Kaiser', private security company that secured Central Federal Bank. ''
This is from section Trial:
'' Holodnik confessed his involvement with the robbery, but pleaded innocent. He claimed he has no memory of the event. He claimed that during the entire time of the robbery and some time afterward, he was under hypnotic suggestion, induced on him by Basajaun.
Holodnik was twice subjected to polygraph examinations, with inconclusive results.
During the trial, a number of experts in the field of hypnosis was called on to testify, by both prosecution and defense. Only one of them staunchly claimed that the act of robbery under the state of hypnosis is unachievable.
Despite the strong support Holodnik received during the trial, on September 10, 2011, jury found him guilty on the account of bank robbery. He was sentenced to life imprisonment. ''
Wait, this is something new.
'' On March 16, 2014, the Supreme Court of the United States overruled the verdict of Federal Court. New trial is scheduled for June 1. ''
Interesting. This is from section Support and 'Free Zeke Holodnik protests':
'' Holodnik's case and trial gained widespread following in the media and support for his innocence from the public. During the trial protests were held in front of the court with people carrying 'Free Zeke Holodnik' signboards. Support for Holodnik came from a number of personalities from mainstream media, entertainment, music industry, fashion and various other organizations.
Holodnik's trial was the subject of an entire episode of Oprah show, with Oprah talking to Holodnik via phone line, while in remand, and voicing her support to him… ''
Yeah, I watched that one.
''Shit… What fuckin' time is it?''
Hubert's awaking, I have to go.
Chapter thirty six
Malakur vo
I went looking for her. She saved my life back there. Lempo said she went to find Abraxas. I figured she'll be around Pine Cone Center. I jumped back and I found her. Sort of. She found me.
I used my level shifting abilities to go avoid security and go to the backstage zone, where the celebrities are sheltered from frantic fans. Not from me though. And then I realized that we're the ones that might be needing protection. I saw bodyguards escorting someone through the corridor, but that someone I couldn't see. Just some shimmering shape for a split second. Trick that lights play with my eyes. Or my eyes didn't fully recover from what that girl did to me. It shimmered again. So close to me. And again. And in front of my face some eyes appeared. Unhuman eyes. Tentacles. I winced backwards. And then Emily appeared and punched that thing's shimmering head off. Bodyguards reached for their weapons, and then just lifelessly fell to the floor. Emily did it to them.
''Did you kill them?!''
''They'll come around. We have to go, Cleitus.''
''What was that thing?!''
''I don't know, but it was powerful. It would have probably killed you for your energy.''
It had human bodyguards, so on the first level it must of had different appearance.
''I want to know who that was.''
I went through bodyguard's pockets, and pulled out a parking receipt. Fuckin' shit.
''Holy shit Emily, you know who that was? Asimbala Carter.''
''Who?''
''The r'n'b singer.''
''The one that sings 'Sayonara bitches'?''
''No, that's Nadia, Asimbala sings 'Hello kitty' and 'Bruised love'.''
''Oh, shit, that thing was her?!''
''I guess it's too late now to ask for her autograph.''
She laughed. I laughed. I don't think that anyone's death is funny, but all of this is so fuckin' horrifying that I don't know what else to do but laugh. We got out of there.
Emily told me she spoke to Abraxas. There's no boogie man from outer space coming to end the world. That was just a story he cleverly constructed to get us running. I thought that's the case, I just didn't know why. For energy. Everything that's happening above our world is energy race. And now, we're a part of it. We got to strong to stay unnoticed.
''So, what do we do now? Go back to that realm where the others are?''
''Yes, but, let's walk out of the convention first, there's so much people here.''
''Yes, of course.''
This is the second time she saved my ass. Everything happened so fast, I didn't thank her even for the first time.
''Emily, I want to apologize for lashing out, this whole thing just got the best of me-''
Guy that's handing out flyers at the exit said something to Emily, I didn't hear what, something vulgar probably, and she pulled a .38 out of somewhere and smacked the poor guy on the head with the handle. He fell to his knees, and his flyers went all over the floor. He pressed his hands on his head, blood showed between his fingers.
''Jesus, Emily, he's
just some guy, like you and me.''
I grabbed her hand and pulled her away. Before the doors closed behind us, I heard his moaning snarl, sounded like he said: 'Malakur vo'.
Chapter thirty seven
The shadow of Kurt Vonnegut
''That's one of those things that still defy every attempt of being rationalized. You know, we live in the age when we've finally explained everything. We've explained the existence of the universe and the existence of ourselves to ourselves. Science has abolished all gods. And those things that still remain unrationalized are pushed to the margins, waiting for the time when science will either explain them, or abolish them. All save one. Hypnosis. No one can deny its existence, although it counters every logic. How is it possible that a part of a person's consciousness can be shut off by voice only, and that he can be remotely controlled by another person? It shouldn't be, that shouldn't be a part of the explained logical world we're living in. The explained logical world showed no understanding for your dad because of it. I'm pretty sure it has something to do with sleep, non-REM or REM, but that still doesn't make any sense of it. Now you'll have to excuse me gentlemen, because I must go take a piss.''
Old Jack kicked me in the head pretty hard. Kicked me right in the logos. Hahah! Did you know that REM stands for 'rapid eye movement'?
''Hey, buddy, where's the can?''
Oh, okay. Bladder's pressing me, I have to open the pipe fast. Oh, yeah, that's good. So good. Tinkle, tinkle, little star, how I wonder where's my car. Hahah!
My eye hurts. Fuckin' catholic. New Engwand halfwit. May his precious Abraxas fuck him in the ass.
Okay.
''Hubert, listen to this. Zeke, tell him what you just told me.''
''Um… Whatever is it that you saw in the park and elsewhere, I didn't.''
''Zeke doesn't see the medusas.''
''You didn't see that guy in the park conducting some electricity and throwing it at a big jellyfish floating over the center?''
''I saw a guy doing some mime thing, touching the air, throwing nothing in the air, and then he just walked away.''
Brilliant.
''Zeke says he can't remember his last two or three days.''
''I don't even know how I got here. To this convention.''
''We have to start considering the possibility that Abraxas is maneuvering some powerful hallucinogen, that Zeke is immune of, for some reason. ''
''You know, 'till the moment we started this conversation, I believed you were having some workshop, an acting class, role playing thing, a game I'm not in. And now, we're talking about hallucinogens.''
''Trust me, if it's a workshop, we're not a part of it either. So, you've lost two days?''
''I'm not sure how many… Last Tuesday, I left for Tijuana, I was searching for this man Jorge Basajaun, guy that framed my dad, I remember spending my time there, and then… I'm sitting in this hall in Pine Cone Center... I don't understand… Maybe I did found him, and he flexed his magic on me...''
''I'm not sure it works that way'', Edwin said: ''I think it has to be consensual.''
Holodnik shrugged. Some man walked in the cafe, asked for a bag of ice, went outside, sat down on one bench in the shade of the Center and put the bag on his head. Holodnik's eyes followed his movements.
''That's Y.T. Whitemansson'', he said.
''Who?'', said Edwin.
''Guy that wrote and directed that movie with Michael Shannon, based on true events.''
''What's the name of the movie?'', said Edwin.
''That's the name, 'Based on true events'.''
''Interesting name, very direct. What's it about?'', Edwin got interested.
I never heard of such film with Michael Shannon. My head hurts. I don't want to talk anymore, I want to go home and sleep.
''I'll recount it for you. On the beginning of the movie, some unseen guy is conducting some interview with Whitemansson, the director. It's about getting dough for being a part of some experiment. And the guy says that it's going to be a tormenting experience, but Whitemansson says that they all are. And the story starts. Michael Shannon awakens in some dumping ground, there's blood and cuts on his hands, he doesn't remember anything, he doesn't know who or where he is. He walks through the town, meets some creepy characters, blacks out and awakens next to one of them, dead, killed. Blood on his hands and a bloody knife next to him. He wants to turn himself in to the police, but a girl he met in the bar talks him out of it. She's played by that Israeli actress, I can't remember her name now. She takes him to her place. And he keeps blacking out and waking up, scratched and bruised, with corpses around him. And when he nearly avoids blacking out in front of some kids, he tries killing himself with the knife, but he blacks out before stabbing himself. He turns himself in. And awakens with bunch of dead cops in the station. Then they show us what's actually going on with him. He's being monitored by that Israeli girl and some people. She's a hypnotist and she hypnotized him into blacking out. It's all an experiment. No one was killed, it was all staged. And Mike realizes they're watching him from a confined room in the precinct, he breaks in and kills them all with the knife, although they try to explain him that he is not a killer and that it was all a part of the experiment he agreed being a part of. Then they show us that scene from the beginning and we see that that interviewer is one of those that monitored Mike. He tells to Whitemansson that the experiment is about endurance of the psyche and crossing the line where it falls apart. Whitemansson quits and leaves. The guy calls the next candidate in. Michael Shannon enters and sits on the chair. Based on true events.''
''Holy shit, that's one crazy movie. Let's go talk to Whitemansson. Are you coming, Hubert?''
I followed them. Edwin asked Whitemansson what happened to him.
''I got pistol whipped at the convention.''
Awkward. Holodnik asked him is he promoting a new film.
''No. I'm handing out flyers for this book I'm writing.''
He handed a flyer to each of us. It showed a person in flames, taking a snapshot of himself in front of a wall, on which graffiti spelled: 'Maniacs in the fourth dimension'.
''The title is a reference to Kurt Vonnegut, it's taken from 'Slaughterhouse five'.''
''What's it about?''
''Well, the point of the book is to show that reality is far more stranger than any fantasy. It's anti-fantasy. But, I'm afraid, that any of the people that I've send a copy to, that might be reading it right know, won't understand it, or just won't like it. Maybe it's too strange. Anyway, it's not even finished yet, I'm just writing chapter thirty seven.''
Lovely, can we go now?
''Who knows, maybe people will appreciate it'', said Edwin: ''Give it time.''
''Yes, when I'm dead. I need appreciation now, not fuckin' leaflet handing at the fuckin' Convention-con.''
''Whitemansson, I have to ask you, I have to know'', spoke Holodnik: ''Your film, did it really happened, is it true?!''
''Hell no, son. I claimed it did just because true stories sell. Hollywood folk stick to them like shit to flies. Nothing like that ever happened, nothing that I know of. It came out of my head. I don't think that hypnosis can do what it does in the movie.''
Maniacs in The Fourth Dimension Page 10
