by T. Anderson
18
Persuasion
Vern moved swiftly through the hallway to the underground meeting room. He’d been back and forth several times over the past week and he knew that he couldn’t keep this up much longer without someone noticing. Just as he was contemplating moving Stella to another location, he heard voices up ahead of him, coming from the room. He picked up his pace.
The heavy door was opened just a crack and he stood outside to listen before entering. It was Gunnar and Cybele. Damn! He’d been caught! They’d found her. After a deep breath, he pushed the door open to face them.
Gunnar sarcastically contained his anger. “Why is Stella holed up in the basement, Vern, when she should be: a. attending school, or b. if she isn’t well enough to attend, she should be in the care of her mother and me? I’m sure you have something to do with this, Vern. I’ll give you one chance to explain.”
“Uh, um, well…” Vern stammered as he measured the annoyed look on Cybele’s face. He was sure that nothing was going to persuade them that he’d done the right thing by bringing Stella here. He couldn’t explain it, but made an attempt. “Stella wanted a break. She wanted time alone. She asked me for help—it was only a temporary solution.” Vern took quick stock of Stella’s status before saying too much. Surprisingly, she seemed coherent and present enough to participate in the conversation. It was her move. He waited.
Gunnar looked to her and asked, “Stella? Is this true? You wanted to be alone?”
“Yes. It’s true. We’re so sorry for causing any trouble. Everything is fine. Really!” For a moment she seemed like the old Stella. Vern wondered how she could revert back so easily. It didn’t matter, really. It was working, whatever she was doing. They were falling under her spell, even skeptical Cybele.
“Well, why didn’t you just tell us, sweetie?” Cybele asked. “We haven’t heard from you. We wanted to give you some space after…after the diagnosis. But you really had us worried. We thought something awful might have happened.”
“We’re all fine, there’s nothing to worry about,” Stella reassured her. “As a matter of fact, Aron just paid a visit and she’s doing well too.” This made Vern question what Stella was up to. Had Aron been there? Or was Stella lying to distract her parents—to divert attention and change the subject? Odd…
Stella continued. “We really needed some time to ourselves. It’s helped a great deal. Thank you for being so understanding. Just a few more days should do the trick.” It was true that the underground darkness and quiet kept her pain at bay. They understood that part of it. And Stella seemed to have developed a very intoxicating way of leading others in the direction she wanted their minds to go. Her new victims were obviously not immune. Gunnar and Cybele actually began to feel as if they were intruding on her privacy and that maybe they should just leave her alone again. It was difficult for Gunnar to force the last words, almost against his will.
“Well, all right, Stella. If you think it’s the best place to be. But we don’t want you down here much longer. It’s not good for you. And MONAD will be aware of your movements if it drags out too long. You’ll have to make a decision soon as to whether you’ll be staying in school or leaving. And you know you always have a safe haven in our home. Right?” said the “ever-supportive and comforting” Gunnar. Cybele kindly smiled in agreement. Vern noticed a subtle questionable look in her eyes as if she was not sure of their hasty surrender, but then it passed.
“You’re absolutely correct. Thank you both for your concern.” Stella’s gestures signaled that the conversation was over. Cybele embraced her and kissed her on the cheek, while Gunnar lightly brushed her shoulder.
“Take good care of her, Vern. Keep us posted,” Gunnar said.
“Of course. Of course. Again, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I promised her that I wouldn’t worry you.”
“Understood,” was all Gunnar said before they left.
Vern pulled a chair out for himself and took a well-deserved rest. He didn’t even speak to Stella until he had thought things through. She sat quietly on her blanket on the floor. He asked himself what he was doing. Why was he hiding her from the world? He couldn’t explain his behavior, even he didn’t understand. Was he subconsciously trying to stay in control of everything, without relinquishing power to Gunnar, as it had always been in the past? Was his ego really controlling the situation? Or was it more than that? Was Gunnar a hidden threat to Stella? She didn’t seem to be afraid of him but she didn’t willingly leave with him, either. She probably would have if she needed his help or trusted him to care for her. Something was going on. He suspected that Stella knew more than she would reveal at this time. And because he loved her, he respected that. He reminded himself that he was committed to honoring her final requests and helping with whatever she needed. Now more focused, he was able to take a deep breath and he felt a little better.
“Stella, did you speak with Aron?”
“Yes.”
“Did she come here to see you?”
“No. Not physically.”
Interesting. “Can you speak to her freely, whenever you want to?”
“Not yet. She needs practice.”
“How are the preparations coming?” He felt the bubbling irritation rising up his esophagus but stuffed it back down. This bordered on the absurd. He knew better than to discount it, though.
“Very well. You’ve been very accommodating, Verner. We will be forever grateful.” Her palms joined at her heart and she bowed gracefully to him.
“I brought you some food and water.” He dug in his bag and produced a banana, a sandwich and a bottle. Her eyes lit up as if she’d never seen food before. There was a pure innocence about her that was opposed by the echo of an ancient soul. He remembered seeing this in his wife long ago, at certain times of her life. When they were most in love. When they made great scientific discoveries together. When she was fighting her cancer. Yin and Yang had taken up residence inside of her body. Why had he not recognized it back then, given it more thought? How he wished he could turn the clock back, transport himself through time to tell her that he knew she was the most extraordinary creature that had ever walked this earth. But he could not. His regret was interrupted just then.
“Thank you. For everything,” she said. Was she reading his thoughts? He didn’t care. He wanted her to see inside of him. He wanted her to see past the obsession, the guilt, the years of depression and self-loathing he’d inflicted upon himself. He wished he’d known back then what he knew now. It may have changed everything.
“We all have regrets, Vern. There is no way around them. We only heal by moving past the regret. Everything is as it should be, in this life, and in the next. You will discover this for yourself. Promise.”
“Promise?” He fought tears with a half-hearted chuckle. He was bewitched by her—by this girl, once a woman that he was married to and devoted to. And further back in time, loved and cherished by others, many maybe. He even tasted acceptance, that one day he might have the ability to share her with the world. It felt like freedom.
“Promise.” She allowed him time to feel the scope of the moment. It was a glimpse into his future. It would give him strength to continue. “Now, we ask that you allow us to continue our work.” Without question, he gathered his things and, once again, left her alone.
19
Loops in the Knot
It was the end of October and Petra had done her best for two months to keep her husband from snooping into Stella’s life in California. She knew that Myra Hadrian had been there once to assess the situation. And she knew about Stella’s brain tumor, thanks to Verner Hanson, her one and only ally (if she could honestly call him that).
Petra was genuinely concerned for Stella. Although she more or less predicted it would happen, getting the devastating news of Stella’s diagnosis was the worst thing she could have imagined, next to the nightmare she was dealing with here in Minnesota. Her psychotic husband’s body count was escalating
on a weekly basis. Feeling utterly helpless, she was unable to control the California crisis while also fearing for her own safety should anyone intercept her communication with Vern.
And now that her ultra sensitive antennae were detecting unrest here at MONAD, Petra knew there wasn’t much time to care about herself. She knew that Erling had been informed of suspicious incidents in California, involving Stella’s irregular attendance in her classes. She knew that he’d assigned Myra to check with her people there and get back to them with a report. They were just waiting for the intel. She feared that it was about to get out of control.
************
Dr. Myra Hadrian hardly stopped to ask herself what her motivation was to propel the Aeon Project forward. The truth was, she didn’t really care about the Project. Yes, she was a psychiatrist by profession, but self-examination was not a priority for her. If she had to describe it to anyone, she would admit she wasn’t looking for recognition or wealth. She wasn’t hoping to make any historical scientific breakthroughs that would land her a Nobel Prize. It was simply the thrill of the hunt. She had an addiction and her drug of choice was watching others suffer. She liked to see them squirm. She got off on it, and she had no intention of trying to stop doing what she was doing. On the contrary. In her own mind, she wasn’t like her patients or any of the others…she had no faults, didn’t want to be fixed. No, she was perfect just the way she was.
Dr. Hadrian had a low tolerance for uncooperative agents. After she’d unsuccessfully attempted contact with Dane Martin for two days, she boarded the next available flight to San Francisco. She didn’t charter the MONAD jet because she would not admit her incompetence to Erling Steinar. She gave him the impression that everything was under control. Her intentions were to make this trip short and sweet. He wouldn’t even notice that she was gone.
This time she arrived prepared. No frivolous skirts. No impractical heels. No entourage. She preferred to work alone. After renting a car she made a quick stop at an unidentified storage facility less than a mile from the airport where she armed herself. She chose a handgun and a small blade, which she hid discreetly inside her left boot. She threw any other tools she might possibly need into the trunk.
It was Halloween night and the campus was a chaotic mess of parties and costumes. The perfect camouflage. Stepping out of her car, decked out in black leather, the only reactions she received were a few cat-calls and whistles. She was not impressed, but sadly enjoyed the attention.
The first knock was on Dane’s door. When there was no answer, she easily picked the lock and moved in to survey the room. Nothing of interest. Quite boring actually. She moved upstairs to pay a visit to the twins. The hallways were busy and crowded with students. She knocked and detected movement inside.
“Stella? Trick or Treat! Are you there? It’s Doctor Hadrian.” More rustling inside. Then the door opened.
“Doctor Hadrian? What are you doing here? This is a surprise!”
“Hi! I was in the area for some meetings. I thought I’d pop by for a visit. Can I come in?” She tried to look past Stella into the room. She knew someone else was in there.
“Uh—well, okay.” Aron opened the door to reveal Dane sitting on her bed.
“Oh, Stella, I see you have company. I’m so sorry to interrupt.” She slinked toward Dane, extending a gloved hand. “I’m Myra, it’s so nice to meet you. Stella, is this your boyfriend?”
“Uh, no. Just a friend.” She couldn’t think straight. She wasn’t supposed to know about Dane and his arrangement with MONAD. And she’d only had seconds to become Stella after Dr. Hadrian knocked on the door.
“Oh. Well then. That’s good…you were so worried you wouldn’t make friends here.” Myra smiled sarcastically and spoke clearly to ensure that Dane heard the dig.
Wow! As if her drop-dead body and perfectly proportioned face weren’t intimidating enough, she really had a way with words. That blow was below the belt. Aron was trying to keep her cool. She tried to change the subject, pretend she didn’t know why Dr. Hadrian would be there. “So, you’re here for…meetings? On campus?”
“Not on campus, per se. Just in the area. The meetings are finished,” she said with a direct glare in Dane’s direction. “I was just on my way to a costume party, actually,” she added with a sweeping hand gesture from head to toe, showing off her skin-tight outfit. She finished with a wink. Then, without being invited to do so, she sat down on Stella’s bed, crossing her legs in one smooth exaggerated movement.
“So tell me how things are going, Stella. It must be good because I haven’t heard from you—at all!” The bitch was back. Dane rolled his eyes.
“Yup, for sure, really good.” She was doing her best to channel Stella’s midwest accent.
“And what news about your sister! It’s so exciting! Where is she—Aron, right?”
“Yeah, it’s amazing. She’s awesome. She’s actually…already left for the party with some other friends. We’re just leaving in a minute to meet up with her.” There was an awkward silence while they all smiled at each other. Each one of them was hiding something, and they all knew it. Dane was praying that the Cat Woman would fall for Aron’s imitation of Stella. She seemed to be.
Myra knew they were lying about something, but she wasn’t quite sure what it was. To her, Stella actually looked healthy and normal. Dane was testing her patience and could not be trusted after his childish display of rebellion. His paycheck would immediately be terminated, even before she returned to Minnesota. And she might be missing something, but she was almost certain that Dane was romantically involved with the twin sister, Aron. Why was he alone in the room with Stella? Hmmm…well, they are human, and highly hormonal. Probably screwing around on each other like normal kids. She decided to leave it for now. She would need to go find someone else to harass or something else to shoot for entertainment tonight. These kids were no fun!
“Well, it’s been a pleasure to meet you…I’m sorry, what did you say your name was again?” Myra asked, once again offering her hand.
Rolling his eyes, he played along. “Dane. It’s Dane.”
“Right. Dane.” Then she turned to Aron. “Don’t be a stranger, Stella. Everyone misses you. Come and see us soon, okay? I’ll tell your mom and dad that I saw you. I’m sure they’re anxious to hear how you’re doing. Maybe Thanksgiving? Think about it!” Her voice was sickeningly sticky sweet. Aron was disgusted and now understood why everyone hated her so much. Ugh! Bitch from Hell!
Myra double-kissed Stella on each cheek and blew out of the room. They could smell her obnoxiously expensive perfume long after she left.
“She was packing heat,” said Dane.
“She was packing what?”
“She had a gun. I saw it through the leather on her lower back.”
“You were looking?” Aron asked, slightly jealous, but not seriously.
“You did great, Air. Really great. She would have blown up if she didn’t believe us. But she’s damn pissed at me. Maybe I should have answered those calls. I’m pretty sure I’m fired now.”
“Well, good. I’m glad. I hate the idea of you being connected to her in any way. She’s a hot mess of dangerous trouble,” Aron scoffed. She was officially protective of her man. “Come on. Let’s go.” She slipped on her shoes and grabbed her keys.
“Go where?” They hadn’t actually planned on going out.
“We’re going to see Stella.”
“Woah-ho-ho! Wait a second. Doctor Cat-Lady is out there. You don’t think she’s waiting to follow us right now?”
Aron looked defeated. But he was right. They couldn’t lead her to Stella. It was too dangerous. It would be better if they just did what they said they were going to do. “Well, then we should probably go find a party. I really don’t feel like it, but…”
“Come on,” he hopped up and grabbed her hand, trying to cheer her up, “it won’t be that bad!” His smile made her smile. “Let’s party, ‘Stella!’ Trick or Treat.” They
bravely walked the hallway, passing vampires, Jokers, storm troopers and Smurfs. It was a relief to see that the rest of the world was predictably spinning on its axis. They allowed themselves refuge for this one night.
When they were walking in the dark, surrounded by cackling groups of party-goers, Aron felt a wave of nostalgia.
“You know what tonight is?”
“Halloween?” Dane answered with a chuckle.
“Besides that, goof! It’s actually the Norse New Year. October 31st was called Samhain Eve.”
“Cool!” She had Dane’s attention. He loved her stories.
“It’s supposedly the night that the Wild Ride begins.”
“Sounds like my kind of New Year!” he joked, pulling her closer to him.
Giggling, she continued. “It’s the night when the lights go out in all of the Nine Worlds, letting all the spirits and goblins roam free around the earth.”
“Creepy. Are you scared?”
“Maybe. A little.” She was exaggerating, in a cute way.
“So how do we contain all of these maniacal ghosts?” Dane was going along with it, having a little fun.
“We don’t. We just hope they don’t kill us,” she said finally belly-laughing. When she caught her breath, she added something she’d just remembered. “You know what’s really kind of weird, though?”
“What?”
“I just remembered that, according to Nordic lore, the height of the Wild Ride lands on December 21st—the day of the Midwinter Festival. It’s the shortest day of the year in Scandinavia.”
“Random,” Dane teased. “You must be good at Trivial Pursuit. How do you know all this?”
“My dad. Every year he reminds me about that story. December 21st is my birthday. He tells me I was lucky or something—to be born on that day,” she said as her hand gravitated to the blue scarf looped around her neck.
“It’s like…the Mayan Calendar.”
“Yeah.” They both were quiet for a moment, thinking as they walked. “Whatever. It doesn’t matter. It’s just a myth.” She’d had enough freaky action for one night.
