The Hypnotist: The White Lotus

Part One Chapters 25 & 26

Previously on The Hypnotist:

After securing the Fraternal Order's approval, Dr. Vlad reveals to Clitis that they must find Juno quickly before dealing with Bastion. Meanwhile, Bastion and his demon pride discover their safehouse burned down, where they find a mortally wounded demon named Galen who reveals the Fraternal Order took "the boy," leading Bastion to declare they have more priests to kill.

Chapter 25

“You may want to stay in the car.” I turned to Juno, and she looked at me like I just committed the worst atrocity imaginable. We were parked outside the club in Hollywood. Cars whizzed past us, but I paid them no mind, my eyes on the door to the club and the blacked-out window. “Jo is a bit hard to take.”

She snapped her head back and turned away, shaking her head in disappointment. “Not a chance, Mr. Reeves. I’m in this the entire way through.”

It would have been better if she waited. Jo isn’t someone to welcome outsiders, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. I haven’t seen Jo in over two years and I’m not confident that I’ll be welcomed back. My presence may cause a rift in past circles. Let’s just say that I didn’t leave the organization on good terms. The good thing though, is that Jo had always taken a liking to me that was a bit on the obsessive side and what no one wants is for Jo to become obsessive because that never ends well for the obsession. Not at all.

“Are we going in or not?” Juno turned her eyes in my direction. I’ll give her this, she’s definitely persistent.

I cocked my brow. “Chance to reconsider?”

Again, that stare. She shook her head with a thin smile. “I don’t think so.”

I shrugged and opened the car door. “Just stay behind me. Whatever you see…” I looked at Juno over the roof of the car. “Act like you expected it.”

“Okay,” she said, her voice drawn out, skeptical and unknowing.

We walked onto the sidewalk to the front door. The glass was all blacked out. Couldn’t see anything on the inside.

“This place looks abandoned,” said Juno. “Are you sure anyone is even in there?”

Right on cue, the door opened. Standing in the doorway and staring me down is Lester, a massive six-foot five black guy who can literally crush a human skull in his bare hands. I’ve seen it happen, and it wasn’t pretty. He’s got a small smile curled in the corner of his mouth that he quickly forces away. His eyes staring me down.

I’m not sure if this is the reunion everyone was hoping for. Honestly, it’s possible that Lester crushes my skull with his bare hands the moment I pass through the doors. Unfortunately, everyone answers to someone, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the powers that hold Lester’s strings had put in a kill order years ago and that smile of Lester’s resulted from thinking about all the cash he’ll be spending once my skull is firmly planted between his palms. Who needs enemies when you’ve got friends like Lester and Jo?

There’s also the possibility I’ll be welcomed with open arms, which is exactly what happens when I walk through the door. Lester picks me up in a bear hug. Juno walks in behind me, the door closing on her heels.

“It’s great to see you,” Lester said, dropping me back to my feet. He gestured to the back room. “She’s been waiting for you.”

“She knew I was coming?”

He tilts his head as if to say, Are you serious?

“Sorry.” I look around the foyer. “Where is she?”

He gestures to the back. “In her office,” he says. “Go on.” He then looks at Juno. “You too.” His eyes sparkle then, and I notice Juno cringes under the weight of his heavy gaze.

“C’mon Juno. Follow me.”

“Enjoy,” Lester says, opening the door to the club when we’re greeted with dance music and the smell of smoke and alcohol. The gentleman’s club is in full swing. Exotic dancers twirling around poles on the stage, and topless ladies slither through the crowd. Red and blue strobe lights flicker from one side of the club to the other. I noticed the look in Juno’s eyes. She’s startled by the view and a little put off by the scene.

“You didn’t tell me we were going to a strip club.” Her voice is soft and difficult to hear over the music. She looks at me.

“Just people having a great time, Juno.” I shrugged. “Nothing wrong with it. Besides, this is where Jo is and right now, we need information, and Jo is the best person to receive it from.”

She pauses, looking around the club as if she’s feeble and meek. Honestly, I’m surprised by her reaction. Then again, since I met Juno, there’s been more than a few surprises. I guess I should get used to it.

“C’mon, Juno.”

I lead her towards the back, weaving through dancers and attendants to another blacked-out door where two guards dressed in all black conveniently open the door.

“Thank you.” I acknowledge them with a nod before walking through the door into another foyer where the elevator is, and the door closes behind us, locking out all the sounds from the club and push the button for the elevator.

Juno’s looking around like her head is on a swivel.

“The club is soundproof,” I said, explaining why all the music and voices are absent. At the moment, I hope she doesn’t ask why, and she doesn’t. Instead, she looks up at the elevator that has no floor numbers or lights to signal where the elevator is. “You okay?”

Juno nods and looks at me. “This is weird, is all.” She looks at the ceiling. “Who is this Jo person, anyway?”

“Just an old friend.” I look at the elevator. “Someone I’ve spent some time with.” I look at Juno. “Someone I can trust to provide the correct information.”

She runs her tongue inside her cheek, then across her teeth. “And Jo is a woman…” She looks at me. “Correct?”

“Yes, her name is Joelle.”

Juno looks back and forth from the door back to the club to the elevator. Her nervousness has returned. I notice she gets fidgety when she’s nervous. “Did you call her or something?”

I shake my head when the elevator doors slide open. “Not at all.”

Now Juno shakes her head. “Then how did she know you were coming?”

I pause, then gesture to the elevator. “C’mon. We don’t want to keep her waiting.” I step on the elevator and Juno hesitates before stepping in.

Juno’s hands are shaking. “Seriously,” she asks, “How did she know?” The elevator doors close.

“Jo?” I ask, although I’m really just stalling, playing games. The elevator begins its descent.

“Yeah, Jo.”

I look up to the ceiling, clucking my tongue. My voice comes out all plain Jane like. “Knowing her, she probably smelled me coming hours ago.”

Chapter 26

Dr. Vlad’s home wasn’t a home at all, but a hospital a few hours west of Washington in the mountains of West Virginia. Vlad preferred seclusion, so far away from society and prying eyes, especially from the prying eyes of Washington. Presidents come and go. Same with administrations and the flux from one party to the other was not only expected, but it was also a crucial part to keeping his projects under wraps. Those politicians may have their designated time in the spotlight and good for them, according to Vlad, but Vlad knew he was forever. A constant in the US government no matter who was in the White House.

And he’d be damned before he allowed any president to dictate to him what he was doing. Pawns and puppets are how he referred to all presidents of the United States. Bunch of fools they all are, anyway. Most of them couldn’t handle the truth.

Presidents, Vlad would scoff, treat em like mushrooms. Feed them shit and keep em in the dark.

Most were simple pawns, taking direction without an inkling of understanding that comes from behind the direction. They just follow along like dutiful servants, but sometimes you get one that tries to change how things are done, upsetting the status quo, although they are few and very far between. He could go back fifty years to the last thorn in his side. It was a statement they made on that fateful November morning.

The statement had been heard loud and clear. Try to change the status quo and you’ll be met with extreme prejudice. Even a president can be gotten to. A statement that worked to his benefit. Since that time, it’s been smooth sailing for people like Vlad. Didn’t matter who was in the White House, they were all pawns, but Vlad enjoyed witnessing the constant flux between the two-party system. Like watching ocean waves moving from one side of the planet to the other, always in flux and always changing direction while nothing ever changed. Nothing ever got better. It’s the same fight no matter what side you’re on. The argument is just different.

And while the country is fighting over which party has their best interest in mind, clawing at each other and dismissing the other side with violent rhetoric, people like Vlad laugh all the way to the bank. Distraction and division have always been the best friend to the elite.

Vlad was thinking about these things when he entered the hospital with Clitis on his heels. Of course, the many nurses, hospital staff and doctors all greeted him with the casual, “Hello, doctor,” while he was on his way to the elevator. Vlad provided no response, instead he enjoyed seeing the look in their eyes, the one that showed fear rather than respect. He had no time for these people. Whitewashed brains are all he saw on his way to the elevator that opened with a ding, the doors scraping as they opened.

Vlad stepped on, noticing Clitis had his finger pressed to his right ear. The action brought a smile to Vlad’s face, knowing Clitis was receiving communication about Bastion’s pure one. Clitis trained his eyes on Vlad as he stepped into the elevator, while Vlad swiped his keycard across the elevator panel, allowing him access to the underground part of the hospital. The one where Vlad was in control, conducting multiple psychological and genetic experiments.

“Understood,” Clitis said. “We are in the elevator and will be down soon.” The doors closed, and Vlad felt the elevator descend.

Clitis turned to Vlad. “They have the boy.”

“Perfect,” said Vlad. “Is he here?”

Clitis nodded. “Coming in now.”

“And the bait for Bastion? Did they wear what was necessary and keep one alive?”

“Everything was accomplished as you ordered.”

“Outstanding. And Juno?”

To this question, Clitis shook his head. “Not yet, sir. We received a report that agent Clavell was found murdered this morning. We are monitoring Juno’s rental car, but it seems she may have abandoned the rental. It’s sitting in a parking lot in Broward County. The team is following up on leads concerning her whereabouts. Traffic cameras revealed she got on a bus to Palm Beach County.”

“Palm beach?” Vlad shook his head. “What the hell is in palm beach?”

“Not sure, sir, but we’ll find her. It’s just a matter of time.”

The elevator hovered to a stop.

“Time is something we don’t have. We need her location a-sap.”

“Duly noted, sir.”

The doors opened, greeting Vlad and Clitis with a blood-curdling scream. The stink of urine, feces, sweat and blood hovered in the air like a stain that would never rub off.

Vlad turned around. “Feels good to be back home,” he said, walking into the ward. Clitis right behind him. “Now, where did they bring that boy?”