The Hypnotist: The White Lotus
Part Two Chapters 34 & 35
Previously on The Hypnotist:
Clitis grows suspicious of Bastion and The Pride as efforts to breach the Mods’ sealed door fail—despite explosives. Meanwhile, Logan and the team reach the resonance chamber, a celestial tuning device hidden deep in the mountain. There, Jo reveals the horrifying truth: the mountain is a Draconian stargate, and the ritual will open it.
Chapter 34
Mills and his team of four soldiers went to work on opening the door to the Mods with the proton packs Clitis had suggested. The protons were working like a charm.
Mills remarked how his soldiers looked like they worked for pest control with the large rectangle shaped backpacks secured to their shoulders and the thin weapon in their hands that resembled the classic pest control sprayer, although what came out of the weapon was nothing short of fantastic. The proton came out like a halogen lamp, round and white. Five beams went to work on the door.
The water or whatever Clitis had discovered, melted off the door, pooling across the floor when Mills deduced that whatever this substance was, it was used as a coating and was more than likely a substance that could not be blasted as easily as Mills would have liked. Once they successfully removed the outer layer, Mills called for his team to cease fire as he inspected the door. The water wasn’t water either, but a thick liquid-like gel.
There was a lock on the right side. Mills touched the door that was no longer freezing cold but now hot to the touch, courtesy of the proton beams.
“Get the C4,” he ordered his team and in less than five minutes, they had blasted the lock and forced the door open that disappeared into the mountain wall.
Mills and his team stepped through the door onto a platform into total darkness. “Get some lamps,” he ordered his team, then clicked on his flashlight. Three soldiers took to the order, leaving Mills alone with his friend and compadre, Lieutenant Fisk.
The inside of the mountain was warm, despite the frigid cold outside and the island’s hum was stronger inside. Mills shined his flashlight around the mountain. On both sides where they stood were stairs leading further down and when he looked over the platform, he could see those stairs spiraled down. He judged there must be ten floors below.
It was Fisk who asked the first question. “Where are they?” He turned to Mills. “This place looks like it’s abandoned.”
Mills shined his flashlight to the level directly below. “According to Clitis, the cattle are on the top floors.” He looked behind him. “We’re going to need more soldiers.”
Fisk was staring over the platform into the gloom below. “And where are these Mod people?”
“The bottom floor. Remember, they can’t live above ground, so they stay far away from the top.” He clicked off his light.
Fisk looked up and all around. “Okay. What’s our next play?”
“Take two teams down, one on each side.” He looked back to assess where his soldiers were.
“Wait, a minute.” Fisk’s head was moving back and forth. “There is something down there.” He turned to Mills. “I can see the whites of their eyes.”
Chapter 35
Juno stood in front of the platform as Vlad had instructed her. He stood beside her, holding the box with the rune inside. Bastion noticed Clitis stepped beside him. Vlad’s soldiers were scattered across the patio. Some gathered supplies from the transport to bring into the mansion, but Bastion wasn’t concerned about them. The thirteen soldiers standing by the platform at the behest of Vlad’s orders brought a smile to his face. Bastion was certain they had no idea what they were about to endure, certain that Vlad had already completed his cerebral assassinations on them in accordance with the ritual.
He privately laughed when he saw Clementine with Andrew. The elusive Clementine had to show up sometime.
Perhaps she, too, wanted to see what happens after Juno charges the rune? Bastion was wondering the same. Sure, he’d heard stories, but then again, they were just stories. He’d never known anyone who has used the rune, although he suspected the stories held some credence to them.
So far, Bastion’s intel on Vlad and his team wasn’t troubling at all. In fact, they seemed in over their heads. When someone doesn’t have all the information, whatever plan they put into place can have catastrophic implications, and he was certain that Vlad’s team were looking for the Mods and the cattle they have housed in the mansion. They planned on using them as sacrifices to honor the rune and prove their intention, but Vlad has it all wrong. He doesn’t understand the point of the sacrifice.
Or what is required to be sacrificed.
He regarded Clitis, standing a little too close for Bastion’s taste, although the soldier provided Bastion with what he needed. When he assessed Juno, he also locked in on Clitis, reading his thoughts and intentions while revealing Vlad’s plan to Bastion. He knew Vlad was planning to backstab him, and now he understood exactly how he was going to do it.
Once the rune is inserted, the soldier he mesmerized will release The Pride. Vlad will be too consumed with the ceremony to know what was happening. Bastion thought about it and how foolish Vlad will look. Some humans just don’t know anything about sacrifice.
The wind kicked into high gear with an icy chill. The moon stood like a beacon to the future, and Vlad gestured to Clitis. “Now is the time,” he said.
Clitis nodded then turned to Bastion. “Obviously we can’t have you all tied up if we’re to represent a viable contract.” He gazed over Bastion, suspicious. “The halo will remain.” He shook his head. “I don’t trust you, Bastion. I’ll be on you like white on rice. Do you understand?”
Bastion did nothing but smile. “Do you want your power? I suggest you do as you’ve been told then.”
Gritting his teeth, Clitis turned down the power on the halo, then unstrapped Bastion, taking off the thermal blanket. “And if I even hear a peep from your shadow people there’ll be a bullet between your eyes before you can even blink.”
Bastion stretched his arms as he stepped away from the hand truck. He stepped in front of Clitis. Eyeballing his captor. A second later he waved him off. “Move away servant and do as you are told.”
“Clitis,” Vlad called. “Allow him to pass.”
Clitis waited another second before stepping to the side. Bastion eyeballed the box in Vlad’s hands as he joined him and Juno by the platform.
Vlad opened the box to Juno’s ultimate surprise.
“What is it?” she asked, staring at the rune with the wide-eyed wonder of a child.
“A gift for you, Juno.” Vlad raised the box closer to Juno. “It has magical powers.”
“For me?” She locked eyes with Vlad.
Vlad cocked his head. “More like on loan for a while.” And he grinned. “Do you want to see what it can do?”
Juno nodded, her lips tucked into her mouth.
“Go ahead,” said Vlad. “Take it and insert it into the platform.” He gestured to the platform. “If we want to see its full power, it has to be charged.”
Juno looked up from the rune to Vlad. “Like a phone?”
“Exactly like a phone, but you have to promise me something.”
Bastion could see Juno’s child-like excitement. It was written across her face. “Of course, Dr. Vlad.”
“You have to promise that when I tell you, you’ll give it back to me. If you break the promise though, something bad might happen, so I need you to make a full hearty promise.”
“I promise Dr. Vlad.”
Bastion closed his eyes.
“Then take it, Juno. Insert the rune into the platform and let’s see what kind of magic happens.”
Juno nodded again, then bobbed from one foot to the other as if she was getting ready for some big reveal. She wiggled her fingers before reaching her hand over the rune, hovering just above it.
She pulled her hand away and smiled. “It’s like electricity in there. I can feel it in my bones. It’s funny.”
Dr. Vlad smiled. “It’s the magic. It’s very powerful.”
Juno nodded, refocusing her attention on the rune when she reached her hand in and gripped the device, then lifted it out of the box as Vlad closed the lid and stepped aside. Juno held the rune and Bastion grinned while watching blue and purple electricity cascade across it.
Juno’s jaw hung open. “It’s wonderful Dr. Vlad. It feels so good, like riding on a roller coaster.”
“Insert it into the platform.” Dr. Vlad pointed to the platform.
Juno’s eyes were wide. “It’s so strong. I can feel it in my heart. It is like magic. It’s in my bones too, Dr. Vlad.”
Vlad repeated, “Insert the rune into the platform.”
The electricity from the rune cascaded across Juno.
“Now, Juno,” hollered Dr. Vlad, when Juno locked eyes with him and nodded.
She turned to the platform and inserted the rune when those electrical waves consumed the platform, slithering across it while Dr. Vlad looked up and all around.
Juno said, “It’s so beautiful. It feels like butterflies fluttering in your heart.”
And then the lights went out, bathing the mountain in total darkness. Not even the moon existed. It was as if the entire universe had gone dark and the only proof they were still living was the growing hum beneath the mountain.
