Mindwarp

by Tara Nina

  Straightening her spine, she steadied her steps. As she stood in front of Mina’s desk, she placed the sunglasses in her purse and pressed the record button. She hoped the kid at the store was right and this thing didn’t make any detectable noises. He guaranteed it would record for a solid six hours straight. Not that she needed that long. Their sessions lasted only two hours.

  “Hello, Miss Morris.” Mina smiled. Her accent wasn’t as difficult to understand as Dr. Riyad’s. Mina’s head was covered with a traditional hijab and she wore a soft pastel-colored, full-length dress with long sleeves.

  “Hello, Mina.” Amelia forced her voice to sound normal even though her insides twisted.

  “You are on time as always.” Mina stood, walked to the exam room door, and opened it. “Come, let us weigh you, and check your progress.”

  Following Mina, Amelia walked to the scale and stepped on. This would be the deciding factor. Had she managed four pounds in a week? Her clothes felt like she had. The dress she wore was loose around the middle. The scale leveled off and her jaw dropped. Five pounds. She’d lost five instead of four for a total of ten pounds in three weeks. She couldn’t believe it. Maybe she was wrong to mistrust Dr. Riyad. No, even if she were wrong, she’d have the tape to prove it.

  “Dr. Riyad will be pleased,” Mina stated.

  “I can’t believe it,” Amelia said in awe. “I’ve never dropped ten pounds with any diet, no matter how hard I tried.”

  “By the time your sessions are complete,”—Mina guided Amelia to the chaise lounger—“your goal has the potential to be reached.”

  Amelia settled into the seat and set her purse on the floor next to her as usual. She didn’t want to do anything different to rouse suspicion, like keep it in her lap. Not wanting the recorder to miss anything that was said, she thought beside the chair was close enough.

  Dr. Riyad entered dressed in a fine white, silk suit. It offset the tan of his skin, giving him an even darker complexion. He reminded her of an Arab sheik from the old silent movie era. All he lacked was the proper headgear and a horse. Mina shared the news of Amelia’s successful weight loss.

  “That is wonderful, Amelia.” His thick accent rolled over her as he took his place in the chair facing her. “By the end of our final session you should be near your goal and your life changed forever on the weight loss path.”

  Life changed forever. What exactly did he mean by that? Was there an ominous message in his tone or was she overreacting out of fear for her job? Amelia breathed deeply, trying to quell her nerves as she gathered the courage to ask.

  “Dr. Riyad, I have to ask you again about this. It’s truly bothering me. Have any of your other patients suffered nightmares?”

  His gaze seemed to darken and the look that passed between him and Mina fertilized her suspicions. He straightened in his chair as he returned his stare to her. Amelia held her gaze level on his. The tone of his voice sounded slightly agitated and concise more than that of concern. Obviously, something about this subject made him anxious. Maybe she shouldn’t have asked before their session.

  “Have your nightmares worsened, Amelia?”

  “Yes . . .”

  He cut her off with a series of quick questions. “Have you learned anything new from your nightmares? Can you describe them? What do you see when you dream?”

  Amelia took a second to regain her composure and decided not to share the truth. The strange vibe she suddenly sensed from him made her ill-at-ease, but she did her best to hide it. Even though the image of someone hovering over her in a gas mask flashed inside her head, she kept it to herself. In as steady a tone as she could muster, she gave him the same answer she’d given him before. “That’s the problem; they’re just blurry images. Nothing is decipherable.”

  To her it looked as if relief brightened his face. She swallowed hard. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea. The hair on her arms prickled, warning something wasn’t right with the situation. Every molecule of her being suggested she leave.

  As if he read her indecision, he spoke in his normal calming tone. “Let us venture to say you may be experiencing a vision of something buried in your subconscious. Once we complete your weight loss sessions, together with hypnosis we can free your mind of the locks that hide it from you. That is if you so choose to learn these secrets. Some choose to be happy with the results of their initial sessions and go no further with the natural healing of one’s mind. For now, let’s continue with your path to weight loss success.”

  Dr. Riyad wasted no time. Before she had a chance to reconsider, he gathered her hand and began. Within seconds, she relaxed into the chaise, her eyes instantly closed as instructed, even though she battled to keep them open. He released her hand and she knew he moved to stand behind her. A familiar scent filled the air as Dr. Riyad urged her to breathe deep. Had his voice become muffled? Amelia strained to hear. If she had to name the fragrance, she couldn’t. The only reason she recognized it, she’d smelled it during prior sessions. It must be some exotic incense or something he used to soothe his patients’ nerves, she reasoned as lightheadedness took control. Lightheadedness. The word shot through her brain as she grappled to remain conscious, but couldn’t.

  Had he drugged her? Was that scent some sort of herbal drug? She struggled against the overwhelming sensation taking over her system. His voice led her into a fog, leaving her floating on a cloud under his control.

  Nolan couldn’t believe what he heard. After a few moments, he didn’t hear Amelia, just Dr. Riyad. Though his gut instinct was to storm the office and save her, he forced himself to stay put. If anything, he wanted to clear Amelia’s name. Why? From what? The questions sprang to life in his brain. Though he hated to admit it, he truly wanted to get to know the sexy, green-eyed beauty better.

  Forcing his focus to the job, he repositioned the headphones and listened. From the gist of the conversation, he learned she visited the hypnotist for help with weight management. Nonsense. She carried a nicely rounded, fuller figure well in his opinion. His back straightened. Man, he needed to stop thinking of Amelia as a woman, but as a possible suspect. Or a victim, the little ounce of hope at the base of his brain whispered. The second choice he could rescue. The first he’d have to arrest.

  Amelia’s image wouldn’t leave his thoughts no matter how hard he tried. He shook his head and continued listening to the conversation. He gathered something bothered Amelia. Nightmares. What sort of nightmares, she really didn’t explain, but seemed to think they were connected to the hypnosis sessions.

  Riyad came through loud and clear. He seemed to be placing her into some sort of trance. Seconds later, he began giving her instructions. Riyad’s voice changed. It sounded muffled as if . . . he wore a gas mask. The idea hit Nolan square between the eyes. There must be something about the powdered substance that made it airborne. Was it a drug Riyad used to control his victims? Nolan’s jaw tightened and his abdominal muscles clenched at what Riyad told Amelia. Unfortunately, Nolan’s theory proved to be right. Someone wanted access to the Fort Knox vaults. Every ounce of him burned to rush the office and arrest the man. But, he couldn’t. Not yet. He needed more evidence, so he forced himself to do nothing but listen and continue to record with fists clenched at his sides.

  Questions swirled. Had Riyad done the same thing to the women from the banks? Their names were on his list. Had they visited for help with some problem and been rewarded by him implanting commands? What had Riyad done with the money? Were he and Mina in this alone or were they a part of a larger terrorist organization? Nolan needed to know. He couldn’t let that money leave the country. He paced and stared at the office across the street. The more he listened, the more heated his blood turned.

  Riyad repeated the instructions over and over for at least twenty minutes. He wanted something from the vault and it wasn’t money. The description of the object couldn’t be misunderstood. Amelia had to enter the vault and locate the Sacred Diamond of Shabib. Nothing else—no gold, just
get this diamond and leave. Nolan sat at the table and tapped the information into the search engine on his laptop as he continued to listen.

  The Sacred Diamond of Shabib was a mythical object from a long forgotten desert tribe somewhere in Arabia. The story read it once belonged to Sheik Azir Hajeem Shabib. It was rumored to contain a terrific power for the one who possessed it. Generation after generation, the ruling sheik protected the diamond until it disappeared in the late-eighteen hundreds. It was believed stolen and lost forever, leading to the end of Shabib’s descendents tyrannical rule of the desert people.

  Nolan’s brows pursed. What made them think this fabled object was real and resided in Fort Knox? He knew the rumors that more than just gold was locked behind those walls. But no one knew for sure. Maybe an accountant knew. Nolan’s eyes widened. Amelia Morris and Louisa Langley were both high-security clearance personnel for the United States Mint. If they knew secrets of the vault, it stood to reason they’d be targets for someone with a crazy idea about what lay hidden within.

  He sat back in his chair. Why commit the bank thefts first? Where was the money? Riyad stopped repeating the instructions, causing Nolan to refocus on listening. It sounded as if the doctor and his assistant had left the room. A door opened and closed in the background. Nolan picked up the binoculars and focused on the office. No one exited the front. Mumbled voices were heard through the listening device, but Nolan couldn’t understand. With fine-tuning, the sound techs at the lab could pull the voices from the background and reproduce the conversation.

  Forty-five minutes passed before anything tangible surfaced. Nolan heard the door open again. Riyad and Mina returned. At the sound of his voice, Nolan sat straight. The good doctor compelled Amelia to wake. Straining to hear, Nolan didn’t relax until Amelia spoke. Why did it worry him? He didn’t know her, but for some reason he needed to hear her voice and know she was all right.

  The woman was a victim. That’s why concern burned within him Nolan tried to convince himself. He didn’t like what Riyad did to these women. If Amelia succeeded in stealing the diamond—if it even existed—then her life would permanently be altered. Just like Riyad proclaimed at the beginning of their session.

  Life changed forever. Nolan ground his teeth. He had to stop this. Riyad would not ruin another woman’s life; especially not Amelia’s . . . not if he could help it.

  Chapter Six

  Amelia awoke, lightheaded and thirsty again. A dry burn coated her throat. Fear gripped her soul. Something didn’t feel right. In her heart, she knew she’d been drugged. But how? Blurred images of two people in gas masks traipsed through her head. Was the scent she smelled a drug? Oh God! The moment Dr. Riyad grasped her elbow, she froze. Panic attempted to overwhelm her, but she closed her eyes and steeled herself against it. She could do this. All she needed to do was get out of here without raising their suspicions and listen to the recording to understand the truth of what happened. If she could handle six older brothers, she could fake-out one crazed hypnotist. Inhaling deeply, she attempted to appear calm and hoped he couldn’t read her thoughts.

  “Are you okay?”

  She opened her eyes and forced a fake smile to her lips. “May I have some water? I’m thirsty.”

  “Of course,” Dr. Riyad replied.

  Within seconds, Mina appeared with a cup. Amelia took it and drank it in one gulp. Though every ounce of her wanted to leap from the chair and run from the room, she managed to force herself to remain seated. In as normal a motion as she could, Amelia gathered her purse and stood. Lightheadedness threatened to crumple her knees, but she refused to buckle. Slowly, she turned to Dr. Riyad.

  “Thank you.” She didn’t feel gratitude. Something inside urged she wasn’t safe. Every fiber of her being screamed a warning. Her throat burned, the hair on her arms stood on end, and her stomach churned.

  “I expect similar results next week.” Dr. Riyad guided her toward the door.

  “We’ll see.” Amelia tried to sound cheerful as she nodded.

  “Same time next week?” Mina asked.

  “Of course.” Amelia turned and as casually as possible walked across the waiting room and out the front door.

  The moment she stood in the sun, relief washed over her. In case they watched, she strolled to her car and got in, forcing herself not to rush. It wouldn’t do to raise their suspicions. A quick glance in the rearview and she knew it was safe to pull into traffic. She couldn’t wait to get home and listen to the recording. Once she turned off Duckard, she headed straight for home.

  “Did you get all of that,” Nolan stated in his call to Francis.

  “Yep, every sick little bit of it. The team’s in place, ready to take him down at your command.”

  “Wait and follow them, see where they lead us,” Nolan replied. “If they don’t come out of there with that white box, send in a hazmat team. I’ve got a feeling whatever that stuff is, it’s airborne and dangerous.”

  “Roger that,” Francis replied. “You coming?”

  “Nope, I’m going after the victim. We’re going to need her testimony.”

  Minutes after locking herself inside her apartment, the doorbell rang. Her heart skipped a beat. Had someone followed her? Was it that weird little Hubert? No. She tried to convince her racing pulse to slow. No one followed her, especially not him. This was just a coincidence. The moment she peeked through the peephole, she sensed it wasn’t. A man in a gray suit wearing a tan, stylish cowboy hat stood outside her door.

  Her jaw dropped. She managed to push past the solid lump in her throat as she opened the door. “Nolan?”

  She couldn’t believe he stood there. Sifting through her thoughts, she didn’t remember inviting him over or giving him her address. Their date was for tomorrow night and she purposely suggested they meet at the restaurant. It was a habit she’d formed early in her dating life. Never give a guy your address until you’re sure he’s a decent person. One never knew what sort of kooks lurked in this world.

  Looking him up and down, she wasn’t sure if he was one of those kooks or a nice guy simply wanting to surprise her. He looked scrumptious in his business suit. A devilish portion of her itched to try on his hat and run her fingers through his hair. But one thing warred with her libido, keeping her system in check.

  How’d he get her address?

  Did he follow her after their lunch earlier in the week? Why show up now? Amelia shot a glance over her shoulder at the purse sitting on the coffee table. Desperately, she wanted to hear that tape. With him here, she couldn’t. How could she get him to leave?

  “Amelia, I have a confession to make. I’m a Treasury Agent.” He held a badge where she could read it. “And I need a moment of your time.”

  Trembling fingers reached for his badge, stating on a whisper she wanted a closer look. Seconds ticked by before she leveled her gaze on his and lifted her shoulders. Her voice cracked, mistrust riddled her words.

  “What do you want?” He caught the badge she tossed at him before it hit the ground.

  He leaned in close and lowered his voice. “It has to do with your visit to Dr. Riyad today.” She gasped as he quickly added, “I’m sure you don’t want your neighbors hearing our conversation. May I come in?”

  Amelia hesitated, then stepped back and opened the door wider, allowing him inside. The moment the door closed he removed his hat and held it, rolling the brim nervously.

  “Amelia . . .” She arched an eyebrow at him, causing him to clear his throat and start over. “Miss Morris, I believe you’ve been the victim of a heinous crime.”

  “What?” she stuttered, stepping back. “What do you mean?”

  “Dr. Riyad planned to steal from Fort Knox.”

  Oh God. Sickness swirled in her stomach. Her head spun. Nolan and Dr. Riyad weren’t who they seemed to be. Though she tried to fight it, her knees buckled. Strong arms caught her, preventing her from hitting the floor. In a fluid, gentle motion he scooped her up and laid her on the couch,
tucking a pillow behind her head.

  “Amelia, are you all right?”

  The sound of total concern in his voice touched her soul, but it didn’t diminish the fact she’d almost fainted in front of him or that he hadn’t been honest when they met. Heat simmered up her neck to pool in her cheeks as she struggled to sit. If her brothers heard about this little semi-faint, she’d never hear the end of it. In their words, she was too tough for such a girlie thing as fainting spells.

  “Let me get you a glass of water.” He quickly asked, “Where’s your kitchen?”

  “Through that door.” She pointed then slumped onto the couch. Great, she was in trouble and the agent they sent had to be this really cute guy with red hair, caring brown eyes, and a sexy set of freckles. Just great, she huffed as she tried to soothe her overactive nerves.

  Nolan returned, handed her a glass of water, and knelt at her side. Her hand shook as she drank.

  “You’re not a patient of Dr. Riyad’s are you?” Amelia lifted a wary gaze his way.

  “No,” he stated with a shake of his head.

  “You weren’t in his office because of any ‘lock picking’ problem either I’ll bet,” she proclaimed, keeping her gaze leveled on his. “Is that how you learned about his plans to break into Fort Knox? You found information during your ‘informal’ visit?”

  “We’ve been monitoring his actions.” She noted the uneasy look in his eyes as he continued. “How do you feel? Should I take you to a hospital?”

  Amelia shook her head. “I’m fine, just overwhelmed.”

  “You have a right to be.” He took the glass and set it on the end table. “Can you tell me what you remember from your office visit today?”

  “What do you mean by that?”

  “Amel . . . Miss Morris,” Nolan stumbled over her name.

  “Amelia. Please call me Amelia.” She reached for his hand.