THE SLIDE, Part 2
Chapter 13: Pleasantries & Memories, the past
Fantasy | A Secret Affair
Clandestine Encounters
“How may we talk intel on a crowded patio such as this one,” Maria Bisset, the Commander, was restraining her demeanor, as the waiter approached with coffee.
“Ah that…” General Luč Bayard was blasé.
Both were attired in civilian clothing. Bayard lifted a heavy — one-handheld console from beneath the table as the waiter left.
“Other than the waiter, all these people are not real,” Luč said.
“Really? Are you a magician, then?” Maria suppressed an outrageous laugh.
“I’m just kidding,” the General pressed three switches on the console and held a button down for three seconds. “But the look on your face, for a moment,” Luč said.
“So, the meeting, the intel?” she pressed, suppressing her irritation.
“Noise masking, passing notes, and some code,” Luč said.
Two of the remaining Physical Therapists of the original five carried the unconscious Farha to her bed off the ad hoc Memory Lab of the estate and placed her carefully on the bed.
“It’s your turn to watch. I mean, observe her until she wakes up,” the burly PT said. “Do you have the epad?
Sofie nodded in the affirmative. “Yes, I have it.” She smiled nervously, remembering the one time she had forgotten it. It seemed ridiculous to her they were required to record any sigh, half murmured utterance or phrase from unconsciousness or sleep. Overall impressions were more à propos, but not the job of a PT.
The gentle, large German PT had similar thoughts as did Sofie. He had wondered aloud why cameras, and microphones weren’t used instead. Three days later, he was gone. It was as if he had never existed. The explanation given seemed acceptable. He was rotated out. As Farha improved physically, there was less need for so many Physical Therapists (PTs).
A rotating supervisor of the Memory Group visited once every three to four weeks. Everyone was required to take booster shots to prevent infection. It seemed unnecessary to Sofie, but she remained quiet and compliant. She needed the work and Farha was special. She liked her.
“I don’t suppose you can tell me which of the two are informants for us?” Commander Bisset wondered aloud.
“You know I cannot. It is on a need-to-know basis. But I can tell you that one informant is unaware that they are an informant,” Luč said. “They are best kind, nest pas?” He leaned into the nape of her neck and nibbled.
She would have slapped him, was he not her superior officer. Instead, she jerked away.
“Not in public, sir.”
“You’re correct, of course. Did you know I have a cottage in this township?”
She smiled. “No, but I do now.”
The private electric cart pulled up to the curb.
Farha was whispering so softly that Sofie had to get closer. She carefully slipped beside her on the bed. She noted the words, the tonal features, and inflections in her voice with the short hand that she had been taught. Farha became silent except for her sleeping breath. Sofie slipped the epad into her belly pack and was about to inch gently away when Farha slung an arm over her.
Sofie suppressed her yelp of surprise and began to move, ever-so-slowly, away. Farha slipped another arm beneath her tiny frame and pulled her closer. Exasperated, Sofie slowed her breath and, without knowing it, drifted to sleep in Farha’s arms.
How long had it been? Sofie was awakened by Farha’s lips on hers, soft and warm. Sofie, alarmed, pulled back and Farha opened her eyes dreamily and half-smiled.
“Don’t go, don’t leave me,” Farha whispered as she drifted in a soft daze of sleep’s shroud. Sofie acquiesced and sank into Farha’s embrace. Her lips were enticing. She couldn’t resist leaning forward and taking Farha in a deep, sensual kiss. And Farha kissed back. They both fell into a wondrous sleep of boundless dreams.
Sun shone through the curtain lace in the late afternoon. Luč had gone to the bidet, while Marie wondered how this man of over 100 with his boundless sexual energy could go on. She felt sore.
He returned, and they kissed passionately and the lovemaking began again.
“Of course, I am fond of you, Sofie. This will be our secret,” Farha sat on the bed. Sofie was pulled into herself in the chair next to the bed. She felt confused. “Are you fond of me?” Farha was direct.
“Yesss…” Sofie whispered. “Yes. I am.”
“I would like you to join us for dinner with Uncle Tem and Aunt Mila, if your superiors approve. If that’s what you wish?” Farha found patience with this young woman.
Sofie quelled the trembling with her breath. It took her some time to speak and then said,
“Yes, I would like to join with you and your family, but only if the Team Leaders approve.”
They chatted about Farha’s physical condition for a few minutes.
The dinner was denied — professional distance. But two days later, the Head of the Memory Team and the Project Supervisor reversed their decision.
Memory Dive
Farha relented. She felt discouraged by the authorities refusing for her friendship with Sofie so she gave in to the eyedrops to enhance and bring repressed memories to the surface, supposedly.
Farha was invited to recline on the chair. Three drops per eye were administered. The hypnotherapist waited as the team attached electrodes for vitals and brain wave monitoring.
Candles were lit, and the hypnotherapist, Oman, sat beside her.
He began: “Follow your breath with your mind’s attention. As your breath slows, feel your body relaxing as it melds with the chair,” his voice soothed and she felt the tension leave her body. He watched her with his being as her body relaxed deeper and more significantly than it had in previous sessions.
“See yourself in the desert at sunset… That’s it, relax into it…” he matched his breathing with her inhalations and exhalations.
“Can you tell me what you are seeing and experiencing?”
A torrent of words was loosed from her lips. The surmised information was confirmed. When she emerged from the trance, she remembered nothing of it.
After the recovery period, Captain Anton, the project supervisor, told Farha that they had re-evaluated her request to spend time with Sophie as a friend. She was so happy that she hugged him.
The Slide: Part One Index: Chapter 1 — Audacity Chapter 2 — Satellite Gossip Chapter 3 — Satellite Augments Chapter 4 — Alexis Chapter 5 — Secrets Chapter 6 — Inquiry and Interrogations Chapter 7 — Nikos The Greek Chapter 8.1 — Convergence Chapter 8.2 — Convergence Chapter 9 — Aftermath
The Slide: Part Two Index: Chapter 10 — The Return Chapter 11 — The Long Recovery — 6/21/2029 AAE Chapter 12 — The Specialist Arrives, the present
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