She nodded, then looked over to Ice and asked, “What do I need to do?”
“Just sit comfortably where you are, or you can lie down, if you prefer. Just get comfortable, that’s the main thing,” she explained gently. “We’ll get you some food and a cup of tea afterward.”
She held up her hands. “I’m already shaking.”
“Exactly. That’s why we’ll do this first and get it over with.”
With that, they sat down together. Levi took off to go check on security parameters. They needed to stay ahead of any problems and make sure that everything was okay.
“Where is Stone?” Terk asked, looking up suddenly.
“He’s at the computers,” Ice replied, looking at Terk with a questioning expression. “Is there a problem?”
“I’ll talk to him afterward.”
“Or, if you have a message, just say it.” Stone’s voice hurtled from the walls. This team had thought of everything in their security system. “Terk, you got a problem, man?”
“Could you take a look on the north side of the property? Something’s approaching that way.”
“Will do.”
With that, Ice shot him a hard look, and he shrugged. “I don’t know what the hell it is.”
“Let’s do this,” Ice snapped. “We need to get some answers, before things start to get uglier.”
*
And, with that, Merk started the hypnosis process. Slowly and carefully, he calmed Celia down and helped her unwind. He began to ask questions, and she was doing her best, trying to answer, until came a moment where she froze.
“What do you see right now?” he asked softly.
“Men,” she cried out. “Two men, two men. … Oh my God, oh my God. They … They’re grabbing me.”
This was important, and he needed to press gently. “What are they doing?”
“They’re putting me … putting a hood over my head.” She tried to grab at her face. Then slapped her hand over her upper arm. “Ow.”
Immediately Merk brought her back slightly. “Remember now. … Nobody can hurt you here. You’re safe,” he whispered. “Those men are already gone. They’ve already done this to you. You’re just trying to figure out what happened. It’s just a memory, so keep yourself calm.”
She took a little breath and relaxed slightly. “Bastards.”
“What do you remember after that?”
She shook her head. “A van. … Wait. I’m in a van, I’m awake. I’m awake. They’re opening up doors and telling me to get out, taking off the hood. I don’t even know who they are. I don’t know anything about them,” she cried out, shivering. “But they’re putting me out on the road, and that’s when … first I see crates, full of piles and piles of uncovered wires, in the van. I think that container is full of explosives. Then I see the compound.” And the terror once again took over her voice, as she began to panic.
“Celia, remember,” Merk repeated, his voice so calm and patient. “This isn’t happening now. It’s all over with. You can just relax and step back. You are safe.”
She took several deep breaths. “Oh God.”
“Do you see the men’s faces?” Merk asked.
“They have masks on.”
“Of course. Is anyone around, is anyone on the road, or anything you can tell me?”
“There’s one guy. One, but I can’t really get a good look. I can’t see his features very much. He won’t let me see him, but he’s in front of the van.”
“Okay,” Merk murmured, as he looked over at Terk. “Do you have any idea how long you were there? Think for a moment. How did you feel?”
She shook her head. “My body is sore. And I feel very … disconnected somehow. Like I’m drugged or something.”
“Do you know what they did when they held you?”
She shuddered. “No, and I don’t want to know,” she cried out in pain. “I was a captive, and I don’t know what they did. I don’t know why they let me out here. I don’t know anything. I’m terrified. They told me to just keep walking up to the next house.”
“And then do what?” Merk asked.
“I’m supposed to say hi.”
“Say hi?” he repeated. “Do you know what happened?”
“I know when I got there, the gates opened, and I was surrounded,” she murmured. “I was still so scared and so shocked.”
“Of course you were,” Merk agreed gently.
“They took the explosives that were strapped to my body. Someone called out and said I was fine. But I don’t feel fine,” she remarked. “I don’t remember more. It’s all a blur. It’s like, I just collapsed.”
Terk looked over at Ice, who nodded. “Yes, she was basically cognizant and about to walk, but suddenly something they gave her had a delayed reaction and took her out. She literally just dropped.” Ice spoke to Celia directly. “It appeared that you reacted to that drug severely, and it took weeks before you surfaced.”
Celia nodded. “But I still don’t know what happened from the time I was originally kidnapped until the time I was released.” Then she opened her eyes and stared around the room. “Jesus, it didn’t even work, did it?”
And Terk confirmed she was out of the trance. He smiled at her. “It did work,” he corrected her in a quiet, gentle voice. “We got what little information there was. Unfortunately it seems like they just kept you drugged and were proficient at it.”
“Of course,” she noted bitterly, as she rubbed her hands together. “I’m supercold,” she murmured. She looked over at the three of them. “Can I leave now? I just … I don’t want to do this anymore.”
“Absolutely,” Terk agreed, and he walked over to help her to her feet. “Let’s go get you some food.” Then he walked her to the kitchen.
Alfred looked up and smiled at seeing the two of them together. “Now that’s a sight for sore eyes,” he murmured.
“Might be the only sight for a while,” Terk replied, then nudged her gently toward Alfred. “She needs something to eat. Plus she’s cold and shaky.”
“I’ve got a nice cup of hot tea for her. I made one for her earlier, but she left it. So this is a fresh cup.”
Terk sat her down at the kitchen table. “How about food? She looks a little disoriented.”
“Yes, maybe some food,” she suggested, then looked devastated when he backed away. “Where are you going?”
“I’m not sure what’s approaching the house,” Terk replied. “You just need to rest now.”
“Was anything I said helpful?”
“It helped in some ways. Maybe not so much right now, but we’ll figure it out.”
She frowned at him.
He chuckled. “You gave me what you knew, but they didn’t let you in on anything. And you did see one man’s face but not enough to really identify him, according to what you said.”
She nodded slowly. “I am a little bit hazy.”