Page 26 of Dan

“Finley, there is no such hospital listed. Past or present. I do find two listings for a Dr. Gunderson, but they’re in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho and Whidbey Island, Washington.”

Finley stood from her seat, rubbing her temples back and forth. She paced around the room, looking back at everyone. Their faces showed signs of empathy and concern.

“You think I’m crazy,” she whispered.

“No,” said Paige, walking toward the young woman. “No, we don’t think you’re crazy at all. We think someone was playing mind games with you. Someone was trying to get something from you, and they were playing tricks on your mind.”

“The shock therapy was real,” she insisted, fisting her hand at her chest. “I felt that. I endured that! It was not a trick.”

“I don’t think that was a trick, Finley, but I do think they were using it to get something from you,” said Alexandra. “I think we need to go back further than your kidnapping. We need to go back to the first time you received shock therapy.”

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

“Do you really think this will work?” frowned Finley as she lay back on the dark velvet sofa in Ashley’s office.

“It’s worked for others,” smiled the beautiful woman. “Everyone is different. What will be difficult for you is to let your mind go and not overthink this process. All I want to do is find out what they were asking you during these treatments.” Ashley started a low hum of noise on her phone.

“Why don’t I remember anything about what they did to me?” asked Finley.

“I’m going to guess that this Dr. Gunderson put a suggestion in your head that made you forget anything about it other than the pain. It’s very common, Finley, but I’m certain we’ll be able to help you with it.”

“You won’t do that to me, will you?” she asked.

“Look around you, honey. There are a dozen people sitting in this room that will make sure I do nothing other than ask you questions. Okay?”

“Okay,” she nodded.

“Alright, then. Let’s get started. Just close your eyes for me and listen only to the sound of my voice. Clear any noise in your head. Think of it as an empty room, completely white. There is no one around you right now. Just let yourself float. Now, I want you to go back to the first time, Finley.”

“I don’t want to,” she whispered.

“I know, but it’s important. We won’t let them hurt you. I promise. See it from above, not in it. How old were you?”

“Eleven. We had just come from a visit to the factory where I was working with one of the engineers. He couldn’t fix what he was working on. It was a silly mistake. He was just missing one thing, so I pointed it out to him.”

“What was he working on?” asked Ashley, staring at the others in the room.

“A component for cell phones that allowed tracking. When we left, my parents said I had to see a doctor. It was Dr. Gunderson. He said the shock therapy would help me be normal. It was painful.” She whimpered, and Dan’s heart was cracking in two.

“I know, sweet girl,” said Ashley. “Come back into the room. Take a breath. Now, I want you to remember the other times. Was it always after you had been to the plant?”

“No. Not always. Sometimes, it was after I was working on something at GAM. The doctor would ask me questions about it, then they would put those pads on me, strap me to the table, and… and…”

“It’s alright, Finley. It’s okay. You’re here with us, not there. Did the doctor ask you questions?”

“Y-yes. He asked lots of questions about microchips and mathematics. He seemed to know a lot about it. I didn’t remember that before. He knew a lot about math and engineering. He asked me if I knew anything about low-observable technology.”

“Low-observable technology?” questioned Ashley.

“Yes. Stealth. He wanted to know if I could make that happen on large objects.”

“What did you tell him?” asked Ashley in a low whisper.

“I said that no one had figured that out yet.” The others gave an audible sigh of relief. “I lied. I knew that someone had, but I knew I had to lie. That was the last time he tortured me. They were trying to get codes and formulas from me that I’d stored in my head from my work, but I didn’t tell them. I told them I couldn’t remember any longer. My mother yelled at the doctor. She said he’d fried my brain. Did he fry my brain?”

“No, Finley,” said Ashley. “I want you to come to us now, okay? Just come slowly. Open your eyes, and you’re safe. You’re in the room with your friends and family. You’re okay.”

Finley’s eyes slowly opened as if awakening from a deep sleep. She stared at Ashley’s smiling face, then sat up, looking at Dan. Leaping from the sofa, she ran to him, holding him tightly.

---