The Erotic Mind-Control Story Archive

“It’s 11:24. There are only 6 minutes left before I have to leave to come and meet you,” Xerxes said for the videocamera. “I could leave early— we literally have footage of the killer’s face as they’re committing murder. So I can—”

Xerxes stilled. “No, I need a moment to wind down after all that. I’ll be gone by 11:30 no matter what, anyway.”

The frequency-scanner had tuned back to Tara’s mind.

It was evening. Tara was going from corner to corner— stopping men every so often to proposition them.

“That looks like the kind of weather we were having this evening— oh! That’s me! These are her memories from earlier tonight.”

“Hey,” Tara said to the man she’d just stopped. “Are you looking to let off some steam?”

“No,” the man said. Tara realized it was Xerxes Trewhitt she was speaking to. There was… something important about him… some reason she needed to pay attention. If it seemed like… he was going to start investigating a new case… there was something she’d have to do…

But maybe she could get his business, instead.

“You remind me of some of the people I used to work with when I was still employed by that law-firm. A lot of the guys there seemed overworked and overwound. You’re sure you don’t need some fun?”

Xerxes frowned. “You said you used to work at a law-firm?”

“Yes,” Tara said. “I worked there until someone decided my life should be ruined. But I was happy to see it ruined.”

“I’m sorry—” Xerxes said, brushing by her in a hurry. “I’ve— got to make a call.”

Xerxes considered the dials of the frequency-scanner. “I could— keep watching Tara’s memories right to the present moment.” His hand hovered in hesitation. “There’s only so far I can watch, anyway. Frequency-scanners can’t show memories of the future when those memories haven’t been encoded yet. I—”

“No,” Xerxes decided. “I’m just going to look into Ryan’s mind again. Since we’ve gotten past the period of time where he was trying to fend off Allie, he’s less mentally-disciplined than he used to be. He doesn’t set the mental-net, or recite axioms again and again. We actually got somewhere with watching him, last time.”

It’s been a good race, Ryan thought to himself in satisfaction.

“This must have been what he was thinking today,” Xerxes called out.

It’s been a good race, Running Tara, Running Tara and Ruining Tara, but it’s time for me to choose my next target...

“We’ll stop him before he does anymore damage, though,” Xerxes said in relief. “He won’t be able to kill again. We’ve got him.”

The door opened. Xerxes didn’t look over to it.

“You’ll see when you watch the video, Kalchek, but I was just wondering if I should come to meet you early. But I guess you decided you couldn’t wait— I can’t tell you what a relief it is to be talking to you really, instead of talking to you through time, expecting you’ll hear me in the future.”

Footsteps were crossing Xerxes’ office-floor, but Kalchek hadn’t answered him. Surprised, he turned around.

It wasn’t Kalchek.

“It’s you!” Xerxes exclaimed. He didn’t have his gun handy— he should have his gun— he shouldn’t have been in such a hurry, he should have locked his office-door— he should have his gun— he should shoot and kill— and Ryan Hunt was crossing the space to reach him.

Xerxes dove for his desk with instantaneous responsiveness— at least his reflexes hadn’t failed him— his hand outstretched for the gun he had left sitting on it. His fingertips were just an inch shy—

Indescribable pain assailed his mind, and there was a force inside him, forcing him down onto the floor. He was being Run— Ryan was Running him, forcing him down, stopping him from grabbing the gun, stopping him from getting back up.

He struggled internally to fight Ryan’s Running off; but he’d never done much Running himself. He’d watched all that Running happen, he’d seen what powers of Running Ryan had, but he’d never thought he’d be face to face with the threat himself.

Ryan crouched down in front of him. He was still Running Xerxes into staying hunched in on himself on the floor.

“I’m sure you’re wondering why I’m here,” Ryan said. Even through the force inside him, and the pain inside his head— Xerxes saw that Ryan was holding both his videocamera and his photocamera.

“You ran into Tara on the street just a short while ago. Did you watch to the end of her memories? You really should have. After you rushed off, she called me. At a certain point, it was worth it to put some long-term commands in her head— so she would know to get in touch with me for certain things, while still never knowing or ing my identity. No one can see me through her mind.

“I programmed her to know you. Because I know about you. You mostly work on your own— but you’ve got a very good track record, and I always thought you’d be a real danger to a guy like me. So she knew you when she stopped you. And when it looked to her like you were off to investigate a case, she felt compelled to call and leave a message warning me. It’s taken me almost an hour to get here from across town. But I’m here now. And it’s obvious now that I was right to come. You were onto me. You recognized me— and you’ve got pictures of me on that table over there.”

Ryan opened the videocamera and took out the videocard. He opened the photocamera, and took out the photocard.

He held them both up for Xerxes to see. “These are going in the river. Your laptop’s going there too. And all the photos are going to be burned.”

No one would have seen Ryan enter— it was late; most of the buildings nearby were commercial or industrial— there were no residences around here. No witnesses.

“In a minute or so, once you’re dead, everything will get back to the way it should be. No one will know who I am, or what I’ve done. None of your records will survive.”

The pain in Xerxes’ head intensified. This must have been what Helen had felt— what Natalie had felt— what Allie had felt— that lethal strike of mental-power. Ryan had mortally wounded him already— Xerxes could feel his life streaking away from him.

I should have left once I had the footage of his face— I should have left at 11:24, I would have just gotten away in time. I shouldn’t have stayed to watch more of Tara’s memories. Or I should have stayed watching Tara’s memories longer… I would have seen her making the call. I should have left— I should have left—

As his mind darkened, Xerxes felt swamped with despair. I solved it. I could have stopped him. He’ll go on and chase other targets— kill other people. I solved it, but no one will ever know. I’ll never see Kalchek again— he won’t know I solved it either. He’ll never catch him— he’ll never stumble across the trail like I did. All the work I did to hand off to him, and he’ll never see it.

Every time in the course of the past almost-hour that he’d been discouraged, that he’d worried he’d never solve it— all of that discouragement had come back, and added up to this feeling of absolute, crushing failure. It was almost worse that he had solved it. Because he’d solved it and what he’d discovered would die with him, no help to anyone else.

He’d never even see the beginning of the next day. He’d never be alive on any day after this one. That was almost better, though. Better to go out with the dying day than to see the new day come in, all the while knowing he wouldn’t be there at the end of it.

If only— if only he’d left just a few minutes earlier— if only he’d gotten the information to Kalchek somehow. He should have called and left him a message telling him the killer’s name once he knew it.

It was too late.

He was dying. Ryan wasn’t Running him to keep him on the floor on the more. He knew he didn’t need to waste energy on that. Xerxes didn’t have enough life left in him to get up and go anywhere. He barely had enough life left in him to move.

His vision had darkened more, but he could see his hand lying ahead of his face, felt the way his arm was arcing around to put it there.

He had enough control of his body left to turn his wrist towards himself.

The last thing he saw before oblivion took him completely was his watch-face.

It told him the time was 11:30.

THE END