Chapter 9. Old friends

1904 Wiltshire England

It was night and the Manor house was fully engulfed by flames.

"Goodbye, widow Barnes." Ithaniel said.

He stood in the deep shadows of the tree lined carriage way.

As the third floor collapsed inwards, he turned to the man

standing next to him. "Her money will keep us in the comfort

we have become accustomed to Mies."

Mies showed Ithaniel the diamond necklace he had taken

from Jemima Barne's body, before he had set the fire.

"Keep it," Ithaniel said. "you earned it tonight."

There was blood on the necklace and Mies smiled as he felt

the sting of the broken skin on his fists.

Ithaniel patted him on the shoulder.

"Your hypnotic induction was almost faultless."

Mies basked in the praise.

"I knew I’d found the right student in you Mies."

*

Mies watched Innis walk his children down the hill from their

home and across the train lines. Hidden amongst the crowds

of the train station he followed as they made their way

through the streets of St.Ives to school.

He waited across the road from the school gate for Innis.

"This time will be different." Ithaniel told him.

"You’re going to be on your own, and it has to be done out

in the open in broad daylight."

He was unsure but Mies knew better than to question his

teacher.

"You’re ready for it." Ithaniel had reassured him.

Mies rehearsed his cover story.

Innis came out of the school gates and walked back into

town. It was Thursday and Mies knew Innis was going to

visit his Australian painter friend Hayley Lever.

Mies mimed the techniques that Ithaniel had shown him

as he followed. Today is the day he thought to himself.

*

Innis helped Lever carry his painting equipment from his

studio through the town and up to the Chapel of St. Nicholas.

The chapel faced St. Ives and sat high on a promontory

that overlooked the sea on three sides.

As he painted, Lever talked about Australia and the possibility

of the two couples taking a European trip together.

Himself and his wife, Innis and Miriam.

Innis noticed how many jars of turpentine Lever had laid

out to clean his brushes.

"Do you really need all this shit?" he asked.

Lever stepped away from his easel and wiped his hands

on a rag. "When I want advice on how to paint from a

Cornish nobody, you’ll be the first person I ask."

Innis laughed. He wasn’t sure what he enjoyed more,

Levers’ prickly bluntness or how thick his accent became

when he was annoyed.

He sat with Lever for another hour until it was time to do

for his errands in town. "Don’t forget that Miriams' dinner

party is tomorrow and she’s still annoyed with you.

She thinks you snubbed her friends last week."

Lever returned to his easel. "That’s because I did."

"You lucky bastard." Innis said. "I wish I had that option."

He took the steep western path down off the promontory.

The path rose and fell as it hugged the coastline.

After a staircase climb he walked along the stone walls

that looked down onto Bamaluz Beach.

"Hello Mr.Page."

Innis turned to see who greeted him - a thin well dressed

young man. Not a working lad he judged and not a local boy.

"I'm sorry," Innis said smiling, "Have we met before?"

"In a roundabout way Sir." Mies replied.

"My Mother is part of your wife's group."

Innis sighed theatrically. "You’re the son of a suffragette then."

Mies shook his head and smiled ruefully.

"It could be worse you know," Innis said.

"you could be married to one."

Mies laughed. "My name is Mies, Mr.Page."

"Call me Innis."

Innis shook Mies outstretched hand, and as he did,

Mies pulled Innis towards him. The suddenness of the

movement unbalanced Innis and he stumbled forward.

Mies put his other hand on the back on Innis’s neck.

"Under." Mies said.

Innis’s world shimmered and went silent.

"Listen to the commands I give you. There is nothing

more important in this world than my voice. Walk with me."

Innis walked beside Mies, eyes open and unaware that

anything out of the ordinary had happened.

"With every step you take, you are falling deeper and

deeper under my control."

Ithaniel had shown him the snap induction technique

and it had worked better than Mies had thought possible.

It was a short walk back to the harbour.

At the end of the harbour wall, Mies found an empty

bench seat. "Sit down."

He looked around at the day tripping tourists.

Nothing to see here he thought to himself, just two old

friends enjoying the view. Mies stretched his fingers and

cracked his knuckles. "I’ve been waiting for this moment

for weeks." He thrilled at the thought of what was to

come - of what he was going to do to Innis and his family.

He sighed with pleasure.

A female voice intruded on his thoughts.

"You should of stuck to parlour tricks Mies ."

Mies gasped. Between himself and Innis now sat a woman

with straw coloured hair.

He tried to jump up but found that his body was frozen in place.

He stared in disbelief.

"Struggle all you like Mies. There is no hope of escape, not for you."

Eurides looked at Innis and smiled as he stood up and picked

through his pockets until he found his watch.

Mies watched as Innis started to walk away.

"He has no memory at all of meeting you." Eurides said.

"He's unaware that you and I are even sitting here."

Mies tried to yell for help - hoping that by drawing unwanted

attention it might break Eurides' concentration and maybe

loosen the muscle lock she had on him.

His shout was no louder than a wheeze. "Who are you?"

Eurides didn’t answer, she looked out across the harbour.

Fishing boats still tied to moorings lay beached on the sand.

"The tide is still running out Mies. When it turns in an hour or so,

you are going to swallow your tongue and choke to death."

"Fuck you." he hissed.

Eurides stood up and whispered in Mies ear.

"Nothing to see here, just two old friends enjoying the view."

*

Mies was drowning in fear. Each minute that passed was an

agony as he sat alone on the bench. He tried to remember

everything that Ithaniel had taught him hoping to find a

way out.

He had no idea of how much time had passed when

unannounced and seemingly out thin air, Ithaniel sat down

beside him. "Hello Mies."

"Ith.” Mies rasped. "Thank fuck you're here. Can you see

what that bitch has done to me?"

"I can," Ithaniel said, "and to tell you the truth Mies,

I think you got off lightly. I've seen her do much worse."

"Unlock me." Mies begged.

"Why would I do that?" Ithaniel replied.

Mies could feel his tongue starting to swell in his mouth.

"I’ve done everything you asked me to do." he whimpered.

"Yes you have." Ithaniel said.

"You've done everything that I wanted you to do."

Mies groaned, he saw it clearly now. Ithaniel had used him

to do his dirty work. He'd given him the tools and shown

him how to use them. They’d never been partners.

Ithaniel had set a trap and staked him out in it.

"Please Ith." Mies said, his face was wet with tears.

Ithaniel watched as the gulls circled overhead, calling out

to each other before landing on the exposed sand banks.

"This world is so full of visual pleasures."

Mies began to sob.

"Cheer up." Ithaniel said.

"It looks like the tide is about to change."

*