Kristy stirred awake, rubbing at her eyes and reaching for her phone to check the time. It felt like she slept in much longer than her usual routine. For some reason, her phone wasn’t in the usual spot and her nightstand was gone too. It was hard to reach too far to feel around with the chains on her wrists holding her back.

  Then she remembered and her eyes snapped wide open.

  Her full attention scanned the metallic room with a plate glass wall and door combination. She was shackled to the wall furthest from the plate glass.

  Chuck had taken her here. He knew far more than he had been letting on. He manipulated her and she fell for every part of it. How could she have been so stupid?

  Kristy shook her head and gave herself permission to forgive herself. She had been distraught and feeling empathy for someone in a similar situation was a perfectly fine choice. There was nothing wrong with how she treated Chuck with the information she had.

  The one who had chosen to exploit and manipulate her was Chuck. That sicko was the one who was not worth forgiving. She needed to mentally prepare herself for whatever manipulations he might try next. Whatever this man said, Kristy knew that he was the one who took Jenny. Whether he was some kind of serial killer or just some sick pervert, she wasn’t sure, but whatever he was, she needed to remember that he was not a regular person to be capable of making a room like this and locking people up.

  Kristy took steady breaths and kept herself focused. Jenny was here and finding her was what Kristy wanted to do. At least, Kristy was nearly positive Jenny was here. She could take this situation a million different ways, but if she treated it like a rescue with a few less obstacles than yesterday, then she was well on her way to keeping centered. She refused to hand the reins to a psycho like Chuck.

  After calming down for a bit, Kristy opened herself and tried probing with her emotions to see if she could reach Colin. She didn’t know how far away her house might be from here, but it was worth a shot. It was a strange feeling connecting to Colin, but she did her best to initiate her part in the connection.

  Colin didn’t connect with her. There was nothing. Kristy was beginning to feel rather silly and nearly gave up before she felt something else.

  It was a similar connection, but this didn’t feel like Colin. The excitement was too innocent. It felt like…

  Jenny?

  A tempest of emotions gushed from Kristy at the realization. Her daughter was okay, but she truly was kidnapped by Chuck, she was nearby but she was connecting to Kristy like Colin had. Her emotions were an orchestral onslaught of relief, fear, guilt and hope. She did her best to send feelings of loving comfort toward Jenny.

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  Jenny returned the feelings with pure love and excitement. She didn’t feel scared in the slightest.

  “It’s okay, sweety, Mommy is coming for you,” Kristy whispered and squeezed as much motherly affection as she could through the connection between them.

  Something powerful from Jenny assaulted the connection like too much water being forced through a hose. It was too much for Kristy to handle, but she held on as long as she could to share as much love with her child as possible.

  Kristy’s nose started to bleed and suddenly the connection to Jenny cut off. How had Jenny connected to her? Was she like Colin now?

  Kristy’s eyes went wide as she pieced it together. She wiped her nose and looked around the sterile room in understanding. This wasn’t a serial killer’s work; this was a room for experiments. Chuck was the one who changed Colin, and now he was doing the same thing to Jenny.

  Moments later, Chuck rounded the corner and locked eyes with Kristy and smiled.

  “What did you do to my daughter? Let her go.” Kristy said, sneering in disgust by the sight of the man in front of her. The man who had done so much to hurt her family. All of his good looks were a costume to hide the truth inside. He was nothing but a manipulative sicko.

  “For what it’s worth, I’m sorry things ended up this way,” Chuck said.

  “Screw you. If you’re so sorry, then let Jenny go. It’s not like you need both of us,” Kristy said.

  “I’m beginning to doubt that,” Chuck said, placing his head on the glass of the cell and sighing. “I’ve used your husband and child’s blood samples pre- and post-connection with the Hypnosites, I’ve isolated them and even combined them, but for some reason, compatibility still eludes me.”

  “What the hell are you talking about?” Kristy asked.

  “I’m talking about your only chance at your family surviving,” Chuck said plainly.

  Kristy froze. She reminded herself not to give in to his manipulations, but he tugged at the right strings to play her like a puppet. She would do anything for her family.

  “I’m glad I have your attention,” Chuck said, clenched his fist and banged his head against the glass hard enough to draw blood, “I’ve gotten close to a connection, but there’s still something missing. I can sense how close I am, but there’s still something missing. I’ve tried cultivating it in the water, I’ve tried directly synthesizing other people with it first, I've tried ingestion, negotiation, intimidation, you name it, I’ve tried it, but for some sick reason I’m shackled to this dying body.”

  “I don’t understand how I can help. Can you please explain what I need to do to save my family?” Kristy said gently.

  Chuck looked at her as if remembering she was there. Something felt dangerously unstable about him. “Yes, your family. They have been the ones who allowed me to feel it for a brief moment. They allowed me to feel the bond with a Hypnosite. You ask what you can do? Don’t struggle.”

  The hairs on Kristy’s head stood on end as Chuck pulled out an empty syringe and entered Kristy’s cell.

  Chuck approached slowly, “All I need is some blood and then I will leave you be for now. If you’re the final missing piece and you help me escape this body, I will set you all free. Even if you struggle, I will still get the blood sample from you.”

  Kristy relaxed then nodded, keeping her eyes to the ground, “Go ahead.”

  “Thank you,” Chuck said and drew a blood sample from Kristy.

  Kristy would cooperate for now, but she would also keep her eyes open for any chance to escape.