Chapter 12
"Isn't there anything that you can do for him?" asked Mrs. Knight desperately.
Dr. Fitz hung his head. James knew from the talk he'd been listening to for the past half hour that the answer was not one that Mrs. Knight would like. James shifted his gaze away from Mrs. Knight. He couldn't bear to see her face crumple in pain again. It was all his fault that Kendall was suffering from this condition. The trauma to his head had been too much.
James looked over at Logan and Carlos who were both hanging their heads. Logan's stubby black spikes of hair were decorated with specks of glistening sweat. Carlos's hair was probably the same but he had it covered by his helmet. They had run straight from Rocque Records back to the apartment once they had found out that something had happened to Kendall. They would always drop what they were doing in a heartbeat for their friend.
"The only thing I can do for Kendall at this point is to recommend that you take him to a mental institution," said Dr. Fitz. "He'd eventually recover there even though it might take several years."
"What?" gasped Mrs. Knight. "I can't have my boy away from me for that long!"
James could hear the hiccup in Mrs. Knight's voice. He knew that any second she would start crying her eyes out. James now focused on the closed bedroom door a little ways away. He knew that Kendall was sedated on the other side. At least Kendall was at peace for the time being. His life was about to become very chaotic.
"Jennifer..."
"I don't want to hear about any solution that makes me have to lock my boy away for years in a place where he will recover alone and scared," said Mrs. Knight cutting off Dr. Fitz. "There has to be another alternative! There is always more than one way to solve a problem!"
"Mom, maybe we have to face reality and do what Dr. Fitz suggests," piped up Katie who, until that moment, had been sitting quietly beside her mother, staring off into space.
James looked at Katie and smiled. She was always the rational one. She had her milky brown hair pulled back into two even braids which exposed her whole face. James could see the worry etched all over her face yet he knew Katie. He knew that she was brave and would do what was needed to make her big brother better. She loved him.
Mrs. Knight turned to look at Katie, silent tears slipping from the corners of her eyes. She quickly reached up to brush them away with the back of her hand before saying to Katie, "Oh Katie...maybe you're right."
"Well," started Dr. Fitz as he nervously fidgeted in the chair, "There is one other method that we could try. But I'm warning you that it will more than likely not work."
"What is it?" asked Mrs. Knight immediately whipping her head around to look at Dr. Fitz, eager for him to continue.
"People who suffer from Multiple Personality Disorder sometimes go see a hypnotist. Sometimes while they are in a hypnotized state, the hypnotist can get in touch with each of the person's identites. The hypnotist would be able to attempt a cure," said Dr. Fitz. "But it more than likely won't work like I said."
It wouldn't matter if he had added that last line or not, Mrs. Knight was sold on the idea.
Logan, Carlos, James, Katie, Mrs. Knight, and Dr. Fitz all sat on the faded orange couch in the living room as they watched Kendall sitting in a chair in front of them. He was looking up at the ceiling in boredom at the moment. The chair across from Kendall where the hynotist was suppose to be was currently vacant.
"Mom, why do I have to do this again?" asked Kendall.
"It's because you're sick sweetie," said Mrs. Knight in a sugary voice.
She was talking to Kendall as though he was a five year old. James noted the smirk that appeared on Kendall's face. He knew it would appear there. He knew Kendall Knight well. At least he was Kendall Knight right now. Hopefully the hypnotist would be able to cure him of his Kendall Schmidt side.
"Where is he?" asked Logan looking over at Dr. Fitz. The waiting was an agony for all of them.
Dr. Fitz rolled up the sleeve on his coat and glanced at his watch.
"He should be here any moment," he said.
As if on cue, the door to apartment 2J flew open and in walked the hypnotist. The hypnotist came across as the mad scientist type. He had whitest gray hair on the top of his head that stuck up in spikes. His eyes were almost so pale a blue that they were gray. His eyes were looking around the room, not seeming to be able to focus on one area in particular. He was clothed in swamp green and mustard yellow checked pants and a salmon pink dress shirt covered by a gray sweater vest. He clutched a ratty brown bag tightly to his chest.
"Are you sure that guy is certified?" whispered Mrs. Knight in worry to Dr. Fitz.
"Of course...At least he was when I last met him six months ago..." whispered Dr. Fitz.
"A lot can happen in six months," whispered Logan in Carlos's ear.
That caused a smile to appear on Carlos's face. A smile that had been missing ever since they learned the truth about Kendall.
"Mr. Simmons! I'm so glad that you could come on such a short notice!" exclaimed Dr. Fitz with an over amount of enthusiasm in his voice as he rose from the couch.
At the mention of his name, Mr. Simmons eyes flicked over to Dr. Fitz as he replied, "Of course. Couldn't deny a patient a cure."
Mr. Simmons eyes flicked to Kendall who was staring at him; his crystal green eyes shining with trepidation.
"Ah! Is this the patient?" asked Mr. Simmons.
Without waiting for a response, Mr. Simmons walked over to Kendall and took a seat in the chair across from him; the seat that was intended for him. Mr. Simmons placed his brown bag down on the ground beside the chair and leaned forward on his elbows, studying Kendall.
"Yes, this is your patient," said Dr. Fitz as he came over to stand beside Kendall. Dr. Fitz gripped Kendall gently by the shoulders. "Mr. Simmons this is -"
"Ah! Stop right there!" said Mr. Simmons holding up a finger to hush Dr. Fitz. "I'll let the hypnosis help me figure out his name."
"I think this guy needs the mental hospital more than Kendall does," whispered Carlos aloud to Katie, Logan, and James.
James smiled. It had been a while since Carlos had cracked a joke.
"Now," said Dr. Simmons as he opened his brown bag and dug out a golden watch on a chain. "My methods may seem primitive, but they work. I want you to focus your eyes on this watch as I swing it back and forth. Do not take your eyes off it."
"Okay," said Kendall taking a deep breath.
He turned to look at all his supporters. They all smiled back at him, trying to tell him it would all be okay. Kendall turned back around and focused on the watch that Mr. Simmons was starting to swing.
"Tick tock. Tick tock. You are getting very sleepy. You are filled with the desire to fall asleep. Tick tock. Tick tock. Just close your eyes and fade into the land of sleep."
Kendall's eyelids began to grow heavier and soon they slid shut. James knew he shouldn't have watched the watch, but he had and now he was feeling sleepy too. He looked over at Logan and Carlos, seeing that they too were already asleep. Katie was the only one awake and she was trying to shake them awake with no success.
James's eyes snapped shut.
"Now when you hear me snap my fingers, you will wake up and be your alternate self. I need to talk to him for a minute."
Mr. Simmons snapped his fingers.
James's eyes opened. He looked down at the cast on his foot in confusion. He had gotten hurt during filming? How?
James looked over at Logan and Carlos. Carlos had reached up and taken the helmet off the top of his head.
"What am I still wearing this sweaty thing for?" asked Carlos as he felt the top of his sweaty head in disgust.
"I don't know. Maybe we just got done filming," stated Logan. "I can't seem to remember anything."
Mr. Simmons, Mrs. Knight, and Dr. Fitz didn't notice the change in James, Logan, and Carlos because they were too focused on Kendall. But Katie noticed.
"Guys, cut it out," said Katie.
Logan looked at Katie and said, "Ah Ciara! Our young star in the making! You are so funny sometimes."
"Now tell me your name," instructed Mr. Simmons as he temporarily stopped swinging the watch.
"My name is Kendall Schmidt," he said. "And who are you?"
"I'm Dr. Simmons," he said pointing at himself.
Kendall surveyed him, outfit and all. He raised an eyebrow in question as he asked, "What part are you supposed to be playing?"
"I'm the hypnotist," he said. "Now Kendall can you tell me where you think you are right now?"
"Are we rolling?" asked Kendall looking around the room for cameras. "Am I suppose to be playing my part right now?"
"You think this is a set?" asked Mr. Simmons.
Kendall locked eyes with Mr. Simmons once more and said, "Yes, it is a set."
"Who is the loony?" asked Logan suddenly as he rose from his seat on the couch. "I mean, who hired this one?"
Mrs. Knight and Dr. Fitz looked at Logan in concern.
"Logan..."
"I gotta go find Alexa," said Carlos as he rose from his seat. "She hasn't called in a while and I want to make sure she is okay."
"Who's Alexa, Carlos?" asked Mrs. Knight.
"Alexa Vega? My girlfriend?" That still did not make anything clearer for her. "Don't worry Challen. I just gotta go call her. I'll be back in a min."
"And I have to go let Fox out and make sure he doesn't use my trailer as a toilet again," said James. "Where are my crutches?"
"Oh dear," muttered Mrs. Knight holding her head. "I don't think I can take this."
She interrupted what Mr. Simmons was doing with Kendall and said, "James, Carlos, and Logan got hypnotized by you too. You need to cure them."
Mr. Simmons released a sigh and turning to her asked, "Are you willing to pay?"
"Pay? How much?" she asked.
"Five Thousand per boy," said Mr. Simmons.
"Five thousand dollars a boy!" exclaimed Mrs. Knight. "That's robbery."
"Well then. I take that to mean you aren't willing to pay the price," said Mr. Simmons.
With that, he dropped the watch back in his brown bag and stood up from the chair.
"No, don't leave!" exclaimed Mrs. Knight as Mr. Simmons walked toward the door.
"If you aren't willing to pay for my services, there isn't anything else I can do for you. I do not do charity work. Now good day!"
"Simmons-"
Dr. Fitz was cut off by Mr. Simmons slamming the door of apartment 2J shut behind him.
"Well," said Dr. Fitz. "You may as well look on the bright side."
"What bright side?" asked Mrs. Knight.
"Right now the "spell" that Mr. Simmons has left Kendall under will temporarily stop his multiple personality problem. However it might make it so this Kendall is permanent..."
"So it's not a bright side," moaned Mrs. Knight hanging her head. "Now all four boys think they are someone they aren't. What am I going to do?"
"Until Mr. Simmons comes around, or until we come up with the money to give him, there is nothing that we can do I'm afraid," said Dr. Fitz.
Mrs. Knight watched the four boys in fear. How was this problem going to be fixed?
