The Key part 3

Josiah had chosen David's private apartment to attempt the hypnosis, someplace where David would feel safe, secure and more likely to relax. The shades were drawn to block out the morning sun and in the dimness Chris watched expectantly as David settled back in a recliner and tried to follow Sanchez's instructions.

As he listened to Josiah's voice soften and gently lead David into a relaxed state, Chris felt himself examining his surroundings in an effort to keep himself from falling under Josiah's spell. The apartment was nothing like he'd have imagined for his friend. It was…homey. Pictures of the town and beach hung on the walls, though there were no people in any of the photos. The furniture was comfortably worn and there wasn't a name brand item in sight. The only thing that seemed to match with the former Ezra was a deck of playing cards Chris spotted on the end table, but his heart sank when he realized from the condition of the box that the cards were virtually untouched.

"Now, David, I want you to recognize that you are perfectly safe right now." Josiah's voice pulled Chris back to the reason he was there. "You are in a deep relaxed sleep, but can hear me and answer my questions honestly. Do you understand?"

"Yes." David's voice was low and somewhat sluggish but understandable.

"That didn't seem too hard," Chris whispered, surprised that it hadn't taken very long to hypnotize Easter. Ezra would have fought the entire process the whole way.

"I'm thinking he's rather used to it," Josiah answered sadly, to David he directed his next question, "What is your name?"

"David Michael Easter," David answered smoothly.

"Do you know Ezra Standish?"

"No."

"Have you heard the name Ezra Standish?"

"No."

Chris and Josiah exchanged startled looks.

"David, you are unable to lie to me. Do you know Chris Larabee?"

"Yes, he's here."

"Are you Ezra Standish?"

"No."

"Did Chris tell you about Ezra Standish?"

"No."

"Is your name Ezra Standish?"

"No, it's David Easter!" David stirred with agitation.

"Relax. You are relaxed and calm, David," Josiah reminded.

"What is going on?" Chris asked harshly.

Sanchez looked intently at David's once again relaxed posture. "I think he's been programmed to answer certain questions in exact ways. Let me try something else."

Gradually Josiah explained to David that they were going to go back in time and proceeded to lead Easter back two years.

"Tell me where you are."

"I don't know." Fear crept into David's voice. "Oh God," he exclaimed, tensing.

"Where are you, David?" Josiah asked.

"I'm…in a room, the room."

"What room?"

"From my dream," David admitted, trembling.

"Describe the room to me," Josiah prodded.

"Go away, please. I don't want to." Thrashing in the chair, David began to gasp for air.

"What's wrong with him?" Chris stood, stepping closer, wanting to help his friend.

Josiah ignored him. "Listen to me, David. You are calm and relaxed."

The rasping gasps for air continued. David threw his head back, arching in the chair, desperately trying to take in a breath. His hands went to his throat and his eyes widened in panic.

"You can breathe. Your muscles are relaxed," Josiah promised. "You are safe. You can breathe free and easy." As quickly as the struggle began, it ended.

Chris sank back into his chair as Josiah whispered to him, "hypnotic suggestion."

"David, from now on…you can breathe easily. That will not happen again. You are in control. Do you understand?" Sanchez asked.

David nodded once and relaxed again, his body slumping slightly in the chair.

"Now," Josiah took a deep breath of his own and went on, "tell me again where you are."

"The room." David's voice dropped to a whisper.

"Describe it to me."

"I can't see. I can't turn my head. I'm trapped."

"How are you trapped?"

"On a table, with straps. They're tight and I can't get free. I'm cold. My clothes are gone. The straps are so tight, they cut into my skin…please, I can't breathe; they hurt."

Chris stirred as his anger grew.

"It's okay. You're safe now, David. They can't hurt you here. Tell me what's happening," Josiah ordered.

David gave his head a short shake as if restrained, but spoke anyway. "He's coming." The trembling started again, more intensely than before. "He's coming. He's going to hurt me. "David pleaded, " I hate the needle. Please, not the needle again, please."

Chris bit his lip, seeing Ezra this way wrenched his insides.

"Tell me what he looks like, David."

David's posture immediately changed, stiffening slightly and his voice grew stronger. "I was mute and silent, I refrained even from good."

Josiah and Chris both leaned forward. "Describe who is coming. What does he look like?" Josiah asked again.

"I was mute and silent, I refrained even from good."

For the next ten minutes Josiah continued to question David, but continually ran into the same answer. Finally, to Chris' surprise, Sanchez sat back and began to lead David out of his hypnotized state.

"What happened?" Larabee asked once Easter was awake and Josiah quiet again.

"He has a block," Josiah answered, his own frustration audible in his voice.

"What does that mean?" David asked. He looked stiff and tense again.

"It's similar to a road block. Once I come to a certain line of questioning, he has been programmed how to respond. The first block was the hyperventilating but we were able to get past that. This one…"

"Is there any way around it or past it?" Chris wondered.

Josiah sighed wearily. "I'm not sure. If we're lucky—there's a response that can unlock the door, so to speak, and get us some answers. It sounds familiar to me…it could be from scripture."

"How do we find that?" David pushed himself out of the recliner and went to the bar. Chris could see that his hands were still shaking as he poured himself a drink.

"Well," Josiah stood as well. "The phrase you shut me down with was 'I was mute and silent, I refrained even from good,' does that mean anything to either of you?"

Chris frowned, he'd never heard it before. "Nothing." He told the two.

David sipped at his drink. "Not really," he admitted reluctantly.

Josiah nodded. "Let me look up some things and see what I can find. I have an idea where it might be found but I also need to read up on a few other things just to be prepared for what I'm dealing with."

"Do you have what you need?" Chris asked.

Sanchez nodded. "It's all on my laptop."

It was evening when Josiah finally emerged from his and Nathan's room. Upon inquiring about the others, he was led by an obviously curious Martin to a parlor/dining room designed by David specifically for private parties. David, he found, had canceled his evening set for the first time in two years.

The conversation was animated as Josiah entered.

"So then, you just jumped right in front of me and took a bullet here." JD was pointing to a spot on his shoulder.

"Evening, Brothers," Josiah greeted. He'd seen the look in David's eyes as JD finished his story. He'd seen the doubt and insecurity and had a rough idea what Easter was thinking. He was certain that David was afraid of the others' expectations. "You boys haven't been bombarding David with Ezra tales all day have you?" The teasing in his tone was underscored with a light reprimand that every one caught except Easter.

"He sounds like an interesting guy." David tried to smile.

"That's one way to put it." Nathan nodded. He felt guilty suddenly, realizing the pressure they were putting on their friend. David/Ezra still didn't remember them or his former life…and there was the real possibility he never would. How were they making him feel with all these fond memories? He caught Vin's gaze and knew he wasn't the only one suddenly slapped back into the reality of the moment.

"I think I've solved our dilemma," Sanchez went on, ignoring the uncomfortable silence. He focused on David, taking in the strained features, and dark circles beneath his eyes. "Are you up to giving this another try?"

David swallowed slowly, pushing his fear down and trying to control it like Josiah had explained. Finally he nodded. "I'm ready."

Josiah let Chris join them, but asked the others to wait, too afraid that their presence would be too distracting. Instead, David agreed that setting up a camera wouldn't bother him, so the rest of the group could watch from another room.

Once again, it took only a few minutes to get David relaxed into a deep hypnotic trance. Chris marveled at Josiah's ease and patience, wondering if somewhere buried in David's subconscious-- the Ezra that remained knew to trust Sanchez.

It wasn't long before Josiah ran into David's road block again.

"Tell me what the man with the needle looks like," Josiah requested.

David stiffened. "I was mute and silent, I refrained even from good."

"And my sorrow grew worse," Josiah answered smoothly.

Immediately, David relaxed again.

At Chris' questioning look, Josiah smiled. "Psalm 39:2," he whispered. To David he asked, "what does the man with the needle look like?"

David shivered. "He wears a mask," he told them. "And gloves."

"What kind of mask?"

"A surgical one, he's picking up the needle. Please, no." Fear laced David's voice again.

"You're just watching this time, David. You're safe and calm."

"No, no please, not there, not there."

"Where does he put the needle?" Josiah's voice tightened as he asked. The emotions in David's voice effecting him visibly.

"My neck. Please stop. It hurts."

"Not this time, you're just observing, David."

"I don't want to." David shook his head, his face twisted in pain. "It burns, it goes through me, spreads like fire."

"Remember, you are calm and can't feel the pain." The shaking subsided slightly. "The needle is gone now, David," Josiah told him. "What is the man doing now?"

"Please, stop," David pleaded.

"Stop what?"

"The straps, they're too tight. I tried to get away, to fight but…"

"What's happening now?"

"I made him angry," David whispered. "He has a cane."

"What does he do?" Josiah pressed.

"I can't move. I can't get away. It hurts, please make him stop."

"You can't feel the pain this time, David."

"He hits me with the cane and then…" David shivered violently as if still straining against his invisible bonds. "Aaaahhh! Make him stop!" He cried out in anguish.

"Stop what David? What is he doing?"

"Josiah!" Chris broke in.

"He's got to let it out, Chris." Josiah motioned Larabee to be quiet, and despite his own anger, proceeded. "What does he do, David?"

David shook his head, the veins of his neck standing out with strain. Finally through clenched teeth he managed to speak again. "His knife…he's cutting me…please." Tears rolled down his cheeks as he relived the torture.

There was silence in the room as Josiah took a minute to continue. He exchanged a look with Chris, both men caught in the same vision, seeing Ezra strapped to a table, drugged and unable to defend himself while some maniac sliced away at him. "You're safe, David," Josiah whispered and cleared his throat so he could continue.

In the next room the four men watching the video feed were silent as well. Stunned by what they were hearing and lost for any way to help their friend. As they watched while Josiah continued to calm David, Vin stood abruptly and stormed from the room.

"Where?" JD started to move after him but Buck caught his arm and pulled him back into his seat.

"Let him go," Wilmington commanded and pointed JD back to the session. David was talking again.

"He's whispering. I can feel his breath on my face, through his mask."

"What does he say?"

"He's taking everything away." David's face twisted again with anguish.

"What do you mean?" Josiah questioned.

"I'm going away…forever."

Sanchez frowned. "David, I want you to go back in time with me, further."

"There's nowhere to go," David replied matter of factly.

"Yes, there is, you weren't always in that room were you?"

"I- I don't know."

"Tell me your name."

There was silence. "I don't know," David admitted.

"Is it Ezra Standish?"

"Do I know him?"

"Are you David Easter?"

"I don't know…there's nothing."

Josiah shifted in his seat and leaned closer. "David, I want you to picture a big door. Can you see it?"

"Yes. Is it locked?"

"Yes, but I have the key. I'm giving it to you. It's the perfect fit to the door's lock."

"It fits." David smiled faintly.

"Okay, now turn it and open the door."

"I can't."

"It's alright, you're safe," Josiah reminded.

David shook his head, "No. The door, it's stuck. You gave me the wrong key."

"No, David I didn't. The key fits perfectly, it's the key to your past."

Easter was adamant, "It fits but it's wrong. It's he key to nothing. You gave me the key to nothing." He slumped again in the chair, his face filled with such sadness Chris had to look away.

TBC...