25 years earlier
Sangrur, India
"You will help us develop a simpler method." said the man as he pulled the switch. The man in the chair screamed and writhed as the electric fed the metal clamped to his head.
"Stop?" she yelled. "I'll help. Just please, don't." she said looking at the poor man.
"Then you will develop a method." he said.
"Yes," she said panicked as if the electricity coursed through her body instead, "there is a type of hypnosis using a word string." she said feeling defeated. At least it would spare this poor man the pain."I can develop a string of words. The longer the string the more comlplex and binding." she said. "Please, let me check on him."
The man nodded as a guard let her enter the room. "Are you ok?"
He just stared at her. He was exhausted. He was unsure of her intent.
"Who are you?" his voice came deep and raspy.
She stared at him. That question. She had no answer. "I don't know." she paused, " but they're making me help them." she said looking at him. "They want me to develop a method to bring you into compliance as their soldier. A method without the neuro-shock. I told them I will use a hypnosis technique with words. A series of word that bring you into comlpiance. My plan is to use a word that has meaning to you within the series. This will keep you somewhat aware during the missions. You will remember and this will help you not lose yourself going back and forth. Is there a word that means something to you? That would remind you of something good from your past? A fond memory. Something to anchor you to who you are, not what they are trying to create you to be."
"I don't want to remember. " he said.
"I know, but if you don't rememeber, if you can't hold onto that conciousness of you, then I might not be able to bring you back." she said. "My goal is to get you out of here."
"Why?" he asked.
"Because what they are doing to you is not right. If they are going to force me to help then I will, but I'll help you, not them."
"If they find out they'll kill you." he said as his eyes softened with concerned.
"Still be better than this." she said.
"Nine. My best friend and I became friends when we were nine." he said,
"Nine. It will be part of the string. I'm sorry but at least this way you won't have to endure the nuero-shock. I will develop an anti-hypnosis based on nine also, so when I can, I will work with you to free you of this so you can safely escape." she said.
"You don't know your name?" he asked concerned.
"I'm part of an experiment too." she said sadly. "Whatever they are doing to me, they took that part of me." she said sadly.
"Can I call you Ella? You look like an Ella." he said.
She smiled. "Ella, I like it." her eyes looked at him with concern "Please be ok" she said touching his hand.
"Ella, when you free me, I'm bringing you with me." he said with a serious look.
A guard came in and pulled her away. He looked angrily at the guard. She was taken back to the observation room.
"Begin your work now!" he demanded.
It took her several days in working with the man with the metal arm to get the hypnosis. Her captors insisted she speak it in Russian.
She walked up to the man. He could see the sadness in her eyes, "I'm sorry." she said near tears.
"They will be." he said nodding to her. She touched his hand and he grabbed it giving it a squeeze.
"Touching. " said the man grabbing her arm to pull her hand from his. "Do it!"
She tried not to shake as she held the paper and recited the words. With each word she noted his stare became more empty. By the final word his eyes stared only forward.
The man behind her asked, "Soldier?"
The metal armed man answered, "Ready to comply."
The man behind her signaled the guards who grabbed her and pulled her again from the room.
"Resume the experiments on her." he called out. She kept her head turned back to the metal armed man. His eyes kept a stare on her as she disappeared from the room.
She knew it had been several days. She was taken from her room peroidically to a dark room. They put something on her head. A man spoke a language that she knew was foreign but she understood the meaning of every word. She was tired. After the words were read a woman came in to talk to her about situations she didn't remember. Then a doctor came in and administered a shot. She fell asleep.
"Ella." came a whisper in the dark.
"What?" she said to the voice. She was disoriented.
She felt a set of strong arms wrap around her. She gripped onto the dark figure.
"We're getting out of here. You need to be quiet." he said.
"Ok." she whispered. She felt a cold sensation under her legs. As they walked under a dim light she saw the metal arm and his face. The man. He was ok. He was rescuing her.
"You should-" as she spoke to protest. He quickly let her down and put his hand over her mouth. The metal was cold against her skin.
"Shh." he said. "You're coming." he released her mouth and gripped her hand as they walked carefully down the dim lit hall.
As they reached a door he turned to her and nodded. He quickly opened the door. He rushed out and she heard grunts and punches. As she came through the doorway she saw two guards lying on the ground. He grabbed the rifles. He gave her one and took one for himself. She didn't know how to use it. She followed him closely as they walked around the building, He waved her to come around the corner with him. He held his hand up to signal her to stop. She did. He waved her to come beside him. He looked down the barrel of his rifle. He directed her to do the same. She shook her head. He nodded. She looked through the site and lined up the shot. He took his and she followed immediately. Both men fell. She stood in shock. He grabbed her hand and they ran to the woods.