In the Darkest Hour Read online

  “Hey,” she said to him, and he refocused on her.

  He blinked his eyes and then tried smiling. “What’s going on, Doc?” he asked.

  “You tell me. Are you feeling okay?”

  He started looking around then in an almost paranoid state. He pulled fee. “I need to go. I can’t get in to see Dr. Rogers. He’s been locked in his office for two hours with someone else. He won’t answer his phone,” he said, sounding suddenly frantic, and then he rubbed his head in an odd way. He was definitely on something.

  “Come back inside with me.”

  “No, no it’s useless in there. I’m getting worse instead of better.”

  “Let me help you. Maybe if we talk a bit and discuss things with Dr. O’Rourke, we can come up with a better plan.”

  He was resistant for a moment, but she talked him into coming with her. As they headed toward the front door, she saw that woman who was a regular client in Dr. Roger’s office coming out, and she looked frazzled, emotional, as she clutched her sweater close to her and hurried to her car. Alaska’s gut clenched again. She got Randy inside. Then some other guy approached. He came from the other doorway. “Randy, hey man what’s going on?”

  “I’m sorry, he’s not feeling well and we’re going into my office,” she told him.

  “What’s up, Randy?” the guy said again.

  “Lou, I’m all right. I’m doing fine,” he said, but even his friend Lou could tell something was up.

  “I’m coming with you. He’s a friend and a bunch of us have been concerned. I’m Lou Casseli. I own a military dojo outside of town.”

  “Alaska James,” she said to him and he smiled.

  “I had a feeling,” he said, and she didn’t know what he meant as she got Simon into her office and then called Michael.

  Alaska went over a series of general tests with Simon and wrote everything down. He said that his medication wasn’t changed but that he felt so calm and drowsy whenever he was in session with Dr. Rogers. He kind of felt funny a day later, but then he would start shaking, and feel like he needed something, but he didn’t know what. If more than two days passed, he felt frantic and that was why he showed up today. He needed Dr. Rogers’ help.

  “So he didn’t increase any dosages of the medication you’re using?” she asked him.

  “No. I didn’t think I really needed it anyway, but then we started talking and Dr. Rogers convinced me that I could lose my control or state of mind and maybe do something harmful,” Simon said and he ran his fingers through his hair and started to get emotional. “I don’t think I need any of it. I want to stop it all. Just lock me in a room and leave me alone to get this shit out of me. It’s like something else is inside of me.”

  “What the hell could this doctor be giving him?” Lou asked.

  Alaska was racking her brain. “What I can’t understand is how you feel when you enter his office, and how different it is when you’re in his presence. Does he hypnotize you, or do some kind of mental relaxation techniques?”

  “No. We just talk, and I start calming down and feel different.”

  “This is bullshit. It’s obvious that his medication is fucked up. He’s a happy guy, and then he comes here and starts seeing that geeky looking idiot, Rogers, and suddenly he’s depressed and weak, and not even hanging out with his friends. You calling that normal?” Lou asked with attitude.

  “No, I wouldn’t call that normal at all. I would call it concerning. Michael, there has to be a way to investigate and make sure that nothing criminal is going on here.”

  “Criminal? Alaska we can’t exactly go around accusing a seasoned well-known psychologist of overmedicating his patients or doing something unethical.”

  “Why not?” Lou asked before she could respond.

  “There are procedures to follow,” Michael said to him, giving Lou the once over.

  “Fine, let’s follow the procedures. In the meantime, get him out of his care,” Alaska said to him.

  Michael exhaled. “This is going to open a can of worms. They’ll be a full investigation and not just on him,” Michael said to her.

  “I don’t care. These men and women come here looking for treatment to help them live normal lives and eventually medication and fear free. Something is going on here,” she said to him.

  “That’s for shit sure, and I’ll tell you right now, Simon isn’t seeing that guy anymore, nor is Kennedy, or any other guys I know,” Lou said firmly.

  “If there is a situation and we start pulling his patients then he’ll know something is up. So prepare for the trouble. He knows a lot of people, Alaska,” Michael warned her.

  “I would take the professional opinion of a doctor who worked in heat of the shit in Baghdad before some pencil pushing wanna be who thinks every person should be on drugs and sedated. My friend and others don’t even know where they are, what they’re doing, and they’re ready to snap at any moment. They didn’t have those symptoms before. So tell me, why now? Why after just months of being under the care of that shrink?” Lou asked, and he was furious.

  “I agree, and if I thought for one minute that an investigation wasn’t justified then I would not proceed. As I said, there is a protocol here. I’ll need to talk to Dr. Fortright,” Michael said.

  “The same guy who met with Rogers over Randy’s file and the fact that Randy was being overmedicated?” Alaska asked.

  “What? So you fucking know this guy has done shit and you allow him to continue to treat people?” Lou asked.

  “It was explained and justified from Dr. Fortright’s investigation.”

  “How did he investigate? Did he just ask Dr. Rogers?” Alaska asked.

  “Alaska, there are rules of authority here, and ultimately a military one.”

  “Well then go right to the top. Don’t mess around. These men and women’s lives could be at risk as well as those around them,” Lou interrupted.

  Lou walked out of the office with Simon just as Marina came walking down the hallway. She smiled but then she looked upset. She glanced at the three of them. “Hi, what’s going on?” Marina asked.

  “I was just walking Lou and Simon out,” Alaska said, and just then Dr. Rogers emerged from his office with another client. A woman who looked a bit tired in Lou’s opinion. He instantly disliked the guy, but then as his eyes landed on Alaska and Marina, Lou placed his arm around Marina’s waist and pulled her closer to him.

  Marina gasped. “Stay close,” Lou whispered and she immediately did. She leaned into him. She was petite and smelled really good, and instantly he was very protective of her. That dick doctor looked smug but a bit annoyed.

  “What’s this little gathering about?” Dr. Rogers asked.

  “Just making some plans to go to dinner in a little while. If you’ll excuse us, Lou and Simon have an appointment, and Marina and I need to grab something from my car,” Alaska told him, and then they headed out of the building.

  As soon as they were by Lou’s truck, Marina pulled from his embrace. “Okay, something’s going down with Dr. Creepo, so what is it?” Marina asked.

  “Dr. Creepo?” Lou asked her.

  “Sorry, but it’s his nickname in the administrative offices. He’s basically come on to every good looking young woman working in the place.”

  Lou felt his anger boiling. “He hit on you? Try anything with you?” he snapped at her, and she swallowed hard and backstepped closer to Alaska.

  “Lou, calm down. We got Simon out of there. I’ll walk Marina back to the elevator so she’s safe, and then I’m going to start pulling up other files, other patients Dr. Rogers has had.”

  “I should walk her up,” Lou said.

  “No, you need to escort Simon home. Get him comfortable and filled with lots of fluids. Make sure his team members, friends, whomever can keep watch over him for the next twenty four hours as precaution. Although, he is communicating fine and seems like the drugs are coming out of his system,” Alaska told Lou.

  “Simon
, I don’t want you coming back here. Don’t continue with the drugs Dr. Rogers gave you. Instead, Dr. O’Rourke is setting up for you to meet Marie Forte. She’s a colleague of ours and she is trustworthy and very good. She will meet with you and discuss if you need any type of medication or if you just need counseling. It will be okay,” she said to him.

  He nodded and was breathing through his nostrils. “I didn’t know. I had no idea what was happening to me. I feel raw.”

  “I know you do. I’m going to make sure that you get rid of that feeling and are on the path to a happier, safer life. Where you feel complete. In fact, when all this is done, we’re going to take a few days and enjoy Warrior’s Way. Maybe a little fishing, some good eating, and just peace and quiet.”

  “Sounds awesome,” Simon said.

  She nodded at Lou. She reached her hand out to him. “Pleasure meeting you, Lou. I’ll be in touch. You keep in contact with me, okay?”

  “Got it, Doc, and thanks.”

  Alaska walked Marina to the elevator after she explained what was going on and to keep it a secret.

  “It’s so damn scary if Dr. Rogers is up to no good and maybe drugging those patients of his.”

  “Tell me about it. I’ll be so angry, and I don’t care who he knows, he will go down no matter what. These are innocent people both military and civilian, and they put their trust in him,” she said and shook her head.

  “Be careful, and let me know how it goes.”

  “Will do,” Alaska said, and then started to head back down the hallway to her office. She was definitely going to thoroughly check out the changed behavior from all of Dr. Rogers’ clients, even those two women that come in three times a week.

  She saw Dr. Rogers heading out of the building with his briefcase and into the parking lot. She glanced at her watch. It was 5:00 p.m. She texted the men and told them she couldn’t see them tonight and that she would talk to them tomorrow, that something came up at work. She then went right to her office and started pulling files. It was late and Michael had made the call to Dr. Fortright, but he wasn’t available.

  “We’re going to need proof. Who are these two women he sees? These files state that they’ve experienced trauma. The details we are privy to here don’t really give much. We need to talk to them.”

  “Let the investigators do it. You did your part, and I have your back, Alaska. Everything we’re seeing, and the phone conversations with Kenny, and the other three soldiers we were able to speak to all experienced the same symptoms and were not candidates for any type of drug therapy. This is looking really bad for Dr. Rogers. My God, he’s on the board and he’s been a major part of the clinic for years.”

  “Makes me wonder how long he’s been overmedicating these people and why? What is he getting out of it? He sees them all anyway by conditions of their doctors’ orders and evaluation.”

  “They investigative team will figure it out. Lawyers too as they confiscate his records, his notes, and his prescription orders.”

  “Well, the good thing is that there is no way he’s innocent and this is some kind of mistake. The proof is in the patients and their changed behaviors and not for the better,” Alaska said to him.

  “Exactly, and add in that whole Dr. Creepy thing, and I kind of feel guilty for not looking at that deeper. I mean, I’ve heard that nickname for several years, and just thought he wasn’t lucky with the ladies.”

  “Something else to be concerned over, maybe. Like you said, leave it to the investigators.”

  “You did what?” Guy Rogers screamed at Misty Ann.

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t say your name though. I wouldn’t do that. It was just that I’m scared. I don’t like the way I feel after you leave me. I can’t stop shaking, and my body. There are bruises and welts and other parts are very sore, and I can’t even sit at work,” she cried.

  “Fuck! You love what we do. You love every fucking minute of it, and you cry out my name and tell me how much better of a lover I am than any of those fucking soldiers you fucked,” Guy yelled.

  “I’m sorry,” she said and fell to her knees and wrapped her arms around his legs.

  He shoved at her head. “You were warned to keep your mouth shut. To not let anyone know about our sessions, about me healing you, treating you to overcome those sexual fears, and you do this?” He smacked her in the head and she sobbed. His heart was racing, and anger pooled in his belly.

  “Please, Guy, please. I’ll do whatever you ask. I’ll do that thing you wanted me to do and I couldn’t,” she said, begging for mercy.

  He thought about it a moment. About her being tied to the bed, held prisoner in some foreign shithole as a criminal terrorist whipped her over and over again. No solders came to rescue her. No one, but then he arrived. Killed the terrorist and then freed her and they made love slowly, passionately, as she clung to him and sobbed with love and adoration for her hero. His cock hardened and he patted her head.

  “Strip,” he ordered. She immediately did with shaking hands then climbed up onto the bed. He reached for the bag he had brought with him and tied her up. He stared at her naked body.

  “Cry out. Beg to be saved. To be rescued. Say they aren’t coming. No soldiers are strong enough, tough enough to get to you,” he told her as he panted.

  “Someone help me, please. No soldier is strong enough, tough enough to save me,” she cried and he stuck her with a needle, drugging her. She didn’t make a move, just sobbed to be rescued, and then he took out the whip. He was in charge. He was better, stronger, smarter than any soldier, then any man.

  Detective Georgia Lynn Baily was in the office when she overheard two deputies talking about a case in Clemsfield. It was a couple of hours away from Warriorville. One of the Texas Rangers was following a lead about a woman who they believed was a victim of rape, and ecstasy was found in her blood along with a mixture of other narcotics that cause hallucinations, memory loss, and unstoppable shaking.

  “Wait, what’s this all about?” she asked, and the two deputies began to explain.

  “But you said this Texas Ranger was doing an investigation into other cases with women and similar details?”

  “Yeah, the problem is that the women don’t quite know if what happened was real or not, and they can’t remember details.”

  “But what about DNA, semen, damage to the bodies?”

  “Nope. Condoms were used, and the women showered, they didn’t recall where they were or what exactly happened.”

  “They don’t remember if it was one person or not, or if they were on a date or at a bar?”

  “No, the little bit the ranger could get from the last woman in Clemsfield was that she was held prisoner and was beaten, then someone saved her and then had sex with her. They don’t even know if the story is real, or if it was made up, or she imagined it because she was so drugged up,” the deputy told her.

  “I hope this isn’t a sign of some new drug coming this way. I remember a short time ago there was some trouble with an ecstasy like drug being snuck into women’s drinks at bars. The pills were expensive, but it wiped a woman’s mind out completely. Made it so that she couldn’t even remember a thing that happened since before she even walked into the bar. Nothing, and some of those women were gang raped at parties. Fucking sick bastards.”

  “Do you have a number for that ranger, or do you think Caden McCarthy might know about this case and the others?” Georgia asked.