Brain Scam

BRAIN SCAM Part 2

Neither Mike nor Abrams could sleep for a very long time that night. Both were unnerved by the unexpected turn of events in the lab that evening.

The bizarre experience in Abrams' lab left Mike completely agitated, confused, and angry. Consistent with his analytical mind, he put aside his anger for hours to evaluate the events —at least the parts he could remember. It was abundantly clear that he had been manipulated to do things he would never have thought of doing while participating in a research project. But why? And how? The only logical explanation was that the sensors in the skull cap did more than pick up readings of activity in various parts of his brain. They must have also affected his consciousness, his sense of propriety, and possibly energized his continuing but repressed longing for sex with a man. Even that reasoning, however, was unlikely to fully explain what happened. It did not adequately explain Dr. Abrams' participation. The man was an icon of a dedicated scientist and it seemed impossible that he would be driven to engage in sex during the course of his work. That would violate the most basic principles of scientific inquiry ... and, significantly ... civilized conduct. Furthermore, if discovered (which it had been), it would jeopardize his research, a paramount priority for him and destroy his reputation. His vulgar behavior had been exposed when Mike found himself, half-naked, in front of the bare crotch and quivering erection of the previously respected scientist.

It also occurred to Mike that the images that mystified him the previous week strongly suggested that it had happened before, during the first session. The deduction was supported by two facts: the fleeting memory on Saturday morning of masturbating in Abrams' lab and the enigmatic mental image of Abrams sucking his cock later that day. There was little room to doubt that he had also been manipulated during the first session.

Yes, he was angry. He had been violated, manipulated, and victimized. But the answers to the questions of how and why eluded him. He needed to have answers.

Abrams' night was equally disrupted but for different reasons. His voyeurism in the first session with Mike was a source of erotic stimulation. Repeatedly viewing the video had also been a source of pleasure and intensified his orgasms. But it only magnified his lust for the young man's admirable body and magnificent cock. With profound regret, he admitted to himself that he had let his lust take command of his actions. What was the old saying? "Thinking with your cock and not your head." Unforgivable for a scientist!

The consequences were ominous. Mike might reveal, perhaps to the police, what had happened. Everything he had accomplished in his research—indeed, his very future—was in jeopardy. He lay in bed for hours, castigating himself for his failure of judgment and trying unsuccessfully to think of a way to mitigate the damage to his research and to his reputation. His only consolation was that, if Mike disclosed the sordid truth, it would be the word of one sex-starved young man against that of a mature, ethical (so everyone thought), and dedicated scientist with absolutely no history of deviant behavior. It then occurred to him, however, that there was additional evidence. He would have to destroy the video recordings!

He was in his office before sunrise on Friday. As much as he wanted to preserve the covert video recordings for periodic accompaniment to his masturbation, it was not worth the risk of law enforcement with a search warrant finding them. Retrieving them from his safe, he loaded each into his computer. He knew better than to simply erase them. He used a special software program to "shred" them—overwriting the incriminating content multiple times with random digits. He then took the memory cards through the deserted neighborhood of commercial buildings to a dumpster fifty yards from his own building. He returned to his office reasonably confident that no one had seen him disposing of the blank recordings. That eliminated one problem but he still faced a larger problem. If Mike spoke to anyone about what happened, it might launch an investigation that would surely be splashed across the media within a few days. He had to do something—but what?—to avoid the possibility of public scrutiny and humiliation.

By midmorning, he had the basics of a plan. Its chances of success were extremely slim but it was his only option. He would have to talk to Mike. For much of the rest of the day he devised and revised what to say.

Just before five, he called Mike's accounting firm. The call was transferred to Mike's office without any inquiry as to the nature of the call. After a short wait, he heard, "Mike Stevens."

"Mike, this is Dr. Abrams. Please don't hang up. We need to talk. I want to apologize and explain my actions. Are you free this evening?"

Mike had only hours before been able to concentrate on his work. The call from what he considered his molester reawakened his anger over what happened and frustration over not knowing how and why he had been manipulated. He paused to consider how to respond to Abrams' call. "What makes you think I want anything more to do with you?" he asked sharply.

"I don't blame you for that. But I have to apologize. And you deserve an explanation of what I did and how it was done."

The last few words, `how it was done,' tapped into Mike's near obsession with finding answers for many of his questions. His speculation on what had happened was not buttressed by facts, which to his manner of thinking, was very troubling. But his level of trust was low. "If I agree to meet with you, will you be completely honest or will you feed me a bunch of lies and half-truths?"

"I'll be honest, Mike. On my honor."

Mike laughed and said sarcastically. "Your honor is severely tarnished, Abrams."

"How well I know that!" the man responded immediately. "But I hope that leveling with you about my motives and methods ... and why I hurt you ... will ease the insufferable pain that I feel for my inexcusable behavior."

Mike paused to evaluate Abrams' words. He didn't and couldn't know whether they were sincere or yet another instance of self-serving manipulation. "All right. I'll meet with you but on one condition."

"Anything!" Abrams exclaimed. "What's the condition?"

"You will answer all my questions fully, honestly, and without hesitation."

"Fair enough, Mike. I'll answer any questions you have. Making amends for my behavior is worth telling you what you want to know."

In spite of Abrams' promise to be truthful, Mike distrusted the man and his motives. "Okay. I'll meet with you. But be aware that it will be your one and only chance for repentance. And you may not earn my forgiveness."

They discussed where to meet that evening. A restaurant was inappropriate because the very private conversation might be overheard by other diners. Mike immediately rejected an invitation to Abrams' home, insisting on `neutral' territory. Abrams suggested the conference room next to his office. That was not completely neutral but it was the best available alternative so Mike agreed.

<><><><><>

Mike arrived at the company offices extremely wary that Abrams would not be completely honest. Abrams was prepared with what he wanted to say but was not confident that the outcome of the meeting would be what he wanted.

"Thank you for meeting with me, Mike. First and foremost, I want to sincerely apologize for what I did. I can't excuse what I did but perhaps I can explain what made me do it. You're very attractive, Mike. Physically and mentally. In short, I was—and am—totally captivated by your body and your sharp mind. If there's a bright side to my misbehavior, it's that I learned a valuable lesson. And you helped teach me that lesson. Remember telling me that I should have gained your friendship and only then suggested doing something ... shall we say ... intimate?"

"I do," Mike replied curtly.

"You were absolutely right! I'll never again take advantage of you or anyone else. That's the valuable lesson I learned. I can't tell you how sorry I am. I hope you can forgive me."

Mike said nothing in reply. He only gave Abrams an icy stare.

"I deserve your resentment, Mike. Perhaps even your hatred. But you deserve to know why I did what I did. And how it was accomplished."

This is what Mike came for: facts that would solve the mystery of what happened. But he only said coldly, "I'm listening."

"First, a little background. There have been remarkable advances in understanding which parts of the brain are involved in cognition, memory, sensation, emotions, and muscular movement. I've achieved a major breakthrough in my research. I'm able to detect the activity in various parts of the brain with astonishing precision. And account for the variability among different people. The detail and accuracy is leaps and bounds ahead of what others are doing. It's all accomplished by extremely sensitive sensors in the skull cap and, significantly, by a very sophisticated computer program. It's all done without the traditional brain scans."

"You've told me all that," Mike interrupted. "What I want to know is how you manipulated me."

"That's the second major breakthrough, Mike. It's even more secret than what I've told you before. The skull cap is also able to transmit signals into the brain. Previously, that could be done only by drilling a hole in the skull and inserting a tiny electrode to the area of the brain that was to be stimulated. I can do it without surgery. And with unprecedented accuracy."

"It sounds impossible. You expect me to believe that? How can sensors outside the head detect activity at the level of detail you claim?"

"The answer is extremely complex. But the principle is not. There are multiple sensors in the skull cap. Each one is looking at a relatively small area of the brain. Three to five sensors will be picking up signals from the same area. Here is the complex part, one that took me more than a year to refine. The computer analyzes those signals, merges the signals, and analyzes them down to the microsecond. It's basically the same principle that allows a GPS unit to calculate a precise location on the surface of the earth using data received from four satellites in orbit. That's how I monitored your thoughts and actions. In our first session, I impaired your memory. You couldn't recall the sequence of aerial photos of Manhattan. That proved that your memory had been disabled. Later in the session, I activated the transmission capabilities of the sensors. I disrupted your brain's memory again but, in addition, the self-restraint circuits. That's yet another leap forward in my research. It has the effect of putting you into a trance somewhat like hypnosis but with a significant difference. In traditional hypnosis, you cannot be induced into doing things that violate your personal, moral, or religious beliefs. Disabling the portions of your brain that exercise self-restraint and moral judgment makes you susceptible to instructions to do things that you would never do while fully conscious. That allowed me to direct you to take off your clothes and masturbate. You complied because your inhibitions had been neutralized."

"That explains the dream I had. It was hazy but I dreamed that I was in your lab jerking off." That revelation disturbed Abrams and his expression revealed his pain upon learning that the disabling of Mike's memory had not been completely effective.

Abrams recovered quickly and said, "That's a problem I have to solve. The subconscious mind is particularly complex and chaotic. Did you have any other strange dreams?"

"No more dreams, but one other mysterious incident. Later that day I was reading. I laid the magazine in my lap. When I looked down at it, I saw your head bobbing in my crotch. It lasted, I would guess, less than a second but I recognized your hair."

"I wish you had told me. But then again, I realize that it would be embarrassing because the incidents were sexual. Did those strange events bother you?"

"Yes. The dream was not very troubling because dreams are always weird. But the sight of you sucking my cock wasn't a dream and it bothered me for a long time. I got over it only by convincing myself that it was an unexpected side effect of your taking readings of my brain. Now you seem to be telling me that it was a genuine memory of something that really happened."

"Exactly!"

Mike now had information that seemed to make sense of the peculiar things he experienced. Rather than the satisfaction of resolving a mystery in his mind, it fueled his irritation. "And you used the same methods to coerce me into sucking your cock?" he asked angrily.

Abrams lowered his head in shame and mumbled, "I'm afraid so."

"But it didn't work. I realized what I was doing. I was shocked. Pissed. Confused. I was furious."

"I understand why you should hate me. What happened was an automatic shutdown of the computer program. It wasn't supposed to happen. And it tells me that I've got more work to do to perfect my system. If it isn't completely, totally effective, it's not ready for widespread use."

"Or any use at all!" Mike exclaimed emphatically. "Can't you see the danger in forcing people to do things? Without their prior consent?"

"Any technology or any invention can be used for both good and evil," Abrams objected. "My technology can enable people suffering from Parkinson's or other diseases to live normal lives. It can help mentally disabled people be productive and happy. It can cure many types of psychiatric maladies. The net gain for society is overwhelmingly positive."

Mike countered angrily, "It can also be used to make upstanding people commit crimes. Murder. Acts of terrorism. Or, as in my case, engage in sexual acts that I would never have agreed to."

Speaking calmly, Abrams said, "My mother died of lung cancer. It was a long, painful death. There was no treatment available to her because the cancer had metastasized. Pain pills barely took the edge off the suffering and had ugly side effects. My research will allow those in excruciating pain to be comfortable. Years later, my father suffered from crippling arthritis. He had always been active but his body no longer allowed him to enjoy living. His pain is both physical and mental and continues to this day. How many millions can be spared that suffering as a result of my research?"

"I grant your point," Mike conceded. "But I'm worried about your methods being used for evil or selfish purposes. For example, a lust- crazed doctor who takes advantage of an unsuspecting and otherwise unwilling person. You proudly cite the beneficial uses of your methods but you used them for completely selfish and unethical reasons."

Abrams grand dreams for his research had been shattered by Mike's argument. How could he deny the harm that could—that WOULD—be done in the hands of the wrong people? After all, he had succumbed to the temptation and committed a gross violation of decency and ethics. "I'll have to build in controls to ensure the system is not misused."

"And just how will you do that?" Mike asked.

"I don't know yet. I'll need some time to think about it.

<><><><><>

Two weeks passed. Mike was grateful there had been no further contact from Dr. Abrams. The traumatic experience of being taken advantage of sexually was something he was happy to relegate to history. He suppressed all thoughts of the experience and of the man who had betrayed his trust. With only occasional bad memories of the experience to distract him, he could concentrate on his job at the accounting firm where his analytical skills made him a star. His future there seemed bright. He was, however, less contented on Friday and Saturday evenings. Because he was uncomfortable in social situations, mingling with a crowd in a bar inevitably turned out to be more stressful than enjoyable. He had several acquaintances at work but no one he could call a friend. He regretfully resigned himself to being incapable of finding a partner and to becoming a lifelong, frustrated gay man whose only means of satisfying sexual needs was solo masturbation. More significantly, he was convinced that the more important goal of loving and being loved by another man was not in his future.

Abrams, by contrast, thought frequently about Mike. It could fairly be said that he was obsessed with the young man's appearance and character. He was very handsome, had a sharp mind, and was guided by admirable principles of right and wrong. But what the doctor would not admit to himself was that these qualities were secondary to his deep admiration for Mike's firm, youthful, and virile body. The attraction was primarily physical or, more specifically, lust dominated all of his thoughts about Mike. Decades of self-denial had only intensified his unfilled need for manly sex. Mike entered his life at a particularly vulnerable time. He was aging and he feared losing the ability to fully enjoy sex. He felt he had to enjoy manly sex before it was too late. His self-discipline was therefore at its weakest point. It caused him to deviously gratify his sexual cravings. But, uncharacteristically, he did not recognize the power and consequences of his depraved motives.

Whereas Mike was intent on forgetting what happened in the lab, Abrams was preoccupied with memories of watching Mike undress and masturbate. He frequently recalled the thrill of sucking the young man's cock and tasting his cum. He didn't need the video he had destroyed to stimulate his libido and enhance his orgasm. The memories of the sensations were vivid. But they were also triggers for wishing he could do it again. It was that thought that became the germ of a plan.

He telephoned Mike, who was irritated by the call. "Mike, I've given a lot of thought to what you said about the dangers of my system being misused. First of all, I want to thank you for the warning. More importantly, however, I want to discuss an idea with you. I think it has all the safeguards that are necessary but I would value your opinion and advice. Would you stop by at your convenience to listen to my plan? And offer any suggestions for improvement?"

Mike was conflicted over whether to accept the invitation. He wanted nothing more to do with the man who had cruelly controlled his mind and forced him into sexual acts without consent or even knowledge of what he was doing. But he was encouraged by Abrams' efforts to prevent his system from being used for evil rather than beneficial use. It was the latter consideration that caused him to say, "Okay. How about Saturday afternoon about three?"

"Wonderful," Abrams gushed. "I look forward to seeing you then and benefitting from your counsel."

Mike disliked returning to "the scene of the crime" but he was hopeful that Abrams had taken seriously his warning of potential exploitation of the system for immoral or illegal purposes. If so, he would be pleased. He was also hopeful that this would be the last contact with Dr. Abrams.

<><><><><>

"Welcome, Mike. Thank you for coming. I hope I'm not disrupting you weekend plans."

"No, Sir. I wasn't planning anything that couldn't be done at another time."

They settled into the conference room and Abrams began his explanation of the safeguards he wanted to implement. But that was a means to an end. His primary purpose was to recruit Mike's continuing participation. It was the only way he could ensure maintaining contact with the young man and ... perhaps ... winning his full trust so that the relationship could mature into something he wanted almost as much as success in his research.

"So, my friend," Abrams began, "How are you? How are things at the accounting firm?"

Mike displayed an obvious lack of interest in small talk by ignoring the questions and asking one of his own. "So what's the idea you have to safeguard your system?"

Abrams was discouraged but not defeated in his quest to establish rapport with the target of his ulterior motive. "Here's my plan," he said. "I can restrict access to the part of the computer program that enables signals to be transmitted to the brain. It's simple in concept but it has some practical problems. It would require someone to have the authority to approve its use. That person would be a trusted third party, unaffiliated with my company or with the organization, and who wants to use the system to help patients either medically or psychiatrically. His or her authority would be absolute. Nobody could reverse his decision to prohibit the use of the brain-altering routines in the program." Abrams paused to assess Mike's reaction.

"Just how would that work?" Mike asked.

"The `safety guardian' — for lack of a better title — would have a unique password known only to that person. With it, he could override the software lock for a specific, legitimate purpose. And only, of course, with the patient's permission in advance."

"I think I see a problem," Mike said. "What guarantees that the person will not approve inappropriate uses?"

"The individual must be incorruptible and not tempted by bribes or intimidated by threats. It's a rare individual, I admit, but it's essential that any organization wanting to purchase or lease the system nominate a disinterested party to approve legitimate use and prohibit questionable or unethical use."

"Passwords are notoriously easy to steal, aren't they?"

"That's true. We can easily fortify the gateway to the restricted portions of the computer program. Fingerprint recognition like we use here in the lobby. Retina scans are also able to recognize authorized users with amazing accuracy. Voice recognition and a number of other physiological traits can be used. Perhaps a combination of two or more of those. I'm confident that no one—no one—other than the `safety guardian' will ever be able to activate the system's capability of controlling a patient's thoughts and actions."

Mike was persuaded by the details and by Abrams' sincerity. His concerns over fraudulent and dangerous mind control could be prevented or at least greatly minimized. But he had one more question. "There's a qualification you haven't mentioned for the safety guardian. Wouldn't he or she have to have a rather deep knowledge of medicine or psychiatry to decide when to allow use of the transmitters?"

"You continue to amaze me, Mike, with your grasp of situations. You're right, of course. We can't afford to have some uninformed individual making the wrong decisions out of ignorance. As a contractual requirement in a purchase or lease agreement, the organization would have to submit the credentials of the person nominated to safeguard the system. Fraudulent credentials or any misrepresentation of the nominee's complete independence would be subject to prosecution in civil court. The publicity and cost of that would be disastrous for the user. There would also be the risk of criminal prosecution. I'm confident that will ensure qualified and incorruptible guardians."

"It seems you've thought this through very carefully," Mike said. "But so far, there is a gaping hole in your plan. You've talked about those who buy or lease your system ... whenever that happens. But you've said nothing about abuse of the system here within your company. We both know it's already been used for selfish and depraved purposes, hasn't it?"

Abrams was stung by the reminder of his recklessness. "Selfish? Yes. Depraved? Yes. Unforgivable? Definitely! My remorse will be a burden I carry with me forever. But that brings me to another idea I want to propose. ANY use of the system to affect a person's thinking and actions MUST be monitored. That includes here in the lab. We need a guardian to approve and oversee our experiments. Please believe me. The last thing I want is another abuse of the system here."

"So you will appoint a guardian to keep an eye on your experiments?"

"Absolutely. And I have a candidate in mind. He's as honest as anyone I know. There's nothing in his background that would disqualify him from being completely objective and independent in his judgment. He knows from his own experience the terrible dangers of misusing the system. Will you accept the assignment?"

Mike was stunned. He sat quietly for several moments trying to absorb the implications of the unexpected request. It would no doubt require ongoing dealings with a man who had used him for completely selfish reasons. That would be unpleasant. But it would also give him a measure of power over the use of a potentially dangerous system. Not insignificantly, it would give him power over the man who had previously taken full control of his thoughts and actions. That would be a form of retribution. He had a decision to make. He favored one choice over the other but needed time to analyze the possible consequences. "I'm flattered by your trust in me, Sir. Especially since you violated my trust in you so grievously. But I need a little time to consider your offer. I'll let you know my answer no later than Monday."

"Just as I expected, Mike. Your keen mind needs to evaluate all the relevant information before taking action. That's one of many attributes that I admire in you. And a compelling reason why I think you're exactly the person I need to monitor the use of my system."

As they parted, Abrams was cordial but didn't press his case for Mike to accept. Inwardly, he fervently hoped the young man would be a frequent visitor to the lab, which would give the lustful scientist what he wanted.

<><><><><>

On Monday morning, Mike phoned Abrams and fortunately caught him in his office. "I promised you an answer to your offer no later than today. But I need to discuss a few things with you first. Depending on the results of that conversation, I'll give you my answer. Can we meet immediately after work ... say about six?"

"Six it is," Abrams replied. "There may be a few people still in the building but we can talk privately in my office or the conference room."

"I'd prefer the conference room," Mike said because he still preferred to meet in relatively neutral territory.

"Let me guess," Abrams said as he met Mike in the lobby that evening. "You need more information."

"I do. And I'd like your reaction to a couple of ideas."

Abrams' chit-chat as they walked to the conference room—a tactical move to establish rapport with Mike and win friendship—was met with curt responses or none at all. Mike's mind was focused exclusively on the potential business relationship. Abrams was disappointed but did not reduce his efforts work toward his ultimate goal of an intimate relationship.

Unlike their previous meetings where they sat across the table from each other, Abrams sat in the chair next to Mike—another tactic Abrams hoped would enhance rapport. Mike, still suspicious of the man's dishonest motives, became more determined to limit the conversation to getting answers to his questions and reaction to his ideas, ideas that were actually firm requirements that must be met before he would accept the assignment.

"So, Mike, will you be our safety guardian here in the lab?"

"I haven't decided." Mike paused for a moment and reminded Abrams, "As I said on the phone, I have a few questions and a few ideas."

Abrams was offended by the condescending reminder but couldn't show it because it would be an impediment to nurturing a friendly relationship. "Right! What more information do you need? I'll be happy to answer your questions."

"The first one is: would you be willing to document our agreement in a notarized contract? It would spell out each of our responsibilities. It would specify my authority to approve or disapprove of any intended use of the computer system that would interfere with a subject's moral principles."

"Do you really feel that's necessary? After all, I trust your judgment and you can trust me to honor your decision."

"With respect, Sir, you've already violated my trust when you induced me into performing sex acts with you."

"But I've apologized for that! It was wrong and I've promised never to repeat the error!

Mike stood his ground. "Then if you keep your promise, there should be nothing to stop you from accepting my condition. It's a deal-breaker if my decisions can be challenged or overruled."

Abrams felt intimidated by Mike's words and more specifically by the determination evident in his tone and expression. He had promised not to use the system to disable a subject's moral judgment without Mike's approval. However, he knew that he could easily overcome any objections by using a backup copy of the computer program. He could deceive Mike into believing that his approval was necessary and he could continue his experiments. He rationalized his deceit. It was a way to achieve his top two goals: advance his research and enjoy sexual pleasures with an extremely desirable young man. He would have to accept Mike's demand. "All right. We can draft a contract that assures your complete autonomy in approving or disallowing the neutralization of moral judgment."

"Good," Mike said. "There are a couple of other things that I want in the contract. The first has to do with compensation and scheduling. My time will be compensated at a rate equal to what my firm charges for my services to a client. No more, no less. That will help avoid any appearance paying me unreasonable amounts to influence my decision."

"That's sensible," Abrams responded.

"The second is that the time I spend reviewing, analyzing, and rendering a decision must never interfere with my regular job at the accounting firm."

"I assume that will limit you to evenings and weekends."

"Correct."

"That will be inconvenient, Mike. But I'm willing to schedule my experiments around your regular job."

"Good. Now I have one other requirement. The subjects you enlist to participate in the experiments—if their moral judgment is to be impaired—must sign a release form prior to the experiment. I have a suggested wording." Mike read it aloud. "I understand that my participation in this experiment may include instructions to say or do things that would, in other circumstances, be contrary to my moral, ethical, and/or religious beliefs and that under the influence of a hypnotic- like state I will comply with any request to say or do what may be prohibited by my principles of acceptable behavior." Mike then passed the draft consent form to Abrams and added, "The form must be signed, dated, and witnessed."

Abrams was stunned by what he felt was Mike's unreasonable demand. It would surely impede his research when almost everyone would refuse to sign the release and therefore would not participate in the experiment. "Do you really think that's necessary? I mean this is a scientific research laboratory. It's common in scientific research to give misleading statements to experimental subjects. To divulge the real purpose of the experiment would be to contaminate the results."

"I know that, Sir. But scientific protocols do not permit intrusion into a subject's morality or to encourage improper or illegal behavior. The consent form is a bare minimum," Mike asserted. "My first inclination was to prohibit ANY imposed trance. But I took the time to research hypnosis and learned that hypnotherapy is often extremely effective in helping people cope with difficulties in their lives like phobias, depression, and post traumatic stress. Some people, however, do not respond well to hypnosis because of fear, misinformation, or lack of trust in the hypnotherapist. I concluded that artificially inducing a trance, as your system can do, could be useful ... when properly supervised. But that does NOT include compelling someone to unknowingly do what he or she would regard as morally wrong, a crime, or sinful. That can never be allowed. The consent form I propose at least informs the person of what may be done in the procedure and allows a conscious choice to opt in or opt out of the experiment. Without the use of prior consent, I cannot be a part of the research."

Thinking of his clandestine plan to bypass Mike's approval when necessary or convenient, Abrams agreed. "We already use a consent form. You'll remember you signed it before each of our sessions. But it doesn't include the specification that fundamental beliefs may be temporarily inactivated. Your wording will be an improvement to what we already use. Do you have any other concerns?"

"Just one. Not a concern but a request. What I've said so far ... and what you've agreed to ... are non-negotiable conditions. My final idea is that I be allowed to observe a few experimental sessions in order to become more familiar with your methods and results. I won't impede your work but it will help me make decisions on whether to approve any session that interferes with a person's fundamental values."

"That's easily done, Mike. I suppose now you're willing to serve as our safety guardian."

"I am."

Abrams smiled broadly. He had made no concessions that would jeopardize his continuing improvement of technique to overcome a person's resistance to hypnotism even when it violated ethical standards. If he could perfect the process, it would make his anonymous investors very happy. Moreover, continuing contact with Mike, who remained an obsession with him, was assured. He leaned slightly toward the young man and placed a hand on his thigh while saying, "I'm very pleased. This is the beginning of a terrific relationship."

Mike forcefully shoved Abram's hand away and stood. He looked down at the seated lecher and said emphatically, "Let's make one thing very clear, Abrams! I am—or will be—a contract consultant. Don't add sexual harassment to the list of things that could destroy you and your work."

Abrams stammered, "But ... I ... It was just an innocent gesture. Nothing sexual about it."

"BULL SHIT!" Mike shouted. "Taking sexual advantage of me while under the influence of your system was irrefutably sexual. To gratify your lust. Nothing more. And don't think I'm fooled by your transparent motives in recruiting me to work with you. Yes, I'm willing to work with you but for one reason only: to ensure that you don't victimize anyone else. This conversation is over."

"Mike, you've got me all wrong. I need your analytical mind and objectivity to improve my system. You've already done that and...."

"Stop it!" Mike exclaimed. "You want my help in safeguarding your system. We both know that you also want my body. You can buy my time and opinion but I will NOT be your whore-boy."

Mike abruptly turned and walked out of the conference room, leaving Abrams to lick his wounds. Abrams was dejected and miserable. His hopes for having sex with Mike, flimsy to begin with, were apparently shattered beyond repair. His elaborate plans for overcoming his blatant error of forcing Mike to engage in sex were now completely futile.

It was days later that Abram, consumed by the demolition of his plan to have Mike in bed, conceived an idea. He phoned Mike. "Hi, Mike. This is Don Abrams. I'd like to clear up a misunderstanding between us. Are you willing to hear my idea?"

Mike's suspicions put him on guard. "I can't think of any way you can demonstrate to me that you've given up on your efforts to...." Suddenly worried about being overheard, he paused before continuing, "...gain what you want."

"Ah, but there is a way, Mike. I'd like you to come to the lab and observe a session. I will be the one wearing the skull cap. My assistant will put me into a trance and ask me a series of questions. You can be sure my answers are honest because we'll be using the full capabilities of the system. I won't be inhibited by fear of revealing what my intentions are."

Still suspicious, Mike asked, "Your self-restraint will be neutralized?"

"Exactly! That should convince you that I what I say is what I really mean."

"Suppose I want to ask questions of my own. Will you answer them?"

"Of course. Are you willing to give me a second chance at redemption?"

"When should I be there?"

"Friday at six. And thank you for your cooperation."

<><><><><>

Mike came straight from work to Abrams lab, eating a drive-through hamburger on the way to tide him over until a proper dinner later that evening. He entered the lobby of the building and picked up the phone near the entrance to the lab. Jennifer answered. He was surprised when she appeared to escort him to the lab. "Dr. Abrams is delayed," she explained. "Something about a conference call with investors. He will join you in a little while. In the meantime, I'll take you to the lab." She was her usual, cold, business-like self and nothing more was said either by her or Mike until they entered the control room of the lab.

A young, man—Asian or Asian descent—was seated in front of the computer monitor. He turned to see who entered the room behind him. Mike was struck by the man's welcoming smile and sparkling dark eyes but even more so by his appearance. Mike was unsure of his age—it's hard to determine with Asians—but he was captivated by the stranger's eyes, smile, and perfectly proportioned body that was revealed by a tight tee shirt.

Jennifer handled the formalities briskly. "This is Mike Stevens. Mike, this is Kim Yoshimoto. He's one of Dr. Abrams' assistants and will be conducting the session." She abruptly turned and left the room.

"I'm pleased to meet you," Kim said as he stood and extended his hand in greeting.

Only years of self discipline allowed Mike to maintain eye contact. He would have preferred to scan Kim's body and imagine what was concealed beneath his jeans. "And I'm pleased to meet you, Kim. So you'll be the one in charge of the session today?"

"Yes. But it's a bit of a puzzle. Dr. Abrams refused to explain the reason for the special procedures."

"Do you mean having Dr. Abrams connected to the computer system?"

"No. He's done that a couple of times. We all have. To understand what it's like and that it's completely safe."

Mike felt compelled to ask, "You did too? Did it include a trance?"

Kim's cheerful expression faded. He paused before answering but withheld details of the experience. "Yes."

"You don't have to answer my next question, Kim, but did he make you do anything during the trance that you would not normally do?"

Kim frowned, paused, and replied, "Yes. But please don't ask what it was."

"I won't, Kim. I only asked because it happened to me." Mike thought for a moment, suspecting that he was not the first victim of Abrams' lust. To find out, he had to quickly win Kim's trust and one way to do that would be to relate his own experience and thereby encourage Kim to do the same. "I agreed to be a subject in his experiments mostly because I thought it would be interesting. But it was much more than I expected. He neutralized the part of my brain that governs moral judgment and self- restraint. In the follow-up session, something went wrong and I came out of the trance. He was in the room with me and we were ... well ... let me say doing things that neither one of us should have been doing. I was shocked. And then I got furious. He apologized but I just shouted at him and left. Later, I calmed down and thought about the dangers of disabling someone's rational judgment. I convinced him to implement strict controls over the use of that part of the computer program. I'm here now to observe the session only so he could prove to me that he has genuinely changed his thinking and behavior. "

Kim stared at Mike for several moments before saying, "Geez! It's beginning to make sense."

"What do you mean?"

"First of all, let me fill in some details. If you don't mind. I'm guessing that you and he were doing something sexual."

"That's right."

"Now let me try to connect the dots. He used the system to take advantage of you. That would not be surprising because you're very handsome. It's consistent with what happened to me. Nothing happened between us—at least not that I'm aware of—but the next day he called me into his office. He complimented me on my work achievements but he soon began complimenting me on how good I looked, which I thought was very strange. I shrugged it off and tried to steer the conversation back to work. He persisted. Before long, he was suggesting that I spend the night at his house. By that time, it was pretty clear that he was propositioning me. I told him maybe I should get back to work. He asked whether I liked my job. Of course I did and told him so. I got up to leave and he told me— ordered me—to sit down. He's the boss so I sat down. Then, in a roundabout way, he hinted that if I wanted to keep my job, I should be willing to take on extra assignments like entertaining the owner of the company overnight. I'm collapsing twenty minutes of conversation but you get the idea. I turned down the extra assignment. He then hit me with a shocker. He said he knew I was gay but I hadn't had sex since I graduated from college and I was very horny. I must have revealed that information in my trance. I just walked out of his office without saying what was on my mind. I expected to be fired the next day for refusing his advances. But he's never said anything about the conversation and obviously I'm still working here."

"That's disgusting!" Mike said. "Not that you're gay. I am, too. But that he would use his power—that is to say the computer system's power—to manipulate you. AND that he would be bold enough to confront you with what he had done and expect you to gratify his lust."

"Sad, isn't it? That a brilliant man would be so out of control when it involves his sexual needs." Kim paused before adding, "I am gay, by the way. But only four people know that: me, my college roommate, Dr. Abrams, and now you. I'm telling you only because you would understand. I keep it to myself mostly because of the shame it would bring to my parents. They immigrated to this country many years ago, before I was born, but they retain the values of Japanese society."

"Your secret is safe with me, Kim. And I'm glad he's leaving you alone. I wish he would leave me alone."

"Good luck with that!" Kim said sarcastically. "You're very desirable prey for the predator in him. Which leads me to a speculation on why we're here. He said he wanted you to observe the session. I first thought it was just another excuse to see you and win your friendship. But I couldn't figure out something else he said. He was very emphatic that I NOT disable the part of the computer program that suppresses moral judgment. But ... here's the really weird part ... that I should make you believe that it IS disabled. Why would he want me to deceive you?"

"Because he knows I'm going to ask him questions. He's afraid I'll ask about things that he doesn't want me—or anyone else—to know."

"Like why he made you do what you did in your session?"

"Exactly. Plus other things ... like whether he's being deceptive about my monitoring experiments that disable a person's moral judgment."

"So that's why he wants you to believe everything he's told you is true even when it may be a lie."

"It's a theory, Kim. But everything we know supports it."

"You're right. And if this whole thing is staged to prove he has nothing to hide, we can trip up the lecherous bastard. He wants me to use the entire system, including the part that leaves his self-restraint intact. But I'm not going to do that. You can ask him anything and he'll have to tell you everything."

"Are you sure, Kim? When he finds out you disobeyed his instructions, you could lose your job."

"Very sure. I've been job hunting since he tried to seduce me. I have a couple of promising opportunities. I'm sure I won't be out of work for long. I like my job here but I don't like working for a guy who uses his position and power to force employees into having sex with him. Deliberately rigging this session is the last straw. If he doesn't fire me, I'm definitely quitting!"

Just to be sure he understood the procedure, Mike asked, "So Abrams will think his moral judgment and self-restraint will NOT be in impaired but in fact WILL be?"

"That's right. He will answer your questions without filtering what he says. It should be very revealing."

The two young men had no more time to discuss the situation. Moments later, Abrams barged into the control room and said, "Sorry to keep you two waiting. Mike, thanks for coming, my friend. Kim, is everything set up as I requested?"

"Yes, Sir.

You're sure about that?"

"Absolutely. Everything is just as you wanted it."

"Then let's get started." Abrams walked into the adjoining room and sat in the arm chair. Kim followed him, adjusted the skull cap on the man's head, and returned to the control room, closing the door behind him.

Kim spoke into his microphone. "The computer system is operating perfectly. I've calibrated the sensors. We can start now if you're ready."

"Proceed," Abrams replied.

It was obvious to Mike that Kim had conducted sessions before. With reassurances, a soothing voice, and gentle questions, he was able in a short time to induce a trance in the unsuspecting Dr. Abrams. When it was clear to Kim that the trance was complete, he said, "Your good friend, Mike Stevens, is with us and would like to ask you some questions. You're here to give him whatever information he needs. Is that right?"

"Yes," came the reply.

"Good. If you don't know the answer to his questions, just say so. Otherwise, be as detailed as you can in your answers."

Kim pushed the microphone toward Mike and smiled.

Mike had prepared a list of questions but based on what Kim had said as they waited for Abrams, he decided to ad lib a few more.

Mike began, trying to emulate Kim's soothing tone. "Thank you, Don, for inviting me to witness another session. I've looked forward to seeing you again. Are you glad to see me?"

"Yes."

"Why are you glad to see me, Don?"

"Because I want to be friends with you."

"But we are friends. We've agreed to work together in your research. What more do you want?"

"I want to have sex with you. As soon and as often as possible."

"Is that why you sucked my cock and made me suck yours when I was hypnotized?

"Yes."

"Did you enjoy it?"

"Yes."

"Please tell me more, Don. How did it make you feel?"

"It was the best experience of my life. Infinitely better than sex with my ex-wife. I made a secret video of what we did. I've watched the video of our having sex several times. Each time, it was almost like living the experience all over again. I masturbated. My orgasms were spectacular."

"You didn't tell me you made a video, Don. Do you still have the video?"

"No."

"What happened to it?"

"I erased it and threw it away."

"If it was such a thrill to watch, why did you destroy it?

"Because I was afraid you would report what happened to the police. They would come with a search warrant. I couldn't let them discover the evidence of what I did. It would have destroyed my research."

"Do you want to have sex with me again?"

"Yes."

"Is that why you asked me to be a safety guardian here in the lab?"

"Yes. I knew I could regain your trust and we could eventually have sex. It would take time but you're worth waiting for."

"Thank you, Don. You've been very helpful. I now have the information I need. Can I ask you a few more questions?"

"Yes."

"Tell me about Kim. Is he a good employee? Has he made contributions to your research?"

"Yes. It would be very difficult to get along without his talents."

"Does he have other attributes that you admire? Would you like him as a friend?"

"Yes. He's very handsome."

"Have you ever tried to make friends with him?"

"Once. But he didn't want to be friends."

"Please tell me why, Don."

"I wanted him to visit me at my home. He got angry and refused my invitation."

"What did you plan to do if he accepted your invitation and visited your home?"

"I wanted to go to bed with him."

"To have sex?"

"Yes."

"He refused your request. You could have fired him for disobeying your request. Why didn't you?"

"Because he's a key employee. He makes significant contributions to my work."

"Isn't it difficult to have him around at work when you know he won't have sex with you?

"It was for a while. But then you came along. I thought you were just as desirable as Kim so I adjusted my objectives."

Kim handed Mike a note that read: Ask him if he had sex with me." Mike read the note and grinned. "Just one more question, Don. Think back to when Kim was in a trance. Did you make him do anything sexual and did you participate?"

Abrams's broad smile was obvious on the video monitor. "Yes. I instructed him to take off all his clothes. He has a magnificent body. I asked him to fondle his penis until it was hard. We both got very hard. I almost ejaculated in my pants. I couldn't afford to let the session continue well beyond the scheduled time. He would wonder why it took so long. So I told him to get dressed. I allowed a little time for his erection to go down. Then I roused him from the trance."

"Thank you, Dr. Abrams. You've been very helpful. Kim will now end the session."

Before Kim went into the adjoining room to disconnect the skull cap, Mike said, "Thank you, Kim. You've been a terrific help. I don't expect I'll ever come back to the lab and you're likely to get fired. But I'd really like to keep in touch with you. To find out what Abrams' reaction is to the video recording. If it's all right with you can we exchange phone numbers and stay in touch?"

"I'd be very pleased, Mike. I'd like to see you again."

To be continued

AUTHOR'S NOTE Who is Iatia? My accomplished editor. My mentor who encourages me and offers valuable suggestions. My cherished friend.