The price of power, p.12
The Price of Power, page 12
part #5 of Freedom From Conscience Series
The time did pass rapidly though, and soon Olivia announced that we were nearing our destination. I asked if she could lower the panel separating us from the driver but she replied, “No, we do not want any unauthorized person seeing you through the front window.” A moment later I noticed we were slowing and there were police cars and protesters on both sides of the car. Of course I could see out, but nobody could see in. I could read the signs, “Stop the New World Order,” and “The Constitution will endure even you.” Olivia shook her head, “Ah yes, the usual anarchists, right-wing fanatics and malcontents.” I glanced out, “And conspiratorialists?” She replied with a rather unusual comment, “Oh yeah, but if they knew even a fraction of… wait…uh never mind.”
I did not take the time to question her at that moment. We turned down a road, went through the police barricade, and then were soon going through a massive gate. After we passed I saw several security guards with grey uniforms and holding the leash of large Dobermans. It all seemed like something from an action movie, especially as we joined a long line of limos parked in front of a huge, British-style mansion – or better a castle. The driver opened the door and I slowly got out of the car. I looked around and noticed two senators talking with each other as they walked to the large, open door. Everything was illuminated with bright lights – it was as if we were going to some show business awards. I walked beside Olivia as a young man took my suitcase and we entered a large open-meeting area where many important-looking people were greeting one another and talking. I recognized more faces – two famous actors who had a reputation for political causes, a supreme court justice, a political commentator, at least one European prime minister and…well, needless to say it was spectacular. Olivia then asked me to follow her to my room.
We walked up the huge staircase and as I looked down I could get a picture of just how massive this house was. It was as if I was in a Victorian museum. Huge paintings which I assumed were Livingston’s ancestors adorned the walls. When we reached the top I noticed a rather interesting portrait. While all the other portraits were in elaborate clothing that matched historical eras, this one was of a nude woman reclining in a large chair. Olivia asked, “She’s beautiful, isn’t she?” I nodded my head. Olivia commented, “That’s William Livingston’s mother. She was from a wealthy Swedish family and loved the outdoors; like you.” I laughed, “Sweden…it figures she is the only nude up here.” Olivia laughed, “Perhaps. If you look closely you’ll notice she looks a lot like you…your father apparently has Swedish origins…so I guess that is to be expected.” I looked at the woman more closely. It was odd but I certainly noticed Olivia’s observation was true; even her body was similar to mine. I figured I indeed received my genes from Sweden. Still staring at the woman in the picture I asked, “So your Mr Livingston is okay with a portrait of his mother hanging naked for all to see?” Olivia commented, “His mother was ahead of her time…a true child of nature and a student of metaphysics. She would have fitted into the 1960s really well. Maybe she would have founded some enlightenment movement, or a sex cult; if she had born into any other family. Then again, William himself inherited a lot of her.” She motioned for me to continue and when we arrived at a door with some sort of family crest adorning it she said, “This is where you will be staying this week.” I had to ask, “Is everyone staying in such rooms? I mean this house must be enormous!” Olivia laughed, “You have no idea. Yes, everyone will have room assignments, and you will share this room with another participant. Please, have a seat at the table.” I walked over and marvelled at how spacious the room was – quite Victorian with two large beds, blue carpeting, and blue silk drapes. The room was bigger than many people’s homes. I sat and Olivia said she only had one more thing to do – the final stages of the personality inventory.
Olivia’s questions took a direction that I was not expecting. She began to present dilemma scenario – like if you had space in a fallout shelter for twelve people, and twenty people were there, who would you throw out? I tended to answer the questions in a manner that probably reinforced her view that I was a fan of eugenics. She seemed pleased. We went on for another forty five minutes or so; all the while she laughed and made it a very enjoyable session – even though I was beginning to get really hungry.
Olivia must have heard my stomach growl and she jokingly looked at my stomach area and said, “Now quiet down, you will get a meal you will never forget very soon.” She then glanced up at me, with a look like she was about to tell me a secret, and said, “One last thing – I want you to meet some of the staff. She clicked on her cell phone and a tall blonde man entered the room. He was wearing rather casual clothing compared to what I had already seen here – jeans and a tight t-shirt. He was like some blonde Nordic model. Olivia said, “This is Johan – he is from northern Germany. Say hello, Johan.” He looked at me and smiled, “How do you do Mrs. Lindberg. I hope to be of service to you during the conference.” Olivia smiled at me and said, “When he says he will be of service, he really means it. Nothing is denied you here Melanie. Nobody will tell – and your husband will never have to know.” I was about to reply to her but Olivia continued, “Oh wait! Johan? Can you wait outside – and tell Erin to come in.” He took my hand and kissed it as he said, “My pleasure – hope to get to know you better.”
As he left a young woman with wavy red hair came in. She introduced herself, “Hello, my name is Erin – how are you this evening?” Olivia commented, “I can assure you that this Irish doll will make your stay here a most pleasurable experience.” Olivia nodded towards the door and Erin took my hand, but rather than kiss it she put my finger in her mouth and slowly caressed it with her tongue before giving me an impish grin and leaving the room without saying a word.
I took a deep breath and asked; “Okay, Olivia, I was not expecting this was some sort of sex party.” She laughed, “No, no this is not anything like that – and neither of those two beautiful people are prostitutes. Johan and Erin are both from nice European families – and their, uh, services are totally voluntary. So what will it be, Johan, Erin or maybe both?”
I was still in a bit of shock, but I also found it amusing. So this was the real lifestyle of the super-rich and powerful? I expected as much.” I laughed, “No, I think I will pass. I am married you know.”
At that Olivia too laughed and asked me, in a more girlish than psychologist sort of manner, “Please, can you do me one favor? Describe your ideal date if you were alone with Johan for the weekend – and then describe the ideal date with Erin.” I replied, “Who says I am lesbian?” Olivia laughed, “Just pretend, okay?”
I tried to think of something I had done with Matt, but it seemed kind of weird, so I merely made up a story about going to some Mexican beach resort – the basics…sun, swimming and passionate evenings. Then, with Erin, I just described a few days of my honeymoon with Nicole in Hawaii. Afterwards Olivia looked at me, opened up her folder and wrote some notes down. I asked, “What? Is this game part of your psychological profiling?”
Olivia looked at me in silence and then said, “Yes and no. Yes it is part of your psychological profile, but no, it is not only that. I am totally serious…you can spend the entire conference with one or both of them. Hey, I am sure whoever you choose will enjoy your company as much as you will enjoy theirs. However, I think I know who you would choose – or will choose.” I laughed and leaned over towards her, “Oh really, tell me who.”
She began, “Based on your body language and responses I would say Erin might have a great week to look forward to.” I sat back, in a sprawled out sort of fashion, “Oh please tell me how you would know that.” She tilted her head, put her pencil to her lips, and said, “Let us see – when Johan came in your pupils grew a little, even with the bright lights here in this room. Yet when Erin came in your pupils expanded to their maximum potential. Your facial muscles also relaxed – your mouth was open while you gazed over her. Also, when you described the ideal date with Johan you gazed up to the right, which conveys that you were making something up, fantasizing, and you had a lot of hand gestures, again a sign of faking emotional context. While with Erin you were gazing to the left, your hand steady against your chin – you were recalling a similar incident from memory…with a woman. And one more thing, your other hand was caressing your inner thigh and you had slipped your left shoe off and had your toes playing with your other foot.”
What she said fascinated me, but I also found it disturbing that I was not aware of these tools of analysis – even though I had studied psychopaths as well as techniques of manipulation. I took a deep breath and sighed, “Whatever. While the offer might be tempting I will repeat that I am married and the mother of five children.” Olivia closed her notebook and replied, “Are you sure? As I said, nobody would ever know – especially your husband. And just in case I was wrong, I have heard that Johan is quite gifted by nature, if you know what I mean.” I sat up, a bit irritated, and said, “Again, I am…” She interrupted, “Yes, I know, married with kids. Notice how a moment ago you threw in the part about motherhood? Seems your defences are lower than you think – as it isn’t enough for you to just say you are married.” All I could say at that point was, “Look, I am tired and hungry. I just don’t think I am in the mood right now to contemplate any of this, okay?” She nodded and said, “Maybe later then.”
At that I asked, “You say those two young people are not prostitutes, then why are they here? Why are they selling themselves?” Olivia herself gazing away from me and to the left field of vision, replied, “They have shown promise despite being from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. Our organization has an extensive network and we are always looking for loyal and gifted people to build up the infrastructure of our group. Johan has an IQ of 165 and is interested in medicine, while Erin has an IQ of 160 and excels in the study of finance. We take them under our wing and make sure their dreams come true.”
I asked, “Is this how you wound up going to Harvard?” She fixated her eyes on mine and said, “As a matter of fact yes. And I have no regrets. I have been with kings, presidents, sultans, congressional and parliamentary representatives, actresses, actors, even a Catholic arch-bishop – and all before I was out of university. Does that bother you?”
It actually did, for some reason…maybe because it seemed like exploitation, but I did my best to look directly at her, fearing perhaps what she might notice something in my non-verbal communication, and asked, “So what happens if one of these men or women decide to go public – couldn’t that damage your group?” She laughed and said, “Look” as she drew my attention to her laptop. She opened up a site titled, “Sex, Power and Perversion of the New World Order.” She said, “There look at the links on that page. I glanced over the site – it looked like an electronic tabloid with articles about UFO abduction, mind-control drugs being inserted into junk food and yes, even a story about Big Foot. Olivia smiled and said, “Yeah, sure it’s out there. This guy had been recruited but later became obsessed after his becoming a born-again and decided to share things he had sworn not to. The best someone can hope for is coverage on conspiracy sites.”
I asked, “So you don’t rub them out like the Mafia?” She took on a stern look, “No, absolutely not! However, I will note that this gentleman now works as a convenience store clerk. Sad…he has a PhD in educational theory.” I was beginning to see how things worked with them. I figured it was best to play along for the time being. I asked, “How long do I have to make a choice…between Johan and Erin, before they are assigned to someone else?” Olivia smiled, looked at her watch, and said, “Maybe twenty minutes. Otherwise Johan will be offering his services to…” She again brought my attention to her laptop. The picture she brought up greatly surprised me as it was a Republican leader noted for his pro-family stances in the senate. Olivia asked, “Surprised?” I actually was not – nothing surprised me anymore. I asked, “What about Erin?” She then brought up a picture of a much older woman, maybe in her late sixties or early seventies. I did not recognize her but Olivia then said she was a very famous writer from India and a champion of feminist causes worldwide. She was amused that I did not know who she was.
Olivia then said, “I am sure either Johan or Erin would greatly appreciate being with you this week, as you must fully understand.” I paused a moment, actually considering the offer, but then said, “I have to pass this evening, okay?” Olivia smiled and said it was okay. Then I asked her, “Aren’t you afraid I could run to the press? You don’t know me all that well, and who is to say I would keep my word about all of this?”
Olivia reached out and took my hand. She replied, “We know more about you than you could ever imagine. Why, of all the potential leaders out there, would you be selected – because of a single speech that one of our board members really liked? No, we had our sights on you the day you entered the race for congress last year, actually a bit earlier than that. Your speech merely convinced us you were our kind of leader – and ready for the next step. And our discussions and your written survey responses indicate you indeed have the potential to excel with us. Oh, and by the way you also are attracted to power – all that might hinder you is a bit of idealism…but sometimes if you want to make the world a better place you have to let go of some attitudes and beliefs. We can help you progress in the right path.”
Then Erin and Johan came through the door, this time not speaking to either of us, but carrying items to both beds. On mine they placed a large designer carry-on case, with what appeared to be a white silk dress draped across it. On the other bed they draped a similar dress. After finishing they both looked at me. Erin gave me a little smile that conveyed a certain mischievous, yet at the same time mysterious and seductive message, while Johan looked at me with a sort of self-assured, masculine charm on his face. For a moment I was quite tempted to choose one of them to stay, but I resisted. Both then turned to Olivia who shook her head prior to their departing.
Olivia sighed, “I am sure they will be fine this evening.” I asked, “Both were paired off with members of the same gender, is that common here?” Olivia sat back and rolled her eyes, “Melanie, what goes on here is totally private. Participants can choose any assortment of delights and that often involves what many might consider forbidden fruit in the outside world.” She then stood up and commented, “You are free to change your mind anytime. Oh, and just to let you know, most participants actually don’t indulge – at least not at every gathering.” She walked over to the dress and said, “The dinner will be in the main hall in a few minutes. Please undress and I will help you with your attire.” I suppose I looked at her in a funny way since she apologized, “Sorry, I should have informed you – while the name of the society is Pegasus Symposium we mainly try to honor the Roman deity Minerva. Both male and female participants will dress in ceremonial gowns during the conference – it helps to erase social barriers and equalize participants.” I joked, “So would running around nude.” She laughed, “Only some nudity here – for the official opening ceremony tomorrow. Don’t worry though…it only involves a few lucky people for the dramatization.”
I reluctantly undressed and she helped me get the gown on – I had to admit, it felt fantastic against my skin as it must have been made from the most luxurious silk available. It was pure white, except for a golden sash around the waist and quite modest – cut high on the chest and actually covering the upper portions of the arms. It reached just below my knees with a slight cut extending half way up the thigh. I asked about shoes but she shook her head and informed me that female participants went barefoot as early depictions of Minerva were without shoes. After her explanation she slipped out of her clothing and put on the other dress.
Suddenly there was a sound from outside the room – like that of a harp. Olivia announced, “It is time for the dinner; come follow me.” She took my hand and we left the room. She led me down the first set of stairs and then another set to a lower floor. As we descended I could see a long hallway. She led the way down the hall but frequently turned around and smiled, as if to encourage me along.
Around us were faces I had seen in government as well as other walks of life. Then we entered a large dining area, the tables adorned with golden settings, crystal glasses and fine porcelain dishes. It looked like something from a royal gathering. Olivia guided me around the guests who were dressed as though they were straight from the era of the Greeks. A young woman came up, greeted us both by our full names, and asked us to have a seat. I looked around as other participants began to sit. As I asked Olivia to tell me the names of some of the people sitting near us a young woman was seated next to me. Olivia welcomed her and then introduced her – the daughter of William Livingston, Malin Livingston.
Malin shyly extended her hand to me. I gave her a polite handshake, and told her my name. She smiled and looked as though she was going to speak when the lights suddenly began to dim. The room, which before had been filled with noise went almost immediately silent. A spotlight came on and illuminated, of all people, Erin behind a large, golden harp. What caught my attention the most, however, was that while she was wearing a similar dress as us her right breast was totally exposed. I was about to ask the symbolism involved, but Olivia put her finger to her mouth to indicate we were to remain silent.
