AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Wall-standing requires someone to force prisoners to remain for long periods of time in ‘stress’ positions. This might be something like spread-eagle, search style, against a wall with their heads up, pressed against the wall. If you do that, most of your weight is on your toes. Imagine doing that for hours on end.
“Another, more recent one used is placing a hood over someone’s head. This has been a favorite of every military organization known to man, as well as our enemies. Noise, sleep, food, drink, all of these things are used to torment, torture, and, unfortunately, test man.”
“What could we possibly be testing them for?” asked Ashley.
“Superior qualities. As you well know,” he smirked, staring at Doc, “Special Forces uses similar techniques to train their men. SEALs, Rangers, MARSOC, Paratroopers, all of them. They all go through some sort of sensory deprivation or stimulation training.”
“You’re right, but we don’t use kids,” said Doc.
“No, you don’t. But apparently, someone is.”
“Why? Why would someone do this to teenage girls and boys?” asked Ashley.
“I have to guess it’s either to test a new drug or support something they wish to be developed and sold to the military or other governments. Perhaps they’re even trying to create better soldiers,” he said. He shook his head, rubbing his jaw. “I honestly don’t know, but it’s very disturbing for me.”
“For me as well,” frowned Ashley. “These kids are being branded by tattoo, kidnapped, and subjected to this form of torture.”
“Kids?”
“Yes, none are over the age of twenty-one,” said Doc. “Girls and boys, mostly smaller in stature, which makes us believe whoever is taking them can’t fight with them.”
“That is more than a little disturbing,” frowned the professor. “I wish I could be of more help, but that’s all I know on the subject. Dr. Shaw at Loyola is an expert in this field. You could speak with him.”
“We plan to,” said Ashley. “Right now, we plan to speak with anyone who knows anything about this. Can you think of anyone who might do this? Someone who was forced out of their job? Maybe someone disgraced with their research?”
“No one at this time. Our field is relatively small from the academia perspective. However, private practice is different. There are thousands of practitioners out there that I don’t know. Some, I care not to know.”
“I’m in agreement with that,” said Doc. He extended his hand, shaking the other man’s. “Thank you for your time.”
“Yes, thank you,” said Ashley.
“It’s been most enlightening,” said the professor. “Please. Take my card, and if you need anything at all, let me know.”
“Thank you again,” they smiled. Leaving the Johnston Hall at LSU, they headed to their SUV to drive across town to Southern University.
“I don’t even know what to think about everything he said,” frowned Ashley.
“I can’t say that I didn’t know about some of that, Ash. And he’s right. Special Forces uses many of those techniques to train our men.”
“Yes, but you’re not trying to drive them mad,” she whispered.
“Maybe we are. Maybe we’re trying to see how far you can go before you break a man.” She stared at him, unsure of what to say. “All I know is that I will never think of it the same way again.”
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
The professor at Southern University in Baton Rouge gave the same information they’d heard at LSU. She had additional insight into some of the tortures used on slaves and prisoners in the area, which only made Ashley and Doc’s minds race in a million different directions. The same sensory techniques were used almost two hundred years ago, using the sounds of whips, bubbling tar, or dogs barking, all just to keep them in line and on the property or in the prison.
But like the other professor, she had no clue who might be doing something so heinous to kids. She knew of no one currently conducting any research on the topic, nor was she aware of any university that would openly allow it.
Although Baton Rouge was only about an hour from New Orleans, with traffic, it would be almost two hours to get south of the city toward Belle Fleur. Clouds began to move in as they crossed Lake Pontchartrain, but they were able to get across the bridge and head south of the city before the deluge began.
“What a mess,” frowned Ashley.
“It is. We’re not in any rush, so we’re going to take our time. Comms is on if we should need them. They’re notifying Trevor and Bree that we’re taking it slow.”
Ashley could only nod as the rain came down in sheets of torrential water. You could barely see a few feet in front of you, and the water was already rising on both sides of the road. They knew once they were closer to Belle Fleur that the water would be less, given the new drainage systems in place.
“Did you have to endure some of those things? Did Trevor?” asked Ashley, staring at the man next to her. She knew that Trevor and Doc, both SEALs, had known one another while serving. But she never asked about their training.
