Jax's mother tries...

Margaret Harlan suddenly stumbled forward from her seat, pushing through people until she reached the front. She grabbed her son Jax by the collar of his tuxedo, yanking him down to her level. Her voice was high-pitched and panicked.

“Jax! What is happening? What have you done?!” she shouted, shaking him. “Answer me right now!”

The man in the purple devil mask sighed, almost bored and walked over to the pair. Before Margaret could say another word, he waved his gloved hand slowly in front of her face.

Her expression went completely blank in an instant. Her hands went slack, falling away from Jax’s collar. The man gently guided her by the shoulders toward the center of the new stage. Now everyone could see her blank, empty face as she stared straight ahead like a doll.

“Sorry folks,” the hypnotist said casually into a mic that seemed to appear from nowhere. “This one was another participant I had to prepare beforehand. I know you lot are here for the fun part, but I promise you, no shortcuts from here on out.”

He laughed, like it was all just a big joke.

He turned toward Jax. “Now young man, as promised, you get to choose the participants for today’s show. I’m sure you have some in mind. Whoever Jax taps on the shoulder must join us on stage.” The last statement felt more like a command.

Jax smiled wide and nodded. He started walking down the aisle toward the seated members, looking way too happy with himself.

Zachery wanted to get up. He wanted to grab his mother’s hand and run out of the church as fast as possible. But when he tried to stand, his legs wouldn’t move. No matter how hard he strained, his body stayed glued to the pew. He realized then why no one else was trying to run away from this madness. They couldn’t. Something was holding them all in place.

While Zachery was still struggling uselessly against whatever invisible **** kept him seated, Jax moved through the pews tapping shoulders. Two women, one was Rebecca Soto, the other Victoria Peretti, both stood up even though they verbally protested.

“No… I don’t want to,” Victoria said, voice shaking, but her feet carried her toward the stage anyway.

“I’m not going up there!” Rebecca hissed, but her body betrayed her, walking forward like a puppet.

Zachery’s heart was pounding so hard he could hear it in his ears. When he finally looked up again after his failed struggle, his stomach dropped like a rock.

Jax was standing right next to Lila Moreau.

He tapped her on the shoulder with two fingers.

Lila’s face crumpled. She was almost on the verge of tears as she stood up against her will, hands trembling at her sides. She walked slowly toward the stage, looking back over her shoulder with **** eyes, but her legs kept moving.

Then Jax turned and started walking straight toward Zachery’s pew. He had that same smug smirk on his face. Zachery froze. Was this asshole really going to pick him too?

But Jax stopped right beside Elena.

He tapped Zachery’s mother on the shoulder.

“Sorry Zachery,” Jax said casually, not even looking sorry at all. “Nothing personal, man. You just have a hot mom.”

He turned and walked back toward the stage like it was nothing.

Zachery felt his mother’s hand slip from his grip. Elena stood up slowly, her face full of fear.

“No!!” she cried out, voice cracking. “Zachery, help me! No I don’t want to…”

She kept protesting the whole way, but her body walked forward anyway, joining the other women on the makeshift stage. Her thick thighs moved under the wine-colored sundress, hips swaying slightly with each unwilling step. She looked back at him desperately, eyes wide and pleading, but there was nothing he could do.

All Zachery could do was sit there and watch as his own mother was **** up onto the stage with Sister Claire, Lila and the others.

The mysterious man clapped his hands again, clearly pleased.

“Excellent choices,” he said, voice smooth and amused. “Let’s get this show started properly.”