Proving his Power

"Ah, Ms Whyte I presume?" Dr Darke smiled cordially at the conventionally attractive, professionally attired woman who had stepped into his office first "I see you have brought a friend with you?"

"This is my colleague Lily Quinn." Amanda explained "I asked her to join me for our session. I hope that is ok with you?"

Lily smiled and nodded a little hesitantly at Dr Darke. It was clear Amanda was running the show here. Lily was stood a couple of feet behind her and clutching a notepad. She was just as good looking and smartly dressed as her colleague but didn't seem to exude the same air of confidence or authority. In fact, she looked as if she was half expecting to be dismissed from the session by Dr Darke.

"That's absolutely fine. Why don't you both take a seat?" Dr Darke smiled as he pulled a plastic chair next to the leather one reserved for his primary client so Lily could be included in the session.

"So, I don't have any record of what you want to be treated for?" Dr Darke noted with a little confusion as Amanda placed a dictaphone on the arm of her chair and set it to record.

"I can assure you that I have no need for you to treat me for anything." Amanda replied with obvious contempt "My company sent me here so I could ask you some questions about your claims to be some kind of miracle worker."

"It could be great publicity for your practice." Lily chipped in "And you would be well compensated for your time by our company of course."

It was clear Lily was trying to compensate for her colleagues somewhat abrasive manner, but in a way her attempts to sweet talk Dr Darke into making a fool of himself irritated him more than Amanda's ubdisguised hostility. It was clear both women thought he was a fraud and were trying to expose him or they wouldn't be here. Still, he was happy to play along for now.

"An interview eh? How flattering!" The doctor smiled "Ok, I'm game. Ask away."

"Thank you, but I wouldn't be too flattered." Amanda began the interview as Lily sat poised to scribble her own observations on her notepad "You charge extortionate amounts of money to purportedly cure people of lifelong addictions, phobias, behavioural disorders and even undesireable personality traits in one hour long session. It all sounds wonderful, but there isn't a shred of medical or scientific evidence to suggest what you are offering is even remotely plausible. So what is your secret? How do you achieve the seemingly impossible? I'm sure our readers would love to know."

"My secret is years of intense study and practice, and I could show you any number of number of testimonies from satisfied former patients that would tell you my methods work." Dr Darke smiled a little to himself, he had a better idea "But perhaps the best method of convincing you would be a demonstration."

"I don't think that's practical while I'm trying to to conduct an interview." Amanda shook her head firmly.

"Perhaps not, but what about your colleague here?" Dr Darke nodded towards Lily Quinn who was still frantically quivering away.

Amanda seemed to like the idea.

"Lily, would that be ok?" She asked, turning to her colleague "I'm getting this all down on tape anyway."

"Sure" Lily shrugged "Though I should warn you, two different hypnotists have tried to put me under in the past and it didn't work on either occasion."

"Well, perhaps the third time will be the charm" Dr Darke remarked knowingly "Please swap seats, ladies."

Amanda agreed to vacate the leather couch and perched herself on the plastic chair while Lily made herself comfortable.

"Ok, Ms Quinn. I would like you to relax and close your eyes. Then I would like you to count back from one hundred to one."

Amanda couldn't help but roll her eyes at such a basic and cliched technique, but Lily happily did as she was told.

"One hundred, ninety nine, ninety eight.."

All this was just smoke and mirrors of course. But now Dr Darke could begin to work his real magic.

"You are completely safe but completely under my control Ms Quinn. Until I say otherwise you will carry out any instruction I give you." He paused for a moment, a smile playing on his lips "You are now also under the complete control of your colleague Amanda Whyte. Any instruction or suggestion Ms Whyte gives you will immediately become a command you must obey without hesitation. Do you understand?"

Lily nodded. Meanwhile, Amanda could hardly believe what she was hearing. There was no way this nonsense would work on her highly intelligent, strong willed and entirely skeptical co worker. This scoop was going to be even bigger than she thought. A prominent hypnotherapist was practically debunking himself right in front of her. She would finally be in the big leagues where she belonged!

"Ok, Ms Quinn. In a moment you will wake. You will not remember any of this conversation and everything will feel normal to you. However, you will be completely under my control and also under the control of your colleague Ms Whyte. Do you understand?"

Again, Lily nodded.

"Excellent." Dr Darke smiled to himself "You may open your eyes."

Lily blinked a couple of times, rubbed her eyes and sat up straight from the slouched position she had fallen into.

"I think I may have nodded off." Lily mumbled, sounding a little embarassed.

"I can't say I blame you." Amanda sneered, thoroughly unimpressed with the demonstration she had just witnessed.

"So what did I miss?" Lily enquired.

"Apparently you now have to do everything I say." Amanda deadpanned.

Both women giggled at the absurdity of the notion.

"You wish!" Lily joked.

"Well, why don't you try it before you dismiss the idea." Dr Darke challenged "I thought you journalists were supposed to be thorough in your investigations?"

"Fine." Amanda sighed "Lily, stand up."

Lily quickly rose to her feet, a sudden look of surprise and concern on her face as Dr Darke watched triumphantly.

"Okay.." Amanda paused for a moment, not having expected this at all "Now squat down."

Lily imnediately crouched on the floor floor in front of her colleague and the hypnotherapist, looking as if she was beginning to panic.

"Lily, stop messing with me!" Amanda snapped as she looked down at her fellow reporter.

"I'm not messing with you!" Lily responded nervously.

Amanda stared at her squatting colleague in disbelief then back at Dr Darke. Surely this couldn't be real. She decided to try another command.

"Cluck and flap your arms like a chicken for me."

"Puk puk pukaak!" Lily clucked loudly, feeling utterly ridiculous as she immitated poultry as accurately as she could "Puk puk puk pukaak!"

For once Amanda was speechless. There was no way Lily would embarass herself like this of her own free will. The last thing Amanda had expected was that Dr Darke really did posess strange and inexplicable powers but, if he did, surely that would make for an even bigger story.

"So, Dr Darke.." Amanda turned to her interviewee, suddenly taking on a far more respectful tone. But whatever question she was about to ask was cut off as she recieved a suggestion of her own.

"You love your new powers over Lily Quinn. You want to **** them. You want to make her your plaything. You want to humiliate her for my amusement. You derive immense sexual pleasure from your total ability to make Lily Quinn do whatever you want, to become whatever you want her to be."

Amanda paused for a moment and put down her dictaphone. Everything the doctor said suddenly felt true as his words became her reality. Forget the interview, she just wanted to humiliate Lily, to entertain the doctor and satiate the new sexual urges that were quickly overwhelming her ability to reason.

"Puk puk pakaaaw!" Lily clucked again from the floor below. She had heard every word but was unable to protest. She just hoped Dr Darke's power over Amanda wasn't as powerful as Amanda's power over her.