Hidden Paradise

24 HOURS LATER-

Monica and I were flying towards Aqua Port for a meeting with someone she didn't know....I looked at her..

"You uh wanna level with me about what's goin on?  We are suddenly on vacation...and we are in the middle of a death investigation?" I said..

"I got a call yesterday concerning this case....."said Monica.

"Okay?" I said.

"I don't know who the caller was, although the voice did seem kind of familliar...but whoever she was...SHE KNEW ME!!....SHE KNEW ALL ABOUT ME....including the fact that I'm a mutant!" said Monica..

''Wow....but what does that have to do with our jumper?" I asked.

''Everything...She said a mutant is responsible for that woman's death and that we'll never prove his guilt in conventional ways...but she knows his identity....She says he's powerful and must be stopped."said Monica.

"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh deep....That's why you asked for vacation days....THAT WE RICHLY DESERVE BY THE WAY!   So you could meet this person and get a handle on this thing.." I said..

"Exactly.....and I wanted you with me...I didn't want to face whoever or whatever without you by my side.."said Monica..

"Good Decision.." I said as I landed my flying car in the long term parking lot of Aqua Port...

It seemed like we had just been out here ,not too long ago for another murder case...

II-

Monica and I sat in the bar and had a few drinks..

"You don't have any idea what this woman looks like?" I asked.

"No....but I'm guessing she knows me....She knows I'm a Mutant, She knows I graduated from the Xavier School for "Gifted" children...The front for the mutant school....My parents told everybody that I was in private school and that they couldn't afford to send both of us... Ha!  I wonder how they got away with that one.? , She knows I'm married to you and she knows I'm a Homicide cop....So I'm assuming, she knows what I look like..."said Monica..

''Sounds about right." I said as I finished my third drink...

A cute ,petite Black woman about Monica and my age walked up to our table...

"Monica?   You must be Nate...pleased to meet you."said the woman...

Monica's eyes lit up....

"Barbara?? Barbara Jordan....Jordie" said Monica..  "Oh My God!!!"said Monica.

"Hello Mo Mo...I was hurt you didn't recognize my voice on the phone yesterday..."she said..

"Oh Jordie...I'm sorry....I haven't seen you since school...." said Monica..

"I take it you're a mutant too..." I said..

'Take a look outside.." she said.

It had been a sunny day....Suddenly it was overcast and it began to rain to everybody's amazement..and storm and the waves began to rise and crash into the port...People who had been outside ran for cover....Then just like that....The rain stopped..The wind stopped blowing..and the clouds subsided....

People were astounded...

''Seen enough?" she said.

"Okkkkkkkkkkkkkkaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!" I said..

Monica cracked up laughing....

"Well at least he's not freaked out like most regular humans...I guess because he's married to you and used to you..."said Jordie...

"Girl, he didn't even care...Two of my partners before him freaked out when I told them I was a mutant and asked for a transfer...I told him his first day on the job to get it out of the way if he wanted to leave...and he didn't care..."said Monica..

"Ummmmm Hmmmmm, He wanted to hit that thang....Wanted it so bad he didn't care!"said Jordie..laughing.

"You know it....I had two other boyfriends who knew and didn't care before him....But this one here fell in love with me.."laughed Monica..

''Well girl, he married you...That's got to be good.. I wish I could find me a good man..." said Jordie..

"What you been doing with yourself Jordie?" asked Monica.

''Well,I got a degree in Journalism and I began free lance writing at first, then I got a job at a magazine..I'm the president of the Union of African-American Mutants...and I also work full time for Dr. Xavier as his personal Assistant..."she said.

''How is Dr. X?" asked Monica.

Jordie passed us two tickets...

''Come On...We are going to find out.." she said..

''What about this guy?...This guy you say is responsible for this woman jumping to her death?/" I asked.

"When we get to Dr. Xavier's place...I'll explain it all to you two." said Jordie..

"He's in Lemuria? Octopuss Gardens?/" asked Monica..

"No, someplace else..You'll see..." said Jordie...

Monica scanned her mind...

"I see.....Ouuuu it looks beautiful..." she said..

"You read my mind...I used to hate that she could do that, don't you?" Jordie smiled and said to me.

"I'm used to it.."I said and smiled.

III-

The three of us got on our transport sub.....

The first thing I noticed was that we were the only three people on the sub...

"This isn't a regular Transport Sub is it?" I asked..

"You're right...Dr. X owns this..." said Jordie..

''And you kept something from us too didn't you?" said Monica..

"Can't fool you Mo-Mo...You scanned my mind again....The uh air blowing through here has a sedative in it...Soon the three of us will be sound asleep and when we wake up...We'll be the guests of Dr. X." she said.

IV-

When the three of us awoke , we were seated at a table filled with coffee and fruit and delicious food..

"Where are we?" I asked, yawning..

"This is an island...a safe haven for mutants.....It's location is secret...." said Jordie..

"That's alright Jordie...I'll explain it further....Hello Monica...I see you've done well for yourself..You're a celebrated Homicide Detective....You're married...Congratulations...I always knew you'd do well.." he said.

Monica looked almost reverent towards him...

''Dr. Xavier.." she said and hugged him...

'Monicaaaaa..." he said. "I've missed you...I miss all of my former students...but I keep up with you all.." he said.

''A long time ago Nate...I was a scared little girl with all of these voices in my head...Other people's thoughts and emotions...My Mother knew about his school..She brought me to Dr. X. after I'd been suspended from two schools for fighting so much...  Dr. Xavier taught me how to control the sounds..how to quiet them down...How to listen only when I needed to...He saved me...."said Monica,smiling..

"Monica was an excellent student...She graduated with honors...Which is why when Jordie told me about the young lady who jumped to her death and who was responsible...You were the only one I could think of  to help us stop him.."said Dr. X.

''Stop who?" asked Monica.

"Two years before you and Jordie were brought to my school for "Gifted " children, there was another troubled student...His name was Brian....Brian Jennings.....He is what we call a Pusher...He has the power to bend people's wills, make them do things they otherwise wouldn't do..." said Dr. X, a Short Bald White man with a goatee...

''WOW!"I said..

"Inger was a friend...My friend....She was a buyer for a boutique where I used to buy clothes...She was a regular human being...and she never knew I was a mutant...Not until she got romantically involved with Brian.." said Jordie..

Just then , Hot steamy and delicious food was served to us....and two young gentlemen poured us hot steamy cups of coffee to go with our meal...

"Inger fell head over heels for Brian....From the beginning, I could sense something about him, feel that he was different..That feeling all Mutants get when they are in the company of another one.. Within two months...They moved in together and Inger was spending her every waking moment with him...She cut off all communications with her family and with me...Her whole life was Brian..."said Jordie..

"She told me that Brian was a motivational speaker... But his car, his townhouse and his wardrobe said he was more than that...So I began looking into him....His finances...."she said and passed us some files..

"Look , several high powered businessmen donated 1-2 million dollars to him tax free just last year alone and before that , even more....I went and talked to some of them...None of them knew why they did it...and a few of them said they didn't particularly like him, but when he asked them, they felt compelled to give him what he wanted and to never ask for an accounting....."

"That's odd.."said Monica.

"I thought it was....I called Dr.X. and he confirmed my worst fears...Brian was one of his former students and a mutant with the power to bend people's wills...  I told Inger ,who and what he was and who I was....She recoiled from me in fear and cut off all contact for a few months....Then she called me recently and asked for my help...She wanted to get away from him....I told her I would help her...I told her how to resist him...."said Jordie..

''And how is that?" I asked.

''If you stand up to him....and just refuse not to do what he asks...He can't make you....His powers are muted by a defiant, determined person who just refuses his wishes...Problem is..most people aren't aware of what he's trying to do...They don't resist him...they can't resist him...."said Jordie..

"Are you saying he made her jump?" asked Monica.

"He did...She probably tried to resist him, but wasn't strong enough and in the end...she jumped...One last act of defiance to get away from him....Like I said..You'll never be able to prove that....But We must capture him and get him off the street and for that I need your help Monica..I think you're strong willed enough to defy him and stop him..."said Jordie.

 "I know she is..."said Dr. X.


V-

 And in Philadelphia at the precinct, Detective Kylie White shows Lt. Cotton what she's found..

"Lieutenant....I dig some digging...That girl that jumped...Inger Nelson....She was living with a very wealthy Motivational Speaker by the name of  Brian Jennings.." said Kylie..

"Never heard of him.." said Lt. Cotton...

"It seems nobody has...I couldn't find one place he's spoken, one book he's written, one television show he's been on, one podcast, nothing.." said Kylie..

"Okay?" said Lt. Cotton..

"But look at his bank account...He's loaded...Several credit cards....Not Platinum, but Black!... All of this money was just given to him by these wealthy sponsers....So I looked all of em up and get this...They all said they felt compelled to give him the money when they met with him but they didn't want to...They just felt compelled to..."said Kylie..

"Compelled to huh? You suspect blackmail?"  asked Lt. Cotton..

"I did, but I kept looking...There was no sign of it...And all of these guys go about their daily business with nothing else out of the ordinary going on...." said Kylie..

''What has he got to do with this girl?"

"She was living with him, but she wasn't happy, but she just wouldn't leave him, almost like she couldn't leave..I got this from all of her girlfriends and family members who hated the guy...He was very possessive and persuasive....She moved in with him , and she cut off everybody...Family, friends...even quit her job days before her death....Family and friends say she was very depressed...."said Kylie..

"You got anything else... Being a possesive boyfriend and somewhat of a jerk isn't a crime..."said Lt. Cotton..

''Well Traffic cams ,Street Cams and the camera in the hotel place him on the loft of the building she used to live in that friends say she was reluctantly sub-leasing...And we got his fingerprints and DNA off of that Wine Bottle and that glass of half drunk wine that Nate and Mo Mo recovered from the scene...."said Kylie..

"Okay he was there...but we have five witnesses...Including a witness who was right across the street from the terrace who said she jumped...and that she was alone....I think this was a simple suicide...But if you want to interview him...Have at it...Who knows what you might find.. Take two guys with you.." said Lieutenant Cotton.

"Thanks Lieutenant..." said Kylie..

 Kylie took two officers to the tony condo of Brian Jennings....He answered the door...He was in a long floor length White Bathrobe...He smiled upon seeing Kylie..

 Kylie showed her badge...

"Mr. Jennings...I'm Detective Kylie White , Homicide...I'm uh here to ask you a few questions about the uh tragic death of Inger Nelson yesterday.." she said..

He smiled at her salaciously...She didn't find him attractive at all...He had what she considered a humongous head...It was odd shaped too and he was short..About her height...She preferred taller men..She couldn't imagine what Inger saw in him....Perhaps it was his money she thought and he is a motivational speaker..Maybe he persuaded her..like he did those millionaires...It certainly wasn't his looks , she wagered...

"Come in....but ahh just you...You two officers wait outside ." he said.

"Mr. Jennings...They're with me and I call the shots here...."said Kylie...

He stared deep into her eyes...

"You two officers wait outside like I asked...Tell them to wait outside." he said firmly...

It looked as though the two officers had complied..Kylie didn't want to ask them to stay outside...She really didn't...The nerve of this guy..Who the hell did he think he was?...But she found herself asking them to stand down and she walked into his apartment and closed the door..

"Now Detective...I thought Ms. Nelson's death was a suicide?" he asked.

''We don't know...We are just doing a routine investigation...Just to be sure...Now we know you were there when she jumped...Why didn't you call the police? At least make a statement?" asked Kylie..

"What is your cup size?" He asked.

''What?" asked Kylie ,exasperated...

"Open your blouse detective?" he asked...

She really didn't want to....but she felt compelled to open her blouse...

He marveled at her huge breasts..

"This is a pretty bra..." he said and opened her pants....

"What are you doing? What do you think you're........doing?" asked Kylie..

He kissed her passionately and rubbed her buttocks....Kylie wanted to stop him, but she couldn't....She didn't know why....She felt like vomiting....but she couldn't stop this man from kissing her...Her had his hands in her pants, rubbing her buttocks and her legs...She couldn't stop kissing him!

"Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm....ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh  now what did you ask me again detective?....Ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu..."he moaned...

"I asked if you-if you were at the crime scene and why you didn't...why you didn't...ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh my gooddddddddddddddd!" moaned Kylie..

"I was traumatized...We quarreled...she said she was leaving me and then she just jumped..."Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm....ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh .." he moaned....

He attempted to ease her panties down and push her to the couch...Kylie mustered whatever will power she had left and pushed him away...

She slipped her panties up and zippered up her pants and she closed her blouse...

"Not gonna happen...You've gone too far mister...Way too far.." she said..

He stared at her...

"Unzipper your pants and unhook your bra and get over here..." he demanded..

"Nooooooooooooooooo!  Nooooooooooooooooooooooo....No wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!" said Kylie defiantly....

 "Unzipper your pants and unhook your bra and get over here!!!..."he demanded again...He was shaking and sweating...

Kylie opened her blouse and unhooked her bra...She was about to unzipper her pants...Then she mustered up her defiance..

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" she said...

"DO WHAT I ASKED YOU TO DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" he demanded..

Kylie put her bra back on....She zippered up her pants and she threw the door open...She told the two uniformed officers...

"Hook him up...He's under arrest for sexual assault.." she said..

One read him his rights and the other hand cuffed him and the three of them took him down to the paddy wagon...

But by the time they got to the police station....The Paddy wagon was empty...

One of the police officers looked at Kylie..

''What just happened?  We took his cuffs off...We didn't want to...but we did and you ripped up the arrest report...?"

The other officer said..

"I didn't want to...but...but when he asked...It was like I couldn't say no..." said the officer...

"I know...A lot of strange things went on tonight...That I don't understand.."said Kylie, who was visibly shaken..

"I'd like to forget it.."said one officer..

"Me too!"said the other one...

"That's a good idea.." said Kylie...
VII-

Back where we were, we were finishing up our food...

"We can't charge him with murder....What can we do?" I asked..

"You'll never prove it...Not in any court I know..He was trying to bend her...She was defying him....and in one last act of defiance...She took her own life...She really did... But he has to be stopped.."said Dr. Xavier..

"What can we do?" Asked Monica..

''As persuasive as he is...His power wanes when he is extremely sexually aroused.. If you're going to defy him...Then that is the time..He can't make you do anything you really don't want to do...but you have to really defy him....Defiance makes him weak....It makes you weak too...but he can be beaten...The average human though has no defense against him...He catches them off guard and he compells them to do whatever he wishes...He's called a PUSHER..."said Jordie..

''What's the plan?" I asked.

"Lead him into a trap.....Jordie is going to shoot him with this Innoculator gun...There is enough of a sedative in here to knock out an elephant...Once he is sedated...We bring him here...Where he'll stay until he can be treated...programmed to be a decent human being...I still believe there is a shred of decency deep down inside of him."said Dr. Xavier..

"Okay...I'm in...You in partner?" asked Monica.

''Why'd you ask when you already know?" I said.

Professor Xavier and Jordie laughed...

(TO BE CONTINUED)