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The Freaks Come Out At Night- Part 13

None of the participants from the audience had resurfaced and Sam was beginning to worry.  He sought out the bouncer who had confiscated his things and inquired about Jenny.  His inquiry was met with cool disinterest and Sam had to bite his tongue or risk being forcibly ejected.  Instead, he was left standing with his mouth hanging open and no answers.  Sam stormed outside, planning to hunt down the carnival’s security officers when Jenny leapt out from the side exit, wrapping her arms snugly around him. 

            “Sam, where have you been?”  Jenny squealed.  “I’ve been dying to know what happened.  All these strangers have been coming up to me and saying what a great job I did but I can’t remember what happened after I went up on stage.  What did he have me do?” 

Sam relaxed now that she was by his side and even regaled her with the onstage antics which she and her fellow volunteers had engaged.  He had been so focused on Jenny that he had forgotten all about securing an invitation to the gold ticket show. 

            “I’m so glad he didn’t make me do anything humiliating like he did with those other girls,” Jenny giggled.  “I’m starved; let’s go grab some food before the invitational show.”

            “Invitational show, what the heck is that?” Sam demanded.

She reached in her front pocket and pulled out a golden ticket and waved it under Sam’s nose.  His eyes lit up and, though he couldn’t hear it, deep inside her trailer Tina was squealing with excitement.   

The Freaks Come Out At Night- Part 12

     After a great deal of fanfare and sycophantic cheering, Maven finally appeared on stage.  The first half of his act bordered on tedium and Sam found himself checking his watch repeatedly.  It wasn’t until Maven announced they hypnosis segment of his act that Sam started to pay attention.  Speaking in deep, soothing tones, Maven walked his audience through the relaxation techniques needed to ready oneself to “go under”. 

            “Now, I want you to imagine that I’ve tied a helium balloon to your wrist.  The more you relax, the lighter your body becomes.  The balloon is growing larger and larger until it lifts your hand into the air.”

Maven looked out at his audience, scrutinizing the masses before him.  Some were clearly faking, their hands shot straight up in the air, like an overachiever in class, trying to attract their teacher’s attention.  Others sat stoically in their seats, refusing to allow their bodies the slightest freedom for fear they’d fall under the spell.  The rest were prime candidates for the grand finale of Maven’s show.  He brought the audience “out” of their relaxed state and selected the most susceptible to come on stage.  Sam nearly jumped for joy when Jenny was selected.  She cheerfully sprang up from her seat and sashayed to the stage, enjoying the feel of all eyes on her.  She was joined by a dozen or so others onstage and in no time, Maven succeeded in putting them all into a hypnotic trance.  Once his subjects were under his control, Maven flaunted his abilities.  
     To the delight of the crowd, he had grown men sucking their thumbs and cuddling imaginary teddy bears.  Scantily clad co-eds were instructed to pick their noses, spit imaginary tobacco and scratch their butts.  The crowd erupted into laughter and cheered riotously.  Sam watched with nervous trepidation as Maven approached Jenny, fearful that she would be made to do something humiliating like the others.  Words of potential destruction were whispered in her ear to which she responded by shaking her head yes or no as the questions continued.  Eventually, Maven took the microphone and announced that Jenny believes she is in a bar and has been chosen to sing karaoke.  Sam exhaled slowly, relieved that she wouldn’t be totally humiliated in front of such a large crowd. Granted, she wasn’t classically trained but Jenny’s voice wasn’t bad either.  He even cheered along with the crowd as she belted out her own rendition of Madonna’s “Like a Virgin”.  
     After a while, watching Maven play puppet-master to his hypnotized throng made the crowd fidgety and the “victims” were released from their control before being escorted backstage. Maven made his final curtain call and the audience began filing out.  Sam sat glued to his chair, wondering what was keeping Jenny so long.   

The Freaks Come Out At Night- Part 11

As private investigator Sam Cane locked the door to his office, he tried desperately to shake the feeling of dread gnawing at the pit of his stomach. His brain told him that his new clients had presented him with an easy paycheck but his gut said something entirely different.  He popped a couple antacids and smiled at Jenny, his part time receptionist and on-again-off-again girlfriend.  She was sporting the new earrings Sam had given her, unaware that a tiny recording device had been attached.  Considering the lengths Maven had gone to just to keep his coworkers from catching a glimpse of his show, Sam figured it was best to keep Jenny as clueless as possible.  Rumor had it that there was an audience participation hypnosis segment in the performance and Jenny seemed to be the susceptible type.  It seemed wise to keep her in the dark so, as far as she knew; they were just having a fun night out.  The whole ride there, Jenny admired her new jewelry in the visor’s mirror. 

            “These are just gorgeous, Sam.  Thank you so much!”

She planted a kiss on his cheek, careful not to obstruct Sam’s view, then nuzzled her head against his shoulder.  She chattered on happily as they wove through traffic and eventually pulled into the parking lot.  The bright and cheerful Mystic Magill’s Big Top Carnival sign seemed to be a direct contradiction to the picture Maven’s coworkers had painted.  Once inside the carnival, Sam and Jenny strolled around and eventually ended up at Maven’s tent. The line grew steadily as each minute brought them closer to show time.  Finally, a burly looking man removed the velvet rope in front of the door and began letting patrons through.  Sam handed over the pair of tickets and both he and Jenny were waved inside the tent.  He sucked in a sharp breath as a larger, even surlier man passed a detection wand down Jenny’s front.  The alarm sounded and Jenny took a step backward, confused and a touch fearful. 

            “Hand ‘em over,” snarled the man.    

            “H-h-hand what over?”  Jenny stammered. 

            “Recording devices, transmitters, c’mon, I ain’t got all day, sweetheart!”

Not willing to lose his opportunity to record Maven’s show, Sam stepped forward and rested a comforting hand on Jenny’s shoulder.

            “They’re not on her; you’re picking up the transmitters on me.”  Sam pulled off his baseball cap, dropped the phony cigarette pack inside and handed them over. 

The guard looked stunned.  Before his sudden shock could turn to anger or even earn them an ejection from the show, Sam turned on the charm.

            “Look, buddy, I’m a private detective,” he whispered so softly that Maven’s assistant had to lean in close to hear what Sam was saying.  “See that couple over there?”

He pointed into the broad expanse of patrons milling around looking for their seats. 

            “His wife, hired me to get proof of his…uh…dalliances.  I’m on the job but I’ll just watch while we’re here in the show and collect these from you after.  I apologize; I wasn’t thinking that it might cause some troubles inside here.  No harm, no foul, right?”

The surly man barely had his wand over the hat before it shrieked in protest, alerting its operator that there was contraband inside.

            “I thought you were taking me out on a date, you jerk!”  Jenny sneered, smacking him hard on the shoulder.  “I can’t believe you’re using me as a cover while you work!”

The bouncer laughed and allowed Jenny and Sam to take their seats with the promise that his hat and “cigarettes” would be waiting for him outside, after the show.  Sam thanked the man for his discretion and led Jenny toward his imaginary mark.

            “Wow!  Great job playing along, Jen.  I almost believed you were angry there for a minute.  You could have pulled the punch a little though…. you hit hard for a girl.” Sam laughed, gingerly rubbing his shoulder. 

            “I am mad,” Jenny answered tersely.  “I hate finding out I was just a prop when I was under the impression we were out on a date.”

            “C’mon, now.  Don’t be like that. Just because I have a little work to do doesn’t mean I don’t want to spend time with you too, baby.  Why can’t I do both?”

            “I suppose the earrings were just a ploy to soften me up then.”

 Before Sam could answer, the overhead lights flickered, announcing the start of the show.  Saved by the bell, he mused. 

The Freaks Come Out At Night- Part 10

True to his word, Sam’s transmitter arrived the next day.  Tina, who no longer tumbled, was nominated to man the machine since her workday would be over long before Maven’s show.  She listened patiently as their private detective walked her through, step-by-step, what to do and how to do it. She found her mind wandering; Sam’s deep, rich voice had her wondering what he looked like.  Chalking it up to hormone replacement meds, she shook the distraction from her mind and focused on the task at hand. 

            “Okay, moment of truth.” Sam laughed.  “I’m going to turn on the device on my end and I need you to put the phone down and see if you can hear it through the transmitter.” 

Tina squealed with excitement as she heard Sam’s voice clear as crystal coming through. 

            “We’ve got you now, Maven”. 

***Come back Monday, January 27^th for the next installment**

The Freaks Come Out At Night- Part 9

It didn’t take long before the others were shut down in their attempts to see Maven’s show.  There was always a “plausible” reason but the overwhelming coincidences smacked of foul play.  With no other option, they finally decided to hire a private detective to attend and secretly record the show.  To the elder staff, the whole transaction brought to mind an old 1950’s gumshoe complete with trench coat and fedora but as Sam Cane reclined in his office, chatting with his perspective clients on the phone, he looked more like the guy-next-door.  He wore jeans, t-shirt, and a baseball cap, pretty standard attire for one of the carnival’s patrons.  As he talked the concerned staff from Mystic Magill’s Big Top Carnival through his standard rates and their requirements, he tried to imagine what a motley crew such as they might look like.  He patiently answered all of their questions and hoped he had even managed to set their worried minds at ease.  Ever the professional, Sam wouldn’t accept a penny until he had obtained the requested information, yet he did place a hold on the credit card they had provided. 

            “Okay, here’s how it goes.”  Sam spoke with a quiet confidence into his office phone.  “Tomorrow you will receive a package via FedEx.  Instructions on how to operate the transmitter will be enclosed.  If this guy is half as elusive as you claim, it won’t do for us to meet in person until after I’ve got everything you want.  While I’m in Maven’s show, you’ll be able to hear everything through the transmitter; meanwhile it will also be recording here at my office. I’ll call you tomorrow to make sure you’re comfortable with the machine and then again after closing time.  I’ll do my damnedest to get into that golden ticket show, or whatever it’s called, also.  I have to admit, this is an exciting change from my usual clients.  Trailing cheating husbands and wives can get monotonous.”

Sam chuckled and his new clients managed to loosen up enough to join in the merriment.

            “How are you going to get a recording device inside?”

Sam explained in detail how a tiny microchip recording device was planted inside a pack of cigarettes that he would carry in his pocket.  He also had one hidden inside his baseball cap and another would be worn by his assistant in her earrings.  The staff sounded impressed and wished him luck.  If everything went according to plan, they’d have their answers within the next few days.  

The Freaks Come Out At Night- Part 8

Jared volunteered to go first, sacrificing his day off to stalk Maven’s shows.  He even phoned an old girlfriend to tag along as his “date”. 

            “Are you sure you want to open that can of worms again?” Manuel laughed.  “Sherry has been trying to get her hooks back into you since you dumped her last year.”

            “I know,” Jared groaned.  “It just seemed like a better cover to have someone with me.  I’ll take Sherry backstage afterward and she’ll gush about how she’d been dying to see the show and junk like that.  You know how she is; she’ll be the perfect cover.” 

            “Yeah, you’re probably right but do me a favor, huh?  Don’t bring her to my show!”

Jared laughed as he playfully punched his friend’s shoulder.  He knew Sherry would hound him for months but BT was worth the headache and more.  His mind’s eye conjured an image of diving on top of a grenade to save BT.  As he walked away, Jared knew he’d even a take a bullet for the man that had become his surrogate father.  God help Maven or anyone else if they ever try to hurt BT. 

     That evening, Jared waited by the main gate for Sherry to arrive.  She had sent him a text message that she was running late but 40 minutes was excessive.  He paced, checked his watch, paced, and then checking his watch again, he muttered a curse.  His carefully laid plan was beginning to unravel before ever being put into play.  His phone vibrated and another text message from Sherry appeared:  “Just pulling in now” amid an overabundance of smiley faces and hearts.  Jared barely said hello as he snatched Sherry’s hand and dragged her to Maven’s tent.  She babbled on the entire way about how thrilled she was to hear from him.  Yada, yada, yada, Jared thought bitterly as her mouth continued churning out words while he pulled her along at a rapid clip.  Long before they reached the entrance, Maven’s lackeys pulled velvet ropes across the gate, signifying the show was full. He stopped short and Sherry plowed into Jared’s back, panting from the exertion. 

            “Great, we missed it,” grumbled Jared.  “What the hell took you so long anyway?”

            “Well, Sugar,” Sherry blushed.  “I wanted to look my very best so I went and had my hair done and a mani-pedi, and….well, if you play your cards right, you just might get to see what else I had done.  I can give ya a hint if you'd like.”

Bile rose in Jared’s throat.  He had a pretty good idea what she’d had done and he had no desire whatsoever to see it. He shook his head wondering why women put themselves through such brutal grooming procedures. Resigned to killing time before the next show, he stomped off to another attraction with Sherry trailing his wake.  Hours later, Jared and Sherry made their way to Maven’s tent, twenty minutes before the show was scheduled to start.  Already there was a long line of anxious patrons.  Maven’s assistants began making their way down the line speaking with each customer.  Nice touch, Jared thought.  When the two burly men stopped in front of Jared and Sherry he smiled brightly and said hello.

            “Ticket please,” they responded, as if they didn’t know Jared from Adam. 

            “We’re in line to get our ticket, guys.”  Jared laughed.

            “No,” the larger thug responded.  “The second show is always by special appointment only.  If you don’t have one of the golden tickets, you don’t get in.” 

            “C’mon, guys.  You know me. We'll stand in the back and not make a peep.  I swear, if I didn’t know better I’d say you’re deliberately trying to make me look bad in front of my date. She’s been dying to see Maven’s show!” 

            “No can do, buddy.  Those are the rules.  No ticket, no entry.”

Jared tried to sweet talk his way in but Maven’s assistants refused.  The more he pleaded the angrier they got.

            “Look, man, you’re holding up the line.  Crimony, I’d expect better manners from one of our own.  Seriously, you’re acting worse than the typical drunkards that we have to kick out.  Move along or do you want us to call Security?

Stunned, Jared stammered out an apology, trying again to explain that he was merely trying to impress his date and he hadn’t meant to cause any trouble.  The last thing he needed was to have them complaint to BT about this.

            “She just really wanted to see Maven’s act.  She’s a big fan.”  Jared insisted.

            “Aw, baby,” Sherry squealed.  “That’s alright.  I’d be just as happy to go through the Tunnel of Love ride instead.”

            “You heard the lady, she’d be happy to ride the Tunnel of Love.  So why don’t you take her for her ride and step out of line already, Jared.”