Not A Small-Town Girl

"Do you want to speak again?" she asked, tilting her head slightly.

The maid nodded frantically, her eyes wide with terror. She didn’t dare hesitate, as if any delay might seal her silence forever.

Danielle removed the silver needle with a deliberate precision and snapped her fingers.

Instantly, the maid’s eyes lost focus, her gaze turning glassy and void of emotion.

"Who sent you here, and what was your mission?" Danielle’s voice softened, yet it carried an undeniable authority.

"Mr. Morris... infiltrate... eliminate if necessary," the maid replied mechanically, her voice eerily monotone.

Danielle’s eyes narrowed slightly. Her tone grew firmer as she asked, "And was it Mr. Morris who ordered the poisoning? What’s his full name?"

"Yes. Hugh," the maid answered, her voice wavering.

A flicker of resistance crossed her face, but the compulsion to answer overpowered her hesitation.

"Are there other tasks you’ve been assigned?"

Danielle continued, carefully observing the maid’s responses and noting her subtle struggles.

"No..."

"Where are your people embedded in other families?"

"I... I don’t... know." Sweat poured down the maid’s face as her body tensed, struggling against an invisible barrier.

Danielle sighed inwardly. It was clear the maid had been hypnotized before, but the person who had programmed her lacked finesse. Pushing further could irreparably damage her mind. With a snap of her fingers, Danielle brought the maid out of her trance. The maid blinked, disoriented, before collapsing into a silent heap.

Joshua, who had been watching the entire exchange, stared at Danielle in awe. "You hypnotized her... without saying anything? No countdown? No ’breathe deeply’? Just a snap?"

Danielle shot him a side glance, smirking faintly. "You want to try it out for yourself?" noveldrama

Joshua’s hands flew up defensively. "No, no, I’m good. Thanks."

David, standing quietly at her side, raised an eyebrow. Even he was impressed by Danielle’s mastery of hypnosis-it was far more advanced than he had imagined.

"She’s just a pawn. A small-time spy," Danielle concluded, brushing her hands off as if she had just finished a mundane task.

The trio left the basement, the stale air giving way to the relative comfort of the living room.