Here I am, lying in bed, trying to think, but my head is still spinning and pounding. What if the cats are right and I am wrong? I trust those cats more than I would trust myself. This is making me feel like I did back when I was “nowhere”, and that is a terrible feeling. Why did Olivia mention our very first case in her letter? The only way she would know about it is through John, and she was standing there with John when we were all drugged.

Unless that part is more of a dream, something my brain has just put together because I hit my head, just like when I was “nowhere”. The same thing would happen then. Was I given the same kind of a drug? Muffin comes into the room and jumps on the bed. “Lie down here Muffin,” I said, pointing to my chest, “and do some purring for me.” She did so right away, very happily. Meow,meow.=Me not like that I remember things different than you, that not right. “Well, it could just be that you remember things correctly and I don’t,” I told her, “probably because I hit my head.”

Meow,meow.=Me and MC talk today, we remember other things now too. “What other things?”, I ask her. Meow,meow.=Like voices, 3 people talk. One say, “this only takes a minute and they are programmed”, and “he is not a good PI, he should know to go back to the first case” and “he will go completely crazy”. Kat came in just then. “Has Muffin told you about remembering other things?”, I ask her. “Yes, her and MC,” she said. “The one voice said “they will be programmed”, could that be Susan and I?”

“I don’t know Steve,” she said, “as far as we can tell, Susan is not real, except for that picture, which makes no sense.” “Where is MC now?”, I ask Muffin. Meow,meow.=He and Jennifer outside playing. Then suddenly I stop petting Muffin. “Muffin, go get MC right away and come back,” I told her. She understood that meant fast and off she went! “What is wrong Steve?”, asked Kat. “Perhaps nothing, but we will see in a bit,” I said, “maybe we have our first clue. Is Chung still here?” “No, he went back to the clinic to make sure they put things exactly the way he wants it,” she answered.

The cats come running in with Jennifer right behind them. “Come up here MC,” I said, and he did so. I started to pet him and sure enough, it was there! “Feel MC, and Muffin, right here,” I said to Kat and Jennifer. “Feels like a small scar,” said Jennifer. “Yes, it certainly does, and fresh,” said Kat. “Take them to Chung and get x-rays done on both of them,” I said, “and if there is anything there, remove it.” Kat took the cats and off she went. “How are you feeling?”, asked Jennifer. “A lot better after finding those scars,” I said, “but my head is still pounding a bit.”

“Hmm, it is time for your medication,” she said and gave it to me. “How long has it been since my last “nowhere” shot?”, I asked her. She went to check and came back, “hey, where did you go?” She came to the library where I was sitting in my chair thinking. “You are supposed to be in bed!,” she said firmly, “and you are 2 weeks overdue for your shot.” So she gave it to me. “I just could not think lying in bed,” I told her, “this case has nothing to do with Olivia, I am sure of that, it has to do with our first case. That is where we need to go.”

“You need to be in bed, not going on a case,” said Jennifer, “at least not until you are better again.” And off she goes as Annelie comes back in. “I found something Steve,” she said, “come take a look.” That brought Jennifer back too. “I hacked into medical records from the state where she lived,” said Annelie, “and there she is. She needed a medical two years ago for her job so we have a recent picture of her which matches yours Steve.” “So she is real after all,” I said smiling. “Yes, sorry I didn’t really believe you, although I did kind of,” she said, “that is why I did not stop looking.”

“I’m sorry too Steve,” said Jennifer, “now I feel really bad.” “Don’t,” I said, “you were doing what I told each of you, always believe the cats. But this time someone has tampered with our little friends.” What?!”, said Annelie, quite shocked, so I told her what I found out. Now we had to wait for news from Chung. “Jennifer, check back here on my head,” I told her. She looked carefully but found nothing, so that was good. Kat, Chung and the cats arrived home by late afternoon, the cats still sleeping.

“Here,” said Chung, “this is what I find. This needle goes into certain part of brain, this (pointing to a tiny electronic device) tells them false memories. That is simple, it is more complicated, but that is how it works.” “And that is why they remember things differently than me,” I said. “Yes, yes, that is it,” said Chung with a smile. Then my head started spinning again so I sat down. “I am wondering if they gave me a drug, similar to that ‘nowhere’ drug,” I said, “I feel the same way sometimes.” “Maybe we do some tests, we can find out,” said Chung.

To Be Continued.

©2022 Steve McLeod.