No Chains Shall Bind Me (The Good Doctor's Tales Folio Seven) by Randall Farmer Read Free Book Online Page B

dared talk down to her.  Her continuous grinding headache pounded hard, now, worse ever since Adkins entered the room.
    She willed herself to ignore the pain.  However obnoxious the Focus was, she needed Focus Adkins ’ help.  She needed her knowledge and secrets.  Gail controlled her temper, tried to smile, and did her best to look attentive.
    “First,” Adkins said, continuing to radiate superiority, “you need to take control of your household immediately.  The people in your household are going to have all sorts of delusions about their own importance, left over from when they were normals.  Get rid of their delusions quickly or they ’ll cause all sorts of problems.”
    Gail blinked in surprise.  She must have misunderstood what Focus Adkins said.
    “Use your control over their juice,” Adkins said, barreling on.  “Their lives are in your hands.  You’ve gotten power over your household for a reason, and you need to make extensive use of your power.  Or you’ll get locked into a closet and enslaved.”  She paused and looked closely at Gail, almost as if she read Gail’s mind.  “I’m not kidding!  It happens to Focuses.  Strip any Transform all the way down at the least sign of disobedience.  Do this first thing after you tag them, so they understand your power immediately.  Be firm.  Before too long, every Transform in your household will be jumping out of their shoes to make you happy.”
    Gail ’s eyes went wide.  Adkins really did mean this nonsense!
    “I don ’t…  What?  Me?”
    Adkins ’ irritation grew.  She leaned forward and tapped a long, elegant finger on the table.  “Control.  Being a Focus is all about control.  This is the most important lesson a Focus can possibly learn.  You can have as much control over your people as you reach out and take.  Their only defense against this is your own weakness.  Punish any behavior you don’t like and reward any behavior you do.  Be liberal with the punishments and stingy with the rewards.  This is good for your Transforms and will make them disciplined.  Once they fear you, they’ll do anything to make you happy.  Anything.  Use the power your transformation has given you and you can maintain a well-ordered house.
    “In a few months, once your people are broken in, back off the punishments and guide them mostly with juice rewards.  But only after they ’re broken in, or you’ll have hell to pay, and you’ll end up being the one paying it.”
    Gail shook her head.  Focus Adkins acted as if she was trying to control Gail and give her orders.  Well, whatever the other Focus was trying wasn’t working.  “No way, Focus Adkins,” Gail said, leaning forward, hot anger warming her face.  “I’m not going to enslave my people.  That would be morally wrong.  You never do things just because you can.”  This was the very definition of morality.
    “You must,” Focus Adkins said, concentrating intently on Gail, almost as if she willed Gail ’s mind to change.
    Gail pulled back, away from the table, and looked at the too perfect Focus as if she had turned into a poisonous snake.
    “What you’re suggesting is no better than slavery,” Gail said.  “Worse, even.”
    Adkins leaned back and shook her head.  “You ’re being soft-headed, still thinking like a normal.  You’re a Focus now, and you’ll need to act like one.”
    “Does being a Focus mean enslaving people?  Is that what being a Focus means to you?” Gail said, losing control over her righteous Rickenbach temper.  “Screwing with people ’s heads until they’re terrified of you?  Torturing people until you’ve taken away their free will?  Enslaving them?  Because that’s not how I’m going to be a Focus.  I wouldn’t do that to any human being and especially I won’t do that to people who depend on me.”  Gail stood and shouted, now.  She couldn’t make herself stop, and didn’t want to.
    “I don ’t know how the