Voices

A criminal's mind is an inadvisable place to go treasure hunting.

Ray Tucker slumps brooding in his cell...

"So this is it then. The wait's over."

"Guess so, Ray."
Davy’s scared. He’s tryin’ t’sound all relaxed, like he don’t care, but I can tell he’s freakin’ out. Not sure how I feel myself ... relieved, I think. After six year’s in here, waitin’ an’ wonderin’, it all ends this morning. That’s goin’ t’be the easy bit. It’s all this waitin’ that’s done my head in.
"Guess they didn’t beat us completely though, eh Ray? In a way, we won."
"What you talkin’ ‘bout?"
Davy’s losin’ it. Must be the fear. Poor Davy - he may be an ugly, vicious rat, but he’s still my little brother.
"The money, Ray; the police got us, but they never made us tell, right?"
"Oh yeah. The money..."
Davy’s right about that. They can kill us, but they’ll never find what we did with the money.

"...nobody has a clue where the money's stashed."

***

Dr. Daniels locks the lab door and pulls the shades...

"So this is it then. The wait's over."

"Really, Dr. Daniels? We're going for it?"
Kenny’s youthful enthusiasm warms my heart. My colleagues ridiculed my theories, but Kenny has never doubted me.
"Yes. We can begin as soon as I've attached the synaptic conductors."
"And you want me to pull the plug after five minutes?"
Five ought to do it. More than enough time to have to be inside the head of that scumbag, Tucker. His gormless little brother will tell me everything I need.
"I doubt if the machine can sustain the mind projection for any longer, but, yes ... five minutes ... just to be safe."
"Are you sure about this? Dr. Daniels, the tests we did with the lab monkeys were – "
"The Tuckers are being executed in less than an hour. If we don’t do it now, the money’s lost..."
Kenny’s right, of course. Any number of things could go wrong, but I trust him to bring me back.

"...nobody has a clue where the money's stashed."

***

Davey Tucker squats in front of his brother, frowning...

"Are you all right? You looked all weird for a second there."

"Wh ... I ... my God, it worked! I’m here. Y-you’re Davy Tucker, right?"
Ray’s cracking. I knew he was more scared than he was letting on. Putting on a brave face on my account I’ll bet.
"Take it easy, big brother. Course it’s me."
"Yes, yes. Course it’s you, Davy. I was ... ahh ... only joking."
It’s less than an hour ‘til we get the injection, and Ray decides to develop a sense of humour. The stress must be getting to him worse than I thought.
"It’s funny, Davy, I was just thinking about the money."
"Well sure. We were talking about it just a few seconds ago."
"We were? Oh ... uh ... yeah. We were. Strange thing is, Davy, I’ve forgotten. I’ve ... ahh ... forgotten everything. I don’t know what’s happened to me. I can’t even remember where we hid the money. Where’s the money, Davy?"
Poor old Ray. See what this place’s done to him?

"It's ok. It's ok. Just calm down and I'll tell you everything."

***

Kenny looks up from the bank of monitors...

"Are you all right? You looked all weird for a second there."

"What’s goin’ on? What the hell’s goin’ on? Where’s Davy? What is this place?"
Something’s not right. Dr. Daniels doesn’t recognize me. I hope the process hasn’t damaged his mind. I knew we should have done more tests before trying this.
"Don’t you remember me, Doctor? It’s me ... Kenny. Remember? Are you ok?"
"I ain’t a stinkin' Doctor. Is this someone’s idea of a joke? How did I get here? You’d better tell me where my brother is right now."
Oh Lord. It’s Tucker. Somehow the mind projection has worked both ways and Ray Tucker’s here, in the Doctor’s head - here in the lab with me.
"You’re ... uh ... R-Ray, aren’t you? Please relax, Mr. Tucker. Put those scalpels down and I’ll explain what’s happening."
"You’ve got three seconds to start talkin’, runt.

"It's ok. It's ok. Just calm down and I'll tell you everything."

***

Dr. Daniels stretches his - Tucker's - arms and lays back on the bed, smiling...

Didn't take long. Ddn't take much to persaude him to talk.

Now I just have to wait for Kenny to get me out of this cell, out of this body. Tucker's twisted mind can come back where it belongs. Here come the guards now; good timing. Ray and Davey Tucker are about to pay for the eighteen innocent people they gunned down during their botched getaway, but the Tuckers' secret doesn’t have to die with them, not anymore.

This time tomorrow, I'll be enjoying the easiest money I ever made...

***

Ray Tucker washes his - Dr. Daniel's - hands under a tap...

Didn't take long. Ddn't take much to persaude him to talk.

Little runt. So him and his scientist friend were plannin’ on nickin’ our money. Carvin’ him up with scalpels was no more than he deserved. That smartass scientist can have my injection ... which makes me a free man: new face, new identity and a younger, healthier body. Shame poor Davy still has to die, but you can’t win ‘em all. Just got to fetch the loot from hiding, and I'm laughing.

This time tomorrow, I'll be enjoying the easiest money I ever made...